Rowena turned her head and winced. She couldn't recall anything after Winona Howler insulted her about her parents. She stretched her bare legs against an unfamiliar comforter and groaned. High-pitched voices singing about visiting a wizard combined with the chirping of birds outside made Rowena wonder if someone had drugged her.

"Are you awake?" Cross asked from beside her. His back was against a heavy bed frame made of sandalwood. A black sports shirt stretched across his broad chest and Rowena couldn't help but notice she was wearing a similar shirt.

Rowena frowned, licking her dry lips. She grimaced at the scent of her own breath. "Was I drugged?"

His face puckered in confusion. "Do you know what it feels like to be drugged?"

She gave a single nod. "Once. Three years ago. It was a learning experience. One, never attend parties thrown by people who live in a compound surrounded by electrical fencing. Two, if you do attend a party on a compound surrounded by electrical fencing and everyone is dressed like a hippie, don't just assume it's a costume party. Three, if everyone offers you a drink, swearing it will change your life and bring you full enlightenment—it's probably just drugged green tea."

Cross blinked before his mouth fell slightly open. "This really happened to you?"

"Yes. I should've known better. My cousin Carmen was the one who told me about the party. That evil heifer."

"How did you escape?"

"Let's just say I should probably name my first-born child after my boss's cousin Hector. He's an ex-marine turned vigilante. Luckily, Rolando hates it when people call in sick to work. When I didn't answer any of his calls, Rolando sent Hector to find me. Hector saved me from being brainwashed by a bunch of hippies, and he had the whole place shut down. The compound is now a cat shelter."

Cross blinked rapidly, unsure of how to respond.

"I tried to get back at Carmen," Rowena continued. "I sent an inflatable male sex doll to her married boss in Carmen's name. I was so sure he'd fire her."

"She wasn't fired?" Cross asked, disbelief in his voice.

"No," Rowena pouted. "That heifer got a promotion!"

Cross sighed and shook his head. "You're unpredictable, Rowena. It's a blessing and a curse. I love you for keeping me on my toes, but last night—my mother almost killed you. I jumped in the second I realized what you were doing, but those precious seconds were enough for my mother to do some damage."

Rowena covered her face with her hands. "Your mother beat me in a fight? In front of everyone? There goes my street cred. Now, everyone is going to believe I'm a weak human instead of a sexy hex witch." She closed her eyes in embarrassment.

"I'll always think you're a sexy hex witch."

"You don't count."

Cross made a chuffing sound. "I'm your soulmate and your boyfriend. I'm the only one who should count."

"You aren't my boyfriend. We haven't even been on a date," she argued.

He crossed his arms at his chest and gave her a smug expression. He tilted his head to the eighty-inch flatscreen hanging directly across his bed. "It's the Wizard of Oz. This should count as our first date."

"Cross, if I didn't feel like I just did a full-body workout with Rocky Balboa right now, I would remind you the woman has to be conscious when you spend time with her for it to count as a date."

He shrugged. "That's a technicality."

"No, it's the law. I'm a hundred percent sure it's in the constitution." Rowena's eyes narrowed. "Have you gone on dates with unconscious women before, Cross?"

"Of course not! I was just kidding about the technicality thing. Even if you won't admit it, you and I are the end game, baby. If you want to name our first pup after Hector...we'll talk about it. I'm grateful he saved you when I wasn't around to do so."

"One, don't call my future babies pups. Two, why am I wearing your clothes?"

Cross rolled his eyes. "Before you accuse me of something I didn't do, the pack's local doctor and her nurse helped change you after my mother attacked you. I was worried you might have internal injuries."

"You had to bring in a doctor? How badly did your mother beat me in this fight?"

"I wouldn't call it a fight. It was more like a five-second massacre. You literally jumped at her, and she attacked. Her claws got your face and arms. She also kicked you three times, bruising your legs."

Rowena cracked open an eye. "Do I look like Freddie Kruger?"

"You did before I licked your face." His features twisted in sorrow. "I'm sorry I didn't ask you beforehand, but you were bleeding profusely and I figured you'd prefer it if I did it in my wolf's form as opposed to the doctor you don't know. I didn't lick your legs, but I can if you want me to. Are you angry with me?"

Rowena slid her fingers across her face. "Do I have any scars on my face? I don't want to be nicknamed Scar Face, Cross! You know those jerks at work will call me that behind my back."

"None. You're just as beautiful as you were before my mother turned your face into a bloody mess of cuts. You're really not mad?"

She shrugged. "No, I'm not really upset about it or you healing me. I acted like an idiot trying to jump your mother and you were in your wolf's form, so it doesn't seem as weird as if you were licking me in your human form."

Cross nodded.

"So, you watched the movie?" She pointed to the television, which had Judy Garland dodging an apple being thrown by a tree.

"I did. It seemed important to you, so I watched it a few times," Cross admitted. "I'm sorry we didn't get to watch it together. I swear I've learned my lesson. If an ex-girlfriend comes to visit, I should just bring you along and let everyone see for themselves how important you are to me."

Rowena's cheeks heated. She was about to respond when her cell phone rang. She gasped. "Rolando is going to kill me!"

She swiped the button to take the call as Cross muted the television.

"Where are you, Flores?" Rolando's impatient voice asked over the phone. "You were supposed to open today."

"I'm sorry, Rolando, but you know I wouldn't miss without a good reason."

"Fine, let's hear it. What's so important you had to miss work this morning?"

