Page 4 of Who Let The Wolves Out?

“Aw, come on. We’re tryin’ to inspire the youth. What says growth like raccoon diplomacy?”

The kids crack up. Alice pinches the bridge of her nose.

“Jason,” she says slowly, “I’m trying to run a structured activity.”

“Structure is overrated,” I mutter, but I throw her a wink. “But fine. I’ll behave. For now.”

“Good,” she says, even though she sounds more exhausted than reassured.

She tries again. “Nolan?”

The shy kid halfway behind a tree peeks out. “I can whistle through my claws.”

“That’s badass,” I tell him, which earns me a huge smile and a look from Alice like I just handed a kid a switchblade.

She doesn’t say anything. Just jots something on her clipboard like she’s filing a formal complaint to the Universe.

God, she’s fun.

Later,after lunch—which involved a ketchup packet explosion and a sentient blob of macaroni—I find her scrubbing a picnic table with military focus.

I lean against the edge and toss her a water bottle. “You always this tightly wound or is it just me?”

She looks up, startled. Takes the bottle, because she’s polite like that. “I like rules.”

“No kidding.”

“And order.”

“Sure.”

“And when people don’t make up weird facts about raccoons.”

“That one really got under your skin, huh?”

She sighs. “I’m just... not used to this. The noise. The chaos. The... shirtlessness.”

I laugh. Loud and unapologetic. “You’ll adjust. Camp’s kind of a living creature. You don’t manage it—you ride it till it spits you out.”

“That’s comforting,” she deadpans.

“You’ll survive. Probably.”

She glances up again, and for a second I see something flicker in her eyes. Not fear. Not anger. Just... curiosity.

It passes. She stands, wiping her hands on her khakis. “I’m going to organize the cabin supply bins before dinner.”

“Knock yourself out,” I say, watching her walk away.

She’s a mess. A tightly-buttoned, rule-worshipping, clipboard-swinging mess.

And I’m gonna have agreattime watching her unravel.

CHAPTER 3

ALICE

I’ve been awake for exactly forty-two minutes and I’m already covered in glitter.

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