Ch. 601..610

Chapter 601 Therapeutic outing (1)

Jade looked at Maya while wondering if her ears malfunctioned. Did Maya say how Jade won't stick around in the packhouse? Jade was thinking about how to avoid working in the kitchen or bathrooms because water will ruin her hands, but it seems that she might end up in a worse place.

"Where are you expecting me to work?", Jade asked Maya reluctantly.

"Our Omegas are doing whatever is necessary. In order to work in the packhouse, a special clearance is required which you don't have, Miss Jade. The suitcase you left in the hallway is already in the place where you will be staying, someone will escort you there once you are done with duties for the day."

Jade was afraid to ask for clarification related to the 'place where she will be staying'. Did they put her in some communal area where she will need to share a room with a dozen others?

But Maya was still talking...

"We had a landslide a few weeks back and several houses collapsed. There are ongoing efforts to clear the rubble and save whatever we can. You will join that crew."

"Landslide?", Jade asked breathily. "Isn't that dangerous? What if I get hurt?"

"Aren't you a werewolf?", Caden asked. "If an accident happens, you will heal in no time."

Jade realized that talking won't get her out of this, and no matter what she tried, it was just getting worse. What kind of a place was this?

Why did every female appear to be an Alpha? She never heard of such a thing! But even if she neglects the unreasonable females, Jade thought that the Red Moon pack will help her, and James not only closed that door, but he ended up extorting money from her.

Who could help her get out of this pit of misery which somehow was getting deeper by the minute? Was she really stuck with work to clear up the rubble from a landslide? This was a nightmare!

- - -

Damon and Talia were sitting on the grass in the shade of a lonely oak tree, both facing the black marble gravestone that had engraved in elegant cursive names of Jacob Blake and Violet Blake.

Damon and Talia were running through the forest without a particular destination in mind, and Talia's paws led them here eventually.

Liseli and Sapa were quiet, both content after last night's mating, and letting Damon and Talia deal with their matters.

The moment Damon and Talia shifted into their human forms, Damon produced an oversized t-shirt for Talia and sweatpants for himself so they were not naked, and here they were, at the eternal resting place of his parents.

Talia stared at the gravestone and Damon sat close to her, without touching her because he didn't want to disturb her. He knew that she was fighting internal battles, and he hoped that his presence helped.

Talia was thinking about everything that happened in the last few weeks, and she even remembered her time in the Red Moon pack, before Damon became part of her life.

She was alone, concealing her presence in order to survive, and then Damon came, encouraging her to stop hiding. Sure, they both made mistakes along the way, but he was by her side, patiently waiting for her to step out of her shell and try something new, and he was always there to catch her whenever she stumbled. He was her rock.

The only time he faltered was under the influence of the dark magic, and she couldn't blame him for it.

"Mr. Blake, Mrs. Blake…", Talia broke the silence. "I hope you know that what you saw here last night, was not Damon's fault. He was under the influence of dark magic. Damon is kind and caring and he is taking good care of me. I am lucky to have him as my mate."

Damon's heart tightened painfully. Not far from here, last night, on this same clearing, he pinned Talia down and treated her like she was not important, and now she was justifying his actions.

"Kitten…", Damon said while reaching to hold her hand.

Talia looked at their connected hands and she smiled a little when their fingers interlaced.

"I just wanted them to know that they raised a good person. That's all.", she said.

"I don't care about their approval."

"You should.", Talia responded. "They left you early, but the time you had with them was precious. Cherish it. Not everyone has good parents."

Damon's brows came together as he remembered that Talia told him how Alpha Isaac and Alpha Sophia were her parents. It's not that he didn't believe her, but it was difficult for that information to sink in. Two Alphas of a mysterious pack that was perfectly hidden gave their baby daughter away for… why would they do that?

Damon didn't understand. Werewolves were hardwired to cherish their mates and their offspring, at least until they were old enough to fend for themselves. Sure, there were cases of parents going astray, but that was rare.

Damon couldn't imagine how Talia felt when she found out that her parents abandoned her when she was a baby. She grew up alone, like an outcast, without anything and anyone to call her own, while her parents were alive and well and powerful. She even had a brother that grew up as part of the loving family that was hers, yet she never had it. It was twisted and sick.

And then those same people tried to cripple him out of fear that he was getting too powerful.

Damon realized that he was Talia's only family and his desire to protect her and give her only the best swelled within him.

