Burned by Rejection (Book 4 of Wolves of Milano )

9.A day with Elio

Allegra waits for Elio to show up. He promised to escort her today, because she absolutely loathes the guard her parents tried to force on her. No amount of her protesting helped last night. Her father was adamant that she had a guard, so she informed him in the coldest voice she could muster that Elio would be her escort for the day. The head of the enforcers must be better than some random guy her Uncle imported a few days ago. Does he even know the city? Her father had no answers to that, so she counted this as a small victory.

She is dressed in a pair of stonewashed jeans and her favourite black jacket. Her current favourite Prada purse was replaced by her old Gucci backpack. Riding on a motorcycle is better with a backpack. She learned that from Alessio. Gods, how she misses her brother! But he couldn’t even call her. He’s keeping her safe. They can’t do anything if she doesn’t know where he is. She understands that, but her soul is restless and she feels like drowning. She hates the panic medication, because it disconnects her from her wolf. But right now she might need to re-evaluate that. She can’t afford a panic attack. She needs to be calm.

“Where are you going?” Her father inquires. He stands so close to her she can feel his breath on her neck. She hates that, too.

“Shopping. I can’t show up at the party in an old dress. Not coming would be preferable, but, since you didn’t give me a choice…” She shrugs.

“Why Elio? I don’t like that guy.” Her father sneers.

“What’s not to like? He holds a good position in the pack. He is pleasing to the eye. He is well built. I was told he had never lost a fight before the one with Alessio. That must count for something.” Allegra tilts her head and looks over at her father.

“Not in my book.” Her father scoffs. “He’s from some small pack. You can do better. That’s all I’m saying.”

“Aha.” She chuckles. “And that other guy is from Rome or something? Is he from a big city pack? Can he afford me the life of luxury?”

“Now you’re interested all of a sudden?” He gapes at her.

“No.” She shakes her head. “I know the answers to all my questions. He can’t. It’s just another guy Uncle imported from some backwater pack. At least Elio has good taste and manners.”

“Will you meet your intended groom? You might like him.” Her father tries again. “I saw pictures. He looks great.”

“You marry him then. I don’t want to.” Allegra makes a cutting motion with her hand. She sees Elio driving down the street, so she puts on her helmet and closes her visor. Another sure way to let her father know that she is serious about this.

Stopping at the first store she had on the list, they can finally talk. She didn’t want to let her father know that he got to her. She was holding it in and praying to all the gods that her panic would subside till they got there. Elio’s scent did wonders for her. She wonders why he smells like fresh rain on the grass, but she leans against his back and breathes in slowly. He calms her even better than Alessio ever could. She has the feeling that she can accomplish anything with him by her side.

“What did your father want?” He asks her.

“He wants me to marry that other guy. He wants me to meet with him. He even went so far as to say that you are not good enough.” Allegra tells him. She sighs deeply. “I said no. I don’t want to.”

“Good. The new guys are not invited to your mother’s party. This year it’s only officials and one escort. I can come as your plus one, otherwise I wasn’t invited.” Elio chuckles. “I think you bringing me will spoil their fun. We just have to put on a show.”

“Wonderful. I don’t want to go, but I’m all in for spoiling it for everyone.” She smiles. “Let’s go shopping. I need something bold.”

“Is it an official party? Is there a dress code?” Elio inquires.

“The men usually turn up in a dress with no tie. It’s a garden party. Sort of semi-casual.” She answers. “The ladies have a choice of a cocktail dress or evening wear.”

“What are you picking?” He asks. “I will adjust to that. Or I can just show up in my uniform.”

“You have a uniform?” Allegra gapes. She really doesn't know much about him. “What colour is it? Not that camouflage thing, right?”

“Definitely not.” He chuckles. “It’s dark blue with a double row of gold buttons on the jacket, a traditional cut of trousers, a rigid black cap, white gloves and black shoes. It comes adorned with my medals. I guess that I can leave my sabre at home. It’s a party after all.”

“A dress uniform? I can work with that.” Allegra beams. She was worried there for a minute. “I will go for light blue. A contrast is needed.”

“You’re the expert. I trust you with this.” He smiles at her.

“Otto!” Allegra waves to a man coming their way. “Meet Elio, my boyfriend. We’re picking out a dress.”

“Evening dress or something else?” Otto responds. He is the best personal shopper at Antonia’s.

“Light blue cocktail dress. It’s a garden party. I want to make an impression, not blend in.” She winks at him.

Next on their stop is a hairdresser's salon. She smiles brightly and sits in her chair. Elio must be tired of hearing her tell everyone that he is her boyfriend, but she told him upfront that this is wolf owned. It will be reported to her Uncle that she was there and with whom. She doesn’t need a haircut, but a little trimming of the ends never hurts. She usually wears her long black hair loose, but tomorrow she will put it up in an elegant braid that runs around her head and slips down the front of her collar.

