Ch. 351..360

Chapter 351 – Lunch With The Next Luna Of The Dark Howlers Pack (2)

George and Nora were not the only ones that made Marcy wary. Oh, no.

The next one on Marcy's not-pleasant list was Kalina.

Kalina was not friendly toward Marcy at the Lightclaw pack, and Marcy was hoping that Kalina will soften up. After all, right now, they were both guests of the Dark Howlers pack, but Marcy had the position of Damon's future Luna, so Kalina should suck up to her. Unfortunately, Kalina was still acting high and mighty, like she didn't put Marcy into her eyes at all, and Marcy was trying to figure out if Kalina didn't care about her or if she didn't understand the situation.

Other than bumping into Marcy in front of the ladies' room at the Lightclaw pack, Marcy didn't interact with Mindy before.

As for Maya, Marcy met her when Damon visited the Red Moon pack, but Marcy was so focused on Alpha Damon that she didn't talk to Maya.

And last but not least, there was Talia.

By now, Marcy knew that Talia, who was the host for this gathering, was Alpha Damon's assistant. Marcy also connected the dots that Talia was with Alpha Damon at the Lightclaw pack, the same Talia that ended in the WW Magazine as Alpha Damon's mysterious date, Lia. Marcy didn't share this information with Nora, because she didn't like Nora to begin with.

However, Marcy didn't think that Talia was an obstacle.

Sure, Alpha Damon took Talia with him to a party, and she was working as his assistant, but if Alpha Damon saw Talia as someone important, he would make it official.

Besides, considering what she saw in the Red Moon pack, Marcy concluded that it's normal for Alphas to keep a woman or two on the side. As long as Damon is discrete about it, Marcy would close her eye at Damon's occasional escapades. Who knows, maybe Marcy can keep George?

Marcy was not sure what to think of Talia. Can they be friendly? Will she be able to be friends with a person who is shagging her husband? Currently, Marcy didn't think that would be a problem, but she was not sure if that will change after Alpha Damon marks her.

Fated mates or not, the mark will create a bond between the two, and they will feel a certain level of affection between each other. Will that include possessiveness and jealousy? Marcy didn't know.

While thinking about Damon being with another woman, Marcy didn't feel anything. However, when she thought about George being close to another female, rage bubbled within Marcy and she knew that this was the bond working.

Aaaaand… Marcy was back to thinking about George. Will he stop the silly game he was playing and accept her rejection? Surely, George won't let it drag until Marcy's Luna ceremony because that would expose them as mates and both of them will end up in trouble.

– – –

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– – –

"Marcy… Marcy!", Nora's call made Marcy jolt out of her thoughts.

"What?"

"Are you excited about the party?"

Marcy blinked. "What party?"

Nora rolled her eyes dramatically. "You saw Alpha Damon this morning. Does he have such an effect on you that you can't focus?"

Marcy plastered a stiff smile. What was Nora up to this time? Marcy cursed internally for not paying attention. "I was thinking about something, don't make a big deal out of it. Will you explain what was that about the party, or should we drop the topic?"

"There is a party tomorrow, for you.", Nora said meaningfully.

Marcy was surprised. "For me?"

Talia hoped that her confusion was not showing on her face. She was surprised by this 'party for Marcy', just as much as Marcy was.

Mindy winked at Talia before saying, "Talia is the main person to answer your questions. Everyone who is someone in the Dark Howlers pack will be at the party tomorrow. It's to…", Mindy leaned over the table and spoke in a whisper, "Introduce the future Luna of the Dark Howlers pack."

Marcy perked up and a bright smile slowly bloomed on her face as Mindy's words sank in. Her first impression was that Alpha Damon was trying to wiggle it out, or that he won't treat her well. However, now Marcy realized that she misunderstood him completely.

Alpha Damon was mysterious because he wanted to surprise her with a party!

Marcy thought how she was silly. Of course, Alphas don't have time for courting, chit-chat, and romantic stuff. They are busy with their matters like managing a pack and training and fighting against rogues. But no matter if Alpha Damon has women on the side, or how much work he has, he was still preparing a grand party for Marcy. Isn't he the sweetest?

While Marcy was processing the idea of a party that changed her opinion of Damon, Nora noticed one odd thing about how Mindy delivered the information.

"Why did you say that quietly?", Nora asked Mindy suspiciously.

Maya responded, "Because of where we are. This party is only for important people, and the ones who are not invited might get offended or want to crash the party."

"Oh…" Nora nodded in understanding. Who would want to mingle with those low-level characters anyway?

Nora looked at Marcy enthusiastically. "Did you hear that? A party for you." And for me as well! This will be an amazing chance to mingle with important people!

Nora turned to Talia. Mindy said that Talia was the go-to person. "Is there a theme? Should we buy specific outfits?"

Talia had no idea how to answer this. Talia had a hunch that this was the part of setting up Marcy, but other than a few hints she got from Maya, Mindy, and Kalina earlier that day, the girls didn't tell her anything.

Unfortunately, Nora was looking at her, and so did everyone else, so Talia took a deep breath and improvised.

"It will be late afternoon and evening. Think about an upscale party, but not over the top that would make people stiff. Luna of the Dark Howlers pack should be someone who is dignified, yet down to Earth. Everyone will be looking at her even though she won't attract attention. She can talk to Alphas as an equal, and she will take care of Omegas and their needs."

Everyone at the table gaped at Talia.

'No wonder Alpha Damon is keeping her as his assistant…', Marcy thought. Talia's response was eloquent, and Marcy actually imagined herself showing up among hundreds of important people and being the center of attention.

Nora blinked. Talia said a lot, but she still didn't get her answer. "So… should I dress up fancy or not?"

Kalina stifled a laugh. "Why are you worried? It's not like you are going to be the next Luna of the Dark Howlers pack."

Nora's face fell and if a look could kill, Kalina would stop breathing the moment she finished that sentence.

 

Chapter 352 – Lunch With The Next Luna Of The Dark Howlers Pack (3) [Bonus Chapter]

"Don't give them hard time, Nora.", Marcy said magnanimously. She was obviously in a much better mood than before. "You can dress as fancy as you want. If you didn't pack anything appropriate, I will ask Alpha Damon to arrange for you an escort to take you shopping."

Considering that Alpha Damon was organizing a party for Marcy, Marcy was confident that he will indulge a small request like that.

Nora had mixed feelings about this. She was excited about the party, but she disliked that Marcy was the lucky one to get this attention. And why was that? The only advantage Marcy had over Nora was that Marcy's father was an Alpha. Ah, if Nora's father was an Alpha, Nora would be a Luna a long time ago.

And it was not just that Alpha Damon had the title of an Alpha of the largest pack in North America, but he was also handsome, filthy rich, and perfect in every way possible.

The more Nora thought how that exquisite specimen was doting on Marcy and not her, the more Nora felt a sour taste in her throat.

Nora wanted to break the sour mood that descended on her. This was in public, and it was not the right time or place to be grumpy.

"How about we celebrate?"

"What do you have on your mind?", Mindy asked Nora.

"Drinks!", Nora exclaimed and waved at the waitress. "Bring us your finest wine. Do you have champagne?"

The waitress glanced at Maya questionably and Nora snorted.

"Why are you looking at Beta Maya when your future Luna is at this table? Snap-snap. Hurry with that wine."

