Page 1 of So I Won a Werelion

Chapter

One

Wendy

A champagne-colored sequined dress waited for me inThe Mating Gametrailer. A gorgeous, glimmering garment that belonged in a magical castle. A fairy tale. Even though I’d tried it on during my last fitting, I couldn’t believe it was me in that mirror after I’d pulled it on. The dress hugged every curve. No, it did way more than that. The sequins exaggerated my hourglass shape, making me look like a Jessica Rabbit body double.

This was my fairy tale. Finally.

Goosebumps rippled over my skin.

Hot damn. This was real. And no one could take it away from me.

I let out a shaky breath and braced myself on the narrow counter before the mirror. The eyes that reflected back at me were wide and a little wild. Was I really doing this? My sister insisted that I was crazy for going on that stage, and for the first time in forty-two years, she might be right.

But since I didn’t take life advice from anyone I wouldn’t be thrilled to trade lives with, here I was in the makeup trailer ofThe Mating Game, ready to take the stage and choose my mate.

It wasn’t my first dating reality show rodeo. Wasn’t sure if that should make me calm or absolutely terrified. I was probably a fool to believe that this time I’d choose the shifter who was meant to spend forever with me.

With three questions, I’d pick my shifter mate, sight unseen.

What was I thinking, putting myself through this again, after I got so publicly rejected onThe Real Werewives?

A smarter woman would get out before—

The trailer door opened and I jerked around to stare as the host—my self-proclaimed fairy dragmother, the fabulous Bibi le Bonnet—stepped inside. With her bright pink velvet dress, platinum blonde wig, and wolf ear headband, it was hard to remember a fierce beast lived inside her.

She put her hand over her magenta lips. “Wendy! You look absolutely stunning!”

“Don’t I?” It wasn’t like me to make such a bold statement, but it was true. The show’s hairstylist had set and blown out my hair, and my makeup artist had glued on epic lashes. I looked like I was about to strut down the runway in a lingerie show.

Or take the stage onThe Mating Game.

The glue on my lashes was still gummy when I batted them at Bibi, but she beamed in approval.

I loved that she was my biggest cheerleader—along with my best friend Gabe, who’d had my back through every single horrible date—but a girl was allowed some doubts about what she wanted right about now.

The Mating Gameglam squad swept into the trailer after Bibi. Everyone around me was acting like this was any other day, and to them, it was. I tried to take comfort in that. They were doing their jobs—which included making me look my absolute best, getting me to relax before we did the last interview, and before Bibi announced me to the live crowd and the three hidden shifters who claimed to be my mate.

They were out there, waiting for me, and every time the crowd cheered, I wanted to puke.

“That dress is to die for,” Bibi said. “I might have to have one made for myself, if you wouldn’t mind twinning.”

I couldn’t imagine myself wearing a dress this fierce more than once, but this was my life now.

Holy crap,this was my life now. I took a much-needed sip of water before answering.

“Do it. Our matching dresses will make every influencer watching weep with envy.”

Bibi laughed. “That’s the energy we need onThe Mating Game. You’re a fierce woman who’s about to absolutely own that stage.”

As if on cue, the crowd roared in the background, and Bibi slipped into a chair and patted the one beside her in silent invitation.

“Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”

Knees shaking, I sank into the chair. “Of course not.”

“Turn a little more to the right.” Bjorn,The Mating Gamecameraman, waved to me from the corner of the trailer. I blinked, realizing he’d already trained the camera on me. Only a fairy dragmother with a presence like Bibi could make me not notice a six-foot-something bear shifter in the room.

---