33

Before I could say anything else, Kira shoved Zoe into a taxi, then crawled in beside her and slammed the door. I stared at the red tail lights as they slowly disappeared down the street, my hands clenched into shaking fists.

She was going to die. It didn’t matter how well she was trained or how much she wanted to succeed. I was sure she wouldn’t survive the show. The showrunners pushed the boundaries because they knew people loved the drama and horror of on-screen deaths. I was intimately aware of how their minds worked. I couldn’t let her go into that alone. There had to be a way to stop this.

I paced up the street, pulling at my hair and trying not to put my fist through a wall when the thought hit me. I froze mid-stride, an icy chill sliding down my spine. A myriad of possibilities ran through my mind and were quickly dismissed, but I did have one option to save Kira. It wouldn’t get her off the show, but it might give her a better chance at surviving.

It was time to pull some strings.

Flopping down onto the curb, I pulled out my phone and dialed a number I hadn’t used in years. It rang and rang, and just as I was about to give up, someone answered.

“Wyatt?” My aunt’s voice was a combination of shocked, pleased, and confused.

“It’s me, Aunt Denise.”

“My goodness. When I saw your name on the caller ID, I thought it was a mistake. How are you? It’s been a long time. Your voice is so deep. You must be a full-grown man now.”

“Aunt Denise,” I said, interrupting her spiel. “Is Uncle Rob there? I need to talk to him. It’s really, really important.”

“Oh, of course,” Aunt Denise said. “Let me grab him.”

My feet bounced nervously, knots of fear and dread curling and uncurling in my stomach as I waited. When my uncle came on the line, he sounded as surprised and pleased as my aunt had.

“Wyatt? Is it really you?”

“Hi, Uncle Rob.”

“This must be important. I thought you said you were never going to talk to any of us again. What can I do for you?”

Sighing, I said, “I need a favor. Probably the biggest one I ever have or will ever ask for. Whatever you want in return, I’ll do it.”

“Name it,” Uncle Rob said without hesitation. “Whatever it is, it’s yours.”

Chapter 11

Kira

I’d thought getting cast to be the lead on The Reject Project would be simple, but boy, was I wrong. In my head, I’d figured the beginning of the process would be easier than my job as an operative. I couldn’t have had things more backwards. At least as an operative, I understood what was happening and why. This was a chaotic blur.

I remembered getting the congratulations call from the mysterious psychic. Then, almost immediately, my emails, texts, and phone blew up. I had multiple documents to read and sign, a publicist who worked on the show had set up a time to film something she called B-roll, and I was supposed to give them all of Zoe’s info, too, since she would be my stylist. And that was just from the first three emails.

Before I could do anything, I had to sign a ton of legal forms. By the time I was done, I couldn’t be sure I hadn’t signed away my firstborn or immortal soul. In fact, everything happened so fast, I didn’t have time to get stressed out.

Going out that night had been my idea. I needed to blow off steam. The plan had been to find some hot guy at the club, bang the night away, and then get my head straight for what was to come.

Wyatt had thrown a wrench in that plan.

I was still kicking myself for what had happened. My brain alternated between reliving the amazing things he’d done to me and being disgusted with myself for succumbing to his charms. Of all the people I could have had a one-night stand with, I had to go and choose him? It was more about him being in the right place at the right time, but still, it was ridiculous.

Thankfully, Wyatt hadn’t pushed the issue, nor had he shown his face when I went back home to say goodbye to my pack. Due to the inch-thick non-disclosure agreement I’d signed, I couldn’t tell them why I was leaving, but Mom and Dad knew. They’d figured it out when I told them I was moving to Fangmore, though I never explicitly confirmed their suspicions. Most of the pack elders hadn’t bothered to show up for my departure, which hurt. I wished it didn’t hurt, but it did. Everyone probably assumed I was being quietly cast out in disgrace. Part of me wanted to scream and rage at them for what they thought, but my actions on the show would have to speak louder than any words I said to them now.

Tears streamed from Mom’s eyes as she hugged me goodbye. “Will they let you call us?” she asked as she pulled away.

“Not sure, Mom. I’ll call if I can, okay?”

She nodded and blew her nose as she backed away. Dad stepped forward and put his hands on my shoulders. The look on his face was one I’d always been desperate to see. There was love there, and sadness, but the main emotion in his eyes was pride. I’d never seen him look as proud as he did right then. Not even when I’d walked toward the mating circle before everything had fallen apart.

He pulled me into a tight hug. “You’re doing the right thing. You’ll do great. I know it,” he whispered in my ear.