Damon regretted immensely his actions while he was under the influence of dark magic, and he ended up in that wretched state because of Alpha Sophia and Alpha Isaac!

A low growl formed in the back of Damon's throat. "When are we going to the Midnight Guardians pack?" He had a lot of anger to vent, and those two Alphas were perfect targets.

"Not today.", Talia responded. "Can we not talk about that?"

"We don't need to talk at all.", Damon said while pushing a lock of hair behind Talia's ear. "We can stay here the whole day or not. Whatever you want, kitten. Did the run help?"

Talia released a long breath while assessing her emotions. "A little bit."

Damon leaned closer to Talia and extended his free arm around her. "Can I?"

It took Talia a long moment to understand that Damon was asking for permission to hug her, and his insecurity hit her hard.

"Don't ever… EVER, ask if you can hug me.", Talia said seriously. "Your proximity is essential for my sanity."

Damon smiled and scooted closer to Talia. His arm wrapped around her, and she leaned on him.

Talia turned to look at the gravestone. "See? Your son is wonderful. Damon knows how to take care of his mate. He is the one holding me together to prevent me from falling apart."

"You do the same for me, kitten", Damon murmured into her hair and then he kissed her there.

Talia took a few deep breaths and she pushed herself deeper into Damon's embrace, seeking the comfort his closeness provided. The sparks were there wherever their skin touched, and she greedily inhaled her favorite scent of the forest and the dark chocolate that had a therapeutic effect on her.

 

Chapter 602 Therapeutic outing (2)

"I'm still nervous.", Talia said after some time. Even with Damon all around her, he couldn't dispel the uneasiness that twirled in the pit of her stomach, making her whole body tingle in unpleasant ways.

"Do you want to run more?", he asked.

Talia refused. "I need something more than running. How about we spar?" A second later, she shook her head while dismissing that idea. She didn't want to risk any of them getting hurt, and if they didn't go all out, it wouldn't help.

Damon pursed his lips and then he got an idea.

His arms moved under Talia, and he stood up while carrying her.

Talia was not sure what he was up to, but his focused gaze and steady steps told her that he had a plan. However, why was he heading toward the cliff where the river was ending?

"Damon?", Talia asked, now a bit nervous. "What are you up to?"

"You will find out in a minute", he said, and her hands tightened around his neck on an instinct.

Talia's eyes widened when she realized that he was walking straight for the edge, climbing the massive rock where the two of them were sitting the first time he brought her here. That rock provided a great view of the forest, valley, Darkbourne, and the waterfall below it.

Damon pried Talia's arms from his neck and kissed the inside of her palms while putting her hands to rest on her stomach.

"Do you trust me, kitten?"

"Absolutely.", Talia responded right away while smiling at him stupidly. She loved those small kisses he would place randomly all over her body when she least expected them.

Talia wondered, why were they there? Did he bring her to enjoy the view? It was a nice view, and they could sit on the rock, but Damon didn't seem to have any intention of letting her down.

"Damon?"

He pressed his lips into a line while steeling his resolve and then his knees bent.

"Ahhhhh!", Talia screamed when Damon jumped off the rock with Talia in his arms without any warning.

She just told his parents how he was treating her well, yet now he was murdering her! What the hell!?

The moment Damon's legs parted from the rock, he flung Talia away from him and her arms flailed in an attempt to latch onto Damon, but he was far away.

Talia panicked. This was it. He was set on killing them both!

At that moment, Talia saw her life flashing in front of her eyes.

But why were all of her mental images filled with Damon?

Talia remembered a million moments with Damon, and she could see his expressions that were warm, tense, happy, anxious, cheeky, and naughty. Many of those moments included Damon and Talia naked, yet each of them was pure and unspoiled.

Talia was struck with a realization how every moment with Damon felt right, and any shade that was thrown in there was because of other people.

Didn't that mean…?

Before she could finish that thought, Talia's body painfully jolted when harsh icy water surrounded her from all sides and the pressure from the waterfall kept pushing her down and throwing her in various directions.

Intense clamor assaulted Talia's ears and the twirling bubbles and mud made it impossible to figure out which way was up, so Talia relaxed and allowed the currents to carry her.

It reminded her of the first time she jumped into the waterfall, and she remembered all the rocks that were there. What if she hit one of those!?

After the initial panic, Talia calmed down while repeating that the worst was over, and she probably won't die. At most, she won't be able to come out in time, she will run out of oxygen and faint, and emerge down the river to wake up eventually.

