Ch. 1001..1010

Chapter 1001: The Luna Ceremony of the century (6) [Bonus chapter]

Meg, Sandy, Mindy, Arya, and Kalina held the edges of the veil while moving around Talia with their hands up in the air. Tatiana was making sure everything was in the right position before gesturing to her five helpers to lower the veil.

After pins were stuck to secure the veil to the top of Talia's head, Yasmin was ready to put the tiara on Talia, but she paused when Valerian stepped forward.

"Can I?" Valerian asked, and Yasmin gave him the tiara.

After confirming that Talia was ready, Mindy reminded everyone, "We should be going. Line up in the order we will walk out!"

Talia smiled while looking at her friends scurrying to stand at the door of the tent in a line.

Mindy was first, followed by Yasmin, Meg, Maya, Sandy, Cornelia, Tatiana, Kalina, Michelle, Dawn, Zina, Olivia, Amelia, Arya, Trisha, and Daria.

They spent days deciding on the order of bridesmaids because everyone wanted to go first. Mindy ended the discussion by saying they would be arranged by ranks, with people associated with the Dark Howlers pack and the Midnight Guardians pack going first, then high-ranking members of other packs, and lastly, Talia's friends and guards. Based on that, Mindy was supposed to go after Yasmin, but Mindy argued that her mate was a Shaman, while Yasmin's mate was just a proxy, so Mindy got the first spot. It didn't make sense, but Yasmin didn't want to argue.

It was the first time for Yasmin to see such a grand ceremony, and she got a front-row seat as a bridesmaid. The truth was that everyone was honored to participate in this event.

With females walking out of the tent, Talia turned to see Valerian looking at her with an unreadable expression. Even in high heels, she needed to lift her head to meet his gaze.

Valerian was wearing a white suit that had small details on the sleeves, which matched the details on Talia's dress. Tatiana's vision was that Valerian and Talia were matching in white, and Damon's completely black outfit represented his dark powers. Groomsmen had dark gray suits and white shirts, while bridesmaids' dresses were a mix of black and white. It was full of symbolism.

Valerian's physique now resembled an Alpha. Talia wondered who would win a match between Damon and Valerian if they got serious. Her father had a bearing of a great warrior, and she was confident that he was awesome.

Valerian put tiara on Talia's head. "This belonged to my mother. It is yours now."

Talia's heart tightened under the weight of his emotions because she heard the words he didn't say. The tiara was supposed to be handed down from his mother to his mate and then to Talia, but that didn't happen, and it never will.

"Thank you, dad. I will keep it for my daughters to wear on their special day."

Valerian nodded in agreement and added, "Daughter-in-law is also fine."

Valerian smiled a little. He didn't smile often, but whenever he did, it was a sad smile, just like now. He was thinking of Astraea. And there it was...

"You look like your mother."

"I do?" Talia asked while holding back her tears.

"You are like her. Strong, stubborn, righteous, and kindhearted. Even if she were not my mate, I would fall for her. When you use your powers, I can feel her presence." Valerian stopped talking when he noticed Talia's chin trembling. "Don't cry, Natalia. This is a joyous day, and if you mess up your makeup, your girlfriends will gang up on me."

Talia laughed. She could imagine Tatiana, Mindy, and others shouting and pointing fingers at Alpha Valerian Moonrider. Her girlfriends were fierce, and they didn't care about the status of their opponents.

Valerian extended his arm for her to take. Talia put her hand into Valerian's, and they walked out.

Talia thought that it was silly to be nervous. It was just a formality. She was already living with Damon, and nothing will change with this, but she was emotional because this ceremony will announce them as a couple in front of everyone.

…

The lake behind the stage glistened under the setting sun in a fantastic display of yellows and oranges.

Three people on the stage were Damon, Alpha Desmond, and his mate Luna Edith, Maddox's and Mindy's parents.

Since Maddox took over as the Alpha of the Blue River pack, the old Alpha-Luna pair spent most of their time traveling.

Alpha Desmond was a close ally of Damon's father, and he supported Damon from the day he took over as the Alpha of the Dark Howlers pack. They provided guidance and assistance when appropriate, and they never sided with people who were against Damon. Considering they were from a different pack, that was the most they could do for him. As an Alpha, Damon needed to fight his own battles, and he did.

Alpha Desmond and Luna Edith were there to officiate the ceremony and show that their packs were united. Maddox and Damon were friends from a young age, and with Mindy being mated to Gideon, the bond between the two packs strengthened and carried into the next generation.

Alpha Desmond and Luna Edith didn't get a chance to meet Talia beyond brief greetings at Tatiana's Luna ceremony, and they were curious to find out more about the female that was the cause of many changes which happened in the last few months, including the expansion of the Blue River pack.

Damon was observing the crowd. About three hundred people were seated on chairs, and many more stood on the side and behind to fill the clearing in all directions until they merged with the forest around them.

A clear white strip of carpet split the seated people in half, and several tents poked above heads.

Some estimated that by the time ceremony started, the headcount had crossed more than ten thousand. Such a gathering of werewolves was unprecedented, yet they were here, patiently waiting to watch Damon and Talia exchange vows.

Reporters were taking photos, and there was a live stream for others to watch online.

Despite the excited chatter of so many people gathered in one place, things were orderly.

More than a thousand people were invited, but that number didn't include people from the Dark Howlers pack and the Midnight Guardians pack. Also, anyone from the Blue River pack, the Spring Leaf pack, and the Lightclaw pack could come. It was an open event to the public, and as much as Damon wanted it to be huge, he never imagined it would swell to this scale. He hoped Talia would approve.

The music changed, and the crowd stirred before settling into silence. It was time!

Mindy and Gideon appeared first, walking hand-in-hand in practiced slow steps.

The second couple was Yasmin and Axel, and then Meg and Kai, Maya and Caden, Sandy and Tyler, and Cornelia and James. It was an impressive lineup of high-ranking members from two packs.

Tatiana and Maddox were first from allied packs, followed by Kalina and Tony, Michelle and Cristian. They had matching outfits and walked with the arrogance of Alpha couples. Dawn and George fit perfectly with their predecessors on the white carpet. Zina grinned while walking hand-in-hand with Owen, the General of the Dark Howlers pack. Olivia stuck close to Travis, seeking protection in his presence, and he thought she was adorable. Other couples followed proudly as well. It was a majestic sight.

 

Chapter 1002: The Luna Ceremony of the century (7)

With members of the bridal party taking their positions, males lined up on Damon's side, and females stood on the other.

Maddox was next to Damon as the best man, and Mindy stood first in the line of females as the maid of honor.

The Alpha family of the Blue River pack was on the stage with Damon, and with Tony, Kalina, Cristian, Michelle, Axel, and Yasmin there, it was a big deal.

Everyone knew that those five packs were allies, but the presence of their highest-ranking members on that podium was confirmation that their relationship was beyond business deals and collaboration between packs. It was personal. It made members of the Dark Howlers, Midnight Guardians, Blue River, Spring Leaf, and Lightclaw packs proud and others envious.

The music changed again, and there was a sharp collective intake of air when two people in white stepped on the white carpet. This was it!

'Ohs' and 'Ahs' were heard everywhere at the majestic sight of Talia and Valerian.

Valerian's suit was completely white, matching Talia's wedding dress, and the silvery threads of their garments glistened golden under the setting sun.

Seated people stood up, and they all lowered their heads instinctively despite their desire to stare at the duo.

Valerian and Talia walked steadily in sync, with their chins held high, and even humans could feel the power radiating from them. Talia and Valerian were like royals and more than that. It was surreal, and people thought this must be how one feels when in the presence of a deity. The desire to bow to them and pledge loyalty was overwhelming.

Only a handful of people knew who Valerian was, and others were curious about his background.

It was not a secret that both Damon and Talia were Alphas and their powerful bloodline granted them animalistic instincts and possessiveness that topped all others. Rumors spread how any woman who tried getting close to Damon ended up in the dungeon, men who thought about putting their hands on Talia were beaten black and blue, and the last female who pretended to be Talia was killed on the spot by Damon himself.

The venue was silent in stark contrast to pack-links that were buzzing with questions related to who could hold Luna Talia's (aka Alpha Natalia's) hand without Damon losing his shit. Actually, Damon looked proud up there, obviously approving of that man next to his mate.

Sophia and Isaac were in good spirits because they got good seats. Omegas from the Midnight Guardians pack were assigned to watch over Valeria and Edgar in the area for kids while Sophia and Isaac attended the ceremony.

The ex-Alpha couple could see the podium clearly, and they could also see the bride and the man next to her.

Sophia pressed her lips into a line seeing the tiara Talia was wearing. Sure, it was the heirloom of the Moonrider family, but Sophia treated it as a precious treasure that shouldn't be tainted, yet Talia was wearing it like a head accessory. Maybe she would be less salty if Axel didn't make a big deal about giving the tiara to Talia and reminding his parents that everything in that packhouse belongs to the new Alpha.

Sophia shook off the unpleasant thoughts and focused on the two people in white who were now the center of attention.

With every next step Talia and Valerian took, Sophia felt something ominous approaching, and it took her some time to realize what it was.

Sophia stared at the face of the man she thought she would never see.

From the moment they received their invitation, Sophia didn't think it was a good idea to come here. However, Isaac persuaded her to come with, "It will be good for our image. Do you really want to reject the invitation of our Alpha?"

Sophia snorted. "OUR Alpha?" For Talia to be her Alpha, Sophia needed to accept it. Their current situation was forced on them, and if Talia didn't take away their abilities, things would end up differently.

"That attitude will only bring us more trouble," Isaac warned her. "Our pack members are ignoring us. If we don't go, they will hate us more."

"Not if they don't know we were invited," Sophia retorted.

