He met my gaze. “I wanted to, Bibi. I’m proud of you. This is a huge undertaking, and you’re making it look easy. And it’s a big deal for my pack. We’ve been down on our luck for a long time, and we might not be good at showing our appreciation, but I can tell you every wolf in Green Mountain is excited about what Cindy’s fresh start might mean for them.”
“They’re beautiful. Thank you.” I took the bouquet from him. The last thing I wanted him to think was that I was ungrateful. The Green Mountain pack had a lot in common with the pack I turned my back on, and maybe there was a little more on the line with this first episode for me than just finding Cindy a fated mate. I wanted to see this pack thrive. And do a little healing myself.
We were standing in the middle of the stage. The crew should’ve been wrapping the equipment and getting ready for the next setup, but all eyes were on Hugo and me. We’d become the show.
I gave him my best camera-worthy smile. “Come with me to my office?”
He nodded.
We’d been on a few dates after we’d been introduced during a Green Mountain crisis. They’d gone well. Too well. I wasn’t looking for a relationship right now. On paper, hiring Hugo could be considered a huge mistake. But I didn’t make those. I had opportunities to pivot and do better.
No one knew the Green Mountain pack better than Hugo. The opportunities for growth as well as the potential for massive pitfalls. He’d be my eyes and ears in the forest. He’d do the things that I didn’t want to do when things got messy.
Like fight. I’d never seen another wolf rival me in a fight until I met Hugo.
And yes, I definitely had some feelings about that. Anything that came under the heading of Hugo would be labeled “complicated” and dealt with later.
Because this wasn’t my turn to go to the confessional. I was laser-focused on finding Cindy the wolf fated to be by her side.
I scanned the office. Allies had been hard to come by until I’d settled in Sunset Springs. It was one of the reasons I’d hired Hugo—to teach myself to relax. The wolves here weren’t out to get me, but the local packs had more than their fair share of drama to deal with, and I’d shined a giant spotlight on myself. A girl could never be too careful.
The aroma of the bouquet had already filled the tiny room, mixed with Hugo’s earthy wolf scent. It would linger, and I’d enjoy it later. I put the flowers in a vase and took a moment to admire them. Poor Hugo stood in the doorway, looking so out of place in the state-of-the-art production studio.
“Did you get me a card, too?”
“No, I found that taped on the outside of the stage door. It had your name on it, so I wanted to make sure you got it.”
“That was sweet of you. The flowers are more than enough.”
My mind was spinning in a thousand different directions. Hugo was not quite grasping the fact we were coworkers. Marissa had hired actors without telling me. We were slated to film Cindy on stage with her potential suitors in a matter of days, and if Marissa’s assessment of the current mate pool was correct, would I actually be able to fulfill my promise that I’d be able to find Cindy the wolf of her dreams?
Of course I would. I was Bibi le Bonnet, and I made things happen. Not only that, I made things shine.
I sat on the desk and crossed my legs, aware of Hugo’s appreciative gaze as I slid my thumb under the envelope flap. It was heavy black paper, and my name had been written in metallic magenta ink. Whoever sent this knew what I liked.
I gasped as soon as I read the first word.
Bronson,
Only my old pack still referred to me by my male name. I could still be Bronson, if I wanted to. But since coming to Sunset Springs, I’d fully embraced being Bibi le Bonnet, and that’s what all my friends and coworkers called me.
Congratulations on your new show. We love the idea of updating traditions and bringing fated mates together.
Are you ready to make amends?
There was no need for the author to sign their name.
“Hell no,” I growled, like the paper could hear me. “Not in this lifetime.”
Hugo took the piece of paper from my hand. His eyes darkened, and I wouldn’t have been surprised if he ripped off his leather jacket and went full wolf. “Fuck. Montana’s back.”
“Have you seen them around?” I was glad Hugo was here. I didn’t want to be alone right now. The Montana pack brought chaos with them everywhere they went, and I was not proud to have been born into that pack. They’d made it clear that they wanted nothing to do with me, and I was better off bringing my sparkle elsewhere. The letter might have seemed like a good thing, but with these wolves, it was anything but.
“No.” He spit the word out. “But they love to recruit new wolves into their fold. Rogue, dangerous wolves. I’ll make sure every wolf on my team is on the lookout.”
“Of course they’d reach out once we start the show.” I slid off the desk and paced my office. It was too small for all the wolf energy in here. And the last thing I would do was shift. That was exactly what Montana wanted. To lure my wolf out. To take The Mating Game away from me.
“They won’t get their hands on you, or anything associated with the show. I guarantee it.” Hugo stepped in front of me, putting his hands on my arms. Energy rocketed between us. Hugo was ready to fight.
But was I?
I closed my eyes.
Yeah, I was ready. Montana wouldn’t set the terms this time. Sunset Springs was my turf now, and I determined the rules of this game.