The waitress paused for a moment while wondering if she heard Nora right. Future Luna? Which one?

She concluded that it's not Nora, and Maya and Kalina were mated so… Talia? Mindy? Marcy?

Maya didn't want to clarify Nora's words. After all, Nora was right. Their future Luna was at that table.

Maya waved at the waitress, indicating to her get the drink.

'Pick any good wine you have.', Maya told her through the mind-link.

Marcy's chin when up with pride as she heard whispers from the patrons in the restaurant.

There were discussions about all three Luna candidates (Talia, Mindy, and Marcy), but soon the talks focused on Marcy.

After all, there were rumors already that Marcy and Alpha Damon might be an item. To add to that, Marcy is the princess of the Red Moon pack. She is beautiful, educated, and mysterious, and now that she appeared at the Dark Howlers pack, and was sitting at the table with Maya (aka Beta), Talia (aka Alpha Damon's assistant), and other high-profile individuals, theories about Marcy and Damon were sparked again.

No one noticed George's expression darkening by the second and he fought mightily to reign in his wolf so that his aura doesn't leak and expose him. He didn't think that just trailing Marcy will be this challenging.

Talia didn't get it. Why did Maya, Marcy, and Kalina make it sound like the party was for Marcy? Aren't they just adding oil to the fire?

Yes, they said that they will make Marcy feel comfortable in order to slip, but isn't it too much to make her think that Damon accepted her as his Luna?

Talia could see Marcy's demeanor changing and Talia didn't like it, not even a little bit.

Marcy was showing a similar expression she had in the Red Moon pack, when Marcy acted like she was the queen of the Universe.

What if Marcy goes to Damon after lunch and tries to give him a thank-you kiss? If he rejects her, he will blow up the lie, but if he accepts that kiss, Talia will blow up the packhouse.

Talia pushed her insecurities down and tried to shut down the noise.

Surely, her girlfriends know what they are doing, and Damon is not an inexperienced teenager who can get tricked into a kiss. As for random people in the restaurant, they had no idea what they were talking about anyway.

Talia chanted internally that all this will pass, and she will be back in Damon's comforting embrace in no time.

– – –

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– – –

A middle-aged man with an apron around his waist entered the restaurant while pushing a serving cart in front of him.

Six sparkling bell-shaped plate covers attracted attention, and everyone fell into silence to see what he was up to.

The man stopped when he reached the table where Talia, Maya, Mindy, Kalina, Marcy, and Nora were sitting, and he bowed a little.

"I am Hamil", the man introduced himself. "I am the owner of the sweetshop that's down the street." He gestured toward the covered plates on the cart in front of him. "Alpha Damon sends his regards."

With that, Hamil started removing six shiny covers, to reveal the sweet goodness, under numerous curious gazes.

Everyone in the restaurant was paying attention. After all, Alpha Damon sent this, and nothing like that ever happened before. Didn't this confirm their guess that Marcy from the Red Moon pack is their future Luna?

Each plate had an assortment of cakes and cookies that looked and smelled delicious.

Hamil took the first plate and placed it in front of Talia. "Miss Talia, this one is for you."

Talia looked at the man who gave her a meaningful look and all her hostility and insecurities sizzled away in an instant. She knew that this was Damon's way of confirming that he was with her, no matter what was happening around them.

The next plate went to Maya and the third one to Kalina. Next were Mindy, Marcy, and Nora.

The man bowed with, "I hope you will enjoy desserts that Alpha Damon personally selected.", and then he made his exit.

"Wow!", Nora exclaimed and nudged Marcy with her elbow. "Alpha Damon knows how to make a girl feel special."

Talia looked at the plates and noticed that hers was different than others.

Every plate had a slice of mango cake, a slice of lemon cake, a caramel wafer, a vanilla cream puff, a cookie with orange jelly, and a fruit tart. Every plate, except for Talia's.

Talia's plate had a slice of a decadent chocolate cake, a chocolate cookie with bits of nuts and chocolate chips, a chocolate-coated pretzel, chocolate-dipped strawberries, and a chocolate mousse.

Talia smiled at the thought that her chocolate sent her chocolate. Her mate was telling her that he was thinking about her and that she should be thinking about him… and she did.

It didn't take long for others to notice that Talia's plate was an odd one.

"How come your plate is different, Talia?", Nora asked while munching on the lemon cake that melted in her mouth. It was delicious.

Talia shrugged, and she couldn't stop her lips from lifting into a smile even with the big bite of chocolate cake that filled her cheeks.

Marcy narrowed her eyes at Talia. Her instinct told her that Talia's happiness was for more than just a tasty cake. And she also had a hunch that Talia's plate was not different accidentally. Didn't the baker guy say how Alpha Damon picked these personally? And he gave Talia her plate first!

Was this Damon's way of sending a message that Talia was special?

 

Chapter 353 – Maya’s Plan Against Marcy

Lunch ended and six women and one man lingered at the parking lot around two cars while determining who will be going in which car.

They already knew that George will drive one car, and Maya the second one, so Talia, Kalina, Mindy, Marcy, and Nora needed to figure out if they will take the black SUV (with Maya) or the dark blue one (with George).

"Miss Talia", Marcy called. "Can you come with me in the car? I would really like for us to continue talking about the upcoming party. I feel that my input will be important."

"She will talk to you", Maya responded before Talia could. "Unfortunately, there is one important issue in the pack that I need to address first, and Talia's presence is necessary."

"Oh?", Marcy's eyebrows shot up. "Pack issue? Can I join? Maybe I can help."

"I apologize Miss Marcy, but this is something that requires high-security clearance.", Maya said with a smile and Marcy's expression stiffened.

"It shouldn't take more than one hour", Maya added. "I suggest you go to the packhouse with others, and Talia will find you when we are done."

"I see." The disappointment in Marcy's voice was obvious. She wanted to talk to Talia about more than just the party, but that can wait for a bit.

"Alright!", Mindy exclaimed and moved toward Marcy. "I will tag along with you. I didn't get a chance to talk about my charities. We can chat about it until Lia comes."

Nora was already in the seat behind George. She didn't want to go with Maya or Talia, and she didn't want to sit next to George either.

Kalina sat in the front passenger's seat, next to George.

– – –

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– – –

Maya drove the car in the opposite direction from the packhouse.

Once they were out of Darkbourne, Maya stopped the car on the side of the road and turned to Talia.

"How are you holding on?", Maya asked. She knew that lunch was unpleasant for Talia, and the fact that Talia didn't say a word during the ride, told Maya that Talia had a lot on her mind.

"I will feel better if you tell me that there is a good reason why Marcy thinks that the party is for her. And why is the party tomorrow? Does Damon know about this?", Talia asked impatiently.

"Sorry, Lia. Everything happened suddenly and we didn't have time to figure out the right approach." Maya paused to take a deep breath. "Damon told me not to tell you yet, but I think you should know."

"Know what?"

"Lisa is talking around how you came from the Red Moon pack."

Talia's eyes widened. "Why would she do that? How does she know?"

Maya frowned. "Didn't you tell her?"

"Why would I tell her? Didn't you say how that's a secret and it can cause trouble for me, Damon, and the pack?"

Maya was confused. She and Caden didn't tell anyone, and Damon confirmed that his lips were sealed. "Are you sure? You didn't tell anyone? Maybe you mentioned it to someone else, and Lisa found out from that person."

