Ch. 411..420

Chapter 411 – The Party At The Packhouse (7)

George led the way toward the largest table in the event hall where Damon was sitting with Maya, Caden, Maddox, Tanya, Tony, and Kalina.

The table next to it had Paul, Nate, and Greg sitting with three Generals of the Dark Howlers pack, and a table further down was with James, Petra, Erik, and Zack.

Other tables were occupied by the Elders and some other important people from the Dark Howlers pack.

George kept two plates with food on the table and pulled a chair for Dawn to sit.

Dawn gingerly took a seat and looked at the lineup at the table. She really wished for Talia to be there.

The truth was that even George was surprised when Damon invited them to sit at his table. George assumed that they will be seated with Paul, Nate, and Greg because, based on rankings, that's where he belonged.

This seating upgrade confirmed George's suspicion that Damon knew about his real identity as the Alpha, and he had a strong hunch how tomorrow's talk with Damon will address that topic.

"You must be Dawn.", Kalina spoke first. "Nice to meet you. I am Kalina, Tony's mate. We all heard that Commander George found his mate. Allow me to congratulate you and wish you all the best in the years to come."

Dawn nodded while thanking Kalina and Dawn's words came out choppy because she was super-nervous. Dawn knew very well who Kalina was. The whole edition of WW Magazine was dedicated to covering her Luna announcement ceremony.

"Relax, Dawn.", Maya said. "No one will bite you."

"I might.", George said under his breath and Dawn's head whipped to look at him. How can he say something so outrageous with all these high-ranking people at the table?

Maya stifled a laugh. She found it amusing that Dawn, who usually talks dirty without any shame, was suddenly acting like a shy schoolgirl. And this straightforward blurt from George solidified Maya's theory that all high-ranking werewolves become shameless when they find their mate.

"Let me introduce you.", Maya said while taking the role of a host in Talia's absence. "We all know each other, but let's make it official…"

Dawn paid attention to Maya as she talked, and Dawn was startled when a fork with food on it appeared in front of her mouth. It was George and his expression told her that rejecting was not an option. Well, she was hungry.

Dawn obediently opened her mouth and returned her attention to Maya while enjoying the feel of George's heat seeping from his palm into her shoulder, and it all came with delicious sparks that confirmed this was really happening, it was real… she was sitting at the table with her mate and other important people.

How Dawn saw this, the only ones missing were Talia and Zina. She was not sure where Talia went, as for Zina… regardless of how fairly they treated Omegas in the Dark Howlers pack, Zina was not qualified to sit at that table.

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Damon's expression lit up when he saw Talia appear at the door. His warriors mind-linked him when they arrived and said that Talia was on her way to the event hall, but his heart still beat wildly as she walked toward him.

Damon stood up when Talia approached their table.

He pulled a chair for her. "That took a while.", he grumbled. Yes, it was just over an hour, but it felt like forever.

"I'm back on time for dinner. Isn't that what we agreed upon?", Talia asked.

Damon glanced to see that no one else came with Talia. She was on her own.

Damon was aware of how many grudges he and Shaman had, and he didn't have much hope that Talia will convince him to come, but he still hoped for a miracle. He didn't care about Mindy.

"Let me get some food for you.", Damon said, and he paused when Talia put her hand over his.

"No need. Dinner should be here soon.", Talia said and glanced at the plate in front of Damon. "You can give me a few of those. It doesn't look like you ate much."

Damon gave up on getting more and poked with his fork a sausage that was wrapped in puff pastry to give to Talia. She was right. He didn't eat because he was waiting for her to return.

Talia smiled at the sight of Dawn who sat there and ate what George fed her. It was such a heartwarming scene, especially Dawn's awkwardness and cheeks full of food that reminded Talia of herself only a few weeks back.

"When will Mindy come?", Kalina asked Talia. She assumed that Mindy went to change clothes or fix her hair before making her appearance.

"She won't.", Talia answered, getting everyone's attention.

Maddox was alerted. Mindy wouldn't miss this party unless it was serious. "What happened?"

Talia was not sure how to say this, so she went to the point, "Mindy found her mate."

"Eeeeh!!?", Tatiana and Kalina made silly sounds in unison.

"Is it one of the warriors who accompanied you?", Damon asked. That would explain why they didn't respond properly to questions he asked through the mind-link. But he watched them enter the car, and there was nothing unusual when they met.

"No. It's Gideon.", Talia said.

Intense silence descended on the largest table in the event hall.

"Ha, ha, ha…", Maddox laughed in slow motion. "Good one. My sister and the pack Shaman?" Isn't he like… ancient? "Why don't you try another joke?" Two seconds later, Maddox's brows came together to form a frown. "You are not joking."

"Woah!", Kalina exclaimed. "Then, we can assume that Mindy won't join us for dinner." Kalina wiggled her eyebrows. "Mindy and the Shaman are having their own private party."

Maddox groaned and Tatiana patted Maddox's hand. "What's with that reaction? Your sister found a mate. Shouldn't you be happy?"

"Uhm… To be honest, I don't know how to feel. This is all too sudden." And the old dude is just too old while his sister is still wet behind her ears. What the hell!?

"You say it's sudden, but I expected it.", Kalina said smugly. When Maddox looked at her questionably, she gestured toward Talia. "We have a theory that Lia has an ability to get mates together."

Maddox didn't share Kalina's and Maya's belief in magic. He heard from Tatiana that the magic-crazed duo was planning to go diving into the lake in search of mermaids.

Maddox grimaced and shook his head at Kalina. "Yeah, right. If Lia can get mates together, I can sprinkle fairy dust out of my ass and make you fly."

"No, no… listen.", Kalina said. "Tanya was with us at the table when she realized you are her mate. Meg was also close to Lia when she saw Kai."

"Talia was in the room when I recognized George as my mate.", Dawn said with a mouthful and Kalina pointed at Dawn excitedly, happy that Dawn added more proof.

"And now Mindy.", Maya said while nodding knowingly and her eyes lit up. "Whoever is unmated should just stick to Lia and her ability will summon a fated mate within twenty-four hours guaranteed."

Kalina immediately agreed with this idea, and she looked at Talia with sparkles in her eyes. "You can charge a lot of money for that service."

Talia's eyes darted from Kalina to Maya. "Please, stop talking nonsense. Someone might hear you and think it's a real thing." Talia was still traumatized by soccer players kissing her hand while believing how it brings good luck. She didn't know that werewolves are so superstitious. "All those were just coincidences. There is no such thing as power to find one's mate." Or to make one score a goal.

"Truth or not, you can still make a lot of money.", Tatiana chimed in, and she, Kalina, and Maya laughed.

Damon didn't think it was funny. He actually believed in that possibility. His kitten was amazing.

Damon's mood dropped when he realized that Gideon and Mindy being mates means that Mindy will become a member of the Dark Howlers pack.

The dildo-gifting woman will be close to Talia! Who knows in what ways will Mindy corrupt Talia!?

Damon didn't like it. Not even a little bit.

 

Chapter 412 – The Party At The Packhouse (8) [Bonus Chapter]

Doctor Travis arrived shortly after Talia, and he sat at the table with some other important people from the pack.

Dinner was served and the sound of utensils clinking over low murmurs filled the space.

Kalina and Maya chatted in a lively atmosphere with Tatiana adding to it occasionally.

