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And she did try. She acted excited when they met with the interior decorator. She acted intrigued when they had the food tasting. She showed interest when they vetted guest lists. And she showed happiness when she saw the towering wedding cake.
She realized that pretending was much easier than she could’ve ever imagined, and eventually, it stopped bothering her so much. Still, she felt like her mother had entirely too much energy to burn, and did she burn it.
Eleanor spent a lot of time on the phone with her friends, and every time they asked if they could attend the wedding, she had to find a different lie for why they couldn’t come. She even went as far as asking Xander again. He looked so incensed, she claimed she was only trying to get a rise out of him.
The biggest surprise of all came when Blake called her the night before the wedding. She was taken completely by surprise, so she didn’t speak for several seconds after hearing his voice on the other end of the phone.
“Eleanor?” he said. “Are you there?”
“I am,” she finally said. “I’m sorry. I just wasn’t expecting to hear from you.”
He laughed. He had an easy, smooth laugh that she loved listening to. Every time he laughed, it made her feel warm inside. She’d experienced the same sensation when she’d visited him with Xander.
“You don’t have to apologize,” he said. “I got your number from Xander. I wanted to talk to you before our big day tomorrow. I hope you don’t mind?”
“I don’t,” Eleanor admitted, her heart beating so loud she feared he would hear it through the phone. “Actually, it’s nice to hear from you. How are things going on your end? How are preparations coming along for the big day?”
“It’s a circus,” he said. “Everything is so chaotic. This is a big deal for my people.”
“Tell me about it,” she said, smiling. “I’ve been receiving free stuff from the entire pack everywhere I go. It’s almost as if I took a bullet for the entire town.”
Blake laughed his easy laugh again. “I think you did. Considering that you thought about running away, it’s pretty safe to say you took more than a bullet. They just appreciate your sacrifice.”
Eleanor caught herself grinning from ear to ear.Damn!She didn’t know what she was feeling, but she was certain that she needed to get off the phone before it got worse. “I guess I will see you tomorrow?”
“Looking forward to it,” Blake replied. “Good night.”
Eleanor stared at the darkness and listened to her heart racing in her chest. What was that? What the hell had just happened?
When she eventually fell asleep, she could still hear Blake’s soft laughter in her dreams.
***
Eleanor had never seen so many people gathered together in one place before in her town. The entire garden was filled with guests, some she recognized, and many she’d never seen before in Deepwood.
So much for a small event, she thought to herself as she peeked out from behind the curtains in her dressing room. “How are there so many people out there?” she asked Nana, her long-time maid, who was helping Eleanor with her dress.
“The entire pack was invited,” Nana said, taking a pin out of her mouth. “Actually, every wolf in the two packs was invited. There are other wolves from other packs as well, along with their various alphas. There hasn’t been a wedding of this magnitude and significance in a long time.”
Eleanor looked at the sea of faces and imagined walking through their midst, to be joined with Blake in holy matrimony. She tried to picture all those eyes, hundreds of them, facing her alone. The thought was beyond terrifying.
She thought she could see Blake. He was wearing a black suit or navy blue, she wasn’t certain. He stood in front of the makeshift altar, talking to someone who definitely had to be Xander. In a few hours, she was going to be his wife, and she didn’t know how to feel about it.
“Alright then, that looks perfect,” Nana said. “I’ll go inform them that you’re ready to come out now.”
Eleanor took a deep breath and covered her veil. This was the moment she had been waiting for, and she was terrified. She followed Nana out of the room and down the stairs, where she found her father waiting.
His hair was all silver now, but it was as thick as a mop. Already in his sixties, but her old man still looked as sturdy and intimidating as he had always been. His shoulders looked firm and strong like he could balance the world with his might alone.
When he saw her, he smiled and hugged her. “You look resplendent, child. Just like your mother.”
“Thank you, Dad,” she said, swallowing the wave of emotions that struggled to overtake her.
“I know this wasn’t how you would have wanted this day to go, and I’m grateful that you chose to make this sacrifice for your pack and family. Thank you. All I ask is that you try to make the best out of it, hmm? I know Blake, he’s a good man. A powerful wolf. He will protect you just as well as I and your brother have done over the years.”
It wasn’t often she heard her father speak lots of words. She could tell he was processing the reality of her departure, and this was the most emotion she was going to get from him. She loved him more for it.
“Thanks, Dad,” she said sincerely. “I promise to try my best.”
