Page 46 of So I Won a Werelion

Layla gasped. “Bibi’s here!”

The kids ran to the van as soon as the door opened.

Daphne chuckled. “They’re obsessed with her. All they do all day is play TV show. Too bad Gabe’s not gonna be on it.”

Bibi sauntered into the house, flanked by three tiny admirers, as well as Bjorn, Hugo, and a very tall man that I’d never seen before.

I’d figure out who he was later. Right now, I had to tell Bibi—

“Call your sister. Right now,” she demanded.

Wait. I was supposed to be the one with the bombshell. “Is everything okay?”

“I was hoping you’d tell me. But since we had an unexpected visit from Wanda and two very handsome Sunset Springs policemen insinuating that I had abducted you, we have a few matters to clean up before we can get down to business.”

Of course my phone was dead. Bibi handed me hers. I had no idea what Wanda’s number was off the top of my head and had to call the realty office. Embarrassing.

“What have they done to you?” Wanda asked when she answered.

“No need to be so dramatic.” I’d have to give her the cleaned-up version, or else she’d have every reason to panic. “I spent the night with Gabe. I didn’t think I had to ask your permission.”

It was better that I let her think we had a one-night stand than tell her what we’d really been up to.

She let out a predictable sigh. “I thought your little stunt was over and you’d be back at work today.”

That’s what this was about? I rolled my eyes so hard they’d be throbbing worse than my sprained ankle. “No, I’m not coming back to the office. I’m a contestant onThe Mating Game.”

Shit. I’d just solidified my spot on the show when I was supposed to be handing in my resignation, again…

“You’re making a big mistake, trusting those shifters again.” She sighed. “There was an incident at Ranchero Hills last night. Vandalism. Derek Jared called this morning. Asking for you.”

My heart fell into my stomach. There was no way he didn’t know someone had broken into the site last night. And he probably had video evidence of it being me and Gabe.

“Why did he want to talk to me?”

“He’s a very important client of ours and he was impressed with your work yesterday. He was disappointed that you didn’t attend our dinner last night.”

“Right. Because I quit.”

“Wendy, I’m glad you’re safe. I won’t pretend to understand what you’re doing. But I will tell you that it’s heartbreaking to watch you throw away your career for these…animals…who’ve never treated you with the respect you deserve.”

So many emotions flowed through me when I handed the phone back to Bibi.

“That sounded like a tough phone call,” she said. “Want to take a walk and talk about it?”

“Sure.” This might be my only opportunity to take back control of the situation. A volt of pain shot up my leg. “But maybe not so much on the walking part. I messed up my ankle last night.”

Bibi gave me a look. More motherly than the one that Daphne had given me, because my fairy dragmother was all in, despite my shaky past and present. She was here to deliver the future I’d had on my vision board all along.

That was why I trusted her. She accepted all of me, even the parts she didn’t understand. Only one other person had done that, and he’d probably saved my life last night.

We settled at a picnic table in the yard next to a swing set. The kids eyed us from the window. No way I was winning them over as their brand-new auntie. First, I’d come with the rumor of bad wolves ready to strike. Second, I was robbing them of precious Bibi time.

But for the moment, the glittery goddess’ attention was focused on me. I told her everything—how we’d decided to go back to the site, what happened when we got there, and how hard it had been to keep my hands off Gabe when he was naked in my living room.

But I couldn’t work up the courage to quit yet.

“You keep holding back.” Bibi was pulling no punches this morning.

---