Page 79 of So I Won a Werelion

Bibi pressed her bright pink lips together, but my new roommate wasn’t intimidated. She was trying not to laugh in his face. “You’ll have to take it up with the town of Sunset Springs, Mr. Jared. They’re the ones who approved the motion to stop work. There have been some very important artifacts—”

“Anything found on Ranchero Hills land belongs to me. If you don’t hand those artifacts over to me willingly, they will be confiscated by force.” His gaze landed on me. “Or we’ll take what we consider to be equal value.”

“You’ll have to get past every shifter in this town. And me. I’m not sure if you’re familiar with my reputation, Mr. Jared, but I know my way around a fight.”

“I have a shifter pack of my own guarding the land. They stopped Wendy and her shiftermatefrom robbing us blind.”

I did not like the way he said the wordmate.

“The only reason we haven’t prosecuted your little game show darlings is because Wanda Woodhead begged us not to,” he added.

“Your wolves are liars.” It was a bold statement, but I wouldn’t let this bully think he could intimate me. “And whatever was found on that land belongs to these packs.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to sayit belongs to me.

“You get to decide how this plays out, Wendy. The future of Sunset Springs is on the line.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked back to his designer sports car. Of course he’d drive a penis extender. He gave us one final glare before he got into it, and Bibi answered with a little wave.

Once we shut the door, I flipped him the bird.

“Definitely a shifter,” Bibi said. “Wolf. Wouldn’t surprise me if he was one of the wolves that Gabriel fought at the worksite, which may complicate things if he does decide to press charges.”

“They definitely have surveillance cameras on the land,” Hugo added.

“That’s the least of our worries. He wants the Scepter. Which we don’t have. And if he’s a shifter and they’ve found more pieces of it at the site, he knows what we’ve got.”

Bibi waved her hand. “He wouldn’t know a Scepter if it bit him in the ass.”

“What if we give him some random thing? Smash one of my knickknacks and give it to him. Then we’ll get him to show his hand. It will give us more time to do research and come up with a plan.”

Hugo nudged Bibi. “Think he’s working with the Montana wolves?”

“Montana wants land.” She sighed. “We have to make sure that development gets shut down permanently. Beat them at their own game.”

“So what do we do?” I asked. We had yet to find more pieces of any of the artifacts, and time felt like it was running out.

“Business as usual,” Bibi declared. “Montana eats fear for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And we have nothing to be afraid of. We’ll teach you how to pole dance, get Gabriel to actually claim you, return these artifacts to their rightful owners, and film the fiercest, sexiest, most amazing episode ofThe Mating Gameyet.”

Chapter

Twenty-Six

Wendy

“Pole dancing is no joke.” I’d had several sweat-soaked practice sessions with Blaire Bass Connors, and a spattering of bruises, better known as pole kisses, on my thighs to prove it. Tonight was my private performance for Gabe and I was determined to nail it. It was time to show the big cat I was all in. “I’ve pissed off muscles I didn’t even know I had.”

“No one gives pole the credit it deserves,” Blaire said. “It’s good to be dancing again after the baby. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do it yet, but I’m taking it slow, listening to my body. I love that you asked me for lessons, Wendy. I get to live vicariously through you.”

Bibi had been the one to reach out to her. I’d hesitated, since my experience with the Werewives hadn’t been one I was looking to repeat. They’d all bonded over their hot cowboy wolf mates, and I’d been the outsider.

“This is the strongest I’ve ever been.” I’d had to do a ton of training to be able to hold myself up on the pole. Ab work, arm work, and leg work. And now I was out here in only a sports bra and booty shorts and feeling fierce. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it.”

“Looks like I have another pole addict on my hands.” Blaire winked at me. “I hope you’ll come for more lessons after your date. Some of the Werewives are doing post-partum pole, and we’ve been having a lot of fun. We’d love it if you joined us.”

“I’ll consider it.”

“Listen, Wendy, I hated how things went down when you were a Werewife. We let guys get in the way of friendship, and that’s not cool. I’m thrilled things are working out for you with Gabe. I’ve seen you around The Village and you’re so different now. You’re happy.”

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