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ChapterSeven
Logan
“What the hell were you thinking?” Margaret shrieked into the phone. “If you’d listened to me and left like I suggested, we’d never be having this conversation. But then you told this woman exactly what she wanted to hear, like someone had written it for you. You have to see this through to the end now, Logan. Do you know how bad it will look if you walk out on her?”
“Who said I was leaving?”
Margaret’s meltdown was the most normal thing that had happened to me in the last twenty-four hours. At one point in my career, I would’ve been down in the trenches with her, worrying about what an appearance like this would do to my image. But now, I didn’t give one hot damn. I’d spent the night pacing my room at the Colorado Ranch Chalet, my wolf insisting that if I let him out that he could solve the problem.
The Pedro problem.
But it wasn’t quite that simple. My wolf might be talking to me, but that was all he was willing to do at this point.
The problems I needed to solve couldn’t be done as a human.
Her heavy sigh brought me back to the call. “How long do you plan on playing this role, Logan?”
“I’m not playing. I... I feel something for her.”
Margaret groaned. “How can you not? I watched the footage the show put up online. Cindy’s a single mom, and she was married to a total dick of a wolf. It would be real easy for someone to swoop in and be her wolf in shining armor.”
“So now you’re a wolf relationship expert?” I scoffed.
“Enough of one to know that this can’t possibly end well for you. Or her, if I’m being perfectly honest. You pay me to find your work, but I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t advise you to let that woman down easy. You can’t do this.”
“You’ve booked me in some pretty disastrous roles. What is it about this job?”
“I told you. The paparazzi. This is not the way to keep your situation under wraps.” She let out a disappointed sigh. “If you stay on The Mating Game, I won’t be able to save your career.”
“Staying here is the only way to prove I’m still as much a wolf as I was before.”
“If you stay on The Mating Game, I can’t represent you anymore. These scripts on my desk will go to someone else. Someone who’s taking their career seriously. The choice is yours, Logan.”
You know what to do,my wolf said.
“It’s been nice working with you, Margaret. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”
She gasped.
“You’ve made your choice. I hope you find the clients you’re looking for.”
She was still talking when I hung up. Damn, I’d planned on replacing Margaret AS fucking AP, but firing her felt like more than that. Like I just walked away from my career for Cindy. A woman who’d canceled our first date. And what the hell did I have to offer her? I didn’t even know who I was without my acting career. Without the identities other people crafted for me.
So who did I want to be, now that I probably just set my acting career on fire and pissed on it with gasoline?
The knock on the door wasn’t unexpected, but it pulled me out of my own head.
Bibi floated in with her entourage in tow. She was all dressed up, even when she wasn’t on camera. Today she wore a glittery suit jacket and pants that had a sparkly stripe down the side. Her bright red tie matched her wig and lipstick. “Good morning. How’s the most popular wolf in Sunset Springs today?”
“Don’t know about that.”
“We don’t know each other yet, but I don’t throw around superlatives lightly. We might be a new show, technically, but The Real Werewives fans are very invested in making sure we find the wolf Cindy’s meant to spend the rest of her life with. They were thrilled when you appeared, but they have questions.”
“Good. I have questions too.”
“I like that.” She took a seat in the chair near the fireplace and crossed her legs. “You go first, and then I’ll ask mine.”
Marissa motioned to Bjorn to get his equipment set up, and he shook his head.
“Why did Cindy really leave last night? I’m sure you’ve already interviewed her.”
“Actually, no. I checked in on her this morning to make sure everything was good, but she’s a busy mama in the morning, and I’ll circle back with her once the kids are settled.” Bibi sized me up. “I have Hugo and his wolves guarding her house twenty-four seven until we can guarantee there’s no threat.”
My animal was restless inside me. Another wolf shouldn’t have to guard your mate.
“What do you think the threat is?”
“I would never put one of my contestants in harm’s way. Pedro’s appearance...that was a surprise. A misunderstanding, and it won’t happen again.” Bibi’s glare landed squarely on Marissa. “But I’m not here to talk about a wolf that Cindy doesn’t want. I’m here to talk to the one she does. So tell me, what was going through your mind when you answered her questions last night?”
I settled into the chair in front of the fireplace. I was no stranger to interviews. But I usually had a team that handled this for me. A publicist, who sent a list of approved questions beforehand. That luxury was gone now that I fired Margaret.
“I was thinking what it would be like to make a life with a woman I don’t know.” I had a feeling Bibi was going to tell me a few things about myself. “And I was surprised how much I wanted to.”
She nodded. “What was it like to see her for the first time?”
“She’s beautiful.” The moment I rounded the corner and saw her had been on constant replay in my mind all night long. Long dark hair fell in waves down her back, a white dress hugged generous curves, dark eyes sparkled in the stage lights, and the most incredibly welcoming smile. “She made me feel like I was home for the first time in a long time.”
Bibi put her hand over her heart. “I love that. Are you close with your pack?”
“Not as close as I’d like to be.” There was no way to avoid questions about my life if I was putting myself in this position. Margaret would be screaming at me to run. Again. At least she’d be urging me to think long and hard before I spoke. It would take me a while to adjust to not having to answer to her anymore. “My pack wanted me to stay with them. My father is alpha, and my older brother’s in line to take his place when the time comes. I was expected to stay and support the pack. When I left to pursue acting, they saw that as me turning my back on them.”
“Do you contribute to your pack?”
“When they let me. They act funny when I spend money on them.”
“Classic pack that is stuck in their ways.” Bibi shook her head. “That’s exactly why I’m so passionate about The Mating Game. We’ve got to show these wolves there’s a different way of doing things before they stubborn themselves into extinction. So, you have three choices about what happens next—"
“I want to see her.” I took satisfaction in Bibi’s surprise. She wasn’t an alpha, but she had strong energy. I had to show her I could match it. That I might never lead a pack, but I damn well had a place in one. “When can that happen?”
“She’s with the kids this morning....” Marissa scrolled through her tablet screen. “And then—”
“I’d love to meet the kids, if Cindy’s ready for that.”
Bibi and Marissa shared a glance that said I was crossing a line.
“Usually, I’d expect to go on a few dates before introductions were made,” I continued, before they had a chance to say no. My wolf was getting restless, and I wasn’t in a position to tell him no. “But we’re working backward from the end result—she already chose me as her mate. I’m looking forward to taking her on a bunch of fantastic dates, before and after the show, but I’m dying to see what my life is going to be like.”
The ladies looked at each other again.
“Text Cindy and see if she’s ready for us,” Bibi said to Marissa, and then turned back to me. “I appreciate your enthusiasm, and since we’re still ironing out our flow with the first show, we didn’t get a chance to chat before you went on stage. I’ll be working with both of you to make sure you’re ready for the mating ceremony, if it happens. Which means I’ll be helping you settle into Sunset Springs and the Green Mountain pack. Getting you used to the customs around here.”
“Thought you said you were looking to shake things up.”
“You can make better change from the inside,” she said. “Wolves won’t follow anyone they don’t trust.”
“Cindy’s in,” Marissa said.
My wolf breathed a sigh of relief.
“Anything I should know about her pack before we get there?”
Bibi nodded. “It’s not like what you see on Colorado Ranch or Sunset Springs. These wolves would be in their animal form all the time if they could. They’re a proud pack, and they’re making a lot of long overdue changes. It’s an exciting time to be a part of it.”
I nodded.
Turning on the charm wouldn’t work with these wolves. My resume wouldn’t impress them. It would take everything I had to win them over, especially when they realized I wasn’t like them.