Talia thought for some time and shook her head and then froze with realization… "I think I told Steph. I remember that she asked me from where I was. That was before you told me how it should be kept a secret."

Maya puffed her cheeks. "Stephanie probably told Lisa." Maya saw that Talia's expression fell and she put her hand over Talia's shoulder. "Don't overthink it. What's done is done. Lisa can't talk anymore, and I will tell Stephanie not to spread it further. She is not the one to talk."

Talia saw Maya's eyes losing focus and she knew that Maya was already mind-linking Stephanie.

"What do you mean, Lisa can't talk?", Talia asked when Maya's attention was back on her.

Maya's lips lifted into a smile. "She is in the dungeon."

"And Steph is OK with it?"

Maya shook her head helplessly. "Steph knows that Lisa is a loose cannon and it's not safe to have her around. Damon said that he will deal with Lisa, but until the guests are here, Lisa will stay in the dungeon. She is not imprisoned but can't leave, and we hope that her time there will help her get a new perspective on life. Without Tony, people won't give her preferential treatment, and she needs to accept that Tony belongs to Kalina. The point is that we don't need to worry about Lisa. However, she is the reason why Damon requested that we organize your introductory party as soon as possible. He wants all important people in the pack to be aware you are his mate, and the future Luna. If this introduction happens after Alpha Edward finds out that you came from his pack, Elders might not be willing to support you and Damon."

Talia exhaled a shaky breath. She didn't think that her coming from the Red Moon pack and disclosing that to Stephanie would create all these problems. And her wolf was still not awake. No matter how Talia looked at this, she messed up, and it was her fault… she was the faulty one.

"Don't worry, Lia.", Maya said while patting Talia's shoulder. "We are taking care of it. You are Damon's mate, and the only one worthy to be the Luna of the Dark Howlers pack. Even if you doubt yourself, you need to believe in the Moon Goddess. She is never wrong. Keep that in mind, and everything will be alright."

Talia nodded, but her expression was not good. "So, how does Marcy fit into all that?"

Maya's eyes lit up with a malicious glint. "She won't make it to the party."

"What? How?"

"We got it figured out. You saw what happened in the restaurant. As soon as Marcy felt that things were going according to her plan, she started acting like she owns the place. We will continue boosting her ego, and tonight we will pull the rug under her feet. We have several options in place, but we are mostly leaning toward taking Marcy to the Shifters nightclub. A few cocktails will loosen her up and then we will deliver unpleasant surprises that will make her blow up. We want her to lose her composure and to make a scandal. The bigger the better."

Talia thought how that made sense. "What do I need to do?"

"Nothing. You just sit and watch the show. Until showtime, I will be respectful toward Marcy as a Beta, and Mindy is already sucking in with a pretense of how she wants to secure donations from the future Luna of the Dark Howlers pack. That's why she went with them in the car."

"What about Kalina? She was not friendly toward Marcy.", Talia said.

"A-ha!", Maya exclaimed and raised her index finger. "That's the point. Neither of us has a good history with Marcy. I kind of ignored Marcy when I was at the Red Moon pack, and both Mindy and Kalina dissed her at the Lightclaw pack. It would be suspicious if all three of us are suddenly friendly. That's why I said that I'm going to approach her as a Beta, Mindy is talking about her charities. From Marcy's perspective, she will understand that we have our reasons to be friendly. However, Kalina is different. She will keep her distance, like when two Lunas must be together due to political reasons, but they don't like each other."

Talia admired the plan. They came up with all that on short notice, and Talia wondered what they would do if they had time to prepare.

Talia had nothing to add, other than to ask, "How do I fit in that?"

"You do your thing.", Maya said. "I'm sure that Marcy noticed you are not just an assistant, and that might be one more thing that will trigger her. If she suspected it before our lunch, she definitely confirmed when those deserts arrived. Damon won't allow you to suffer a loss."

Talia's lips lifted into a smile involuntarily and her chest was filled with warm and fuzzy emotions. Yes, Damon treats her well.

—

Chapter 354 – Marcy Vs Talia (1)

Talia and Marcy were in the living room. Talia was sitting on the sofa chair, and Marcy was on the sofa.

Other ladies went to the garden to hang out and to give Marcy and Talia privacy, and Damon went to check how the training was going.

Of course, Damon left only after Talia promised not to go into private quarters with Marcy, so that Damon can keep an eye on her through the video surveillance that covers all hallways, common areas (such as the living room), and perimeter around the packhouse (garden included).

The only one who refused to leave was George. He was standing still like a statue, with his back to the wall, a few steps behind Marcy.

George had no intention of leaving Marcy out of his sight. Anger and dejection simmered in the pit of his stomach since the lunch in the restaurant, but Mindy was sticking to Marcy, and only when Talia arrived did Mindy leave, so George didn't get his chance to talk to Marcy without anyone eavesdropping.

But he was used to waiting.

In the evening (if not sooner), George will get his chance to corner Marcy and ask her, does she really have no shame? She gave herself to her mate, who was right there, and she was talking about becoming Luna to some other guy? Did she really plan to go with that until the end?

Part of George wanted to beat Marcy until her family can't recognize her, and other part of him wanted to choke her while he fucks her senselessly.

He knew that his impulses were impacted by the cracked bond between them and his unreasonable wolf, but there was nothing he could do about it. Sure, he could accept her rejection, but he knew how that was exactly what Marcy wanted, and George had no intention of giving Marcy what she wanted.

As for Marcy, she forgot about George's existence a few minutes after she started talking to Talia.

Talia was glad that on the way to the packhouse, Maya told her some details about the arrangements related to tomorrow's party, so Talia was able to respond to Marcy's questions without guesswork.

Marcy had preferences about flowers, she wanted balloons, and she requested specific food and drinks to be served.

"I will see what we can do, Miss Marcy.", Talia responded politely while cringing on the inside.

They were talking for nearly an hour and Talia would be deaf not to hear Marcy's condescending tone.

After her chat with Maya, Talia knew that Marcy won't get to attend that party, and Talia couldn't wait to see Marcy's back as she leaves the packhouse forever, but until Maya, Kalina, and Mindy do their thing to set up Marcy, Talia needed to play her role.

However, just agreeing to Marcy's over-the-top demands was not the right solution either.

"Some of these items are popular in Europe, and we don't have such a pastry chef in Darkbourne. Also, this is not the blooming season for irises."

Marcy frowned. "Are you telling me that you can't do it?"

"That's not what I said. I am only pointing out that the party is tomorrow, and we don't have much time to make changes. Pastry, in general, takes time to make so even if we find a suitable chef, and he is available, it's doubtful he will be able to deliver these in time. As for the flowers, the greenhouses in the area might not have the required quantity."

Marcy waved her hand, indicating that it was not important. "I don't want to sound ungrateful. Treat my inputs as suggestions. For my next party, I will have time to make necessary arrangements."

– – –

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– – –

Talia released a long breath, together with some of her frustration, and she glanced at her phone to see a message from Damon. He was on his way back from the training center and not a minute too early. Talia needed his proximity to calm down because Marcy was driving her nuts.

With that, Talia was ready to make her exit.

"I better hurry and make some phone calls to see if your changes can be accommodated. Is there anything else, Miss Marcy?"

"Yes, there is.", Marcy said. "I wanted to discuss your position."

The surprise on Talia's face was genuine. "My position?"

