Ch. 561..570
Chapter 561 The Council of Alphas (10) [Bonus chapter]
'Damon?', Talia called through their private mind-link. 'What makes you say that I'm a good Alpha?'
'I never saw this sphere before, but I heard stories about how it changes color. Not glowing, only changing color, yet you made it glow like a disco ball.' Damon noticed the shock on the Guardian's face when he pulled Talia's hand away from the device. Why did he stop her? Damon had a feeling it was related to the request for Talia to stay behind after the meeting. But Damon didn't want her to worry about that now. 'You have no idea how proud I am that you are mine, kitten.'
Talia's breath hitched when Damon's emotions flooded into her through their mate bond. There was an endless amount of love and acceptance and everything good that exists in this world. She suppressed her desire to jump on him and hold on until the end of time.
Alphas Robert and Patrick both smiled while taking their tokens.
"Why are you so giddy?", Alpha Edward asked Alpha Robert dryly. "You lost."
Alpha Robert paused. "Not exactly. Rick and I didn't want any part in this bet, so we agreed to cover for each other."
It took Alpha Edward a moment to understand. "You placed bets on opposite sides on purpose."
"That's right.", Alpha Patrick said. "Since I lost, Rob will write off my debt so we both get to keep our money. Maybe a million dollars for you is something to play with, but for us, that's a lot of money."
"You will still need to kneel and apologize.", Alpha Richard said victoriously like that didn't apply to him.
"Unfortunately, that's true.", Alpha Robert confirmed. "But I will do that while thinking how it was worth it because it will enable my pack members a better life. What about you? Was it worth it to provoke the strongest Alpha of the next generation?"
"What makes you think she is the strongest?", Alpha Edward asked.
Alpha Robert shook his head in disapproval. "You should know a thing or two about that sphere. Did you ever hear about it reacting in such a way? How long is she an Alpha? A few months, at most. Imagine what will happen in a few years. Her potential is unlimited." He inched closer and spoke in a lower voice, "And didn't you notice how all youngsters are standing behind her? That should give you a clue who is in charge there."
Alpha Edward's face darkened. He was right. In their society, it's disgraceful to stand behind someone who is weaker, but more importantly, did he just lose a vote? Sure, Alpha Robert didn't say that he will support him, but Alpha Edward saw both Alphas Robert and Patrick wavering and he was confident that they will give in when it counts, however, after this, his confidence dwindled.
"You can't be serious about this greenhorn posing a threat.", Alpha Edward said to Alpha Robert.
"Oh, he is serious.", Alpha Patrick responded from the side. "And let me tell you now for everyone to hear, if you drag us again into your games, our two packs will cut off all collaboration with you."
Normally, Alpha Patrick wouldn't dare to speak to Alpha Edward like that, but he was pissed that the latter agreed to this ridiculous bet in a way that forced everyone to participate. Alphas Patrick and Robert were planning to stay neutral until the last minute, and they had no idea that they would be forced to choose before the meeting even started!
Alpha Edward gritted his teeth. How dares this small Alpha talk to him like equals? His annoyance rose when he realized that he probably lost two votes, and if he lost them, it means that Damon got them. Damn it!
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--- This work is published on the NovelFire platform (w e b n o v e l . c o m). Thank you for reading from the original site to support the author! ---
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Alpha Richard raised his hand, to get everyone's attention. "Now that this was settled, we can go to the meeting."
"Not so fast!", Meg snapped. "Did you forget that you just lost a bet?"
Alpha Richard frowned at Meg. "We have one week to pay."
Meg lifted her chin smugly. "And you have one minute to get on your knees."
Alpha Richard's face fell, and he turned to Talia. "Is that really necessary?"
Talia tilted her head. "If it was me on the losing side, would you forgive me that I lost?"
Alpha Richard opened his mouth to protest, but Alpha Edward cut him off with, "Let's be done with this."
Alpha Richard was flabbergasted. "You… You… are going through with it?" Alphas don't apologize and they don't bow to anyone. That's what makes them Alphas. If anyone finds out about this, they will be laughing stocks!
"Alpha Richard!", Talia called. "If you are trying to wiggle out of this simple act of apologizing, I can only assume that you will go to great lengths to avoid paying the one million dollars you lost here."
Alpha Edward wanted to give him a good beating. Was Alpha Richard such an idiot that he didn't realize their current situation? There were now six Guardians in the room, all of them looking at them sternly, and there were Talia and four other Alphas by her side, all waiting for them to make the wrong move.
"Let's do it quickly so we can move onto the meeting.", Alpha Edward squeezed through his teeth.
Alpha Edward balled his hands into fists as he went down on his knees in slow motion. Somehow, it was a much easier thing to do in his mind as his body was refusing to cooperate. His wolf protested the submission, but Alpha Edward pushed him to the back of his mind. Stupid beast! If he acts out, they might lose much more than just some dignity.
One by one, six Alphas were on their knees, mumbling apologies for doubting Talia.
"That doesn't sound very sincere.", Meg said from the side.
Talia waved her hand, indicating to Meg to let it go. "This is how far their sincerity goes. Take a note that we won't be collaborating with these six in the future." If not for shaking Alpha Edward's position in the eyes of his cronies, Talia wouldn't bother with these apologies. She was confident that they would jump at her throat if they only had a chance, and she was not wrong. The malicious intent rising from those six was tangible.
'CLICK!'
A sound was heard on Talia's left, and she turned to see that Maddox took a photo.
"This needs to be commemorated.", Maddox said with a grin and showed the screen of his phone that had six Alphas kneeling in front of Talia.
Alpha Edward gritted his teeth. "Was that necessary?"
Maddox shrugged and stuffed the phone into the back pocket of his pants.
'CLICK!'
A sound came from Talia's right. It was Alpha Cristian with his phone.
"I've got a better angle from here."
Maddox walked to Cristian with, "Let me see."
The six Alphas that were on the ground were close to exploding from anger. They were being treated like circus attractions! Alpha Edward and Alpha Richard blamed Talia, while the other four directed their anger at Alpha Edward. If he didn't drag them into this unnecessary trouble, they wouldn't be embarrassed.
Chapter 562 The Council of Alphas (10) [Bonus chapter]
'Damon?', Talia called through their private mind-link. 'What makes you say that I'm a good Alpha?'
'I never saw this sphere before, but I heard stories about how it changes color. Not glowing, only changing color, yet you made it glow like a disco ball.' Damon noticed the shock on the Guardian's face when he pulled Talia's hand away from the device. Why did he stop her? Damon had a feeling it was related to the request for Talia to stay behind after the meeting. But Damon didn't want her to worry about that now. 'You have no idea how proud I am that you are mine, kitten.'
Talia's breath hitched when Damon's emotions flooded into her through their mate bond. There was an endless amount of love and acceptance and everything good that exists in this world. She suppressed her desire to jump on him and hold on until the end of time.
Alphas Robert and Patrick both smiled while taking their tokens.
"Why are you so giddy?", Alpha Edward asked Alpha Robert dryly. "You lost."
Alpha Robert paused. "Not exactly. Rick and I didn't want any part in this bet, so we agreed to cover for each other."
It took Alpha Edward a moment to understand. "You placed bets on opposite sides on purpose."
"That's right.", Alpha Patrick said. "Since I lost, Rob will write off my debt so we both get to keep our money. Maybe a million dollars for you is something to play with, but for us, that's a lot of money."
