Ch. 581..590

Chapter 581 The pack run (18)

Lisa's heart was thundering against her chest. Did she hear a voice in her head telling her how the guy in front of her was her mate? She stared at the completely naked male whose intense gaze made her skin break into goosebumps.

Her impulse was to call for help and alert the patrol because these guys were definitely not from the Dark Howlers pack, but then Lisa remembered that they connected borders with the neighboring Spring Leaf pack, and she assumed that these guys were from there. Besides, it's not like anyone would care even if these guys were trespassing because everyone was drunk with happiness about the pack run.

When coming here, Lisa just followed the crowd, and she was not aware of how close to the border she was and that this was far from the Spring Leaf pack.

"Why are you here alone?", he asked.

Lisa swallowed a mouthful of air before responding, "I didn't feel like socializing."

"Isn't your Alpha leading the pack run with his Luna?"

Lisa's insides stiffened at the thought of Talia. "How is that related to me?"

His expression darkened. "Are you jealous that your Alpha is taken?"

Lisa shook her head like a rattle drum. "Jealous? No. Damon is like a brother to me."

"A brother? How much I know, Alpha Damon is a single child, and he has no females who are close to him."

Lisa realized that he thought she was lying.

"It's not like that. I grew up in the packhouse because my father was Beta to Damon's father, but after my father passed, I moved to live with my aunt in the Lightclaw pack."

He regarded her for a moment before saying, "And now you are back."

"I came back a few weeks ago.", she confirmed.

"You wouldn't be lying to me, right?"

"What would I get by making up something like that?"

He chuckled lowly and reached to touch her cheek.

Lisa jolted at the sensation of sparks prickling her skin, but she didn't move away.

"Do you know what this means?", he asked.

"Mates.", she responded in a whisper.

His lips lifted into a devilish smile. "I am Tristan. What's your name, love?"

"Lisa", she responded breathily. She really wanted to touch him, but her instincts told her to stay put because everything about him screamed danger and she didn't dare to move.

"Woah!", one of the guys from the back exclaimed once he processed the scene in front of them. "Fuck me sideways and call me daddy! Our leader found his mate!"

The other one stifled a laugh. "Janine will be pissed."

Lisa's stomach burned with jealousy and her eyes darted from the guys in the back to Tristan who was now so close that she could feel his heat splashing on her skin.

"Who is Janine?", Lisa asked.

"Not important.", he said, and Lisa's brain short-circuited when his lips landed on hers in a possessive kiss that made her toes curl.

She never felt anything like it. Tony's kisses were gentle and soothing, while Tristan's kiss made her feel like she was drowning, and she gripped his shoulders to steady herself.

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"You shouldn't do that here.", one of the guys said, making Tristan pull away from Lisa. "We are risking being caught."

"This will take just a minute", Tristan responded.

"What if she notified the patrol?", the other guy asked.

Lisa's eyes widened. "I didn't."

Tristan cupped her cheek with his palm. "I believe you."

His nostrils flared when the scent of Lisa's arousal hit him. "Are you eager to feel me?", he asked with amusement in his voice.

Lisa pressed her legs together. She couldn't believe that just a kiss affected her so much. Lisa was not into hookups and the only man she ever slept with was Tony, but this guy was nothing like Tony. Tristan was wild and unrestrained, and his touch was electric, and she really wanted to get closer to Tristan, much closer than they were.

He didn't break eye contact as his palm landed on her thigh and moved higher, and her legs parted on their own to give him easy access. She was wearing only an oversized t-shirt, so there were no obstacles for him to reach his destination. A shaky breath escaped Lisa's lips when he touched her down there.

He smirked smugly. "You are dripping for me."

Lisa closed her eyes as his thumb found her clit and his index finger sank into her tender flesh. It was all charged up with addictive sparks and she was confident that she will come within a minute.

He stroked her once, twice, and by the time she realized that his breath was on her neck, it was too late to react.

His big hand covered her mouth to muffle a scream as his fangs pierced into her flesh. Tears ran down her cheeks as the scorching sensation spread from her neck through the rest of her body. It was his venom.

He marked her just like that, and the only thing she knew was his name, Tristan.

Lisa whimpered as he licked her neck, to seal the mark that will form there.

"You are coming with me.", he said as he stood up.

She was still processing what happened, and he wanted her to go? "Where to?"

He leaned toward her and pinched her chin with his index finger and his thumb. "The circumstances are not the best, but the moment we are out of here, I will fuck you thoroughly, so you know that you belong to me and that you shouldn't ask too much."

Lisa's eyes involuntarily moved to his cock which was erect and waving at her. Lisa's core throbbed in need of his touch. She was almost there, but then he marked her and didn't let her come!

She should be outraged at the way he treated her, but why couldn't she hate him?

Was this what it meant to find a mate?

The guy was domineering, and her marking was not romantic or majestic as she imagined it to be, but she didn't think her mate will be a handsome stranger that came out of the dark either. He was a total bad boy, and Lisa loved it.

Lisa wondered, should she go with him? Why would she refuse? If she stays in the Dark Howlers pack, she will live as an Omega under her mother's watch while everyone admires Luna Talia. That didn't sound glorious.

