Page 3 of So I Dared a Dragon

He pursed his lips together. “There’s a reason you ran from your old pack. It’s my duty to protect you.”

I didn’t need anyone to protect me, but a girl could still appreciate the sentiment.

“It’s probably best that I do talk to her.” I gave him the brightest smile I could muster, but he’d practically turned tostone. This was something more than jealousy. Bigger than pride. “Does she have anything to do with all that noise?”

His answer was somewhere between a harrumph and a growl and told me everything I needed to know.

Bodies choked the entrance to the stage, and Marissa paced behind them, her vibration frantic, like she was on the verge of a shift.

Her eyes widened when she saw me, a look I became all too familiar with during her episode.

“What is going on?” I asked.

“I tried to stop her,” Marissa said. “I even tried to pull the plug on the mic, but it didn’t work. That was when Bjorn reminded me everything will run on remote backups in case a contestant ever gets dramatic.”

“Calista, can you tell us how you made it past security toThe Mating Gamestage?” A reporter’s voice boomed from the studio.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said under my breath. She was holding a press conference.

“I wish I was.” Marissa rolled her eyes, but she didn’t have a chance to say anything else before Calista’s signature throaty chuckle echoed from the stage.

“It wasn’t easy. The show has been notorious for its security breaches, and because of the whole Bigfoot situation, things were tighter than ever. It took a lot of patience, talking to people until they said just the right thing, and waiting for the perfect moment. Other than that, a girl can’t reveal her secrets.”

“Why are you here?” another reporter asked. “It seems like a desperate measure to get Bibi’s attention.”

“Maybe, but have you ever been so in love with someone you’ll do whatever it takes to be close to them?” The room fell silent, hanging on her every word. “It’s possible that I’ve been in love with Bibi, gosh, possibly before she learned how to loveherself. She ran before I had a chance to get to know her like this. And when I tell you I went to literal hell and back to find her…I know for certain, Bibi le Bonnet is my mate.”

Gasps erupted in the room as Calista doubled down on her claim.

“But I’ve been here, in Sunset Springs, for years.” While everyone’s attention had been fixed on Calista, I had Marissa give me a microphone and alerted the lighting technician that I was about to make my entrance.

Calista might be captivating on stage, but it was time to remind everyone who they were dealing with.

Every head in the room turned to watch me make my way down the aisle. They shouted questions, too many to understand. Others jockeyed for position to get the best shot with their cameras.

Calista’s mouth hung open as I took the stage. I winked at her, and she stepped out of the way, letting me take her place at the podium.

“Bibi, did you know this was going to happen?” a reporter asked.

In that moment, I realized I could make it look like we’d planned this all along. Not that I wanted anyone to thinkThe Mating Gamewas scripted, but also I didn’t want them to know I’d lost control of my show.

“Nothing happens here without me knowing.” I smiled at the crowd, and everything felt like business as usual. Almost. “Does anyone have questions about Hannah and Lars?”

“Why wouldn’t you talk to Calista until now? Surely crashing this episode wasn’t her first attempt to get your attention,” another reporter asked.

I had to choose my words carefully. I’d just told them I’d been fully aware that she’d make an appearance.

This time, my gaze was on Calista. Damn that electricity, it was back in full force.

“Because this is what she wanted,” I said. “She’s a star in her own right. But don’t worry, as soon as this press conference is over, we’ll have a talk.”

two

. . .

Calista

“Get your hands off of me!” I demanded when two burly security guards hooked their arms under mine and led me from the stage.

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