Chapter 11

ELEVEN

INDI

I'd grown so used to trying to blend into the human world with my abilities that it was kind of fun to use them out in public. It was even more fun to see how my sister got along so well in her role at the animal sanctuary. The staff here loved her. Every time she introduced me to someone, they were so excited to sing her praises. It eased some of my guilt over not being here for all this time. The truth was it was the right decision to come here. Torren was flourishing. Most of the people who worked here were shifters themselves. They couldn't choose any animal like jinns could, but they were accustomed to the downfalls that troubled all shifters, like uncontrollable shifting, which Torren often suffered from.

I loved everything about the sanctuary. It was wide open with large pens for the animals they took in and protected. There was a high-tech clinic where the animals were cared for, which was sponsored by Prescott Tech and the Vaunteros. There were buildings spread through the property, each one with a different purpose. From the outside they were uniform with beautiful wooden exteriors, sloping roofs, and welcoming atmospheres. Cobblestone walkways were laid out like winding paths through the whole sanctuary.

They'd taken time to decorate the whole sanctuary and invite the Island to participate in their event called Boo At The Zoo . Pumpkins were spread up and down the pathways along with bales of hay, cornstalks, and a few scarecrows spread throughout. White sheets that'd been spelled to float around moved around the sanctuary like ghosts. There were magical cauldrons sent up every few feet that would give out candy to anyone who stuck their hand inside. It was spelled to only give candy out to the citizens of the Island and not to the animals. Small children ran around with bags full of goodies and large smiles on their faces.

It wasn't a jump out and scare people type of thing, more like a Where's Waldo with the animals and shifters. The participants had to find the hidden fake animals among the real ones. It was a good time for the kids of the Island to engage in some fun festivities and learn about all kinds of different animals. Currently I was lounging up in a tree with the other monkeys. The branches were thick and warm with leaves all around me. They had a cool, crisp smell to them and rustled every time I moved.

I held my phone in my hands and glanced down at Liam's latest message. ‘ Why do you think people name their kids Hunter, Fisher, etc, but never hold those occupations themselves? It makes no sense to me.'

I chuckled . ‘Perhaps it's the dream of one day becoming a hunter or a fisherman. Like a daily reminder to not give up on their dreams.'

‘To each their own. You dig up shit and I write.'

My fingers felt too small as I messaged him back. They even looked odd flying across the screen in monkey form. ‘Fair enough but I'm not naming my kid digger.'

‘So you've skipped the whole dating thing and gone straight to having a kid? That's cool.'

‘Not on your life.' I shook my head, thinking about the many little Vaunteros who carried chaos throughout the castle. ‘You forget I raised my sister. I think I played Mom for long enough.'

‘Fair point, my friend. Still, just based on what you say about her, she's pretty awesome. So good job.'

My lips pulled into a smile, which had to look weird on a monkey with pink hair. ‘ Thanks .'

‘So, any luck finding a date for the wedding? '

‘Not at all.' I sighed, thinking about how awkward it was just running into Will. I had no interest in having that same awkwardness with someone else on the Island. It was so small and everyone knew everyone. ‘Are you sure a fake date is a good idea?'

‘LOL. Yeah, it's a great idea as long as the guy is in on it.'

"A chimp texting . . . You don't see this every day." Nash's familiar voice drew me from my texting.

Mateo stood right next to him, and while they were twins and shared the same Vauntero traits, they were so different. Nash was a bit scruffier and his hair a bit more unruly. A scar ran through his eyebrow. Mateo looked like an executive with a clean-shaven face and smoother, shorter hair.

Mateo chuckled and pointed at me. "You're awful at blending in. I mean, the texting alone gives you away."

I placed my phone on the branch I was perched on and sighed.

Torren swung in and landed next to me. Her teal hair stuck straight up from her little monkey head. "What? She has thumbs. See?"

I held my hand up and wiggled my thumb at them, then I sent my thoughts to her. " I really need one of those charms that lets me talk while I'm in animal form."

" I'll talk to Peggy and see if we can get you one ." Torren's voice filled my mind. " It really does come in handy."

" And then some ." I looked down at her fiancé and future brother-in-law. " I could hold up another finger to convey my message, but there are kids around ."

Torren snickered and it came out like a loud monkey screech. She turned toward Nash. "You're gonna get it when she's back to herself."

Nash and Mateo laughed.

Nash hit Mateo's arm. "Remember when I used to talk for you when we were kids?"

"No." Mateo shook his head. " I used to talk for you ."

This was getting ridiculous. It was one thing to hide as an animal in the human world. It was another thing to do it here, where people actually knew and started talking to me and I couldn't talk back. I grabbed my phone and stood up on the branch, then jumped toward another. I caught it with one hand. My body swung back and forth, then I let myself drop toward the ground. I let my shift wash over me as I landed, and when I popped to my feet, I was myself again and in my jeans, boots, and oversized sweater.

"Torren wanted me to be an animal, but I also have shit to do. I'm a multitasking master." I slid my phone into my back pocket.

Mateo looked me up and down. "You do look like you can do more than one thing at a time."

Nash elbowed him. "Don't hit on my future sister-in-law."

"Ouch, and I wasn't." Mateo rubbed at the spot where Nash elbowed him. "I have a soulmate, remember?"

"That you can't find," Nash pointed out.

Mateo sighed. "I'm looking, okay?"

Awkward.

A moment later, Torren dropped down from her tree and there was a flash of bright light and she was herself again. "Don't give him a hard time. If it wasn't for him, we would've never met."

Nash wrinkled his nose. "You don't know that."

"I would never have spoken to you if he hadn't gotten himself knocked out." Torren chuckled and the monkeys in the enclosure all gave loud monkey calls.