On the other hand, Lisa had a handsome mate whose name was Tristan and other guys addressed him as their leader. Was he the leader of the guards? It didn't matter. She didn't want to delude herself with dreams of how she will be a Luna, but it was obvious that Tristan had some authority, and that should be enough.

Besides, wasn't it a custom for a she-wolf to follow her mate once they find each other?

Lisa wondered how long will it take for people to notice her missing. Will they make a fuss about her disappearance? Her mom will probably notice the moment she reaches home, definitely not later than morning. Should she mind-link her mom and tell her that she found her mate?

Chapter 582 The pack run (19)

Talia was having the time of her life.

Her four-legged steps were wobbly at the beginning, but Damon told her to give in to the call of nature and not overthink it, and within a minute, she was running through the bushes in a game of tag with a massive black wolf. Her mate.

Damon would playfully nudge her or nip at her tail, and she would squeal every time he caught up with her.

Talia thought that she had an advantage in speed, but no matter how fast she ran, Damon would always be one step behind her.

The sense of freedom was overwhelming, and Talia wished that this could last forever.

Talia knew that there were many other wolves behind them as she could hear steps and rustling of foliage that mixed with howls and yelps occasionally, but her focus was completely on Damon.

Eventually, the two of them stopped at one clearing. The moon was gone completely and only the starry sky illuminated the world, yet both Damon and Talia had no problems seeing the slightest details like grass and pebbles on the ground.

Damon turned to Talia and rubbed his head against hers.

Both of them could feel that their mate bond reached another level and they wondered if there was such a thing as too much good stuff because they were intoxicated by the happiness and love that coursed through them.

'That's it, kitten…', Damon murmured into their mind-link. 'This is how things should have been from the beginning. Just the two of us and no one else.' Everything would be so much simpler if he was not an Alpha and if she was just a regular she-wolf.

Talia giggled while rubbing her head against Damon's. How can he say that there was no one else? 'You are forgetting that the whole pack is following us.'

'They are not following us anymore.', he responded. 'The moment we finished the circle, they dispersed to find their own fun with mates or with other company for tonight.'

Talia blinked. 'Are you saying we are alone?'

'I even told your guards to take a break.', Damon responded, and she could hear that he was smiling.

Talia took a moment to sense their surroundings and confirm that he was right. Other than small night critters, it was just the two of them. She was surprised how her senses were much sharper in wolf form.

Talia sat on the ground and Damon was quick to sit next to her.

'Our first pack run was a success.', Damon said. 'I can tell you that our people love you.'

Talia was not sure about people loving her, but she was content with Damon loving her and she didn't want to nitpick. She had a question, 'What about Elders?'

'They all attended the ceremony, and a few of them participated in the pack run. None of them said a word against you.'

Talia was glad to hear this.

They both knew that Talia coming out as Damon's fated mate will bring another set of worries and that the Council of Alphas exposed significant changes in the society of werewolves, and there was a detail of her being Damon's Luna and her being the Alpha of the Midnight Guardians pack, but they didn't want to talk about it, not tonight.

She remembered… 'Now that the pack run is over, we should let Liseli and Sapa come to the front.'

Damon groaned in disapproval, but he knew that Talia's words made sense. 'That's a big sacrifice. I will need you to make it up to me, kitten.'

'We have our whole lives for that, Mr. Blake.', she responded coyly. 'I will be making it up to you over and over again.'

Damon's eyes widened. 'Do you think this will make me want to let the old guy come in front?'

Talia burst into laughter, and Damon joined her. They were truly happy and if anyone saw two wolves wiggling while releasing whimpers and snorts, they might think that the animals ate some funny mushrooms.

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'Lis', Sapa called while looking at the light gray wolf in front of him.

'Hi, Sapa', Liseli responded. 'It's good to see you.'

Sapa's tail was waggling wildly. He was excited.

After a round of sniffing and licking, Sapa suggested, 'Should we go for a run?'

'Don't you think we are old for games?'

'You are old how much you feel, and when I look at you, I'm charged up like a young pup.', Sapa responded enthusiastically. 'Come on. You always loved a good chase.'

'You remember.'

'Of course.', Sapa responded right away. 'I remember every single detail, as long as it's related to you.'

Liseli tilted her head. 'Then you should also remember that I'm faster.'

'True. But I also remember that you wouldn't let me struggle for a long time and you would slow down so I can catch you.' He inched closer and touched her nose with his. 'You were just playing hard to get. Like now. Come on, Lis, we both know you want it.'

Liseli sneered. 'You are overconfident.'

'With a good reason.', Sapa responded confidently.

Without any warning, Liseli dashed into nearby bushes with Sapa hot on her trail and a wild chase began.

After an unknown measure of time, Sapa and Liseli stopped at a clearing where their evening started. It was the clearing where Damon's parents were buried and where Cornelia conducted the ritual to remove black runes from Damon.

The dawn was cracking to light the sky in oranges and purples that were getting brighter by the second.

Two wolves stood in front of a diagram that was still visible on the ground.

'I have remnants of dark magic inside me.', Liseli said.

Sapa was alerted. 'Is it serious?'