Tony and Caden enjoyed watching their mates having fun, and Maddox was totally focused on Tatiana and making sure that she always had food and drinks in front of her.

Dawn and George were in their own bubble, feeding each other and talking in whispers, like they had no idea werewolves surrounded them and how anyone who paid attention could hear their naughty talk.

At one glance, the atmosphere at the largest table was harmonious.

However, Talia could feel Damon's anxiety building up with every passing minute, and there were occasions when Talia noticed that Maya and Caden were also alerted. Maddox, Tatiana, Tony, Kalina, George, and Dawn seemed carefree, but neither of them was totally relaxed.

Damon looked at Talia gently, feed her, and held her hand on the table, but Talia could feel that Damon was on the verge of snapping when the dessert was served.

Talia didn't need to guess why Damon's emotions were all over the place because she could clearly hear the chatter of people around them.

[Dinner is almost over. Is it possible that Marcy won't join?]

[Why is Alpha so close to his assistant? Isn't that a slap in Marcy's face?]

[Nobodies are at the table with Alpha. Now I've seen everything… Don't say that. Didn't you hear that our Dawn is mated to Commander George? … Really? But what about the other one? … You mean, his assistant?]

[How long until Alpha makes the announcement? My contacts from the Red Moon pack want me to stream it… I know, Alpha said no recordings, but still…]

[I don't know how Alpha Edward will react when he finds out that Marcy was excluded.]

[Alpha has a nasty temper. What if he did something to Marcy? … Shhh… Lower your voice… I know what you are trying to say. With Commander and young Alpha being here, it's odd that Marcy is absent…]

It was obvious that the guests were expecting Marcy to be in Talia's place and Talia feared that this will end badly. Can they just cancel the whole thing? What if she just leaves this hall?

Talia glanced at Damon and their eyes met. At that moment, the whole world stilled, leaving just the two of them moving and Talia had a feeling that no matter what happens next, Damon will be by her side, and that was the only thing that mattered.

Talia smiled a little. She followed Damon into a waterfall, and she would follow him everywhere. Here included.

Even if these old-timers turn against Damon, she will fight by his side because there was no way she will give up on him.

Without breaking eye contact with Talia, Damon stood up and a swift burst of his aura got everyone's attention. The whole event hall descended into silence.

Damon looked around and he was pleased to see that people looked at him expectantly.

"I invited you all here because I have an announcement to make.", Damon started.

Damon thought of many ways to go about this, but nothing worked in his mind, and the storm was inevitable. If he was about to make waves, he will do it in a big way.

He could see George, Maddox, Tony, and Caden doting on their mates at that same table. Why was he holding back? Wasn't he the most powerful Alpha of their generation?

Damon decided. No more games.

"I can hear what you are talking about, and I know most of you are assuming that Marcy from the Red Moon pack will become my Luna. Well, that's not happening."

Murmurs swelled from all directions, and Damon used his aura to shut them up.

"You will get your turn to talk. When I'm done.", Damon said stiffly. "As you know, Marcy arrived at the Dark Howlers pack. After careful consideration, we established that our union is not possible. She is currently not in the packhouse. I didn't put her in a dungeon or restricted her movements in any way." This was the truth. "So, I hope that you will stop talking nonsense."

Damon looked at faces that showed disbelief and anticipation and he took a deep breath before continuing. "I want you to be the first ones to know that I found my Luna." He moved to stand behind Talia and put his hands on her shoulders. "I hope you will all welcome as your Luna, Talia. My fated mate."

Crickets.

No one said a word.

After a few endless seconds, Maya clicked her tongue and stood up. "Is this how you welcome your Luna?"

Caden also stood up and moved to Damon's left. Everyone could see Talia sitting with Damon behind her, and Caden and Maya flanking them on each side.

"Luna?", Elder Agatha spoke from the back, her voice was unusually loud in an otherwise silent room hall. "Isn't she Alpha's assistant?"

"Yes and no.", Damon responded. "Talia is assisting me, but that's because she wanted to find out about the pack before we make it official, so I offered her to work with me."

"She was here for the Summer Solstice. Why didn't you say anything then?", a voice came from the other side.

"And she is not marked!", another voice chimed in.

"Do you think we are stupid?"

"Who is she?"

"What's her background?"

"Do you expect us to believe she is your mate?"

One voice after another sounded, sometimes they overlapped until they morphed into an indistinct clamor of disapproval.

"ENOUGH!", Damon roared with just the right amount of pressure to make everyone shut up.

Talia could feel Damon's anger swelling and she stood up to stand next to him. The hostility aimed at them was tangible, and she wanted to be Damon's equal and share his burden.

Talia held Damon's hand and their fingers interlaced.

"You are right.", Talia said. Her voice was not loud, but everyone had a feeling like it came from right next to them. "Damon didn't mark me yet, and you don't know who I am, but isn't that more of a reason for you to get to know me? Is my background important?" She glanced at Damon. "I found it hard to believe at first that Damon is my mate, but the Moon Goddess paired us up, and I decided to embrace it." Her eyes swept over the people, and she could see their scrutinized gazes directed at her. "Are you daring enough to challenge us? Are you bold enough to challenge the Moon Goddess?"

"This is not about challenging you or the Moon Goddess.", a voice came from the side, and Damon narrowed his eyes when he saw Elder Thompson standing up while talking. "This is about clarifying the situation. First thing first. We are all curious to find out what made the union between Miss Marcy and Alpha Damon impossible."

Talia's brows came together in confusion. "Didn't you hear the part where I am Damon's fated mate?"

"So, he rejected Miss Marcy because of you?", Elder Thomas said thoughtfully.

 

Chapter 413 – The Party At The Packhouse (9)

Damon gave Talia's hand a squeeze, indicating that he will take over. The way this was going, they were about to blame Talia if anything goes wrong with the Red Moon pack. He knew that these people perfected the game in shifting the blame.

"You are missing the point, Elder Thomas.", Damon said stiffly. "You are not qualified to know what exactly happened between me and Miss Marcy. You should focus on things that are relevant to you. I found my fated mate. That should be a reason to celebrate, and that is why we gathered here. We will schedule Talia's Luna ceremony soon."

"What is to say that she is your fated mate?" This voice belonged to Elder Patsy who was standing up. "I am around for a long time, and I never heard of an Alpha finding his mate and procrastinating in claiming what is his."

Murmurs of agreement swelled through the event hall.

A few voices said how this was disrespect to Alpha, but they were quickly drowned by others.

Seeing that this was spiraling downwards, Damon was contemplating using his aura to suppress everyone and send them to the dungeon. But that was not a long-term solution because he couldn't kill them as they all had families within the pack. How long can he keep them locked up before their children and grandchildren complain?

Maybe he could buy an island and send them there, like retirement for Elders. When the island is set up with basic necessities, he would move pesky Elders from the dungeon there. It sounded perfect.

"I have no intention of convincing you that Talia is my fated mate or that she will be my Luna.", Damon said, making others fall into silence while wondering what he was up to.

He gave up on arguing with these old geezers, and was preparing himself to suppress them all in one swift swoop when he heard someone talking…

"But you don't need to convince us." It was Elder Samson.

Damon frowned while wondering what Elder Samson was up to, and he gave Talia's hand another squeeze to assure her that he will handle this.

Elder Samson and Elder Charlie were observing this circus unfold and were waiting for the right timing to interject.

