3. Autumn

Chapter three

Autumn

Sinclair magic is broken into two components. The main component, and the heart of the family's magic, is referred to as the core magic. The second component is the family grimoire, a spell book that has been guarded for over two centuries. Following tradition, one individual will serve as the conduit of the core magic, containing most of its power, while another will be assigned the guardian, in which they protect the grimoire.

-Entries from the personal diaries of John Sinclair, the founder of the Sinclair Coven.

O ne minute, I'm minding my own business, browsing the romance section of my favorite bookstore, and the next, a brick wall is slamming into me, chucking me to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Okay, I kind of stumbled on my own feet when said wall hit me, and I didn't really fall that hard.

But seriously, what just happened?

A deep, breathy voice rumbles, causing goosebumps to break out across my arms. "Oh gods, I'm so sorry, I—"

He stops talking abruptly, and a shiver slides against my spine as I take in the man—no, the wolf above me. Whoa. He's handsome, with his white button-up dress shirt straining against his muscled chest and thick arms. I barely have time to take in his clawed fingertips before his strong hands are wrapping around my forearms and he's lifting me like I'm as light as a feather.

In one swift motion, I'm upright and breathless, standing, and peering down at the guy's werewolf feet. Even his thighs are thick, tucked in snug under a pair of form-fitting dress slacks. What the hell… I've never seen a wolf hybrid in real life, but that's when he has to be, right? Half shifter, half were? And why is he so hot?

His clawed hands are all over me, brushing off the dirt as he rambles apologetically. The cutest blush rises to his cheeks, and suddenly, I'm transfixed. Mesmerized by how well this handsome yet bashful creature plays my body. I gasp. It's almost as if he was plucked from my wildest fantasies.

Deep, chocolate-brown eyes meet mine. Smiling, I'm about to say something to him when he takes off around the corner and disappears. I'm left here trembling with lust and wondering if I maybe fell and hit my head. Because the hot wolf-man has to be a figment of my imagination. It's the only explanation for what I just experienced.

After a minute, I shake myself out of my trance and bend down to pick up the books I dropped.

"Oh, no. Let me help. It's my fault."

My heart skips a beat at his deep, masculine voice.

The wolf is back, and he's already bent in half, picking up my mess. A moment of panic zips through me. Oh gods, he's going to see that book. I have a thing for steamy erotic romances, but then, I calm down when I realize the only way the wolf might recognize the really obscure cover is if he reads this stuff, too. And the chances of that are—

"Here you go." He hands me a few books before pausing over the spiciest. That adorable blush spreads further and his cheeks are splotchy and red.

I grin. Holy shit. I can't believe it. He totally knows what's inside this book. Damn, why do I find that so… so… I don't even know what to think, but I kind of like it. I don't have many friends who read the stuff I do.

"Um—uh."

The rambling, nervous wolf is ticking all my boxes.

"Thank you." I reach for the last book and smile at him. He stops everything he's doing and blinks at me. He scratches his arm, before I see his hand trail to his back before he scratches that, too.

I expect the wolf to tuck tail and run again, but to my surprise, he gives me a shy smile and points at my pile. "So, you like Abigail Skin?"

My smile widens. "I do. She's such a talented writer. What about you?"

He nods. "Have you read her book ‘Trapped at the Lakehouse?'"

"I did! It's one of my favorites."

"Mine too!"

Our eyes meet, and I guess I can blame it on all the cheesy romances I've ever read, but I swear we share a moment. This is the part in the movie where birds would start chirping, or some ridiculous music would start playing. I bite my lip, trying to stop myself from chuckling at my wayward thoughts.

He clears his throat and scratches his head nervously. I notice a combination of wolf's fur and hair cover his thick forearms. His sleeves are rolled up just below the elbow. I'm tempted to run my fingertip against his fur just to see if it's as soft as it looks.

His chocolate-brown eyes are so warm. "Have you read Helena Hurt?"

I shake my head. "No. Not yet. Is she any good?"

His smile widens. My face mirrors his when he places his big werewolf hand on the small of my back and guides me deeper into the romance section, his sharp claws lightly grazing my back.

A shiver runs down my spine.

We pause in front of a huge display with Helena Hurt's books. "Now, I don't mean to be alarming," he whispers, leaning in as if he's about to tell me a secret. "But Helena's books are way better than Abigail's."

I gasp, appalled. "No! You take that back. There's—"

He holds up a hand, silencing me. I momentarily distracted by the black pointed claws again.

