Being squished in the breakroom like a can of expired sardines was not Rowena's ideal way to spend the afternoon. She normally didn't mind cramped spaces except she knew Warner, one of her co-workers, was dropping silent bombs as he made his way around the room.

She found him guilty after Warner stood next to her and his eyes turned glassy before he moved to another part of the room with a lazy smile.

"You dirty bird," she muttered in his direction. The foul stench of rotten eggs became so strong she could taste it.

Her eyes watered and she coughed before stepping to her right, only to bump into Liam. He was wearing a Sweeter Homes nametag with the name "Horatio" written on it in a blue Sharpie. Her eyes widened, and she stole a look around the room before whispering, "What are you doing in here, Liam? This is an employee-only meeting."

"I'm undercover. Cross wants you safe, so I'm keeping a close eye on you," Liam answered before jerking his chin toward Rolando, standing on one of the breakroom's plastic chairs, attempting to gain everyone's attention.

"That's a workman's comp accident waiting to happen," Wendy, another co-worker, said, making a tsking sound with her tongue.

Liam nodded. "We should report him to HR."

"You don't even work here," Rowena hissed.

"Don't talk to Horatio like that, Rowena," Wendy rebuked. She adjusted her glasses before tapping Liam on his shoulder with a shy smile. "You should stand closer to me." She lowered her voice. "I believe Rowena is passing gas."

"I thought it smelled like a moldy cabbage head in here," Liam whispered, nodding.

"Liam! I did not fart!" Rowena yelled, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. Her cheeks flushed as some of her co-workers covered their noses and stepped away from her. Her face scrunched up in annoyance. "Like you've never passed gas," she mocked.

Rolando cleared his throat and clapped his hands. "Everyone, I called you here for some important announcements. One, Karen's funeral will be in four days. I expect everyone to donate to her flower fund."

Someone in the room booed.

Rolando's jaw twitched before he clapped his hands again. "I expect everyone to attend the funeral as well."

Another boo came from the crowd.

"Rowena!" Carmen cried from behind her. "Stop booing. That's so rude. Karen just died. You should be respectful."

Rowena's mouth opened like a blowfish sucking in air, and her eyes widened. She threw her hands in front of her, making a protesting motion. "I didn't boo! Rolando, I didn't boo!"

"Sure, Rowena," Carmen said facetiously. "Just like you didn't pass gas earlier."

"That was Warner!" Rowena insisted, pointing a finger at the hefty man wearing blue coveralls. His blonde hair was curled at the top of his head and sweat was dripping down his forehead.

Warner gasped, placing a pudgy hand on his chest. "Rowena, how could you?"

Rolando snapped his fingers. "Flores, could you please wait until the meeting is over to pass gas? Also, stop jeering because of Karen's funeral. We know you and Gina are friends but—"

"I wasn't heckling you, Rolando!"

"Can we please move on?" Sylvia Finch, the new assistant manager, shouted. She crossed her arms at her chest and was tapping her foot against the tiled floor.

Rolando cleared his throat. "Yes, well, the mariachi singers are gone, so business should pick up. The police department has allowed us to re-open the female restroom at the front of the store. A few staff members suggested placing a memorial plaque inside the stall in honor of Karen. For obvious reasons, we are not proceeding with that idea."

"Why would anyone want to do number two while staring at Karen's face?" Rowena muttered to Liam.

Rowena thought of the time she brought cold supreme pizza for lunch and stored it in the breakroom fridge. While Rowena was working, Karen ate all of her pizza toppings. When it was time for her lunch break, Rowena opened her lunchbox, only to find pizza bread with lapped up tomato sauce. It was like the Grinch Who Stole Christmas-- the lunch edition.

Rowena's eyes narrowed, thinking of Karen. "Wait, I take that back. I get it."

"The next bit of news is to introduce Ms. Sylvia Finch. She is the new assistant store manager. She will handle the Sweeter Homes Beauty pageant."

Sylvia stepped forward and eyed everyone as if she were trying to identify a potential criminal in a police lineup. Rowena instinctively stepped behind Liam. "My name is Sylvia. I want it known that I'm a stickler for the rules. I'll be running the pageant, as Mr. Sanchez said. Keep in mind, I dislike cheaters. Do not try to bribe me or I will disqualify you. Do not try to suck up to me or I will disqualify you. I do not know who killed Karen but if it was one of you," her eyes bore into Rowena. "I will disqualify you."

"If we breathe funny, will she disqualify us too?" Rowena asked Liam with a snicker.