Isaac shook his head in disagreement. "If they think we were not invited, it will be as if we were not important. No one will take pity on us, Sophia, and even if they did, would you accept pity? I thought you were better than that..."

And here they were, at the ceremony, and Sophia would rather take any consequences of staying home than attend this personal nightmare.

Sophia was squeezing Isaac's hand nervously.

'What's got into you?' Isaac asked Sophia through the mind link. His hand was aching from her grip.

Isaac saw Valerian briefly two decades ago, and he didn't realize that the man next to Talia was the same one.

Before Sophia could answer, there was a shriek in the pack link of the Midnight Guardians pack.

'By the Moon Goddess! Doesn't that man have the same aura as our Alpha?'

'It's not the same, but it's similar.'

'That's Alpha Valerian!'

'Are you sure?'

'Of course, I'm sure! Look at them! They are so alike!'

'Who else could hold our Alpha? In this human custom, only a father or a father figure could walk with the bride.'

A few people started crying. 'Alpha Valerian is back! He is not dead!'

In the next moment, people started sharing theories.

'Is that why previous Alphas gave up their positions for Alpha Natalia? They knew that Alpha Valerian was alive and well?'

'I was wondering the same. It was so strange that they stepped down for a female that just appeared. Relative or not, she was still an unknown person.'

'How can you say unknown? Alpha Natalia is from the Moonrider family, and she is more powerful than all Alphas combined!'

'I agree. If Alpha Sophia and Alpha Isaac didn't step down, Alpha Natalia would make it happen without flexing a muscle.'

'I think the same! Why else would they step down for a female we never heard about?'

'WE never heard about them, but maybe they did.'

'It makes sense.'

'If they knew about Alpha Natalia's existence, why would they keep it a secret from us?'

'Do you think you are worthy of knowing what's going on in the Alpha family?'

'Alpha Valerian being alive and having a daughter who was the legitimate heir is a big thing! It impacts the whole pack, and we had the right to know!'

'They made us believe that Axel was the next Alpha. Didn't they fear we won't accept Alpha Natalia?'

'Shush with that and focus on the ceremony. We can ask our ex-Alphas for an explanation later…'

Isaac's face fell as he confirmed the identity of the man holding Talia's hand. Isaac knew what they did two decades ago and that Valerian won't let it slide. The more he thought about it, the more his instincts told him to flee.

'What are we going to do?' Isaac asked Sophia through their mind link.

'We need to leave,' she responded nervously.

'IF YOU DARE TO LEAVE, I WILL HUNT YOU!' Valerian's ferocious growl sounded in Sophia's and Isaac's heads.

Sophia plopped down on her chair, and Isaac paled. Those words came with the Alpha command, and they couldn't move even if they wanted to. What was with that power? They were aware that Valerian was an impressive individual, but wasn't this too much?

'Dad?' Talia called Valerian through the mind link. 'Is everything OK?' She was right next to him, and she could feel his murderous intent.

'Yes, yes,' Valerian responded with urgency while stabilizing his emotions. 'Sorry about that, Natalia.' He didn't want to ruin her ceremony. He will deal with Sophia and Isaac later.

Talia raised her gaze to the podium in front of them, and her breath hitched when she saw Damon's totally black eyes fixed on her.

He was taking in her appearance greedily while letting some of his aura leak in a possessive display of power.

Talia knew that he could see her clearly through the veil, and he was aware of the heat that crept up her neck. She hoped she won't get aroused because her father was right there!

But it was hard to focus on anything other than her devilishly handsome mate whose scorching gaze could see straight into her soul. She was glad Valerian was holding her hand because her legs became wobbly.

With every step that brought her closer to Damon, Talia fought the urge to run to him. The attraction was maddening.

Talia and Valerian climbed the podium, and Damon balled his hands into fists to prevent himself from reaching to grab Talia and whisk her away from there. She was enchanting, and he couldn't wait for this ceremony to be over so they could find their privacy.

Valerian shook his head at the duo, who stared at each other, oblivious of numerous eyes on them.

Valerian cleared his throat to get their attention before speaking.

"I am proud to be your father, Natalia. I know your mother would be proud of you as well."

Talia's vision blurred from tears.

Not so long ago, Talia wondered if her parents loved her, and she wanted to be in the company of people who would be unashamed of her. And now she stood surrounded by Alphas and high-ranking members of the werewolf society, her mate was the most powerful Alpha in existence, her background was impressive, her wolf was an ancient spirit, and all this crowd gathered to celebrate her. This went beyond her wildest imagination.

 

Chapter 1003: The Luna Ceremony of the century (8)

Valerian leaned to kiss Talia's forehead, and she felt his lips pressing there through the veil.

It was a gesture full of meaning. Respect, protection, care.

For Talia, it was the first kiss from her parents she could remember, and it meant the world to her.

Valerian turned to Damon.

"I regret missing a lot of Natalia's life, but it gives me comfort to know that her future is bright with you." Valerian put Talia's hand in Damon's. "Natalia is now part of the Blake family. Treat her well. I welcome you into the Moonrider family. Take care of my daughter, Alpha Damon."

Normally, Damon would blow a fuse to see someone else being protective of his kitten, but this was Talia's father, and Damon knew that this message was more for Talia to hear than for him. She always wanted a family that loved and supported her, and Valerian was giving her that.

Damon lowered his head in a sign of respect. "Talia is my soulmate. I will do everything I can to ensure her safety and happiness. You have my word, Alpha Valerian."

The crowd gasped at the confirmation of Valerian's identity, and some sobs were heard from the distance.

Humans looked around, wondering what was with those Alpha titles, but no one else made a fuss about it, so they assumed it was normal.

Humans in attendance were celebrities, politicians, and successful businessmen. They were aware that the Blake family was well established in the area and that Damon inherited many assets when his parents passed. However, none of them expected to see this mass of people who were looking at the podium with fervent worship.

Valerian wanted to say so many other things, but he felt that he didn't have the right to do so. Missing Talia growing up was terrible enough, but she also ended up suffering because of his mistake… mistake of trusting Sophia and Isaac.

As an Alpha, Valerian was supposed to take care of his pack and his family, yet he failed at both. He was grateful that Talia accepted him, and he didn't dare to ask for more. He couldn't accept other people's forgiveness until he forgave himself.

Talia could feel Valerian's grief, and she wanted to help him, but she didn't know how. Only his mate could fill the void that tormented him, and Talia couldn't fix that.

Valerian looked at Damon and then at Talia, and then he walked down the podium to an empty seat in the front row that waited for him.

Cassandra stood up as Valerian approached her. The Oracle's time with Valerian was rewarded with a spot next to him in the front row of the seated audience. Cassandra swatted the invisible dust from Valerian's chair before he sat on it, and the ceremony could begin.

Damon's eyes were switching from black to blue due to excitement. Damon was very good at managing his emotions, but this time his control was slipping.

Talia's joy and love were overloading his senses, and he fought against his urges to rip his clothes, shift into his wolf form, and run into the forest with Talia.

The only thing still keeping him here was the thought of how all this was for Talia. She needed this ceremony as a sign of acceptance. He wanted everyone to see how much he values her and for her to realize how many people support her, admire her, and worship her. She deserved it.

Damon and Talia were holding hands, but he really wanted to hold the rest of her, and he thought that the see-through veil was in the way.

He gripped the edge of the veil with his free hand. "Can I?"

'That should come off at the end of the ceremony!' Mindy's voice sounded in Damon's head through the pack link.

Damon made a face, and he was about to let go when he heard Talia say, "You can."

Damon's eyes lit up, and he lifted the veil over Talia's head letting it fall over her back. He shut down Mindy's protests by closing off the mind link.

Alpha Desmond cleared his throat. "Can we start?"

Damon and Talia nodded, turning to face the man, both having difficulty breaking eye contact.

Alpha Desmond smiled helplessly. It was evident that lovebirds would have a hard time until the kiss-the-bride moment. But he couldn't deny that Damon and Talia were a perfect couple beyond looks and power. There was something else between them, something he had never experienced. It was an energy of some sort that overpowered his Alpha energy, and it was fascinating and scary at the same time.

Alpha Desmond took a deep breath and spoke loudly, "We all gathered here to celebrate the union of Alpha Damon Blake and Alpha Natalia Moonrider…"

'You are beautiful,' Damon said to Talia through their mind link.

'Do you like the dress?'

'I like you the most naked, but this is fine also.'

Talia bit her lower lip to prevent herself from bursting into giggles at the outrageous comment. 'Can you focus on the ceremony?'

'This is a ceremony to celebrate our union. That's what I'm focusing on. The union.'

He sent her a mental image of their naked bodies merged into one, and she could see from the corner of her eye that he was smiling smugly.

She loved that he would show her all the sides of him, mischievous included. With her, he was not Alpha Damon, he was just Damon, free to be serious, sad, happy, lusty, overprotective, insecure, and goofy, and she wouldn't want him any other way.

'Thank you,' she said.

'For?'

'For everything.'

'You deserve so much more, kitten.'

Talia turned her head to see him looking at her. 'Will you give me everything I deserve?'

'Every day for the rest of our lives.'

'I look forward to it.' She really did.

Alpha Desmond was done talking, and Maddox handed two rings to Damon. They were matching wedding rings. Talia's was made of platinum, and it had designs in black gold, representing the moon and wolves. Damon's ring was made of black gold with the same designs as Talia's ring, but the designs on Damon's ring were made in platinum. When put side-by-side, they were matching but opposites, just like Damon and Talia.

"Did you prepare your vows?" Alpha Desmond asked.

Damon nodded and turned to face Talia completely. "Can I go first, kitten?"

"OK." She was not sure what to expect.