Liseli shook her head. 'I'm not sure. So far, it showed when this child was overwhelmed with negativity.'

'We should talk to witches and see if they can help.'

'We should', Liseli confirmed. 'And we should also clarify what the witch will want from you as payment for conducting the ritual.'

Sapa lowered his head at this. He was not present to prevent Damon from accepting the deal with Cornelia, but he was not sure if he would prevent Damon even if he was there.

'Sapa, why are we here?', Liseli asked.

Sapa turned toward the gravestone that was under a big tree. He walked there and Liseli followed.

'Jacob…', Sapa spoke to the gravestone. 'I know that you never forgave me for not mating with Violet's wolf, but I couldn't because she was not my mate. This is Liseli. She is my mate, and now you can see that I was not being mean.'

Liseli realized that Sapa was apologizing to Damon's father. 'Do you think he can hear you?'

'Probably not, but it's making me feel better.', Sapa responded. He wished that he could visit the graves of all people where his spirit lived since he was punished with an immortal soul and an eternity without Liseli. Sapa knew that if they could see Liseli, they would forgive him for not mating with wolves who were not his soulmate.

Liseli looked at Sapa and her heart cracked. For centuries he lived with people who were unrelated to him; he formed bonds and memories, and there were regrets as well.

'I can't imagine what you've been through, Sapa.'

'Whatever it was, it was worth it because we are together now.'

'Show me.', she demanded. 'I want to see everything.'

Without hesitation, Sapa turned to face Liseli and he leaned his forehead against hers.

Countless images flowed between them, accompanied by sounds, scents, and emotions as Liseli and Sapa opened their minds to each other to share everything they missed while being apart for centuries.

The air around two wolves hummed while white light enveloped them, getting thicker with every heartbeat as their souls were getting entangled in unimaginable ways.

Everything stilled in deafening silence as if the whole world anticipated what will happen next.

The pulsating light reached critical mass and it exploded silently without disturbing a single strand of grass at the exact moment when the sun peeked behind the mountains in the East.

The new day brought unknown new beginnings as the two strongest Alphas were finally fully mated, the depth of their bond making them feel as if they were one.

Chapter 583 Growing old together (1)

The sun was rising when Talia's eyes fluttered open to see that she was sleeping next to Damon with her head on his shoulder. They were in bed, in the master bedroom of the packhouse.

She was home.

The previous night was eventful and heart-stirring, and she couldn't believe that they did it. Damon was free from the dark magic and there was no more danger he will forget about her, and she stood in front of the Dark Howlers pack as Damon's Luna. It happened.

Talia feared that the Dark Howlers pack will complain how she was not Marcy or some other high-profile she-wolf that could bring benefits to the pack, but the last night's pack run passed without incidents of such sort. The overall mood was good, and people were excited, but what touched her the most was the pride she could feel from Damon. It was as if he achieved something monumental and it amplified her joy to know that she only needed to exist next to Damon for him to be happy.

Talia took a deep breath to fill her lungs with her favorite scent of the forest and the dark chocolate and her world was at peace. Damon's heat warmed her skin, his solid arms were around her, their legs were entangled, they were naked, and everything about their current position was right.

The moment she moved a muscle, Damon's hold on her tightened. She loved that his instinct was to pull her closer to him.

"Good morning, kitten…", he greeted her in a gravelly voice from sleeping, and his lips pressed on her forehead in a soft kiss.

She looked up at him and smiled. Why did it feel like her heart was singing? And it was a happy song.

"Good morning, handsome", she responded and shifted a bit because the necklace made out of teeth that was around her neck was poking her. "How did we get here?" She really didn't remember.

Sapa was sleeping contently at the back of Damon's mind and Damon guessed that it was the same with Talia's wolf.

"What's the last you remember?", he asked.

"Sapa and Liseli went for a run. After that, I've got some bits and pieces, but nothing that makes sense", she responded, and her expectant look told him how that was it.

Damon filled her in with, "Our wolves completed their mating last night. They shared thoughts and emotions and when things became frisky I stopped watching."

Talia was not sure how to respond to this. Should she ask for clarification about the friskiness? Probably not. Yes, it was Liseli, but technically it was her body also. Sniffing, rubbing, and licking was one thing, but did they do more than that? Did Sapa jump on Liseli to...? Talia tried not to think about that possibility, but it was hard.

Damon chuckled at the myriad of emotions that he could pick up from Talia. "What are you thinking, kitten?"

"Nothing."

"That doesn't feel like nothing."

Talia knew he won't give up easily, so she responded, "I am getting used to the idea of having a wolf and sharing a body and… stuff."

"I see. If it makes you feel any better, it's new for me as well. I used my wolf form to fight or move quickly, and last night was different. But regardless of what Sapa does with Liseli, considering that she is part of you, I can't say that he is making me get close to another female…" Damon's voice trailed as another thought popped into his mind. "Sapa was not able to complete mating with other she-wolves because they were not Liseli."

Talia was alerted. "Other she-wolves?" Did Damon want to mate with other women? That was new and unsettling.

"Did you forget that Sapa was my father's wolf, and my grandfather's before that?", Damon reminded Talia before explaining, "Full mating strengthens the bond and gives us a power boost. This means I am stronger than yesterday, probably stronger than my father was. We should go to the gym and do tests. Both of us."