Marcy went straight to the point. "I noticed that you are close to Damon."

Talia frowned. How dares Marcy call Damon so casually? It seems that Marcy already settled in her position as Damon's Luna.

Marcy smiled magnanimously. "Don't worry. I won't ask him to remove you from your position. You can continue to serve him, as long as you are discrete about it."

Talia was sure that her ears malfunctioned. "What?"

Marcy cocked an eyebrow. "Are you going to deny that you are sleeping with Damon?" Marcy took Talia's lack of response as a confirmation. "I will be his Luna and he will eventually get bored of you. Until that happens, as long as you are discrete, I won't cause you problems."

"How generous of you.", Talia said sarcastically while trying to suppress her fury. It was one thing for Marcy to be arrogant, but when she started talking like Damon was hers, Talia was in danger of blowing a fuse.

"I am not generous. I am realistic.", Marcy said. "The fact is that I will be Damon's Luna, and you are replaceable. I only hope that when he finds his next assistant, you won't give us trouble."

Anger sizzled within Talia, and she was not aware that her face contorted into a grimace. "Do you really think you are in the position to make such a decision?"

Marcy frowned. "Keep talking like that and I will tell Damon to replace you."

"Please, do. I am eager to hear which one of us will be sent away."

Marcy rolled her eyes. "No matter how good your skills in bed are, there are always better. When he feels a real woman", she gestured toward herself, "he will abandon your skinny ass."

Talia saw red. She completely forgot about Maya's plan, and about Marcy being from the Red Moon pack. The only thing Talia saw was a shameless woman who wanted to take her place next to Damon, and Marcy was pretending to be righteous while assuming that Talia was using her body in order to keep a job.

"Do you think that everyone is like you, to sleep for benefits?"

Marcy was outraged. "What did you say?"

"You heard me.", Talia said angrily. "If you are spreading your legs for others, do you assume everyone else is doing that?"

"Damon will hear about this. You are slandering me!", Marcy hissed. "I am not like other she-wolves who sleep around."

"Slander?", Talia sneered and got her phone. "Let's see if you can continue lying through your teeth after you see this…"

—

Chapter 355 – Marcy Vs Talia (2) [Bonus Chapter]

Marcy gritted her teeth while waiting to see what Talia will show her on the phone.

Considering the context of sleeping around, Marcy was confident that Talia was bluffing. Marcy didn't have sex with anyone other than George, and that happened only on the previous day. As for before that, it couldn't be anything incriminating because whenever Marcy was fooling around with guys, she was extra-careful that she was not recorded. And besides, that was in Europe. How could a no-name assistant girl reach all the way there to collect evidence?

Marcy was certain, if Talia has anything, it must be fake. Maybe a lookalike.

Talia was consumed in rage, and she quickly scrolled through files before playing one.

"What are you doing?", Marcy's voice was heard from the speaker.

"Memories of our first time, baby. Turn around. Let me see you…", Damon's voice followed.

Talia's insides churned at the thought of that video. Damon said that he will erase it, but she kept a copy for herself (not just of that video, but of all files Damon collected over the years), knowing that it could be handy, and that Damon shouldn't remove evidence just because it was bothering Talia.

Maya explained to Talia how they would use those files to discredit women who were after the position of Damon's Luna, and Talia thought how it would be unreasonable just to delete them, so… here she was… using one of the files to slap Marcy in the face.

Talia felt better when she saw that Marcy lost all color from her face.

"What is that?", Marcy asked breathily. "Turn it off!"

Marcy jumped toward Talia to snatch her phone, but Talia nimbly avoided Marcy and pushed her back on the sofa. All that training with Damon came in handy.

Marcy wanted to get up, but Talia twisted Marcy's arm behind her back and held her to sit at an awkward angle while holding the phone in front of Marcy's face to see.

Of course, Talia was not really that strong physically, but with a bit of her aura, she suppressed Marcy completely. And she was not even aware that she was using her aura. It was just as Damon said, Talia was natural. She used her powers, without realizing it.

Marcy cringed as she couldn't move, and Damon's voice continued from the phone, "Spread your legs… more… Perk up that ass… You are flooding Marcy…"

Talia was nauseated at the thought of Damon touching Marcy, but she didn't want to stop the video.

Just sending Marcy home or smacking her around would be too easy.

Talia wanted to humiliate Marcy for all the beatings and snobby attitude that Marcy gave her. Marcy didn't know that Talia was the girl from the attic, but Talia will never be able to forget how princess Marcy came up and tricked her to open the door only so that Talia gets a beating. Twice.

Talia still didn't know what she did to deserve such harsh treatment but even if she did some major offense, just hitting her senselessly was not an answer.

And then Marcy had the gall to come here and parade herself as Damon's future Luna.

Talia really wanted to shove that phone into Marcy's mouth and make her swallow it while the video played on repeat for everyone to hear.

"Whose pussy is this?", Damon's voice was heard from the speaker.

"Yours."

"What do you want me to do, Marcy?"

"I want you to…", Marcy's words were interrupted by a loud moan. "Fuck me."

"How do you want me to fuck you, Marcy. I need details."

"I want you to put your big cock in my pussy and fuck me hard. Make me scream, Alpha Damon."

Only then did Talia stop the video.

"I wonder…", Talia said in a low voice. "Did you do this before or after you agreed to be Damon's Luna? Don't try to act pure, because I have a video here that would blow the internet if posted online."

Talia released Marcy and took a step away.

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Marcy who was trying to process what just happened.

– – –

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– – –

"How did you get that video?", Marcy asked.

"Does it matter?", Talia responded with a question.

It was obvious that Marcy was not pleased to know about the existence of that video and Talia was happy that she had something against her bully. The tables have turned.

Talia remembered Maya, and the plan, and Talia regretted her outburst, but just a little bit. No matter what Maya, Kalina, and Mindy will do, Marcy deserved to know that Talia won't pretend to be invisible. Damon was hers!

With this, Talia made her stance clear and she released some of her steam. Talia was ready to step back and allow her girlfriends to do with Marcy whatever they planned to do.

"Don't try to get in my way, Marcy, or I will release this for everyone to see."

Marcy gritted her teeth in annoyance. "And what will that accomplish? For people to see me allowing my future husband to touch me?"

"Future husband? We will see about that.", Talia said curtly. "You are lucky that you have your background, so I won't kick you out of here right this instant, but don't push your luck."

Only then did Talia see another figure standing next to the wall like a statue. George.

He didn't make a sound so far, and Talia forgot about him.

For a split second, Talia feared that George will make a move against her, or maybe attempt to rescue Marcy, but he stood there without moving a muscle while staring blankly at the floor. He looked like a robot that was shut down, and Talia didn't want to disturb him.

Besides, Talia made her point with Marcy and it was time for Talia to make her exit.

Talia smirked at Marcy, turned on her heel, and left the living room.

Marcy was trembling from anger.

She hated that Talia had that video. Marcy forgot that Damon recorded her.

Did Damon share that video with Talia? Did he show it to someone else also? Or did Talia find it on her own? Surely, as Damon's assistant, she had access to his files.

But the most upsetting for Marcy was that she was stuck on that sofa and unable to move while Talia held her down. Marcy couldn't believe that such a skinny girl overpowered her, but at that moment, Marcy felt weak, and couldn't push Talia away no matter how much she tried. What was that?