Damon took a deep breath, and he slid Talia's ring on her finger while talking, "Ever since I became of age, people were telling me that I should look for my soulmate. They said that when I find the one, she will make me stronger and wiser, and keep me grounded. I didn't believe them, and I made stupid mistakes in the process." Many stupid mistakes. "But then I met you, and you destroyed the illusion that I was enough. How can one half be enough after I've met the person who made me feel whole? I didn't know anything about you, but I knew that I was living for the moments you would look at me. I craved your approval, and I still do. I can't breathe in your absence."

The ring was now fully on her finger, and Damon gestured toward the crowd on his right.

"All this is for you. They are here to celebrate you, Natalia Moonrider, their leader, my soulmate. I vow in front of our people and guests that no matter what the future brings, I will choose you every single moment of my life. I will treat you as my equal, as my queen, if you allow me to."

Talia's smile was crooked as she was suppressing the sobs bubbling in her throat. Damon spoke about his love for her in front of so many people, and she was sure she was floating.

She took the second ring from Maddox and slipped it on Damon's ring finger while talking, "You showed me that fairytales could come true. I didn't think I deserved kindness, but you convinced me otherwise. At first, it was so overwhelming that I thought of escaping, but I didn't because loving you was easy. Moments with you were more precious than a lifetime without, and I couldn't leave. If staying by your side means we will face enemies and hardships, I will stay with you so we can face them together. Everything is worth it as long as we are together. I will never leave you, Damon Blake." She reminded him of a promise she had made a long time ago. "You showed me what it means to be treasured, and I accept your vow with a vow of my own. I will treat you as my equal, as my king, if you allow me to."

Alpha Desmond was about to continue talking, but then he saw Damon raising his hand.

"I waited for you for a long time," Damon said, his voice a bit raspy. It was Sapa.

Talia's eyes flashed silver as Liseli came in front. "Thank you for waiting. I feared that you forgot about me, that you choose someone else."

Damon stepped closer, and his dark eyes stared into Talia's silvery ones. "I will never choose someone else because you are my only one. I would rather spend eternity alone than with a female that will soil your memory. You are my first, my last, my everything."

Liseli approved. 'You can kiss him now, girl,' the old spirit said, only for Talia to hear.

Talia was in a daze. Liseli's love for Sapa amplified Talia's emotions, and there were Damon's, it was all boosted by her pregnancy hormones, and she could feel the positivity from two packs and the overall good mood, and her chin trembled as a lone tear slid down her cheek.

Chapter 1004: The Luna Ceremony of the century (9)

Damon was wiping Talia's moist cheeks with his palms.

"Don't cry, kitten. This is a happy occasion."

"I am happy," she said in a shaky voice. "I never thought I could be this happy. Thank you, Damon."

Damon smiled at the silly female who was tearing up again, and he leaned to capture her lips with his.

Olivia, Zina, and Dawn were also sniffling, and Keith and Arya exchanged glances like proud parents.

Alpha Desmond cocked an eyebrow at the kissing couple in front of him. He was supposed to say that the Moon Goddess was blessing their union, and they were now husband and wife, but they were werewolves, and no one cared about it anyway, so he said, "You can kiss the bride!"

People laughed and cheered as Damon and Talia hugged without breaking the kiss.

Mindy's smile faltered when she saw a sheen of silver light enveloping Talia and darkness seeping out of Damon.

'We need to block the view for humans!' Gideon shouted in the pack link.

Mindy, Arya, Dawn, Zina, Olivia, and Trisha were first to move toward Damon and Talia, and then the others joined them to create a half-circle between the newlyweds and the rest of the crowd.

People also stood up and cheered with the goal of creating a distraction.

Humans were distracted, but there were a few Guardians in the audience that didn't miss the spectacle.

Declyn confirmed that what he saw in the snow-covered forest was a manifestation of primal powers. In one breath, he could sense light, renewal, and immortality mixed with darkness, regression, and rebirth. It was all, it was nothing, and it was exhilarating.

Declyn wondered what Gregory would do if he could witness this spectacle. If not for his greed, Gregory would be part of this. He always preached about ways for their species to flourish. There were several babies with the Guardian bloodline born or on the way, but Gregory was missing it because he was busy rotting in the dungeon.

On the podium, Damon pulled out of the kiss, and Talia blinked at the sight of their friends surrounding them.

'We had to cover up your light show,' Maya's voice sounded in Damon's and Talia's heads.

"Sorry, everyone," Talia said, and the people parted.

Alpha Desmon cleared his throat and spoke loudly, "It is my honor to present to you Alpha Damon Blake and Alpha Natalia Moonrider as Mr. and Mrs. Blake. From today onward, they will be known as one, and they wish to be known as equals."

The crowd erupted in cheers, and Damon took Talia's hand into his and kissed her knuckles.

'This is it, kitten,' he spoke to her through their mind link. 'Now you are mine. Forever. There is no escape.'

Talia smiled dreamily. 'Even if I want to escape, the only way I can run is toward you.'

Damon grinned in approval.

"Ahh!" Talia cried when Damon scooped her into his arms.

He carried her princess-style down the stairs, and people parted to open a path that led toward the dance area.

For people watching online, drones hovered above Damon and Talia to record from every angle. People in the back who couldn't see were using their phones to watch through the live feed. Tyler thought of everything.

By the time they reached the middle of the dance floor, the whole area was devoid of people.

Damon lowered Talia to stand, and she bit her lip nervously as she became aware of so many eyes on her. How was it possible that Damon was so calm? More than calm, he was happy and proud.

With the corner of her eye, Talia saw a figure in white approaching them.

"Can I?" Valerian asked while offering his hand to Talia, palm up.

Talia waited for Damon to nod in approval before she accepted Valerian's offer.

Damon walked back to give them space, and slow music started.

"I picked this song while thinking about you and your mother," Valerian said.

They swayed slowly left and right, and then the singer's melodious voice was heard from the speakers.

Talia didn't know this song, so she listened to the lyrics.

"…You gave me a reason for living,

You taught me the meaning of giving…"

Talia was touched.

"When I look into the mirror, I see

Laughter in the eyes where tears used to be.

Heavens sent you to me from above,

To teach me about life and love…"

By the time song ended, Talia was an emotional mess.

"Thank you, Natalia," Valerian said. "For everything."

Talia sniffled. "Why does this sound like a goodbye?"

Valerian shook his head. "Goodbye? Where would I go? You are everything I have. Even if I go, I will always be nearby."

"OK. That's enough," Damon grumbled while pulling Talia on him, and he frowned at Valerian. "Your dance is over. It's my turn now." And if it was up to Damon, Valerian won't get any turns. Ever again. Why was he upsetting Talia?

'Watch yourself, boy,' Valerian growled in Damon's head through forced mind-link.

Damon frowned. 'Don't you see she is emotional? I planned this day to make her happy and not cry. Do you need to mention how your mate is gone? Talia knows that already!'

Valerian's frown matched Damon's, but he didn't want to cause a scene. Damon was right.

Valerian gave Talia a stiff smile and walked away, leaving Damon and Talia on the dance floor.

'Kitten?' Damon called. 'Are you alright?'

'Yes, yes,' Talia confirmed right away. 'Emotional, but happy. I just wish that my dad could be happy also.'

'He is happy for you, for us.'

'He would be happier if his mate was here.'

Damon touched Talia's chin and made her look at him. 'What happened to your mother was not your fault. You were a baby. I need you to stop blaming yourself. You can't fix everything.'

Talia looked in the direction where Valerian had left, and she realized that Damon was right. His words applied to her father as well. Valerian needed to stop blaming himself for everything that happened to Astraea and Talia, and for everything else. She decided to talk to him about it later.

"Do we also get a dance?" Talia asked Damon.

Damon grinned. "You get my every next dance for the rest of our lives, kitten."

Music started, and the singer was singing, but she could clearly hear Damon singing in a low voice for her.

"When a man loves a woman,

If she is bad, he can't see it,

She can do no wrong…"

Talia was staring at Damon, and her legs were moving, but the only thing she could comprehend was Damon's proximity, his scent, and his deep voice that was full of emotions.

"This man loves you, woman.

I gave you everything I have,

Baby, please don't treat me bad…"

Talia swallowed the pinch at the back of her throat. Can he be any sweeter?

Damon leaned closer, and his breath splashed on her ear.

"When a man loves a woman

I know exactly how he feels,

Because kitten, you're my world..."

Talia's chin shivered, and then the waterworks started again.

Damon looked at Talia helplessly. He wanted her to be happy, and he gave Mindy his credit card and freedom to organize everything other than a few bits he handled himself. Damon was confident that Talia would like it, and he could feel she was happy, but she was also crying. Now what?

'Old guy!' Damon called. 'What do I do?'

Sapa snorted. 'Your intention was good, but you pushed too much. Mate's emotions are erratic. Physical touch will stabilize her.'

Without thinking, Damon pressed his lips on Talia's and pulled her on him. The best thing would be to get naked and cuddle or maybe to have sex, but none of those were an option considering their surroundings.

It took Talia a few seconds to raise her arms and wrap them around Damon's neck, and Damon hummed in approval when she kissed him back with passion replacing the sobs.

'Tell me this is real, Damon,' Talia spoke into their mind link.

'It's real.'

'How can you be sure?'

'Because I'm controlling myself from ripping your dress.'

Talia smiled into the kiss and pushed herself further into Damon. 'I love you, Damon Blake.'

'I love you more, Mrs. Blake.'

Talia's heart skipped a beat. He had called her Mrs. Blake many times before, but this time... it was different.

Mindy couldn't believe this.

'They are about to glow again!' Mindy shouted in the pack-link. She thought that the biggest challenges were decorations and securing food for all these people, yet it turned out she needed to babysit Damon and Talia or risk exposure to humans.