Sylvia's beady eyes honed in on Rowena like an eagle spotting roadkill on the side of a deserted highway. "Yes."

Rowena shuddered and took and took another step behind Liam.

"Yes, well, thank you for reminding us not to get disqualified, Sylvia. We also have two new employees. Carmen Cruz and Angelina Moon. Let's give them a warm welcome," Rolando said.

"Her last name is Moon?" Rowena asked Liam. "She doesn't deserve a cool last name."

A wave of applause reverberated throughout the room. Rowena refused to clap. Two of her enemies were invading her workspace, and she didn't believe it was a coincidence.

"The sign-up sheet for the pageant is outside the breakroom. Please fill in your names so you are eligible to take part. Again, the prize is a trip to Hawaii. The winner also gets to compete in the national Sweeter Homes pageant to win ten thousand dollars."

Liam whistled under his breath. "I may have to apply too."

"I believe it's only for women," Wendy said, straightening her glasses. "But if I win, you can accompany me on my trip to Hawaii, Horatio."

"Back off, four eyes," Carmen said, shoving her way between Liam and Wendy. "Liam is mine."

Wendy frowned. "Liam? His name is Horatio."

Rowena leaned forward to give Wendy her attention, a sly grin on her face. "Liam is what his stalkers call him."

Liam coughed to cover his laughter.

"Liam and I are together," Carmen argued.

"Of course you are. You're like a dog with a tick. He's the dog and you are the unwanted blood-sucking tick who likes to send unrequested nudie pictures."

Wendy gasped.

Rowena continued, "Before Liam forgets, he would like to unsubscribe from your dirty pictures subscription, Carmen. The last image gave him nightmares."

"It's not a subscription," Carmen hissed. "You can't unsubscribe."

"Then it's spam?" Rowena asked. "Junk texts? You really are like a tick leeching off a dog."

"Rowena," Liam said, his eyes widening.

"Don't enjoy being compared to a dog?" Rowena asked. "Then you shouldn't have said I farted! I am a lady!"

Again, everyone was staring quietly at Rowena.

"Does Sweeter Homes have an anger management course?" Angelina asked, breaking the silence.

Rowena closed her eyes and counted to ten. If the alpha's mother could physically beat her, Angelina probably could, too.

"I don't recognize you," Rolando said, pointing at Liam. "Who are you?"

"My future husband," Carmen shouted, before smiling at Liam and winking. He grimaced at the red lipstick staining her teeth.

Rowena shook with laughter.

"What are you laughing at?" Carmen demanded to know.

"I thought you promised Father Bob you would not try to marry again after what happened with your third husband," Rowena reminded her.

"I never promised to stay single."

"Well, you should have. You scared Shawn so badly; he joined the circus. Now, he walks a tightrope while juggling firesticks. He said it's less stressful than living with you."

"You know where Shawn is hiding?" Carmen squawked. "I thought he wasn't allowed to contact anyone if he was in the witness protection program."

"You're confusing a restraining order with the witness protection program again," Rowena told her.

"Can we please stop talking about the Flores' family issues?" Rolando screeched. He pointed to Liam. "You. Tell me who you are and what you're doing here. Otherwise, I'm calling the police. For all I know, you're Karen's murderer, or worse, a corporate spy."

"How is being a spy worse than being a murderer?" Rowena mumbled.

A buzz of whispers filled the room as everyone speculated about who the handsome man named Horatio was.

"Maybe he's her boyfriend," Angelina supplied.

Liam made a pained sound.

Carmen made a hissing sound like an anaconda ready to eat a baby deer.

Rowena rolled her eyes. "He's with me, Rolando. He's my emotional support... person."

Rolando's eyes narrowed. "There's no such thing, Flores."

"There is. My therapist said I needed an emotional support person to help me manage my anger issues. When I get upset, he paints my toenails and gives me shoulder rubs."

Liam's eyes widened and Rowena smirked in his direction before mouthing, "You're going down."

"Why are all your employees deranged?" Sylvia, the new assistant manager, asked Rolando.

"I ask myself that every day," he muttered.

A knock on the breakroom's door captured everyone's attention. A lanky teen dressed in a bee outfit was standing in the doorway. He was carrying a bouquet wrapped in brown paper. "I have a delivery for Rowena Flores!"

"That's me," Rowena answered, raising her hand.

