Ch. 1011..1020

Chapter 1011 Another type of portal (1)

"We are going to be absent for some time. Will you be alright?" Talia spoke to Valerian.

"I will leave," Valerian responded with finality.

Talia didn't want him to go, but she couldn't ask him to stay when she was the one leaving first. It would be a selfish thing to do. Besides, Valerian was physically fine, and she knew that he wouldn't be in that garden forever.

"When are you leaving?" Talia asked.

"I was thinking of heading out tomorrow."

"To the Midnight Guardians pack?" Talia guessed.

"No."

"I see," Talia breathed. "How long will you be away?"

"I don't know."

Talia didn't like the uncertainty. "Can you give me an estimate? A month? A year?"

"Is there a rush?" Valerian asked.

"No, not really. It's just..." Talia decided to come out clean. "I thought you would take over the Midnight Guardians pack as the Alpha."

"As the Alpha?" Valerian repeated in surprise.

"You would be the Alpha of the Midnight Guardians pack if things were different. Our people need a leader, and my hands are full with things here. Axel could help and be your proxy, so it's not too much work."

Valerian shook his head, rejecting the idea. "That's your position, Natalia. I have no right or desire to claim it. Our people admire you and follow you willingly. You are already doing great, and I'm confident you will do so for a very long time."

Talia was alerted. Why did his words sound like a goodbye? "Where are you going? When will you return? Why are you secretive?"

"It's not about keeping secrets. It's about not knowing where I will go," Valerian responded, and Talia's expression told him she was confused. "It's just…" He released a long breath. "It's suffocating."

Talia's brows came together in worry. "What?"

Valerian held Talia's shoulders. "You did nothing wrong, Natalia. You and your mate allowed me to stay here and get better, and I am grateful. But the only thing recovering is my body. My mind is trapped in the past, and my soul is empty." Painfully empty. "I miss my mate, and I need a distraction before I do something I will regret."

Valerian's wolf was in agony. The mate bond was there, but they couldn't act on it. Valerian feared that his wolf might turn feral or lose control. He didn't want to show that ugly side to Talia. She suffered enough.

Talia's eyes filled with tears. She knew that Valerian was suffering, and she gave him space to heal, believing that he would find purpose in being with her and maybe leading the Midnight Guardians pack. She had a pup on the way, which would make Valerian a grandfather, but it seemed none of that could fill the gap Astraea's absence created.

Valerian pressed his lips into a line. "I don't want to upset you, but… I have been watching you since I got here, and I can see that you have a good life, friends, and a mate that takes good care of you. I can leave content, knowing that you will be happy." He looked at Damon. "Take care of Natalia."

Talia approached Valerian and wrapped her arms around him.

He hugged her back, and his heart cracked when he realized she was crying silently.

'This is the best for all of us,' Valerian's voice sounded in Damon's head. 'If I stay, I will only be a burden. I am grateful for everything you did, but I need to go before I run out of time.'

Damon nodded in understanding. He didn't know what that running out of time meant, but he was aware that Valerian was doting on Talia, and he wouldn't leave if it were not serious.

Valerian patted Talia's back. "There, there… don't be sad. I won't be gone forever. I will stay in touch."

Talia sniffled. "Don't lie. You won't be back."

"You don't know that," he said.

Talia raised her head to look into his eyes. "I can feel your wolf, dad." Liseli was telling Talia that Valerian's wolf's state was bad, but Talia was hopeful it would get better.

Valerian smiled sadly while thinking that she reminded him of Astraea, again. "Then, you know why I must go."

Talia fisted his shirt. "You can't go. There must be something we do."

"There is nothing you or anyone else can do, Natalia. The only one that can soothe my aches is not here."

Talia was not willing to accept this. It was one thing if Valerian wanted to see how the world changed in his absence and to explore new places, but he wanted to leave without the intention of returning.

She didn't want him to leave; she just found him.

That was her father, Alpha Valerian Moonrider. He was handsome and powerful, and he loved her. Since she was aware of her existence, Talia yearned for parents who loved her.

Talia looked up to see the moon, and she wondered if this was a joke from the Moon Goddess.

Is this why she saved him? Only so that she would lose him again?

Did he survive two decades in that dungeon, so his wolf would give up? Will Valerian turn rogue or go mad? How could Talia allow it to happen?

'I know what you are thinking,' Liseli said.

'You do? Why don't you come up with a solution?'

'Even if we assume that your mother's spirit is alive, she will be in a different realm, and there is no way for us to bring her here.'

'We can't bring her here,' Talia repeated. 'But… can we send my dad there?'

Liseli wondered if her ears malfunctioned. 'What?'

'We can teleport by focusing on a location or a person. Can we focus on my mother?'

'Uhm… it is possible theoretically, but we don't know your mother. What are you going to focus on? An image you received from a necklace?' What if she teleports her father into the necklace? That would be a disaster.

"Dad?" Talia called. "If you could see your mate again..."

"I would do anything," Valerian responded before Talia could finish her question.

Talia stepped away from him and rubbed her hands nervously. "I don't know if this will work. It might backfire. There are risks involved."

Valerian's brows came together. "Are you saying that you can reunite me with Astraea?"

"I can teleport anywhere as long as I know where I'm going. You said that you can feel her presence." Talia paused to see Valerian nod, and then she continued, "If you focus on your mate bond and let me in to feel it, I could take you there. Maybe."

Valerian stared at Talia as possessed, and he spoke breathily, "If there is even a one percent chance of success, I want us to do it. Please."

Talia's eyes roamed Valerian's expression nervously, and for the first time, she saw... hope. How could she deny him this?

'Kitten?' Damon's voice sounded in Talia's mind wearily. 'What are you trying to do now?'

'Uhm... I will need your help. Actually, I will need everyone's help...'

'Everyone's?' Damon had a bad feeling about this. Was his kitten about to do something reckless again? It looked like it.

 

Chapter 1012 Another type of portal (2)

Not long after…

"I thank you for coming here," Talia said to the people gathered at the back of the garden.

Wilkow sisters were there, and so were Evanora, Yasmin, Cornelia, and Amelia. Each with her mate, looking at Talia curiously. They were all enjoying the party, which didn't show signs of winding down, yet Talia summoned them here.

For some reason, Declyn was there as well.

"As you know, my mother is not with us," Talia started her explanation. "However, we have a reason to believe she is not dead. My father can feel her presence, and he can feel the mate bond, which tells us she is alive. I want to try opening a portal to connect the two, and I was wondering if you are willing to help."

"What do you want us to do?" Kalina asked.

Talia smiled, seeing that all her girlfriends nodded in agreement with Kalina's words.

"I will need energies, whatever you can gather," Talia said. Talia had no idea how much power would be needed for across the realm portal, but every bit counted.

Females got together to discuss strategies. Witches will set up a diagram and energy crystals, and the Wilkow sisters will chant to boost the effect. Cassandra was also eager to help.

Now that her girlfriends were busy, Talia was back to worrying. She turned to Valerian. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Valerian smiled. This time, his smile was genuine. "If you and Damon were apart and you had a small chance to reunite with him, even if it's just for a moment… would you take it?"

Talia sniffled and nodded.

"Don't be sad, Natalia," Valerian said. "If you can feel my wolf, you know I don't have much time left. I know I was not the father you deserve, and even with that, I am asking for more. I wish things had turned out differently. I wish you grew up with your family, raised as the future Alpha. Instead of giving you the upbringing and education you deserved, I came here and…" He released a long breath. "You still need to do things for your old man."

Valerian leaned closer to speak softly for Talia to hear. "In my old room, under the middle window, there is a loose board on the floor. Take the stuff that's in there. It's yours now. Also, in the master bedroom, on the built-in bookshelf, a red book in the topmost row is a lever that opens a secret passage. Only the rightful Alpha knows about these. Sophia was not the one."

Talia looked at her father with interest and sadness. There were so many things he should teach her, yet their time was running short.

What was hidden under the floorboard of Valerian's old room. Was there a diary? Trinkets? Treasures? She was not sure, but whatever it was, Talia knew she would cherish it.

"We are ready!" Tatiana announced.

Talia and Damon stood in the middle of a large circular diagram that witches had drawn. There were energy crystals piled up on five spots along the outer edge of the diagram.

The Wilkow sisters spread to stand next to energy crystals and started humming an ethereal tune.

Talia and Damon held hands, and Valerian was standing between them.

"Natalia," Valerian called. "No matter how this ends, remember that this is my will. You gave me hope to reunite with Astraea, and that's the best gift anyone could give." He leaned and pressed a kiss on her forehead.

Declyn was leaning on a nearby tree and watching all this from the side.

"It will be funny if nothing happens," Maddox said, and Declyn turned to look that way.

Maddox was standing with Tony, James, and other males who observed as their mates were performing a strange ritual no one understood, but they could feel the changes in the air.

"Cora's spells are always successful," James said proudly, earning several eye rolls from the guys present.

'Let's use the Moon's energy, Lis,' Talia spoke to her wolf.

'Selena is watching.'

'I hope she will help and not just watch,' Talia said, and Liseli laugh-

snorted.

'Focus on your father's mate bond, girl,' Liseli reminded Talia.

Talia's eyes were closed, but she could see the outlines of people present and the energies whooshing around them to form different colors; there was a bright white thread going from Valerian up into the sky until it couldn't be seen anymore.

Talia's and Damon's energies got a boost from the diagram, witches' chants, the Wilkow sister's song, energy crystals, and the Moon, turning the air tangible.

Liseli helped Talia to focus on the white thread that was going from Valerian, and they channeled energies to strengthen and thicken it.