"You will still need to kneel and apologize.", Alpha Richard said victoriously like that didn't apply to him.
"Unfortunately, that's true.", Alpha Robert confirmed. "But I will do that while thinking how it was worth it because it will enable my pack members a better life. What about you? Was it worth it to provoke the strongest Alpha of the next generation?"
"What makes you think she is the strongest?", Alpha Edward asked.
Alpha Robert shook his head in disapproval. "You should know a thing or two about that sphere. Did you ever hear about it reacting in such a way? How long is she an Alpha? A few months, at most. Imagine what will happen in a few years. Her potential is unlimited." He inched closer and spoke in a lower voice, "And didn't you notice how all youngsters are standing behind her? That should give you a clue who is in charge there."
Alpha Edward's face darkened. He was right. In their society, it's disgraceful to stand behind someone who is weaker, but more importantly, did he just lose a vote? Sure, Alpha Robert didn't say that he will support him, but Alpha Edward saw both Alphas Robert and Patrick wavering and he was confident that they will give in when it counts, however, after this, his confidence dwindled.
"You can't be serious about this greenhorn posing a threat.", Alpha Edward said to Alpha Robert.
"Oh, he is serious.", Alpha Patrick responded from the side. "And let me tell you now for everyone to hear, if you drag us again into your games, our two packs will cut off all collaboration with you."
Normally, Alpha Patrick wouldn't dare to speak to Alpha Edward like that, but he was pissed that the latter agreed to this ridiculous bet in a way that forced everyone to participate. Alphas Patrick and Robert were planning to stay neutral until the last minute, and they had no idea that they would be forced to choose before the meeting even started!
Alpha Edward gritted his teeth. How dares this small Alpha talk to him like equals? His annoyance rose when he realized that he probably lost two votes, and if he lost them, it means that Damon got them. Damn it!
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--- This work is published on the NovelFire platform (w e b n o v e l . c o m). Thank you for reading from the original site to support the author! ---
- - -
Alpha Richard raised his hand, to get everyone's attention. "Now that this was settled, we can go to the meeting."
"Not so fast!", Meg snapped. "Did you forget that you just lost a bet?"
Alpha Richard frowned at Meg. "We have one week to pay."
Meg lifted her chin smugly. "And you have one minute to get on your knees."
Alpha Richard's face fell, and he turned to Talia. "Is that really necessary?"
Talia tilted her head. "If it was me on the losing side, would you forgive me that I lost?"
Alpha Richard opened his mouth to protest, but Alpha Edward cut him off with, "Let's be done with this."
Alpha Richard was flabbergasted. "You… You… are going through with it?" Alphas don't apologize and they don't bow to anyone. That's what makes them Alphas. If anyone finds out about this, they will be laughing stocks!
"Alpha Richard!", Talia called. "If you are trying to wiggle out of this simple act of apologizing, I can only assume that you will go to great lengths to avoid paying the one million dollars you lost here."
Alpha Edward wanted to give him a good beating. Was Alpha Richard such an idiot that he didn't realize their current situation? There were now six Guardians in the room, all of them looking at them sternly, and there were Talia and four other Alphas by her side, all waiting for them to make the wrong move.
"Let's do it quickly so we can move onto the meeting.", Alpha Edward squeezed through his teeth.
Alpha Edward balled his hands into fists as he went down on his knees in slow motion. Somehow, it was a much easier thing to do in his mind as his body was refusing to cooperate. His wolf protested the submission, but Alpha Edward pushed him to the back of his mind. Stupid beast! If he acts out, they might lose much more than just some dignity.
One by one, six Alphas were on their knees, mumbling apologies for doubting Talia.
"That doesn't sound very sincere.", Meg said from the side.
Talia waved her hand, indicating to Meg to let it go. "This is how far their sincerity goes. Take a note that we won't be collaborating with these six in the future." If not for shaking Alpha Edward's position in the eyes of his cronies, Talia wouldn't bother with these apologies. She was confident that they would jump at her throat if they only had a chance, and she was not wrong. The malicious intent rising from those six was tangible.
'CLICK!'
A sound was heard on Talia's left, and she turned to see that Maddox took a photo.
"This needs to be commemorated.", Maddox said with a grin and showed the screen of his phone that had six Alphas kneeling in front of Talia.
Alpha Edward gritted his teeth. "Was that necessary?"
Maddox shrugged and stuffed the phone into the back pocket of his pants.
'CLICK!'
A sound came from Talia's right. It was Alpha Cristian with his phone.
"I've got a better angle from here."
Maddox walked to Cristian with, "Let me see."
The six Alphas that were on the ground were close to exploding from anger. They were being treated like circus attractions! Alpha Edward and Alpha Richard blamed Talia, while the other four directed their anger at Alpha Edward. If he didn't drag them into this unnecessary trouble, they wouldn't be embarrassed.
Chapter 563 Preparations for the ceremony
After dinner, females from the packhouse went into one spare bedroom, while males went into another.
It was part of the tradition to prepare separately for the ceremony.
They would put traditional leather clothes on and accessorize with necklaces made of teeth and colorful pebbles in an attempt to show themselves in their best edition for their mates and the rest of the pack.
When it was time for the ceremony to begin, females, elderly, and children would gather close to the altar where Shaman was, and males in their prime would form a circle around them, symbolizing that they will protect the pack.
After the Shaman completes the ceremony for the Moon Goddess to bless them, elderly and children would disperse and head home, while females and males would shift into their wolf forms and dash into the forest. Females would go first, for males to chase after them. The ones that were mated would look for their mates, while others would treat this as a big mixer. No matter how random it looked, they would all be following after their Alpha, Luna, and other high-ranking members of the pack, to complete one circle around their territory, after which they would be free to enjoy time with their mates, or their partner for the night, with the whole event ending after the midnight. Some would use this time to hunt and present their catch in the hope to woo another wolf.
Pack runs were full of positive energy where pack members get to show off their outfit, physique, speed, and hunting skills.
A pack run after a decade was a big deal. Everyone was impacted and the whole Darkbourne was buzzing with excitement.
Maya prepared one guestroom in the packhouse, and that's where Maya, Dawn, Zina, Mindy, Talia, and Cornelia gathered.
Talia wanted Sandy and Lulu to be with them also, but Damon objected. Per Damon's arrangement, Talia's six guards were already dressed up in ceremonial clothes and waiting outside for Talia to be ready. They will escort her until she reunites with Damon, and Damon threatened Talia that if she objects to this deal, he will spill the beans and tell her guards how they failed on their first night to watch over her. Talia agreed reluctantly to treat her personal guards as her guards while they were on duty.
The guestroom had four full-length mirrors and four stations where they could sit to do their hair and makeup.
Each of the females had a leather outfit that covered the chest area, leaving their abdomen exposed, and the bottom part was a skirt of several overlapping layers. It all stayed together with one string that when pulled made everything fall down. It was convenient so the fabric doesn't rip when they shift into their wolf forms.
Females wore stylish necklaces of colorful pebbles, and they were braiding each other's hair and decorating it with small flowers that Cornelia and Mindy gathered earlier that evening.
"I saw that some necklaces are made of teeth.", Cornelia said while checking out herself in the mirror. She approved of this outfit, it was not restricting. Since she came to the human realm, these were the most comfortable clothes she put on, and she wished that she could wear this every day.
