Leonie led her to the office. Rather than opening the door and ushering her inside, she stopped, turning round.
“Honey.” Leonie was definitely on edge. She held her clipboard two-handed, in front of her body like a shield. “You’re a great counselor. The kids really love you.”
The unexpected compliment jolted Honey out of her spiraling anxiety. “I love them too. And the camp. It’s been a privilege to work with you.”
“Likewise.” Leonie’s fingers fretted at the edge of her clipboard. “And things are good between you and Buck, right?”
This was not at all the conversation Honey had been expecting. “Uh… yes? Why do you ask?”
Leonie bit her lip. “Well, I can’t help notice that you two aren’t fully mated.”
This was of course true. She wasn’t really Buck’s true mate, despite what the rest of the staff thought. No matter how close they had become, he couldn’t form that magic, mystical soul bond with her.
It hadn’t occurred to her that other shifters might be able to sense that connection, or lack thereof. Wasthatwhat had given her away?
“That’s a rather personal matter,” she said. “And I didn’t realize it was that obvious.”
“Oh, don’t worry, it’s not. I mean, I only knew because… well.” Leonie cleared her throat, stepping away from the door. “You’d better go in. Just… don’t do anything hasty, okay?”
Honey had expected Leonie to accompany her, but the head counselor stayed outside. Swallowing hard, Honey went into the office.
“Ah, good, you’re finally here,” Conleth said without glancing up. Still typing, he indicated a chair opposite his desk with a jerk of his head. “Take a seat.”
Honey looked round, but apart from Conleth, the office was empty. “Where’s Zephyr?”
“Off inspiring young minds, probably. I thought we should talk in private first.” Conleth turned his laptop round to show her the screen. “Here. And please don’t fling your arms round my neck and shower me in grateful kisses. I don’t need Buck bursting through the wall to punch me in the face. Structural repairs are expensive.”
Now even more confused, Honey looked at the picture on the screen. It seemed to be a photo of a young, athletic woman in a yoga pose, her crop top showing off toned shoulders and abs.
“Who’s this?” she asked.
“Good news.” Conleth nodded at the screen. “That’s your replacement.”
CHAPTER34
“She’s an eagle shifter.” Honey sounded cheerful, but Buck could see the way her hands twisted together, giving the lie to the smile on her face. “One of Leonie’s many cousins, apparently. Just finished college. No formal teaching experience, but she comes from a big extended family, and she’s volunteered for a lot of different children’s charities. A wonderful role model for the campers.”
“The kids don’t need a wonderful role model.” Buck pitched his voice low, mindful of the cabins nearby. The campers should be out of earshot, but you never knew with shifter hearing. “They’ve already got one. Damn it, Honey. Why are we even talking about this?”
“We both know this was always the plan.Yourplan, Buck.”
“Well, it was a stupid plan.” Inside his chest, something was clawing to get out, desperate to stop her from leaving. “I’ve changed my mind. I’m going straight to Conleth to tell him to shove that CV up his equine ass.”
Honey caught his arm. “It’s too late, Buck. The new counselor is already on her way. She’s arriving tomorrow.”
“Then she can turn around and go straight back home.” Buck shook her off. The need to do something,anything, boiled under his skin. “Or hang around and help out as an extra counselor. Or spend the rest of the summer working on her tan down by the lake, for all I care. I mean it, Honey. You’re not leaving.”
Honey smiled at him, her eyes sad. “You said it yourself, Buck. I can’t stay here.”
“You can.” He clenched his fists, heart aching worse than his scar. “Nobody’s spotted you so far, have they? Why not just carry on?”
“You know why not. I can’t. It’s not safe.”
“Woman, a few hours ago, you were perfectly happy to carry on for another four weeks.”
“When there was no choice!” Honey’s voice started to rise. She took a deep breath, her tone leveling out again. “It’s not just the risk of discovery, Buck. It’s never sat right with me, having to lie to the kids, and Zephyr, and Leonie, and everyone else here. I can’t keep hiding this from them, not when there’s a different solution. It wouldn’t be right.”
“But the kids.” In desperation, he played his trump card. “They’re imprinted on you like motherloving ducklings. This new counselor could fart rainbows, and they’ll still hate her because she’s not you. They’ll be heartbroken if you leave.”