Talia's hair exploded in silver, and Damon was shrouded in darkness. Valerian was between them, but his form disappeared in darkness and light that mixed to form something unfathomable.

The air buzzed, and then a bright pillar of light blasted straight up.

Talia's silvery eyes looked up to see the scene of the sky splitting. The crack expanded to show a form of a delicate female.

Talia blinked her tears rapidly because she didn't want to miss a thing.

Talia couldn't see details because the female's form was glowing brilliantly, but the familiarity of energies told her that was her mother.

One blink later, there was another form up there. They hugged and then turned to wave at Talia.

'Thank you, Natalia,' Valerian's voice sounded in Talia's head, and she could hear that he was smiling. 'Your mother says, there are more secrets in the necklace she left you, and… we will continue watching you from here.'

Damon jolted when Valerian's voice sounded in his head, 'Take care of our daughter and grandchildren. You will find fatherhood to be rewarding. Don't allow anyone to split you apart...'

The voice faded as the pillar of light pulsated, and then the light got sucked into the lifeless body that lay between Talia and Damon.

Talia held her breath while looking at Valerian's unmoving body that glowed blindingly. A long second later, light shot up and burst into specks that fell to the ground slowly.

Each speck carried rejuvenating energy, and people had delirious expressions.

Talia looked where Valerian used to be to see that he was gone. There was nothing left.

Was it a success? Or did she teleport her father's spirit into outer space, destroy his body, and hallucinate the rest?

"Did we do it?" Cornelia asked.

Talia was unsure how to respond, so she asked, "Did you see the portal?"

Cornelia's confused expression answered Talia's question. She didn't see the portal.

"I saw a pillar of light," Cassandra volunteered information. During the ceremony, Cassandra was chanting with witches and waving her arms wildly.

Talia looked around to see that everyone was nodding in agreement, and Yasmin's knowing gaze told Talia that Yasmin saw more. Was seeing the portal related to the bloodline of a guardian? With that in mind, Talia turned to the side to see Declyn looking at her with renewed interest. Yup. Definitely something related to the Guardians.

'I saw it,' Damon spoke to Talia through their mind link. 'There was a female there. Based on their warm greeting, I can tell it was your mother. You did it, kitten. We did it.'

Talia felt a mix of emotions. She was glad to know that her parents were reunited but sad that Valerian was out of reach. She wanted more time with her father, but she didn't stop him because she knew it wouldn't be fair. Talia couldn't be selfish. She met her father, and she knew he loved her, and he even vented his anger for her on Sophia and Isaac, which was more than she ever thought would be possible.

Talia told herself to be content with that one month they had together. But, if she knew it was only a month, she would make more time for him. Instead of a few hours here and there, she would spend whole days with him. Was there medicine for regret?

'Don't be so hard on yourself. He is not dead,' Liseli spoke into Talia's mind.

'Does it matter if he is dead when he is unreachable?'

'As the Alpha of the Midnight Guardians pack, you are connected to every pack member,' Liseli reminded Talia. 'Your father's connection is still there. As long as there is the link, no matter how faint, he is not lost.'

Talia's mood soared. 'Does that mean we can visit him and meet my mother?'

Liseli was not so enthusiastic. 'We don't know if that's a one-way trip. Let's not be hasty with the reunion. But I can tell you that your mother is powerful. Her energy reminded me of Selena.'

Talia listened with a dreamy smile on her face while hoping she could reunite with her parents soon. With both of them.

 

Chapter 1013: Fireworks of firsts

Once the euphoria caused by energy flurries subsided, Talia became aware of her surroundings.

She was standing in the middle of a diagram drawn on the grass by magical means, with Damon holding her. Their friends surrounded them, and everything was so quiet that Talia found her own breathing loud.

Talia's emotions fluctuated by the second.

Joy. Anxiety. Pride. Yearning. Guilt. And it was all wrapped in the layer of sorrow she couldn't shake off.

Talia was overwhelmed when she found her father in the dungeon below the Guardians' castle, and she was happy to see him getting better, and she hoped, she really hoped, that they would make up for their lost time.

She imagined them spending time together and Valerian telling her about every detail from his childhood until she was born, them going to the Midnight Guardians pack, visiting the realm of witches, and him playing with the grandkids she was yet to give birth to… But now it was gone. It won't happen.

Should she be this sad for losing things she never had?

Until a month ago, she thought her father was gone forever, but then she found him, and she allowed herself to dream, only for that dream to be shattered. Why was life so unfair?

Talia was happy for her father; she really was. But at the same time, she was also missing him. So many happy possibilities disappeared from the future. She was back to being the orphan she always was, with the difference that she knew who her parents were, and they were alive yet unreachable. It was all a mess.

Damon's hold on Talia tightened, and he spoke into her hair, "How are you feeling, kitten?" He could feel her emotions, but he wanted her to let them out.

"I'm not sure," Talia responded honestly.

"You did great, kitten," Damon said. "I am proud of you."

"You are?"

"Mhm," he confirmed with a hum. "I know how much Valerian's presence meant to you, yet you didn't hesitate to let him go so he could be with his mate. You have the power to change the continent's landscape, yet you allow people to make their own choices. What you did for your father was selfless and majestic."

Talia didn't think of herself as majestic. "Cassandra's prophecy said that I am a bringer of calamity."

Damon would tell her how that was nonsense, but he knew that those words impacted Talia. Her whole life, people looked down on her, and it took a lot of effort for Talia to accept herself as worthy. If not for Liseli's no-nonsense personality, Talia would still be a timid she-wolf, regardless of how much power she had or how many times Damon told her she was awesome.

The label of a bringer of calamity was hard to ignore, and Damon didn't want to dismiss Talia's feelings.

"Sophia and Isaac will agree with that, but we shouldn't listen to the opinions of people who will give away babies in order to stay in power. Gregory will agree as well, but he saw powerful females as baby machines, and we shouldn't bother with the opinions of creeps. Do I need to keep going?"

Talia got the point. Damon would never speak ill of her, even if she did something wrong.

"I don't care what others think of you because I know you are a compassionate person. I am the luckiest guy in the world to have you as my mate," Damon said while tightening his hold on her.

Talia nodded into his chest. "Thank you, Damon. I need a pep-talk once in a while." And she loved that Damon never shied from complimenting her in a way that boosted her confidence.

"Our pack is lucky to have you as their Alpha," Axel said from the side. He didn't bother to pretend that he didn't eavesdrop on the conversation between Damon and Talia.

Talia looked around to see all their friends stepping into the diagram, closer to Damon and her.

"The Dark Howlers pack is lucky to have you as our Luna," Gideon said.

"We are lucky to have you as our friend," Mindy added to what many nodded in agreement.

"Never call yourself a calamity," Yasmin said and looked at Axel. "If not for you, I wouldn't find my soulmate. How can that be bad?"

Evanora glanced at Edgar, and they both smiled and nodded in agreement with Yasmin's words.

"There is a lot of luck involved with you, Talia," James said. "We are lucky that my father didn't realize who you were while you were staying at the Red Moon pack."

James couldn't believe that he still addressed Alpha Edward as his father, even though the guy was gone, and he was NOT his father. On the other hand, James still didn't visit their old packhouse, where his mother stayed with a male named Chester. James was unsure if he wanted to meet the man who was his mother's sperm donor (how James saw it).

Cornelia leaned on James. "The whole world is lucky that you are not a power-hungry person. You use your power for the good of people, and if you ever stray from it, we will be here to remind you of who you truly are."

"And that makes me lucky," Talia said.

"You are lucky to have us as your friends," Dawn said cheekily, and Talia giggled when she saw Zina pointing at herself dramatically. Talia didn't notice when her two friends arrived with their mates. Actually, Maya, Caden, Olivia, and Travis were there as well!

Feeling Damon's proximity and knowing that she had so many friends made her feel less lonely because Valerian was gone.

"Thank you, guys. Thank you for everything," Talia said, her voice full of emotions.

"When are you heading out for your month off?" Cornelia asked.

Talia looked up at Damon. "We will go now."

People approached them to wish them fun and to tell them not to worry because they would take care of both packs in Damon's and Talia's absence.

Cassandra was fidgeting from the side, wanting to join in but feeling that she didn't have the right to do so.

Declyn observed all this from distance with amusement. Seeing a Guardian engage in friendships like this was novel, and Talia was the strongest Guardian Declyn ever saw. Her abilities reminded him of old stories about Titans and primordial Gods, and he was itchy to test her strength on the Sphere of Power.

Talia was in the middle of a mass-girl-hug when…

'BAM!'

A huge red explosion filled the night sky. It was fireworks from the lake, and they could see it clearly.

Mates quickly found each other to hold and enjoy the colorful pyrotechnic display.

Damon sat on the ground in the lotus position and placed Talia to sit on his legs. She leaned on him and enjoyed the way his arms circled her protectively.

'Do you like the fireworks?' Damon's voice sounded in Talia's mind.

'Very much,' she responded dreamily. 'Will you ask me to massage your legs again?'

Damon's lips lifted into a smile. 'All three of them.'

Talia's eyes flashed at Damon. 'Shameless!'

'Only for you, kitten.'

Talia shook her head helplessly and focused on the colorful display above.

Fireworks had a lot of meaning for Talia.

The first time Talia saw fireworks was on the night when she and Damon kissed. It was her first kiss.

The second fireworks she saw in person were in the Lightclaw pack when she and Damon made love for the first time.

A lot of Talia's firsts were related to fireworks, and they were all with Damon.