"I know. Trust me. I didn't believe it either." He grins down at me. "I thought there was no way in hell I would like someone more than the queen of fantasy herself."

My lips twitch. "What made you give her stories the time of day?"

"It was when I finished all of Abigail Skin's books and didn't have anything to read."

"Wait." My eyes widen. "You've read every book by Abigail? There are so many!"

The wolf blushes again. The blush travels from his cheeks and spreads down his neck before disappearing behind a sexy tuft of wolf fur. I've always had a thing for chest hair, but damn, this wolf makes everything hotter.

"And what about you? How many of her books have you read?"

I smirk. "All of them, of course."

He barks out a laugh.

We chat about some of our other favorite authors for a moment and I love how well we seem to click.

Gods, he's sweet, bashful, and is a total reader? How many times have I dreamt of flirting with someone in between the shelves of a bookstore? Because that's what we are doing, right? Flirting? And how refreshing is it that we're talking about books? He doesn't seem to care that I'm a Sinclair or hell, maybe he doesn't even know.

Would he change when he found out? People are always after our magic in one way or another. If it isn't to try to downright steal it, it's to gain magical favors, or get access to our family name.

The curiosity becomes too much, and I finally ask him what's on my mind. "What's your name?"

"Rook. What's yours?" He swipes a nervous hand through his rich brown hair.

Rook. Why did that name sound so familiar?

I smile. "My name is Autumn."

"Autumn," he breathes, taking a step closer. "That's beautiful. Very fitting."

The world around us seems to fade away; my sole focus is on this wolf. "How so?" I whisper, curious how he thinks my name is fitting. I've never been complimented over my name before.

"Your hair." Rook holds up a hand as if he's going to run his fingers through my strands. "The color is a unique blend of reds and oranges, reminiscent of fall leaves. And your eyes…they are captivating. Gorgeous greens and golds. Paired with your pretty freckles, it's as if you are an fall deity personified."

My breath catches.

His hand falls away before making contact.

"Excuse me," Daniel, the bookstore owner, says as he approaches us. "Oh look, my two favorite customers chatting. How wonderful."

"Yes, Rook and I just met." I glance over at the wolf and he looks pale. His eyes are wide as he stares at the book Daniel is holding.

My lips twitch when I see the cover. Unlike my steamy, obscure cover, this one leaves no room for imagination. It's pure erotica. Nothing but fun smut with a light fantasy plot in the background. It's kinky and fun, and absolutely delicious. I would know, I've read it multiple times.

"Here's your special order, Rook." Daniel hands the book to the wolf before disappearing behind another shelf.

My phone begins to ring. I fish it out of my back pocket and glance down at the screen in disappointment. I have to go. I promised my mother I'd be there today for some family obligation. Is it weird that despite only spending thirty minutes with Rook, it feels like we have a deeper connection? It's like I've been friends with him for years. That's crazy.

"I'm so sorry, Rook. I need to go. Duty calls." I wave my phone at him as it continues to flash.

His face falls, and I'm glad I'm not the only one who seems disappointed. Rook's eyes flicker to something behind me.

"Hey there, Autumn."

Turning, I see a familiar face grinning at me. "Lucus? Oh my gosh, hi." I throw my arms around my old friend. "How are you?" It's been a while since I've seen Lucus Briar. We were childhood friends who ended up going to different universities. We still occasionally keep in touch.

"I'm good."

Lucus jumps into some story about his travels overseas, but I'm distracted by the handsome wolf, who is slowly backing away. From the corner of my eye I see Rook tuck his book behind his back. Suddenly, I'm sad about the poor timing.

"Since you're here," Lucus says, searching for something in his satchel. "I might as well give this to you in person. My family said you're searching for another wealthy witch to marry." Lucus chuckles.

My face heats, and my eyes immediately bounce to Rook. Gods, I sound like a gold digger or something.

Lucus hands me a fancy white envelope. It's addressed to me and my address. I break open the seal and pull out the thick cardstock inside. "What's this?"

Lucus gives me a confused look. "It's an invitation to your party next week. Hence the whole ‘husband search.'"

"Ah, of course. Will you excuse me, Lucus? I have to meet with my family. I have some grand party to plan after all."

When I glance over at the spot where Rook had been standing, I notice it's empty. I spin around, searching for the big wolf. The handsome guy is huge, for fuck's sake. How did he sneak out?

