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There were so many people here. I’d seen the empty amphitheater—The Mating Game took place in downtown Sunset Springs. I knew how many people could show up, theoretically. I never expected them to come for me.
I scanned the crowd for familiar faces—packmates, Wendy—but it was all a blur. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to see anyone from the pack. They were divided in their opinions about my appearance on the show. The ones who didn’t want me here were afraid I’d make the pack look bad. Like they’d forced me into a marriage against my will. Those same people thought I should wait for Pedro to grace me with his presence again instead of moving on.
And whoever was on the other side of the stage? A total mystery. My wolf stirred inside me, and my skin tingled.
It was more than just nerves.
Could my fated mate really be over there?
Bibi turned to me, and her face lit up. Between her and the strength of my wolf, I could do this.
“Who do we have here? Please welcome our very first contestant to The Mating Game. This gorgeous creature is Cindy Charon, and she’s looking for the wolf who’s going to rock her world.”
The crowd roared, and she came over and kissed me on the cheek.
“I’m proud of you,” she whispered.
“Thank you for everything.” I had no idea what would happen tonight, but I knew my life would never be the same.
“Get comfy. I’ll handle the rest.” After a wink, Bibi was back in the center of the stage. I settled into the hot pink velvet chair that had been provided for me, and one of the sound guys came over to adjust the microphone.
“This is how things will work. Cindy will ask the gentlemen we decided would be best suited for her three questions. She’ll choose her fated mate depending on their answers, so choose your words wisely, wolves. Believe me, this is a chance you don’t want to miss. Then, if all goes well, and our chosen mate manages to win Cindy’s heart, we’ll meet back here in six weeks for the mating ceremony of their dreams.”
The crowd loved it.
Six weeks. In six weeks, I’d promise myself to a wolf who wasn’t Pedro.
In six weeks, my life would be unrecognizable. And intertwined with a wolf I’d never seen before. One that waited for my questions on the other side of that wall.
“Anytime you’re ready, we can start.” Bibi’s voice snapped my attention back to the task at hand.
I reached for the index card where I’d written my questions—I’d left it in the dressing room.
Okay, I could do this.
Except my mind had gone totally blank.
Marissa nodded to me, and the crowd grew restless. I had to say something.
I leaned toward the microphone. “Why did you come to a reality show to find your mate?”
Oh, no. That was supposed to be what were you looking for in a fated mate, but my wolf took the wheel, and she wasn’t going easy on them.
Bibi raised an eyebrow. “Wolf number one?”
“Because I wanted to spend my life with a woman who had a sense of adventure.” He sounded like a nice enough guy.
“Wolf number two?”
“Because life doesn’t always go as planned, and I wanted to meet a woman who was ready to take control of her destiny.” His voice was deep...and strangely familiar.
“And wolf number three?”
“Because I’m looking for a mate who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it.” The crowd liked that sentiment, but something about number three rubbed me the wrong way.
Okay, that didn’t go as badly as I thought it would.
“What do you think about kids?” I wavered on whether I should tell them about mine. We’d agreed to do this, sight unseen, but if someone couldn’t handle my babies, they weren’t the wolf for me. “I have three.”
A hush fell over the crowd.
“I’ll raise them as my own,” Wolf Number One said.
“I’ve always wanted a family, and I thought that was something that might not happen for me. So I’d be happy to become your kids’ dad.”
The crowd really liked what Wolf Number Two had to say.
“I can’t wait for you to have my babies.” Wolf Number Three just got himself crossed off the list.
I was open to having more kids. But I didn’t want the ones I had to be an afterthought. They weren’t always hellions. Most of the time they were sweet, smart, and funny. They just needed a father figure who wasn’t a loose cannon to give them some guidance.
“This is your final question, Cindy. What else do you want to know about these wolves?”
“Tell me your idea of the perfect night together.”
“I’d take you out to the nicest restaurant in town—after we got a babysitter, of course—and then dance with you in the moonlight,” Wolf Number One said. “Of course, we’d get a little wild on the full moon.”
The crowd whooped.
“We’d have a barbecue in the backyard and make s’mores with the kids,” Wolf Number Two said. “If the kids are still the right age, we’d read them bedtime stories when we tucked them into bed, then head back out to the yard, snuggle under a blanket, and talk about whatever came to mind.”
My heart might have skipped a beat with that one.
“Is this the show with the hot tub?” The crowd laughed at Wolf Number Three, and I barely managed to hide my cringe.
Bibi turned to me. “Have you heard enough to make your decision?”
The format of the show was only supposed to be three questions, but this was no game. If I needed more, she’d give them to me.
“I’m ready.”
The crowd oohed.
“Is there anyone you can eliminate?”
I nodded. “Wolf Number Three.”
“Your loss, babe.” He must have done something scandalous because the crowd jeered.
“Okay, it’s between Wolf Number One and Wolf Number Two. Let me say, you can’t go wrong with either of these handsome gentlemen.” Bibi waggled her perfect brows. “Does anyone want to guess who she’ll pick?”
One! Two! One! One! Twoooo!
Both one and two were strong candidates. But something about one of them made me feel something I never had before.
Trust yourself, my wolf said. This is our chance.
“I choose Wolf Number Two.”