"What? Not good-looking enough for you?" Nash pressed his hand to his stomach.

"More like too good-looking."

I made a fake gagging sound. "If you two were any cuter, I'd vomit."

Torren went up on her tiptoes and looked over Nash's head. "Oh look! The Bows are here."

I froze, my heart hammered in my chest, and my stomach twisted into knots. Not again. I swallowed and Torren slid me a sideways glance as if trying to read my thoughts.

She pointed toward them. "I'll be right back. I have to talk to Peggy."

She moved away from us, heading them off at the edge of the enclosure before they could get to me. I tried not to watch as she spoke to them. But it was almost impossible not to look at Will. He was as gorgeous as ever in his dark jeans, boots, and oversized coat. He ran his hand through his hair, and the waves fell back as though he'd never pushed them out of his face.

Mateo nudged Nash in his arm. "Hey, I have a meeting to attend. We have to get going."

"Okay." Nash turned back toward me. "You good here?"

I snapped away from staring at Will. "Yeah, I'm good. No worries."

As they walked away, I tried to think of a way to just blend in and hide. It wasn't that I didn't want to talk to Will. Okay, maybe I didn't want to talk to him. I just wasn't ready. It seemed like ten years just wasn't long enough to not still be attracted to him. I mean, he was damn good-looking and had that very nonchalant way about him, like nothing in the world mattered because everything in his world was totally under control. It was borderline cocky, but in reality, it was a confidence that couldn't be faked.

"So, that didn't get any better, huh?"

I startled and turned to the side where Daniel stood next to me. Relief washed over me, and I sucked in a deep breath. I needed someone to talk to while the Bow's had Torren's attention, and I was happy to see him. I groaned. "I wish it were better."

He glanced over to where Will stood. There was something in his green eyes that was sharp and exacting, like he was reading everything about everyone. "Still weird?"

"I don't want it to be weird." I sighed. "But there's just something in me that makes it that way. I really need to let it go. It's been long enough."

He ran his hand through his thick dark hair. "Is there ever really a long enough time?"

I shook my head. "Maybe not."

The Bows started to walk by, and I froze. My breath caught in my throat.

Daniel leaned in closer to me and lowered his voice. "Am I going to have to be the boyfriend again?"

I shook myself and gave Will a small half-smile as he passed by. It felt unnatural and awkward as hell. But when his brother Brian jumped on him and pulled him into a headlock, the moment was broken, and I could look away.

"Honestly, it's not the worst idea I've had."

Three children ran by, and their dark hair and light eyes told me which family they belonged to. The Queen strolled after them with a smile on her face. She pushed one of those double strollers with the twins sound asleep inside. Her eyes lit up when she spotted Daniel. "Oh my, Daniel. It's good to see you out and about."

He pressed his mouth into a tight-lipped smile. "Well, I couldn't miss Boo At The Zoo . I do love the animals."

A smile spread across her face. "You don't say. You know, you should meet Rebecca. She runs the place. She's very sweet."

I pressed my lips together, trying not to laugh. It was kind of ironic that my sister, the only family I really had, was trying to set me up, while the family that'd taken in Daniel and his sister, Isolda, was trying to set him up.

Daniel glanced at me and cleared his throat. "Oh, that seems . . . nice."He practically choked on the word nice.

I tried to change the subject to help him. "You look well, Your Majesty."

"Thank you, Indi. As do you." But her attention never left Daniel. "I think Rebecca would be perfect for you. I'll set it up. You'd be so cute together."

"That won't be necess?—"

But she was already speeding away, following the other three children as they ran away from her. Daniel's face fell, and he looked like he was trying to swallow glass. I knew the feeling well.

I rested my arms on the small fence between us and chuckled. "I've got a proposition for you . . . one that I think will help us both."

He arched his eyebrows at me. "Please, do tell."

"Well, I need a boyfriend so my sister stops trying to set me up."I nodded my head in the direction Will had gone. "And to help me not fall apart when my ex is nearby . "

"Ah, so he is your ex. I guessed right." He chuckled and rested his arms on the fence right next to mine. "So, you want me to play boyfriend until your sister's wedding? And until you leave town again?"

I let my face fall into my hands. "It sounds horrible out loud."

"I don't think it sounds so bad." He shrugged. "We're friends and not soulmates, so as long as it's honest and we both go into it with our eyes open, we could just have fun for the next few weeks until things blow over a bit."

"See? You get what I'm saying." Monkeys jumped down around us and climbed onto the top of the fence and walked toward us. One jumped into my arms, and I held it there like a small child. "So what do you think?"

"Question, would Rebecca be at the sanctuary right now?" He glanced over his shoulder toward the direction the Queen had gone in.

The monkey held on to me tighter. I nodded "Yep, she's my sister's boss, and she's always here."

Daniel made a little hmm sound in the back of his throat, then sucked in a deep breath. "If we can say yes before she gets Rebecca over here, then deal."

Relief washed over me, and my lips pulled up in a smile. I offered him my hand. "Deal."

Daniel took my hand in his and lifted it to his lips, kissing the back of it. He smirked up at me. "See? I'm already good at this relationship thing."

The monkey in my arms let out a happy screech and we both laughed. When I glanced around at the people who passed by, my eyes locked on a pair of familiar amber eyes. Will stood a few feet away at another exhibit, but his eyes weren't locked on the animals, they were locked on us and where Daniel's hand held mine, where his lips had just touched my skin. He looked a little green, like he was going to be sick. His mouth was set in a firm line. I sucked in a sharp breath and forced myself to look away.

I can do this. I have a fake boyfriend now. Daniel will keep Willem away and the meddlers at bay. This can work.