Chapter 3 How to break a bond.

Early the next morning, Violet pushed her hair back and held a small mirror in front of her neck. The mark was still visible. She pressed her fingers against the spot and could still feel it pulsing.

She exhaled sharply. She had to find a way to get rid of the mark. She couldn't have a mate. Not here. She wanted to leave as quickly as she could.

Why was her mate a wolf, anyway? Would he come back to find her?

She pressed her head against her pillow and screamed into it.

Violet stepped out of her room and pulled the door shut behind her. She walked down the hallway, still half-lost in her thoughts, when a familiar voice drifted from the mirror.

“Someone's got a mate.”

She stopped.

Slowly, she turned toward the old mirror hanging against the wall. The wizard's face appeared faintly in the glass.

How did he know that?

She opened her mouth to speak but paused.

One of Aunt Bell's rules was not to interact with the wizard in the mirror.

She continued down the hallway. Behind her, she could hear him snickering.

Aunt Bell wasn't at breakfast. She had set off before the sun came up to get some supplies.

Violet searched the shop for any books on werewolves and spent the entire morning behind the counter, looking for anything on how to break a bond.

A thick book slid off a high shelf and landed on the counter beside her. Wolves and Their Habits. She had spent the entire morning looking for that.

The bell above the shop door rang, and Violet raised her head.

A tall man with silver hair strutted in, looking around the cluttered shop before his eyes landed on her. She felt the mark on her neck pulse.

“How can I help you?” she asked as he stepped closer.

“I'm here for someone.” His voice was deep and slightly raspy.

She set the book down and stared at him, her eyebrows drawing together as she noticed his grey eyes. They were almost like the ones she'd seen last night.

“Youuu!” She yanked out her wand.

He raised his hands and stepped backward. “I know we got off on the wrong foot, but I'm here to make it right.”

She pointed the wand at his face, and he closed one eye.

“Make it right by breaking the bond?”

“You can't break a bond.” He glanced at the shelves instead of at her. “I came to apologize.”

Violet rolled her eyes. “I don't want an apology. I want to get rid of this stupid mark. Why would you even do that?”

“My wolf took control for a second. Put the wand down. Let's talk.”

She set it on the counter and crossed her arms. “How did you even find me?”

“I followed your scent.”

Violet wrinkled her nose.

“I'm Ronan, and you are?”

She pressed her lips together, refusing to answer.

“Her name's Violet!” Basil yelled from behind her.

Violet shot Basil a murderous look.

“No one asked you, Basil.”

Ronan's mouth fell open as his eyes moved from Violet to Basil and back again.

“Yes, he's a talking goat,” she said.

“Violet,” Ronan repeated, as if testing how it sounded. “Like your eyes.”

“Look, Ronan. You didn't mean to do it, so help me break it.”

“I'm not sure I want to.”

“Break what?” Basil asked, his ears twitching.

They both ignored him.

“You can't break a bond, or you don't know how to?” Violet asked. She tapped the mark on her neck. “You don't know, do you?”

Something flickered across Ronan's face. He pressed his lips together and exhaled.

“I knew it!” Violet laughed.

“Even if I could,” Ronan said, leaning against the counter, “it's probably going to be extremely painful.”

“I want in on the conversation,” Basil said, climbing onto a box before leaping onto the counter.

“Get down, Basil,” Violet scolded.

She turned back to Ronan, her eyebrows furrowed.

“Well, I'd rather endure the pain than be your mate.”

Ronan pressed a hand to his chest as if she'd wounded him. "Ouch."

“She's your mate?” Basil looked Violet up and down, then drew his head close to Ronan. “You could do better, if you ask me.”

Violet smacked the back of his head. Basil bleated, jumped off the counter, and hid behind Ronan.

“Crazy girl,” he muttered.

Ronan laughed, a startled sound, as if he hadn't expected to. “You're a Violent little thing, aren't you?”

Heat crept up Violet's neck as her mouth fell open. "What does that mean?" She frowned.

“First you almost burn me, and now you're smacking the goat.”

“You bit me!” She jabbed the wand toward him, which did not help her case.

“I hadn't bitten you yet,” Ronan corrected.

Violet crossed her arms over her chest.

“You looked like a threat.”

Ronan chuckled, his lips curling into a small smile.

“That's a compliment for a wolf, you know.”

“Well, I don't know anything about wolves, and frankly, I don't want to.”

“Breaking a bond is going to be a lot more difficult if you don't know anything about wolves.” A playful grin spread across his face.

Violet glared at him. She wanted to hex that grin off his face.

“I, however,” he continued, leaning toward her, “am genuinely curious about witches.”

Violet pressed her lips together. She had never met someone so cocky.

“I'll teach you about wolves if you'll teach me about witches,” he said with a grin.

Violet could barely hide how annoyed she was.

This was nothing but a game to him.

“No, thank you. I'll read a book.”

“I guess I'll have to read a book too.”

He paused and looked around the shop.

“Oh, look!” He pointed at the shelves filled with books. “The books are right here. I guess you'll have to witness my learning process.”

She rubbed her forehead. “I don't even know what to do with you.”

“Figure it out. I'll be back soon, okay?”

“To learn,” he added, making quotation marks in the air.

He gave a small nod on his way out. Violet closed her eyes and silently questioned her life choices.

“I like him,” Basil said.

Violet said nothing. She watched him from the window until she could no longer make out his silhouette.

“The shop likes him too,” Basil added.