that are nothing more than blue food coloring and water. You are cheating people out of their hard earned…”
“I thought there might be pheromones in the potion,” Susie interrupted. “Stuff that makes you do things and you don’t even realize it.”
“It was just food coloring and water!” I shouted.
Serena swallowed. “So?”
“Jesus, mom, I knew you were selling a mixed bag in that store, but food coloring and water?” Zane grimaced.
“She charged $40 for it!” Susie added. “I work hard for my money. I like to think I’m buying what I think I am.”
I would’ve rolled my eyes at that but I was too tense thinking about what Zane was going to do next.
“Is this true mom?”
“It was on the news,” Susie said.
Zane shook his head. “What a cluster fuck. I’ve got a mom who is cheating people by selling them blue tinted water…”
“It works,” Serena whimpered, “my potions work.”
“And,” Zane looked at me, his eyes filled with sadness. “The woman I thought was my mate was just using me to make a baby. She just wanted my sperm.”
“Look at her,” Serena hissed, pointing at me again. “She has always wanted a baby. She used my potion and now she is pregnant. Who says my potions do not work…who?”
“Anne, what do you have to say about all this?”
“Zane, it’s true, but it’s not how it seems. I mean I did want—I do want—a baby. And I did use the potion and it kind of made me do stuff I don’t normally do…”
“See there,” Serena said smugly, “proof that it works.”
“Of course it doesn’t work,” I snapped. “It’s only food coloring and water…it just had a psychological effect on me and…”
“It works,” Serena repeated.
“No, it doesn’t,” Susie chimed in.
Zane held up his hand. “I’ve heard enough from all of you. I’m going for a run in the woods to clear my head.”
“Zane, please I…”
But Zane was already starting to transition into his bear. I felt sick to my stomach. I had put my own wants and desires above everything else, and now I was losing the man I loved.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Zane let out a deep groan as he retreated into himself. His arm hair bristled and became thicker and fuller while his body elongated, growing taller and wider. In seconds his clothes were in a heap on the ground and a huge beast of a bear was in front of us. Zane growled loudly, pawed the shop door open, and ran out into the street.
“I’m going after him!” As I started for the door, Susie and Serena pulled me back.
“Give him time,” Susie said, rubbing my shoulder. “Let him go for a run and sort out his feelings.”
“He’s so angry. He’ll never forgive me,” I whispered.
“What did you expect?” Serena asked. “You used him to get a baby.”
“It’s not like that!” It wasn’t but it was. I knew how it looked. Things had just gotten way out of line and I hadn’t handled it well. I should have told Zane right off the bat. And of course, I should never have used him in the first place. I felt like I was going to vomit.
“And was what you did any better?” Susie asked Serena. “Yeah, what Anne did was wrong. But you were selling water tinted with food coloring…feeding on people’s dreams. They’d buy your potions expecting to get rich or be happy and then what…you sold false promises.”
“My potions work,” Serena said firmly.
“How can your potions possibly work?” Susie snorted. “They’re nothing but blue colored water.”
“They give people confidence; the confidence to get what they want,” Serena said. “Magic works in many ways.”
“I guess in a way she’s right, Susie,” I admitted. “I think wearing the potion that night subconsciously gave me more confidence.”
“See there,” Serena said smugly. “I told you so.”
I shook my head, lowering my eyes. “I am thrilled about the baby, but I was wrong to do it the way I did.”
Serena grunted. “Well, at least you
“I thought there might be pheromones in the potion,” Susie interrupted. “Stuff that makes you do things and you don’t even realize it.”
“It was just food coloring and water!” I shouted.
Serena swallowed. “So?”
“Jesus, mom, I knew you were selling a mixed bag in that store, but food coloring and water?” Zane grimaced.
“She charged $40 for it!” Susie added. “I work hard for my money. I like to think I’m buying what I think I am.”
I would’ve rolled my eyes at that but I was too tense thinking about what Zane was going to do next.
“Is this true mom?”
“It was on the news,” Susie said.
Zane shook his head. “What a cluster fuck. I’ve got a mom who is cheating people by selling them blue tinted water…”
“It works,” Serena whimpered, “my potions work.”
“And,” Zane looked at me, his eyes filled with sadness. “The woman I thought was my mate was just using me to make a baby. She just wanted my sperm.”
“Look at her,” Serena hissed, pointing at me again. “She has always wanted a baby. She used my potion and now she is pregnant. Who says my potions do not work…who?”
“Anne, what do you have to say about all this?”
“Zane, it’s true, but it’s not how it seems. I mean I did want—I do want—a baby. And I did use the potion and it kind of made me do stuff I don’t normally do…”
“See there,” Serena said smugly, “proof that it works.”
“Of course it doesn’t work,” I snapped. “It’s only food coloring and water…it just had a psychological effect on me and…”
“It works,” Serena repeated.
“No, it doesn’t,” Susie chimed in.
Zane held up his hand. “I’ve heard enough from all of you. I’m going for a run in the woods to clear my head.”
“Zane, please I…”
But Zane was already starting to transition into his bear. I felt sick to my stomach. I had put my own wants and desires above everything else, and now I was losing the man I loved.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Zane let out a deep groan as he retreated into himself. His arm hair bristled and became thicker and fuller while his body elongated, growing taller and wider. In seconds his clothes were in a heap on the ground and a huge beast of a bear was in front of us. Zane growled loudly, pawed the shop door open, and ran out into the street.
“I’m going after him!” As I started for the door, Susie and Serena pulled me back.
“Give him time,” Susie said, rubbing my shoulder. “Let him go for a run and sort out his feelings.”
“He’s so angry. He’ll never forgive me,” I whispered.
“What did you expect?” Serena asked. “You used him to get a baby.”
“It’s not like that!” It wasn’t but it was. I knew how it looked. Things had just gotten way out of line and I hadn’t handled it well. I should have told Zane right off the bat. And of course, I should never have used him in the first place. I felt like I was going to vomit.
“And was what you did any better?” Susie asked Serena. “Yeah, what Anne did was wrong. But you were selling water tinted with food coloring…feeding on people’s dreams. They’d buy your potions expecting to get rich or be happy and then what…you sold false promises.”
“My potions work,” Serena said firmly.
“How can your potions possibly work?” Susie snorted. “They’re nothing but blue colored water.”
“They give people confidence; the confidence to get what they want,” Serena said. “Magic works in many ways.”
“I guess in a way she’s right, Susie,” I admitted. “I think wearing the potion that night subconsciously gave me more confidence.”
“See there,” Serena said smugly. “I told you so.”
I shook my head, lowering my eyes. “I am thrilled about the baby, but I was wrong to do it the way I did.”
Serena grunted. “Well, at least you
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