Page 62 of So I Won a Werelion

“What do you know?” I growled. “If anyone’s threatening to hurt Wendy—”

“They’re not.”

Lars gave him a look, and then turned to me. “Word’s getting out that Wendy’s found something important. Something she was warned to keep away from.”

“We know the relic is safe. It’s our job to keep you and Wendy safe,” Hugo stressed.

I didn’t love the idea of other shifters protecting my ass, but as my security team escorted me over to the chalet, I had to start thinking differently about it. Packs and prides weren’t only what you were born into. They were alliances that you agreed to. But still, I had to remind myself this wasn’t like the end of my snowboarding career, when everyone turned against me and I couldn’t be trusted.

There was no reason to look over my shoulder when these guys had my back, and I could concentrate on what was really important. Making Wendy mine.

A suit waited for me in my room, but that wasn’t all. Bibi had sent a groomer to give me a hot towel treatment, oil to keep my beard in place, and they insisted on me pulling my hair away from my face.

I had a feeling Wendy liked it down. But fuck if I knew what she wanted. I’d been operating on a lot of assumptions, but even though she finally let me kiss her—and after waiting almost thirty years to taste those lips I couldn’t get enough of—she kept pushing me away. Stayed focused on her mission of solving the relic riddle, but I was on a mission too.

I put my hands in my pockets and waited forThe Mating Gamevan to arrive. Hugo used his phone to film my reactions. Lars had so many questions about it. It was the distraction I needed as time crawled, and the damn van still wasn’t here.

Fuck.

Wendy would love this date. If she let me take her on it.

I let out a breath when I finally sawThe Mating Gamevan rumble down the driveway. Bibi hopped out of the passenger’sseat and winked at me before she opened the back door to reveal my mate.

Wendy’s red lips curled into a smile as she took Bibi’s hand to climb out of the van. Her hair had been pulled back into an elaborate bun at the nape of her neck, and she was wearing a satin red dress with a dangerously low V in the front that would distract me from looking at anything else. In close second was the slit that went all the way up to her hip, revealing a taste of gorgeous thigh.

“You look sensational.” I took her hands in mine when we approached.

For once, I was pretty sure she expected me to kiss her. But I wanted to wait.

“I’m so curious what you have up your sleeve, Gabe Wylde,” she teased. “The stylists insisted I wear my hair back. And I couldn’t get this one to spill the beans. Because if it’s too rough for my hair, I’m not sure how these things will stay under control.”

She motioned to her tits.

“If I could be so lucky,” I rumbled.

Bibi gasped. She’d gotten dressed up for the occasion in a gold sparkly dress and had a scarf tied over her wig and fastened below her chin. “I keep telling Wendy it’s sexy when a big cat has a secret or two.”

“Ugh.” Wendy groaned playfully. “Well, let’s get to this secret. And can I say, you’re looking pretty hot yourself.”

“A man in a suit always drives me wild.” Bibi waved her gloved hand in the direction of the van. “They’re waiting for us.”

Once we slid into the backseat I put my hand over Wendy’s. She smiled at me.

“What are your favorite parts of Sunset Springs?” I asked.

She took a moment to think about it. “I love getting a salad and an iced coffee and having my lunch in the courtyard of theart museum. But my favorite thing is on Friday nights when they have all the food trucks in the park, bands playing, and the place just comes alive.”

Light danced in her eyes.

“I want to do those things with you,” I said.

“I want that too, but right now—”

“We’re not talking about anything but right this very moment. You and me.”

That light turned to frustration.

“I know—the thing that we’re not talking about—is your life’s work. Your passion,” I added. “There’s so much more to you than that. I want to know what your favorite food truck is. And your favorite horror movie.”

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