Talia wondered if these fireworks would also signify a milestone. Maybe these will mark the beginning of her life with Damon as a couple, officially. She caressed the ring on her left ring finger, which was a symbol of Damon's commitment to her. After tonight, no one will dare to question her position by Damon's side.

She sank into Damon's embrace, happy to know that the willful Alpha was hers and he was equally happy to have her as his.

…

The fireworks show ended, and people returned to the party, leaving Talia and Damon behind.

"Can we really go?" Damon asked Talia.

"Yes."

Damon helped Talia to stand up.

"Do you need a leg massage?" Talia asked teasingly.

"Later." Damon wanted a massage and much more, but he wanted them to leave before something else came up.

Damon glanced toward the packhouse. Their suitcases were packed, ready for travel, but Talia was not moving. "Is there something we should do before we head out?"

Talia smiled dreamily. "Kiss me."

She didn't need to say it twice.

Damon closed his eyes as Talia's citrusy-sweet scent entered his system. He relished the softness of her lips against his that caused the sparks of their bond to flare and make him tingly all over.

Damon opened his eyes when he heard the clamor of the water.

He gaped when he realized they were in a cave. Did Talia teleport them?

He recognized the cave; it was the one behind the waterfall where they would sneak in when they wanted privacy without being disturbed. The cave was familiar, but everything else was different.

The simple cot was replaced by a queen-sized bed, and there were pillows and blankets, food, and even their suitcases were there.

"Why are we here? And what is all this?" Damon asked while looking around.

Talia wrapped her arms around Damon's neck and smiled slyly. "Weren't you eager for us to leave, so we get time for ourselves?"

"I was but… What about our vacation?"

"Instead of spending hours in flight, how about we use this place? When we get bored here, I can teleport us to our next destination."

Damon blinked while processing this information. The more he thought about it, the more he approved. His kitten was brilliant!

Chapter 1014: Future childcare

Talia buried her face into Damon's chest and fisted his shirt while inhaling her favorite scent of the forest mixed with the dark chocolate.

"This evening was stressful, and I need your touch to forget the bad things," she said.

Damon's eyebrows shot up when he realized their sexy time was starting right now! He didn't care about the location. Actually, being in this cave gave them privacy, yet they were in the middle of the pack. His parents' bodies rested above them, like spiritual protection and making this place sacred.

Damon didn't have any objections, but he needed to confirm one thing. "How are you feeling, kitten? Are you exhausted after teleportation? What about our pup?"

"I am fine," Talia assured him. "I think our baby grew from this. I will need a bigger dress."

Damon swallowed hard as the pressure in his groin area increased. He had been waiting for this moment forever!

"How about we get rid of that dress?"

Damon gripped the edge of the bodice, intending to rip it without regard for the fabric or expensive beading.

In the next moment, he was holding onto air. "What the…?"

Damon burst into chuckles when he realized that he and Talia were on the bed naked.

Their fancy clothes were bunched on the ground where they stood a moment ago, and the only items they were still wearing included Talia's necklace and their wedding bands.

"How did you do that?" Damon asked.

"I practiced," Talia responded smugly.

Damon growled possessively as he claimed her lips in a long, sensual kiss that made her toes curl.

Damon's palms glided over Talia's body skillfully, and she trembled with anticipation of what was to come.

They had done this so many times before, yet he always managed to touch her just right to ignite flames of passion, revisiting her sensitive spots and finding new ones that made her breathless.

Her body was pulsating in need, yet he still didn't give any attention to his mark on her neck that had the power to amplify her arousal to the point of insanity.

Damon hummed in pleasure as Talia's fingers moved over his body, leaving fiery traces behind. His kitten was a seductress.

Their foreplay went beyond physical touch as their bond allowed them to feel admiration and the unconditional acceptance they had for each other. Damon was Talia's home, and she was his, and only when together, they were at peace.

The biggest turn-on was that they could feel each other's emotions. Damon and Talia knew, without any doubt, that Damon worshiped Talia completely, her mind, her soul, and every inch of her body, just as she worshiped him.

"Mine… mine… mine…" Damon mumbled while kissing, licking, sucking, and nibbling everywhere, making her squirm under him.

"Take me, Damon…" she breathed.

"How do you want me, kitten?" His breath splashed on her ear.

He was caressing her slowly and gently, but that was not what she wanted. "Show me the power of an Alpha. Make me cry your name until my voice becomes hoarse."

Damon growled in approval and adjusted himself above her.

Damon's blue eyes turned pitch black as sparks of their bond enveloped his cock. Her heat welcomed him, and a strained groan formed in his throat as he got all the way inside her.

He stared into Talia's silvery eyes as the whole world stilled.

She was wet and hot and tight and made for him. Every time they merged, his mind would go blank, making him wonder if he had touched Heaven or dipped into madness. Probably both.

"Fuck, kitten!" Damon cursed under his breath, and he started rocking into her.

Talia was soft like clay for him to mold as he pleased, yet she moved with him, responding perfectly.

Talia's eyes lost focus as euphory consumed her.

With their powers active, their senses were heightened, making them feel the sparks of their bond on another level. The friction, the pressure, the heat, everything was perfect; his every thrust kept her at the edge of an orgasm, lightweight and heady, wanting to plunge into that addictive rapture, yet fearing that she will completely lose her mind when that happens.

Damon loved listening to her lustful sounds. He made her that way. It was all his.

His lips latched on his mark on her neck, and he started sucking her there harshly, loving the sensation of Talia clawing his back.

Talia struggled to breathe as her body spasmed in pure ecstasy.

With a groan, Damon rode his release while Talia's insides clutched his cock in rhythmical pulses. Reaching that peak together was the best feeling ever!

It was more than just an orgasm. Their minds and souls became one, creating a beautiful harmony that amplified their enjoyment, turning it into an otherworldly experience that transcended the pleasures of the flesh.

Their lustful sounds were lost in the clamor of the waterfall that couldn't conceal the explosion of light that burst from every opening the cave provided.

Damon slowed his pace and kissed her face. It was fantastic, and they were sated, yet they craved more, like true addicts.

"Gods, kitten…" He breathed between kisses. "I can't get enough of you. I will never get enough of you…" And he knew that it was good for her as well. "Is our pup alright?"

Talia was touched that Damon was thinking beyond his own pleasure, and she knew that he would be a fantastic father.

Talia blinked to see a few strands of raven-black hair falling on his forehead, making him look super sexy but what stood out was the way his smile reflected in his completely black eyes. He was happy.

"Our pup is fine," Talia assured him. "He enjoys rocking."

Damon grinned in response. "She will get free rocking service as long as she is in your belly."

Talia giggled, and her insides tightened around his cock, making him groan in response.

"I love you, Damon."

"I love you more," he responded.

"Make love to me until we collapse from exhaustion."

"Your wish is my command, Mrs. Blake…"

...

That night, people reported strange phenomena.

There was a bright pillar of light that came out of nowhere and disappeared without a trace. Shortly after that, fireworks above the lake were majestic, but the unusual thing was that flashes of light were seen until dawn.

Talia's Luna ceremony was a massive party that involved a lot of drinking, but some swore that the light was blinding, and it extended in all directions. No one had seen anything like it before.

As damage control, Caden and Maya started a rumor the next day. People whispered about the Blake family's involvement in secret experiments with the government and that mysterious light was coming from their lab and prototypes.

Maya was unsure if people would believe in such a story, but Caden brought up a point, "If people believe in mermaids at the bottom of the lake, they will believe in this as well."

Maya pouted. "How can you be sure there are no mermaids down there?"

Caden chuckled, knowing how much Maya believed in magic and she wanted to see mermaids. "We have real witches in our pack, and you believe in fairytales."

"If witches exist, why not mermaids?"

Caden agreed, but… "Witches came from another realm, and if there were any here, they hid their presence well. The same would be true for mermaids. I'm not saying mermaids don't exist. I am saying they don't live at the bottom of our lake. Instead of thinking about non-existent creatures, how about we focus on something that's coming and start planning for a nursery?"

Maya's hands immediately moved to her stomach. "Do you think Damon and Talia will allow us a nursery in the packhouse, or should we move to a single home?"

"A nursery here is a must-have," Caden said confidently. "They also expect a pup, and so are Mindy, Gideon, Cora, and James. With so many babies, we need to think about childcare beyond where our pups will sleep. The packhouse has plenty of rooms available. We will transform one room on the second floor for our pups, and once they are big enough to need their own space, we can discuss a move to a different house if needed."

Maya smiled brightly. "I can't believe we are doing this, planning for pups. It is happening."

Caden hugged Maya and kissed her forehead. "It's happening, sugarplum. You will be a wonderful mother, and I will support you with everything I have."

Maya sighed and leaned on Caden happily. Talia told her about the pregnancy, but then the ceremony started, and they had a party and post-party cleanup, and only now she had time to think about their situation. She was expecting pups! Three of them!

Maya was drifting off into lovey-dovey thoughts about two of them and three kids running around when Caden pulled her into reality with another task.

"We should pick a space on the first floor to accommodate sleep and play areas for infants for all high-ranking members and people working in the packhouse. Maybe we should combine two rooms."

Maya could imagine a bunch of babies crawling around. It will be fantastic!

"This packhouse will be filled with kids' laughter," Maya said. "Did you know that Amelia is also expecting? With any luck, Arya and Keith will return from their solitude with good news. I will ask Petra to pick a few Omegas who will be working in the nursery. They will need training related to childcare, feeding, first aid, and security protocols…"

Caden looked at Maya with admiration. He loved every curve of her body and her personality, but he loved her mind the most. From Caden's point of view, Maya was the smartest female in the world, and she was his.

