AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I shook my head. I was terrible at letting anyone down. I’d already had to tell her this once, and I could feel for what Lars had gone through on that mountain. Because I felt like I was about to drive a stake through Calista’s heart, when I thought I’d already well and thoroughly broken it.
“You’re in love with a version of me that no longer exists.” My thoughts were coming fast and furious, but I couldn’t say the wrong thing. Too many people were listening. I had to let her down as easily as possible. “I never lied to you, because I was as true to myself as I could be at the time. And when I knew I needed to change, you were the first wolf I told.”
“Yes, all of that is true.” She shook her head, dropping her gaze. “But life in the pack was miserable without you. I thought it was just because I didn’t like the direction our new leaders were taking, then I realized it was because I missed you. I love you. Doesn’t matter who you are on the outside, I know who you are on the inside.”
Someone in the audience started chanting “Give her a chance!” And too many other people joined in.
“I’m a different person than when I left you. I’m sorry. I can’t do this right now. I have a show to finish. All these people gathered to find out if Hannah will accept Lars’s claim on her.”
“Of course, all you care about is your show.” She blinked rapidly, like she was fighting back tears. “Being famous.”
“That’s not true.” Although, it was more accurate than I wanted to admit. I’d worked so hard to become the truest version of myself, and I had to leave my old life behind. “This isn’t the time or the place to give you the explanation you deserve. But soon, I will.”
Calista crossed her arms, her gaze searing into mine. “Do you have any idea what I’ve gone through to find you?”
“I’ve been right here the whole time.”
“It’s not easy to get to you. You have security now. They’ve dragged me away on many occasions. I resorted to trusting shifters who said they could help, but they wanted something in return. They were the only ones who believed you were my mate.”
All this time I’d been worried about breaking her heart, and she’d just thrust a dagger into mine. She had been close enough to me that security dragged her way?
Hugo and I would be having a serious talk, assuming I could ever get Calista off the stage.
“I’m not your mate.” That declaration earned my second round of boos of the day. “I love you, but not like that. I can help you find your mate though, if you’d be interested in having your own episode ofThe Mating Game.”
Her lips parted. Silence fell over the crowd. It was the last thing I ever expected to do, but I wanted her to find happiness. It couldn’t be with me.
“I’ll do it,” she said. “But I promise my episode will have an ending you don’t expect.”
“I just want you to be happy.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hugo and some of the security crew on the side of the stage. “I’m sure you want the same for me. Can we talk more about this later, when the whole world isn’t watching?”
She raised a carefully sculpted brow. I’d learned my very first beauty tricks from Calista. “When isn’t the whole world watching you?”
“Soon, they’ll be watching you too.” I’d thought this had been my most challenging episode, but finding Calista a mate would push me to my limits. “See you backstage?”
She nodded, and Hugo and his crew came out to escort her offstage. She bristled when he motioned for her to exit, and my gaze caught his.
Hannah was still sitting there, looking absolutely stunning her silver velvet minidress and striped stockings. Her bright pink lips were parted, like she couldn’t believe what she’d just witnessed.
“I’m so sorry, everyone. I had no idea that was going to happen,” I confessed.
She came over and gave me a much-needed hug. “You did the right thing. And if it wasn’t chaos, it wouldn’t be my episode, right?”
“Well, let’s hope that’s the last delay you experience getting claimed by a beast.” Everything I said felt wrong. Disrespectful. “Shall we watch the highlights from your episode?”
“I feel like we can skip that part.” She turned to the audience. “Do you want to watch highlights or should we just call Lars over here? Because my answer is yes.”
“You don’t even know what I was going to ask you.” His deep voice rumbled with a chuckle from the other side of the stage.
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” the crowd chanted.
“We have our answer,” I said as Lars rounded the corner of the stage in all his natural glory. I lived for this moment of the show, when the contestants’ eyes were so full of love for one another, and the audience, the cameras, everything else just faded away until there was nothing but the love they shared for one another.
Hannah ran over to Lars, wrapping her arms around his giant, fuzzy body.
“You look incredible.” He ran his fingers over the plush fabric on her dress. “And I can’t wait to watch you take every bit of it off.”
The audience ooohed.