Talia had no desire to go to the gym or to leave the bed. She wanted to stay there with Damon as long as possible, in their slice of intimacy and peace. Why was he eager to run around to other places? "Not all tests can be done in the gym. If you are interested in power boosts, you should think about the possibility that you got an ability after our marking. Dark magic blocked it, but now that it's gone, you should be able to tap into your ability."

Damon's eyes lit up. Could he turn invisible? Or fly? Or something else super-handy? "How do I do that?"

"I don't know.", Talia admitted. "Axel told me that sometimes it takes months to figure out what your power is and how to use it." She remembered Axel telling her about useless abilities like detaching one's limbs at will, and that some people never tap into their abilities, but she didn't want to dampen Damon's enthusiasm. "You could talk to Cornelia about feeling the energies but be wary if she asks for another payment." It would be one thing if Cornelia wanted money, but Talia had a feeling that human money won't interest witches.

Damon pouted for a second but then he shook it off. It didn't matter. They had so many things to deal with, that him figuring out if he had some mysterious ability was low on the list of priorities.

What really mattered was that Talia was back in his arms and her proximity made his soul hum in pleasure.

Damon's heart skipped a beat at the sight of Talia's honeyed eyes that smiled at him. He could see the happiness radiating from her and it seeped into him and bounced inside his chest, and Damon was confident that he could fly just from this feeling alone, without the need of any mysterious ability.

"Are you happy?", he asked. He really wanted to hear her say it.

"Very much.", Talia responded. "Do you think that all mates are happy together?"

"I am not an expert in that topic, but I heard that the Moon Goddess matches us with our mates for a reason."

"Why do you think she matched us?"

Damon paused while thinking how to answer. Since they met, Talia bloomed from a scared girl in the attic into a confident young woman who can kick the ass of any Alpha who dares to challenge her. But Damon thought that his changes were more drastic.

"I am addicted to you, kitten. Your mind, your soul, the touch of your skin, I need them all, or I will suffocate. You run through my system like ice and fire, and I realized that I didn't know how to live before we met. But most of all, I believe that the Moon Goddess matched us because it was our time to be happy."

Talia smiled foolishly. She really didn't expect this confession.

"I wish that every person can find her or his mate.", Talia said, and she really meant it. "Do you think we can organize some kind of a mixer for unmated pack members and invite people from other packs?"

Chapter 584 Growing old together (2)

Damon looked at Talia's earnest expression as she asked to organize a cross-pack party, and Damon couldn't refuse her. "We can have an event for unmated individuals of several packs. I believe that Max, Cristian, and Tony will be willing to join."

"Axel also!", Talia added. "And we could invite witches as well."

Damon was not sure about that. "We should talk to our people about powers and witches before they come here. Witches might pass as humans, but members of the Midnight Guardians pack are a different thing." He saw that Talia's face fell, so he quickly added, "I'm not saying it won't happen. However, people get to marking quickly and we don't want them to be surprised when they start glowing or things float around them without an explanation. If we act rashly, it could backfire by people ostracizing them or capturing them for… you know."

Talia nodded in understanding. She knew what Damon wanted to say. It was for breeding purposes. Will they ever be able to contain the greed for power that runs among werewolves? "We have so much work ahead of us." To investigate the whole breeding thing, and to educate their people about creatures that are different. Talia wondered if that can be done at the same time. What if they capture and punish individuals who were behind those sick schemes? If they make it public, then society can find out about creatures with powers and how using them was wrong. Talia hoped that it was just a few power-hungry individuals and that it was not widespread.

Seeing Talia's concerned expression, Damon coaxed her, "Don't worry, kitten. We will figure out the best way to tackle this challenge so that it works out for everyone."

Talia leaned on his chest. "I believe that we can do anything, as long as we are together."

Damon chuckled. The amount of trust she put in him was immense and he really didn't want to disappoint her. As long as they get enough people on their side, and they don't act rashly, things will work out. He already knew that James will be on their side because Cornelia was a witch, and James proved that he can come up with an elegant solution on the spot.

"We should pick a date for your Luna ceremony.", Damon said. "Now that our people know about you, we shouldn't delay it."

Talia had no idea what all was needed, and she didn't feel like rushing it. "Max said that he and Tanya will have an event in about ten days. How about after that?" That will be the first Luna ceremony for Talia to attend, and she could get some ideas.

"Let's not delay too much. People will want answers, and we should tell them the date in advance." If it was up to him, it would happen on the same day.

"We can talk to Gideon and see if there is any day that works better than the others.", Talia suggested, and she thought how the next full moon sounds good. That will give them four weeks to prepare, and hopefully deal with other pressing matters in the meantime. She snuggled closer to Damon. "Do you think that we can take some time off after the ceremony?"

"Like a vacation?"

"Mhm…", Talia confirmed with a hum.

Damon approved. "Definitely. Think of a place."

Talia didn't need much time to come up with options for their vacation. "How about a place with beach access? Swimming and snorkeling sound fun. Or maybe we can visit the cabin again. I promise that I won't call Axel no matter what happens."