"Hunters preserve teeth of their catch and so jewelry can be made out of those.", Maya explained while pointing at her necklace that had teeth in it. "One can wear these if he caught them himself or if it was gifted by a hunter who is mate or family member. You can't buy it."
Talia touched the soft leather that hugged her hips. It was light brown and it had embroidered with black thread shapes of wolves and moon on it. It was beautiful. Talia smiled at Maya gratefully. Talia was so consumed with everything that was going on, and she totally forgot about ceremonial clothes, but Maya made arrangements not only for Talia but for Cornelia as well.
Talia won't be there for the ceremony, but she hoped that Damon will see her like that, and that he will approve.
Talia put her hands over her chest. She was nervous.
"Don't worry, Talia.", Dawn said. "We are here to support you." Her chin shivered when she remembered that she will leave soon. "This is my first and last pack run in the Dark Howlers pack." She was emotional.
Talia and Zina gave Dawn hugs at the same time, making it a three-girl-hug.
"Don't be sad.", Talia said. "I will change rules so you can join every pack run, even after you leave the Dark Howlers pack. You and George will always be welcome here."
"I hear that the Red Moon pack doesn't do monthly pack runs.", Zina said. "So, the two of you make an excuse to come here."
Dawn nodded while sniffling. She didn't talk about this with George, but she hoped he will approve. On the other hand, considering George's plan to take down Alpha Edward, Dawn didn't dare to think so far into the future.
A mental image of Damon flashed in Talia's mind. He was topless, wearing a black skirt-like garment that reached half of his thighs, black patterns were drawn over his skin, and he had around his neck several necklaces made out of teeth that were big as Talia's pinky finger. Talia could see Damon smiling cockily while striking a pose and flexing his muscles.
'What do you say of your man, kitten?', his voice sounded in her head. 'Do I look tempting enough for you?'
Talia realized that Damon was communicating with her mentally.
'For a moment, I thought I'm hallucinating. You look delicious.', she responded. 'Is that black paint edible?'
Damon chuckled in response. 'You won't know unless you try. But even if the paint is not edible, your man is.'
Talia bit the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from laughing at the shameless Alpha who was thrusting his hips suggestively. Other females will think she went crazy if she just starts laughing for no apparent reason.
Talia touched her hair which was braided and wrapped around her head like a crown, and she moved to stand in front of the full-length mirror before sending him back a mental image of herself.
Damon whistled loudly, making Talia wince.
'Which room are you in?', Damon asked with urgency. 'I'm coming to pick you up, and we can leave this pack run business to others to handle.'
Talia giggled. 'Thank you, Damon.' She needed that boost in confidence that only he could provide. And she was super happy that he got to see her, and he approved.
Talia glanced at the time before releasing a sharp breath. 'It's almost time.', she told Damon.
'I will wait for your signal that things are ready, and then I will find you.', Damon responded. 'After that, it will be just the two of us and our wolves.'
Talia felt Liseli leaping with joy. 'Liseli is looking forward to meeting Sapa again.'
'Me too, kitten. I gotta go now. Gideon says it's time for a speech and Caden and I need to be there.'
'I will see you soon.', Talia responded as Maya was telling Mindy that it was time to go.
This was a sign for Talia that she needed to start moving also.
Chapter 564 The pack run (1) [Bonus chapter]
Talia and Zina walked out of the room to be greeted by Keith, Liam, Pierce, Caleb, Sandy, and Lulu who bowed respectfully.
All six of them wore ceremonial clothes and had patterns drawn on their skin with black paint, similar to what Talia saw on Damon. They also had impressive necklaces made out of teeth.
Talia noticed that Keith had the most drawings on his body among her guards.
"What do those patterns represent?", Talia asked Keith, genuinely curious.
Keith puffed his chest proudly. "These are for challenges I won against worthy opponents." And also, fights against rogues and for lives taken, but he didn't want to sully Talia's ears with harsh words.
Keith enjoyed the way Talia looked at the drawings that adorned his body, and he appreciated the fact that Talia didn't see him as a pampered trainer, but as a capable warrior he was.
He knew that Talia was mated to Damon and that harboring those feelings inside his heart was futile, but there was nothing he could do about it other than to protect Talia with everything he's got and to step away when Damon was nearby because seeing Talia happy with another man was too painful to bear.
Keith wondered if this was the Moon Goddess' plan all along, to turn him into a faithful dog who will follow his master with the hope to get praise.
Unaware of Keith's thoughts, Talia commented on the drawings on his body. "You won many fights." She turned to look at the rest of her guards. "You all did. I am lucky to have you keeping me safe."
Talia noticed that her guards were looking at Zina curiously, so she explained, "Zina will be coming with us. I need to do something during the ceremony and her assistance will be necessary."
They were all surprised that Talia will be absent from the ceremony.
"Where are we going?", Keith asked.
"I'm not sure.", Talia admitted. "It's related to the full moon and Shaman said that it will show me the way."
It was not Gideon, but it was Evanora, but Talia didn't want to go into details.
Zina's role was to accompany Talia and to communicate with Maya and Caden via mind-link so that the Beta duo knows what's the status on Talia's side, and for Talia to know what was going on at the ceremony.
Keith and the other five guards didn't know about Damon's condition. Damon didn't want more than necessary people to know about him being impacted by the dark magic, and Talia agreed. If the news spread that Damon was attacked by the Oracle from the Midnight Guardians pack, all kinds of trouble might ensue, and they wanted to avoid animosity among the two packs because of a few malicious individuals.
The party of eight exited the packhouse to be met by a river of people who were moving toward them, parting in the middle to pass on the left and right sides of the packhouse. Those were members of the Dark Howlers pack, all of them in traditional clothes and good spirits, some carrying flowers to leave as offerings at the ceremonial altar that was set up behind the garden, and Talia really regretted that she will miss this event.
"Next time, we will join them.", Zina said to Talia.
Talia turned to look at her friend. "Am I that obvious?"
Zina shook her head. "We are all feeling the same, but you are easy to read. Let's accomplish this task so that we are not missing the event of the decade for naught."
"Thank you, Zina.", Talia said. "It means a lot to have you here with me." It really did. She knew that Keith and the other five were there because Damon ordered them, but Zina was there as a friend.
Talia remembered Damon's words about how only people close to her can backstab her, and she looked at the seven people around her. Six of them were her guards, but Talia considered all of them her friends, and she couldn't imagine that any of them would betray her.
She was their Alpha, and their betrayal wouldn't be petty things like stealing the best-looking dessert, but serious matters that could impact her safety, and Damon's, and the safety of the whole pack, and Talia's heart cracked at the thought that any of them would be willing to go that far. She knew that Damon's concerns were not made up, but she hoped that he was wrong, at least about these people.
With a deep breath to steel her resolve, Talia walked forward with Zina, and six guards circled them. They blended with the other people perfectly, except for the fact that they were moving in the opposite direction.
Talia turned to the left, emerging from the river the crowd created. Once the clamor died behind them, Talia closed her eyes and chanted the words that Evanora taught her to improve her sensitivity to nature and help her see the path that will lead her to the optimal location for the ritual. A few seconds later, Talia allowed her instincts to guide her, and she moved slowly at first, but her every next step came with more confidence that she knew where she was going.
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Back in the packhouse, Damon was standing at the window of the living room with his hands clasped behind his back and looking out to see the crowd gathering to fill up the clearing beyond the garden and overfilling in every direction. Those were his people, excited and happy, and he really wished that Talia was by his side so that they can enjoy this scene together, but he feared that if they meet now, it would be nearly impossible to separate. He had a task to do, and so did Talia, and soon they will reunite. Soon.
