Chapter 21

After sending out word to all of the pack media outlets about choosing his luna, Lorenzo jumped in his car at lightning speed. He needed to get to Eleanor as fast as possible before this media circus blew up in his face.

Lorenzo thought about how scared Eleanor sounded over the phone. His wolf had wanted to go right away, pulling towards her with incredible force. It frustrated Lorenzo that he was all the way on the far side of town, but at least he knew where Eleanor was.

Having been so distracted by his thoughts of Eleanor, Lorenzo hadn’t noticed the line of cars that had begun to trail him. As they arrived at the hotel to retrieve Eleanor, a crowd of adoring fans and media reporters rushed the car, all screaming for information. Lorenzo pushed his way past people, trying to get to the door of the hotel.

“Alpha Lorenzo over here! Is it true that you’ve chosen a luna?”

“Is she really from Blue Moon? What about pack loyalty?”

“Does this have anything to do with the pack rivalry? Why won’t you tell us who it is?”

Lorenzo ignored the questions and made his way through the sea of reporters, trying to block them out. That’s when another car pulled up and Cate jumped out. She ran towards him and the crowd opened up to give her enough space to run into Lorenzo’s arms.

“Oh Lorenzo, I’m so glad you came to your senses! We are going to lead Black Moon so well together, I knew you loved me,” Cate gushed dramatically, clinging to Lorenzo like a lifeline. People in the crowd continued recording and snapping pictures, now trying to get Cate in the shots. Lorenzo took this as his opportunity to escape so he shoved Cate away and bolted for the door as Cate got swallowed by a mass of media teams.

Lorenzo could hear the crowd congratulating Cate, asking for her picture, seeing if she would comment on the breaking announcement. Lorenzo rolled his eyes but ignored the noise, focusing in on the pull of his wolf as he made his way towards Eleanor’s room.

He was about to bust in when Lorenzo stopped, his hand inches away from the door knob. Once he opened that door, there was no going back.

Lorenzo took a deep breath, then turned the knob.

Eleanor’s POV

I can feel myself shaking as we walk down the hotel hallway. Despite being flanked by two armed Black Moon warriors, I still feel nervous. The only thing keeping me slightly calm is Lorenzo’s hand firmly holding mine. He stared ahead as if nothing in the world bothered him, meanwhile I was freaking out internally.

What were we about to do?

With one last glance down at me and then at our intertwined hands, Lorenzo pushed open the hotel doors. For a brief moment I felt like a celebrity — crowds of people screaming for me, cameras flashing in my face. If only I was better dressed than my ratty pajamas. The crowd swarmed us and the guards behind us tried to keep them at bay.

“Everyone back away from Alpha Lorenzo, please give him space,” the guards shouted but the crowd was relentless. Then I heard Lorenzo clear his throat.

“Alright everyone settle down,” Lorenzo shouted and it was like a shockwave was sent throughout the parking lot. The crowd calmed immediately, as if his voice, like a siren’s, had lulled them into submission. The immediate response of the crowd reminded me of when he rescued me from Craig Little, and how his howl had sent a similar shockwave of submission through me. Distantly puzzle pieces began to appear and connect in my head…only very powerful werewolves could command people like that.

“I know why you’re all here, and thank you for coming out to show your support,” Lorenzo said with an easy smile, bringing my attention back to the present. “As you know I have officially chosen my luna, the best ballerina in the entire Blue Moon pack. Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to introduce you to Eleanor Wright, the new luna of Black Moon.”

Lorenzo stepped slightly aside and all the attention turned to me. There were a few gasps and whispers, some claps of excitement, but they were all covered up by a scream.

“WHAT?!” It was Cate. She muscled her way through the crowd, and it felt like I was back in the diner all over again. “How dare you Lorenzo, after all we’ve been through? Not only do you insult my dancing, but you choose this waitress-nobody over me?”

The crowd leaned in collectively as if they couldn’t get enough of what was going on. Lorenzo rolled his eyes and laughed humorlessly.

“You could never come close to Eleanor’s talent Cate, and you and I both know that our romance was a lie. We’re over,” Lorenzo hissed. After a deafening silence, Cate burst into tears and ran from the scene wailing about how she was disgraced and that Lorenzo would regret this choice and all that other movie star drama. It was a very cliche moment, but I can’t say I was upset about watching her embarrass herself yet again. The crowd seemed to agree and there were mostly cheers of triumph at Lorenzo’s intolerance for such a truly shameful woman. Then Lorenzo, for the first time since we left the building, properly turned his attention to me.

“Ready to go?” He questioned rather sweetly given how dashing his demeanor had just been. For a brief moment I felt like everything would be okay and that I could put all of this behind me. But I should’ve known I would never be so lucky.

“Not so fast Sinclair,” a scratchy voice called from the edge of the crowd and everyone whipped their heads towards the sound, hoping to find the voice’s owner.