13

Sienna

Forrest's hand engulfed mine as we navigated to the dance floor. As his strong arms wrapped around me, our feet moved in perfect harmony. With each step, his body instructed mine, guiding me. I leaned closer to him, seeking the warmth emanating from his skin.

As if he could read my mind, Forrest pulled me closer, our bodies melding into one. I couldn't resist the temptation to sneak a look at him, and I found his gaze fixed intently on me. There was a glint of curiosity in his eyes. It was mixed with an unidentifiable emotion that made me wonder what was on his mind. A sly half-smile played at the corners of his lips, amplifying the ambiguity behind his expression as our eyes met again .

The mask he wore only added to his allure, cloaking him in an air of mystery that made my heart race even faster.

He leaned down, his warm breath caressing the delicate curve of my ear. "Thank you for being my date tonight," he whispered. His voice was smooth like velvet, drawing me closer to him.

At that moment, I knew I was lost under a mortal man's spell.

A first for a witch like me.

"Sienna, you look stunning!" Athena's melodic voice startled me, causing me to jump away from the comforting embrace of Forrest.

"Athena," I said. "So good to see you."

"Are you having a nice time?" she asked the two of us, but her attention was on Forrest.

Forrest chuckled. "I must say, it has been a spectacular evening so far," he replied. "I have a feeling the night is far from over."

The older woman raised an eyebrow at Forrest's cryptic words, her curiosity piqued. "Oh? Do tell me your plans for the evening," she urged, leaning in closer to hear his response over the lively music playing in the background.

Forrest crossed his arms over his chest, radiating an air of nonchalance as Athena's disapproving gaze fell on him. I knew her well enough to sense her rising frustration, so I stepped in to defuse the tension.

"He's going to teach me all his moves," I told her. "He's quite the dancer."

"Is that right?" Athena's sharp eyes narrowed into slits, their piercing gaze locked onto me. It was as if she could see right through me, reading every thought and emotion. She knew, without a doubt, about the unspoken feelings I harbored for Forrest. Her knowing stare made it painfully clear like a spotlight illuminating my deepest secrets for all to see.

Forrest's strong arms suddenly enveloped me as he lifted me off the ground, my body weightless in his grasp. He spun me around in a dizzying display of joy and affection, and the world blurred around us, caught up in our little bubble of happiness. My heart fluttered with each turn, feeling alive and carefree in his embrace.

The next thing I knew, we were on the other side of the room, and Athena was nowhere in sight.

"What was that about?" he asked, pulling me into his warmth again .

"Nothing," I told him.

"It didn't seem like nothing," he said.

"Athena is just a little overprotective," I explained. "She doesn't trust men."

As the words slipped out of my mouth, I immediately regretted their release. I wanted to grab them and shove them back into the depths of my throat, erasing their existence.

"Sounds like a typical scorned woman," he laughed.

I breathed a sigh of relief. "I guess we all have a little scorned woman in us," I said, "passed down from our ancestors."

"I believe it," Forrest nodded, sincere as ever. "The guys in Cider Falls seem to be one-in-a-million, though. They're all so nice ."

A laugh escaped my lips at his words. I mean, he wasn't wrong. "That they are," I said.

"Which is why I don't understand how you haven't been swept off your feet," he said, his hands low on my waist as we swayed to the music.

"Maybe I'm picky," I told him.

"Oh, I'd believe that," he joked, and I gently elbowed his abdomen.

"It's not a bad thing! I could have been married, but I wanted true love," I whispered.

"And it wasn't true love?"

"Arranged is never true love," I explained.

"Arranged?" His left eyebrow rose. "What is this, the 16 th century?"

I shook my head, the subtle movement conveying my answer and reluctance to open up to him. My lips parted, yearning to spill out the words I held back, but I knew I couldn't reveal the truth.

"We don't have to talk about it," he whispered, pulling me back into his chest. I sank into him, my body deceiving me. I could feel the weight of my sisters' gazes, a silent judgment that made my steps falter slightly. Forrest squeezed me reassuringly, his touch sending a wave of comfort through me.

I knew I had to appear confident, to show my coven that I was in control of the situation.

But was I?

As the music swirled around us, I let myself be swept away by the rhythm, my worries momentarily forgotten. Forrest led me effortlessly across the dance floor, and I relished the simple joy of being held by someone who made me feel truly alive. But as the song ended and we slowed to a graceful stop, I saw my coven gathered in a shadowed alcove, their expressions unreadable.

I was beginning to doubt my ability to gather information for them. But the thought of passing on the responsibility to someone else brought a feeling of unease to my stomach. A sense of longing tugged at my heart as I thought of seeing Forrest less, or even not at all. Amidst this inner turmoil, a little devil on my shoulder grew louder, tempting me with its words. And instead of silencing it, I found myself starting to listen.

As the band struck up another lively tune, my arms instinctively wrapped around Forrest's strong shoulders, and my body moved in sync with the infectious rhythm. The music seemed to take on a life of its own, pulling us closer and closer as we twirled.