At the mention of Axel, Damon got an idea. "You said that time passes differently for the Midnight Guardians pack and witches. How about we go there?"

Talia's face lit up. They could spend two-three months there and it will be just days for the Dark Howlers pack!

"I will ask Axel and Yasmin to see if they have a place we could use. We can combine visiting their territories with taking time for ourselves. Axel told me that the main house at the Midnight Guardians pack is for the Alpha family, and I have a dedicated space, but I would prefer something with more privacy…" Talia stopped her excited chatter to look at Damon dreamily. "I like that we can chat about things like normal people."

"Are you saying that we are not normal?"

Talia rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."

He knew, and he enjoyed these moments of normalcy as well, but he was aware that they couldn't spend the whole day in bed. "Are you ready to face the world now that people know you are my mate and the Luna of the Dark Howlers pack?"

"No.", Talia responded right away and hugged him tightly. "I wish that nothing changes. I wish that we can stay like this forever. Why are you so eager to part from me?"

"I have no intention of parting from you, kitten.", Damon said while running his hand through her hair. "Our people are eager to see you by my side. They were looking forward to me giving them their Luna, and now that it happened, it will be alright. The whole pack loves you and they will help me in protecting their Luna."

'At least on the outside', Talia thought but she didn't want to say that aloud. She was confident that Damon was aware of how all kinds of intentions could be hidden behind a smile. "What do we do now?"

"Now we will get ready for the day and head down for breakfast and take it from there.", Damon responded. "But first…"

Talia yelped when Damon rolled them over unexpectedly, ending on top of her.

He nipped her jaw playfully and spoke against her skin, "Luna of the Dark Howlers pack needs to take care of her Alpha."

Talia thought that he will do something naughty, but he buried his face in the crook of her neck and took a deep breath.

"I love you, kitten", he murmured. "I need to feel you close because only like this I feel complete." He released a long breath. "Twice. Twice the dark magic made me forget about you and twice I experienced how it would feel if I lose you. I didn't remember you, but I felt the loss of compassion, the loss of emotions, an important part of me was gone and I became a person I don't want to see again. I am scared of losing you…"

"Shh…", Talia coaxed him while patting his back. "It won't happen again. The dark magic is gone, and I am here now. If anyone dares to mess with you, I will make him regret it." She really meant it.

Damon relaxed against her, lowering himself slightly so that his body pressed on hers, but he still kept most of his weight on his elbows.

Damon arranged kisses on her temple and forehead while talking, "I am proud you are mine and I want to show you off. I love you with all my heart and soul and I want to share the rest of my life with you. Let's grow old together, kitten. I will cherish you and protect you and I won't allow anyone to endanger you in any way because even if I live forever, my life will have no meaning without you in it…"

They say that the strength of one's wolf determines the rate of aging, and considering how strong Sapa and Liseli were, Damon guessed that they had close to forever.

Damon didn't want to ruin the mood, but Damon's parents, his grandparents, and many other powerful werewolves met their untimely demise. It was the greed for power that made people act against them as most Alphas died either in a war, in a challenge, or in suspicious circumstances; sometimes they were targeted by their own family members, but it was almost always by people close to them.

Damon protected himself by keeping everyone at bay, and the way Talia accepted people was opening doors to potential spies and backstabbers, but Damon didn't want to spoil this for her, seeing how happy she was to finally not be alone.

Damon was determined to keep Talia safe. He really wanted them to grow old together.

Chapter 585 Making progress (1) (J&C)

James exited the shower enclosure while wrapping a towel around his waist.

He stopped in front of a mirror to make sure that the towel was low enough to tempt Cornelia.

James was confident in his physique. Years of strenuous exercise made him look more mature and no one would think of him as a teenager. James caught Cornelia stealing glances at him more than once, and he hoped that this will work.

After they returned to his room last night, James was convinced that they will make progress, but then Cornelia asked him to shift into his wolf form and they ended up sleeping like that. Well, James didn't do much sleeping, but Cornelia used him as an oversized furry bolster pillow.

At this rate, he will never get laid!

James was not really desperate to get frisky with Cornelia, but she was gorgeous, and she smelled of wild berries, and he was aroused since last night when she rode his wolf without panties!

He wanted to hold her, skin to skin, and he wanted to taste her lips and much more. It was maddening but he knew that he couldn't rush this, and even though all the signals were there, something was wrong. Whenever he approached Cornelia, she would pull back at the last moment. However, this morning, James was determined to get his answers and make progress.

He tussled his damp hair to look a bit messy but not too messy, and he pushed the towel to stay dangerously low on his hips. With that, he was ready to face Cornelia.

James opened the door of the bedroom and his eyes immediately found Cornelia who was sitting on his bed with a tablet in her hands. He introduced her to the wonders of modern technology on the previous day and since then Cornelia was stuck to the tablet, researching about humans, unless something else pressing was going on.

James cleared his throat to get her attention.

Cornelia was painfully aware of James' presence, and she pretended that she didn't notice him nearly naked standing there, but when he cleared his throat, she couldn't fake being deaf, so she glanced his way.

He looked edible.

"Did you forget your clothes?", Cornelia asked.

