Page 16 of So I Dared a Dragon

“Oh, I can’t wait to hear this,” Hannah added.

“For a night out, I’d bring you on a run through the mountains. I’m more comfortable in my animal form, and I hope you are too,” the bear said. “And for the night in, I’d bring you to our cozy cabin, build a roaring fire, and make all your dreams come true.”

It was the she-wolf’s turn. “I’m an adrenaline junkie. I’d love to take you on a sunset zipline trip through the forest, and then we could go out for an amazing dinner made by an award-winning chef. For the night in, I’d cook you the best meal of your life, we’d have cute cocktails, and watch a romantic movie before reenacting our favorite parts in the bedroom.”

The crowd oohed, loving that possibility. If Calista didn’t pick the adorable she-wolf, we’d definitely be reaching out to her for a future episode.

“For our night out, we’d visit the spa and get the works. Massage, facial, mani, pedi. Then we’d head out on a shopping spree, a fun dinner with tapas and cocktails, and maybe a show? For the night in, I’d love to play a game and make it slightly scandalous, have a charcuterie board, and maybe another spa night. What can I say? I love a little pampering, and my mate should too.”

I’d totally just given myself away. For a moment, I wished I’d made something up, but that wouldn’t be fair. If I was going to do this, I owed it to Calista and myself to be genuine. There would be no doubting the outcome.

“These answers have been amazing so far,” Hannah said. “Calista, this is your last question, so you know it needs to be epic.”

“I think it fits the bill,” Calista said. “Contestants, I’m curious—” Oh, she was getting more comfortable. Maybe because she knew I was here. “What made you turn to a reality show to claim a complete stranger?”

“I’m a solitary bear and it’s not easy to find the right mate,” contestant number one confessed. “I’m confident thatThe Mating Gamewill help.”

“Like I said, I love an adventure, and this seemed like the place to find a shifter that feels the same as me.” The she-wolf beamed at the audience.

What was my answer? I had to wonder if Calista had chosen this with the expectation that I’d be on stage, adding this question to trip me up. If that was her intention, it worked. Although, the bubbly she-wolf had given a very Bibi-esque response.

Tell the truth, my wolf said.

“Because I never felt like I belonged to my pack. They didn’t understand me, and had I chosen a mate from my pack, we would’ve both been very unhappy. I believe in infinite possibility, and more importantly, that love truly conquers all.”

“Wow,” Hannah said. “I don’t know how you’re gonna choose. All those answers were so good! What are you gonna do?”

“Choose my mate,” Calista said with all the confidence in the world, and my heart jumped into my throat.

She’ll gonna pick you, my wolf said.And there’s nothing you can do to stop it.

There had to be something. There always was. I was a fairy dragmother, and it was in my job description to fix everyone’s life. Make all their dreams come true. I still had time to build a dream for Calista that featured me as a main character without becoming the villain.

The she-wolf beside me gasped. “What the hell is that?”

Her question startled me out of my Calista-induced haze. “What are you talking about?”

The bear pointed at the sky. “Are those…dragons?”

“Holy shit,” Hannah’s voice boomed from across the stage.

“No way,” Calista’s response was hardly more than a gasp. “How can that be?”

Shock rolled through the crowd as everyone turned to see what had us alarmed. I blinked rapidly, thinking my vision would correct and that question would be rendered preposterous, but instead, those dragons just came closer. Got bigger.

Yes,multipledragons.

Sweet moon, I thought I’d seen it all, but I’d never seen anything like this. Three dragons, big enough to darken the sky, were headed straight for us.

If they weren’t absolutely terrifying, I’d say they were magnificent. The lead one was an inky purple color that shone aqua in the sun’s rays. There was a green one, and an orange one that had a dark blue tip to his scales.

Heat rose around me, and with my gaze fixed on the sky, I braced myself for more dragons. As the she-wolf next to me let out a howl and the bear on my other side ripped his skin away to allow his animal to emerge, there was no denying we were under attack.

What was I gonna do about it?

People from the audience rushed to the exits as the dragons approached the stage. I wanted to tell everyone it was okay, but I wouldn’t be able to fairy dragmother my way out of this one.

I rose from my seat, as wolf as I could possibly be without messing up my fabulous outfit. I’d never lost a fight, and I’d be damned if I started now. My fellow contestants would have my back, unless this invasion wasn’t a surprise.

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