A dreadful thought shot through her. What if Damon was hurt? What if he fell on a rock? Sure, he was strong and athletic, but no one can control his direction mid-air! Why did he act so recklessly!?

Something hard wrapped around her waist and she felt solid warmth pressing on her back, dispelling her anxiety.

Talia turned around and her hands sought to hold onto a firm body that she was familiar with.

Damon found her, just how he did the last time… just how he promised that he always will.

She stuck to him closely, mindful of not obstructing his arms and legs. She believed that he will take them to the surface on time, but she also didn't care if she loses the air from her lungs and faints because Damon was there, and everything was fine when he was by her side.

'PAAAAAH!'

They inhaled in unison as they emerged from turbulent waters, with the waterfall on one side, and the steep cliff on the other.

As soon as she caught her breath, Talia kissed Damon with all her might, and he didn't delay in returning her kiss with equal fervor. They were alive!

'Should I take this as, the jumping therapy worked and you feel better?', Damon asked her through their private mind-link.

Talia looked at Damon with the intensity that made him hold his breath.

'Make love to me, Damon. Remind me that I'm yours.'

Damon's eyes flashed in surprise. He knew that Talia came out of her shell, and she was not a shy girl anymore, but when she boldly asked him to take her with that adorable blush on her face, it was the biggest turn-on ever!

Talia thought that he will take her right there in the water, but he twisted his body so that his back was facing her, and she heard his voice in her head, 'Hold onto me, kitten.'

Unsure of what he was up to, Talia put her arms on Damon's shoulders, and her grip intensified when she realized that he started climbing the cliff.

Damon expertly found grooves between massive rocks for his fingers to slide into, and he pulled them both up with ease. Talia really admired his strength.

They were about halfway up, and Talia stuck close to him because the water was now hitting her head, and then he said, 'Climb in first.'

Talia looked up and blinked to see that Damon was holding onto the edge of a narrow opening among rocks.

She used his body as a ladder and went in, and he was right behind her.

It was a short tunnel, only a few steps long, and then it widened into a small circular cave that was illuminated by streaks of light coming in through gaps between rocks that also allowed for green leafy vines to dangle from above.

Talia thought that she was in a place from fairytales. It looked magical.

The walls were made of uneven rocks while the ground was a mix of rocks, mud, and moss.

The ceiling was tall enough for Damon to stand straight and Talia wondered if he could touch it if he stretched his arms.

The humidity was high, but it was not stuffy.

 

Chapter 603 Therapeutic outing (3)

Talia looked around to see that there was a cot at the back of the cave, and protruding rocks were used as shelves made by nature that held some items: a blanket, a few towels, granola bars, cans of beer, and some other things Talia couldn't identify with a quick glance.

"I used to come here when I didn't want to be found, and when I couldn't afford to go somewhere far away.", Damon's voice sounded over the clamor from the waterfall.

Damon got a blanket and swatted it to smack the cot clean. The dust which rose made them both cough.

"It seems you haven't been here for a while.", Talia stated the obvious.

"About a year.", Damon said. He gestured toward the food. "I don't recommend eating those. If you like it here, we can get snacks for next time. We can make this our private hideaway. No one knows about this place. Not even Caden."

Talia's heart swelled at the thought that this place was their secret, and suddenly she thought how it was cozy. As long as she was with Damon, any place was welcoming.

Talia peeled the wet t-shirt off her body and flung it to hang on one rock that was sticking out from the wall. She enjoyed the way Damon observed her every move and the way his fingers twitched told her that he was eager to touch her.

She walked to Damon and snaked her arms around his waist. "I am hungry now. Is there something else you can offer me as a snack?"

Damon chuckled when he realized that she was talking about him. "Snack away, kitten. I am all yours."

"I would prefer if you eat me up.", she said cheekily. "Make love to me, Damon. Make me forget about everything beyond what's in this cave."

Damon hummed lowly and Talia threw her head back when his palms started moving over her sides.

Damon's head dipped so he can kiss his mark on her neck. It was still pinkish, yet to form completely, and he wondered if he would need to bite her again. He never heard of mates needing to bite more than once for the mark to form fully, but his first bite didn't show at all, and this one looked like a light hickey with a vague pattern around it. This pointed to the possibility that if he bites her again, his mark will intensify.

