Page 26 of Room 710 (The Scarlet Hotel #15)
Elijah
Finale
In previous seasons, the finale had always been my favorite episode to film.
It started with some clips of the interviews we’d filmed, teasing at who the alpha might choose, then some behind-the-scenes footage of everyone getting ready.
They donned their best suits, hands shaking with nerves.
And at last, we went live for the potential proposal.
Would Devon get down on one knee, or would he go home alone?
This final episode was always the culmination of all my team’s hard work, and it showed.
All day, I would keep one eye on the chat forums, anticipating the jump in ratings, brain already working on how I could make next season even better.
This year, though, I couldn’t bring myself to look.
I knew at least half of them were rooting for Ziggy to win, and that led to me pacing back and forth across the paving stones, my fingernails gnawed down to the quick.
I was sweating through my suit and had already shucked my jacket and thrown it over the back of a chair.
We were filming in person today, no more discreet wall-mounted cameras, and instead of being at the house, we’d rented out The Scarlet Hotel again.
Devon, Ziggy, and Prairie each had their own room and designated team, including cameras, lighting, and audio, along with a fashion crew to take care of clothes, hair, and makeup.
And now that we were approaching the final big moment, the rest of us were waiting up on the rooftop where the proposal would take place.
The elevator dinged, and I jumped like I’d been stung, eyes darted to see who it was. A cold sweat was beading on my forehead. Devon stepped through, looking every inch the movie star, and if I didn’t know better, I would’ve guessed he was about to step out on the red carpet at a movie premiere.
For someone who was either about to propose marriage or break someone’s heart, he looked remarkably relaxed. He sauntered over and offered me his hand. “Elijah, great to see you. Are we about ready to get this show on the road?”
“You tell me,” I said, wiping my sweaty palm off on my pants before shaking his hand. “Any hints?”
His grin widened. “Nope. Trust me, it’ll be more exciting this way. And that’s the goal, right? Anything for ratings.”
I frowned. “I wouldn’t say anything …”
Devon exchanged a look with Marc, and I felt like I was being left out of a whole conversation, like they knew something I didn’t. I was the director, so shouldn’t I know everything that was going on?
I trusted my team to know what they were doing.
I sat in my chair behind the camera, watching as they got the cameras and lighting set up just right, the background bedecked with flowers and fairy lights.
We could’ve been planning a whole wedding for how elaborate this was.
I heard Marc on the radio, cueing up Prairie and Ziggy on the floor below.
And when Bethany gave the countdown to go live, I groaned, wiping a hand down my face.
Clark and Marty were absent today. There was no studio audience. No script, no retakes. This was Devon’s show to run.
“Aaaaand… we’re live! Cue omegas.”
When Ziggy stepped out from the stairwell door, I barely glanced at Prairie beside him.
I only had eyes for this incredible man.
He was dressed in deep indigo pants and suit jacket, his white collarless button-down cut to fit him perfectly.
His hair had been trimmed, lopping off the curl around his ears he’d developed after two months without a haircut.
His eyes immediately found mine across the rooftop, conveying the promise he’d made me.
He’d told me to trust him, and I held onto that hope inside myself, like hands cupped around a tiny spark, hoping it might light a fire.
The two omegas stood before Devon. He smiled.
“Thank you so much for coming today. It means the world to me that you both gave me the opportunity to get to know you. I have had the most incredible time these past months. You are both so smart and funny and kind, and I would be lucky to build a future with either one of you. In the end, though, love doesn’t follow any rules.
One of you caught my heart, and I would be a fool to ignore it. ”
When Devon smiled at Prairie and he smiled back, I let myself believe that he’d chosen him. I let my shoulders begin to relax, even blew out a sigh of relief.
Until Devon pulled a ring box out of his pocket and stepped up to Ziggy. My entire world screeched to a halt.
I was on my feet before I’d even thought it through, and Marc reached for me, trying to hold me back. “You can’t! We’re live!” he hissed, but I shook him off with ease, his grip on me loose.
Devon had gotten down on one knee. “Ziggy, will you do me the honor…” And I lost my motherfucking mind.
“No, no, no, fucking no!” I shouted, stomping across the patio.
Everyone stopped right where they were, all eyes on me. “Give me that,” I demanded, ripping the ring box out of Devon’s hand and pushing him out of the way. I lowered myself to both knees in front of Ziggy, pleading.
His mouth hung open in shock. “What the hell are you doing?” he whispered.
“I have something I need to say.” I cleared my throat, emotion overtaking my senses.
“Look, I am not an easy man to love. I’m demanding, bossy, selfish, I always have to be in control, both in and out of the bedroom.
In my job, my life, everything has to be just so, and honestly, I’d long given up on ever finding someone who might be willing to look past all my flaws.
But when you stepped into my life, Ziggy, everything changed.
You don’t just see my flaws, you embrace them.
You don’t seem to mind giving me control—maybe you even like it—but you’re not scared to put me in my place when it’s called for, because your strength far surpasses mine. You are everything I could ever want.
“So what I’m saying is… I love you. Please, Ziggy… pick me.”
Ziggy had tears scrolling down his face. “Of course I pick you, silly. I picked you weeks ago. I love you, Eli. I’m so sorry I made you wait.”
“You were worth every second.” I stood to pull him into my arms, and even though it was too fast, irrational, impossible to wrap my head around, I said, “Marry me.”
“I can't believe I'm saying this, but… yes,” he whispered into my ear, and I lifted him off the ground and spun him around. I didn’t realize that I was crying too until I put him down so I could kiss him, tasting salt on our lips. I popped open the ring box and slid the platinum band over Ziggy’s finger; it was a perfect fit.
“Woo!” someone called, and Ziggy and I pulled back, looking around in a daze as everyone clapped. The cameras were still rolling, immortalizing the finale I never saw coming.
“Cue the montage,” Marc called from behind the camera.
On the small TV screen we had set up to display what our viewers saw, we watched as a reel began to play.
It was all the footage that had never made it to the show.
I watched the scene where I carried Ziggy over my shoulder out of the burning house, of Ziggy coming into my hotel room and sneaking out again the next morning, wearing a big smile, hair disheveled.
There were private discussions Ziggy had with friends about his feelings for me, and of him telling Devon not to pick him.
Footage cut from our first interview, of a birthday cupcake he’d turned into an illicit act.
Me swooping him out of the Jello pool, his ass blurred out.
There were behind-the-scenes clips too, things I hadn’t even been aware were being filmed, like a whole carousel of my yearning looks as I watched Ziggy from my trailer.
When I turned to look at Marc, he just shrugged. “What, you didn’t know you were the star of the show?” Huh. This whole time, I’d been the lonely alpha.
“Wow,” Ziggy said, hand laced with mine. He was staring off to the side, and when I turned to follow his gaze, I saw Devon and Prairie with their arms around each other, kissing desperately, having their own private moment.
“Looks like they gave up the spotlight to their happy ending for us,” I said.
“The real happy ending won’t be for another 20 minutes, down in my hotel room.” Ziggy was wearing a naughty grin as he tugged me toward the elevator. “And maybe there’ll even be a few reruns.”
A future with Ziggy was something I would never get tired of.
Dash Patterson Ross Walters Alex Clement Costas Layton Stuart Lee Garfield Basso Abraham McNeal Rune Cochrane Cy Adler Darnell Sawyer Prairie Donoghue Ziggy Goff