Chapter 72

"She is able to smell you better now?" Charles said, his eyes widening a little.

"It seems like it," I said, shrugging. "And it seemed to have a similar effect on her in that, well..." I felt silly saying it.

"It made her feel better?" Charles offered.

"She said so. But it's nothing I'm doing. It's just my scent."

"Please, Elena," Charles said, stroking my face with his fingertips. "It has everything to do with you. You're special."

I dropped my eyes, still not used to hearing people, especially Charles say that.

"I think I'd better come with you to the protests today," Charles said.

Then he smiled. "Before you object I'm using 'protecting you' as an excuse. I want to see for myself what's going on out there."

"You'll enjoy the energy, I think," I said, smoothing his hair and gazing into his face. We were sitting on his back porch, sipping coffee before work.

He kissed me tenderly, the coffee and vanilla creamer he'd decided on that morning lingering between us. "But it's true, I want you to be safe." He kissed my forehead, then moved back to my nose, giving it a tiny kiss.

"Would it be weird if we had the car drop us at the protest?"

"Maybe," I said, shrugging and smiling. "It doesn't feel very 'of the people' to have your private car bring you to a protest, does it?"

Charles laughed. "I guess a little walk didn't hurt anyone."

We were less than three blocks in when he said, "You were right, Elena. The atmosphere is amazing."

The walk had invigorated him. Not only was the air fresh and cold from the morning, but the groups of people heading to city hall were inspirational to see. They were carrying their signs and backpacks. There were even some families on their way.

Everyone recognized Charles. Many stopped to shake his hand and comment on his recent speeches. One or two asked for selfies. Those who didn't have the courage to speak looked at him in awe and intimidation as we went past or smiled shyly at his glance.

It was odd for me, to be with such a noted celebrity. But then a few of them began to notice me as well, shaking both our hands.

The roar of the crowd chanting was audible even before we got there, the voices echoing off the buildings. The streets were shut down with barricades and police cars with flashing lights were parked at the entrances to each side of the city block.

The policemen and women leaning against their cars noticed Charles walking by and nodded respectfully at him.

The square in front of City Hall was already full of chanting multitudes. Signs and multi-colored banners waved. The scent of the crowd was intoxicating, full of different individual aromas heightened by the exhilaration of the crowd.

A podium was set up on the steps, and a woman with a megaphone was leading the chants. We pushed through the crowd to get closer, people parting quickly when they glanced up at Charles' large frame and sensed his Alpha presence.

The woman with the megaphone was Ms. Beale from the orphanage. Charles squeezed my hand and beamed at me, and I could tell he was feeling the lift of the crowd's emotion.

After a few minutes she checked her watch and called up a male named Captain Aaron. He was part of the fire brigade and took over the megaphone, pointing it toward City Hall and shouting demands to the people inside.

"Start working for the city, for the people again!" he bellowed, the crowd roaring behind him in approval.

Out of nowhere Ms. Beale appeared next to us. "I thought I could see your handsome head towering over the rest of the crowd," she said, smiling at Charles. She looked down at me and smiled warmly. "Hello, Elena. Look at what you've done!"

I beamed, too moved to speak.

"Would you like to say a few things to the crowd?" Ms. Beale asked Charles. He looked momentarily surprised but then his eye light up.

"I think you have to," I said, smiling, my stomach nervous for him. It'ssilly for me to be nervous, I thought. He certainly won't be.

"As long as I'm not taking someone's spot," he said with a decent show of modesty, though it was obvious he wanted to.

"Just me, and they've seen me every day this week. Come on, Elena can speak too, if she wants."

"Oh no," I said, holding up my hands in horror.

"But I would like you stand with me, Elena, for safety reasons, and I'd like you to be next to me too, Ms. Beale."

She nodded in approval. "That works for me. Come on." She pushed through the crowd on the way to the steps.

Ms. Beale mounted the steps as the fireman finished with a final the roar of the crowd.

"And now, if you will, please welcome Mr. Charles Rafe, head of ..." her words were drowned out by the cheering of the crowd. When it settled she added "... and Ms. Elena Laurentia whose work inspired ..." Again the roar of the crowd made her words unintelligible.

The cheering was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. The energy from the crowd filled me an exhilaration I'd only ever felt before with Charles. He grabbed my hand and helped me up the stairs to stand beside the podium. He bowed slightly as Ms. Beale handed him the megaphone.

"Look at these beautiful people," he said, and the crowd went wild. "Good morning citizens of Lustrum!"

He put his arm around me and pulled me close. As I looked out into the vast crowd I couldn't believe it. I was being hugged by the most handsome and wonderful male in front of all the world.

"Elena and I would like to express our gratitude to you for taking what our reporters uncovered and making it impossible for anyone to ignore it. Thank you for refusing to lie down and let corruption destroy the city that we love."

The crowd began to quiet, listening to his worlds.

"Complacency, ambivalence, defeatism, letting someone else handle it, these are the poisonous inclinations of our nature, inclinations those who tried to destroy us were counting on. But they didn't anticipate the spirit of the people of Lustrum."

The crowd went wild.

"Some of you may have seen my declarations concerning the recent deaths of my employees."

The crowd went deadly silent. A chill went over me, seeing the sober faces of the people around me.

"I stand by what I said. We need to stand up for one another, to support one another, and anyone who attacks any of my people, and that includes you as my brothers and sisters of Lustrum, must be brought to justice."

The cheers began again. Charles held up his hand. "And before I turn this over to your incredible community leaders, I'd like to address those in the offices behind me. Or rather, hiding in their gated estates while their assistants sit nervously in the empty offices."

Charles turned and looked at the building behind us. He lifted the megaphone and demanded, "I'm calling for public meetings between city leaders and heads of departments to discuss changes necessary for the efficient and safe running of our city. I am willing to hold talks and act as a go between, but please, let's discuss this so that our fair city can return to the glory of which it's capable."

The crowd erupted in cheers and chants of "Lustrum!" as Charles turned back. He squeezed me tighter and waved at the crowd as Ms. Beale approached to take the megaphone.

As we went back into the crowd, people reached for his hands and patted his strong biceps. A chant of his name developed around us as we went toward the edge of the square and away from the focus of the crowd.

Ms. Beale let the chants go for a while and then began to introduce another member of the city leadership. Charles and I stood at the edge and watched.

My heart was still racing from the rush of the crowd's energy and from being next to him in public.

I looked at him and he smiled down at me. "Look at all that you've done, Elena."

I shook my head. "Someone else on the internet mentioned the orphanage first, or I would have never known. It was really them."

Charles shook his head. "Yes, but they only took it far enough to complain in an obscure, random forum. You did something about it, and you stuck to your guns when people originally told you no."

He pulled his phone from his pocket and read a message. He frowned.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's Amy. There's something happening. We'd better get back to the office."