The main goal was to stabilize the current situation. Just attacking Alpha Damon openly won't have a good ending.

Elder Samson and Elder Charlie couldn't believe how foolish other Elders were. How can they get so easily fired up just because someone spoke first? Didn't they notice that Elder Thomas and Elder Patsy were sitting and enjoying the show?

Elder Samson and Elder Charlie couldn't understand how could other Elders ignore Alphas and high-ranking individuals that were at the same table with Alpha Damon. It was obvious that Damon had the support of the Blue River pack, the Lightclaw pack, and with George there and James watching all this with amusement, Elder Samson and Elder Charlie suspected that even the Red Moon pack might have a stake in this commotion.

Just Alpha Damon could make them all kiss the ground, and with these additional people, rebelling Elders were stupid to challenge Alpha in this setting. Their strength was in utilizing their connections and stirring the masses, and this open confrontation was doomed for failure.

Elder Charlie stood up and explained the meaning behind Elder Samson's words. "We are the older generation, and we are in the back seat for some time. Everyone knows that as an Alpha you are investing in youngsters. There is nothing wrong with that approach, and as your Elders, we support you. It's good to see that our children and grandchildren are growing strong enough to carry the glory of our pack. That also means they are the ones who should accept Miss Talia as their Luna. If you can accomplish that, we will naturally follow the suit."

Damon knew that those two had an agenda. They were always scheming, and this won't be different.

"I assume you have something on your mind.", Damon said.

Elder Samson smiled knowingly. "You might be too young to remember, but we all know what kept the pack united and how your predecessors assured we know who the best choice is to lead us."

Damon had a bad feeling about this, and his instincts were proven right when Elder Samson continued.

"On every full moon, our Alpha and Luna would lead the pack run. We didn't have one since Alpha Jacob and Luna Violet passed, but now that you found your Luna, the tradition we followed for centuries can be revived." Elder Samson paused and spoke to others in the room, "Full moon is a week from now. I suggest that we all keep to ourselves what we heard tonight until we see how our Alpha and his Luna perform during the pack run."

The murmurs swelled again, and Elder Charlie waved his arms, to get everyone to quiet down. "What do you say? Should we give them a chance to prove themselves? There were times when we questioned Alpha Damon's methods, but no one can deny that he always protected the pack and worked in everyone's interest. When we leave this place, we will tell everyone how a week from now, our Alpha will lead a pack run with his future Luna. Will that be Talia or some other female, it will be Alpha Damon's decision. Our active pack members will decide if the Luna Alpha Damon brings will be accepted…"

– – –

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Guests dispersed, and Maya and Caden were escorting everyone out and ensuring that no one was left lingering.

Greg, Paul, and Nate went to the Shifters nightclub with several people they met during dinner.

"Do you need me now?", Maddox asked Damon. Maddox and Tatiana were the last ones left at their table with Damon and Talia.

"No. Go and enjoy with your mate. Thanks for tonight.", Damon responded. "Your presence was the support I needed."

Damon had a feeling that most of the Elders held back because of guests from other packs. They put a lot of weight on their external image.

With their table cleared up, Doctor Travis approached them. "I'm sorry Alpha. I tried to tell them…"

"I know.", Damon interrupted him. "I appreciate your efforts but there was nothing you could do." Damon heard Travis telling Elders how what they were doing was disregarding Alpha's authority, but Elders echoed each other's displeasure and found strength in numbers.

Travis bowed toward Talia and Damon. "Congratulations on finding your Luna, Alpha. I know that Talia will be an amazing Luna."

Travis straightened his back before saying to Talia, "I'm not sure how much you know about our history, but Elders hold a decade-long grudge, and Alpha didn't punish them harshly because he is considering the whole pack. Some people call him ruthless, but only a few are aware of how hard he works for his people." Travis patched up Damon more times than he wanted to remember after fights with rogues and other enemies, and Damon would ask him to keep it low-key. "In defense of Elders, it is difficult for them to accept that their significance is fading. Most of them have only harsh words to express their frustration. No matter what Elders say, our generation supports you."

"Thank you, Travis. It means a lot to hear that from you.", Talia said and Travis smiled.

Travis wanted to say more, but he held back. This was obviously not the time for chit-chat.

"I'm sure you have a lot to discuss. I will check on the patient before heading home. If you don't hear from me tonight, you can assume that her condition is the same. If you need me for something, feel free to contact me. Anytime."

"Thank you, Travis.", Damon said, his voice showing how exhausted he was.

With Travis leaving, almost everyone was gone, and Talia turned to look at Damon.

"Why do you look like this outcome is not good?", Talia asked. How she saw it, Elders were stirring trouble, but things ended rather well. There is something they will need to do a week from now as Alpha and Luna, and everything will fall into place.

Damon looked at Talia helplessly. "Let's go to the study. Maya and Caden will meet us there."

 

Chapter 414 – Late Night Strategy Meeting (1)

Damon, Talia, Maya, and Caden were in the study.

Damon sat on a sofa chair with Talia on his lap, and Maya and Caden were on the sofa.

Talia could feel Damon's displeasure. He was inhaling her scent, and that told her he was using her proximity to calm down. She let him hold her.

Talia looked at Maya and Caden whose expressions showed concern, but no one said anything so they sat in silence for some time.

Damon was first to speak.

"I regret not suppressing them and throwing them in the dungeon."

"You did well by holding back.", Caden said. "As much as we don't like them, they are members of our pack with an extensive network of relatives and friends. If you locked them all up, it would ruin the image that you built over a decade."

Maya agreed. "If they are outsiders, no one would care. But Elders are ours and we need to find a way to work around them or we will risk our pack seeing you as a tyrant."

Damon managed to hold reign over the Dark Howlers pack with such a small number of high-ranking members because regular pack members believed in him and followed him willingly. If he became a villain in their eyes, that might change and then they would end up with a much bigger problem than fifty-something grumpy old people.

Talia didn't understand why the atmosphere was so solemn. "Is this about them showing disrespect?"

Maya responded, "Yes and no. Because of their disrespect, they caused this stir and now the dam cracked. We need to find ways to patch it up before it breaks completely."

Talia was utterly confused. What dam and cracks? "Can you speak English?"

Maya bobbed her head before she started talking, "I'm sure you heard their suspicions related to Marcy's absence." When Talia nodded, Maya continued, "We can expect that Alpha Edward already knows what happened here tonight, and by morning he will call to hear Marcy's side of the story. With James' and George's cooperation, we could delay that for some time, however, Marcy's condition is not improving. Travis wants us to get her into the pack hospital and that means how others will find out about her condition. Now that people know you are Alpha Damon's mate…"

"They will assume I harmed Marcy.", Talia ended instead of Maya.

Maya confirmed. "Either you or Alpha Damon. They won't care about facts. Even if George says that Marcy was his mate, and Travis confirms that Marcy is suffering from the consequences of rejecting the mate bond, the ones who are looking for trouble will twist it into a cover-up staged by Alpha Damon. Alpha Edward is itchy to find a way to latch onto us and harming his daughter will give him a perfect excuse to attack and get support from others. Maybe they won't support the Red Moon pack, but they won't help us either."

"And if she dies, our problems will amplify.", Caden said.

Talia lowered her head. "This is my fault.", she said in a small voice.