 

Chapter 1015: The honeymoon (1)

"Ahh! This is so boring!" Nadia whined.

Nadia was a twenty-two years old female who accepted this job with the hope of meeting a handsome millionaire who would get her out of her student debt and treat her like a queen. Nadia dreamed of private jets, yachts, and exclusive parties. This was her backdoor entrance into that world.

Unfortunately, instead of seducing the next heir of an immense fortune, Nadia was sitting on a beach with a few other servers and wasting a perfectly fine morning. The guys were handsome, but none made a significant amount. She was pinning for the rich guests they would serve, and they had none at the time.

"Why can't you enjoy this? It's not every day we get this much free time," Gabriel said while adjusting himself in a lounging chair. The sun moved, and the umbrella didn't provide good shade. He didn't want to risk sunburns.

They were on an exclusive paradise island that was a luxurious resort. The edge of the island was framed by a beach made of perfectly white sand, while inside contained a number of luxurious villas and a central building with a ballroom, a movie theater, and a nightclub.

Normally, the place was fully booked by tycoons and rich heirs who came here to entertain their friends, family, lovers, and sometimes employees. The staff of thirty-something people would slave-serving guests around the clock as the island offered twenty-four hours of service. However, this was the eighth day for the staff to serve only two guests, two people who asked the staff not to disturb them. Servers, cooks, cleaners, trainers, entertainers, and event planners had nothing to do.

Seeing that Nadia was pouting, Brad added, "Relax. Snorkeling is fun. Or we could…" Brad wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and Nadia rolled her eyes.

A pillow landed at the back of Brad's head.

"Who would sleep with you? Idiot!" Alice hissed while lowering her arms. She was the one who threw the pillow at Brad.

Brad smiled smugly at Alice. "That's not what you were saying last month. I remember you calling my name breathlessly, and then you chased me around the pool while hoping to get more. It seems your memory is bad. Should I remind you?"

Alice made a face. "Sorry, Brad, none of you can compare to our handsome guest."

Nadia snorted. "Why are you talking like you did more than gawk at him? I recommend you take Brad's offer because that guy is way out of your league. He didn't acknowledge your presence."

Gabriel waved at Nadia to drop the bickering, and he spoke to Alice, "Did you find out who our mysterious guests are?"

"Americans," Alice said. "Their reservation is under Mr. and Mrs. Blake."

"And?" Nadia was hoping for more.

Alice shook her head. "That's it."

"This is an exclusive spot that guarantees privacy," Gabriel reminded them. Most of the time, they didn't know the names of their guests.

"How can that be useful?" Nadia complained. She got her phone. "Let me see if I can find anything about them. They look like celebrities. If they are rich heirs, there must be something."

"Those are probably not their real names," Brad chimed in.

Alice's eyes flashed. "I think they are outlaws. They probably robbed a national treasury or a museum and came here to hide. Bad guys are hot."

Brad shook his head in disapproval. "Why are you allowing your imagination to run wild?"

"Why else would they book a whole island and waste money like that? They are paying for service they are not using." Alice wiggled her fingers like she was giving a massage.

Alice suffered during that mandatory course, and she opted to learn Thai body massage. She was hoping to use her newly acquired skills to knead some firm muscles. And Thai massage uses the whole body, not only the hands. The last batch of guests were old geezers in their fifties and sixties with young mistresses, and she was hoping to get closer to this young and handsome male specimen.

"Some people value their privacy and have money to pay for it," Gabriel said. "Instead of gossiping about guests, we should take advantage of this downtime and enjoy ourselves. Who wants a jet ski race? We can go paragliding in the afternoon." Those were activities reserved for guests, but with no guests, the staff was enjoying a lifestyle they wouldn't normally be able to afford.

Nadia pouted. She didn't come here to do sports!

"Alice?" Nadia called. "How about we check if our guests need something?"

Brad was not sure about that. "They said not to disturb them."

"They did," Nadia confirmed. "But we must confirm they didn't get hurt or lost. What if they got swept away with the tide or broke a leg and needed help? What if the labor started? We could offer comfort to the dad-to-be. Delivery is stressful, and all kinds of things could happen."

Alice smiled mischievously. "I'm in. Let's see what they are doing. With any luck, the woman will be busy with something, and we can chat with the guy."

Gabriel groaned when he saw Alice and Nadia skimping away while giggling.

"They will get in trouble," Gabriel said.

"Why do you care?" Brad asked.

"Because if they mess up, we will all be punished. The boss might single those two out, but if the customer doesn't pay, we don't get paid."

Brad had to agree that Gabriel had a point. "Let's go after them."

…

Damon lay in the cabana on the sandy beach overlooking the ocean. Palm leaves formed a roof on the open structure, and the silky white fabric swaying on each side didn't obstruct the warm breeze that caressed his skin. The mattress below him was firm, the pillow under his head was fluffed, and the best part was Talia sleeping in his arms.

They had been in this paradise resort for a week. This was the third week of their month-long planned vacation, and Damon wished they could stay here forever. Actually, anywhere was fine as long as he could be with Talia undisturbed.

Damon's initial intention was to rent the whole island and tell everyone to scram, but he didn't want to waste time on cleaning and preparing meals, so he demanded that staff stays on the other side of the island, away from him and Talia. In this way, they had privacy and service, and here they were, relaxing on the beach after a night filled with carnal pleasures. It was his dream vacation with Talia.

In the last three weeks, Talia and Damon ventured through a few busy cities and visited attractions such as pyramids in Egypt, Burj Khalifa in Dubai, Eiffel Tower in Paris, Colosseum in Rome, and Grand Palace in Bangkok.

Out of all of those, Damon loved this place the most, and he knew that Talia felt the same. Her face would light up at the new sight, and she listened to their tour guides attentively, but then her attention would drift toward Damon, and she looked at him like he was the most important person in the world, and Damon loved it! He loved her.

Damon wished for them to be completely naked, just as mother nature intended, but there was a possibility of staff wandering, so they were wearing swimwear. No one should get to see Talia's exposed body. That was only for Damon to see.

His hand rested on Talia's stomach. The bump his pup formed was right there and big. None of them knew how far the delivery was, but they confirmed that the pup grew every time Talia used her abilities (teleporting included).

That bump was a symbol of Damon's manly prowess. He impregnated his mate, his kitten, his Goddess… Talia was all of that, and she carried his child.

Even before they made love, Damon had flashes of Talia bearing his pups, and he remembered that when he came inside her the first time, he wished she gets pregnant, and here she was… snuggled close to him, with her head on his shoulder, and definitely pregnant!

Damon was so happy that he felt like jumping, laughing, shouting, and howling at the same time, but he pushed all those vigorous activities for later because his mate was sleeping, and she needed the gentle hold he was happy to provide.

Damon stared at Talia's sleeping face, and he couldn't believe that he found the small string of drool stretching from her lips adorable. That was his mate. His everything.

Damon's expression tightened when he became aware of four presences approaching them. At their current pace, it will take them a few minutes to reach Damon and Talia, but Damon was on alert, and he didn't like this. He didn't call them.

Why was so difficult for humans to follow simple instructions? He knew they were weak, but now it seemed they were also stupid.

An unexpected effect of Talia's pregnancy was Damon's overprotectiveness. Any male that came within a few steps of Talia was risking his life, and Damon didn't tolerate females either. It's not that he would mind females coming close to Talia, but they would throw flirty gazes at Damon, which upset Talia, and Sapa had no tolerance for anyone who would upset Liseli, which meant Talia as well.

There was also the feeling of danger. Damon knew how special Talia was, and what if someone else knew it as well? What if the Guardians disguised themselves and decided to follow Gregory's footsteps? And what about humans involved in experiments on creatures with abilities?

Damon lost his parents, friends, and even Stephanie betrayed him. He couldn't risk losing Talia, and his paranoia was acting up. Only in moments when it was just him and Talia, Damon was at peace, and now they had intruders.

Chapter 1016: The honeymoon (2)

Damon's temper was rising as the four intruders were getting closer. He was hoping they would stop or take a turn, but that was not the case.

Since they left the Dark Howlers pack, Talia was in a good mood. She didn't think about their packs, her father disappearing, the Guardians, or anything else that would usually weigh on her adorable mind.

It reached the point where even their wolves were snoozing contently.

Damon was extra vigilant in keeping distractions away, but it seemed he was about to fail.

Pesky humans!

"Damon?" Talia called drowsily, and Damon's stomach tightened.

Damn it! Talia was awake! Someone will need to pay for this, big time!

"Shh… sleep, kitten." He rubbed her back and pressed a kiss on her forehead.

Damon was tense, which woke her up, so she had to ask, "What is going on?"

"Just some intruders. I will deal with them."

Talia was alerted. "Intruders? Here?" Weren't they on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean?

Damon exhaled helplessly. "I think it's the staff."

"Did you call them?"

"No."

"Then, they are intruders."

Damon chuckled. "That's what I said. How about you go back to sleep and let me handle them?"

Talia pursed her lips. "What do you want to deal with? Those females gawking at you?"

"Who is gawking at me?"

"Don't lie to make me feel better!" Talia hissed. "Only a blind person wouldn't notice those sluts lusting over you!" She narrowed her eyes at him. "Or is that what you want? Now that I'm this fat, you are looking at oth…"

Damon swallowed the rest of Talia's words with a fiery kiss that made her forget what she was angry about.

