Cael (Were Zoo Book 11), R. Butler [best management books of all time txt] 📗

showing her where the tour was located. She followed the crowd into the park and turned left toward the tour. The three men at the tour check-in let her through without issue. As she took her place in line, she blew out a breath of relief, thankful she hadn’t been told she couldn’t use someone else’s ticket.

There was one young woman in line ahead of her, snapping her gum and taking selfies. Novi leaned back to avoid being caught in the background of her numerous photos, thankful when a blue camo-colored Jeep pulled forward and called for the woman to go on her tour. Novi was all alone in line. She could hear the Jeep as it moved away, the rustle of the trees around her in the gentle spring breeze, and felt the heat of the sun as it streamed through the branches overhead.

“Are you Novi?” a man asked quietly, startling her out of her reverie.

She gasped and pressed her hand to her chest like a lady in a romance novel. “Yes, sorry.”

“I’m Benjamin, your tour guide. Would you like something to drink?”

“No thanks, I’m good.”

She followed Benjamin to the Jeep and climbed into the back seat next to a black bag that he explained held a professional camera. “We’ll take your picture at each paddock, and then you’ll be given a souvenir photo album after the tour is over, free of charge.”

“That’s pretty neat.”

The driver looked over his shoulder at her and smiled. “I’m Silvanus. Have you been on a tour before?”

“Not like this. I just moved to New Jersey a few weeks ago with my mom. It’s my first time at the park.”

“Then we’ll make sure you have a great time,” Silvanus said. “Hold on, the Jeep lurches a bit when it takes off.”

Benjamin spoke into a walkie as they pulled up to a gate. A moment later, the gate squeaked as it opened, and the Jeep moved through the opening and followed a path.

“Do you have a favorite animal?” Benjamin asked as the Jeep jostled along the dirt path.

“I kind of just like all animals, but I’ve always thought wolves were pretty cool.”

“Us too,” Benjamin said with a grin. “First up are the elephants. We’ve got four male elephants in the memory.”

“Elephant groups are called memories? That’s funny.”

“Lots of animal groups have weird names, like gorillas are a band and cheetahs are a coalition,” Silvanus said.

“I learned the other day that a group of bats is called a cauldron, which is super fitting, I think,” Benjamin said with a chuckle.

The Jeep pulled to a stop, and Benjamin helped Novi down and then grabbed the camera from the bag. She turned toward the high chain-link fence and saw four elephants milling around the paddock.

Her heart started to pound as she walked toward the fence, and her gums and fingers ached suddenly. She glanced down at her fingers and saw that the pale pink polish didn’t quite cover the fact that her nails had darkened.

Shit.

Why was she having this weird emotional reaction right now? She wasn’t upset or angry, so what was causing it?

There was a snuffling sound, and she jerked her head up to see a huge elephant staring down at her.

She grasped the links and curled her fingers over the cool metal. The elephant touched her fingers with his trunk and awareness shot up her arm like electricity. It was as if she actually knew this elephant, recognized him even though she’d never seen an elephant in person in her life.

Turning her hand over, she rubbed the warm skin of his trunk, marveling at how close he was. How big he was.

“Hey. Whoa,” Benjamin said. “We don’t really recommend touching the animals, Novi.”

The elephant snorted and tossed his head, his ears flapping with the motion.

Benjamin looked up at him and said, “Ah, I get it. Hey Novi, why don’t you turn around and I’ll take a pic of you with the elephant.”

“Does he have a name?” she asked, slipping her fingers away from the fence and turning to face Benjamin.

“Um, yeah, but I don’t remember what it is off the top of my head.”

“Oh. He’s really big.”

Benjamin chuckled and tried to cover it with a cough. He told her to smile and she did, giggling when the elephant touched her shoulder through the fence. She turned back around and said, “I wish I could stay. You’re pretty neat. I also wish I knew your name. Maybe someone else will know it.”

The something in her chest that wanted to growl when she was upset stuttered to life like a purr, and this time she didn’t try to stop it. Benjamin was already walking away, and it was just her and the elephant. It wasn’t like he’d know there was something wrong with her because she could growl. He touched her fingers again and made a soft rumbling sound, and her growl grew louder until she had to take a step back because her eyes were stinging with tears.

“Wow, I’m feeling so emotional right now I can’t even figure out why. I should go.” She shook her head at herself. “I have no idea why I’m talking to you like you’re a person. I must be crazy. Or hungry. Or tired. Or all three.” She looked up, up, up at him and smiled. “Bye.”

As she walked toward the Jeep, the elephant lifted his trunk and trumpeted loudly, and she felt the sound all the way to the center of her being. It sounded possessive and protective...of her.

With a last look at him, she waved as the Jeep pulled away, not turning around until she couldn’t see him any longer.

“Do they always come up to the fence like that?” she asked.

“Nope, you must be special,” Silvanus