32

Aspen

“Hello?” I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

“You’re still in bed again.” My papa huffed through the phone. “That place is changing you. Turning you into a city slicker. I’ve never known you to be this lazy.”

It was 5am.

“Sorry. I must have overslept.” And this is why I always went to bed so early. “How are you?”

“I’m fine. Just fine. I did have an incident with my ear the other day. But it’s still intact.”

I sat up straight, sleep forgotten. “What happened to your ear?”

“Uh. Well…” There was some shuffling around the kitchen as he turned on the coffee maker. “It itched and I partially shifted, but my darn claw got caught up.”

“Oh. My. Goddess. Papa.” I struggled not to laugh. “You don’t have too many body parts left to lose.”

“Don’t I know it.” His deep chuckle made me smile. “How are you doing? The last trial is tomorrow.”

“Don’t I know it.” I sighed.

“Uh oh. What is that sound for?”

I pulled the blankets closer around me. “Nothing. It’s just… Papa. I don’t belong here.”

“You knock that off right now,” he scolded. “What happened to promising me you’d go in with an open mind? I’ve seen the show. You’re the prettiest girl there and I know you are making some friends.”

I chewed my bottom lip. Fallon did bring me dinner last night. She didn’t stay long, but I was shocked that she really seemed to care about me. I thought about Opal and Jesse and how nice they were. Even Edith didn’t seem so bad when you got her alone.

“And that Ranger fellow. Has he asked you out yet?”

My cheeks flamed with heat and I panicked, suddenly worried there were parts on film I didn’t know about. “How much of the show have you seen?”

“Enough to know there is something special going on between you two.” The coffee machine sputtered as he poured a cup. “You’re making him work for it, right?”

“Right.” I laughed, not at all comfortable with this conversation.

“That’s my girl.” Papa sipped his mug with a loud slurp. “You know, when I met your gram, she didn’t like me one bit.”

“What? You never told me that.”

“Oh she wanted me. There was no doubt about it. Our wolves called to each other. They knew we were fated before we did. But she was a wild one and loved the chase. And what a chase it was.”

I usually loved the reminiscing, but this was going to make my ears bleed. “TMI Papa.”

“We’re both adults here.” He chuckled. “All I’m saying is that even fated mates don’t get it right at first. But you’ve got to put in the work if you want to win.”

*

I wasn’t sure that I wanted to win. Or what winning even entailed. But laying in bed feeling sorry for myself wasn’t going to do anyone any favors.

I pressed the button for the elevator, ready to start the day. There were a few things I wanted to take care of before the last trial started.

“Jesse.” I poked my head into the makeup room, wondering where he hung out on his off time.

The scent of hairspray was still fresh, but his feline smell had faded. A noise in the back corner behind the rows of vanity tables made my ears twitch. Maybe another stylist would know how to reach him.

“Sorry to interrupt,” I called out as I made my way around the mirrors. “I’m looking for Jesse. Have you seen him?”

I rounded the last table, coming face to face with Genie. She scowled at me as she held up a dress on the hanger. I thought about running until I caught a whiff of cotton candy behind the curtain.

“Hey Opal. How’s it going in there?”

“She’s busy.” For a human woman, Genie could growl.

“Whoa. Okay.” I held up my hands. “I’m looking for Jesse.”

“Try the bar.” Genie turned her back to me.

“Are you alright in there, Opal?” I asked, clearly overstaying my welcome as Genie shot me a murderous glare over her shoulder. These stylists really took their picks seriously.

The rings on the curtain squeaked as Opal pulled back the fabric, poking her head out and rolling her eyes. “I’m fine.”

“You can go now.” Genie smiled smugly, moving to stand in front of the Omega. My protective instincts were flaring, but I knew when to leave well enough alone.

“And you can tell the cat that if I see you in royal blue for the ball, I’ll skin his hide and stuff it,” Genie called out as I left.

And I thought the candidates were dangerous.

*

I was feeling low, but not sitting in a dark bar first thing in the morning alone nursing a glass of what smelled like a white Russian low.

“Don’t you have a home to go to?” I asked, sliding onto the stool next to Jesse.