"Would you believe an angry female werewolf shifter attacked me?"

"Sure. Then what happened? Did a UFO land in your neighborhood asking for urine samples?" Rolando growled.

Rowena's lip curled. "Stop being gross, Rolando."

"Stop using the plotlines from those books you and Gina read and come to work."

"I don't think you understand. I'm in a lot of physical pain right now."

"Rowena, I don't think you understand. I'm in a lot of mental pain right now. Karen's dead. They killed her in our store, remember? The police taped off the crime scene and people need to use the bathroom! Where are they supposed to go? The Dairy Queen across the street? Gina called in because the police think she murdered Karen. I still need to run the Sweeter Homes Beauty Pageant. Plus, there's a crazy mob of mariachi singers in the parking lot."

Rowena's head jerked back. "Mariachi singers?"

"That's what I said, Flores."

"Why are mariachi singers in the parking lot?"

"How would I know? They're currently playing Baby Shark. I have grown adults dancing to Baby Shark in the parking lot!"

"That sounds fun. I'm surprised you haven't capitalized on that," Rowena said. "Record and put it on social media."

Rolando grumbled. "The problem is the customers are staying in the parking lot to listen to the free show instead of coming into the store to shop. These mariachi singers are ruining business!"

Rowena had a few family members who were mariachi singers. She wondered if they were there. "Are they taking requests? Can you ask if they'll play Michael Jackson's Thriller?"

"Flores!"

"Not a fan? What about the ending song from the film, Dirty Dancing?" She began singing some words out of tune when Rolando started yelling again.

"Fine, fine. I'm on my way," Rowena muttered. "I hope I get bonus points in the pageant for working, even though I'm in pain."

"I'll get you some heat patches. Just get here!"

The call disconnected before Rowena could respond.

"You're needed at work?" Cross asked. He was already getting out of bed. "I can drive you to your home to change. I'm going to have Liam shadow you today."

Liam was the beta for the pack. He usually followed Cross around.

"Cross, I can't walk around with Liam acting like my bodyguard," Rowena said.

Cross tilted his head in thought. "What if he helped at the store? Knowing a fairy murdered Karen means a paranormal is near you. What if they strike again? I don't want their next victim to be you."

"I'm a hexing witch," she reminded him. "I can take care of myself."

His brows raised. "Like you took care of yourself last night?"

Her shoulders fell. "Your mom probably hates me more than she did before I tried to attack her, huh?"

Cross bit the inside of his cheek while he pondered how to answer her. His blue eyes warmed. "I think you surprised her."

Rowena's eyes widened as she made her way to a chair where her clothing from the night before was folded. "Are you really sticking Liam to me because of the fairy or your mom?"

Cross chuckled. "The thought crossed my mind, but I don't think my mother will attack you again."

"Why is that?"

"After I pulled you away from her, I had her banned. She's staying in one of the empty houses in town."

"No, please tell me you didn't kick your mother out because of me," Rowena groaned. "Now, she's never going to like me. You need to bring her back."

"Rowena, I warned her."

Her shoulders lifted, and she waved her hands in the air as if the issue at hand didn't matter. "I'm okay. I forgive her. Bring her back. I'll try not to attack her again in the future."

Lines of anger etched themselves across his face. "Rowena, her attacking you verbally and then physically wasn't just an insult to you, but to me as well. I asked her to be polite when she met you. She wasn't. She insulted you and then said what she said about your parents. I'm sorry." He aimed his eyes at the floor and shook his head in shame. "Meeting my parents should have been a joyous event, and Angelina and my mother's prejudice against you marred it. I love my mother, but she needs to understand you are important to me."

"Why are you making such a big deal about this?" Rowena pulled on her pants, leaving his shirt on. "I appreciate you standing up for me, but bring your mother back."

"No."

Rowena sighed. "Do you know how my mom would react if I brought home the Prince of Arabia as a potential son-in-law?"

Cross shook his head.

"The same way she'd react if I brought home a deranged serial killer," Rowena said. "She wouldn't care, Cross. Her reaction would be indifference. Does it hurt that your mother hates me?" She shrugged. "A little. Still, I'm happy you have that. I'm happy you have parents who care enough about you to be worried you might make a mistake in choosing your future mate. I don't want you to ruin your relationship with your parents because of me."

"You're not a mistake," Cross insisted.

"You can't know that, Cross."

"I can. I do," he stressed.

"Just because my abuela said we were soulmates, doesn't mean you have to take me as your mate."

"It's not because your abuela said we were soulmates," Cross replied, striding over to her. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "It's because of the feelings I have when you're around me. My heart speeds up and I feel like there's something pressing on my chest."

"That sounds like heartburn."

He rolled his eyes. "It's also the feeling I have when I'm not around you. I feel empty. Lost. All I can think about is when I get to see you again. I know these past few weeks apart have been bad, but they also taught me how important you are to me."

"Cross, you don't have to—"

He gently squeezed her shoulders. "You are important, Rowena."

They stared silently at one another until Rowena's eyes flitted to the right.

"Fine," she mumbled.

"Fine?" Cross repeated, confused.

"Fine, I'll..." she muttered the last few words.

Cross leaned forward with a mischievous tilt to his lips. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that? I didn't quite catch it all."

Her eyes narrowed. "You heard me."

"Baby, say it again as if you mean it," Cross urged her.

She ignored him, stomping to the bedroom's exit. She stood in the doorway and looked back before yelling, "Fine, I'll be your girlfriend!"