Cornelia peered into the living room to see James who was wearing skimpy ceremonial clothes that were held by one string around his waist, allowing the leather garment to reach half of his thighs. She never saw him exposed like that, up close, and she was not sure if he was really the most handsome man she had ever seen, or if that was the soulmate bond messing with her eyesight and with her reasoning.
James turned to look at Cornelia and she clearly saw his eyes widening as he took in her form.
Before Cornelia could react, James was in front of her, holding her hand and pulling her into the living room.
"You are stunning", James said breathily. She really was.
James wanted to scoop Cornelia in his arms and take her to a place with privacy and stay there forever, but their forever was uncertain and for the first time in his life James really wished that he had the Alpha aura strong enough to protect Cornelia from everything bad in the world, or maybe that he was born as a no one important so that his father won't care about him.
Chapter 565 The pack run (2)
James knew that they were stuck with the reality where he was James Redmayne, the future Alpha of the Red Moon pack without an Alpha aura, and he was facing the most beautiful woman in the world who was his mate and who squirmed under his hungry gaze, and somehow… she made his heart sing, which was not a bad thing, not even a little bit.
James chuckled. "You are lovely when you blush."
"I'm not blushing.", Cornelia said quickly.
James lifted her hand to place small kisses on her knuckles. "Whatever you say, gorgeous."
Caden whistled loudly. "Who said that teens don't have their courting game on?"
James knew that this jab was directed at him, but he couldn't care less. His chocolate-colored Goddess was in front of him, and nothing else mattered. He didn't want to allow dark thoughts about his father to spoil this moment, and compared to that, Caden's teasing was nothing.
"Maybe you should look at your mate, and not at teens.", Maya said from the door, getting Caden's full attention.
Caden grinned at Maya. "I see that the Moon Goddess gave me her blessings early." He sashayed toward Maya and pulled her close to him, making sure that their hips were connected firmly so she can feel that he was hard already.
"Tonight, we make pups.", Caden's breath splashed against her ear.
Maya burst into giggles and pushed him away, but without any strength, careful not to make smudges of the black patterns that still didn't dry on his skin.
Mindy made a beeline toward Gideon and twirled on her toes so that he can see her from every angle. "What do you think?"
"I fear I will forget the steps for the ritual.", Gideon said.
Mindy didn't get it. "Nonsense. We practiced more than once. But just in case, I will stand close to you and whisper if you forget something."
Gideon chuckled. "The closer you are, the more I will forget."
Mindy stifled a laugh when she realized that he will forget steps of the ritual because of her. "I take that as you approve of your mate in this outfit."
"I approve of you without an outfit, just how mother nature intended, but this will do.", Gideon said with a straight face, but the twinkle in his eyes spoke about mischief and all the X-rated things he wanted to do with Mindy.
Mindy slapped his shoulder playfully. "Come on, we should go out first. People are waiting."
Mindy was nervous. For everyone else, this was the ceremony before the pack run, but for her, it was also the ceremony where she will officially become a member of the Dark Howlers pack. She wished that Maddox and her parents were present, but she knew that according to ancient customs of werewolves when a she-wolf finds her mate, he becomes her family. Mindy's family didn't want to cut their ties with her completely, and she loved that part, but she still missed them.
A pair of strong arms circled Mindy's waist from behind.
"How about tomorrow you call your brother and decide on a good time for us to visit your family?", Gideon asked.
Mindy craned her neck to look at him. "Are you serious?"
Gideon kissed the tip of her nose. "I am serious about getting to know the family where my spitfire mate grew up. Who knows, maybe we will get along? I have a suit and a necktie, and I wonder if it still fits me well."
Mindy smiled and leaned into him. Somehow, his words made her miss her family a bit less. "I will call Max tomorrow."
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Dawn peeked into the room in time to see Gideon and Mindy stepping out through the side door.
Dawn's whole world stopped as she gaped at George. His torso was exposed, showing not only the tattoo on his chest but also numerous patterns that were drawn with black paint, telling stories of fights worthy of an Alpha that was presenting himself as a Commander from the Red Moon pack. Dawn was confident that only Damon had more artwork on his body, but she couldn't look away from George to compare and confirm.
George's lips lifted into a smug smirk at the sight of Dawn who was obviously dazed by his appearance.
George regretted that he didn't have his spoils from hunting handy that came in form of impressive necklaces so that he can put them all around Dawn's neck, and he regretted even more that this was not their pack where Dawn would show up as his Luna and be celebrated by their people.
"What's got into you?", Dawn asked George. She could feel his emotions through their mate bond.
George didn't want to share his thoughts and spoil the mood. "I regret that I can't join the pack run." As an outsider, George will attend the ceremony, but not join the run. When in wolf form, werewolves are more susceptible to following their instincts than reason, and another dominant wolf would definitely confuse members of the Dark Howlers pack which can be seen as a challenge to the existing hierarchy. George didn't want to fight with Damon or his generals, at least not in this setting.
Dawn smiled and put her arms around George's neck. "We can have a run of our own.", she said teasingly. "Wouldn't you like to hunt for your mate tonight?"
A low growl formed in George's throat.
"The hunt is on.", George said, and then he took Dawn's breath away with a kiss that made her toes curl.
Petra, Zack, and Erik entered the living room, dressed for the occasion. Three teens were not of age, but as junior warriors, they had the right to join the pack run.
The teens were not sure if they should approach James and Cornelia who were holding hands and talking in whispers; the mood over there was definitely cozy.
Petra smiled at the sight of James who embraced the idea of meeting his mate early. She didn't know how James and Cornelia will make it work, but she was confident that the Moon Goddess wouldn't arrange for them to meet if there was no way for James and Cornelia to end up together. The Moon Goddess knows best, and she doesn't make mistakes.
"You three!", Caden called for Petra, Zack, and Erik to come closer. "I have a task for you. I need you to go out there and spread information about how Alphas have something special going on. Talia won't be here for the ceremony because Damon will need to find her, and after the ceremony, the rest of the pack will join them…"
It was to cover up the fact that Talia and Damon will be absent, and Caden added, "Feel free to shut up any Elders who are using this to sow discord. Tell them that our Alpha needs to prove himself as worthy of his mate by hunting for her. It's a tradition we all followed and if they have a problem with that, they can complain to the Moon Goddess."
Petra, Zack, and Erik moved out, this time with a goal on their minds.
Chapter 566 The pack run (3)
Mindy and Gideon reached the podium that was built for this occasion.
In the middle was an altar with a fire on top that was crackling since that afternoon.
Gideon immediately got busy arranging some items on the altar, and Mindy wanted to take a good look at the people gathered. With just a single glance she was confident that there were more than three thousand people. If this was the Blue River pack, this would probably be the whole pack, yet here people were still coming. It was massive.
Mindy's mood was dampened by the fact that she didn't know anyone. She grew up as the princess of the Blue River pack and faces there were at least familiar while everyone knew her name, yet now every gaze she met was questioning as people obviously wondered what she was doing up there.
It was strange to be surrounded by the crowd, yet feel alone.
Mindy wanted to ask Gideon for a hug or maybe to introduce her as his mate, but he was busy, and this was not the right time to be clingy, so she swallowed her grievances and went behind the podium where she previously kept dried herbs that Gideon will throw into the flames during the ceremony. At least she could do something to occupy herself and be useful.