Marcy stood up and paused at the sight of George.

In an instant, Marcy's anger got directed George's way.

When he said that he will follow her everywhere as security, Marcy feared that George might take advantage of the situation to get into her panties again, and she never assumed that he will just stand there and do nothing while she was being bullied.

 

Chapter 356 – A Serious Situation (and Some Flirting)

Marcy was never so humiliated!

Talia showed a scandalous video featuring Marcy, and Talia ridiculed her, and even held her down. How can Marcy accept that?

And what did George do? Nothing!

Marcy interpreted George's lack of reaction as a feeling of guilt. Surely, he must realize his incompetency when he just stood there and did nothing.

"What's the use of you being here if you won't act when someone attacks me?", Marcy hissed at the non-responsive George while waving her arms wildly. "You think that you are someone because my father made you a commander? Wait until I tell him how useless you are!"

George was lost in a daze of his emotions that clashed against his thoughts, and he barely registered that Marcy was shouting at him.

He didn't see the video, but the sounds coming from Talia's phone were quite descriptive and he had a good idea of what was going on.

Marcy said that her pussy belongs to Alpha Damon. She asked him to fuck her, and she was quite explicit about it, more than she was with George.

George was confident that he took Marcy's virginity, and he thought it meant something. However, the vagina was just one of the holes on Marcy's body, and George realized that her other cavities were explored by someone else.

No wonder Marcy gave him such a good blow job. She knew what she was doing.

And he thought it was special because it was her first time. He was such an idiot!

George was drowning in disappointment, rage, and he ridiculed himself for being stupid and believing that Marcy cared about him and their bond. She played him for a fool, and he allowed it to happen.

"Don't ignore me, you imbecile!"

Marcy's shout pulled George out of his thoughts.

She was standing only two steps away and glaring daggers his way.

George's eyes narrowed at Marcy as all his emotions mixed and morphed into disgust.

Why would the Moon Goddess pair him with such a woman?

Mates should be each other's half, but Marcy rejected him on the spot because she saw him as unworthy.

George wondered, is that what he deserved? To live without his other half?

Before he met Marcy, he was doing just fine!

Surely, life without a mate can't be as bad as what he was going through at that moment. Actually, since George found out that Marcy was his mate, his life turned into hell.

George took a step toward Marcy and she raised her head to meet his gaze. Marcy was so embarrassed and angry after her confrontation with Talia that she didn't notice how George's mood was not right.

"Marcy Redmayne", George spoke in an official tone. "I George Shaw, Alpha of the Frostcrest pack, accept your rejection."

Marcy's eyes widened for a moment.

'What was that? Did he say he is an Alpha?'

Before she could process what just happened, a soul-wrecking pain shook Marcy's internal organs and she fell on the floor with a weak shriek.

The Moon Goddess ensured that fated mates can't harm each other.

Marcy's rejection cracked the bond and allowed negativity to seep in.

With George's acceptance of Marcy's rejection, the final threads of their bond snapped and Marcy felt George's furious Alpha aura hitting her full force. She couldn't breathe.

George was not spared from the repercussion of his actions.

The bond works both ways, for better or worse, but he was stronger than Marcy, so he managed to stay on his feet.

George clutched his chest and stumbled out of the living room. He supported himself on the wall while making his way down the hallway.

The pain of completely breaking their bond was unbearable, but George was determined to put as much as possible distance between himself and Marcy.

– – –

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– – –

Damon emerged from the trees while walking in large strides toward the packhouse. He could feel Talia's emotions.

Irritable, displeased, furious, vengeful, upset, disappointed.

Her emotions were fluctuating faster than he could identify them, and even though nothing seemed to point how Talia was in danger, Damon was in a hurry to find her.

Damon was surprised to see Talia sitting on the stairs in front of the main entrance with her face hidden in her palms.

Talia regretted her actions. Why couldn't she just ignore Marcy's words and leave that room? Why did she taunt Marcy? Why did she show her the video?

It felt good at that time to see Marcy squirm helplessly, but now that the heated emotions were settled, Talia worried if her few minutes of satisfaction will cause trouble for Damon and the Dark Howlers pack.

If Marcy tells her father that she was mistreated, who knows what Alpha Edward will do?

Things could escalate quickly, and then what? How will Talia explain this to Damon?

Talia knew that Damon was strong and that the Dark Howlers pack had many powerful warriors, but she also knew that Damon had a good reason to tiptoe around Marcy instead of rejecting her outright.

Provoking the Red Moon pack will come with unimaginable consequences, and by coming onto Marcy aggressively, Talia did just that.

Ah, she messed up!

"Kitten?", Damon called, and Talia's head snapped to look in his direction.

After a moment of stillness, Talia bolted on her feet and dashed straight into Damon's embrace.

She took a moment to inhale her favorite scent of the forest and the dark chocolate and to feel Damon's firm body pressing on her, but she liked the most his solid arms that held her with a sense of safety and belonging.

"Maya had a plan, and I ruined it.", Talia spoke into his chest.

"It's OK.", Damon said while rubbing Talia's back gently.

He didn't know what happened. The last thing he saw was that Talia and Marcy were talking in the living room, and he stopped watching the feed once he was on his way to the packhouse. He missed the whole conflict part, but based on Talia's emotions, he knew that something happened and that Talia's gentle heart was in turmoil.

Damon wanted to assure her that he's got her back, and to comfort her. Details can come later.

Talia shook her head. "It's not OK. Maya, Kalina, and Mindy made a plan to handle Marcy. I was supposed to stay in the role of your assistant so that Marcy gets overconfident and trips, but then Marcy said that she will be your Luna and how I'm replaceable, and… I lost it."

"Did you use your powers?", Damon whispered close to Talia's ear.

When Talia shook her head, indicating that she didn't, Damon grinned. "You lost it? Tell me the details. Did you slap her?"

Talia looked up at him. "Be serious. This is serious."

'Silly girl', Damon thought. The only serious thing would be if outsiders found out how amazing she is. Everything else fades in comparison to that.

"I know it's serious.", Damon said earnestly. "Some random woman claimed me as hers, and my kitten defended my honor. That's serious. My only regret is that I was not here to witness it in person."

 

Chapter 357 – A Serious Situation (and Complications)

Talia couldn't believe that Damon was in the mood for joking. Or was that flirting? "Can't you assess the severity of the situation?"

Damon chuckled. "I already told you. No one matters other than you, kitten. The only restriction I have is not to disclose we are mates. Other than that, I can do whatever I want, including sending Marcy and her group of clowns packing. I didn't want them here anyway."

Damon tapped the tip of Talia's nose with his index finger, and he had to remind her, "It was you and your wolf who demanded that I allow them to come here."

Talia lowered her head guiltily. Damon was right.

Damon touched her chin, making her look at him. "Tell me what happened, so that I have context when I kick them out of here. Or should I watch the security footage?"

Talia was confused by Damon's easygoing attitude. She really wanted Marcy to scram, but… "What if Alpha Edward causes trouble?"

"If he causes trouble, we will deal with it. Now it's him, tomorrow will be someone else. There are always people who think that they can take what's mine." Damon leaned to kiss Talia on the lips once, twice… and then he lifted his chin proudly and continued talking.

"What's the point in being the undefeated Alpha who is leading the largest pack in North America if I can't protect my mate? Trust your mate, kitten. I am awesome." He said the last part with a cocky grin.