“I’m hungry. Let’s get something to eat next.” Allegra informs him.

“Where do you want to go?” Elio looks at her. He is playing his part perfectly. She wants to keep him around for longer, but what if he gets ideas? She doesn't want a man in her life. She would like a friend, but the chemistry between them can not be denied. She knows there is something more, but she will not acknowledge that.

“It’s a biker bar, you might know it: Sammy’s.” She smiles mischievously.

“I know that one. More wolves to see us together.” He nods.

“Exactly.” Allegra laughs. “We will mess with their heads. Make everyone believe we are together and then we can convince Uncle too. He will surely hear about this before the party tomorrow.”

The biker bar is busy at all times of the day, but they can get a small window table. Privacy doesn’t exist here, so they have to be careful what they talk about. The upcoming party is a safe thing. Everyone knows about it. She can hear some grumbling about the changes this year. It used to be for everyone in the past. This year only officials and the elders can go. Allegra knows it will drive a wedge in the pack. The little people are not happy with this. They feel left out.

“I know your Uncle doesn’t care about this, but he should.” Elio whispers. “His pack is not happy. It’s not vise to exclude pack members from things they are used to.”

“I know. But it was mother’s choice to make it exclusive this year. She fears a fight might break out and alerts the neighbours. It’s all about appearances for her. She is as fake as her hair colour.” Allegra scoffs.

“I miss my old pack. We had a pack house and it was always alive. If not the kids, then the elders had something going on every day. Everyone feels included there. I was away for most of the time, but it was home when I got back.” He tells her.

“That sounds nice. I can’t even imagine something like that here. Not with Vito…” She whispers. Why she bothers is a mystery. The wolves around her can hear if they want to. Humans don’t know what it's all about.

He drives her home after that and waits for her to take her things up to her room. She doesn’t want to be at home today, but they can’t drive around with her bags on the bike. She must find something to do tomorrow morning. Her mother has other people helping her with the party. She is not expected to do anything but to show up on time. Can she risk going over to his place? Where does he live anyway? There is so much she doesn’t know about Elio, but she is afraid to ask. This is a risky operation as it is. She knows that in knowing more, they will become closer and he has the ability to influence her. She likes him too much, she is attracted to him, and that could mean the end of her freedom. The little of it that she has.

“Where do you want to go?” Elio asks her when she comes back out.

“I don’t care. Can you just drive around?” She responds. She wants to talk, but it scares her too much. What does he do to her that her confidence takes a nosedive into the abyss?

“Fine. There is this small park that I like. You might know it.” He tells her and drives off. She is thinking of what he plans to do there? Parks are not interesting to her, she avoids them for dear life.

“I will trust you with something.” Elio tells her later. They are sitting on a park bench in the part of the town she has never been to before. It’s nice, she has to admit that, but so not her cup of tea. She is a city girl.

“Is that wise?” She looks at him. It’s polite to make eye contact with the person you’re talking with, but damn! He is charming her without trying.

“I feel like I can trust you. You trust me with this charade we’re playing. You trust me not to betray you.” He responds. “I feel like I can tell you anything and you would do the same.”

“I would. I’m not a parrot. I don’t go tell people’s secrets to others.” Allegra nods at him.

“I don’t heal like normal wolves, because I can’t shift. My connection to my wolf was damaged the moment our army surgeon replaced a part of my leg with plastic and metal. That is a secret only Alessio knows about me.” Elio whispers so quietly she is not sure she heard him right.

“And you are telling me this? Why?” Allegra blanches. She can’t imagine what it’s like to not be able to shift. It must be torture.

“I can see your reluctance about me. This gives you one more excuse to keep your distance. I trust you, because my wolf does.” He says quietly.

“You can read me that well?” She wonders. “I can’t get too involved. It would ruin my career. I can’t get tied down. I need time to build my own clothing line.”

“I understand that.” He nods. “But you have to know that I would never do that to you. I admire your free spirit. I want to see you fly.”

Is he for real? He sounds sincere, he’s not just making things up. Can she believe that? All her experience in life points in the other direction. The wolves of her pack are not like that. Her own mother could be so much more, if her father wouldn’t hold her back. She is still just a museum employee, but she could have been the director. She has skills to do it. Aunt Ellena doesn’t even work, because Uncle never allowed her to. Her other Aunt, Marra, is a successful business woman, only because her husband left her. She was just a housewife before that.

She can’t risk it. She knows that the wolf her Uncle selected for her would be just like that or even worse. Who else would agree to marry without even seeing the bride first? And Elio? Talk is cheap, even if it sounds sincere. She just doesn’t know him well enough. She will stick to her plan and make her own career. She doesn’t need a man for that.

“I don’t know.” She sighs. “Let’s stick to the arrangement of pretending. I just can’t risk my life like that. You can always back off if you can’t do it. I will find some other way.”