I finally spot him at the front of the bookstore, chatting with a cute demon at the front of the line. Rook notices me and his face turns red again as he hides his book behind his back. Well, I can't have that. No one should be shamed by their reading choices. Especially when it comes to fiction. The demon turns to see who Rook is looking at. I don't want to interrupt, but when the demon waves with a huge grin on his face, I feel like I'm safe.

"It was nice meeting you, Rook," I call out. "I'm sure we'll see each other soon. Until then, enjoy your book. It's one of my favorites."

Rook's brown eyes widen before his pupils darken. He looks adorable and flustered. Who knew I'd have such a kink for big, bashful wolves who look like they can toss me around?

With one last glance, I let my eyes drop back down to his book before trailing back up to his lust-filled gaze. Then, when I'm absolutely sure he's looking at me, I wink.

My boots click against the wet cobblestones as I make my way back to the Sinclair Estate. I'm clutching the envelope I took from Lucus in my hand. I can't believe my mother went behind my back to set up a party. What the hell did she say while issuing them? Because she had to have said something to make the Briar family tell Lucus I was hunting for a freaking husband.

How embarrassing.

My anger and frustration are simmering by the time I make it to the house. With its towering columns and lavish windows, the house resembles more of a mansion than anything.

"Mother?" I shout as I march through the front door of our house. "What the hell is this?" I hold up the RSVP, half tempted to shred it into teeny tiny pieces and toss it in the air like it's glitter confetti.

Nana chuckles from the sofa where she's using magic to knit a shimmery orange scarf. Her beautiful, long gray hair is thrown into a messy bun, and there's a steaming mug of coffee next to her on the end table. Five bucks says there's a shot of whiskey in the mug along with her caffeine.

"Mother!" I call out again, waving a pearl white envelope in my hand.

"I knew you weren't going to like it." Nana shakes her head with a small smile on her face.

"You need to marry," Mom says as she steps into the room. She's wearing a well-tailored navy pantsuit that makes her look more like a high-powered CEO rather than a witch. Similar to Nana's hair, my mom has her hair tossed up into a pretty bun, only there isn't a strand out of place.

"And you said I could do it my way."

Mom sighs. "Honey, no offense, but your way sucks."

"Mom!" My mouth falls open right at the same time Nana chuckles.

My head whips over to my grandmother. "Hey! Whose side are you on?"

Just then, something soft brushes against my leg. Maple, my fox familiar, weaves between my legs.

"Aww, who's a good boy? Of course you're on my side, aren't you, Maple?" I coo as I bend down to give Maple scritches behind her left ear. It's not my fault that every witch I've dated made it clear they were after my magic, our family money, or both.

Nana places her scarf on the end table and peers over at Mom. "Tell Autumn about your magic, Lucy."

My head ping-pongs between the two of them. "What's going on with your magic?"

Mom sighs. She reaches for both of my hands and tugs me over to the sofa. I collapse on the cushions, already knowing I'm not going to like what she has to say.

"What's going on with your magic, Mom?" I repeat.

Mom's matching hazel eyes bore into mine. "Your father and I were out shopping when it started to rain. I tried summoning an umbrella…"

I nod encouragingly. "Okay. And?"

"It wouldn't work."

The blood drains from my face. "Wha—what do you mean it wouldn't work?" Plucking a normal household item out of thin air is a simple conjuring spell. A Sinclair can do it without even having to chant out loud.

"Just that, honey. It wouldn't work. I couldn't do it." She squeezes my hands tighter.

I nod slowly, understanding dawning on me. "The Sinclair magic is seeping out of Nana. And because you already have adult children, the magic is skipping you. It needs to go to either me or my brother."

"Autumn, he left us."

I rip my hands away from my mother's. "No. He didn't, Mom. You don't understand." Gods, we've had this conversation so many times. "I don't understand why you don't have more faith in your own son."

"Honey," Mom says slowly. "I don't understand because you won't tell me anything. I don't know what happened to him. I don't know where he went or where he is now."

"It isn't my story to tell." Frustrated tears fill my eyes, and images of Orson hurting my brother fill my mind. "It's really bad, mom. Honestly, the things I saw, it's something a mother should never see."

This time Mom's eyes fill with tears. It's hard to see. Mom has always been so composed.

Nana stands from her spot and rubs small circles on mom's back. "It's true, Lucy. I did a spell last year. I saw what happened. You don't need to know."

