Chapter 38

Lorenzo’s POV

When he reentered the room, Lorenzo found Eleanor pacing. He hadn’t meant to leave her in such a state, but he knew they didn’t have much time and he figured he would explain while he worked. When Eleanor saw him, her eyes immediately went to the case in his hand.

“Lorenzo, what is that?” she asked, confusion evident in her voice as Lorenzo grabbed her costume and laid it carefully on the coffee table in the middle of the room. He knelt down and opened up his case.

“It’s my sewing kit,” he answered matter of factly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. In truth, Lorenzo wasn’t sure how Eleanor would take in this knowledge, but he didn’t have time to be shy about his skills. He got to work opening up various compartments, digging around for spare rhinestones and sparkles that matched the costume.

“Since when do you know how to sew?” Eleanor asked in disbelief, a hint of awe in her voice as she came to sit beside him. Lorenzo paused briefly, playing with the thread in his hand. Sewing was notoriously a woman’s hobby, something no man, let alone alpha, would be caught dead doing. Letting Eleanor in on this secret would be letting her in on something he’d never told anyone… but he knew if anyone would understand it was her.

“I learned as a child actually,” Lorenzo began, keeping his eyes on the task ahead of him. “My mother could never afford nice things, and though she tried to hide it from me, she was always sad about how others treated her for her looks. So, I picked up sewing as a cheap yet useful trade, learning from one of our neighbors how to make dresses and repair seams and such so I could make more beautiful things for my mother.

“I’ll never forget the look on her face the first time I surprised her with a dress. It was her birthday and she had been dying to have a floral gown like the women she saw in the high society magazines. So I made her one, and learned to make other things too to make us extra cash on the side,” Lorenzo explained, his hands working meticulously to repair Eleanor’s costume. He felt arms wrap around him lightly.

“That is so sweet Lorenzo, thank you for sharing that with me. I would’ve loved to have met your mother, she seemed like a very wonderful woman,” Eleanor said gently into his shoulder. Lorenzo placed a hand over hers and thanked her.

“I wish the same. Now go finish getting ready and get warmed up, I will finish this for you,” he said, trying to ease away from an awkward situation. But there was no denying the connection between them was strengthening again.

I retouched my makeup, trying to make it look less like I was crying. Thinking of Lorenzo’s story and his kindness had calmed my heart down considerably. I had a feeling the Lorenzo I once knew was still in there deep down underneath the alpha facade, and it brought me joy to know I was right.

Spraying my hair one more time, I tightened my robe and reentered the main room feeling stretched and more prepared. My stomach churned at the thought of Lorenzo fixing my dress, and I couldn’t help but be nervous about what I would see.

Clearly all of my nerves were for nothing because when I walked in Lorenzo was holding up the most beautiful dance costume I had ever seen. He had replaced the old rhinestones with brighter ones that now cascaded in an ombré down the sides of the dress. He had added a small train that connected the tutu to the original leotard, and the holes in the skirt had been expertly patched with a shimmering gauze that added a whole new dimension to the dress.

“Lorenzo, it’s beautiful,” I managed to say as I took a step closer.

“Here, let me help you put it on,” he said quietly as I stepped into the costume, feeling it hug me just right with the sparkles making it look better than before. I couldn’t help but admire myself in the mirror, beyond excited for what was to come. Then Lorenzo cleared his throat behind me, grabbing my attention.

“One last thing,” he said, revealing a tiara that he had been hiding behind his back. It was simple and made from a dark silver wire that encased glittering gems. My jaw dropped as he placed it on my head carefully, fitting it perfectly against my updo.

“You made this?” I stammered, touched at the thoughtful gesture. The tiara was the perfect compliment to the outfit and was truly the cherry on top. I would not be made a fool of, and Lorenzo showed his support by taking care of me in my hour of need. I had every reason to truly trust him now.

“Well, no goddess can dance without her crown,” Lorenzo replied in a low tone, smiling at me through the mirror as I admired the complete ensemble. I couldn’t help the happiness that bubbled inside me, and I turned on instinct to jump into his arms for a kiss.

As our lips crashed together and I felt fireworks explode inside me, my wolf thrilled at the reconnection with Lorenzo. At that moment, I knew things would be okay.

“Come on, let’s go show everyone who Eleanor Wright is,” Lorenzo said and he grabbed my hand and led me down the hall. We slowly approached the entrance to the great hall where everyone would be gathering before the performance and I couldn’t help but flash back to the moment Lorenzo had introduced me as his luna.

We stopped just in front of the entrance ready to be announced by the royal guard. I gave Lorenzo one last look, and with the squeeze of his hand we entered the spotlight.