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“When’s the wedding?” Eleanor asked suddenly, her eyes still glued outside the window.
“Within the week,” Blake said. “They’ll want us to get it over with as soon as possible.”
“Great. Just great,” Eleanor said after a long pause. She turned to look at Blake. “I’m guessing I can’t invite any of my friends?”
Blake glanced at Xander, and then back to Eleanor. “Well, I don’t know. I don’t think so. It’s going to be a small ceremony and it may be too short notice for them.”
Blake didn’t need to add that of course it would be dangerous to have a bunch of humans surrounded by werewolves. Even Eleanor had to know that she was inviting trouble by having her human friends over.
Worse, it was unlikely that such an action would win her friends among the elders, and for their plan to work, it was imperative that they both put up a good appearance in front of the pack and its elders.
Eleanor nodded and sipped her water quietly. She stood up and walked to the window. It had grown dark outside, and her reflection showed in the glass. Blake watched her with a strange interest, averting his eyes only when she looked at him too.
Xander cleared his throat and got up. “If that’s all, we better get back home. We have to talk to our parents, who have no doubt heard the news. Still, I’d like to tell them myself.”
“Of course,” Blake said. “I’ll keep you posted on how things go over here. You’ll do the same?”
“Definitely.” Xander shook Blake’s hand. “I’m sorry again that you have to go through this.”
“Nothing to be sorry for,” Blake said, smiling. “If anything, I’m grateful that Eleanor agreed to go through it with me at all.”
Eleanor returned to her brother’s side and a look passed across her face. It was gone before Blake could identify what it was, though, and he felt at a loss. “Looks like you’re going to be my husband,” she said to him.
“Looks that way.” God, she was beautiful. Standing so close to her, Blake realized that he was only a few inches taller than her, and at six foot three, he wasn’t a short man.
“Yay,” she said, before turning around to leave.
Blake watched her leave, his eyes glued to the hypnotic movement of her hips. It took him a while to notice that he was staring into an empty corridor long after she’d left.Damn.
Chapter 5 - Eleanor
“You really are getting married?” Carla asked, raising a brow in surprise.
“Yep. It’s happening.” Eleanor tried to put on a pleasant demeanor, but there was no fooling her friends. They knew her too well. Well, as well as she allowed them to know her. She could never allow herself to get too comfortable or honest with them, unfortunately.
“Uhm, you don’t look like you’re excited about getting married,” Annie said.
“Wow, you don’t say?” Eleanor replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes. “I hadn’t noticed.” Annie looked stung and Eleanor wished she hadn’t snapped at her friend. It wasn’t Annie’s fault that she was being forced into a marriage against her will.
She sighed and rubbed her forehead. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to be an ass. It’s just…I never expected this, you know? The thought of it had never even crossed my mind before now.”
Carla smiled. “Come on, it’s fine. I’m sure Annie understands. But how did this happen?”
“It’s ridiculous,” Eleanor said. “My…parents decided it would be a good idea for me to marry their friend’s son. They want to bring the two families together and nothing will solidify the relationship more than a marriage.”
“Ah, I see,” Annie said hesitantly. “So, basically an arranged marriage?”
“Yup,” Eleanor said. “I was not too thrilled about it, and I tried to talk my way out of it, but there’s nothing I can do. My…family really needs me to go through with this and do my duty.”
Carla was pensive for a moment and then snapped as a thought occurred to her. “I mean, can’t you just run away? You could come stay with Annie and me in Silver Springs and lay low for a bit. Besides, we’re planning to travel to Aberdeen for the music festival. You could come with us.”
Eleanor shook her head and rubbed her brow again. If she was being honest, she had toyed around with the idea of running away from home indefinitely. Yes, she’d agreed to help in any way she could, but as her wedding day drew nearer, the more she doubted that she could see it through.
Still, what good would it be to run away? Xander could track her accounts and he would know where she was no matter how far she went. Worse, he could just cut off her funding, leaving her stranded.
She doubted he would do something so extreme, but she had to admit that there was a lot she didn’t know about Xander or his limits. Besides, if she did run away, she was going to shame not just her family, but the entire Moon Shadow pack.
For the longest time, she’d been perceived as wayward, reckless, and irresponsible. Only Xander ever spoke up for her or took her side. It seemed unfair to leave him high and dry the first time he came to her with something.
