Page 73 of So I Won a Werelion

I didn’t think he was dangerous. Isolated, and maybe a little rusty communicating with others? Absolutely. We could work on that if he wanted to.

I couldn’t think of every person on my team as a candidate to go in front of the cameras. But that’s what I did. I wanted to fix things. I wanted to help shifters and humans live their best lives. Even if they were big, furry, elusive, doomsday prophets.

“So that Montana wolf that supposedly made it to the stage. Did you know about that?”

“Not until after it happened.”He sighed. “The wolves they’re sending in here aren’t the same ones who were here before. They’re recruiting rogue wolves. Taking over small packs all over the west. Ones who followed those old ways for too long and never moved forward. It won’t be the only plant they have in place. They’ll keep showing up where you least expect them.”

“Is that what Hugo told you?”Because it sounded awfully familiar.

He gave me a look.

“Right, the spirits.”The campsite came into view.“Anything else I need to know before we rejoin the rest of the group?”

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t support what you were doing. We need change. But we need to bepreparedfor change. That’s where we’ll get ourselves into trouble.”

“Who’s that?” Marissa called out. A tiny figure approached us with a camera on her shoulder.

Bjorn growled.“What’s she doing with my equipment?”

Marissa jumped back. She couldn’t understand the words, just the warning rumble. But once she saw the big bear, she relaxed.

“Be cool,” Wendy whispered, but her eyes were wide as we approached. “What the hell is that?”

Hugo was back in his human form. “It’s Bibi, Bjorn, and Lars. Everything’s good.”

“Where’s Gabriel?” I asked.

Hugo sighed. “I tried to convince him to stay here, but he insisted on going off to fight.”

Chapter

Twenty-Four

Wendy

“It was a false alarm. But I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I didn’t go check it out.” Bibi stifled a yawn. She’d changed into a totally new safari-chic outfit, complete with a new golden wig, which would not offer any camouflage.

“I appreciate the reassurance.” My body ached from being on point for so long. I’d never wished I was a shifter more than tonight. So I could have gone with Gabe instead of waiting here for him to return, like some sort of sexually frustrated damsel in distress. If I could shift into animal form, I’d know how to release this tension—

A vision flashed before my eyes. It did more than that. It gripped my whole body. I was a lioness, prowling beside Gabe in the forest. And it was quiet. So quiet. Gone was the buzz of electricity. Satellites.

Wait, I couldhearsatellites?

Whatever I was seeing didn’t take place in present day. Bibi and Marissa were sitting on either side of me, too tired to hide their concern as I stared at my hand —my paw—no, it was a hand, a vision sent courtesy of the Scepter.

It was a memory.

I swallowed hard. It had been a long couple of days full of mind-blowing revelations and as the first hazy rays of sunlight caressed the canyon, it was completely possible that I was hallucinating.

“With Gabe still out on the prowl, there’s no way I can even think about sleep.” I finally finished the thought, hoping it made sense. Because I was shook after that vision.

“I have to warn you, we might not be able to come back to this spot, so this morning will be your only chance to do an investigation,” Bibi said.

“I was already told I’d never get another chance to be here, so I’m on borrowed time already.” A chill went down my spine.

If you set foot on our land again, we’ll kill you.

I’d been on shifter land many times since, and that warning had always stuck with me. Never did I visit without looking over my shoulder. Overanalyzing every word.

---