“Buck?” From the look Ignatius gave her, he thought she was joking. “He’s not even a real shifter.”
“That’s why I think you should talk to him.” If there was one thing the boy needed above anything else, it was someone who didn’t give two hoots about shifting. “Maybe Buck could give you a different perspective on all this.”
Ignatius’s snort indicated he was far from convinced. “Yeah, right. Like he’s going to teach me how to shift.”
“That’s not what I meant. Just think about it, okay?”
Shrug. Ignatius fidgeted with his blanket.
Honey’s instincts prickled. She’d been about to excuse herself, but Ignatius had the look of a boy turning a thought around in his head to the point where he either had to say something or explode. She stayed quiet, waiting.
“So now you know,” he burst out. He glared across at her, as stiff as if braced for a fight. “When does the new schedule start?”
“What?”Thatone, she hadn’t expected. “What new schedule?”
Ignatius looked at her like she was an idiot. “Why do you think my uncle sent me here? I just told you I can’t shift. You think you can waste my time with, with campfires and swimming and, and stupidhikes?”
Oh no.
“Well, those other activities are an important part of summer camp too,” she said, stalling for time. “And I thought you liked the hikes.”
“Dragons don’t walk,” Ignatius snapped back. “Theyfly. And I’m supposed to be a dragon. Haven’t you heard anything I said? My uncle expects me to learn how to shift this summer. He’s not going to be happy if he finds out you did nothing to help.”
There was nothing she could do to help. She hadn’t the first idea how one might go about teaching someone to turn into an animal.
And that’s not what he needs anyway.
She might never have had to handle a dragon before, but she’d had plenty of anxious, hot-housed kids pass through her classroom. Underneath that brittle, too-adult manner lay an infinite fear of failure. He needed emotional support, not coaching.
But… was she really the right person to provide that?
He’s not a lost chick you can gather under your wing, Honey.Buck’s gruff, certain words rang through her memory.We have to get him transferred to another pack.
Maybe Buck was right. Maybe she was just deluding herself, getting over-involved when she didn’t even belong here in the first place. How could she presume to know what was right for a shifter, when she wasn’t one herself?
“I want to help you, Ignatius,” she said, picking her words as though navigating through a minefield. “But I don’t think I can. This incident shows that you aren’t getting on with the rest of the group. Perhaps we should talk to Zephyr about getting you transferred to a different pack.”
His shoulders went even stiffer. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”
“No!” It was hard to sound convincing when that was, indeed, exactly what she was trying to do. She rushed on, “It’s just, I think other counselors might be able to support you better. Especially if you want to focus on shifting. Buck can’t control his own animal, let alone help you find yours.”
He glared at her with red-rimmed eyes. “Youcould.”
Honey froze, half-truths slipping through her grasp. As she hesitated, something changed in Ignatius’s expression. His gaze flickered over her face, his own going still.
“But you won’t,” he said slowly. “You should be doing everything you can to help me shift. My uncle will be furious if he finds out you didn’t. Yet you still won’t even try.”
“I—I’m not a dragon shifter. I couldn’t help you.” Honey stood abruptly, backing away. “You’re confined to your cabin for the rest of the day. I expect you to use this time to reflect on your actions, and you’ll make a full apology to Archie first thing tomorrow.”
She fled without waiting for a response. Safely outside and out of sight, she collapsed against the cabin wall. With a groan, she let her head fall back, closing her eyes.
“Went that well, did it?” Buck must have been waiting for her on the porch. He held out a steaming mug. “Here. I brought you coffee.”
“You are a prince,” she told him fervently. “Marry me and have my babies.”
“Woman, if that’s your reaction to coffee, it’s just as well that beer cooler hidden under the dock turned out to be empty.” He handed her the drink. “On a scale of one to ten, how bad was it?”
“Don’t ask.” She took a long swallow of coffee. He’d added cream and sugar, just the way she liked. “Buck, I slipped up.”