"No.", Damon said. "This is my fault. If I didn't play games, we wouldn't be here. I was supposed to tell you we are mates from the beginning, and to announce it to everyone. I was stupid to think that I'm protecting you by keeping it a secret… even from you."

He didn't think much about it, but when he saw George and Maddox enjoying with their mates they met only days ago, Damon realized how much he missed by concealing that Talia was his mate. Talia was insecure, bullied, and she nearly died in the hands of rogues, and now Elders looked at her like she was an impostor, and none of that would happen if he only told her the truth.

Talia put her palm on Damon's cheek. "If you didn't keep it a secret, I wouldn't have time to adjust to all the changes. If people looked at me as your mate from the day I arrived here, it would be too much pressure and I would either run away or cave in. You thought about what I needed at that time. Don't blame yourself for it. If I was not broken, you wouldn't do those things."

Damon tilted his head and placed a kiss on the inside of Talia's palm. "You were not broken, kitten. You were exactly what I needed to realize how broken I was."

Talia smiled foolishly at Damon. Why was he comforting her when he was the one who was upset? Isn't he the sweetest man on the planet?

"Can the two of you tone down the flirting?", Maya asked dryly. "Or should we continue this talk in the morning?"

It was a long day and a lot of things happened, and nothing happened as planned. The situation was calm at the moment, but it could explode at any time. They had so many problems that Maya had a headache just thinking about it.

Maya wanted to get a hot bath and snuggle with Caden and unwind and forget about all problems until morning, but Damon summoned them in the study. She was fine with a late-night strategy meeting, but she didn't want to waste her time watching this PDA.

Talia looked at Maya guiltily and summarized, "Marcy is our big problem as her father will cause trouble." But this was not a new thing, Talia thought, and she concluded that there was more to it. "What else we need to tackle?"

"We are not done discussing the first one.", Maya responded. "Any ideas on how to deal with Marcy? Or should we let Travis take her to the pack hospital in the morning and we hope for the best?"

Talia had an idea of how to deal with Marcy.

Damon glanced at Maya and Caden and saw that they had nothing. One look at Talia told him what she was thinking. "No."

"I know you don't want me to take risks, but I would like to try helping Marcy."

"No.", Damon said sternly.

"You know it's reasonable."

"No."

"Damon…"

"No! Why don't you listen?"

"Why are you set on keeping me on the side?", Talia asked.

"Because I want to protect you."

"And I want to help."

Damon shook his head. "Not if it harms you."

"You don't know if it will harm me."

Damon couldn't believe it. Did she forget that when she healed him, she passed out? And after the incident in the lake, she was super-exhausted! What if she crosses her limits and doesn't wake up after the next time? "I'm not willing to risk it."

"It should be my decision to make."

"It's my duty to keep you safe."

Talia and Damon glared at each other, neither willing to back down.

"You can help Marcy?", Maya asked, unable to contain her curiosity, even though her Alpha and Luna were engaged in an intense staring contest.

Damon's eyes flashed in a warning and Talia knew that Damon was telling her not to reveal her abilities. She gave him a comforting smile and responded to Maya.

"There is a mix of herbs I would like to try."

Maya narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "If it's just a mix of herbs, what's the problem?"

"Damon is worried that if Marcy's conditions worsens, people will blame me. He would prefer that I stay away from her.", Talia responded without missing a beat.

 

Chapter 415 – Late Night Strategy Meeting (2)

Maya was not sure what the big deal was about Talia trying to help Marcy recover with some herbs. Wasn't that what she was already doing? But who would know what was on Alpha Damon's mind? He was overprotective and borderline unreasonable when it came to Talia.

However, when thinking about the grim prognosis related to Marcy's condition, Maya decided to remind them… "Doctor Travis said that there is not much we can do about Marcy and that her stay in the hospital won't go beyond stabilizing her condition. Shaman Gideon confirmed that Marcy's recovery depends on the strength of her spirit. Considering that Marcy's condition is deteriorating, I would suggest that we let Talia do her thing. It can't hurt."

"Damon and I will talk about it more.", Talia responded. She knew that Damon was only worried about her, and she didn't blame him because she would do the same if the roles were reversed. Talia was eager to start convincing Damon to give in, but before that, she wanted to confirm, "Is there something else we should worry about?"

"It's about the upcoming pack run.", Caden responded.

"What about it?", Talia asked.

"Do you know what a pack run is?", Maya asked.

Talia's blank expression answered that question.

Damon answered. "I was too young to participate but I remember that my parents would lead the pack run on every full moon. Pack members would gather to witness Shaman perform the ritual of worshiping the Moon Goddess. After that, elderly and underage members would go home while grownups head to the forest to run, hunt, and mate."

Talia didn't want to think about werewolves going at it in random spots through the forest, but the rest didn't sound intimidating. "Why do you sound like it's a problem?"

"Because…" Damon let out a long breath. "The part with running and hunting is done in wolf form."

Talia's mouth fell slack open when she realized where the problem was. In wolf form? She never shifted, and her wolf only made a few nasty remarks at Damon before going back to wherever she came from.

"Do you think that Elders Samson and Charlie suggested the pack run because they knew about Talia's condition?", Caden asked.

Maya frowned. "You think they set us up?"

Caden shrugged, indicating that he was not sure. "Would you be surprised?"

Maya thought for a moment before sharing her thoughts. "If they heard the rumors how Talia doesn't have a wolf, this was an interesting scheme. In the eyes of other Elders, they were magnanimous in giving you a chance to revive an old tradition and to strengthen the pack by having a Luna of your choice, but in reality, they set you up for failure in front of the whole pack."

Talia wanted to ask how they would know that she doesn't have a wolf, but then she remembered Lisa. Among other things, Lisa called Talia in her face a wolf-less she-wolf, and Talia couldn't imagine what nasty things Lisa said when Talia was not around.

Caden puffed his cheeks. "There is a good chance that they considered the bad relationship between Alpha and Shaman. With this, Damon would need to lower himself and ask Shaman to perform the ceremony as a favor, otherwise, the pack run would start on a bad note."

Maya smiled smugly. "If that's what they were going for, the nasty duo miscalculated. They obviously don't know that Shaman found his mate. We just need to tell Mindy to ask Gideon about the ceremony, and he will do it gladly only to please her."

"Well, at least we have that going for us.", Talia said dejectedly. "Maybe his ceremony is so awesome that no one notices I didn't turn into a wolf."

Damon rubbed Talia's back gently and he thought about leaving all this crap behind. They could buy a small house in the middle of nowhere and live a comfortable life without anyone bothering them. Talia said that she loves the forest, and he could get them a home with access to a lake… somewhere high in the mountains where humans don't come often. He would hunt for them and it will be perfect.

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"You know…", Caden started and hesitated.

"Go on.", Damon urged him. "We have so many bad things piled up, one more won't matter."

"This one week delay could be them buying time to contact Alpha Edward and come up with a plan to attack us."

Damon knew that Caden's theory might be true. After all, Elder Samson and Elder Charlie were confirmed with connections in the Red Moon pack, and they also knew that Talia was his mate. How far ahead were they planning?

Damon frowned. Did he fall into their trap?

'Will it make any difference?', Damon's wolf sounded in his head. 'Trap or not, we are in an unfavorable situation, and you need to find the best way to get back on top. You did well by giving our mate identity in front of everyone. Treat this as your first challenge together and keep an eye on Elders. With what they did tonight, you have the right to monitor them. If they do anything suspicious, it will give you a reason to lock them up. And leave those silly thoughts about a solitary life as a last resort.'