Gideon tugged Mindy onto the dancefloor. 'If we are there, humans won't notice!'

Zina pulled Owen to the dancefloor, and Arya and Keith were next with Maddox, Tatiana, Caden, Maya, Cornelia, James, and many others filling the space. They coordinated their positions in order to keep humans as far as possible from Damon and Talia.

Mindy loved that Gideon was dancing with her, but she was still huffing because Damon and Talia were so reckless.

"Let them enjoy, princess. If you are upset, our pup is upset also," Gideon said.

His deep voice full of wisdom, combined with her favorite scent of lavender, calmed her down instantly.

"What would I do without you?"

Gideon chuckled and pulled her closer for a kiss. He didn't know what she would do without him, but he knew that his life before Mindy was pale compared to what he had now. He had a beautiful mate who kept him on his toes and filled their house with laughter, and there was a pup on the way, and he couldn't be happier.

 

Chapter 1005: The Luna Ceremony of the century (10)

Zina was dancing with Owen, but she couldn't stop herself from looking at the dancing couples around them.

She sighed dramatically.

"Is anything wrong, angel?" Owen asked.

"Everyone is having babies other than us."

"You want pups?"

"Don't you?" Zina responded with a question.

Owen looked at her seriously. "We can work on that after this party."

"I will count on that, General Owen."

Owen puffed his chest proudly. He loved when Zina used his title. Only he knew what hellish training and tests he needed to pass in order to retain that title. He thought he was working hard in the Red Moon pack, but only after training personally with George and Damon, Owen realized there were several levels he needed to climb to consider himself capable.

It's not that Owen didn't want pups, but he was a man of habits. He had a simple life filled with training and patrol duties and occasional missions, but ever since he spotted Zina at the market in the Red Moon pack, Owen's life became hectic. Much better compared to what it was, but definitely hectic.

He had a mate now, and he was a General. He changed packs and was friends with George. So many things changed, but Zina looked totally in her element, and he decided to go with it. If she wanted pups, he would provide the seeds. The only thing they needed was for Zina to go into heat, but he overheard that Talia could do something about it. Heat meant several days of non-stop sex. Owen was looking forward to it.

Olivia melted in Travis' embrace. It was their first time dancing, and she loved the way he was holding her. Their bond was still fresh, and she was feeling anxious when they were not in touching distance.

Travis would twirl her and kiss her all over her face, and she would giggle foolishly. During one of those twirls, Olivia froze. She stared at a male and female who were standing next to the dancing area and smiling at her.

"Dad? Mom?" Olivia breathed.

"We will talk later," her father mouthed and waved at Olivia to focus on Travis.

Her mom was pointing her phone at Olivia and Travis, obviously recording them.

Olivia turned to Travis and looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Did you get them to come here?"

Travis pulled her into his embrace and spoke into her hair as they swayed slowly. "I told them we are mates and that we will be here. Is that OK?"

"What did you tell them about…?" She didn't finish, but Travis understood.

"They know that your previous mate died in the Shadowbite pack and that we met recently. Beyond that, whatever you want to disclose, it will back you up."

Olivia didn't want to burden her parents with what she went through. It would only make them feel bad, and it's not like they can take it back. "Thank you, Travis." She will tell her parents how awesome mate Travis was and that she was working in the pack hospital as a medical assistant. She had so much more to learn!

Travis noticed that Olivia became stiff. "If I knew that you would be so cautious because your parents are here, I wouldn't tell them anything."

Olivia realized he was right. But there was nothing she could do other than… She raised her arms, and her fingers laced behind Travis' neck. She got on her toes and spoke against his lips, "You should do your best to loosen me up, Doctor Travis."

Travis smiled into the kiss, and he loved the way she melted into him. In less than a second, Olivia kissed him back, and she forgot that her parents were watching (and recording) them.

Tony and Kalina were also in the dancing crowd. Tony raised his hand to spin Kalina, but she didn't respond as he expected.

"What's wrong?" Tony asked while wondering if he did something to upset her.

"I don't think I should perform vigorous movements, considering my condition," Kalina said.

Tony frowned, and he looked at her legs. "Are you hurt?" Those were super-high heels, and Kalina was a sportish type.

"No."

"Then? Why can't you make vigorous movements?"

"Just tell him!" Tatiana chimed in from the side. "Your dumbass mate won't get a hint."

Tony's frown deepened. Did he hear her right? "Dumbass?"

"Tony has a wonderful ass, and he is not dumb," Kalina snapped at her sister.

Tony glared at Tatiana and spoke to Kalina, "I know she is your sister, and I know she is pregnant, but it seems she doesn't know that every man has a line that shouldn't be crossed." And he was an Alpha!

Tatiana wanted to bicker, but Maddox sealed her mouth with a kiss. He didn't want their sister-squabbling to escalate, and it was obvious that Tony was irked.

Tatiana's temper was getting more explosive as her pregnancy progressed, and she was stressed after working on all the outfits for this event. Maddox hoped she wouldn't cause a war before their baby was born.

Maddox relaxed when Tatiana's arms tightened around him, and he took a mental note to apologize to Tony later.

Kalina cupped Tony's cheeks with his palms and forced her to look at him. "Ignore her and focus on your mate."

Tony released a sharp breath. "You were about to tell me something. It seemed important."

"We are pregnant," Kalina said.

Tony's eyebrows went up until they reached his hairline. "What?"

Kalina laughed at his comical expression. "We are pregnant."

"Are you sure?"

Kalina nodded, and before she could finish that nod, Tony was kissing her like there was no tomorrow.

Tony regretted that his parents were not there. Ever since he became the Alpha of the Lightclaw pack, Alpha Magnus and Luna Alicia have been traveling. Tony was confident they would be excited about a grandchild.

George was swaying slowly with Dawn in his arms. That was his cinnamon-infused mate, and her scent became sweeter due to pregnancy.

George was perfectly happy to be an Alpha without his pack. It gave him time to be with Dawn, and he still had their little town without the politics and paperwork a pack would require.

George was Damon's second in command regarding warriors, and Caden was Damon's Beta in charge of other matters related to the pack.

James was the Gamma, handling finances and strategizing, while Maya, Cornelia, and Mindy took care of housing, events, and anything else pack members would need.

Zina was the main person in the matters regarding the packhouse, with Trisha, Dawn, and Rose helping her out.

This division of work was good for everyone.

Talia knew she couldn't be a good Luna of the Dark Howlers pack without neglecting the Midnight Guardians pack, and leaving Damon was out of the question. She was considering options of giving Axel the Alpha position (which he refused repeatedly), and merging the Midnight Guardians pack with the Dark Howlers pack.

Merging packs would require a lot of logistics due to the time difference between the two realms, and James came up with a few suggestions on how to make it work. However, Talia was hoping that her father would accept to take over his rightful position as the Alpha of the Midnight Guardians pack. She didn't talk about it with Valerian because she was waiting for him to recuperate.

Dinner was like a massive buffet with only the main table with the wedding party being served.

They had much more people than invited, but there was food for everyone. People without assigned seats got prepackaged food, and they went into the forest to have a picnic-style dinner.

The food was delicious, and the cake was massive. Damon and Talia cut the cake together, and they fed each other the first pieces.

"Now, this is a human custom I support," Damon said while feeding Talia cake.

Talia hummed in satisfaction as chocolate cake melted on her tongue.

"Do you like it?" Damon asked.

Talia smiled. "I like you more."

Damon approved. He liked her the most.

With the corner of his eye, Damon saw Ashton. That pesky boy had come to them three times already, always with some excuse to talk to Talia. Luckily, his mother was sensible enough to take him away. Damon smiled when he saw some girls chasing Ashton, so the snotty boy disappeared into the crowd.

"Are you comfortable in that dress?" Damon asked, and Talia knew that he was eager to undress her.

"It's a beautiful dress," Talia responded. "It's a pity I got to wear it for a short time." And she hoped Damon wouldn't rip it.

"How much longer do you want to wear it?"

"Can we dance to a few more songs? After that, you can accompany me home to slip into something more comfortable."

Damon put another piece of chocolate cake in Talia's mouth, and she leaned on him as the chocolate goodness coated her taste buds.

Talia closed her eyes and focused on their surroundings. She smiled while confirming that people were eating, dancing, talking, and laughing… they were happy.

"Is something wrong, kitten?" Damon asked when he sensed that her mood was off.

"My father. He is upset."

"Is he still salty about the dancing?"

"No. This is different," Talia responded. "He is in the forest, to the South. With… Sophia and Isaac."

Damon had an idea what that was about. "Do you want to check it out?"

"Can we?"

"You can do whatever you want, kitten."

Talia didn't want to meddle, but she was curious. So far, Valerian showed disapproval of what Sophia and Isaac did, but he was not interested in meeting with them or with members of the Midnight Guardians pack. This could be big.

Chapter 1006: Valerian's anger (1)

Sophia and Isaac stood in the small clearing while observing the people gathered around them and Valerian.

After the cake was served, Cassandra approached Sophia and Isaac to say that Valerian wanted to talk and that they should follow her.

Sophia didn't want to. She already knew what this would be about. But did she have a choice?

She thought it would be something in private, but she didn't expect them to walk into a crowd of people, and they were all from the Midnight Guardians pack. Sophia didn't like the audience, but Isaac told her that was a good thing.

'He won't do anything drastic in front of so many people,' Isaac told Sophia through their mind link.

Sophia was not so optimistic. Her brother was always a rebel, doing whatever he wanted. Just as he left the pack to explore the world beyond the portal in search of his mate, he was gone for a long time, only to return with a baby and disappear again!