Talia moaned when his tongue moved over her neck, amplifying the sensation of his fingers teasing her flesh expertly. Damon's touch ignited the sparks that awakened every cell in her body, and it made her soul sing in search of his.

Damon lifted her up like she weighs nothing and placed her gently to lay on the cot.

Talia grabbed his sweatpants with urgency and tugged them down. Once her arms couldn't reach further because Damon was on top of her, she hooked her toes on the waistband and pulled the damp fabric all the way down.

Damon kept his weight on his elbows and observed her with amusement.

"Are you eager to feel me, kitten?"

She had no intention of denying it. She needed him and she knew he could smell her arousal. "Yes."

Damon licked his lips slowly. "From where should I start?"

Talia lifted her hips to grind herself on his erection. "Please… I want to feel you. We can do the rest later."

His half-smirk told her that was not going to happen.

"Patience, kitten", he drawled, and his breath splashed on her ear. "Let me worship you. I will make you come until you can't form a coherent thought."

Talia felt a wave of heat converging at her core. His words were scandalous, but what turned her on the most was that she knew he meant it, and she knew that he was capable of making it happen.

Damon Blake was not only outrageously handsome Alpha, but he knew how to please a woman, and he was her mate. Only hers.

Talia shut her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of his fingers caressing secret spots on her flesh, his lips that kissed and sucked all the right places, and his heat and strength… but the best part was that it was all wrapped in the emotions they shared through their mate bond.

Love. Trust. Admiration. Lust. Devotion.

It was all in there, pulling them closer with every heartbeat.

Damon took his time arranging kisses over her body, and by the time he unlatched himself from her left breast, Talia felt like she was floating.

"Ahh…", a lustful gasp escaped her lips when he kissed her right in the center of her drenched flower that was aching for his touch.

She looked down to see that her body was low on the cot, her butt nearly hanging down from it. When did that happen?

Damon was kneeling on the ground and holding onto her thighs to ensure she keeps her legs spread wide. His face was buried at the cradle of her thighs and his intense gaze didn't leave her eyes as his tongue moved over her clit in mighty strokes.

He enjoyed watching Talia's flushed face between her breasts which were rising and falling vigorously as she desperately inhaled much-needed air.

'I love to see you like that, kitten', Damon spoke into her mind while licking and sucking her down there. 'That's it… Let it out… Feel what I'm doing… Let your mate take good care of you…' And he had every intention of taking good care of her.

The fact that Talia laid there naked for Damon to feast on was the proof that she trusted him completely and that only made him love her more. She was powerful and kind and shy and beautiful, and she allowed him to touch her everywhere.

And right there, as he sucked on her clit, Damon knew that her mind was being emptied from anything that was weighing on it as the only thing she could focus on were the two of them and him caressing her sweet spots.

"Damon… Damon…", she chanted his name wantonly while fisting his hair, as he pushed her closer to rapture with every stroke of his tongue.

He listened to her gasps and wild heartbeats, knowing that she was almost there.

Talia's cry was stuck in her throat when her body arched as the orgasm hit her full force and she saw stars in front of her closed eyes.

She thought that Damon will cease his ministrations, but he had no such intentions as he gripped her hips and held her in place while greedily licking every drop of the citrusy-sweet nectar her body released.

"Da… Dam…", she tried to tell him to stop because she was on the verge of passing out, but she couldn't get enough air to form a word. 'Damon! Please…', she switched to mind-link.

'Just a bit more… bear with it…', he responded, and Talia's mind blanked out when he increased the pace and intensity.

Every stroke of his tongue delivered another dose of cataclysmic sensation that made her whole body shudder in ecstasy and didn't allow her to come down from her high.

Was he really set on killing her? The waterfall murder failed, so he will give her death by sex?

Maybe that was not a bad way to go.

 

Chapter 604 Therapeutic outing (4)

Talia struggled to breathe as she realized that she was not only staying on that high, but she was going higher. Was there higher?

Her mouth opened in a soundless scream when a second orgasm pushed her to another peak, one that she never felt before, and she wondered if her soul was about to leave her body.

Damon growled as he lapped at Talia's citrusy-sweet juices. The mate bond allowed him to feel her emotions and he thought that he will come right there with her. Damn! That was good. His chest swelled with pride. HE was good.

Talia's whole body was numbly twitching in the aftershocks of the mind-blowing orgasm, and she barely noticed that Damon moved her to lay on the cot properly and that he was next to her, cradling her in his arms.

