Page 89 of So I Won a Werelion

“I’m sad about that because I thought it would be beautiful. I had no idea Derek was using me to start some shifter war.” Wanda shook her head.

“You were the perfect pawn. Outspoken against shifters and the TV shows, and you love money. No wonder he came in here with guns blazing. You were eating out of his hand.”

“I’m sorry, Wendy. I know you’ll probably never believe it, but I am.” Wanda gave her sister an awkward hug. “I’ll leave you with Gabe. There are a lot of our coworkers out front, most of them in handcuffs—”

“They were here. With him. I’m pretty sure they were planning to kill me. Or worse.”

Wanda’s face paled. “They’re no longer our coworkers.”

She headed upstairs, and Bibi trotted after her. I stayed in Wendy’s arms. She wasn’t saying anything, just rubbing my fur. I was pretty sure she was in shock.

“Well, that was terrifying.” Bibi startled me when she returned a few moments later in her human form, in some of the emergency sweats that were kept in the van. This was the first time I saw her not in drag. If it wasn’t for her voice, I wouldn’t have recognized her. “Are you okay? Like really okay? You can tell me. Do you need to go to the hospital? Or we can bringyou to one of the pack healers if that would make you more comfortable.”

“I’m good. Freaked out, but good.” Wendy dropped her head against mine. Good was relative, and I needed to make sure my mate felt safe. “I want to spend the night with Gabe.”

Chapter

Thirty

Bibi

Blaire and Marissa were sitting outside Jenny Connor’s house. She was the Colorado Ranch pack healer, and the matriarch of the pack. Hugo was in good hands with her. Blaire’s mate Austin had joined them, and their adorable baby girl Juno slept in her stroller. I was afraid they wouldn’t recognize me in these plain sweats that we kept for emergency shifts in the back of the van, but there was no way I could even think about sparkles when Hugo’s life was in danger.

“Is he okay?”

Marissa jumped out of her chair to give me a hug.

“You’re scaring me.” I’d broken things off with Hugo when production started forThe Mating Game.Told him we had to keep things professional. I’d worked on the tail end ofThe Real Werewivesand experienced firsthand how crazy things could get, especially when the crew got involved with the contestants. I wanted us to be on our A-game.

But I don’t know what I would do if Marissa told me no.

“He is. He’s awake, and Jenny thinks he has a concussion, and she’s been giving him some herbal tea and some other treatments to help him recover.”

“Oh, thank the moon.” I finally felt like I was able to breathe.

Marissa gave me another hug. “We were worried sick about you. Please tell me you found Wendy.”

I told her every horrific thing that happened, and the amazing things too. “We got Wendy and Gabe set up in a suite at the chalet for the night. I booked them the entire spa package for tomorrow. They’re both gonna need it.”

“You should have booked one for yourself, too.”

“I booked appointments for all of us. You included.”

“You didn’t have to do that for me. All I did was—”

“Help create a spectacular episode under very unusual conditions? Kept me sane during constant scheduling changes? Those things totally deserve a facial. And a massage.”

She beamed at me. “Thank you.”

Blaire had gone into the house, and she opened the door a crack. “Hugo wants to see you.”

There were butterflies in my stomach as I walked into Jenny’s house. I’d been here many times before—she loved to entertain, and I’d come visit when babies were born, or someone got injured in a wolf fight. But everything felt different this time.

I’d left my pack with nothing but what I could fit in my vintage Firebird, but I’d never felt this close to losing everything before.

“Hi.” Jenny gave me a hug when I came into the kitchen. “Do you still want to be called Bibi when you’re not all dressed up?”

I hardly ever left the house not in drag. “Bibi le Bonnet is a state of mind. She doesn’t need sparkle, even though it looks damn good on her. So yes, please, always call me Bibi.”

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