James frowned. Why was she pretending not to be affected by him?

He decided to face this issue head-on and he moved to sit on the bed next to her.

"Cora", he called. "Is there something wrong?"

"What could be wrong?", she responded with a question without looking at him.

James took the tablet from her hands and kept it on the side.

"Talk to me, Cora. Why are you avoiding me?"

"We spent the night together. I wouldn't call that avoiding you."

He didn't want to let her wiggle out of this. "You know what I mean. You are not even looking at me."

"You are almost naked.", she pointed out the fact.

"Is that a problem? Isn't that helping me feel the energies better?" He glanced at the t-shirt she was wearing. "Actually, feel free to remove your clothes. Now that it's just the two of us, there is no need to cover up."

Cornelia puffed her cheeks. "There is."

"Why?"

"Because…", she paused while wondering how to respond to this. "You are underage, and you don't feel the bond."

James' face fell. Was that the problem? He could fix many things, but his age and feeling the bond were different issues. "You don't like me because I'm younger than you are?" Did she treat him like a child? He could tell her that he explored many women already and that he was not innocent nor inexperienced, but he had a feeling that might explode into his face, so he kept those words to himself.

"I read there…", she gestured toward the tablet. "That being in a relationship with a minor can get me into trouble."

Did she believe he will buy that nonsense? "If I'm human, the age of consent here is sixteen years old, so us being in a relationship won't be against the law, and we are not human so those don't apply to us."

"That doesn't change the fact that you are not sensing the bond. THAT is a sign it's too early for you." She released a long breath. And then there was the possibility of witches being hunted for experiments or for breeding and even though she could refrain from using her powers, Cornelia didn't feel safe. James already had so many things going on, and if she was with him, it would only add to his existing problems. "I think that I should return to my realm and stay…"

"No!", James exclaimed. "You are kidding, right? Tell me you are kidding." But her stubborn expression told him she was serious, and his stomach started churning painfully.

"Cora, you can't do that. Are you planning for us to not see each other for two years?" For her, it will be decades and he was confident that for him it will feel like two eternities! "I admit. I don't feel the bond fully, but I am confident you are my mate. If I am not ready, the Moon Goddess wouldn't arrange for us to meet. Now, is there any other doubt I need to dispel?"

Cora cocked an eyebrow at him. "Do you think that your little speech made things right? Did you suddenly get older or did the problem with your father disappear?"

James was not willing to give up. "We spoke about my father. I will deal with him and your presence won't affect that." But her absence will make him go nuts. "Let's think about this rationally. Two weeks, two years, or two centuries, it won't change the fact that I am younger than you are and that we are mates. If we stay apart, we will only torture each other. Is that what you want?"

"No.", Cornelia admitted. If she knew that her mate would be this young, she wouldn't come here, not now at least. It was better not knowing because now that she was aware of James' existence, the pull was driving her crazy and she feared that her control will snap, and she will jump on him. That's why she asked him to sleep in his wolf form, it was safer.

Was she worried about him being sixteen years old? Not really. For witches, they perform the Coven initiation ceremony at twelve years old, and after that point, they are treated as grownups. Sure, they can't identify their mates at that time, as that's the age when they start studying systematically different types of energies and it takes years until they can feel the pull toward their soulmate, but the fact that James couldn't feel the bond was a problem.

James put his hand on Cornelia's cheek and forced her to look at him. "Cora, I could lie and tell you that I feel the bond, but I can't pretend that I don't feel anything."

Cornelia realized that he was right. If he said that he suddenly could feel the bond, there was no way for her to check. She should appreciate his honesty and not punish him for it.

"So, what do you suggest?", she asked.

Chapter 586 Making progress (2) (J&C)

James was happy to see that Cornelia's attitude softened. He knew that she could feel the pull of their bond and that she needed only a bit to give in.

"Let me take you out so we can officially start dating." Actually, he previously promised her a day out, just the two of them, but things with Marcy happened, and the Council of Alphas, and the pack run, and even though they were inseparable, they didn't go anywhere like a couple.

"What does dating mean?", Cornelia asked.

James smiled. She didn't refuse.

He wanted to talk about romantic candle-lit dinner and dancing, but what he really wanted to do was just for them to get naked and he decided not to give specifics at this point.

"It means that we get to spend time together, and…" His heart thundered wildly as he inched closer carefully while gauging her reaction. She didn't pull back and he decided to go for it.

"I get to…" His breath splashed on her lips and then he kissed her right there, on her full lips that were soft and velvety, and he was quick to wrap his arms around her and deepen the kiss because she definitely kissed him back and she tasted divine.

Cornelia gripped James' bare shoulders to steady herself. She didn't expect that he will kiss her like that in the middle of a sentence, but she didn't hate it, not even a little bit.

Every stroke of his tongue against hers made her feel like another layer of an invisible cord was tied around them, and she wondered if they will ever be able to separate.

This intimacy was new to Cornelia, and it made her tingly all over.

The scent of her arousal hit him hard, and he chanted internally that they needed to take this slow.

James cursed himself for messing up the first evening when they met. If he didn't act like an idiot, he wouldn't push her away and she wouldn't be so reluctant to lower her defenses around him. Due to that, gaining Cornelia's trust was more difficult than anything he faced so far because he couldn't risk making a mistake.