People formed a circle around Sophia, Isaac, Valerian, and Cassandra and observed the situation from behind bushes and trees, curious to see what would happen next. No one knew the circumstances that caused Valerian's prolonged absence.

Valerian stood in silence while observing Sophia. He didn't care much about Isaac. Valerian met him two decades ago, and he knew that Isaac was Sophia's mate. Anything beyond that, Valerian found out from Cassandra's stories that told him how his parents left to search for him, and then Sophia took over as the Alpha with Isaac by her side and the isolation that got worse after they gave Talia away.

Did Sophia and Isaac tighten security out of fear that Talia will return? Cassandra didn't know, but Valerian thought how that was a possibility.

Cassandra didn't know where Talia was in the human realm. As an Oracle, her duty was to share divinations, deal with ceremonies, and provide guidance to members who were discovering their abilities.

Damon told Valerian that Talia was placed with a family of humans who were aware of creatures and that Alpha Howard took Talia from there. They had no information about how Alpha Howard found out about Talia and if he knew how special she was, but it all pointed out that he had some awareness because he kept her hidden. The Red Moon pack emphasized warriors, so if he took her as any other orphan, Talia would end up in the barracks and not hidden in the attic.

The more Valerian thought about it, the more suspicious he became.

Sophia fidgeted under Valerian's unyielding gaze. She didn't know why he was standing there without a word spoken. He didn't seem to be mind-linking anyone and she had no idea that he could hear the thoughts of everyone around him, Sophia's included.

Isaac couldn't take it anymore. "Why are we here?"

"Shouldn't you greet your brother-in-law?" Valerian asked. "Or did you forget who I am?"

"That…" Isaac was unsure what to say. He and Sophia spoke through the mind link so much this evening that it seemed like it was days since they realized that Valerian was alive and present at the ceremony.

"We didn't forget," Sophia said. "We are surprised to see you here. Where have you been? Why didn't you come home?"

"I bet you are surprised, my dear sister," Valerian's words were dripping with sarcasm. "Where have I been? If you used your ability, you would be able to find me."

Sophia's eyes widened, and then she glared at Cassandra who was standing behind Valerian. Other than Alphas, only Oracle knew about the abilities of the pack members because she was in charge of guiding them on how to discover and perfect their unique traits.

Valerian sneered. "Instead of searching for me, you decided to restrict usage of the portal. Why? Were you afraid that people would leave? Or were you preventing someone from coming back?"

Sophia shook her head. "You have no right to judge me. You left. Mom and dad left. I did…" She paused to glance at Isaac. "WE did what we thought was the best of the pack."

Valerian was about to say something, but then he turned to look to his right with a frown.

Sophia and Isaac looked in that direction, and a few seconds later, they could see the crowd parting and bowing while creating a path for Talia and Damon.

"Are we late?" Talia asked Valerian.

Valerian released a long breath. "I didn't want to interrupt your party."

"The party is not interrupted," Talia said and turned to look at the people around them. "It seems that the party is here. Please, continue."

"Do we need to do this in front of our people?" Sophia asked.

"Yes," Talia responded. "The time when you did things in secrecy is gone. Our people deserve to know what happened because this impacts them all. Don't you think so?"

No, Sophia didn't think so!

"You will kick us when we are down?" Sophia asked Talia. "You are Alpha, and we are outcasts. Isn't that enough?"

"ENOUGH!?" Valerian shouted, and Sophia and Isaac jumped in fright.

"It will be enough when you return my daughter two decades of life she lost!"

By now, almost everyone from the Midnight Guardians pack was gathered there, and some other werewolves were in attendance also, curious to find out what was going on.

Axel and Yasmin also came, and so did Evanora and Edgar, carrying Valeria and Edgar (the babies) in their arms.

Sophia knew that begging for mercy won't work. If anything, it will only infuriate Valerian further. Besides, she would never beg, no matter the circumstances. She had Alpha blood running in her veins, and Alphas don't apologize or beg.

"I did what was best at that time," Sophia said. "You left. Mom and dad left. Our people needed guidance, and there was no one else to take over that role, so I stepped up. I admit. I was not ready, but whose fault was that? Why were you the only one with training? I had no idea how to lead a pack, and I focused on preserving what we had. I restricted the use of the portal because it was the only way to keep our people safe. You would do the same."

"Maybe I would," Valerian said. "But after some time, I would see that my people were not happy. That they were suffering and that they needed their mates."

Sophia shook her head. "It was not safe. What's the point of letting them go out to find mates if they don't come back? Our scouts reported that our people were hunted, and we knew that others coveted our abilities. It was better to stay unmated and safe than to give them hope only to be captured and used for who-knows-what!"

Valerian turned to Talia. "Yet my daughter managed to do it. She found a way for our people to seek mates and stay safe, and she didn't use her lack of training as an excuse."

Valerian shook his head and narrowed his eyes at Sophia. "But that's not why I brought you here. Since I heard what you've done to Natalia, I was trying to come up with the right punishment for you two and everyone involved."

Cassandra took a step back from Valerian. She knew she couldn't flee, but this little distance gave her a tiny dose of security.

Sophia was staring at Valerian. "What will you do?"

"I thought of sealing your abilities, but Natalia already did that."

The crowd stirred. They didn't know that Sophia and Isaac were stripped of their abilities. That was the worst punishment for a member of the Midnight Guardians pack.

In order to have their abilities, they refrained from carnal pleasures until they found their mates. It might not sound like a big deal, but as werewolves, they were licentious, and celibacy went against their nature. In a way, it was torture. After they found their mates and gained abilities, it took a long time to discover and master its uses. Everyone was proud of their ability, no matter how small or useful it was.

Valerian sneered as he could hear the thoughts of the pack members. His sister always had a knack for talking so that she tells the truth, yet in a way that paints her as the victim. "You think that's a harsh punishment? It's exactly what they were planning to do to Natalia."

Gasps mixed with 'Ohs' and 'Ahs' were heard from the crowd.

Valerian raised his hand to get them to quiet down. "And not only to Natalia, but to her mate as well."

Another wave of murmurs swelled through the crowd.

"Alpha Valerian," Cassandra called. "Can I tell them what happened?"

Valerian responded with a small nod, and Cassandra started with her prophecy related to Talia.

Cassandra shrunk under Sophia's gaze, but she found strength in Valerian's presence. She knew that she had a role in this, and she thought that this was a way to come out clean.

"The baby girl you left us for safekeeping had a strong spirit, and we knew she was the one from the prophecy. Alpha Sophia and Alpha Isaac decided to take her away to prevent calamity. Everyone knows that my prophecies are vague and open to interpretation, but Alpha Sophia and Alpha Isaac were convinced that the child would bring downfall to the Midnight Guardians pack," Cassandra said. "I found out about what happened after the baby was gone, and they said that with her not knowing about her heritage, she won't save herself for her mate, which meant that her abilities won't awaken. Our next Alpha grew up as an Omega in the Red Moon pack, hiding and starving."

"I didn't know that Alpha Howard would take her!" Sophia hissed.

'She is lying,' Liseli spoke in Talia's head, and Talia gasped.

Chapter 1007 Valerian's anger (2)

'What do you mean, she is lying?' Talia asked Liseli.

'I can only tell if her statement was a lie or truth,' Liseli responded. 'For anything more than that, we need to look into her mind. What do you say?'

Liseli was eager to find out Sophia's secrets and make her an imbecile in the process.

'No.' Talia refused. 'I'm sure my father will handle this.'

Talia didn't want to know the contents of Sophia's mind. Sophia was ugly on the inside, and Talia was still scarred by the monstrosities that stemmed from Tristan's, Luis', and Stephanie's memories. Looking into the minds of other people came with a price, and Talia couldn't disassociate herself from those gruesome scenes that were etched into her mind like she was there, like she was the one doing it. Beatings, blood, crying, backstabbing…

'Kitten?' Damon called through their mind link. He picked up Talia's unstable emotions.

Talia didn't want to talk about it, but she didn't want to hide what she had just discovered. 'She knew about Alpha Howard.'

Damon's eyes instantly turned black, and he glared at Sophia, who was focused on Valerian.

"You knew that Talia was in the Red Moon pack," Damon said in a low voice, and his Alpha aura pressed on Sophia and Isaac. "She was abused to the point of her wolf weakening, yet you did nothing! She was just a child!"

Sophia was instantly covered in a cold sweat, and her body bent at an awkward angle. "I…"

"THE TRUTH!" Valerian shouted, and his words carried his Alpha aura.

"I… I…" Sophia tried to resist, but it was in vain, as Valerian's command was directed at her.

"I knew," Sophia said. "So what? Some guy from the Red Moon pack or any other, it didn't matter. As long as they took her first time, she would be harmless. She wouldn't know what she lost, and we would be safe."

"Safe?" Damon asked in disbelief. "Who are these WE you are talking about? Isn't that just you and your mate? You left a helpless child to fend for herself while hoping that some guy will..." Damon couldn't finish. He took a sharp breath and glared at Sophia and Isaac. "This was about the two of you keeping your Alpha positions. If the pack knew that the rightful heir existed, you would just be temporary Alphas until Talia came of age, and Axel would never get the title of the next Alpha."

Axel was alerted. "I didn't…" He stopped talking when Talia raised her hand.

"You didn't know," Talia said, and she looked at Axel seriously. "You are not responsible for the actions of your parents. Without your persistence, I wouldn't find out who I was. For that, I thank you."

Axel put his hand over his chest. "There is no need to thank me, Alpha. I did what was right." ( we are NovelFire.nEt)

"You turned on your parents!" Sophia said angrily.

"I did what you taught me," Axel said. "Didn't you say that the family sticks together? Didn't you say that the pack comes first? Or were those teachings only when they worked in your favor? I couldn't believe that you… How could you...? Even when she came to you for help, instead of fixing the wrongs, you…" Axel couldn't finish his sentences, and he was grateful that Yasmin hugged him. He found comfort in her presence.

