Free Hexing the Alpha (Hex My Heart, #1) by Talina Perkins Page B

handiwork.
    The potion. It was playing with her emotions and churning up the hottest passions buried in her soul.
    She let out a deep sigh. “Here comes the fun part. Time to nudge destiny a bit.”
    She closed her eyes and dashed thoughts of Jake to the back of her mind where they damn well better stay locked away. With her attention refocused on fusing the potion with her binding powers, Honor interlaced her fingers to form a barrier over the opening of her cauldron and started.
    With this spell I declare
    A single drink to claim a heart so fair
    A perfect match bring forth this night
    With a heart pure in light and a wish for love so true and right
    For the good of all and with free will I cast this spell to do my will
    As I enchant this potion with my words
    So let it be done and that it harms no one
    So mote it be
    Flashes of purple and magick-laced fire brought her eyes open. A single flame spiraled up from the liquid, then absorbed back into the confines of the pot to shimmer with her infused power.
    Done.
    “Now if only by the goddesses it works...”
    From the shelf above her refrigerator, Honor snagged a silver container she normally reserved for the homemade liquor the other locals preferred. Shifters burned through what she had on tap so she cooked up her own brew that kept her doors open. Barely. Her illegal love hooch would keep her in the black for now, but for how long? She couldn’t sell enough of the regular booze to the locals and stay afloat. Her only hope now was her ability to attract more shifters with her special brew of Moon Lust.
    She measured three servings of the love potion into the container, then sealed the bottle. She placed the canister on the table by the front door and turned to the mirror to straighten out her hair from the messy bun she sported, planning her next move... delivery and payment.

CHAPTER TWO
    T en minutes later Honor joined her minimal staff downstairs, ready to kick off another rowdy Saturday with the first of the night’s drinkers already swiging back one form of elixir or another to fight the harsh cold.
    “Hey, Ryan, pour a pitcher for table three and let’s tap another keg.”
    “You got it, boss.”
    Humans loved visiting The Matchstick for a fix of hard liquor and beer like the weres loved their witch-brewed New England moonshine. She made a mental note to order in new stock for the coming holidays and brew up a few more batches of her personal concoction.
    Honor left the instructions with her bartender and walked over to a quiet corner out of earshot of everyone.
    From memory she dialed her client, who picked up after two rings.
    “Tell me you have it ready, Honor,” answered a nervous voice through the earpiece.
    Honor’s heart swelled for the woman on the other end. She was so desperate for love she’d try anything. It’s why she’d agreed to help out with the love potion. If only her sisters would see it her way, she could have delivered and collected days ago.
    Honor traced the soft edges of a napkin, her back to the crowd forming around the bar. “Hey, Marabelle. The potion is ready. When would you like to meet for delivery?”
    “Right now if you can. I don’t want to waste another minute if you know what I mean.”
    Honor rolled her eyes and smothered a chuckle at her client’s innuendo. She hoped the poor man on the other end of the spell could handle the lust-filled night Marabelle had in mind for them.
    “The sooner the better. How about in an hour? My place? Yours? A la clandestine, I presume?” she added in a low whisper. Humans understood how her Council’s law worked, which helped to explain why the forbidden brew came with a hefty price tag.
    Before she could respond, Honor’s magick shimmered the length of her spine and instinct stiffened her muscles. “Your place works fine. See you then, Marabelle.”
    Snapping her phone closed, she whirled on her heel, expecting to find one of her sisters. Instead, chiseled muscles defined by