Page 55 of So I Won a Werelion

“Are you ready for the hot seat?”

“No, but Wendy needs to hear this from me. She needs to know why I came home.”

“She’s here.” I hated to interrupt girls’ night, but this couldn’t wait. “Hannah, our next contestant is too. She’s very involved in the online community. If word gets out in the forums, she’ll see it.”

“We’re on our way.”

“Oh, I wonder who that could be,” I said when there was a knock on the door. The red paint on my nails was still drying, and I had to be careful when I went to open it. Our mani-pedi team had just packed up and headed out.

“I hope it’s one of those pizza guys who’s really a stripper,” Hannah said. “Mostly because I could really go for some pizza.”

I’d promise her some delivery, but I had no idea what would happen when Gabe confessed his secret to Wendy.

Her lips parted when Gabe walked in the door, followed by Leo and Dylan.

“It’s an embarrassment of riches around here,” Hannah said under her breath.

“They’re all very happily spoken for. And unfortunately, they didn’t bring pizza.”

“You should’ve let us know. We would’ve stopped and picked some up. That sounds amazing,” Gabe said.

I turned to Marissa. “Maybe we could make a phone call while Gabe and Wendy talk?”

Marissa nodded, and Wendy rushed over to Gabe. “Is everything okay?”

The big cat shoved his hands in his pockets. “It will be. But there are gonna be some rumors flying around and I want to make sure you hear this from me.”

“Bjorn is on his way so we can film our talk, once you’re finished with Wendy?”

Hannah gasped. “Finished with Wendy? You’re not leaving the show, are you?”

Chapter

Seventeen

Wendy

“Did something happen with the Scepter?” I hated that I’d given up control of the artifacts. They were under lock and key atThe Mating GameHQ, and they belonged to the shifters, but I’d feel better if they were in my possession. I wanted to make a connection with the pieces. Hear what they had to say.

It was presumptuous of me, a human, to think that ancient shifter spirits would talk tome, but I had to believe those artifacts had been put in my path for a reason. Gabe and his cousins thought they’d been planted, and even though that was probably true, it didn’t take away from the massive responsibility that came with this discovery.

Whoever had fucked with the Scepter would have to deal with the consequences.

He didn’t answer.

“Oh no. My sister did something, didn’t she? Let me get my phone.”

I groaned and headed toward my bedroom. It should be charged by now, and full of Wanda’s messages about things she did to ‘help.’

“No. It wasn’t any of those things. This is about me.”

Gabe’s declaration stopped me dead in my tracks. Did he change his mind about being on the show? What if his pride had doubled down and made them choose them or me?

The possibility devastated me. Twenty-four hours ago, the only reason I’d come back to the show was to solve the mystery of the relic. Now, with this gorgeous lion standing in front of me, I realized I had a whole lot more to lose.

I braced myself for all the outcomes. “Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

The corner of his mouth turned up in a grin. “What’s with the robes?”

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