"How was that for your mate treating you well?", he asked smugly, knowing very well that it was fantastic, but he wanted to hear her praise him.

Talia blinked a few times, but she was unable to focus on his handsome face that was grinning at her.

"Is that it?", she asked breathily. "I was hoping you will plunder my insides."

"Ah!", she exclaimed when he flipped her over, so she ended up on her stomach, with Damon pinning her from the back.

He spread her legs with his knees, to position himself there and she held her breath in anticipation when his chest pressed on her back as he pinned her under him.

"I thought I should be nice and give you a breather", he growled close to her ear, and she could feel his erection prodding at her entrance down there. "But it seems you don't want one, and that's fine with me."

Talia moaned loudly when he entered her in one mighty stroke, filling her up completely, and charging her insides with addictive sparks.

She enjoyed his weight on her. It was enough to constrict her movements without being too much.

She angled her hips so that her ass lifts up and he gets better access.

He hummed in approval and used the gap under her abdomen to reach her breasts. He loved the way she filled his palm, and that hard bud at the peak was like a pleasure button that made her squirm whenever he pinched and twisted it.

Outrageous sounds filled the cave as they moaned, groaned, and even the slapping of flesh against flesh could be heard over the clamor of the waterfall.

Damon was lost in the sensation of Talia's insides clutching his cock. Everything about her was perfect and he didn't want to share her with anyone. She was his!

A deep rumble formed in Damon's chest, and he pushed Talia's hair to the right so that he can expose the left side of her neck.

He kissed and licked her there and Talia moaned wantonly. It was such a sensitive spot, and it urged her to get more, much more of Damon.

"Harder... Harder...", she chanted, spurring him to increase his pace, but something was missing.

"Mark me…", Talia breathed as he pounded himself inside her. "I want to feel your fangs in my flesh… I want to feel that I am yours… Claim me, Damon…" She wanted confirmation that she belonged to him. She needed a place to belong, and he was her home.

Damon's fangs were already out, and her words confirmed that he shouldn't suppress his urges.

Damon wrapped his arm around Talia's hair and pulled her back, making her body arch in a way that opened her up more for him to reach deeper from behind.

Talia hissed at the sharp pain in her scalp. Damon was not gentle, but her whole body was buzzing, and gentleness was not what she was looking for.

The friction of his cock entering her and pulling out was driving her mad, and she wanted to drown in that madness only Damon could provide.

Damon's focus narrowed on Talia's neck that was now bared for him completely, all with that pinkish mark that stood there and called for him to strengthen it.

"AHHH!", Talia's cry bounced off the walls of the circular cave and it drowned in the noise of the waterfall when Damon's venom entered her body, the intense heat threatened to burn her alive.

Pain mixed with pleasure, rapidly reaching the critical mass, and Talia's insides burst into an orgasm that made her mind spin.

Damon groaned into her skin, and she could feel him filling her up with his hot seed. The movements of his hips didn't stop even though they became jerky.

For a brief moment, Damon was concerned if he was too rough, but Talia's emotions pouring into him told him that was just what she wanted. Actually, she wanted more and he was delighted about it. Next time.

Damon was firmly latched onto Talia's neck and his chest was pressed on her back as his hips rocked into her, his one arm held her from below while the other one was pulling on her hair… Damon was inside her, above her, all around her, and she felt the comfort of knowing that Damon was right there where he should be, everywhere.

'I love you, Damon…', Talia spoke into their mind link. 'I am yours. Don't ever stop loving me.'

'I will never stop loving you, kitten.' Even through the mind-link, he sounded breathy. 'We will be together, forever. You are my only one, and I am yours.', he assured her and he knew that she needed to hear it.

He slowly extracted his fangs out of her neck, happy that he got to mark her again. Will the mark be fully visible now? He was looking forward to tomorrow when he could confirm. Damon licked her wound to help it heal and he enjoyed the sensation of Talia's body shuddering under him.

'You are mine. Only mine.', Damon said, and he pulled out so that she can turn on her back and face him.

He loved seeing her flushed face after an orgasm when she glowed with the bliss he provided. He did that!

Talia opened her emotions fully so that he can feel her happiness, and he did the same.

One happiness amplified another, and their bodies started pulsating in a silvery glow that followed the rhythm of their matching heartbeats.

Damon touched her cheek and observed that both of them were glowing. "It's happening again."

"I told you. This happens when we are in sync."