'Thanks.' Damon was glad that his wolf chimed in and pointed out what matters. Damon was too overwhelmed with everything that happened, and his brain stopped working.

Normally, Damon's wolf would listen and the two of them would discuss things when others were not around. It was a habit they established to minimize the possibility of anyone finding out that Damon's wolf was special.

But with Damon's wolf having access to Damon's thoughts and emotions, the old creature was able to speak up at the critical moment and keep Damon on the right path. Like now.

"It doesn't matter why Samson and Charlie did this.", Damon said. "Alpha Edward would find out how his plan to make Marcy my Luna fell apart. It was a matter of days. Actually, we were lucky to get this extension thanks to James' collaboration, but we knew that it wouldn't last forever. I estimate that Alpha Edward already knows what happened tonight."

Talia stiffened at Damon's words, and he tightened his hold on her while continuing, "I am done hiding Talia. She is my mate and I want the whole world to know it. I realized that postponing the inevitable only brought us more problems. If I told everyone who Talia is on the day she arrived here, things would be unpleasant, but they wouldn't escalate to this point. The bottom line is that Marcy will not be my Luna, and neither will any other woman because I have my mate, and if anyone thinks otherwise, I am ready to accept his challenge."

Talia looked at Maya, Caden, and Damon. Three of them were worried and she really felt that it was her fault. If she was not from the Red Moon pack, if she had a wolf, if she had a background, if she was strong enough… none of this would happen.

The three of them were the first people who treated her nicely. They gave her home, food, and treated her as their equal. How can she allow them to suffer because of her?

Talia felt the urgency to do something. Anything.

 

Chapter 416 – Late Night Strategy Meeting (3)

"Let's think about this one at a time.", Talia said.

Damon, Maya, and Caden turned to look at Talia, all three wondering what she was up to.

"We are open to ideas.", Maya said.

"The pack run is a week from now. A lot of things can happen until then. I never shifted into my wolf form and I have no idea how that's done, but…" Talia glanced at Damon and smiled a little. "I am confident that if anyone can teach me to shift, that will be you."

Damon was amazed by her optimism, and he knew that it was fueled by her faith in him.

Damon's smile fell when Talia added, "And I will ask Shaman Gideon for help."

Talia remembered that Shaman was not very friendly when she visited that afternoon, but now he was mated to Mindy, and Talia thought that she can leverage that. Surely, after a night of sex, he should be in a better mood.

Damon was not happy that Talia would ask someone for help also. He wanted her to rely on him, but he knew that this was an emergency and he didn't want to sound childish.

"We have a week to figure it out and to come up with backup plans, so that shouldn't be the most pressing matter.", Talia said before switching the topic. "We can't allow Marcy to stay in this state. I don't know if I can help her, but I want to try."

"What do you think will happen if she wakes up?", Damon asked dryly. It was not good that Marcy was comatose, but in the case she woke up, Damon could imagine Marcy throwing a fit. Damon had a mate, and he made it public. Marcy won't be happy. He really didn't want another problem now.

"If she doesn't wake up, people will blame us. Let's not give Alpha Edward another reason to attack us."

Damon pinched the roof of his nose. He knew that Talia was right, but he didn't like the idea of her exposing her abilities.

"And third…"

Damon lifted his head to look at Talia because she had more things on her mind.

She looked at him with all determination she could muster before announcing, "I want you to mark me."

Damon felt butterflies going crazy in his stomach, and he forgot about all his worries while his eyes eagerly inspected Talia's face. Did he hear her right? Did Talia say that she wants him to mark her?

Damon was suppressing his urge to mark her for such a long time, that he was used to living with the knot in his chest, and now he can finally do what his instincts told him from the beginning… claim his mate.

Damon didn't realize that he was smiling foolishly. He didn't look like a scary Alpha who was facing dangers from outside and inside his pack; he resembled a love-stricken teenager who couldn't stop grinning while looking at his crush who was blushing because she could feel his erection poking her bottom.

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"We have a plan.", Maya said. "I will go with you in the morning to talk to Shaman."

Damon dispersed his lustful thoughts. Carnal pleasures will need to wait a bit because they were still talking.

"I will go with Talia.", Damon said.

Maya didn't agree. "Your presence will make it worse."

"I'm not going as Alpha. I will go as Talia's mate.", Damon said. He had no intention of separating from Talia. Not now when all those Elders knew how important she was, and not now when she said that he can mark her. He will sink his fangs into Talia's tender neck and fuck her thoroughly.

Maya noticed the air around Damon and Talia changing, and she wanted to leave, but there was another thing. "Elder Charlie and Elder Samson emphasized that the younger generation needs to support Talia as our Luna. It doesn't matter if they said that as a trap, but let's make that blow up in their faces. Regardless of how the pack run goes, if enough people support Talia, the Elders will need to step back."

"I like the sound of that, but how do we make it happen?", Caden asked.

Maya smirked knowingly. "Do you remember the Summer Solstice festival?"

"Which part of it?"

"The soccer tournament.", Maya said, and she tried not to laugh at Damon's sour expression. It was obvious that he remembered soccer players kneeling and kissing Talia's hand and that was exactly what Maya was going for. "We need to get our team and Coach Keith back from their training. We all saw them showing respect to Talia. Maybe other people forgot Talia's contributions as the team spirit and her being crowned as the MVP of that tournament, but I'm sure that our team remembers it. They are some of our best warriors, and I'm confident that with them around, others will think twice before stirring trouble." She turned to Damon. "What do you think?"

Damon didn't have objections. He liked that Maya came up with a backup plan and he wanted them to finish this meeting as soon as possible. "Send order that they can return immediately. They will have two free days before they need to report to their regular duties…"

With that, Maya and Caden left the study.

Damon looked at Talia eagerly. They were alone. At last.

"So…" He licked his lips. "When can we…?" He didn't finish, but Talia knew what he was talking about.

"Axel said how we should give it a few days for marking. I assume that had something to do with my powers. Let's do the important things first."

"Like?", Damon asked apprehensively.

"Marcy and visiting Shaman Gideon.", Talia said. "You mentioned that you have a cottage nearby that can provide privacy. How about we go there tomorrow?"

Damon feared that Talia will say how it will take days or longer, but then she said 'tomorrow'.

"That's OUR cottage, kitten.", he corrected her before asking, "Tomorrow? What if you can't help Marcy?"

Talia shrugged. "If I can help her, that would be the best. But if I can't help her, then she will end up in the pack hospital and Doctor Travis will take care of her with Maya and Caden keeping an eye on things."

Damon still didn't agree on Talia healing Marcy, but she said it like it was a done deal. However, he couldn't deny her this. He was still thinking about marking.

"Regardless of how this goes, I will need to talk to George and James in the morning, and then we will visit the Shaman."

Talia smiled happily. "After that, you should deal with any urgent matters, and as soon as you are done, we can go to the cabin." Talia had another request. "I want to meet your wolf before marking."

Damon could feel that the old beast was happy that Talia wanted to meet him. And Damon was happy also. By tomorrow this time, his mark will be forming on Talia's neck and Damon was eager to see what it will look like

Chapter 417 – Middle Of The Night Operation [Bonus Chapter]

Damon and Talia agreed that Marcy's situation was urgent, and it should be handled as soon as possible, so the duo headed to the house where Marcy was.