"I didn't notice anyone gawking at me because I am looking only at you," Damon spoke against her lips and then he kissed her chin, neck, collarbones… he skipped breasts because they were covered with a bikini, and he didn't want to undress her with the intruders getting closer by the second, so he moved lower to kiss her stomach. "I won't allow anyone to say you are fat; not even you can say such nonsense." He hugged her belly. "You are carrying my child. You are beautiful, pregnant, and the most attractive female in this realm and beyond. No one can compare to you, kitten."

Damon loved that she was pregnant! That bulge proved he was a real man; his seed was growing inside her. A bonus was that Talia was super-horny, and due to the weight of her stomach, they tried all kinds of poses; his favorite pose of taking her from the back was always an option. How Damon saw this, it was full of wins. Why was Talia talking like she was not attractive?

Talia's hostility sizzled away, and she caressed his raven-black hair. "I know. Sorry. I didn't mean that you would betray our bond. It's the hormones and pregnancy and…"

"It's OK," Damon said as he moved back up until their noses aligned. "If you are angry, be angry. If you are happy, be happy. Whatever you feel, let it out. I won't judge. But don't assume I will ever look at any woman other than you. You are my everything, and my life makes no sense without you in it. You should know that much. Don't allow anyone or anything to spoil your confidence. You are perfect, fantastic, my only one…"

Talia melted from the warm and fuzzy emotions she shared with Damon. He was a sweet talker.

The last three weeks were amazing! They accomplished many things because Talia teleported them everywhere, and they didn't waste time on travel.

No matter where they were or what they did, Damon and Talia were always in touching distance, and it was the happiest period of their lives, so far.

Talia loved visiting new places, cuddles, and sex, and how he looked at her with passion and love, making her burn in need of him.

When Talia lay down, it was not very visible, but when she stood up, her belly bulged out. It was because Talia was using energies that caused rapid development of the child in her belly. She knew that Guardian babies developed differently, and the pregnancy progress was based on the purity and amount of energy.

Talia was brimming with power, and Damon's energies were compatible with hers, boosting the development of their child whenever Damon used his abilities near Talia.

Other than teleportation, Talia's and Damon's powers flared uncontrollably during sex, so it was no wonder that Talia looked like she was about to blow anytime.

They felt the baby move numerous times, and they were always excited, like it was the first time.

Talia wondered how their lives would change after the baby came.

What about their sex life? Will they need to hold back their urges? Doing the naughty with the baby in the room didn't sound right. Should they sneak around? Hiding with Damon to get frisky created various mental images in Talia's mind. Closet? Bathroom? Storage? Talia could teleport them into their cave and back after they get sated. The problem was that Damon and Talia had big appetites, and it could take a while.

Damon's nostrils flared when he picked up the scent of Talia's arousal. It was his favorite scent.

"What are you thinking, kitten?" He always wanted to know what turned her on.

Talia smiled and leaned her forehead on Damon's.

Damon's eyebrows shot up when mental images of him and Talia flashed in his mind. Various places, dark and cramped, and the two of them naked. He had no objections.

Damon inched closer to claim her lips, and then he cursed under his breath. The intruders were less than a minute away.

"Let me deal with the pesky humans, kitten. Rest."

Talia had no intention of letting him do anything on his own. "I'm coming with you. If they are females, they are mine."

Damon's only option was to compromise. "Alright. I will handle the guys."

…

Nadia and Alice led the way toward their target villa, with Brad and Gabriel following closely.

The whole island was landscaped to look like a well-maintained park filled with tropical foliage. Pebble-covered paths snaked between palm trees, ponds, and colorful bushes filled with fragrant blooms.

Two females stopped behind one large bush to hide while eyeing the beach. There were no people in the cabana, nor on the sand, nor in the water.

Alice pouted. "They are not here."

"Good," Gabriel said. "We came, didn't see them, now let's head back."

"Back?" Nadia asked and pointed at the white building peeking between the palm trees. "What if they are inside the villa and need our assistance?"

"What if they are inside and having sex?" Brad snapped.

"We will be quiet," Alice said. "If we hear suspicious sounds, we will sneak out without them noticing."

Nadia grinned. "It will depend on the sounds. What if we need to investigate further?"

Alice snickered. "Do you think they will let us join them?"

Gabriel groaned. "You will get us fired."

"Getting fired is the least of your problems," a stern voice came from above, and four people raised their gazes to see Damon standing high on the palm tree, and they took a double-take at the scene in front of them.

Damon held onto the trunk of the palm tree, and it wouldn't be strange if not for very pregnant Talia sitting on his shoulders in a circus-like manner.

Damon slid down the tree and bent for Talia to step on the ground.

"Careful," Damon said while supporting Talia, who was wobbly on her feet. The weight of her belly was throwing her off balance.

"I'm OK," Talia assured Damon and turned toward four intruders. "Why are you here? Can't you follow simple instructions not to disturb us?"

Nadia fidgeted nervously. "You didn't call our service since yesterday, and we were worried."

"Why didn't you use a phone to check on us?" Talia asked.

"We didn't want to risk waking you up, in case you are sleeping," Alice said. She had a story ready. "We only wanted to ensure that you are alright."

Talia sneered. "Really? And what if we were inside, having sex? What was that about joining us?"

Alice and Nadia exchanged nervous glances. Did they hear that? But… Talia didn't seem very upset. Maybe joining them was an option. Rich people had all kinds of kinks.

Before Alice or Nadia could run their mouths and get them in more trouble, Brad stepped forward.

"We apologize. They were talking nonsense. If you were intimate, we would leave without traces."

"Without traces?" Damon asked. Since a guy was talking, it was his turn to handle it. That was the deal. "You obviously left traces if we caught you sneaking on us. It is your luck you didn't see my wife exposed, or I would gauge your eyes out. But even with that, what you did was a big offense. How should we deal with you?"

Alice was so nervous that she was blinking rapidly. Did the guy say something about removing their eyes? "Why are you acting like it's a big deal? We are all grownups, and we know what sex is. If you did something, we would pretend we didn't see anything."

Talia shook her head. "You should realize that there are secrets bigger than a naked body. When someone wants privacy, there is a reason for it."

Four people gaped at the sight of Talia's glowing silver eyes, and her hair was changing color. What the heck?

Talia's abilities would flare at the slightest provocation. The more her pregnancy progressed, the easier her abilities would surface.

Talia walked toward four humans in slow motion while talking menacingly.

"If people want privacy, there is a reason for…"

Talia's words stopped halfway, and she clutched her stomach.

"Damon… the baby…"

 

 

Chapter 1017 The baby is coming!

Damon panicked.

Why was Talia holding onto her stomach? Was something wrong with the baby?

He knew that these humans would bring trouble! That's why he demanded privacy, and that's why he wanted Talia to stay behind and let him handle the intruders, but it was too late because they were here and she was upset.

Damon rushed to hold Talia. "What's going on, kitten? Should I take you to bed? Or call a doctor?"

Damon's head snapped to look at Nadia, Alice, Brad, and Gabriel who were petrified. They were not werewolves, but they could sense that something was different about the two people in front of them. Talia's eyes and hair changed color, and Damon climbed the tree like it was nothing, and… the air around them was unusual, dangerous.

"How dare you harm my mate!?" Damon growled.

"Damon…" Talia called in a strained voice. "The baby…"

Damon could see uncertainty and panic in Talia's silvery eyes, and he felt her pain. Damon saw red. Talia was in physical pain!

He directed his anger at four humans. "You harmed my child!"

"We didn't!" Alice squeaked.

Damon was livid. "And how do you call this? What did you do!?"

Talia squeezed Damon's arm to get his attention. "Damon… the baby…"

"Yes, the baby," he repeated anxiously. She said that already, so he knew that something about the baby was not right.

Talia sucked in a breath. "It's coming."

"Coming? Where?" Damon's eyes widened to the point of hurting. "What? Are you saying the baby is coming? Here? Now?" Was she joking? He was not ready for this!

"Ahh!" Talia exclaimed and a gush of liquid seeped through her bikini bottom like it was not there.

Damon could smell that was not pee. What the hell? Where did that come from? That can't be normal. Was that normal?

Damon remembered scenes from pregnancy-related videos and the whole world spun when he realized Talia was in labor. The baby was coming!

Wasn't it too early? Sure, Talia said that the more she used energies the faster baby grew, but he believed they had weeks to go, or at least until they went home. The baby was coming, and where was Travis? They didn't have a hospital here! Can Talia teleport them to the pack hospital? It didn't look like it.

"Ah…" Talia stifled a cry and Damon scooped her into his arms and started running toward the cabana.

"Don't you dare leave!" Damon shouted at the four humans. "Come with me! If anything happens to my mate or my child, I will kill everyone on this island!"

Nadia panicked when she saw Gabriel and Bret moving toward the beach. "Where are you going?"

"You heard the guy," Bret responded. "At least we can help stabilize her."

Alice's expression contorted into a grimace. "Help her? How will you do that? Are you a doctor?"

"I'm calling Stacy," Gabriel said while putting his phone to his ear. They all had first aid training, but Stacy was the only doctor on the island.

Bret grabbed Alice's and Nadia's hands and pulled them toward the beach. "Move! You got us into this shit. Don't you dare think about bailing out now!"

Damon placed Talia on the white mattress in the cabana, unsure of what to do next. "Talk to me, kitten," Damon pleaded while holding Talia's hand. "What should I do now?"

"Doctor will be here in ten minutes," Gabriel said from the side.

"Did you hear that, kitten? Ten minutes."

"Ahh!" Talia cried again. Lying flat, sideways, or standing, none was good. Everything hurt.

Talia grabbed Damon's arm and pulled him closer. "Hold me, Damon."