Mindy knew that staying in the Dark Howlers pack as Gideon's mate will be an adjustment, but she didn't think it will hit her that hard.
"Do you need help, Gidi?", a female voice got Mindy's attention and she frowned. 'Who the hell is Gidi?'
"Thank you, Nina, but I got it covered.", Gideon responded, and Mindy could hear that he was smiling.
Mindy's instincts told her something was off. Why was he so friendly with a random female?
Mindy whipped her head in that direction to see a female on the podium who was approaching Gideon with more sway in her hips than Mindy approved. Nina had ample bosom to fill the top part of her leather outfit, and the woman looked to be in her mid-thirties, but Mindy knew that she was way older than that.
"I saw you have a young assistant. Are you sure you want to let her do this? This ceremony is a big deal. What if she messes up? You know I can be helpful.", Nina ended in a singing voice.
Gideon scratched the back of his head and Mindy wondered what his expression was. Was he smiling? Even if he wasn't, Nina was smiling coquettishly for both of them.
Jealousy, dejection, and disappointment swelled in Mindy's chest, making it difficult to breathe and she clutched dried herbs in her hands.
Why didn't Gideon tell this Nina person to scram? Why was she still standing there?
Gideon could sense unknown negative emotions and he turned to see Mindy. His brows came together when he saw her knowing look and eyes full of tears.
"Mindy… no…", he said, but it was too late. Mindy already threw the herbs from her hands and was moving swiftly into the forest. She didn't want to talk to him. She didn't want to talk to anyone. She wanted to go home.
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"Mindy, wait!", Gideon shouted and a second later, he grabbed her hand. "Where are you going?"
She looked away. Now on top of all negativities, she was embarrassed as well that he got to see her like that. Mindy was always strong-willed and independent, and it was not like her to snap because of a random woman. Was she really this insecure? It was a foreign feeling and Mindy didn't know what to do with it. But this was more than just Nina, it was about Mindy giving up everything to be with Gideon, yet he took it for granted. Damned be the mate bond if it only caused one of them to compromise and make sacrifices!
"Mindy, what's going on? Princess…"
"Don't call me that!", she snapped. "And leave me alone."
"No. I want to hear what's going on."
Mindy sneered. "Like you don't know."
Gideon gritted his teeth. "Is this about Nina?"
"Why are you asking if you know? No one will notice that I'm missing, and your whole pack is waiting for you to conduct the ceremony so they can go and frolic in the forest. Why are you here? You have Niiiina to help you with the ceremony, Gidi. And she can warm your bed also. It's obvious that you don't need me."
"Are you jealous?"
She struggled out of his hold. "Fuck you and fuck your ego!"
"Damn, Mindy! She is no one!"
"I don't believe you. If she is no one, why didn't you tell her to scram? Why didn't you tell her that the young ignorant assistant is your mate? She looked down at me. She insulted me. And you let it happen. My brother was right. This won't work."
Gideon gaped at her in disbelief. "What are you saying?"
"I am saying, fuck you, Gideon!", Mindy shouted.
"Stop cursing! Can you calm down and listen!?", he shouted back at her. "I didn't respond to Nina because I was busy thinking about the ceremony. I didn't tell her we are mates because she doesn't deserve to know before others. You are telling me to fuck myself, but that won't happen without your involvement. There is no woman for me, other than you."
Mindy snorted. "Those are some big words, Shaman Gideon. But your actions are not backing them up."
Gideon exhaled helplessly. "What do you want me to do? To tell every woman to scram?"
"Of course, not.", Mindy responded right away. "Feel free to socialize with every woman who gets close to you. I can see that they are willing to help with anything you might need. But I will be damned if you expect me to sit back and let it happen. You want to be served by other women? I will be glad to sever this bond and give you the freedom you so wish for."
"Do you know what you are saying!?"
"Do you know what you are doing?", she snapped back at him. "How would you feel if guys come at me and talk trash about you and I let it happen? Oh, but you can't expect me to tell them to scram just because they want to get frisky with me. Surely, as my mate, you will trust me that we won't go beyond talking smack about you.", Mindy said sarcastically.
Gideon cursed under his breath. All this drama was just because of a few seconds in his delay to respond to Nina?
In the last few days, there were so many stressful things happening, that Gideon was confident he will get a stomach ulcer. But maybe that was the problem. He was focused on things he needed to do, and he forgot to think about Mindy. She left her pack, her family, and her life underwent a drastic change, yet he didn't do much to assure her that she was not downgrading. Or maybe all this was a big downgrade, and he couldn't match what Mindy was used to having.
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Chapter 567 The pack run (4)
Gideon refused to give in to negativity. Surely, the Moon Goddess paired them up for a reason. He waited for his mate for decades, and even though he didn't live like a monk, he was not a womanizer either. But no matter how many women passed through his hands, he was left feeling empty, until Mindy showed up, his pumpkin-infused beauty.
"Princess", Gideon called pleadingly and lifted Mindy's hand to press his lips against her knuckles as he opened up his emotions for her to feel his sincerity. "Allow me to fix my wrongs."
Mindy didn't respond, but the lack of her fighting back was a silent agreement.
He held her hand firmly and his other arm circled around her shoulders as he guided her back to the clearing where the crowd was gathered.
Mindy and Gideon reached the podium to see Nina sorting the herbs that Mindy had previously thrown down.
"Leave those.", Gideon said stiffly and when Nina looked at him questionably, Gideon repeated, "You heard me. Leave those. I don't need your help."
After a second of delay, Nina left the herbs back on the floor of the podium and walked to the side. She was not sure what happened, but Gideon was obviously in a bad mood, and she didn't want to provoke him.
Gideon led Mindy up to the podium and they stood in front of the altar to face the crowd.
"Can I have your attention?", Gideon called. His voice was not loud, but nearby people heard him, and they quieted down to turn toward him and everyone else followed suit, waiting to see what Gideon will say.
"Before tonight's ceremony starts, I want to introduce a very important person.", Gideon said and turned to look at Mindy. "The Moon Goddess blessed me with a mate, and that's Mindy River from the Blue River pack. I hope you will all welcome her to our pack and make her feel that by coming here she didn't lose her family, but she expanded it."
The crowd cheered, and Gideon inched closer to Mindy to ask, "Was this OK for a start?"
Mindy's chin shivered. "Why didn't you do this right away?"
"I am old and some think of me as wise, but I am not all-knowing.", Gideon said. "I will rely on you to remind me when I forget to do something important." He reached for his necklace which was made out of beads, teeth, and feathers, and placed it around Mindy's neck. "Will you be my assistant tonight, Mindy? Will you be my mate for life?"
Mindy was moved. Every necklace used for these ceremonies was personally made by the person wearing it, and the gesture of Gideon giving her his necklace meant that what was his was hers to have. And he did it in front of the whole pack to see.
"I am not asking you to trust me right away.", Gideon said to Mindy. "I am asking you for a chance. I might mess up again and hurt you unintentionally, but if I repeat the same mistake, I will personally help you pack if that's what you want. Among all women in the Dark Howlers pack, among all women in the world, there is only one Mindy River, and she is my mate, and I promise to cherish her as long as there is breath in me."
Mindy looked into Gideon's eyes that silently pleaded for her to accept his longwinded apology. How can she say no to that?