The ice clinked in his glass as he raised it. “Ah, but here I get free drinks.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“You want to hear about my problems?” His tongue darted out to lick a bit of milky foam that beaded on the rim of the cup. “That wouldn’t be very fairy godmother like of me.”

I laughed. “I’m under no disillusion that you haven’t made some kind of bet and that’s the reason you’re helping me. But you’re the only male in my life besides my papa who is helping, so let me return the favor. What’s up?”

Jesse’s shoulders hunched as he set down his glass. “Do you ever feel like you’re alone in the world?”

Ouch. Maybe I should pour myself a drink. “Sometimes, but I kind of like being alone. People are less disappointing if you don’t interact with them.”

“Amen to that sister.” He smiled. “Except you’re here to find love.”

“I don’t think love is looking for me.” I glanced around the darkened bar. There weren’t any cameras watching, but I couldn’t be sure they weren’t hidden in the walls.

Jesse seemed to remember our earlier conversation. “What is your wolf saying?”

Ranger. “We’re working through what’s best for us, but enough about me. Why do you look like someone stole your canary?”

“Canary?” His brow furrowed as he picked up his glass again. “Oh. Ha. Ha. A cat joke. How original.”

I thought it was funny. “So what is it? Woman or man problems?”

“Both.” He sighed. “I’ll be alright though. There’s never been a time I didn’t land on my feet. But you know what always makes me feel better?”

I wasn’t sure I liked the way his eyes gleamed when he looked at me. “A nap?”

“No. Dress up. I’m going to turn you into my masterpiece for the final event.”

Yay.

Not.

“About that… Do we really have to do the final trial alone? I’ve never been great at being the center of attention.”

“That’s only because you’ve never worn the right dress before.” A grin spread across his face.

I couldn’t help but smile back. “Alright, but apparently it can’t be blue.”

“Who says?” He finished the rest of his cocktail as I cringed.

“Genie.”

Jesse’s pupils turned into slits as his cat flashed in his eyes and his claws extended around the empty glass. “I am going to murder that bitch.”

*

“Um, what’s going on?”

The crew standing outside my door turned the cameras toward me as I exited the elevator.

“Mail call.” Molly stood back watching as a few of the security team stacked boxes in the hall.

“This is a joke, right?” I stared in disbelief at the overflowing box of envelopes on top of the stack.

Molly pinched the bridge of her nose. “If you’re going to pull a stunt like this at least own it. Take a few steps back and try your surprised face again.”

Oh. Right. The cameras.

I nodded and did as I was told, hoping it wasn’t too over the top. “Is this all for me?”

“And cut.” Molly stepped over the box, sneering as if it offended her. “Snail mail. Gross. This better not start something new. I don’t have the budget to hire postal workers.”

“Honestly, I don’t know what is happening.” I picked up a box and started digging through the envelopes. The familiar postage mark on a few of them drew my attention.

“Who are they from?” one of the cameramen asked.

I kicked open the door and shoved the boxes inside, stopping to smile over my shoulder at the camera. “I’m not completely sure yet, but I can’t wait to read them.”

*

Sitting on the sofa surrounded by piles of envelopes, I started laughing. Finally, I found the one I was looking for with the hastily scrawled lettering from the girl whose brain worked faster than her hands or mouth could keep up with.

Half these idiots don’t know how to write.

You’re a horrible teacher.

Miss you, but don’t come back.

Snag a hot Alpha for me.

XOXO Clara.

Grateful tears welled in my eyes. I may not have been the coolest person in the world, but I did have some really awesome friends.

Bishop’s letter was next. The bear shifter had made some bets and threatened to shank me if I lost the trials. For legal purposes, that was a joke.

I set his letter to the side and looked at the rest of the stack. The letters were from most of the trustees and less dangerous offenders. But there was a lot of them. It was going to be a mission to find enough stamps to write them all back.

I grabbed a blanket from the bed and sat back down on the couch, not feeling quite so alone anymore now that I was surrounded by hundreds of letters from the inmates of Holton Penitentiary. There were good people out there, even in the darkest of places. I smiled as I picked up another letter.