Page 2 of So I Dared a Dragon

Oh, she was good. “That, and I don’t think we can just pick up where we left off like nothing’s changed.” “If she was your best friend, why did you leave her behind? The Bibi I know would’ve brought her ride-or-die along every step of the way.”

“Yes, but remember, I wasn’t Bibi yet.” I didn’t know my heart could break into more pieces, but today was full of surprises.

Tina nodded. “What was your first thought when you saw her on stage today?”

“Like an earthquake had hit.” And I was still feeling the aftershocks.

“Some contestants on this show would say that when they’d found their mate.”

“Calista isn’t my mate,” I said quickly. “I always said I’d know when I found them.”

Tina raised a brow. “Does that mean it’s Hugo?”

You can’t keep pushing him away,my wolf reminded me. One of these times he won’t come back.

“He might be.” The image of my heartbroken beau would forever be branded into my mind. He was a strong, protective, proud wolf, and this was the absolute worst time to realize exactly what he meant to me.

“Has he ever made you feel like that?” she asked.

“He makes me feel other things.” And all of them scared me. “Maybe it doesn’t have to be a big bang. Having a mate could be that quiet, knowing confidence, a feeling of home.”

“Is that what he gives you?”

I nodded.

Tina leaned forward. “Calista is still here, but I’m not sure how long Marissa will be able to keep her at bay. She’s one strong willed she-wolf, which usually I admire, but I have a feeling she’ll make our lives difficult until she gets what she wants. Which is you. Are you willing to talk to her? A Bibi heart-to-heart could go a long way to clearing up some misunderstandings.”

“Of course I’ll talk to her.” I rose from the couch. “I hate to admit it terrifies me.”

Tina stood and put her hand on my arm. “It means you care about her, and everyone else involved in this situation. Just know it’s okay if you can’t fix this. It doesn’t make what you’ve built any less valid.”

“I want Calista to be happy.” I threw my shoulders back, preparing myself for this conversation like I was about to go into battle. Which was ridiculous. A part of me wanted to think that once we got past the misunderstandings, everything would be like old times. But the rest of me knew we could never go back. “I just don’t think I’m the person to give her what she wants.”

“Promise me something.” Tina pressed her lips together.

“Anything.”

“Don’t put her happiness before yours. The fairy dragmother deserves a happily ever after too.” Before I had a chance toprotest that making other people happy was how I filled my cup, she turned and left the office.

The door was open, and Calista was at the other end of that hallway.

It was just a conversation. With my best friend. I’d thought about this moment so many times but it had never been like this.

I took a deep breath and reminded myself who I was. Bibi le Bonnet didn’t let anything hold her back. And I didn’t plan on starting now.

The cacophony of chaos grew louder as I walked down the hallway. I assumed Calista was being held in one of the contestant trailers, and I planned to ask the first production assistant I found where I should go to find her.

Instead, I ran into Hugo, my gorgeous beau. I waited for that feeling of electricity running rampant through my body when I saw him, but it didn’t come. Instead I had that sense of calm, and a feeling that everything would work out.

“Boy, am I glad to see you.” I would’ve normally hugged him, but the wolf had a forcefield around him. “What’s happening?’

“Chaos, that’s what.” He rubbed his hand over the back of his bald head in frustration. “There’s no way Calista should’ve gotten past security. I’m sorry, Bibi.”

“Don’t be. This episode has been a challenge for all of us.”

“I wanted her to be escorted out,” he said. “But Tina and Marissa insisted that you have a chance to talk to her before she left.”

“But you didn’t want that.”

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