As preparation for damage control, Damon told his warriors who guarded the perimeter that they will be testing new light fixtures in the house and if there is a flash not to panic. Damon hoped that will be enough to conceal any unusual glow that Talia might produce.

After numerous warnings to Talia that if anything seems off she should stop, Damon stood at the door of Marcy's room and observed Talia who was standing by the window and looking at the bed where Marcy was lying.

Talia was confident that she can help Marcy, but now that she was facing her, Talia realized that she had no idea how to go about it.

Talia decided to think about what she knew.

Damon told her that she repelled rogues, and healed him, but Talia had no recollections of those events. She remembered the incident in the lake and glowing Meg in the car, and on those two occasions, Talia followed her instincts.

The trouble was that there were no instincts on how to heal Marcy.

What was she missing?

When Damon taught Talia about the Alpha aura, he said to think of it as a manifestation of her will. Talia didn't think that her aura and so-called abilities were different.

'Is that it?', Talia wondered. 'I need to want for Marcy to get better?'

But the problem was that Talia didn't have kind of feelings toward Marcy.

In the Red Moon pack, Marcy beat Talia twice and said many mean words. Now Marcy was in the Dark Howlers pack with an intention to become Damon's Luna and Marcy spoke to Talia like she was a disposable mistress.

Marcy was Talia's bully, a woman who was coveting Damon. How can Talia wish for such a woman to get better? Wouldn't it be best if Marcy stays that way and never wakes up?

Talia lowered her head while wondering if she was a bad person. If she wishes bad things to happen to people, didn't she become a bully?

Talia shook her head while trying to dispel the dark thoughts. She hated bullies the most; they hurt the ones who are weak and vulnerable, and Talia refused to lower herself to that level.

"Don't beat yourself over it.", Damon's deep voice came from behind Talia. He could feel her fluctuating emotions and he knew that Talia was struggling with the concept of helping someone who hurt her more than once. "Do how much you can, and remember that doing nothing is an option. Marcy's condition is the consequence of her actions. It's not your responsibility to help her."

"I'm not doing this for Marcy.", Talia responded. "I want to do it for us." This was the truth. "As your mate, I get to share your glory and your hardships."

Damon beamed at Talia's words that warmed his soul.

After saying those words, Talia realized that this might be something she could work with. If her desire to accomplish something is the trigger to her powers, maybe she shouldn't think about healing Marcy, but about her and Damon.

Talia looked out the window to see the Moon that was in the first quarter.

She remembered stories of how the Moon Goddess lives there and is watching over all werewolves like they were her children.

Did Talia believe in the Moon Goddess? Talia was not sure. If the Moon Goddess was real, why did she allow Talia to live in that attic for a decade and to be bullied? Is that what a mother would do? Or did the Moon Goddess abandon her?

But this was not the time to question her fate. Talia chose to believe that she can fix this situation and if that included talking to the Moon Goddess, so be it.

"If you are up there, help me make things right…", Talia said while looking at the half-circle that illuminated the dark sky speckled with stars. "Marcy committed a sin by rejecting her mate, and this is her punishment. I don't have the right to decide how big Marcy's offense is, but I know that if she doesn't wake up, people I cherish will be harmed. They are good people and don't deserve to suffer because of something Marcy did. Help me wake her up. She needs to be awake in order to fix her wrongs…"

Damon smiled while listening to the small woman who was talking to the Moon with her hand extended that way like she was trying to reach for it.

If he could, he would capture the Moon and all the stars and give them to Talia. Maybe as a wedding gift.

Damon's eyebrows shoot up when Talia's hand that was bathed in the moon rays started glowing. Less than a second later, Talia's whole body was glowing, and that glow stretched lazily toward the bed where Marcy was.

Damon's jaw fell slack open as he watched Marcy being enveloped in the pulsating light, and it all came from Talia whose silver eyes shone and the ethereal outer glow made her appear like a Goddess who descended to Earth. Breathtaking.

Through his infatuation, Damon was frantically focusing on Talia, ready to catch her if her legs show signs of giving in. He had no idea how much energy Talia exerted to accomplish this, but he was determined to not let her fall.

Damon was not sure if it lasted a second or an hour before the light subsided, and he swiftly moved to support Talia who swayed.

"Are you OK?", Damon asked Talia when she leaned into him.

Talia gave him a weak smile. Her head was buzzing, and she turned to look at Marcy.

"Did it work?"

Damon released the breath he was holding, and he focused on Marcy for a few moments before responding, "You did it, kitten. Her heartbeat is much stronger." He didn't know more than that. "I will call Travis to check on her. Let's go to the next room and wait there." Damon wanted Talia to lay down and rest.

"Here is fine.", Talia responded. She wanted to keep an eye on Marcy. Talia was not sure what she did and if the effect is permanent or temporary.

Was it possible that the Moon Goddess helped her improve Marcy's condition? Or was that Talia's doing?

Talia wished to understand her ability and test its limits, but that will need to wait. She acknowledged overall weakness, pleased that she was not at the point where she needed to sleep.

Talia gestured toward a small table that had two chairs next to it. "We can sit there. Can you hold me?"

Damon chuckled at her silly request. "I wouldn't let go of you, kitten, even if you ask me."

He sat on one of the chairs with Talia on his lap, and he cradled her in his arms.

Talia leaned on Damon and allowed his addictive scent to fill her system.

Damon was immensely relieved that Talia was in good spirits. She was awake and talking and he wondered if that had anything to do with the Moon, or maybe her powers were increasing… or maybe those two were related. Old folks say that werewolves are more powerful when the full moon is out. Sure, the moon was not full, but half of it was still better than nothing.

 

Chapter 418 – Morning Negotiations (1)

The dawn was peeking through the window of the master bedroom on the third floor of the packhouse.

Damon and Talia didn't get any sleep, and for the first time since they got together, the lack of sleep was not due to the copious amount of carnal pleasures.

When Doctor Travis arrived at the house where Marcy was, he did a quick checkup to confirm that her condition improved significantly and that she should wake up soon.

Knowing that Damon and Talia had a lot on their hands, Travis offered to stay back with Marcy so the duo can go to the packhouse and rest.

"I will contact you if any changes happen.", Travis said. "This is the least I can do for my Alpha and Luna. Please, allow me to contribute…"

Damon accepted Travis' offer because Talia was tired after using her ability, but since they got in bed, Talia was tossing and turning, the much-needed sleep refused to take over. Her proximity and sparks were turning him on, and her addictive scent added to his arousal, but Damon knew that Talia was exhausted, and he kept his hands to himself.

Travis sent updates every hour, and they knew that Marcy's condition was steadily improving. Based on Travis' estimates, Marcy should wake up sometimes during the next day, if not sooner.

Back to the present…

"Why don't you sleep?", Damon asked Talia.

"I have a lot on my mind.", Talia said.

"It will all be alright.", Damon assured her.

She let out a long breath. "How do you know?"

"Because we are together.", Damon responded matter-of-factly. "I'm sure that most of the people by now know that I found my Luna. No more secrets, kitten. There are many things ahead of us, good and bad. Among all of them, I look forward to walking through Darkbourne while holding your hand for everyone to see."