Mom trembles and I lean forward, pulling her into my arms.

"And you're sure my baby boy is safe?" she asks, voice quivering.

I nod frantically. "He's safe, Mom."

She lets out a deep sigh and pats my leg. I lean back in time to see her swipe her tears and compose herself. "Okay. I trust you both. I just miss him. But enough of that." Her gaze meets mine. "Autumn, I understand you are protecting me and your brother. But if he doesn't come home soon and marry, then you need to. It's either that or we lose our magic."

"How much time do I have?" I ask, determination filling me.

"No, honey, listen to me," Mom says. "You'll need to make an important decision. I'll support you either way. If you'd rather marry for love, I understand. I shouldn't have sent those invitations without asking. I was very fortunate to meet your father. I love him deeply, and our love is worth more than any magic. It will be hard, but I don't want to push you away like I did with your brother."

"It's okay. Next time, just talk to me first." I purse my lips. "How much time do I have?" I repeat.

Mom glances over her shoulder at Nana, and I peer over at her. Can she feel the magic leaving her body? Does she know exactly how much time we have left before all the magic is gone? Or is this just a guess?

"Two months, maybe three. So far it's just been your mother who was affected, but she's been able to do other spells since then. When every Sinclair family member can't do a simple summoning spell, then that's when we need to worry."

I nod, giving Mom and Nana a tight smile. "In other words, we have time, but not too much time." Damn. As much as I hate to admit it, I understand why mom sent out the invitations.

"Okay, that should be enough time for me to figure things out. I'll keep looking for the right husband, but I also want to work on getting my brother home."

Nana leans over and squeezes my shoulder.

"Thank you, Autumn," Mom says. "What about the party? Should I cancel it?"

"No. I'll go to the party. Who knows, maybe I'll meet someone special." As soon as the words leave my lips, the image of a certain wolf man fills my mind.

***

Once I'm upstairs in my bedroom, I lock the door. Already knowing what I need, Maple trots over to the window and nudges the folded map.

Gods, all I want is to talk to my older brother. Pulling out his wallet, my crystals and all the ingredients I need for the spell, I set everything up. Ever since my brother escaped six months ago, I've performed a weekly spell just to check that his aura is safe and to see what town he's in. Some people might think it's an invasion of privacy, but I just need to make sure he's safe.

Last week, though, I performed a nudging spell. It's a straightforward spell that gives a person courage to do something. I nudged my brother to come home. If he didn't want to come home, then the spell wouldn't work. However, if there's a chance he wants to come home, but was nervous, then this spell will give him a little nudge or maybe even the courage to do it.

Before I begin, I light my candle and sit on the floor, legs criss-crossed. I start by adding the magical herbs and rose petals to my glass bottle. When I finish, I add a dash of pink salt and begin to chant. Maple crawls into my lap, helping me connect with my magic.

"Alright, Maple. Now we just sit and wait." When I searched for my brother all those months ago, the spell I had to use was a draining one. Since Orson had so many spells in place that blocked my brother from my view, it was hard to find him. Now that my brother is free, those obstacles aren't present. I just have to be patient while the spell brews.

Maple mews. I look down at her and scratch under her chin. Her ears wiggle with happiness. I lean down and press a kiss to the top of her head. Every witch will do a summoning spell for their familiar when they turn eighteen. When I was little, I always imagined my familiar would be a black cat, because why wouldn't every little witch want a black cat to aid them in their magical journey?

They say the familiar always chooses the witch, so when Maple walked through that summoning spell and into my open arms, it felt like a little piece of my soul returned to me.

Sensing my mood, Maple lightly paws at my cheek. "If my brother doesn't want to marry, I'll do it. After Orson, I don't ever want him to feel pressured."

Maple coos, squirming on my lap.

"Tomorrow we'll go visit a few of the local apothecaries and magic shops. I know it probably doesn't exist, but I want to see if anyone has a love potion."

Maple growls.

"I know, girl. It's a long shot, but I want to experience love. If there's something I can take that will help me fall in love with my future husband, then it's a win-win. I get to fall in love, all while saving my family's magic."

A scraping noise captures my attention. My crystal stands upright on the map, indicating that it's ready and the spell is done brewing. I chant, sinking my fingers into Maple's fur. Her magic swirls with mine as she guides me. The spell is over quickly.

Opening my eyes, I peer down at the map. Then, I smile.

My big brother is home.

Blaze is somewhere in Heart's Hollow.