Talia's temper flared as she remembered how she found Damon on the altar with dark runes restraining him. "I came to you for help, yet you used dark magic to suppress Damon's abilities. Why? He was not related to your pack."

"He was already too strong. No one should have so much power," Sophia said.

Talia sneered. "You wanted to say, no one should have so much power unless it's YOU! Your action warrants a war with the Dark Howlers pack. Did you think about that? Or were you counting that no one will find out what happened, and you can tuck it under the rug as other heinous things you did?"

"My parents will be ashamed to hear of this," Kai said in a low voice, and he leaned on Meg, who was holding him as his legs were wobbly. Kai's parents didn't play a big role, but they were proud to be Betas of the Midnight Guardians pack, yet their Alphas sacrificed a baby, and their reckless actions nearly caused a war with the biggest pack in North America.

Axel swayed as the whole forest was spinning. Since he found out that Sophia and Isaac had given Talia away, he believed it was because of their ignorance and fear, and this… just what was this?

Sophia and Isaac knew Talia was in the Red Moon pack!?

Of course, they knew. His mother's ability was to see things. Even if she didn't know where exactly Talia was, with enough time and focus, she could find her, and his father's ability was teleporting. They could rescue Talia anytime, yet they pretended she didn't exist. They probably knew about the horrid treatment Talia endured, and they did nothing! Did they know about Valerian also? What about his grandparents and all those missing pack members?

Axel was a father, and he couldn't believe that the same people who taught him about moral values gave an innocent baby away with the hope that some random man would defile so they could keep their positions. Axel thought of the Alpha position as magnificent, but his parents made it dirty!

Axel lowered his head in shame. How could he look Talia in the eyes? How could he face their people? Could he look into his parents? He wanted to hug Valeria and Edgar and to keep them close… away from Sophia and Isaac.

"It's OK," Yasmin said while tightening her hug on Axel, and she spoke only for him to hear, "You are your own person. You are a wonderful father and even better mate. Our people love and support you."

Axel leaned his forehead on Yasmin's shoulder, and he listened to her comforting words while taking deep breaths to fill his lungs with her scent of jasmine, which had the power to calm his anxiety.

Sophia saw that Axel turned away from her. And it was not just Axel; everyone either avoided her gaze or looked at her with dejection. She was an Alpha everyone admired, yet now they were looking at her like she was a criminal.

"You are doing this on purpose!" Sophia hissed at Valerian.

"What? Exposing you? Yes."

Isaac held Sophia's shoulders, and he gave her a squeeze while saying through their mind link. 'Calm down. Being angry won't solve anything other than turning others against us. We will talk about this later.'

"I agree," Valerian said. "Being angry won't solve anything, but I think everyone here already is against what you did."

Isaac gaped at Valerian. "How do you…?" He stopped talking when Valerian narrowed his eyes at him, and he heard Valerian's voice in his mind, 'Watch your next words, Isaac. At this point, I see Sophia as the culprit and you as an ignorant sheep. You probably want it to stay that way.'

Isaac couldn't believe this. Did Valerian call him a sheep? How degrading. He was a werewolf Alpha! And how did Valerian force that message in? Isaac closed up his mind link, so it was only between Sophia and Isaac. Was Valerian so much stronger, or was that his ability?

Declyn watched this from the side with amusement. He was wondering how ex-

Alphas would end up. It was obvious that they offended strong characters, and their whole pack disapproved of their actions.

'Lis?' Talia called. 'Would their plan work if Damon didn't find me?'

'No,' Liseli responded. 'The blood of a Goddess is strong in you. You suffered while growing up only because of their ignorance. Aren't you angry?'

Surprisingly, Talia was not angry. She was numb.

'That's fine,' Liseli said. 'I can be angry for both of us. Regarding your abilities that stem from your bloodline, even without me, if your body and spirit were fine, you would have them. It is not related to that wild night of sex in the Lightclaw pack.'

Talia couldn't believe that she was blushing in this situation, but Liseli sent her mental images of Talia and Damon in the tub, fireworks, and then fireworks of a different kind in the bedroom. Kisses, caresses, and the way Damon looked at her while promising that she would be his last. Talia could feel her stomach tightening at the vivid memories of the stretch and friction as he made his way inside her.

Instead of being angry at Sophia and Isaac for abandoning her, Talia was looking at Damon dreamily.

Damon turned to Talia in slow motion, and he looked at her questionably.

Talia knew he could sense her emotions which didn't match the situation, but it was not a bad thing.

"I refuse to let them take away any more happiness than they already did," she said. "I choose to be happy with you." She spread her hands to gesture at everyone. "I choose to be happy with all of you. Past should teach us lessons, and we should not allow ourselves to be weighed down by it. Sophia and Isaac wronged me, and I punished them for it. They wronged my father, and it is on him to decide how he will deal with it. They also wronged the Midnight Guardians pack, and it's up to each of you to decide what you will do about it."

Isaac looked around nervously, and Sophia felt like fainting from anger. Did Talia permit everyone from the Midnight Guardians pack to take a swing at them?

 

Chapter 1008 Valerian's anger (3)

"That's nonsense!" Sophia hissed. "Even without our positions, we are still Alphas. How can you ask pack members to attack us? Do you expect us to sit and do nothing?"

"No one said you can't defend yourself," Talia said. "The strongest ones rule, and everyone depends on their abilities. Without your abilities, you are just an Alpha. Without your pack's support, you are a weak Alpha. I wonder how things would turn out if you faced someone with abilities."

Talia looked at the people surrounding them. "Do you think this is cruel? Sophia gave me away after her brother asked her to take care of me, and Isaac enabled her. If they abandoned their own family, do you think they would spare yours? These two already showed that they don't care about you. They kept the whole pack imprisoned, knowing you were suffering. Sophia can say it was not a big deal because her mate was by her side. They claim it was for the best of the pack, and I'm calling out their hypocrisy."

"Sophia doesn't know what you are talking about," Valerian said to Talia. "Living without a mate is worse than dying. Your soul cries for its other half, and there is nothing you can do about it. You move, talk, eat, and force yourself to smile. Every morning you are disappointed that death didn't welcome you because you would do anything to end the agony."

Talia's heart ached for her father, and she was grateful for Damon's hold tightening around her.

Talia shared Liseli's emotions which gave her first-hand experience of living without a mate. The idea of living apart from Damon was heartbreaking, and Damon's solid embrace provided comfort.

Sapa gave Damon a glimpse of many lifetimes without a mate, and Damon knew that Valerian was not exaggerating.

And it was not just Damon and Talia; all mated couples were holding each other tightly while unmated ones felt the longing for their other half they were yet to meet.

Valerian spoke to Sophia and Isaac. "What the two of you did was killing the pack. Slowly torturing them until they lost their will to live. For that, you will need to make amends with every pack member."

"You were not there!" Sophia said.

"I wasn't. That's why it doesn't apply to me. But I will punish you for what you did to my daughter and me."

"What?" Isaac asked weakly.

"I entrusted you with Natalia's safety when she was barely a few months old. I left her thinking she was safe with family, yet you discarded her because you saw her as someone who would jeopardize your position. Giving her away was an act against the rightful Alpha of the Midnight Guardians pack. That was treason against the family and the pack. For that…" Valerian narrowed his eyes. "I will take away your spirits."

Sophia and Isaac stared at Valerian while wondering if he was serious. How could he take away spirits? Wasn't that taking away their wolves? That's murder while letting them stay alive!

"You said she was the culprit, and I was…" Isaac's voice trailed when he saw Sophia glaring at him.

"You are right," Valerian said to Isaac. "Sophia was responsible, but you were right by her side, watching it unfold. You could have stopped it, but you let it happen. For that, you are guilty of acting against a direct descendent of the Moonrider family, the future Alpha of the Midnight Guardians pack. The penalty should be death or life in the dungeon, but I won't stoop to your level. When I'm done, you will be able to walk away with your lives."

Without any warning, Sophia and Isaac fell to their knees. Every cell in their bodies screamed in agonizing pain as part of their essence was extracted, making them feel like their flesh was slowly peeled off.

Talia looked at her father to see that his eyes were glowing in silvery light, and she could recognize the energies that belonged to the Guardians. Pulses of wind that spread from Valerian carried Astraea's essence. Talia remembered that Valerian said her mother used her energy to protect him, which worked years later whenever Guardians tried to harm him. Was he using that energy now? It looked like it.

'Lis, we need to help him.'

'How?'

'He is using the last thing my mother left behind. That energy is not his, so he won't be able to recover it.'

'Maybe that's for the best. Without traces of Astraea, there is a chance he could move on.'

'Nonsense!' Talia responded angrily. 'Could you move on without Sapa? Would you move on if you had a choice?'

Liseli didn't respond, but Talia felt that her wolf regretted her words. Liseli loved Sapa more than life itself, just as Talia loved Damon. Would she want to move on if Sapa was dead? She was waiting and hoping for centuries, and even if it were ten times longer, she wouldn't give up on the hope that they would reunite; if not in this life, then in the next one.

Talia got out of Damon's embrace and walked toward Valerian.

Valerian didn't move a muscle when Talia's hand landed on his shoulder, and the warmth spread from their point of contact to the rest of Valerian's body.

Talia felt Damon's hand holding hers.

'Don't stop me, Damon,' Talia spoke to him through the mind link.

'I am not stopping you, kitten. I am offering you my energy so you can keep yours for our pup.'

Talia wanted to say how she had plenty of energy to spare, but she knew that Damon wanted to support her, and she let him have it.

'Thank you, Damon.'