'Listen to mate,' Sapa growled in Damon's head. 'In moments like these, women will act on an instinct, and that's the best course of action.'

'How many pups did you help deliver?'

'None,' Sapa deadpanned.

Damon couldn't believe this. 'How are you credible in giving childbirth advice?'

'Mate is not a fragile human!' Sapa snapped. 'Mate has Lis and blood of a Goddess. She will do great. You only need to support her.'

Damon didn't like the idea of doing nothing and going with the flow, but what choice did he have? He lay next to Talia and cradled her in his arms.

Talia took deep breaths of Damon's scent which calmed her anxiety but she was worried. Wasn't this too fast? There was no documentation related to the pregnancy of the Guardians, but she assumed it should be similar to how werewolves and humans give birth to babies. It starts with cramping, and it turns into pain that's several minutes apart, and it can last for hours. This started in full force right away. Or was this the cramping part and it will get worse?

"Mmm…" Talia muffled her next cry into Damon's shoulder. His proximity and the sparks of their bond made things better, but it still hurt like hell.

Every contraction made it impossible to breathe and Talia felt like vomiting, pooping, and passing out at the same time. It was horrible.

"You should remove her swimsuit," Nadia said from the side.

Damon was outraged. No one will get to see Talia's private parts!

Nadia approached them, and Damon growled menacingly.

Nadia raised her hands defensively. "How will the baby come out if there is fabric obstructing the exit? If you don't let me see, the doctor will look when she gets here."

Damon looked around frantically and then he reached for the silky white fabric that enveloped the cabana. He yanked it away and placed it over Talia who was crying again. Why did it sound like the baby was coming out already? He never heard Talia cry like that and it made his heart ache.

"Stand on the other side!" Damon shouted and four humans quickly stepped back and in the direction where Damon gestured.

Damon removed Talia's bikini bottom and made sure the silky fabric was covering her up so intruders don't see the parts that shouldn't be seen.

He looked between her legs. "Breathe, kitten. Breathe."

Talia laughed weakly. "I'm not going to start breathing from down there."

Damon was glad she could crack jokes in a situation like this. "Tell me if I could do anything to make you more comfortable. The doctor will be here in a few minutes." And it better be a female doctor, or Damon will start a bloodbath.

"Human doctor?" Talia asked the obvious. "I don't need that."

"She can help."

"She can't. She will see things that shouldn't be seen and I will need to mess with their memories." Talia was not eager to go into other people's minds.

"You won't need to. I will kill them all when this is over."

"You can't kill them because they were at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"I killed for less," Damon said like it was a totally normal thing. "I told them to give us privacy, yet they came here and agitated you into labor. That warrants death."

"What about the doctor?"

"I will kill everyone on this island."

Nadia fell down to her knees. Those two were talking about killing everyone and they didn't bother to lower their voices, and somehow, she knew they were not joking.

me. I'm here…" He spoke into her hair.

12:03

"Where is the patient!?" A woman in her mid-forties asked breathily while emerging from the "Can you not talk about killing people now?" Talia asked Damon.

"Sorry, sorry," Damon was quick to say. "It helps me relieve stress."

Talia started laughing, but that was cut off abruptly when another contraction came.

Damon grimaced and he wished for the power to make Talia's aches go away.

He wanted a pup, but he didn't know it would be this painful. What if things go wrong? Was it a mistake to impregnate her?

Doubts crept into his heart, and he was unsure what to do other than… "I am here, kitten. Hold onto me. I'm here…" He spoke into her hair.

"Where is the patient!?" A woman in her mid-forties asked breathily while emerging from the foliage. The medical bag was a giveaway that was Stacy, the doctor.

"There!" Alice shouted while gesturing toward the cabana. "The woman is in labor. The guy chased us away."

Damon didn't have the capacity of worrying about things outside of the cabana.

Talia's grip on Damon's arm tightened and he was on the verge of crying. It hurt like hell. His vision blurred and he wondered if he imagined that Talia's necklace was glowing.

Talia blinked to see that the world stilled. Everything around her was fading into whiteness until she couldn't see a thing.

'Kitten?' Damon's voice sounded in her mind.

'I'm here.'

'What's going on? Did your necklace suck you into another dimension?'

'This is different.' Actually, it was not so different. She was feeling weightless and there was no pain, but she could feel Damon, albeit a bit differently.

'Natalia?' Another voice sounded in Talia's head and she wanted to cry.

'Dad?'

'Your mother is here also.'

'Where?' Talia asked anxiously.

The scene in front of her changed to see two figures made of light solidifying by the heartbeat, and then she recognized Valerian. He looked the same, but his whole body was shimmering in golden light. His hair was golden and so were his eyes. And there was a beautiful female by his side with silvery hair and eyes.

'Mom?' Talia called and the female smiled.

'Hi, Natalia.' Astraea's voice was full of joy and sadness. 'You have grown into a beautiful woman.'

It took some time for Talia to peel her eyes off her parents and look at herself. Her body was flashing in silvery pulses, with the strongest light concentrated on her belly.

 

Chapter 1018: The birth of a God

Talia looked at the silvery figure in front of her, and her heart ached and warmed at the same time as the feminine features became more distinct.

When Talia opened the portal at her Luna ceremony, the figure looked huge, yet now that she was next to Valerian, she looked petite… just like Talia. Talia understood why Valerian said, more than once, that Talia reminded him of her mother. They looked alike.

And there was Valerian, standing proud and majestic with his hand resting on Astraea's hip, and this time, his smile was genuine. He was happy, and Talia was happy as well.

A warm sensation wrapped around Talia's shoulders, and she looked to the side to see a humanoid mass of darkness. It was Damon.

'How did we get here?' Talia asked Damon.

'I think it's your necklace,' Damon responded. He saw it glowing before they appeared… wherever this was.

As far as the eyes could see, light gray light pulsated rhythmically into white before returning to light gray, and it was impossible to estimate how big the space was. Everything seemed to be close, yet far away, like the distance was not important. A low-lying white mist covered their feet and stretched in all directions, and other than that, there was nothing.

'Your mate is right,' Astraea said. 'The necklace connects us. Given enough power, the passage will open.'

'Is this where you live?' Talia asked.

'Yes and no,' Valerian responded. 'We live everywhere, but this is where you can come, and our will and spirit can manifest themselves for you to see.'

Talia was unsure what to make of this. Will? Spirit? What about the body?

Talia knew that Damon was right by her side, but she couldn't feel the sparks of their bond. Did that mean her parents couldn't feel the sparks either?

'Don't you have bodies?' Talia asked.

Astraea stifled a laugh and nudged Valerian. 'She is like you. Thinking about the flesh.'

Valerian smirked. 'You never complained when we did things with our flesh.'

Astraea cleared her throat, and Talia saw that her mother's cheeks had become pink. Oh, God! Her parents were flirting and talking about sex right in front of her! Talia thought of her parents as stoic and dignified, God-like creatures, and she didn't want to imagine them lost in the throes of passion.

'There are things beyond pleasures of the flesh,' Astraea said to Talia. 'You lived in only one dimension, Natalia. There is so much more for you to explore. I look forward to welcoming you once the time comes.'

Talia was unsure what her mother was talking about, but she guessed that there was more to the world than she knew so far. She thought that time passing differently in the territory of the Midnight Guardians pack was fantastic, but there was more, much more, and her mother hinted that they will reunite. Talia liked that very much.

Talia felt weightless and different overall, and she noticed one more oddity. 'My wolf…' Talia said and turned to Damon. 'I can't feel her.'

'Your wolves are here,' Valerian said and gestured to the side.

Damon and Talia turned to see a white and black wolf running and prancing around each other, like they had no care in the world. Their forms were somewhat ethereal, but those were undoubtedly Liseli and Sapa.

'Is it normal for wolves to separate from human parts?' Talia asked.

'Your wolves are special,' Valerian responded. 'Only powerful spirits maintain their form in this realm.'

Damon could see that Talia was carried away by this place and her parents and everything else happening. It was obvious that Talia had many questions. Damon had many questions also, but the most important one was… 'Our child. Can you do something about Talia's delivery?'

'Your mate is… unique,' Astraea said to Talia while eyeing Damon.

Valerian chuckled. 'Aren't we all?'

Damon's patience was thinning. 'I know this is a reunion for you, but Talia is in labor. Can you help?'

'That's why we are here,' Astraea responded.

Damon was happy to hear this, and there was one more thing. 'What about our bodies? Are they safe?'

'Don't worry about your bodies. Time passes differently here.' Astraea waved her hand, and the air shimmered to show a beach with five humans standing next to the cabana, and inside Damon was cradling Talia in his arms. It looked like a photo because no one was moving a muscle. Even the waves stood there frozen.

'As for the delivery…' Astraea's eyes moved to Talia's belly. 'Birth of our kind is different compared to humans. Mortal bodies are just temporary shells. The real thing is happening here. We are creatures made of energy and shaped by our experiences. I'm sure you noticed that the more you used your energy, the faster your child developed.'

Talia nodded.

'No one ever saw our kind mature so quickly,' Astraea said with a frown of concern on her beautiful face. 'Based on that, I can predict that your child will be powerful and impatient. If you neglect her, she will succumb to the darkness.'

'Her?' Damon asked enthusiastically. A girl! YES!

Talia couldn't believe him. 'Do you care about the gender to the point of not caring if our child will be bad?'

'She can't be bad if you are her mother. I will always be by your side, and we will raise her right. Besides, your mother didn't say she would be bad but that she will join darkness. Look at me. I am dark. Am I bad?'

Astraea shook her head helplessly while wondering if all Alphas were so shameless in front of their mates.