The kiss ended, but James and Cornelia still stayed like that with only a fraction between them, inhaling each other's breaths, obviously wanting more.

He relished the feeling of Cornelia's arms around him, and he could feel the rise and fall of her breasts against his chest. Damn, he really wanted her to remove that pesky t-shirt she was wearing.

James licked his lips to collect any flavors Cornelia left behind as he didn't want to waste any of it. He kissed females before, but this was a kiss that shook his core and even his wolf stirred, and James knew that they crossed a line after which there was no coming back.

The idea of her returning to her Coven without him was making his heart tighten painfully but he also understood that she had her reasons to be reluctant.

Cornelia grew up in a realm without men, and since coming here she heard about witches being used for breeding, and James told her about his father sleeping around even though his Luna was right there, and Cornelia heard how misogynic Alpha Magnus was, and she even saw Damon mistreating Talia… Cornelia really didn't have many good examples to go with.

"You are mine.", James said possessively. "I am not like others." He didn't mention names, but he knew that she understood what he wanted to say. "I won't look at other women and I will treat you like what you are, the most important person in my life. We will stay together, and I will put my life on the line to protect you. Whatever comes, we will deal with it, and you are not allowed to leave me. Do you understand?"

Cornelia blinked once, twice, and then she responded, "Yes."

James' heart soared. She said yes! He had no idea how he will deal with his father or with any other challenge coming their way, but for the first time in his life, he was selfish, and he knew that life without Cornelia in it would be meaningless. He was confident that they will come up with a way to make it work. They had to.

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"Now that we are dating, how does that change things?", Cornelia asked. She didn't understand the whole dating concept.

James wondered how far he can push this.

"I get to hold you like this…", he tightened his hold on her. "And I get to kiss you, and for anything else, we will do it when both of us are ready. Will that work?"

She barely nodded when he kissed her again.

James pushed her down on the bed with his body and they held each other and kissed, her sweet scent of wild berries tortured him, and he realized that this will be the biggest test of his control. Ever.

But no matter how much he tried to control himself, his hands started wandering over Cornelia's body that somehow melted into him as their legs intertwined and her fingers dug into his back.

"James… James…", Cornelia called breathily between kisses.

"Hmm?"

"Your hands."

"What about them?"

"They are under my t-shirt."

He chuckled. "They are where they want to be. You have no idea how badly I want to touch you. Keeping them on your back is fine, right?"

"How much I know, that part of my body is called a breast."

While his hands were on her back she didn't say anything, but little by little his right hand moved and now he was cupping her breast.

James didn't want to move his hand. That part of her flesh was round and tantalizingly soft with a hard bud at the peak, and it filled his palm perfectly.

"I thought we were talking about my left hand." As if to prove his point, the fingers of his left hand moved along her spine, and she shivered.

"The position of that hand is also questionable.", Cornelia said. Everywhere he touched her was electrifying.

"But you are touching me without obstructions. It's fair that we are equals.", James protested. Her hands were on his back.

"You could put a t-shirt on.", Cornelia said.

James was not discouraged. "Aren't I the considerate one? I don't have it on because I want to make things easier for you. Admit it, you love touching me. It feels good, right?"

Cornelia stared at the cheeky young man who didn't look like a teenage boy. He reminded her of a hungry wolf who wanted to eat her up.

James stared into her deep brown eyes. "You have no idea how happy I am that I get to hold you, Cora. Your scent, your flavors, your everything is out of this world, and the fact that you are holding onto me is making everything several folds better."

Chapter 587 Making progress (3) (J&C)

Cornelia's eyes darted from James' blue eyes to his lips and back up again as she was torn between her desire to kiss him more, and her reasoning which screamed that they should stop. She knew that he had only a flimsy towel around his midsection, and her t-shirt and shorts didn't provide much coverage either.

She was aroused and she definitely felt his erection pressing on her thigh. If they didn't stop, they might go all the way and she was not sure if that was a good idea. Just until a few minutes ago, she was confident that leaving was the best choice, yet James melted all her arguments away with one hug and a kiss and she was aware that she was sinking deeper with every next heartbeat.

Should she continue resisting this madness that was reinforced by the pull of nature?

James' hands on Cornelia's skin felt good, like they belonged there, and she really wanted to kiss him more.

Her breath hitched when his thumb moved over her hardened nipple, sending an electric current straight to her core.

Somehow, he knew exactly where and how to touch her in order to set her body ablaze. Other than his impressive physique, James' mind also put her in awe, and now this. Was he really just a teenager?

Seeing that Cornelia's eyes were getting clouded with lust, James gave himself a mental high-five. He got her to lower her guard completely and she was his. He inched closer, and their lips touched when…

'KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK!'

James cursed under his breath. What's up with that timing?

Unsure who was on the other side of the door, he pulled a blanket and covered Cornelia with it, feeling that her t-shirt and shorts were too revealing.

"WHAT!?", James shouted at the door.

"It's time for breakfast.", Maya's voice sounded. She didn't open the door. "I called and texted you, but you didn't respond, so I came to let you know that your presence is…"

"FINE!", James interrupted Maya. He got the message and was not in the mood for pleasantries.