It lasted less than a minute. When it was over, Sophia and Isaac were lying on the ground and crying as their limbs twitched. It was a pitiful sight.

Valerian released a long breath and looked up into the sky speckled with numerous stars. Was Astraea watching him? It was almost like he could feel her presence. Or was that because Talia channeled her energy through him? She was so much like her mother that it brought him to tears. He missed his mate to the point of madness.

Talia noticed that Valerian was lost in his thoughts, and she focused on Sophia and Isaac who were struggling to breathe.

Talia wanted to leave Sophia and Isaac alone, she really did. For Axel's sake. However, with them not showing remorse after all this time, Talia realized that keeping them around would give them a chance to cause more harm.

Talia and Damon didn't figure out if Sophia and Isaac had anything to do with Yasmin and the twins ending up in the hands of the Guardians, but that would only add to their existing crimes and not change the outcome.

"Sophia and Isaac of the Midnight Guardians pack," Talia spoke in an official tone while releasing some of her Alpha aura. "For the crimes you committed against my pack, I, Alpha Natalia Moonrider, banish you from the Midnight Guardians pack."

Sophia and Isaac didn't have their wolves, which meant they didn't have the pack link either, but Talia wanted everyone to know about them being unwelcome.

Talia spoke to the pack members gathered. "You heard what happened. If you want to know more, the pack Oracle can tell you about it. I will leave it up to you to decide if this was enough to punish them for what they did. They are no more than humans now. If you want to maintain contact with Sophia and Isaac, you won't be persecuted. However, they are outsiders and are not welcome into the territory of the Midnight Guardians pack."

"I will join my mate and declare that Sophia and Isaac are not welcome in the territory of the Dark Howlers pack," Damon said. He wanted to punish them for acting against him, but they were just humans, and there was nothing left to take from them. Killing them would do them a favor. He wanted them to suffer.

Tony stepped forward from the crowd. "I will use this opportunity to announce that Sophia and Isaac are not welcome in the territory of the Lightclaw pack. People who don't care about their family won't care about their allies either."

"The Blue River pack is joining in branding Sophia and Isaac as unwelcome," Maddox said from the side.

Cristian was also there. "Sophia and Isaac are not welcome in the Spring Leaf pack. If caught near the border, they will be treated as hostile."

Talia didn't realize when Maddox, Tony, and Cristian came here. Now that she paid attention, she realized that the audience had swelled significantly.

Talia was touched that Tatiana, Kalina, and Michelle stood by their mates, silently supporting their decision.

Talia's eyes fell on Axel, whose head was lowered. Yasmin was standing by Axel with her arms around him. Evanora and Edgar were there also, holding the twins, who were sleeping peacefully, totally unaware of the commotion.

Talia walked to Axel and Yasmin. "I am sorry, Axel. I know they were good parents to you. If you want to provide for them, you are welcome to do so, but not in my territory. As my proxy, this is the only thing you cannot override."

"Do I deserve that position?" Axel asked.

"You do," Talia assured him. "Not because of your bloodline, but because you showed me that you care for our pack and for what we are trying to accomplish here. The sins of parents shouldn't be transferred to their children. Everyone has the right to their fate. You are a capable Alpha, and I am honored to call you my friend. You shouldn't carry the weight of what your parents did, but you can continue fixing the damage they caused by taking care of the Midnight Guardians pack. That's what an Alpha would do."

Axel looked at Talia gratefully. "I vow to do my best for our pack."

Talia smiled and gave him a brief hug with, "I know you will."

 

Chapter 1009 Forgiving Cassandra

Talia noticed Cassandra, who was standing behind Valerian.

"Come here," Talia said.

Cassandra's heart was stuck in her throat. This was it, and she was terrified. But she couldn't run away. There was nowhere to hide.

She dragged her feet until she stood before Talia, and she lowered her head respectfully. "Alpha."

Cassandra pressed her lips into a line and waited for the verdict. Will they take away her wolf? She watched Sophia and Isaac, and it looked painful.

"Don't be afraid," Talia said. "I want to return your ability."

Cassandra lifted her head to stare at Talia. "What?"

"I can't blame you for the prophecy or events triggered by it. I took away your ability because of your actions against Damon. What you did was morally wrong, but the truth is that a pack prospers only while following its Alpha. Damon will decide how to handle your punishment."

Talia thought about this. While fighting against rogues and Guardians, Damon and Talia depended on their warriors and allies to follow orders.

Cassandra obeyed Sophia and Isaac when they told her to suppress Damon's ability. If Cassandra refused, how would that compare to Stephanie collaborating with the Guardians because she thought it was the best for the pack? Which one should be punished? Was Cassandra's crime of following orders graver than Stephanie's for going against her Alpha and Luna? Can they even call what Cassandra did a crime? Talia didn't have answers to these questions, but she knew that if people acted on their own sense of justice, packs would fall apart, and their society would descend into chaos.

"I do not need my ability," Cassandra said.

Talia was surprised by this development. "Are you sure?"

"I lived without my ability for a long time." In the witches' realm, it felt like forever. "At first, I struggled to find my way without it, but thanks to not having it, I realized there is so much more to life. Living without my ability will be a reminder that I am someone who has access to the Alpha, and it is my duty to warn Alphas when they are about to commit a mistake, instead of just blindly following orders. My role should be more than an Oracle. I want to focus on interpreting prophecies and advising my Alpha. If you allow me to."

Talia approved. "Good that you know. Is there something else you would want instead of your ability?"

"There is something," Cassandra said in a small voice. "I heard that the Guardians have an impressive library. Would it be possible for me to go there and study? I will be available to our pack members when they need me."

"Alright," Talia said. "As long as it doesn't interfere with your current duties, you will get access to their library."

Cassandra bowed deeply. "Thank you, Alpha."

Talia turned to Damon. "What do you say?"

Damon frowned at Cassandra. "She nearly cost me my life." He exhaled sharply. "However, she was following orders." He looked at Talia. "She will be your advisor. How can I punish her now?"

Cassandra relaxed at Damon's words, but Talia's next words made her tense again.

"I didn't accept her as my advisor," Talia said. "You are free to punish her as you see fit."

Damon tucked a lock of hair behind Talia's ear. "She is from your pack."

Talia smiled. "If you don't want to punish her, just say so."

"I want to punish her."

"But you won't do it because of me."

Cassandra was sweating bullets while waiting for Damon to respond.

Damon turned to Cassandra, and she stopped breathing.

"Consider yourself lucky," Damon said in a dangerously low voice. "Becasue of my mate, I will forgive you. However, if I suspect you are scheming something..."

Cassandra bowed deeply. "Thank you, Alpha Damon. I will obey my Alpha."

Damon hummed in approval, and Cassandra took that as a sign that it was safe to move away. That was stressful.

Sophia and Isaac watched as people looked at Talia with admiration, and some even started leaving to join the event from where the music was coming.

"Wait, wait!" Sophia called. "Are you leaving us like this?"

People turned to look at her, hesitating, unsure what to do. Can they dare to vent their grievances on two people who were at the top of their pack not so long ago?

"You are worse than rogues! Even they don't give pups away," a male voice came from the crowd. It was Grady.

"What you did was infanticide," Varya said. "You took away our Alpha's identity and condemned her to a life without roots. Everyone deserves to know from where they came."

"You left a baby outside the protection of the pack while hoping someone would harm her!" Meg shouted while holding onto her protruding belly. "What kind of a monster does that?"

"And to think that the child was YOUR family!" Sandy exclaimed, and the crowd started swelling with murmurs that erupted with shouts.

"You would abandon us without a second thought!"

"If you didn't deprive us of our Alpha, we wouldn't need to live in isolation!"

"You were so greedy to be an Alpha that you would sacrifice an innocent child!"

"I have my mate thanks to Alpha Natalia!"

"If Alpha Natalia didn't come, I wouldn't have a pup on the way!"

"Axel! Axel!" Sophia called desperately when she realized that people were approaching her and Isaac.

Axel stood frozen while staring at his parents like they were strangers.

He grew up believing that his parents were righteous, and he looked up to them. They were the perfect example of two Alphas balancing their duties while taking care of the pack. Axel believed they were above other Alphas who treated their Lunas as accessories.

Axel was plagued by memories of his birthdays and holidays, where he was surrounded by presents, laughter, and good food, while Talia was scraping for leftovers in a hostile environment. All those joyous events were supposed to be hers, and his parents knew that Talia was suffering, yet they acted like everything was fine.

Axel wondered if there were some signs that he had missed.

He didn't understand why they were against his desire to confirm if Talia was a member of the Midnight Guardians pack. At what point did they confirm who she was?

Axel remembered when his father accompanied him to check on Damon after Talia marked him, and they confirmed that Talia had healing ability and convinced her that she needed to come to the Midnight Guardians pack. Was all that planned?

The lack of remorse was numbing.

Axel was still in shock from recent events, and he needed time to process things. Even with his future-predicting ability, he didn't see this coming.

The angry mob was now ganging up on Sophia and Isaac.

"Ahh!" Sophia shrieked when someone tugged her hair.

People gathering around Sophia and Isaac blocked Axel's view completely, and he could see the light flashing as someone used his (or her) abilities.

Axel turned to look at Yasmin.

She cupped his cheeks with her palms. "It will be alright, Axel. We have our babies and each other."

Axel didn't respond. Will he be alright after this? Time will tell.

He put his arm around Yasmin's shoulders, and they walked away with Evanora and Edgar, who were carrying the sleeping twins.

"Dad?" Talia called to get Valerian's attention.

He looked at her with a complex expression. "I am alright. Why don't you go and enjoy your party? I'm sorry for…"

"There is nothing to be sorry about," Talia interrupted him.

"Thank you, Natalia," Valerian said seriously.