'The lack of compassion for weaker creatures turns pure energy that can grant life into dark one that is set to destroy,' Astraea said to Damon. 'Your past created the man you are today. However, you are not all dark.'

Astraea pointed at Damon's chest, where pulsating white light was seen. 'You treated your pack members fairly. Not because you cared but because you believed that was the right thing to do. In a way, that saved you. However, without Natalia as your mate, you would turn to darkness completely. It was only a matter of time.'

Damon was not offended. Whatever Astraea said was the truth.

Damon was the Alpha he was because of his father's teachings, not because he felt it was right or wrong.

Damon's disrespect for women was getting worse with every next one, and Damon was aware that if Talia didn't appear, he would succumb to the corruption of absolute power. There was no one stronger to force him to stop, and the weaker ones didn't dare to tell him his actions were wrong.

Talia changed all that, and Damon was fine with it. As long as it was with Talia, he had no objections.

Damon pulled Talia closer to him.

'Did you hear that, kitten? You are making me a better person.'

'You are making each other better,' Valerian said.

'Val told me you will call her Violet. That's a lovely name that evokes beauty, grace, and the power of nature. Very fitting.'

Talia was glad that her mother approved, and she turned to grin at Damon. The darkness obstructed most of his features, but she knew he was smiling at her. The emotions flowing into her through their bond were full of love and support, and she would give him a smacking kiss on the lips if that were possible.

Talia reached to touch his cheek, and she sucked in a sharp breath upon contact.

It was like her whole body was charged with the most addictive energy, making her calm and excited, and heady, on the verge of an orgasm. It was all-consuming, and it made her dizzy, and Talia really wanted to feel it again. She placed her palm on Damon's cheek fully, and a groan escaped his lips because he felt the same energy. It was euphoric.

Astraea cleared her throat to get their attention. 'That's a touch with intent. I told you there are better things than you could do with the flesh.'

'You call it better. I call it different,' Valerian chimed in.

Astraea pointed at Talia's belly. 'It is time for her to be born. If we delay this further, she will start absorbing your energy, and we can't have that.'

Damon was alerted. No one should absorb anything Talia's, not even their child. 'What should we do?'

Astraea spread her arms, and wisps of light rose from the mist that covered the ground. Some pinkish, some yellow, some blue, and some pure white, and the atmosphere turned regal.

'When a God perishes, their energy remains,' Astraea explained. 'As long as we have a purpose, focus, or connection to the realm of mortals, we retain our consciousness. Time doesn't mean much here, but without those connections, we eventually dissipate, and only these mindless wisps remain. Think of it like a circle of life. Nothing truly disappears; it only changes form, which applies to everything.'

Talia looked at the wisps of light gathering around them, and some started approaching her belly. She was unsure of what to expect, and if not for her parents smiling at her, she would panic.

'Did Yasmin experience a similar thing when Valeria and Edgar were born?' Talia asked.

Astraea confirmed. 'She did. Not in this way exactly, but the energies gathered to empower her children and preserve her mortal body from giving up during the delivery.'

'Relax, Natalia,' Astraea instructed. 'The energies are gathering, but only the ones compatible with you and your child will come forward. Some will accept you, and some will test you, but rest assured that this is natural. Every God is born like this.'

 

Chapter 1019: The birth of a God (cont.)

'How can I help?' Damon asked anxiously. He didn't like the idea of Talia being tested without him around.

'Use your bond,' Astraea said to Damon. 'Send to your mate and your child confidence, support, love, and whatever else you want to give them. Open your mind and feel the world around you. Let your instincts guide you…'

Astraea started chanting melodiously, and Talia thought how it resembled the song of the Wilkow sisters.

'What is that?' Talia asked.

'When we use our energy, we do it with a thought. Mindless energies need to be coaxed to cooperate if we don't want to risk them turning hostile,' Astraea responded. 'This song lures them in and allows us to channel it as our own.'

'I heard something similar when five sisters boosted the energies to help us fight the Guardians,' Talia said.

Astraea's features hardened. 'The Guardians? Those halflings dare to call themselves as such?'

'Calm down, love,' Valerian said to Astraea. 'This is about Natalia and our grandchild. They can't harm anyone now.'

Astraea raised her hands again and then paused. 'If they can't harm anyone, why do I feel them close?'

Talia and Damon looked around, and Astraea pointed at Talia. 'There.'

A purple wisp emerged from Talia's chest. A moment later, another wisp came out.

Talia recognized them. 'Those are abilities of the Guardians we defeated.' She also had Sophia's, Isaac's, and Cassandra's abilities. It's not that Talia wanted to keep them, but she didn't know how to release them without returning them to their original owners.

'You absorbed them?' Astraea was genuinely surprised.

'Damon and I did,' Talia responded proudly.

Astraea shook her head in disapproval, but she was smiling. 'Don't recklessly absorb someone else's energy. It can corrupt you and make you unstable.'

Two more wisps came out of Talia's chest, and Talia felt lighter, like an obstruction was gone, and she could breathe with ease.

Damon remembered something. 'There was an incident a while ago. I was losing myself in the darkness, and Talia rescued me. I have reasons to believe there are remnants of darkness in her. Can you remove those?'

Astraea took a deep look at Talia, and after a long moment, she said. 'I won't remove it.'

'Why?' Damon asked. Talia would do uncharacteristically bad things when negativity engulfed her.

'It is dark, but it's not conflicting with her nature. Maybe because it's from you. Natalia is too pure. Leaving things as-is will give her some edge. I don't want her to end up like me. They betrayed me, threatened my child, my mate, and it wouldn't be like that if I kept my guard up. I didn't believe they would dare to break apart soulmates and kill one to get to the other. Killing our own is an unforgivable offense. If I were a skeptic or aware of how vile people can be, my child would grow up with parents, and my mate wouldn't end up in the dungeon. If I knew about Natalia's fate, I wouldn't allow Val to take her away. We would fight together.'

Valerian wrapped his arms around her. 'It's not your fault, Tea. It was never your fault.'

'And whose fault it was?'

'We talked about this. It was mine.'

'How can it be yours?'

Talia looked at her parents, and her heart was full. They both carried the weight of blame for what happened, showing that they cared for each other and Talia. That was the family she always wanted.

'It was the Guardians who destroyed our family,' Talia said. 'And Sophia and Isaac are at fault for my childhood. They are all punished and are suffering now. Instead of regret for things we can't change, how about we focus on this baby?'

Astraea smiled at Talia. 'Let's welcome our grandchild. She is eager to meet us. The more energies accept her, the stronger her potential will be.'

Astraea started chanting again, and this time, Valerian waved his arms also.

Colorful energy wisps rose to dance around them.

Talia didn't know what to expect, but then she felt warmth all over as two white wisps touched her belly and disappeared in there. And then three more came, one more, and a few others… yellow, red, white, blue, gray.

The light from her belly increased and became blinding, and Talia would panic if not for Damon's soothing presence and Astraea's song, and she knew that her father was there also. It was like a dream. She was with her family.

Talia had no idea how long it lasted, but she blinked to see that her belly had turned into a ball of light. It was white at the center, with numerous colorful strings twisting and twirling around it. It reminded her of the Sphere of Power the Guardians have.

'Is that my child?' Talia asked.

Astraea smiled so widely that her eyes formed crescents. 'This is more than I hoped she would get. She is powerful. I will need to bind her powers.'

Talia was concerned. 'Bind her powers?'

Yasmin had the ability-suppressing items for Edgar and Valeria. Talia wanted to ask Cornelia if there were more of those items for her child. Unlike members of the Midnight Guardians pack, Talia's and Yasmin's babies didn't need to grow up and find their mates in order to use their abilities. Having a baby that can teleport or start a fire could lead to a disaster.

Talia was mentally prepared for the possibility of them suppressing the abilities of their child, but items could be used and removed at will, while binding sounded permanent.

'I know what you are worried about.' Astraea's fingers twisted to form mysterious seals. 'The binds will start loosening up when her wolf awakens. At that time, you will need to guide her. Both of you,' she said to Talia and Damon. 'Even before that, tell her who she is and what to expect. Teach her well, so she doesn't take her powers for granted.'

Talia didn't like these instructions. It sounded like a goodbye. 'Will we see each other again?'

'We will be watching,' Astraea said, and Talia was unsure if that was a yes or a no.

Valerian and Astraea will be watching, but it was a one-way connection, and Talia wanted to be the one who could reach out to her parents. Talia knew they were alive, full of knowledge and love, and she wanted them to be a family.

Astraea reached to pat Talia's head. 'I am sorry that things turned out this way.'

Talia told herself not to be selfish. 'Don't be. This is more than I thought would be possible.'

'Val tells me that your mate treats you well,' Astraea said. 'His energy is of primal Chaos and destruction, but you balance each other, which is always a good thing. If your soulmate is pure, like you are, you would end up as prey to the bad side.'

Talia felt warmth around her tightening, and she knew that was Damon. And there he was with, 'I will ensure Talia and our children are safe. I will give my life to protect them.'

'You will do no such thing,' Talia scolded Damon. How can talk so easily about giving up his life?

'Don't worry about us, mom,' Talia said to Astraea. 'We are powerful.'

Astraea smiled sadly. 'I had a lot of time to think while watching Val in the dungeon and you growing up. Seeing my loved ones suffering made me realize that power doesn't matter if you are not using it. Listen to your mate, Natalia, and don't trust people easily. If people know who you are, they will be envious, covet your powers, and if they can't take them for themselves, they will try to eliminate you. You are a grown woman with a mate, but your child is innocent and will depend on you for safety. I blessed her for protection, but that's not foolproof, and it can save her life once.'