The bee lumbered to her and pushed the flowers in her hands. There were nine roses surrounded by baby's breath. The bee cleared his throat and began singing an old Backstreet Boys song, complete with the choreographed dance. A few of her coworkers started singing along. When he was done, he told her the nine roses meant her loved one wanted to spend eternity with her.

The bee left with his stinger swaying behind him and Rowena couldn't help but notice the glare coming from Angelina.

After the meeting was over, and everyone lined up to exit the breakroom, someone bumped Rowena from behind. She flew forward, dropping her flowers. Liam caught her in his arms before she fell.

Rowena turned back to see Angelina sneering at her. "Oops. I didn't see you there, Rowena."

He waited for everyone to leave before Liam reminded Angelina, "Cross won't like you picking on Rowena."

She lifted a shoulder in an innocent shrug. "How am I picking on her? I accidentally bumped into her. If Cross must protect her and make excuses for her to the Howler pack, he can't possibly think of making her his mate. You know how shifters feel about weak mates."

Rowena's eyes narrowed. "You think I'm weak?"

Angelina laughed. "Human, everyone knows you're weak. The alpha's mother beat you in a brawl and the alpha has his beta tailing you for protection. Do you know what message that sends to his wolves?"

Rowena could already guess.

"That you're not strong enough to protect yourself." Angelina leaned forward. "You're weak. Unworthy."

Rowena looked down and sighed. Her coworkers had stepped on her bouquet when they exited the breakroom. She picked up the flowers and straightened the paper. This was the first bouquet she'd ever received in her life.

A wave of piercing, passionate fury danced up Rowena's spine like a group of Irishmen breaking in new tap shoes before a performance of Riverdance.  "You want to see how strong I am?"

"No need. I already know how fragile you are. You'll be the end of the Howler pack's strength. You should just leave Cross before you ruin his life."

"Angelina!" Liam shouted. "You know that I'm obligated to tell him everything you've said."

"You're exquisite," Rowena told the female shifter. "You probably don't know this, but I'm in a book club. My friend Gina likes to read shifter romances."

"Pathetic," Angelina muttered.

"Reading books has always been an escape for me, but they've also taught me a few things," Rowena admitted. "For example, I know how important it is to be beautiful on the inside."

Angelina rolled her eyes. "Spare me your TED Talk on the importance of personality. Everyone knows beauty trumps personality. Only ugly people say otherwise."

Rowena nodded. "Yes, but if you're beautiful on the outside and ugly on the inside, what happens when your beauty disappears?"

Angelina's head tilted to one side. Her hands were on her hips. "I don't understand what you're saying."

"I curse you, Angelina Moon. I curse you to be as beautiful on the outside as you are on the inside."

Angelina made a scoffing sound and strode out of the breakroom. An ache caused Rowena to rub her stomach. Was she coming down with a bug? She frowned.

"Do you think your curse will work?" Liam asked.

Rowena shrugged. "Who knows? I don't know what I'm doing with this whole hexing thing." She sat and exhaled sharply.

"Are you okay?" Liam asked. Concern etched his face.

"I think so. My stomach hurts. Earlier, I was fine. I probably ate something I shouldn't have. I'd call in sick for the rest of my shift, except Rolando won't allow it."

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Liam offered.

"No, I'll be fine. I'll just take some charcoal pills or something."

Liam's phone dinged twice, notifying him of two messages. He read the first one and smiled.

"It's from your soulmate."

She felt her cheeks warm. "You can call him Cross. You don't have to refer to him as my soulmate."

"Soulmate is too special a title to disregard. Besides, I have two bits of good news to share. One, it looks like we also have a lead on a group of fairies living nearby. Cross wants to question them."

"That's great! Then we can find out who really killed Karen and clear Gina's name. What's the second bit of good news?"

"Cross is working on finding a hexing witch to train you," Liam shared. He grimaced. "I wasn't supposed to share that. Please act surprised when he tells you."

Rowena gave a pained smile. "Sure, I'll act as surprised as you did when Wendy accused me of passing gas during the meeting."

He started to apologize when his phone dinged again. He pulled up the text from an unknown number and groaned.

"What is it?" Rowena asked.

He frowned. "Carmen just sent me another nudie picture."

A/N: I feel so bad for Liam. Also, thank you for reading! If you’re reading this in a random public place, feel free to take a picture and tag me on Instagram at @ shehopes101. Last week some of you all were reading in taxis, on the bus, at the airport. It's incredible to know my characters are with you when I'm in my small town in the middle of nowhere.

I cannot wait for you  to meet the Fairies! Below are a list of stories you can find on my profile or that are coming to my profile soon.