He pecked her lips a few more times, and then he said in a husky low voice. "So far, I was fighting on my own, and now it's two of us. My Luna is not a pushover, and she is my greatest strength."

Talia smiled foolishly at Damon's words, the light feeling that descended on her made her feel like she was floating among clouds that were pink in color and had Damon's face on them. Was it possible that only a minute ago she was mulling over what happened as her mistake?

Damon took Talia's hand into his. "Come on. Let's find Marcy. You don't need to tell me what happened, because I have a good idea. I don't want to delay this further." His only regret about chasing Marcy away would be that he didn't get a chance to spar with George.

Talia glanced at their connected hands. "Is this OK?"

"Of course, it is, kitten.", Damon assured her. "I agreed to pretend in front of Marcy, but that was before she got you upset. There is no need to conceal we are together."

Damon led the way into the living room, and they found it empty.

"Maybe Marcy went to her room.", Talia guessed. George was also missing.

Damon moved to leave the room, when Talia tugged his hand. She saw a foot sticking out behind the sofa.

Damon followed Talia's gaze and he walked to see who it is.

"When you said that you snapped, I thought it was with words and not like this.", Damon said while gesturing toward Marcy who was on the floor. Her body was curled in a fetal position, but Damon could hear her heartbeats, so he knew she wasn't dead.

"Maybe you should tell me what happened. In details.", Damon said stiffly to Talia while his eyes didn't leave unmoving Marcy.

"She was alive and kicking when I left.", Talia said and realized that her choice of words was wrong. "I mean… I didn't do this."

"Did you pressure her with your aura?", Damon asked. "Weak ones tend to faint if the pressure was too much."

Talia shook her head in small jerky movements, indicating that she didn't.

Damon wanted to tease Talia a bit, but he could feel Talia's anxiety bubbling.

"Don't worry. She is alive.", Damon said and pulled out his phone.

"Who are you calling?"

"I want to see what happened after you left the room."

"You don't believe that it was me who did this. Right?", Talia asked anxiously.

"You said you didn't, and I believe you.", Damon said matter-of-factly.

Talia smiled and huddled close to Damon to see the video that was already playing on his phone.

Damon paused when Talia left the living room and they saw Marcy shouting at George, and George standing and not responding… and then they heard George say, "Marcy Redmayne. I George Shaw, Alpha of the Frostcrest pack, accept your rejection."

Both Talia and Damon stared at Damon's phone without blinking while wondering if they heard what they thought they heard. There was so much information in those few words.

George was an Alpha? Talia never heard of the Frostcrest pack.

Talia didn't get one thing, "What does it mean, he accepted her rejection?"

"Mates…", Damon said. "George accepted Marcy's rejection, which means that she rejected him first. His acceptance severed the bond completely. That's why she is like this."

Talia subconsciously clutched her chest.

They had a hunch that something was going on between George and Marcy, and their theories went from colluders to lovers, but mates…? That was serious.

Talia didn't like Marcy, but out of everyone who came from the Red Moon pack, Talia had a good impression of George, and she was worried about him.

"Does that mean George is like this also?", Talia asked.

"He walked out of the room, so he might not be this bad, but he can't be fairing good either." Damon jabbed his hand into his hair. "Shit! I thought of sending them home, but I can't send them home like THIS!"

Damon's mood dropped when he remembered that some werewolves die from a blow of rejection. The pain is like a soul is being torn into two and not everyone can handle it. Damon listened to Marcy's heartbeats and observed that they were slower than they should be. How will he explain himself if Marcy dies here?

This complicated the already serious situation.

– – –

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– – –

Talia looked at Damon and she could see his eyes losing focus. He was mind-linking someone.

"Travis is on his way.", Damon said when his attention was back on Talia.

It didn't take long for Maya to enter the living room. She saw Damon and Talia holding each other in silence, and she also saw an unmoving body on the floor.

Maya circled around the sofa, and her eyes widened when she realized that was Marcy.

Maya looked at Damon apprehensively. "What did you do?"

Damon frowned. "Why are you assuming that it was me?"

Maya looked at Talia. "Did you forget that we had a plan? Why did you overdo your aura when suppressing her?"

Talia's frown matched Damon's. "It was not me."

Maya looked back at Marcy. "Are you expecting me to believe that she collapsed on her own?"

"It was George.", Talia said. "He broke their mate bond."

Maya blanked out and it took her a few moments to recover. "I think something is wrong with my head because I imagined that you said how George and Marcy are mates."

"WERE mates.", Damon corrected Maya. "The security feed caught George accepting Marcy's rejection."

Chapter 358 – Like Romeo And Juliet [Bonus Chapter]

They needed to get Marcy out of there before someone else sees her, but first, Damon wanted some answers from Talia. "What exactly happened here?"

Damon didn't think that George wanted to break their mate bond right there.

If he planned to do it, he would find a spot where no one can find them, because consequences could be dire, which means George did it in the spur of the moment.

Since Talia was in the living room minutes before it happened, she should be able to shed some light on this mystery.

Talia wanted to tell Damon to watch the security feed, but she thought that it will be shorter just to say it.

"Marcy was full of herself, talking about the party. I thought how that's where our interaction will end, but then she said how she knows that we are sleeping together and that as long as we are discrete about it, she won't give me a hard time."

"She what?", Damon asked, unable to conceal his outrage. How dares Marcy look down on Talia?

If Marcy was not unconscious, Damon would knock the daylights out of her. Actually, even now he had an urge to kick her until she flies out of the Dark Howlers pack territory.

Talia waved her hand, indicating him to calm down, and she moved on to the main part. "I was frustrated, and I showed her the video you recorded of her when you were at the Red Moon pack."

Damon's face fell and he shifted on his feet awkwardly. That video brought him a lot of trouble. Will he need to jump into a waterfall again? But Talia didn't seem pissed, so he relaxed a bit.

"Didn't I delete those?", Damon asked.

"I saved a copy.", Talia said guiltily.

"Well, that explains the hostility in the restaurant.", Maya said from the side. She was still on the point of Marcy and George being mates. "People were guessing that Marcy is their future Luna, and I could feel George's aggressive aura. When you showed the video, he probably snapped." Maya glanced around. "Where is George?"

Damon shrugged. "Probably in his room. Let's take Marcy to her room before someone sees her."

Talia slapped Damon's hands away. She didn't want him to touch Marcy, so Talia and Maya held Marcy by the arms, and dragged her down the hallway.

"Did you know that George is an Alpha?", Talia asked Maya in a whisper.

"Whaaaat?", Maya drawled dramatically.

"Yes, yes. When he accepted Marcy's rejection, he said that he is George Shaw, Alpha of the Frostcrest pack."

"I will definitely watch it!" Maya said enthusiastically, and then her brows came together. "Frostcrest pack?" She looked at Damon. "Didn't that pack disappear a long time ago?"

Damon shook his head. He knew the history very well. It was part of his education as the future Alpha. "It didn't disappear. Alpha of the Frostcrest pack was defeated by Marcy's grandfather, and they became part of the Red Moon pack."

"Wow!", Maya exclaimed. "So, Marcy and George were mates from opposing sides, like Romeo and Juliet."

Damon frowned. "Let's hope these two have a better ending."