Seeing that Mindy's lips lifted into a smile, Gideon was quick to move to place a kiss on her lips, and use that proximity and sparks of their bond to prevent her from changing her mind.
"You won't regret this, princess", he murmured against her lips, and then he kissed her again.
Among cheers and whistles, Gideon inched away from Mindy and grinned at the crowd. His hand was firmly around Mindy's waist, telling everyone that the young woman by Gideon's side was taken.
Mindy released a shaky breath before saying, "I, Mindy River, denounce my pack, the Blue River pack." She felt a pang in her chest as the connection between her and the Blue River pack was severed, and she was confident that her brother felt it also. Maybe he didn't know it was Mindy, but every Alpha can feel when someone leaves or joins their pack. Of course, joining a pack is not as simple as saying a few words as it required a ceremony and Alpha's acceptance.
Gideon reached for the knife that was on the altar, and he gave it to Mindy.
Mindy accepted a long white knife that was made out of a bone, and the handle had intricate designs etched into it.
Mindy looked into Gideon's eyes and winced when the white blade cut into her palm.
A few drops of blood trickled, and Gideon collected them in a chalice.
"Do you accept the Dark Howlers pack as your own?", Gideon asked.
"I, Mindy River, am willing to accept the Dark Howlers pack as my own.", Mindy confirmed.
Gideon glanced at Damon who was standing on the side.
Damon responded with a nod and, "Mindy River, I, Alpha Damon Blake, accept you as the member of the Dark Howlers pack."
Gideon murmured unintelligible chants while pouring those few drops of blood into the fire that was crackling on the altar, and the moment the flames licked the blood, Mindy felt another pang in her chest, and this one Damon felt as well.
"Welcome to the Dark Howlers pack, Mindy", Damon said, and the crowd cheered.
Nina stood on the side, and now she understood Gideon's strange behavior. He found his mate. Who knew? She couldn't prevent the jealousy that swelled within her at the sight of Gideon who was licking Mindy's palm to help her heal while gazing at the young woman lovingly.
It was obvious that the Shaman was smitten by his mate, and Nina clearly saw that Mindy threw a fit only a few minutes ago. Nina wondered, why did the Moon Goddess pair up Gideon with someone as young and impulsive as Mindy? Wasn't a mature woman like Nina a better match?
Nina knew Gideon for a long time. She served as his assistant on many occasions and they were friends with benefits. She was confident that Gideon was blinded by Mindy's youthful appearance and that he will eventually get bored of Mindy's snappy personality, and then he will return to normal and to Nina.
Back in the crowd, Lisa stood with Ester and a few other friends.
"Isn't that nice?", Ester asked excitedly while elbowing her girlfriends. "Finally, our Shaman found his mate. And that is Mindy from the Blue River pack. She is famous!" Ester was hoping to get close to Mindy, and maybe Mindy could introduce Ester to some of those high-ranking males that were not mated. Who knows, maybe her mate was among them? That would be a dream come true!
Lisa was not enthusiastic about Gideon and Mindy. Her gaze was on Damon who was standing on the side. "Why is our Alpha on his own? Shouldn't he lead the run with his mate?"
Lisa heard that Marcy left, that was not a secret, and Lisa wondered if Talia will be there or maybe some other she-wolf will fill in that spot. Lisa had difficulty believing that Talia would rise from a no-name Omega, a wolf-less she-wolf, to be the Luna of the largest pack in North America. Damon was there with Caden and Maya by his side, and part of Lisa was happy that Talia was not in the visible range.
"Didn't you hear?", Ester responded. "Our Luna went ahead, and Alpha will hunt for her. Exciting!"
Lisa thought that something was off. "Hunt can start after the ceremony. Why was our Luna willing to skip on the blessing from the Moon Goddess?" She gave Ester a knowing look. "Would YOU skip on the blessing from the Moon Goddess on your first pack run as the Luna?"
"You think that something is not right?", Ester asked.
"Something is definitely off.", Lisa said confidently, and then she quickly lowered her voice when she remembered her mother's warnings about not causing trouble. "Don't take my word for it. I'm just guessing. Let's wait and see what will happen."
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Chapter 568 The pack run (5)
Talia followed her instincts without looking in which direction she was going. But she could feel the incline, and the lack of noise from behind made her wonder if the ceremony started. Her steps halted and she looked up to see the full moon. It was not completely up, did Gideon start the ceremony early? The cheers erupted, and she understood that there was some speech going on.
Talia released a breath of relief. She still had time, but it was running short, and she needed to hurry. Luckily, the pull was strong, and she knew she was close.
Talia emerged to a clearing and was greeted by the clamor of water in the distance.
She paused to observe the surroundings and her breath hitched when she recognized where she was. It was the clearing where Alpha Jacob and Luna Violet were buried.
Talia smiled a little at the thought that Damon's parents will get to observe the ritual that will remove dark magic from their son.
Talia looked in the direction of the packhouse that was lower compared to the clearing where she was, and she could see torches with dancing flames marking the area around the raised platform where Gideon was with Mindy by his side. The tree canopies obstructed the view of the crowd, including the area where Damon was with Caden, Maya, and other guests, but Talia knew they were there.
She could feel the pride that swelled in Damon's chest as he fed on the energy from his pack members and Talia regretted that she was not by his side right there, for everyone to see. Somehow, again she ended up in the background, away from everyone's eyes. Normally, that would be the preferred spot for her, the one that didn't attract attention, but this time she wanted to be by Damon's side.
Talia forced herself to look away. This was temporary. After this, she will be with Damon and not hide ever again, hopefully. And for now, she needed to focus.
Talia could feel that she was at the right spot, and she reached into the small pouch to get the chalk and crystals. It was time to draw the diagram and to place energy-attracting objects on their right places.
"Can we help?", Keith asked when he saw that Talia was getting busy.
"Spread around and make sure no one disturbs me.", Talia responded, hoping that it sounded important enough. It was a silly request because no one would come here. Damon told Talia that this was one of the restricted areas in his territory, and she knew that they were able to come here only because the guards saw her, and they let them pass.
"Zina? What's the status?", Talia asked.
Zina's eyes lost focus for a moment and then she responded, "Shaman introduced Mindy as his mate, and she is officially a member of our pack. The Ceremony is about to begin."
Talia hummed in acknowledgment and continued pushing the grass to the side so that the chalk can make marks on the ground. When she was planning for this in her mind, Talia was doing the drawing on the flat ground, and she totally forgot that out here there will be grass and other foliage in the way. Luckily, it was in the clearing; if she needed to work around a tree, she would be in trouble.
…
James and Cornelia stood on the side and Cornelia observed the ceremony with interest.
Gideon addressed the crowd and then he raised his hands toward the moon as he chanted unintelligibly words she didn't understand, but Cornelia could clearly see that, little by little, the moon's energy was amplifying energy from the surroundings, and everything was converging toward the platform where Gideon and Mindy were standing with the altar in its center.
Cornelia wondered what will happen next.
After some time, Cornelia's attention was drawn to the black mist that appeared out of nowhere. It was difficult to see it in the dark, but Cornelia was sensitive to energies, and it took her a few seconds to identify Damon as the source.
She gave James' hand a squeeze.
"I think we might have a problem.", Cornelia said in a low voice.
"What?", James asked.
"The Shaman is gathering positive energy, and I think it's weakening the defenses that Damon has against black runes.", Cornelia explained to James, and then she reached to touch Maya's shoulder and get her attention.