Hearing Maya's steps diminishing as she walked away, James turned to Cornelia who lifted the blanket all the way to her chin. It was obvious that she was embarrassed.

He felt like crying. The mood was ruined!

"I think you should dress up, so we can go.", she said.

"Dress up?", he asked like he had no idea what she was talking about. "If we are in your realm, this type of garment would be acceptable." He glanced at the towel that somehow was still set around his waist, but it didn't do much to conceal the tent that was formed in his crotch area.

Cornelia's eyes flashed in understanding. If he wears clothes that were common for witches, he would be totally exposed! "You will need to wear more clothes."

James smirked. "Do I hear that my mate won't like other women looking at me?"

Cornelia paused. Was she jealous? "Nonsense."

James chuckled and yanked the blanket out of Cornelia's hold.

"It's perfectly fine to be possessive of your mate.", James said. "I won't give you any reason to suspect my loyalty, Cora. I am yours and yours only."

He was hovering above her, and Cornelia thought that he will kiss her again, but in one swift move he rolled them over, ending up on his back with Cornelia on top of him.

"We should go to breakfast.", she reminded him.

"I'm not holding you.", he said while waving his hands to make a point that she was not restricted.

Cornelia was in a predicament. Their position was intimate and outrageous, and she could definitely feel his erection at the cradle of her thighs. There was nothing holding her down on him, but why was it so difficult to increase the distance between them?

His cocky smile irritated her, and she knew that he could see through her. Her desire to stick close to him was tangible.

"Cora", James called while running his fingers along the groove of her spine under her t-shirt. "Now that we are dating, you also have privileges."

"Like?"

"Like…" He paused to lick his lips. "You get to hug me and touch me and kiss me whenever you feel like it. Don't you…?"

His next words were muffled by her kiss because she really wanted to kiss him again, and she did.

…

James and Cornelia entered the dining room to see that Damon and Talia were there with Caden, Maya, George, Dawn, Gideon, Mindy, Petra, Erik, and Zack, and there was another face James didn't approve of. Calvin, the reporter from WW Magazine. James remembered him because Calvin interviewed Marcy and then James after that.

At that time, Cornelia was not present, and this might be a problem.

James's mind was racing. Why was the reporter there? Was he trustworthy? What if he publishes in his article how the young Alpha of the Red Moon pack was with a woman? That probably won't mean much for anyone else, but Alpha Edward would definitely pick up that Cornelia was someone important.

James' instinct was to stay away from Cornelia because if the reporter doesn't see them being close, they would avoid many troubles, but contrary to his instincts, his hold on Cornelia tightened as he pulled her closer to him.

Just a while ago he was pleading with her not to leave and he promised to keep her safe and if he backed away because of one measly reporter, all their progress will go down the drain.

Maya noticed James' discomfort.

"James, Cornelia, nice of you to join us.", Maya said while gesturing toward free spots where they could sit, and she remembered to introduce new faces. "Cornelia, I don't think you met Calvin. He is the reporter working for the WW Magazine, and he is here to interview Alpha Damon and Luna Talia. Calvin, this is Cornelia, she is Shaman Gideon's distant cousin."

"Don't worry about him.", Damon said to James from the side. "Calvin knows that nothing should be published without our approval."

Damon was smiling, but Calvin felt his hair rising. That was definitely a warning!

James relaxed a bit as he held a chair for Cornelia to sit on. Surely, he was overthinking it. Even if information about him and Cornelia ends up in a magazine, James can downplay it. Unless people suspect that things with Cornelia were serious, no one will care, and who will think that it was serious when he was only sixteen years old?

But James had a feeling that all these were just temporary patches because in no later than two years things will start collapsing and if he didn't come up with a solution to his predicament until then not only will he find himself in hot waters, but he will end up dragging Cornelia down with him.

"That's enough", Cornelia's words got James' attention and his hands froze mid-air. Was he really putting food on Cornelia's plate? And it was overflowing!

James cleared his throat awkwardly. "We can share this if it's too much."

Cornelia looked at him helplessly and she took a fork only to see that there was already one with food on it hovering in front of her face.

"You don't need to feed me.", Cornelia told James in a low voice, but it was useless as everyone around them was a werewolf with a very good hearing.

"But I want to.", James responded, and he smiled when she opened her mouth obediently so that he can put the food in there.

James had no idea why he had this inexplicable need to feed her, but he had an urge to stuff her mouth with food, and then he would stuff her down there with his pups. He gaped at his own thoughts. What the hell was wrong with him?

James looked around the table to see that Damon was feeding Talia, George was feeding Dawn, and Gideon Mindy, and even Caden was making sure that Maya's plate was not lacking food. James never saw his father feeding his mother, but maybe that was a trait only fated mates had.

James' mood soared. If he had this urge to feed and impregnate Cornelia, wasn't that another proof that they were fated mates?

James shifted a bit to adjust his hard-on, and then he continued feeding his chocolate-colored Goddess. His worries about the reporter being present were long gone as he was thinking about how to avoid the whole out-for-a-date thing, so that he and Cornelia can spend the day in his room.

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