Page 90 of Wedding the Werepanther

“Then you can animate the new flowers so they can join their parents,” Hannah says. “They’ll be just as protected as the rest of the tulips, and you won’t have to worry about them.”

Happiness blooms inside me, warming my chest. More of the adorable tulipsandthe chance to practice my magic? Yes, please. “This is perfect! Let’s do it!”

Severin sends a pulse of plant magic into the tulip, and the baby bulb detaches and falls into his hand. Once he sets the parent plant on the ground, he sends more power into the daughter, and the bulb grows, sprouting leaves and roots like a time-lapse video on fast-forward. When it gets big enough, it sends up a bud-tipped stalk, the flower soon blooming to full size.

He lays it gently on the ground. “Your turn.”

“Okay.” I let out a breath. This is the first time I’ve ever tried to do this on purpose. I reach inside, calling up my magic as I do when I feed it to Victoria. It comes in a tingling rush, leaping and eager, and I focus on my intent: I want the tulip alive and joyful and able to join its family in running across the town green.

I brush my fingers over its flower head, releasing my power. It pours down my arm like a bubbling stream, filling the tulip until it wiggles on the ground. With a joyous laugh, I help it stand, and it takes its first toddling steps on little root feet.

All the Witch Bitches give happy gasps, and Violeta whispers, “Such a cool power.”

Then the other tulips surround the new plant, touching flowers like giving little kisses. When they finally part, the new tulip leans its head against my knee, its long leaves hugging my leg.

It does the same to Severin, who gives it another little pulse of plant magic before looking at me. “Shall we do another?”

“Yes!”

There are two more tulip babies, and making each one of them come alive so they can join their family is one of the greatest joys of my life. The feeling is piercing, coming from the very heart of me and my magic.

The tulips race around the green exuding joy, soon joined by the rolling pumpkins and flying hearts.

We all stand, and the Witch Bitches surround me with hugs and congratulations.

“Look how happy the tulips are,” Violeta says as we hug. “You made them that way.”

I startle. “I hadn’t thought about that. I now know that whatever I make is imprinted with my intention, but I had no idea when I first made them.”

“And you still made them so they’d be happy—all of them, the tulips, the pumpkins, and the hearts.” Jasmine hugs me. “It’s pretty amazing.”

“It sure is.” Autumn squeezes me tight. “The pumpkins exude so much fun.”

“The hearts always surround me with the most wonderful feeling of love,” Skye adds, tackling me in one of her excellent hugs.

“Thank you for thinking of this,” I say to Hannah as she hugs me.

“Of course. What are friends for?”

Then a deep voice speaks from behind me, “You were amazing, my witchy beauty.”

“Shadow!” I spin. “I thought you were staying in tonight with your family?”

“I was, but Jace texted me to come see this, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Admiration fills his eyes as he cups my cheek. “You were magnificent. I’m so proud of you.”

My heart leaps against my ribs, soaring to new heights. For the first time in my life, I don’t care that other people are watching as I pull Shadow close for a kiss.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Shadow

The following morning, I wait until Kayla makes it through three rounds of alarms before greeting my witchy beauty with a kiss and a cup of coffee prepared exactly as she likes.

Once she’s gulped half of it, her eyes clear of their lingering sleepiness, and she blinks up at me. “It’s your family’s last day here. What would you like to do?”

“I want to take them into town.” They’ve watched a bit of television and have seen more of how humans live. “I think the kits are ready.”

She nods, and her lips curl into a smile. “They do know the clothes need to stay on, right? Because they’re as bad as their uncle about stripping, and we don’t need to give Mrs. Greely any more streaking to complain about.”