Chapter 25

I woke with a start, my heart racing from the remnants of a dream I could scarcely remember. Scenes flashed in my mind: being chased through my apartment, the Blue Moon alpha taking me away, Lorenzo, eyes glowing and claws fully expanded, coming after me instead of to my rescue.

I laid in bed for a moment, allowing myself to be enveloped in the tranquility that the early morning offered, a stark contrast to the whirlwind of emotions and events that had characterized my recent days. I tried to breathe deeply. The sun had barely kissed the horizon, greeting me with a soft, diffused light that spilled through the large windows of the room. A room I startlingly remembered I now shared with Lorenzo.

The events of the previous day, the warm welcomes from the pack but the cold dismissal from Lorenzo’s assistant, and the overwhelming realization of my new status, swirled in my mind like a hurricane. Yet the eye of the storm was Lorenzo.

Lorenzo who was fast asleep on the lounge. Lorenzo whose bed I was currently lying in, breathing in his scent and basking in it. Part of me wished I could stay there forever, warm and comfortable and feeling safe wrapped in Lorenzo’s blankets. Almost like I was wrapped in his arms… Nope. No more of those thoughts. I turned over to try and clear my head.

Then Lorenzo stirred and began to sit up — think of the devil and he shall appear I guess. Good thing I turned around in enough time to notice him before he noticed me. I closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep as I heard him shuffle towards the washroom. I chanced a look to see where he’d gone, and got a glimpse of his chiseled shirtless body reflecting in the bathroom mirror.

“Jesus,” I muttered, angry at myself for looking, and even more angry at how good he looked. I closed my eyes to try and blink the image away but it was etched into my mind with vivid clarity. Oh great.

The awkwardness of our living situation was palpable, a tangible entity that seemed to occupy the space between us as Lorenzo came back into the room. We were two souls, superficially mated for the sake of pack politics, yet strangers beneath the shiny officiality of our titles. Our talk in the car the previous night had been a tentative dance around the truths we both held close, a careful negotiation of boundaries and shared secrets about the Blue Moon pack that somehow brought us closer than before.

The thought of the night before is what gave me strength to face my fears, and I made sure to make a spectacle of ‘waking up’ to alert Lorenzo to my actions. And of course to pretend like I hadn’t seen him shirtless.

I sat at the edge of the bed, and smiled politely and he smiled back but it looked just about as uncomfortable as I felt. Their agreement to maintain a superficial relationship for the sake of appearances felt increasingly flimsy, a paper-thin barrier against the depth of connection that seemed to pull her toward him with an inexorable force.

Our interactions were a careful ballet of distance and intimacy, each conversation weaving a tighter bond between us. It was a tormenting back and forth, like we were magnets being torn apart but who somehow always pulled towards each other.

I knew I would need to get out of bed eventually, so I decided to face my fears with one more awkward smile before practically sprinting into the adjoining ladies washroom. Curse Lorenzo and all of his lingering glances. I splashed water on my face to calm myself.

“Get it together Eleanor, you can do this,” I said to myself in the mirror, praying the affirmations would prepare me for what came next.

They didn’t.

What was I feeling? Why did I keep letting Lorenzo take such a firm hold on my emotions? And the shirtlessness? That had to stop otherwise… otherwise I wasn’t sure what I would do, but the thought of all of this overwhelmed me.

The moment I reentered the room to find Lorenzo still shirtless, the air seemed to thicken, time slowing to a crawl as I struggled to maintain my composure. His physique, a testament to his strength and status as alpha, was a distraction I couldn’t afford, and I felt my heart rate skyrocket just at the sight of him.

His bronze skin glistened in the low light of the room, his back an expanse of hard-earned muscle coupled with shoulders that broadly spread like wings. He must’ve heard me come back because he turned to greet me — I fought hard not to stare at his unbelievably chiseled chest.

Lorenzo, ever perceptive, noticed how awkward I felt. He coughed and moved away from the bed, giving me ample space to slide past him without any contact. Not that I would’ve minded brushing past him…

I hastily dug through my suitcases looking for something even remotely presentable to wear, unaware of Lorenzo doing the same behind me. After picking out my outfit I went to stand up and excuse myself once more, but as I turned around my words died in my throat — Lorenzo had already disappeared and the door to the room was shutting softly behind him.

I released the breath I was holding and I could feel my shoulders slump in relief. At least I could have a moment of peace before breakfast and catch a break from this impossible dance Lorenzo and I were entangled in.

Breakfast was the only calm meal I ever ate here at the estate. The spacious dining hall filled with the soft clinking of cutlery and the murmured conversations of pack members greeting the new day. Lorenzo was already there, his presence commanding as he attended to pack business with an ease that spoke of years of leadership. His role as Alpha was not just a title; it was a testament to his strength, his commitment to his pack, and of course his wealth and power.

I took my place beside him, awkwardly smiling at others around me. I was acutely aware of the eyes on me, the silent assessments of my suitability as their Luna. Yet, amidst the scrutiny, Lorenzo still managed to comfort me.

“Good morning oh luna of mine,” he said in a tone that would have been perceived as sweet, but underneath I saw his attempt to ease our situation with humor. “Are you ready to officially become one of Black Moon’s own in the eyes of the public?”

He already knew the answer and he and I both knew this conversation was for show, but I obliged him.

“I am certainly ready for the challenge, oh alpha of mine,” I said, cheekily adding the ending retort. Lorenzo rolled his eyes but I didn’t see any disdain, and I didn’t feel any towards him either. It felt foreign but nice to joke with him again.

The breakfast conversation turned to the day ahead, to the preparations for the welcome party that would officially introduce me to the pack. Lorenzo's voice was firm as he outlined the expectations, the traditions that would be observed, and the significance of the event. It was a rite of passage, a formal acknowledgment of my place within Black Moon.

As the meal concluded, Lorenzo turned to me, his gaze softening.

“I know you can do it Eleanor, you’ll have all the decency of a luna in no time,” he said reassuringly, and I smiled up at him. “First, I need to attend to more business unfortunately, but you have a very important meeting with my assistant Vicki. She’s going to get you settled in your new wardrobe, and you’ll be feeling like a luna in no time.”

My heart sank at the thought of spending time with Vicki — her air of condescension only reminded me of the hatred I felt from Blue Moon. But I decided to put on a brave face. I couldn’t have people thinking I was weak before they even met me.

With a solemn nod, I excused myself from the table and moved to leave the dining hall, almost jumping out of my skin when I saw Vicki waiting for me. She was like a ghost taking pleasure in haunting me at every turn. With one last look at Lorenzo, I sighed and succumbed to my fate: trying on clothes with the world’s bitchiest assistant.