Valerian moved toward the party, and Cassandra was two steps behind him.

Talia was not sure if she should go after Valerian. Did he want company, or would he prefer to be alone? Her attention fell on the man who stood on the side and observed everything with amusement.

"Enjoying the show?" Talia asked Declyn.

Declyn cocked an eyebrow. "Watching you is never boring."

Damon growled in warning, and Declyn quickly raised his hands in surrender. "I meant as a spectator. I haven't seen a transfer of energy as the two of you are doing. Would you show me how it works? You never accepted my offer to activate the sphere of power again. I want to get a comprehensive reading of your power."

"Maybe next time," Talia responded. Since they defeated Gregory, Declyn was of big help in terms of sharing information, but Talia couldn't figure out his motive. Surely, he had a reason for turning against his people. "Will you keep an eye on Cassandra while she is in your library?"

"What do I get in return?" Declyn responded with a question.

"You get to see our energy transfer."

Declyn looked at Talia suspiciously. "What about the sphere of power?"

"You can pick one," Talia said.

"How long do I need to babysit that female before I get my payment?"

"How about… one month?"

Declyn nodded in agreement and left.

Talia looked up to meet Damon's frown. "You disapprove?"

Damon shook his head. He didn't like the idea of Talia interacting with Guardians. They gave him heebie-jeebies.

Damon pulled Talia on him. "How about we leave this party? I have a feeling that dress is uncomfortable."

He wiggled his eyebrows mischievously, and Talia burst into giggles.

"It is getting itchy, almost," she said.

Damon had a feeling he won't like the rest. "But?"

Talia looked toward the noisy crowd. "After this, we should assure people that things are OK. We should assure them that we are OK before we disappear."

"What do you suggest?" Damon asked dryly.

 

Chapter 1010 Checking on friends

Damon and Talia walked around the event area while observing the crowd and occasionally stopping to chat as good hosts.

Talia's intention was for people to see them before they disappeared for a while. The plan was for Damon and Talia to travel and enjoy privacy for a month with the clause that for one week they were not to be disturbed even if heaven collapses. Beyond that, they could be contacted in case of an emergency, and Talia hoped that no emergency will happen.

Talia leaned on Damon, and she basked in his love that poured into her through their mate bond. That perfect male specimen was powerful and arrogant, yet he was so caring and considerate toward her. The fact that Damon was proud to have Talia by his side made her heart full.

This was a far cry from Damon trying to hide her because he was ashamed of her. Did he ever hide her? Talia remembered the Summer Solstice festival when he got really close in front of the clocktower to whisper into her ear how he can't stay away from her. She also remembered that same evening they spent among the vendor stalls, and she realized that Damon always held her close. She couldn't feel his emotions, but he was always right by her side, looking at her, talking to her, holding her hand, and making her blush.

"What's going on, kitten?" Damon's husky voice sounded close to her ear.

"I was blind," Talia said.

"You were?" Damon wanted more information.

Talia shook her head helplessly. "I'm sorry for not realizing sooner we are mates." Damon came to the attic and held her and licked her wound and insisted on taking her out of that hell, and he gave her a home, and food and… "I didn't know what it means to have a mate." And even if she knew, she would never think that a no-name wolfless she-wolf could be mated to such an exquisite male.

Damon touched her chin. "But you know now, right?"

"I do," Talia responded dreamily and leaned on Damon while continuing through their mind-link, 'You are my rock. You make me nervous, happy, and safe.'

'And horny,' Damon added, and Talia burst into giggles.

'That too.'

'I wish you could see the way I see you, kitten.'

Talia was curious to know more. 'How do you see me?'

'Naked.'

Talia was speechless. She thought he would be lovey-dovey, but he was shameless.

Before Talia could recover, Damon asked, 'How long do we need to spend in this crowd before I can stop imagining you squirming under me? I want your ankles on my shoulders, kitten, and I want them now.'

Talia looked at him smugly. 'What if I want to be on top?'

'There will be no objections from my side,' Damon quickly responded.

Talia tugged him to keep walking. "Come on, Damon. A bit more, and then we can go…" She wanted to go too, but if she didn't at least make eye contact with her friends before leaving, she would feel guilty about it.

They have seen Cornelia and James dancing. Cornelia's fingers were in James' hair, and they whispered something that made them both smile.

Maddox and Tatiana were sitting at the table and chatting with Gideon, Mindy, Alpha Desmond, and Luna Edith. Six of them were enjoying snacks and sipping colorful beverages.

Olivia was with Travis at another table with Olivia's parents. The mood there was harmonious.

Maya was talking with several females while Caden held Maya from the back with his palms pressing her perfectly flat belly. Caden was beaming at the thought he would be a father. Triplets!

George, Dawn, Owen, and Zina were sitting at a table. George was quiet, and others were talking over each other. It sounded like a heated argument, but they were laughing, so it was all good.

Tony was on a bench with Kalina's legs on his lap. He was kneading her feet, and she looked at him dreamily.

Jordan, Lidia, Pierce, and Daria laughed at Jordan's joke. Jordan was a big muscular guy and didn't look like a comedian, but looks could be deceiving.

While walking among the area with food, Talia and Damon saw Chef Page behind a stall that served ramen. His assistant was a female who introduced herself as Clarissa, and Jane was there as well, offering extra spice to prepared bowls of ramen. Jane wore a small backpack with Cinna's head sticking out of it. They looked like a tight family, and Talia's heart was swelling with warm and fuzzy emotions while talking to them.

Zack, Erik, and Petra were in the area where kebobs were grilled. The trio munched on delicious meat while chatting in a good mood. Zack, Erik, and Petra were surrounded by teens, and they sat on a rock that made them above others, an obvious sign of their status.

Zack's eighteenth birthday was two weeks ago, which put him at the top of the list of unmated males of the Dark Howlers pack.

Many unmated girls were trying to get close to Zack, hoping to confirm they were mates. Even if the girls were underage, Zack should be able to sense the bond, but he didn't react, which made the girls dejected. Zack was a handsome boy, the best scout in their generation. The recent upgrade in his status gave him open access to Caden and Maya and, by extension, to other high ranking members also. Zack was a good catch by any standards.

Erik was one month away from his eighteenth birthday, so girls were not neglecting him either.

Petra had her hands full of chasing away girls who wouldn't take no for an answer from her two best friends (Zack and Erik). Her glaring down at females was funny to watch.

'It will be not-so-funny when she comes of age,' Liseli chimed into Talia's mind.

'Why?'

Liseli exhaled dramatically. 'You are so focused on what the girl is doing that you don't notice the brown-haired boy.'

Talia understood that the brown-haired boy was Zack. He was smiling at Petra. Talia thought that Zack was amused by Petra's protectiveness, but now that Liseli mentioned it… 'Are Zack and Petra mates?'

Liseli hummed in confirmation. 'And Zack knows it.'

Talia sighed dreamily.

"Is our walk over?" Damon asked Talia without bothering to conceal his impatience by talking through their mind link.

Talia cocked an eyebrow at Damon, and she used their private channel to ask, 'Can Sapa sense when someone is mated?'

Damon's expression fell. He was hoping that the walk was over and it was sexy time. But Talia asked him a question, so he responded, 'Yes.'

'Did Sapa tell you that Zack and Petra are mates?'

'No,' Damon responded, and a second later, he added, 'The old guy says it's not our circus and not our monkeys.'

'Did he call me a gossip!?' Liseli raged in Talia's mind.

Since Talia was pregnant, they couldn't shift into wolf form. On top of that, pregnancy hormones affected the ancient wolf, making Liseli irritable.

"Let's keep on walking," Talia said, hoping to get distracted by something else.

Cristian and Michelle were holding each other and watching Ashton who was squealing with joy in the bouncy house with a bunch of other kids.

They saw a lot of people having fun, but Damon noticed that someone was missing.

"Where are Keith and Arya?" Damon asked suspiciously. Those two were always sticking to Talia, but now that he thought about it, Damon didn't see them since they cut the cake.

Talia smiled knowingly. "Shortly after our ceremony, Arya showed signs of heat, so…"

Damon's eyebrows shot up. He knew where this was going. If Arya got pregnant, Keith and Arya would be busy with their pup, which was a good thing because the duo would do something other than breathe down Talia's neck.

On the other side, if Keith and Arya became parents, Talia would lose reliable guards, and Damon had to admit that Keith and Arya were perfect for the job. Creepy, but still perfect.

With the full circle completed, Talia wanted to check on another person. "Let's make sure my father is alright, and then we can go."

Damon's eyes lost focus, and in less than a second, he confirmed Valerian's location.

Talia and Damon found Valerian in the garden behind the packhouse. Cassandra was there also, standing a few steps away from Valerian in silence.

"Why are you not enjoying your party?" Valerian asked when he noticed Talia and Damon approaching them.

"I wanted to check on you," Talia said. "How are you doing?"

Valerian released a long breath. "A little bit better. Are those two alive?"

Damon knew that "those two" were Sophia and Isaac. Damon was getting real-time reports from soldiers. "They received care for their injuries and are transported to the human city as we speak."

"Do you know what will happen to them?" Valerian continued probing.

"They will be left in an apartment that is furnished and has food for about one week. They will also get identification documents like humans. After that, it will be up to them," Damon responded.

"You are generous toward people who hoped for your death," Valerian said.

"In this way, we will get to keep an eye on them. Besides, they are Axel's parents, and if I allowed them to die, Talia would be upset. She cares about her cousin." Damon's eyes flashed dangerously. "But don't assume I am generous. Someone will pay them a visit every few days to remind them that no place is safe."

Valerian nodded in approval. "They will get to experience living a life similar to what Natalia had."

"Exactly," Damon confirmed.