Talia's lips stretched into a smile as she imagined a sunny day, and the two of them walking hand-in-hand with no one giving them strange or derisive looks because they would know that she belongs there, by his side. It was a pleasant mental image.

Talia's smile faltered when she remembered that they have a number of challenges to cross until that can come true. And one thing seemed more daunting than the other.

She sounded brave in the study, but the truth was that she was a nervous wreck. The pack run was coming, and she had no idea about shifting. And then there was Alpha Edward who will definitely throw a fit when he finds out that Damon introduced his Luna, and it was not Marcy. What if the war is coming? And she was also anxious about the marking, and her not understanding her powers… there were a lot of things.

Talia hugged Damon tightly and buried her face in his chest, taking deep breaths and allowing his addictive scent of the forest and dark chocolate to carry her into their lovey-dovey bubble where it's just the two of them and nothing else.

Damon could feel her insecurities bubbling, and he felt helpless in easing her troubles. Talia was prone to overthinking things, and at that moment Damon didn't have quick solutions. The only thing they could do was to face challenges as they come and to prepare for them to the best of their abilities. Lack of sleep wouldn't help.

"I wish that you rest", Damon said. "Try to sleep. Even an hour or two is better than nothing."

Talia looked up at him. "My turbulent mind is not letting me sleep. Maybe you can distract me."

Damon's lips lifted into a smile. "What do you have on your mind?"

Talia scooted higher and he thought that she will kiss him, but Talia's lips latched to the side of his neck, her tongue moved in circles, each sending electric pulses through his body.

He squeezed her buttocks harshly and buried his face in the crook of her neck, returning the favor of kissing and licking her neck, and within a minute their bodies were entangled, and outrageous sounds filled the space.

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In the bathroom of a guest bedroom on the second floor…

George pulled a t-shirt over his head and fixed his hair while checking himself in the mirror to ensure he was visually presentable.

When he got out of the bathroom, he paused at the sight of the blonde woman sleeping soundly on the bed. Dawn. That was his mate, his second chance of happiness… and he was determined not to mess it up. Dawn was caring and she didn't object to him marking her right away, and that was all he ever wanted from a mate; acceptance and assurance that they will stay together no matter what. That's how it should be.

He smiled at the memory of Dawn telling him how she will support him. It was heartwarming to know that someone was willing to take care of him.

George took a deep breath that filled his chest with the scent of cinnamon that permeated the air. He felt saliva pooling in his mouth because he associated that scent with Dawn's flavors. She was delectable.

Now that he experienced a true mate bond, George thought how he was silly to have hopes about Marcy who rejected him on the spot. However, if he didn't cling to Marcy, he wouldn't meet Dawn, and he wouldn't get his second chance, so in a way… even his futile fight against Marcy's rejection served a purpose because it led to a happy ending. For him, at least. As for Marcy, he didn't have any form of pity for her. His whole life George suffered because of the Redmayne family, and Marcy proved that she was no better. After the hell she put him through, he was glad that his wolf stopped urging him to get close to her and salvage what was left. It was pathetic.

George hated the idea of leaving Dawn behind, but he needed to talk to Alpha Damon, and he didn't want to wake her up. Besides, he still didn't tell her about his real identity, and he didn't want Dawn to find out about it from Alpha Damon.

But, what if she wakes up in his absence? Won't she think that he abandoned her?

Since they found out they were mates, George and Dawn spent most of their time indulging in carnal pleasures and exchanging sweet nothings, but that was not enough to establish a trustworthy relationship.

George thought about what to do, and then he decided to leave her a note.

He found a piece of paper and a pen and scribbled a few words so that Dawn knows he went to settle some things and he will return when done. George hoped that he will be back before she woke up.

'Settling things' meant discussing what Alpha Damon wanted to talk about, and George had a feeling that it included his real identity and dealing with the fallout from last night. He had no idea why Alpha Damon didn't expose him, but he pushed his anxiety away. He will deal with it as it comes.

 

Chapter 419 – Morning Negotiations (2)

George entered the study and paused at the sight of Talia who was there with Damon.

George wondered if Talia will be part of this secretive talk. Or maybe he overthought everything and this was just to discuss Marcy's condition. Maybe.

George decided to start with pleasantries.

"I failed to congratulate you on finding your mate and your Luna.", George said to Damon. "Pardon my tardiness. I wish you all the best in the years to come."

"No need to apologize.", Damon responded. "It's understandable, considering the commotion the news caused with the Elders."

George remembered the circus from the previous evening. It didn't match the image of a scary and stern Alpha that Damon usually carried. If that happened in the Red Moon pack, Alpha Edward would execute the ringleaders on the spot, to set an example for others, yet Damon just stood there and allowed it to unfold.

George had to ask, "Are your Elders always so disobedient?"

Damon was amused that George asked him so bluntly, but he didn't mind. It was refreshing not to guess what was on the other person's mind. "They are remnants of the system I'm trying to abolish."

"What's stopping you from reminding them who is their Alpha?"

Damon didn't feel like explaining his failures. Sure, he could suppress the Elders and send them to hell, but Caden was right… if Damon did that, it would come with consequences. Many of those Elders are bellowed grandfathers and grandmothers to many from the Dark Howlers pack, and if it was just a few Elders, Damon could punish them, but with most of them causing a ruckus, Damon ended up letting it unfold.

Damon already decided to deal with them covertly. No one will get away with challenging him or his Luna, but it wouldn't be wise to strike them openly with so many eyes on him.

Instead of answering George's question, Damon had a question of his own. "Are you asking this for your future reference, Alpha George?"

George's brows furrowed when Damon confirmed George's suspicion. He knew, but the question was, how much Damon knew?

George glanced at Talia and Damon spoke, "Don't worry about Talia. We can talk in front of her."

Talia was not sure if she can contribute, but she wanted to be present. If nothing else, she will silently support Damon.

Talia glanced at Damon and she smiled as Damon continued, "Talia is my mate, my Luna, my equal. What I know, she knows."

George cleared his throat awkwardly. Did Alpha Damon need to be lovey-dovey right in front of him? He decided to go back to the topic. The sooner they finish, the sooner he can go back to Dawn. "How much do you know?"

"I know that you are George Shaw, Alpha of the Frostcrest pack. I can understand why you are concealing your identity, but I don't know what are you doing in the Red Moon pack." Damon leaned over his desk. "Of course, considering the fate of the Frostcrest pack, I have a few guesses and I wonder if you will tell me which one is the correct one."

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George frowned. He didn't like his current situation. Before admitting anything, he needed to clarify. "Does James know who I am?"

Damon shrugged. "If he knows, he didn't find it out from me."

"I assume there is a reason we are having this conversation in private."

Damon raised his hands, palms facing George, indicating to him to tone down the hostility.

"I mean no harm. I only hope we can collaborate."

"You mean, blackmail?"

"That's not how you call a deal that would benefit both of us."

George released a long breath. How is it beneficial for both, if Damon can blackmail him, yet George had nothing? "What do you want, Alpha Damon? I am not a person who plays games."

"I believe that Alpha Edward knows what happened here last night, and it safe to assume that he is not happy. I would appreciate your assistance so that things don't go out of control."

George now knew where this was going. "In exchange for keeping my identity a secret?"

Damon confirmed and added, "Among other things."

"Other things? Like what?"