Talia could feel the pull, and she knew that their time was running out. 'I wish you could come with us.'

'Now that Val is here, maybe we can do something together to visit you when the boundaries between realms weaken.'

Talia's face lit up with hope. 'I would love that.'

'Don't resist, Natalia. Your father and I will take care of things in your realm. Focus on your family.'

Talia didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay with her parents and with Damon. Even Sapa and Liseli enjoyed their time. Everything was better in that realm.

But the light was fading, and so was her consciousness, like she was falling asleep against her will.

"Aww…" Talia cried. The stabbing pain in her stomach was excruciating. The scent of blood filled her nostrils. Was she bleeding?

Talia reached to her hold onto her flat belly. What the heck?

Talia blinked to notice their surroundings. The scent, the familiarity… they were in the packhouse of the Dark Howlers pack. In their bedroom. On the bed.

"Kitten?" Damon called, and he was staring at something next to Talia, equally surprised to see where they were.

Next to the bed were their suitcases. Astraea and Valerian returned them home, together with their things.

Talia turned to see a baby lying by her side. The baby was completely naked (definitely female) and sleeping.

"Violet…" Talia called and propped herself on her elbows.

Talia's stomach was aching, but it was flat. She could see that because she was wearing a bikini top and no bottom, and there was some blood under her.

Did she give birth to her baby without realizing it? It looked like it.

 

 

Chapter 1020 The young Alpha Violet is home

Damon hugged Talia from the side and pressed his lips on her temple. "I am glad things ended well." He really did. And he could feel the sparks of their bond again which was fantastic.

Talia was in his arms, and their baby slept peacefully on the bed. It was surreal.

He wanted to hold Violet and hug her, but she was so tiny, and he didn't want to disturb her rest.

He counted five fingers on each hand and five toes on each foot, and she had a tiny nose, tiny mouth, and a small tuft of black hair on her head. Everything was small and... breakable. Will he be able to hold her without hurting her?

Damon decided to focus on Talia. "How are you feeling? That looks like a lot of blood." It was not much by werewolf standards, but he didn't like to see Talia hurt in any way. "Should I call Travis?"

"No need." Talia could sense that her bleeding was stopping, and the ache was not unbearable. "This was supposed to happen in a hospital. I'm sorry I messed up the bedsheets." And she was confident that it leaked into the mattress as well.

"Who cares about bedsheets? Are you alright?"

"I am," Talia assured him.

"Any aches?"

"A little bit." She didn't want to worry him.

"Can I help?"

Talia blinked. "How?"

Damon licked his lips slowly, and she could hear his voice in her head, 'My saliva has analeptic properties.'

Talia's face exploded in a fierce blush when she realized what he was talking about.

"Violet is right here," Talia said in an urgent whisper. "And I am bloody."

Damon grinned. She didn't say no.

"I don't care about the blood. I had worse. As for disturbing Vi, we can be quiet."

Talia's eyes widened to the point of hurting, and Damon chuckled.

"Ah, kitten, kitten…" He pulled her to lean on him. "I will never do anything that makes you uncomfortable. I understand you need time to process things that happened." They both did.

Talia pressed her lips into a line, unsure if she should be relieved or upset that he gave up on going down on her.

"How are you doing?" Talia asked.

"Me? Uhm…" So many things happened that he didn't have time to think about himself. How did he feel? "Excited, mostly. Worried about you. We should notify Travis, Caden, James, and guys that we are here." Also, check on the island and those people they left behind. If they ran their mouths, Damon would kill them all. And one more thing. "We need to verify how much time has passed."

Talia agreed with him. "Can we stay like this a bit longer? I want to clean up before we announce our presence."

Damon reached for a blanket to cover up Violet's tiny body and Talia's lower half. They were both naked. Not appropriate.

"You did it, kitten. We did it. That's our daughter, and she is perfect."

Talia was still processing everything. They were on the beach, and there were intruders. Talia went into labor and ended up in a mystical realm where she saw her parents and…

'Lis?' Talia called.

'I am here.'

'Did I imagine those things?'

'No. The place we were, had the same quality as the realm where I spent centuries by Selena's side.'

'And this is my daughter?' Talia asked while looking at the baby.

'Yes. She is beautiful. Congratulations.'

'Does she have a wolf?' Talia wanted to confirm.

'She has a strong spirit. Yes.'

'When will she awaken?'

'Uhm… in about eleven years. Give or take a year.'

Eleven years, Talia thought. That's how much time they have to raise this girl and teach her not to use her powers for bad things.

Talia wanted to hug and hold her, but she didn't want to wake her up. The baby looked so tiny and peaceful and… 'She is perfect,' Talia said to Damon through their mind-link.

'Violet Blake,' Damon said with glee in his voice. 'The future Alpha of the Dark Howlers pack.'

'And the Midnight Guardians pack.'

'We should combine our packs, kitten. It will be easier for everyone.'

Talia had to agree that Damon's words made sense. Axel told Talia many times he was not interested in being the Alpha because he didn't feel the role belonged to him. Talia hoped that Valerian would take over that position, but now he was gone, and there was no one else other than Talia.

Talia was thinking about opening the portal that would connect two packs directly. That will make travel more convenient, and it will technically connect their territories. The only thing left was to figure out a name.

'Dark Guardians? Or Midnight Howlers?' Talia asked.

Damon smiled. 'I like them both. Or you can keep your pack independent, in a similar way to how George has members of the Frostcrest pack. We are one, but they have a certain autonomy.'

Talia agreed to think about this more.

After a few more minutes of hugging in silence, Damon carried Talia to the bathroom, and he helped her shower.

"Rest on me, kitten. Let your mate take care of you."

Talia leaned on Damon obediently, and she enjoyed the cleaning service he provided. His touch was gentle, and she was amazed that he managed to surprise her again by showing care uncharacteristic of an Alpha. Damon was special. He was the best.

Talia wrapped her arms around his neck and her gaze misted with lust.

Damon's nostrils flared as he struggled against the seductive call of her arousal. "Kitten… you are bleeding and achy." And she was rubbing her stomach on his erection.

"I don't think I'm bleeding anymore." She was feeling better by the second.

Damon was torn. The video said they should refrain from penetration for six weeks after the delivery. He remembered it because his heart was aching at the thought of staying away from Talia's pussy for such a long time, but this was only a few hours, yet she was tempting him and assuring him she was fine. What to do?

Damon took Talia's hands into his and kissed her palms. "Let's wait, kitten. At least until tonight."

Talia couldn't believe that he had refused her. "What's tonight?"

"By then, Doctor Travis will check on you and confirm that your body is fine."

"But I am fine!" Talia pouted.

"I believe you, but I don't want to risk harming you."

Talia wanted to bicker, but she could feel his sincerity through their mate bond. He was truly worried about her, and she decided to hold back her urges.

"Alright," Talia said dejectedly. She knew that his words made sense, but she was horny. Damn it!

Talia and Damon dressed up and returned to the bedroom to see Violet still sleeping there.

"Should we wake her up?" Damon asked.

Talia was not sure. "Maybe we should call someone with experience and get some tips. Do we have any diapers and baby clothes?" The bed sheets were already ruined from blood, but that didn't mean they should add pee or whatever else came out of the baby.

Talia was planning to go baby shopping when they returned from their trip. They assumed they would have a month or more to settle down with these necessities, and Mindy even planned a baby shower, but things ended differently.

While thinking about Mindy, Talia hoped that her friend had prepared a nursery based on the list Talia and Damon left behind.

Talia looked at Damon, who stood by her side unresponsive, and it took her a moment to realize that his eyes were out of focus. He was mind-linking someone.

Before Talia could ask what was going on, there was a knock on their bedroom door.

"Come in," Damon called, and Maya's head peeked in with Caden's above her.

"When did you come back?" Maya asked, and she froze in her tracks when she saw the bundle on the bed.

Caden scrunched his nose as he scented blood, and James and Cornelia appeared at the door.

It was Talia's turn to stare at Cornelia, who was waddling with a big belly in front of her. Talia wondered how long they were away, but then… Cornelia was a witch. Who knew how their pregnancies went?

"Oh. My. God!" Maya said when she gathered her wits. "A baby! Is it a boy or a girl?"

10:57

Damon wrapped his arm around Talia and puffed his chest before announcing. "That's your future Alpha Violet. The oldest one in the new generation of Alphas."

Caden cleared his throat. "Uhm… not the oldest one."

Damon's brows came together in a frown. "What do you mean?"

"Max and Tanya had their son, Ethan, last week."

Damon's frown deepened. "How was that possible?"

Cornelia responded, "After we faced the Guardians, the Wilkow sisters figured out that their song could speed up the pregnancy." She rubbed her belly. "Works on everyone who stands nearby. Mindy is about to have her baby any day now, and Dawn's stomach is showing. We also suspect it promotes heat and fertility because Varya, Daria, Trisha, Lidia, and several others are pregnant."

Talia thought about how that was wonderful. "Violet will have many playmates."

Maya went to the room across the hall with, "Let me grab some diapers and baby clothes. You shouldn't introduce our future Alpha to the pack naked."

Talia turned to Damon, who was non-responsive. "Damon?"

"Max's child was born first," Damon said dejectedly.

"Tanya got pregnant before me. It was normal that their child was born first." Talia did her best to pacify him.

Damon rubbed his chin and eyed Talia. "When is your next heat?"

"What?"

"We will make our second child first."

Talia was unsure if she should laugh or cry. Was everything a competition?