Damon didn't care much about Marcy or George, but if they end up dying in his packhouse, Damon will be held responsible. And this time, he really didn't do anything.

– – –

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– – –

After taking Marcy to her room, they confirmed that George was in his.

George was lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling without showing any signs that he noticed people coming in and out of this room.

Travis arrived and examined both Marcy and George while Damon, Talia, and Maya waited to hear the outcome.

After the exam was done, they all met in Marcy's room. She was unconscious, so they could talk openly.

"You said that they are mates who rejected their bond.", Travis repeated for the fifth time, and every time he hoped that Damon will tell him he heard it wrongly.

It's not that Travis didn't believe Damon, but it was so rare for fated mates to reject each other, that it was somewhat unbelievable.

Damon confirmed. "Yes. What's their condition? Will it get better?"

Damon hoped that Marcy and George will snap out of it, and he can send them home. This time, he had a good plan in place.

Now that they knew Marcy and George were mates, there was no need for Damon to come up with any ploys to send them packing.

Damon will accuse Alpha Edward of sending Marcy to be Damon's Luna while concealing that she had a fated mate, which meant that Alpha Edward went against the Moon Goddess, and that's a big offense for werewolves. And it's not just that Marcy had a fated mate, but her mate came as Marcy's bodyguard!

If that is not a slap in Damon's face, nothing is.

No Alpha would tolerate such behavior.

Even if Damon made them permanently disabled, no one would blame him… assuming that Marcy and George are not disabled, to begin with.

Damon didn't care if Alpha Edward knew that Marcy and George were mates. Actually, if he knew, he probably wouldn't allow George to accompany Marcy.

But regardless of what the truth was, Damon's version sounded believable, and it would get Alpha Edward off his back, and the whole werewolf society will scowl at Alpha Edward's actions.

Alpha Edward will have a lot of image-cleaning to do, and that will keep him busy for a while.

Marcy and George will take the burn of Alpha Edward's wrath, and Damon will use that time to solidify Talia's presence as the Luna of the Dark Howlers pack. Perfect!

Unfortunately, with Marcy unconscious, and George being a zombie, Damon couldn't accuse them of wrongdoing because the two wrongdoers looked like victims, and instead of scolding them, society will take pity on them.

Damon needed them up on their feet and lively, and he needed that to happen half an hour ago.

Travis looked at his notes before responding to Damon's inquiry about the status. "Miss Marcy is in a bad state. Based on the bruise on the side of her head, her healing is comparable to human's which means that her wolf took a hard hit. She is unresponsive, and I don't know if she will wake up. As for Commander George, his body is in better shape compared to Miss Marcy's, however, he mentally shut down, probably to deal with the emotional blow of the bond breaking."

Damon waved his hand impatiently. "How do we get them better?"

Travis shook his head helplessly. "This is outside my domain, Alpha. I heal diseases and patch up bodies. If they are not eating, I can administer an IV, but this injury impacted their soul. The best for these kinds of situations would be for mates to be together, but that's obviously not an option here."

Damon pinched the roof of his nose. That didn't sound good.

 

Chapter 359 – Top-secret Patients (1)

"Is there really nothing we can do?", Talia asked Travis.

Travis thought for a moment before responding. "Maybe you can."

Talia was surprised by this, and Damon was alerted.

"What do you mean?", Damon asked icily. Did Travis know about Talia's powers? Damon was ready to remove a witness. He would do anything to keep Talia safe.

Travis was not sure why Damon was suddenly hostile. "Herbs can help to calm their minds, and Talia knows about them.", Travis said with haste.

It took a moment for Damon to relax, and then Travis continued, "Herbs can help, but the bottom line is that they need to have a will to pull out of it. As a soldier, Commander George steeled his mind through training, but Miss Marcy is a different story. They need peace and a quiet and supportive environment, and we can only hope for the best."

"We should move them away from here.", Maya said from the side. "If James or Nora find out what happened, they might cause us trouble. If they alert Alpha Edward, I'm not sure how much he will listen to our version of the story. Even with the video evidence, he might say that we staged it."

Damon agreed with this. The video might prove that Damon didn't have anything to do with the state Marcy found herself in, but with Marcy screaming how Talia bullied her, Talia was part of it and Damon didn't want Talia to be implicated in any way. In addition to that, the video revealed George's true identity. If Alpha Edward found out about it, George wouldn't have a good ending.

Damon was not sure what kind of a person George was, but he had a hunch that George was in the Red Moon pack with an ulterior motive.

Enemy of an enemy is a friend or at least a temporary ally, and Damon hoped that George could help him get Alpha Edward off his back. After all, if George doesn't cooperate, Damon could reveal George's true identity, so Damon had an upper hand in this.

And there was also an option to push the blame of Damon rejecting Marcy on George.

No matter how Damon looked at this, George could be useful, but for that, he needed to snap out of it.

Talia also agreed with moving them, but she had another concern. "This can last for a long time. We can't tell them that Marcy and George went shopping. Tomorrow we have a party and James will definitely ask questions when his sister doesn't show up."

"Let's worry about James later.", Maya said. "First thing is to get these two out of here. We can repurpose one of the smaller homes that are nearby. For now, let's tell them that Marcy went to inspect the territory and George accompanied her. That could work for some time, and when Alpha Damon is away, we will say that he went to meet with them. Until then, we will get a better idea of their condition."

Damon thought that will work. "James is busy with training, and Caden will figure out something to keep the youngster busy when they are not on the training ground. Maya, you ensure that Nora is occupied."

Maya groaned. She really didn't want to deal with Nora. Her face lit up when she remembered the soldiers who were at the neighboring table in the restaurant. She will give them a task to keep Nora busy. Brilliant!

"OK. I will ask Mindy to join me in taking Nora shopping after lunch. If Nora asks about Marcy, we will tell her that she will spend time with Alpha Damon.", Maya said. "James will be in training, and you can use that window to take these two into the house. It will be ready by then…"

Travis didn't care about those little schemes. Dealing with other packs is part of politics that he never wanted to get involved with.

Travis agreed to keep this a secret until they figure out Marcy's and George's condition. He said that he will personally come to tend to them at least twice a day, and he entrusted Talia with doing the herbal treatment.

"I know you can do it…", Travis said to Talia while discussing herbs that can be used to calm one's mind. "I would recommend tea, but since Marcy is unconscious, you should dry the herbs and keep them in the room with the patients."

With Travis gone, Maya, Damon, and Talia agreed to keep George's true identity a secret, and they divided work.

In order to minimize the number of people who will be aware of the current situation, Damon went to deal with arranging the house, and Maya's task was to inform Kalina and Mindy about what happened. She will need those two ladies to distract Nora.

Talia lingered in the packhouse while watching the hallway through the security feed, to ensure no one comes to Marcy's and George's room.

She knew that other than Nora and James, no one would dare to come into those two rooms. James was in training, so if she just entertained Nora, any danger of Nora finding out the truth would be gone, but Talia really didn't want to mingle with Nora.

Talia remembered Nora shamelessly trying to get into Damon's room at the Lightclaw pack, and now that Marcy was out of the picture, Talia had a feeling that Nora will be another challenge she needed to deal with.

– – –

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– – –

The moving operation worked better than expected.

Mindy and Maya took Nora shopping in the human town.

Kalina joined training with the story of how the future Luna needs to be physically fit, and Nora thought how she should join some training sessions also. That would give her access to high-ranking guys, and Alpha Damon might attend also!