"That would depend on what you need.", Damon responded. "As long as it's not putting any of my people in danger, I am willing to assist you in whatever you are doing. Take your time and think about it but I hope you will realize the urgency in dealing with Alpha Edward. If things escalate, the deal is off the table."

George thought about his options for a moment before saying, "What do you think I can do to pacify Alpha Edward? He sent Marcy here with an intention for her to become your Luna. Anything less than that won't make him happy. It was my duty to escort her here, and I did, but Alpha Edward's wrath won't be selective. I will be punished for Marcy's failure even without him knowing what happened between us."

George couldn't make himself say the words that he and Marcy were mates. Or did Damon know that George and Marcy had sex? George didn't want to think about it.

"You will find out that James will lend you a hand.", Damon said. Seeing that George was alerted, Damon added, "He doesn't know your identity, nor about what happened between you and Marcy. However, James was aware that you and Marcy were not available, and he covered it up for Alpha Edward in your absence. I suggest that we call James here and discuss options. But I wanted to talk to you first and see if you are OK with it."

George made a face. "You sound like I have a choice."

"Great!", Damon exclaimed while ignoring George's sarcasm. "Do you have anything you want to tell me in private before James joins us?"

George shook his head, indicating that he doesn't.

Before calling James, Damon decided to make a few points. "Your real identity is not important for this, however, James will need to know that you and Marcy were mates. I don't expect that you will spill your secrets, but if we are going to prevent a war, we need to be open about things that are relevant. So let me ask you again, is there something you wish to tell me?"

George was about to say no, but then he paused. Damon agreed not to disclose his real identity, which meant that George still had his possibility of revenge. And the fact that Damon was willing to negotiate meant that Damon won't use him as a scapegoat in this whole thing.

George's opinion of Damon improved, and he decided to share one thing.

"I suspect that James is not Alpha Edward's son."

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Chapter 420 – Morning Negotiations (3) [Bonus Chapter]

Author's note:

Thank you, blackfirerose, for the Magic Castle gifted on March 13, 2022!

Your generous gift prompted me to release this bonus chapter!

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Note: comments that matter, gifts, and votes are available only on the NovelFire platform , where this novel is contracted and published.

Thank you for reading my story from the original source and not supporting people who are publishing my work without permission!

Now back to the novel… ??

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Damon blinked a few times while processing this bomb that George threw at him. James is not Alpha Edward's son? This was huge!

A wave of confusion and sorrow hit him, and Damon had no idea from where it came. It took him a minute to look at Talia. Of course, she would feel sorry for the teenager, even if he was from the family who did her wrong.

"Come here, kitten…", Damon called and extended his hand toward her.

Talia was grateful for the mate bond that told Damon she needed his proximity.

She put her hand into Damon's and allowed him to pull her onto her lap. His arms circled her small frame, and she rested her head on his shoulder to breathe him in.

The fact was that Talia didn't know much about James. He was a boy who would always be either studying or training. From the gossiping Omegas, Talia overheard that James was not attention-grabbing in a good or in a bad way, and Talia thought how that was admirable considering that he was the future Alpha of the Red Moon pack.

Talia knew that Alpha Edward was power-hungry and manipulative, and she couldn't imagine what James' fate will be if Alpha Edward finds out that the boy was not his son. Or did he know already? She was not sure which one would be worse.

"What makes you think that James is not Alpha Edward's son?", Damon asked George.

George pressed his lips into a line at the sight of Damon who was gently caressing Talia's back and talking to him seriously like nothing lovey-dovey was happening.

Ah, he was missing Dawn!

"James has no Alpha aura.", George responded after a brief pause. "Either he is not Alpha Edward's biological son, or he is the biggest loser in the DNA lottery. Based on my research, the dominant gene will be carried to offspring, and it takes several generations to thin them out. There are confirmed cases when the inherited Alpha aura weakens from parents to children, but James has none. On a scale of one to ten with the ten being the strongest Alpha aura, Alpha Edward would be a seven. If James is Alpha Edward's son, anything from eight to six would be considered normal. However, the boy has none, and that would make him the first case that didn't inherit the dominant gene and it went from seven to zero in one generation."

Damon admired the confidence George used while explaining this. George's tone spoke more than the numbers he threw at Damon.

Damon realized that James didn't have it easy. After all, some things can't be hidden as young Alphas can't wait to show off and compare their strength. And there was also a question… "How come Alpha Edward is fine with James having no aura?" Maybe they can give various excuses to random people, but Alpha Edward should know about it.

George's lips lifted into a smug smile. "I told them that there are cases of late bloomers where Alpha aura develops later, and it will manifest itself no later than the eighteenth birthday. Alpha Edward was too lazy to verify, and he was eager to conceal that James doesn't have an aura in order to preserve his image. As for others, they believe that I created a training regime for James that includes him suppressing his aura completely in order to steel his body and mind."

Damon thought how that made sense. Even he had sessions where his trainers requested of him not to use his aura, so it's not unusual. However… "This is good to know, but it won't impact our current situation."

"You won't use it against James?"

Damon shook his head. "Assuming that James is not Alpha Edward's biological son, revealing that will not help us in any way. If James will be useful, we need Alpha Edward to trust him. Waving this in front of James' face might make him think about backup strategies that could include setting us up in order to appease Alpha Edward."

George agreed with this. That's why he covered up for James' deficiency.

After this brief exchange, both George and Damon adjusted assessments of the other one.

Damon's eyes lost focus as he contacted one of the Omegas with instructions to summon James to his study.

"Commander George", the so-far silent Talia called. She wanted to tell him something before James joins them.

"I assume that you being here on your own means that Dawn doesn't know who you really are."

George's silence answered Talia's question.

"Dawn is a good person, and she would do anything for her mate, even forgive lies. But don't let it drag for too long. Dawn forgiving you doesn't mean she won't be hurt because you are concealing things from her."

Damon's ears perked up. Was Talia talking about him and how he concealed the truth about them being mates?

George smiled at Talia's words. He found it fascinating that they were discussing a serious issue that could lead to a war, yet Talia was concerned about her friend. Isn't that what Luna does? Takes care of her people?

"I will tell her as soon as I get a chance.", George assured Talia. "I didn't mean to keep my mate in the dark, but I didn't find the right timing to bring it up."

Talia remembered Meg and thought of another thing. "You marked Dawn, so with your DNA, she will get Alpha's aura. The sooner you tell her, the sooner she can practice to control it."

George pressed his lips into a line. Talia was right. If Dawn gets emotionally compromised and releases her aura uncontrollably, his cover will be blown.

George wondered, how does Talia know about aura and training? He would think that it was from her experience, but she was obviously not marked.

"Keep looking at my mate like that, and our cooperation is over.", Damon growled, startling George out of his thoughts.

"I apologize.", George said quickly. He really didn't mean to stare, but he was looking at Talia's neck and… it just happened.

Talia was uncomfortable. She didn't notice that George was looking at her, but she knew that George wouldn't have inappropriate thoughts considering that he has Dawn. But Damon made it awkward.

"Damon…", Talia said in a low voice and wrapped her arms around Damon's neck. "Didn't we talk about this? You can't be angry at people just because they are looking at me."

"He was looking for too long.", Damon said in his defense.

"I would be arguing forever if I start a quarrel with every woman who looks at you longer than I approve…." Or maybe she would send them to the dungeon, and it would overflow quickly.