Damon looked around to see that the whole cave was illuminated by the silvery glow they created, and he was glad that it was midday because if this was night, the light show they created would definitely attract attention and his secret hideout wouldn't be secret anymore.

Damon hoped that this silvery energy will help dispel the dark magic which seeped into Talia, or at least that it will suppress the darkness somehow. But regardless of any long-term effects, Damon could feel her emotions, and he was confident that right at that moment, Talia's happiness was untainted and that was all it mattered.

Damon smiled wickedly. "If we are in sync, does that mean you want to spend the rest of your life here with me, having sex?"

Talia burst into giggles, and she raised her arms to lace her fingers into his raven black hair. "That, my love… sounds wonderful." And then she lifted herself up to kiss him on the lips.

His heart swelled at the endearment she used. Talia rarely called him anything other than his name, and that made it special.

Talia gasped when he entered her without any warning.

She was wet and sensitive from what they just did, and he was hard as he obviously didn't have enough of his kitten. He never had enough of Talia. She was addictive, perfect, and his, and he just marked her, again!

"Well then", Damon drawled as his hips started rocking slowly. "We shouldn't delay the rest of our lives. Every. Minute. Counts."

Talia embraced him with her arms and legs, happy that Damon was there with her, happy that he was there for her, and she wouldn't want it any other way.

Chapter 605 Plans for the evening [Bonus chapter]

Damon and Talia returned to the packhouse at sunset. They headed to their bedroom to tidy up before they came down for dinner, and the way they were connected at the hips told everyone that they worked out whatever was going on.

No one mentioned Jade or any other pressing matter. It was like no one wanted to bother with negativity during the meal.

When all the food was served, Zina gingerly joined the table at Talia's and Dawn's insistence. They were all friends and familiar with each other, but Zina thought that chattering in the kitchen was one thing, while dining together with guests present was another.

Damon hovered around Talia who looked at him with hearts in her eyes, and he managed to keep her plate filled with food, to feed both her and himself, and whenever he had a free hand, he would reach for hers to hold it. The mood was so lovey-dovey, that others avoided looking at them.

"Any plans for the evening?", Caden asked at a certain point. "How about we go to the Shifters? After everything we had in the last few days, we could all use some time to unwind." He turned to Talia and Damon. "And our people will appreciate it if their Alpha and Luna make a public appearance."

Talia glanced at Damon who shrugged, indicating that it was up to her.

Talia was attracted to the idea of dancing and having fun, and maybe they could get drunk as well. She wanted to let loose and have fun. Her enthusiasm dwindled when she remembered that since last night everyone in the Dark Howlers pack knew her as their Luna, and she was not sure how that changed things. Can Luna go to a nightclub and party like no one was watching?

'Is it OK if we go there?', Talia asked Damon through their mind-link.

'Why not?'

Damon chuckled when Talia shared her concerns about appropriate behavior.

"Kitten", he responded for everyone to hear. "If you want to go, we will go. If you want to drink, we will drink. If you want to dance, I will be your partner. This is your pack now and you can do whatever you want, and if anyone has problems with that, I will take care of it."

Talia smiled foolishly at Damon's doting expression and she really hoped that no one noticed how his right hand was under the table, under her skirt, squeezing her thigh and caressing her there.

"It seems we are going to Shifters tonight.", she said.

Dawn was excited. She looked at George eagerly, and when he gave her a small nod, she announced, "The two of us are in."

Mindy responded without consulting Gideon, "We will stay here tonight."

"We can go if you want.", Gideon said. He had a feeling that she refused because of him. After all, how can a Shaman appear at the nightclub, and he previously told her that he was not into dancing. Gideon was worried that he was too boring for his pumpkin-infused princess.

Mindy refused. "No. We should rest. We have an early start tomorrow."

"What are your plans for tomorrow?", Talia asked, genuinely curious. Mindy told her that they won't return to their place because amenities were lacking, and with the pack run over, they didn't have any official work to handle.

Mindy grinned. "We will move to the house you said we can use. It looks perfect."

Talia's face exploded into a smile. "Really? That's great! We can get a few warriors to help you move stuff."

Gideon approved the idea of getting help. "Tomorrow morning, we will go to our place and start packing. We will let you know when we are ready to move stuff."

"If we can have help in the afternoon, that would be perfect.", Mindy already had a plan going. "After lunch sounds good. We won't pack everything until then, but we can move things in phases as the new place is furnished so tomorrow we will get only necessities."