"I think that black runes are getting active on your Alpha.", Cornelia told Maya.
Maya looked at Damon nervously. "Are you sure? What can we do?"
Cornelia was not sure. Even if the black runes were breaking through, it didn't mean that Damon was not remembering Talia or their plan. There was the potion to suppress the black runes, but if Damon remembered things, then he didn't need it, and if he forgot, then the problem was if they can make Damon drink it now in front of everyone. There was definitely no time to give him the potion sneakily, and forcing it on him was a suicidal mission. On the other side, Talia should be ready with the ritual any minute.
"Can you check on Talia's status? As long as we get Damon there, things should be fine.", Cornelia said.
'Zina? Where are you? Is Talia ready?', Maya asked Zina through the mind-link.
'Talia is still drawing, as for where we are... I'm not sure.', Zina responded. 'I was never here before. We are somewhere up, and I can see the torches that were set up for the ceremony.'
'Do you see any landmark?', Maya continued probing.
'It's dark. What do you expect me to see?'
Maya puffed her cheeks in frustration. That was not useful.
"What's going on?", Dawn asked in a whisper. She saw the exchange between Maya and Cornelia and even though she didn't hear what they were saying, she figured out that something was off.
…
Up at the clearing, Talia finished drawing the diagram and placing the crystals in their designated places.
After double-checking that everything looks in order, she kept things on the side and glanced in the distance toward the area that was illuminated by torches.
'Damon, I'm ready for you.', Talia spoke to Damon through their mind-link.
Silence.
'Damon?', Talia tried again.
She opened up her emotions in an attempt to reach him, only to hit a wall.
"Zina? What's the status at the ceremony?", Talia asked with haste.
"Ceremony is in progress. Cornelia says that she noticed negative energy radiating from Damon. Maya and Dawn are talking to Caden and trying to figure out what to do.", Zina responded after a few seconds.
Talia groaned in frustration. What timing! She needed to get Damon to where she was, but how can she do that? And assuming that she succeeds, how can she guarantee that Damon will stand in the magic circle obediently?
'You can reach him without the mind-link', Liseli spoke in Talia's mind. 'Remember? You were opening the portal and…'
'I remember.', Talia confirmed.
She closed her eyes and started feeling her surroundings. Little by little, outlines formed in her mind and she reached the clearing where the ceremony was held, and she could see in her mind the platform and Gideon and Mindy, and the flames, and there was Damon, shrouded in a dark mist.
"Damon", Talia called, and she could see that he jerked at the sound of her voice. "I am waiting for you."
"Who are you?", Damon asked, and Talia felt her heart tightening. He didn't remember her. Damn it!
"I am the girl you introduced to your parents.", Talia responded. "Maybe you don't remember me, but I remember. I know that you feel the emptiness because something important is missing. If you don't come here, you will regret it."
"Are you threatening me?"
"No. I am begging you not to repeat the same mistake of abandoning me and then kicking yourself when you remember."
She could see that Damon hesitated for a second, but then he moved in quick steps. Maybe he remembered, at least a little bit.
"Zina", Talia called. "Ask James, Cornelia, George, and Dawn to come here. We might need them."
Talia squeezed her hands into fists nervously while looking in the direction of the torches. Damon will reach her in a few minutes and for the first time, she really didn't know what to expect.
Chapter 569 The pack run (6) [Bonus chapter]
Author's note:
Thank you, DespinaNY, for the Magic Castle!
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Note: comments that matter, gifts, and votes are available only on the NovelFire platform (w e b n o v e l . c o m), where this novel is published.
Now back to the novel... :)
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Damon dashed into the forest, and Maya turned to look at Dawn, George, Cornelia, and James. "Talia needs us." She just got a mind-link from Zina. "We need to prepare for the worst-case scenario where we will need to fight against Damon. Cornelia, you can help Talia with the spell, and George and Dawn can help suppress him." James didn't have any role in particular, but it was obvious that he won't let Cornelia go there without him.
"Where are they?", Cornelia asked.
Maya shrugged. "Zina doesn't know how to explain. They are on some high hill that has a view of this area."
James rolled his eyes. "How many hills with a view do you have in that direction?"
"More than you know.", Maya said sourly.
George got an idea. "Zina doesn't know, but what about Talia's guards? They should be with her."
Maya thought how that made sense. Everything happened so quickly that she didn't think about Keith, Liam, Caleb, Pierce, Sandy, and Lulu.
After a second, Maya confirmed, "It's a restricted area where previous Alpha and Luna are buried." She was never there, but Maya was familiar with areas that were off-limits, so she knew where that was.
Caden wanted to come also, but Maya stopped him with, "Someone should stay here for crowd control. They are guests, so no one will be suspicious about their absence, and you can say that I went ahead so you will hunt for me after the ceremony."
Caden didn't like this, but they didn't have time to argue. "Damon didn't shift, so you can catch up to him in wolf form." He gave the bottle with the potion to suppress the black runes to Cornelia. "We need our Alpha back. If the ritual doesn't work, make him drink this."
Maya gave Caden a quick kiss and led the group of four into the nearby trees.
Maya shifted into a dark chocolate wolf before dashing into the darkness and George and Dawn followed, leaving behind their ceremonial garments.
With a thought, James' form changed into a massive golden-brown wolf, and he tugged on Cornelia's skirt with his fangs.
It took Cornelia a moment to understand. "You want me to ride you?"
The wolf nodded and his low growl told her that they didn't have time to delay.
James got down on his belly and waited patiently.
Cornelia grabbed the garment that fell off James' body when he shifted into the wolf form, and then she reluctantly sat on his back.
James' whole body shook. No panties!
Damn! He would give anything to be in his human form and to turn around so she can ride him properly!
James stood on all four and Cornelia's thighs tightened around him as she laid on him completely to hug his neck.
James whimpered. Now he could feel her breasts on his shoulder blades!
"Are you OK?", Cornelia asked. "I am not squeezing too tight, am I?"
James snorted and started moving. Cornelia clung onto him tightly and he didn't know if that was the best or the worst thing ever, but he was sure that after this he will need to rub it off or have a serious case of blue balls. And damn it, they didn't even kiss yet!
…
Talia held her breath as the familiar form appeared in her line of sight.
Damon was wearing only a black skirt-like garment that reached half of his thighs, and his muscular body was decorated with numerous patterns made with black paint. The necklace of white teeth was a contrast that gave an edge to his already dangerous vibe.
"Are you the one who called me here?", Damon asked in a gruff voice. "How did you get here?"
Talia swallowed a mouthful of air while reminding herself not to be afraid. Damon told her that he can sense fear. She was not afraid that he will attack her, but the possibility of him rejecting her was hanging above her head and growing by the second. But he was there, in front of her, and that meant something.
"I am here because you allowed it to happen.", Talia responded. "When you brought me here the first time, you told your guards that I can come here anytime. It's a permission only the two of us have."
Damon glanced around to see the darkness, but he knew there were others nearby. "There are more people present."
"Those are my guards. Guards that you assigned to protect me.", Talia responded. "I know you don't remember, but you can feel that something is missing, right?"
Damon narrowed his eyes at her. "And you are going to tell me what that is?"
Talia spread her hands, palm up. "There is too much to tell and not enough time. We've been through a lot in the last two months, Damon. I know you are aware of the gaps. I am the one who can fill them in."
Talia could see Damon eyeing her suspiciously and she was not sure what to say to make him believe her without making his temper implode. And she was also aware of their audience, so she didn't dare to talk about anything too intimate.
