The witch's house was about everything you'd expect a witch house to be. Wobbly walls built from different types of stones. Mismatched windows and a crooked door. Tall, steep, dropping, pointy roof, with the top tilted to the side, made out of dark tiles of varying shades, resembling a witch hat. The door knocker shaped like a cat. Bushes and a herbal garden surrounding the building, and in front of the door, an old cauldron and a broom.
As if it was designed to look as 'witchy' as it could.
And the funniest thing? It was located on the outskirts, not far from Felix's house. He must have passed by it at least a few times, and yet, he had never even noticed it, despite its odd appearance. As if the house couldn't be spotted unless you knew where to look for it.
Well, whether it was actually funny or unsettling, Felix couldn't quite decide. But it made him believe that the witch could be the real deal, even though the comical and over-the-top design of her house might have suggested otherwise.
"Ugh," Felix groaned, scrunching his face.
Honestly, he didn't like it. Originally he thought the witch was just a quirky herbalist who knew all about the supernatural beings in Silverfall, but if she could also cast spells… Then she was a threat, definitely a potential threat.
Still, he took a deep breath, and pushed the wooden gate open.
She might have been a threat, but not as big as Kade!
Following the unnecessarily winding cobbled path, he reached the front door, and knocked. Once, twice, thrice.
All that responded to him was silence.
He tried once more, and when it had no result, he leaned closer, listening and sniffing…
And his brows furrowed. That scent… Jasmine?
He leaned forward, sniffing some more. He was tempted to walk around the house and investigate, but if the witch was actually around, observing him, then he could get in trouble… While he couldn't sense any presence inside, it was a witch, so who knew?
Then, all of a sudden, the gate creaked, followed by quick, light footsteps, and a voice spoke right next to his head, the hot breath brushing past his ear, "What is my mate doing here?"
Felix instantly jolted away, and crashed into the door as a result. Luckily, it was quite sturdy, despite its distressed appearance, so the collision resulted only in Felix's shoulder aching, but no damage to the door. Thank Goddess, or else Felix might have attracted the witch's wrath!
"What do you want?" he snapped, rubbing his tickling ear.
Kade smiled, looking as perfect as always, with styled hair and a fancy custom suit, navy blue this time, that highlighted his broad shoulders and narrow waist. And let's not forget his face. His illegally handsome face, that looked even better with that wicked grin, so much so, that Felix wanted to just slap it until it was disfigured, so that the sight wouldn't, ahem, 'bother' him so much.
Ignoring Felix's hostile glare, Kade took a step closer, trapping Felix between himself and the door.
"Hmm… 'You' is what you'd probably want to hear, but unfortunately, I'll have to disappoint you this time." Kade shook his head with fake pity. "I'm here for a witch."
'…Excuse me, what?' Felix stared at Kade completely dumbfounded.
Disappoint? How would that disappoint Felix? As if he'd ever want to hear something like that! He didn't know what that dumb Alpha got in his head, but Felix was not interested in him, not in the slightest! It was only his wolf that was pacing around in excitement, okay?!
He was about to open his mouth to retort, but before he could do so, Kade spouted yet another nonsense.
"It's cute though, that you're trying to help me with my search!"
Really? Really? Did this Alpha think the whole world revolved around him or something? I mean, he was right this time, but Felix was only 'helping' him so that he'd leave Silverfall (and him) alone!
Still, if he admitted he was looking for the witch because of Kade, Kade would find a way to misinterpret it, without a doubt, so instead Felix scoffed, pushing the man away, "I'm not here to help you. I wanted to buy some herbal potions. Now, if you'll excuse me. The witch doesn't seem to be at home, so I'd like to go now."
Then, he ducked underneath Kade's arm, and quickly rushed out of the gate.
Kade sighed theatrically, obviously only pretending to be sad, "Always running away so fast…"
"Well, excuse me, I'm a busy person, unlike some!" Felix couldn't help but turn back to defend himself, his fur ruffled. "I'm not running away, I just have a lot to do, and very little time!"
"Oh?" In a blink of an eye, Kade abandoned the witch house, and caught up to Felix. "Then, if you were less busy, you'd go on a date with me?"
"You?" Felix looked Kade up and down.
Well… If it was under different circumstances, he would consider it. Maybe. But such 'what ifs' weren't worth thinking about.
So, he put on a look of absolute disgust, and exclaimed, "Never!"
And then he bolted from the scene, before the mate bond and his wolf's whining ringing in his ears would make him do something he'd regret. Because as much as he hated to admit it, he was drawn to Kade, inexplicably and almost irresistibly.
It was already dark outside by the time he finally returned home, after wandering the streets for two hours to throw Kade off his trail. He took a quick shower, and threw himself on the bed, without even bothering to properly dry his hair.
The fox was already there, resting on Felix's bed as if it was his place. Felix side-eyed it for a moment, before asking, "Maybe you could take me to the mermaid, huh?"
The fox, however, only stared at him for a moment, and closed his eyes, turning his head away.
"…Yeah, I didn't think so. What a useless squatter," he scoffed, rubbing his temples.
But when the fox came to cuddle with him a few minutes later, Felix didn't push him away. He needed that scent to keep his hybrid disguise, after all.