Dawson sat in silence, his eyes fixed on a point far away, his expression a mix of anguish and resignation. Seeing him like this tore at Maya’s heart.

"Why don’t you invite Maya over for dinner this week?" Martha suggested gently, placing a supportive hand on Dawson’s arm. "Afterwards, you two should go to the loft and have a real heart-to-heart. You need to reconnect, just like you used to. Don’t come out until you’re back to being the three musketeers."

Dawson’s lips twitched into a faint, appreciative smile. "Okay. I’ll text her."

"Good boy." Martha’s smile widened, coaxing a brighter grin from Dawson.

Maya flopped onto her bed, her body feeling heavy with the weight of her revelations. Angelo, sprawled on his side beside her, propped himself up on one elbow, his golden hair falling over his face in a slightly disheveled way. His blue eyes studied her with a mix of curiosity and concern.

"So let me get this straight," he said, his tone a mix of disbelief and intrigue. "Austen is actually your biological father. He was the last of the James line, a lineage of incredibly powerful and dark witches. You’re the Firstborn, and according to Joseph, Austen had five other kids. So, you’ve got half-brothers and sisters. Two of them are definitely from the Tybee Harbor Coven, the one that was hit by the Witch-Hunters." He paused, watching Maya nod. "Your mom’s here, on your side, and your dad isn't really your dad but someone who married her to protect you. And get this—Austen, the total jerk, is dead and tried to kill me and the other witches because he sold you before you were born but didn’t want to go through with the deal because he had other plans. Allen and Teague are here because they know the Firstborn is in Harvest Grove and they want what their families were promised. And your mom says that as a James Firstborn female, you have the power to bewitch other witches, and she wants to teach you how to use that to turn things around and protect yourself?"

"Yeah, that’s about the gist of it," Maya admitted, sitting cross-legged and clutching a pillow to her chest as she looked at him. "I’m freaking out right now."

Angelo sighed, rolling onto his back and staring at the ceiling. "I don’t blame you. I’m kinda freaking out too, and none of this is even happening to me."

Maya threw herself down beside him on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, her mind reeling. "Nothing I thought I knew about myself is real. I have siblings. Dad said Austen had three daughters and three sons. I have brothers and sisters."

Angelo turned his head to face her, his brow furrowing. "And you always liked being an only child."

She closed her eyes, overwhelmed. "I feel like screaming and crying."

"Or getting completely plastered," Angelo suggested dryly. "This definitely qualifies as a 'get horrifically drunk' moment."

Maya forced her eyes open and managed a weak smile. "At least it explains why those two guys I kissed while in trouble seemed so affected. The pink mist—I must have been unconsciously bewitching them to keep them safe."

"That’s why the guy who kidnapped you was steering you away from where the others were being taken," Angelo murmured. "He was trying to protect you."

Maya let out a small, distressed sound, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. "If you want to start avoiding me, I wouldn’t blame you."

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

There was a moment of silence as Angelo took a deep breath and rested his hand on the top of her head, a gesture of awkward comfort.

Maya closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of the star-shaped mark on her palm as she leaned into his touch, finding some solace in the simple gesture.

"You know, it’s kinda funny that you’ll tell me all this but not mention that you’re spying on Coach Cochran," Angelo said quietly. "It makes me feel conflicted."

Maya’s eyes widened, and she tilted her head to meet his gaze. "You know?"

Angelo sighed. "I had my suspicions. Which of the boys spilled the beans?"

Maya tried to play it cool. "Maybe it’s because of what you told me."

Angelo wasn’t fooled. "Trev, right? After the others hinted at telling you, he went quiet."

Maya flinched, looking away.

Angelo frowned. "I get that you’re trying to protect your source, but Maya, this is a dangerous witch we’re talking about. Why deal with this alone when you have someone on the inside?"

Maya’s eyes widened. "I wasn’t going to ask you to go against your team or coach."

"My team is the reason I’m doing this," Angelo said, his expression serious. "They’re getting hurt more and more. Coach is losing control, and if he isn’t stopped, he’s going to seriously hurt someone soon."

"I’m going to blackmail him," Maya confessed. "I don’t want you involved. I don’t want him thinking about taking it out on you."

"But it’s okay for him to take his anger out on you?" Angelo snapped, sitting up. "I know this guy! You don’t! Just because you have some pictures doesn’t mean—"

"I said no." Maya sat up as well, her green eyes locked on his blue ones.

"I’m the guy here!" Angelo’s anger flared. "You don’t protect me!"

"Well, tough luck!" Maya’s eyes flashed with determination, the bed trembling slightly beneath them. "You’re the only one I can confide in, the only one who’s truly got my back. I’m not going to put you in unnecessary danger."

Angelo’s anger faded, his gaze softening. "We’d never work out as a couple, would we?"

Maya’s eyes widened, confusion etched on her face. "Huh?"

"You and me," Angelo said with a frown. "We’d never work as a couple."

She let go of his shirt, still baffled. "Why do you think that?"

Angelo stared at her, his tone thoughtful. "We’re attracted to each other, sure, but—"

"Who says I’m attracted to you?" Maya interrupted, but it was clear from her expression that she wasn’t entirely convincing.

Angelo continued as if she hadn’t spoken. "What we’re becoming would be too messy if we involved attraction. Especially since you can’t control when your kiss enthralls someone and when it doesn’t."

"I didn’t enthrall you when we kissed," she pointed out.

"Yeah, but you didn’t think you enthralled that first guy you kissed at the nightclub either," Angelo said. "It means the thrall can’t be forced. If it’s against your will, it doesn’t work. But when you kissed those two guys—"

Maya’s eyes widened in realization. "You think I might enthrall those I want to kiss."

"When we’re attracted to someone, don’t we want to possess them?" Angelo asked softly. "To make them exclusively ours?"

Maya covered her mouth, horrified. "Oh my god. I’m never going to be able to have a normal boyfriend without worrying that he’s with me because of some magical influence!"

"Also," Angelo added, "if you willingly kissed Teague and tried to help him during that spell from your jerk dad, you might have already unknowingly enthralled him a little."

Maya collapsed onto the bed, her voice barely a whisper. "And here I thought a guy finally found me somewhat attractive. Damn it!"

Angelo sighed, lying back down and wrapping an arm around her. He pulled her close, resting his chin on the top of her head. Maya clung to him, grateful for his silent comfort as she hid her face in his shirt and cried.

Outside the door, Gale and Gabe stood in silence, listening to the muffled sound of Maya’s sobs. They didn’t look at each other, each lost in their own thoughts—Gale gazing at the ceiling, Gabe staring at the floor. Gale had known there wouldn’t be anything inappropriate happening, but Gabe’s fatherly instincts had led him to follow. A wry smile touched Gale’s lips as she hugged herself. Gabe might not be Maya’s biological father, but she knew he was the best father she could have hoped for. It was one of the reasons she’d been able to leave Maya for so long. Now that she was back, things were going to change, and she hoped it would be for the better.