Maya, Dawn, George, James, and Cornelia were behind Damon now, and Talia understood that the guards let them pass because they assumed the five of them came with Damon, especially when they saw Maya.
Talia focused on Damon. She needed him to lower his guard and to believe her.
"You brought me home, Damon, and you told me that it's mine. You took me to a doctor and gave me food. You took me to the amusement park and to the fair. You watched me dance for the Moon Goddess, and you accepted my garland of flowers, and you said it was your first one. You stood up for me when people bullied me, and you taught me to fight."
"Did I?", he asked. "Show me."
Talia was confused. "Show you, what?"
"You said I taught you to fight. Come at me.", he waved at her to get closer.
"Are you serious?"
"It seems you expect me to believe that we were in some kind of a relationship. My woman would not be a burden. If I really taught you how to fight, prove it."
Talia hesitated. This was obviously not the Damon she knew. Her Damon would never call her a burden, even if she couldn't move a muscle, yet this Damon was full of himself and condescending.
Maya said that Damon before Talia was not pleasant, but Talia had difficulty believing that she really change him that much.
Damon didn't remember marking Talia which gave her a boost in speed and strength, but she didn't know if that would be enough to prove herself worthy in his eyes. On the other side, no matter how fast and strong she was, could she actually act against Damon?
"I don't want to hurt you." She really meant it.
"Those are some big words. Didn't you say that we are short on time? Are you going to come at me, or…"
Damon didn't finish his question because Talia dashed toward him. In a matter of seconds, they exchanged a dozen of blows.
Damon only defended and blocked, but the surprise on his face was obvious as Talia's speed was increasing with every next punch and kick.
Chapter 570 The pack run (7)
Talia's six guards and five friends watched the scene in disbelief. Both Damon and Talia moved at a speed that was difficult to follow.
Everyone from the Dark Howlers pack knew that Damon's physique was not just for show. He could easily overpower every warrior in their pack, like fighting against a child, and that was without using his Alpha aura. On top of sheer power, Damon's fighting skills were impressive, and they feared that Talia might get hurt because this didn't look like a friendly sparring match.
Damon and Talia moved in unison, but the slightest miscalculation would lead to injuries and Talia looked fragile compared to Damon.
Keith gritted his teeth while suppressing his urge to get in there and separate them. He understood that something was wrong with Damon and that Talia was trying to make him better, but did she need to put herself in danger like that? The only things that stopped Keith from interfering were the fact that this was his Alpha who could suppress him with a thought, and also, Talia and Damon were mates. Damn it! Keith really felt useless as Talia's guard. What was the point of being her shield if he needed to watch her fight like this?
"Who knew that our little Talia had this talent?"
Keith's attention was drawn toward Lulu who was on his right. She spoke softly, but he heard her clearly.
"Talia was always impressive.", Keith responded.
"Are you sure it's safe to talk about a mated she-wolf with so much admiration?", Lula asked Keith in a whisper. "And she is mated to our Alpha. Are you tired of living?"
Keith snorted. "There is nothing wrong with my words, Lulu, but I'm not sure about yours."
Lulu frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Nothing.", Keith scoffed. The envy in Lulu's voice was obvious, but he didn't want to argue with her.
Actually, it would be unusual if she-wolves didn't feel a dose of jealousy toward Talia. After all, this was Alpha Damon, the most eligible bachelor in their society, the fiercest Alpha, and with Talia being his fated mate, Damon was officially off the market.
It would be one thing to think of Talia as a weak she-wolf who got lucky, but Talia showed kindness, compassion, and selflessness, she contributed to their military with a mixture of herbs that can diminish their scent, and now she showed fighting skills that were beyond impressive. All this meant that Talia was not just lucky, but Alpha Damon was lucky as well which reduced the chances that he will get bored of Talia and look for another woman. Of course, when mates are fated, the possibility of them getting bored of each other was close to nil, but ignorant she-wolves would always covet what was not theirs in hope that they had a chance.
Keith sucked in a sharp breath when Damon gripped Talia's ankle as she was mid-kick, and he yanked her toward him, but Talia's body bent elegantly, and she landed on her toes to spring up fluidly with her arm extended upward.
Damon grabbed Talia's wrist when her fist was only an inch away from his throat, and everything stilled.
"You taught me that move, Damon.", Talia said breathily. "You said that I shouldn't hesitate to punch you in the throat."
Damon stared at her fist before responding, "That sounds like something I might teach you." His eyes narrowed at Talia. "Did I also teach you to hold back?"
Talia didn't get it. "What?"
Damon was frustrated. Maybe others couldn't follow their movements, but he was certain that she didn't give it her all. Her hits lacked resolve and he was confident that she wouldn't injure him even if he didn't block her.
"Did you think I wouldn't notice that your punches are losing strength just before they land?", Damon asked through his teeth. He was angry now. "Do you think that I need you to go easy on me?"
Talia didn't want to go easy on him, but she couldn't hurt him either. Hurting Damon would mean hurting herself and no matter how much his attitude rubbed her the wrong way, that was still her Damon; a version of him she didn't like, but it was him. It was not his fault that black runes were affecting him.
Seeing that Talia's determination was wavering, Damon tugged her toward him, to the side, and she ended up falling on the grass with Damon on top of her.
Talia wiggled under him, but he was quick to block her legs with his and to hold her arms. Damon effortlessly gripped her wrists with his one hand above her head, and he smirked victoriously.
"Is this what you wanted?", Damon asked when Talia stopped struggling under him. "I admit. Your skills impressed me enough to acknowledge you as mine, for tonight."
Talia looked at him in confusion while wondering what did he mean by that.
Damon's grin widened as he settled between her legs, letting her feel his erection at the cradle of her thighs.
Talia couldn't believe this. "People are watching.", she spoke in an urgent whisper. Their ceremonial garments didn't provide much coverage, and now that he was on top of her, Talia felt exposed.
"Do you think it will be the first time for a woman to give herself to me in front of an audience?" He wanted to say that she was the same as the others, without scruples, only going after him because of his position and money, but the anguish in her eyes pierced deep into his heart and he couldn't say any of those words.
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'Let me bite his head off!', Liseli raged in Talia's mind. 'The bastard doesn't deserve you.'
'He doesn't remember me.', Talia responded.
'That doesn't give him the right to be an asshole! Was he acting like this before when Sapa was with him? I will remove the black runes just so that I can teach Sapa a lesson!'
Talia knew that Liseli was right. She didn't like this Damon. She wanted her Damon back. This Damon looked the same and smelled the same, but it was not the same person. Did she lose him forever?
'We are here to save him.', Talia reminded Liseli.
'The stinky boy is making it very difficult for me to want anything good to happen to him!', Liseli growled. 'It's better to be alone than with a mate who is an emotional degenerate!'
'It's not his fault.', Talia tried to reason with Liseli because Liseli's rage was spilling on Talia and Talia knew that if she loses her temper, she and Damon will fight, and she didn't want to fight with him.
Surely, there must be a better way to handle this situation than to knock him out or inject him with the concoction that will make him lose his memory. His head was already messed up and he was confused, and Talia felt that she was the one who can make him remember.
'There was no one to show him the right way.', Talia continued saying to Liseli and to herself. 'Women threw themselves at him, and he thought that was normal. Damon detached himself emotionally as a form of self-defense from people who wanted to take advantage of him…'