With everyone out of the way, Travis came to help Damon and Talia to move Marcy and George to a house that's isolated and nestled among trees, about five minutes away from the packhouse.

It's a two stories-high home with a kitchen, living area, and a dining room on the lower floor, and three bedrooms upstairs.

They placed Marcy on the bed in one room, and Travis hooked her up to an IV.

George walked, but it was sluggish and only when someone tugged him in a specific direction. It looked like his mind shut down and he would move as directed without any objections.

"I will come twice a day to check on them and to administer the IV.", Travis said. "It would be good if someone is nearby in case their condition changes." He would arrange for some nurses to always be around, but Damon told him that this needs to be held as a top-secret, so nurses were not an option.

"I will get warriors to keep guard. They won't come inside, but they can alert us if they hear something.", Damon said. He already thought of installing a few cameras so that they can keep an eye on Marcy and George.

Chapter 360 – Top-secret Patients (2)

Damon gestured toward the room where George was, and asked Travis, "Can he eat on his own?"

Travis shrugged. "Physically, there is nothing wrong with him. I suggest that you leave some food by his side and see if he will take it."

With that, Travis left the house. He had work to do in the hospital, and he was due to return in the evening to check on his two top-secret patients.

"I will get some food for George. There must be leftovers in the fridge.", Talia said.

Damon didn't want Talia to do it. "I will ask Steph."

"No.", Talia said quickly before he could mind-link Stephanie. "She has too much on her mind. Let me do it."

Damon frowned in obvious disapproval. He didn't want Talia to come and serve George and he definitely didn't want her close to Marcy.

"It's just to bring food.", Talia coaxed her grumpy Alpha. "In any case, I need to bring herbs that Doctor Travis requested. As for food, I could delegate that to Dawn and Zina."

Damon approved of someone else doing it, but… "Are they trustworthy?"

"I believe they are.", Talia said before correcting herself. "They are. Besides, we can't do this on our own. The herbs will need to be changed occasionally, the rooms need to be ventilated, and our patients will need food more often than once a day. Depending on how long Marcy and George stay here, this place will need to be cleaned. The two of us can't do it without arousing suspicion that something is off. I will treat this as a test for Zina and Dawn because I know that Steph wants to retire, and I am thinking of asking them if they will be willing to take over Steph's duties."

Damon's lips lifted into a smile. His kitten was doing Luna's duties, and he approved.

"Alright.", he said. "I will let you handle it."

Talia smiled brightly.

She was happy that he let her handle things. It was a sign of trust. Damon believing that she can do it, meant the world to her.

They walked back to the packhouse while holding hands with their fingers interlaced, and Talia asked, "Should we call Shaman Gideon?"

Damon's expression hardened. "Why?"

"He should be the best person to advise us in getting Marcy and George back on their feet."

"Why would I want to help them?", Damon grumbled. "Let them stay like that forever. I am thinking of just sending them to Alpha Edward and letting him deal with them. Instead of the video, we can say that someone overheard the rejection, so he won't find out about George's real identity. If I don't think George could be useful to us, I would expose him completely."

Talia knew that Damon didn't mean it. And she also knew that Damon had a grudge against the Shaman. Damon was under a lot of stress already, so Talia decided to stir the topic in another direction.

"Can you tell me about the Frostcrest pack?"

"They were a mid-sized pack…", Damon told her what he remembered about the pack, and how it disappeared from the map after being absorbed by the Red Moon pack about two decades ago. "Alpha Conor died in an Alpha duel against Alpha Howard. Luna Eliana passed away, due to heartbreak. They had a son, he was only a few years old, and he disappeared in the mess that happened during the leadership transfer. People believed that Alpha Howard killed the child in order to prevent a rebellion in the future because pack members tend to stay loyal to their Alpha. Who would have known that the boy was right under Alpha Howard's nose?"

Talia listened to everything attentively, and when Damon finished, she said, "So… George is like you. Without parents."

"Uhm… yes.", Damon said and eyed the little woman by his side. "I assume you were hinting at something with that comment."

"I didn't.", Talia denied it. "But I hope you will keep an open mind when it comes to George."

Damon frowned. "An open mind?"

"I have a feeling that George is a good person. That's all. In addition, I have something in common with George too."

"You do?"

Talia nodded. "Alpha Howard was responsible for me and George ending up in the Red Moon pack."

Damon agreed with that point. "My parents didn't approve that the Red Moon pack had this structure where children would be trained from a young age while living separately from their parents. Because of that policy, it was difficult to estimate how many children were from the Red Moon pack, and how many came from other places."

Talia remembered her childhood. "There were many kids, and I assumed that they were like me, without parents. But when I became older, and they repurposed the building to be a part of training facilities, everyone else had a place to go, except for me. That's how I ended up in the attic."

"They didn't assign you a place because there was no data about you being there."

Talia halted her steps and looked at Damon. "Thank you."

"For?"

"For giving me a home."

Damon didn't know how to respond to this. He would say 'you are welcome', but he couldn't form any words as the myriad of Talia's emotions hit him harshly, making him understand how much was hidden behind those two words, 'thank you'.

Talia was always an outcast, never having a place to call her own, and he was determined to give her exactly that and much more.

Damon wrapped his arms around Talia and pressed her against him with the hope that she will read his emotions through the mate bond and understand how much she means to him.

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"Damon?", Talia called.

"Hmm?"

"About Shaman Gideon…", Talia's voice trailed.

"What about him?"

"I know you don't get along with him, but he might help us deal with this mess. If he can help Marcy and George get better, they will leave sooner. Isn't that what we want?" Seeing that Damon didn't respond, Talia kept on talking, "We don't need to disclose who they are. We can just tell him that two people broke their mate bond and are suffering. Maybe he will give us advice. If he agrees to see them, we can say that they are someone from this pack."

Damon let out a long breath. "I don't like Gideon, but I love you."

Talia looked at him expectantly. "What does that mean?"

"I can't say no to you, kitten. But don't expect me to talk to him, and I don't want you to go there either. Ask Maya to do it."

Talia's face broke into a smile. "Alright." She rubbed her face into his chest. "You are the best, you know that?"

"I know. I know…", Damon mumbled and then he got an idea. "But don't think that this is for free."

Talia froze. "What do you mean?"

"I expect payment for this." He leaned closer and whispered into her ear, "Tonight."

Talia got goosebumps dancing all over her skin.

Damon's hot breath tickled her ear and his hold on her tightened and she knew what kind of payment he was expecting. The naughty Alpha wanted to get frisky, and he was playful about it, so she played along.

"This is important, my Alpha. I will do anything." Talia put her index finger on his lips and traced the invisible line down his neck, over his Adam's apple, until she hooked her finger at the collar of his shirt and pulled him lower.

"Anything…", her lips moved against his cheek and Damon was hard in an instant.

He let out a slow chuckle, and spoke in a sexy low voice, "If we are not so busy, I would push you down on this grass right now and have my way with you."

Talia was surprised that lusty Alpha was aware of how there was a world beyond carnal pleasures. That was a first.

"Well, I guess you will need to wait until tonight, my Alpha." Her eyes flashed mischievously. "Maybe I put on a sexy outfit to treat you for doing me a favor."

Damon swallowed hard. The evening couldn't come fast enough.

Do they need to wait until evening?