Page 4 of So I Dared a Dragon

“Just following orders, ma’am,” one of them grunted.

“Whose orders?” If I had to guess, I’d bet large amounts of money I didn’t have on Hugo. I’d tangled with him before. He might not have his security game under control when it came to the show, but he’d been pretty damn good at keeping me away from Bibi.

That was, until now. I finally managed to get close to her. But I’d barely had a chance to talk to her, barely had a chance to tell my side of the story before she appeared in all her sparkling glory.

Ugh. It was so hard to be absolutely furious with the wolf who owned my heart.

I wriggled and fought, but these beasts were strong. I fully expected them to dump me on the street without so much as an apology. I was no stranger to a burned bridge.

But instead, they took me to a trailer.

One of them opened the door and motioned for me to go up the stairs. “Wait here.”

“Or what?” I asked, smoothing my dress.

“You won’t talk to Bibi,” the other grunted. He positioned himself beside the stairs and crossed his arms. His partner mirrored him on the other side.

“Am I under trailer arrest?” I wasn’t usually this dramatic—okay, yes, I was—but this was getting ridiculous.

No answer.

“Fine.” I marched up the stairs. If this was trailer arrest, it wasn’t that bad. The inside was decorated in all light wood and white furniture. A bottle of Pinot Noir chilled in a bucket of ice, and a plate of fruit and cheese sat on the coffee table.

Bibi wouldn’t go through all this trouble if she didn’t plan on giving me another chance, right?

I kicked off my heels and tucked my legs under me on the couch. My phone had been vibrating like crazy in the pocket of my chub-rub shorts. The screen was full of notifications, some from my pack, some from the alert I’d put on Bibi’s name.

The words weren’t making sense right now, and I couldn’t tell if I was the hero or the villain of my own story.

Oh, that bottle of wine was tempting. Just as I reached for it, there was a knock on the door.

My mouth went dry. “Come in.”

I fully expected to see one of the producers who had tried and failed to keep me at bay before I decided to get the party started with my own impromptu press conference. I braced myself for another excuse, more disappointment. It wasn’t like my heart could be broken any more.

“I have to admit, that was quite impressive,” Bibi said as she closed the door. Her presence filled the tiny trailer, and light bounced off the sequins on her dress like a disco ball. Her lipscurled into a smile, but the corners quivered, unsure if she was actually happy to see me.

“What part did you like the best?” I asked, motioning for her to take a seat beside me on the couch like nothing had changed. But everything was different, and I needed to know that my best friend was still in there.

To my surprise, she accepted the invitation, but she perched at the edge of the cushion, on point, like she might shift at any moment.

Might even the playing field, my she-wolf said.

“Making it past all the security, the producers, and camera people to come out on stage in the middle of filming was pretty impressive,” she said. “But having the audacity to host your own press conference was next level.”

“I didn’t think I’d have a chance to talk to you.” I pushed my shoulders back, begging my own she-wolf not to make an appearance. She wasn’t threatened by this unfamiliar version of Bibi, but she knew better than to relax. “I hate that it had to be like this. I’ve tried calling, texting, and emailing. No answer. You say you’ve been right here, but it’s not like I could just knock on your door. Believe me, I tried. You’re famous, and you have security detail. And the minute I told them who I was, I got escorted off the premises.”

Her eyebrows rose and her glossy lips parted. “Were you in danger? I was convinced those dire wolves had taken you hostage—and I did absolutely everything in my power to find you.”

“You wouldn’t believe some of the places I’ve been.” I shook my head and chuckled sadly. I’d been all over the country, following any lead I could find on her. Defying my pack at every turn when they ordered me to come back to Montana. I almost caved when the person I’d been looking for ceased to exist, emerging from their cocoon like the most beautiful butterfly inthe world in the middle of a heavy metal tour. “I want to believe you, but I’m not sure if this is still an act for your audience.”

Her glossy lips parted in a perfect O.

“Absolutely nothing on the show is scripted. And nothing about this” —she swept her arm in front of her— “is an act. My offer stands. I would be over the moon to help you find your mate, Calista. I won’t say it will be like old times, because that’s not my life anymore. But that wouldn’t stop us from having a lot of fun with your episode.”

“Give me a chance to show you I’m your mate,” I said. “You have to feel something when you see me.”

She jumped back slightly, but caught herself. My she-wolf rumbled with satisfaction.

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