Mindy looked at Gideon questionably and when he approved, Mindy asked, "Can have someone help us prepare the soil for the garden in the new house?" She really liked the house and she hoped that it will work. It had space inside and out, and with guards securing the perimeter, they will have their privacy also.

"That can be arranged.", Maya said. "Where are you moving to?"

"The house where Marcy and George stayed after…", Talia's voice trailed while wondering if mentioning George and Marcy in the same sentence was disturbing to anyone.

Dawn saw that Talia was looking at her apprehensively. "It's fine, Lia." She turned to Mindy. "That's a wonderful house. I'm sure you will be happy." She grinned at George. "On the upper floor, second room to the right, that's where I recognized this hunk as my mate."

Mindy's brows came together to form a frown. Mindy knew which room Dawn was talking about because she and Gideon visited it earlier that day. If that's the room where Dawn and George recognized each other as mates, weren't they frisky in there?

"Does that mean we need to replace the mattress?", Mindy asked.

Dawn giggled. "I'm not sure about the mattress, but bedsheets definitely. And you probably don't want to use those pillows."

Zina couldn't believe Dawn's cheeky expression. She enjoyed teasing Mindy, but Mindy was visibly uncomfortable.

"Don't worry, Mindy.", Zina said. "By noon tomorrow, I will get you new mattresses and pillows in every bedroom. Just in case."

Mindy looked at Zina gratefully. "Thank you. You are a sweetheart."

Zina noticed that other than Petra, Zack, and Erik, Zina was the only unmated person at the table. And teens were underage, so they didn't count.

"You should stick close to Talia so that you find your mate.", Mindy said to Zina.

Zina didn't get it. "Talia will find me mate?"

Maya nodded earnestly. "Malia always delivers. Satisfaction guaranteed. You should take advantage of this promotional period until we figure out the prices for services."

"We need to call Lina and Tanya and figure out the logo, brand, and marketing strategy.", Mindy said with all the seriousness in the world, and Mindy, Dawn, and Maya started chattering about Malia, the mating service. They already mentioned the whole Malia idea to the Wilkow sisters who were interested in being a part of it.

Talia waved dismissively. "Don't listen to them, Zina. They believe that I have the power to bring mates together."

"You say you don't have it, and all mates here are proof that you do.", Dawn said. "Well, except for Maya and Caden." She turned to Zina. "Stick close to Talia, Zi. Worst case, you won't find your mate."

Zina glanced in Talia's direction, and she didn't miss the dark cloud that was forming above Damon's head. Zina lowered her eyes and focused on the food that was in front of her. The worst case won't be that she doesn't find her mate; it will be that her Alpha puts her in the dungeon (or worse) because she will intrude on his time with Talia.

By the time dinner ended, they concluded that Damon, Talia, Maya, Caden, Dawn, George, and Zina were going to the Shifters, while the rest had other plans.

Zina was excited and she hoped that she will get access to that highly coveted VVIP booth that belonged to Alpha Damon.

She knew that with the new position that Talia gave her, Zina was above Omegas, but this dining with everyone and then going to Shifters nightclub in the same group with Alpha, Luna, and Betas... it felt unreal.

Mindy and Gideon said that they need to rest and plan for their move tomorrow. Teens were underage so they couldn't go to Shifters; Petra, Erik, and Zack went to Darkbourne to find themselves teenage-appropriate fun.

Cornelia was eager to see what Shifter nightclub was, but she didn't feel it was right to go without James who couldn't go because he was underage.

She hoped that James will say how they will join Petra, Erik, and Zack, but James said that he had other plans.

Unsure of what to do, Cornelia ended up stuck in the packhouse. Again! But it wouldn't be proper if she went out without James who was right there.

 

Chapter 606 Financially securing a witch

Cornelia was not in a good mood. Instead of exploring this realm and checking out the human city, she spent most of her afternoon alone in the room, browsing on the tablet.

James had no intention of neglecting Cornelia, actually, everything he did was with Cornelia on his mind.

He was busy dealing with the necessary paperwork to transfer a portion of Jade's company to him, and he also wanted to secure Cornelia financially.

James went to meet with the lawyer to discuss his plan and to provide the necessary information. That shouldn't take a lot of time. They would meet again when the lawyer prepares everything, and James only needs to sign the paperwork.

Unfortunately, everything took much longer than James thought.

Cornelia legally didn't exist in this realm so in order to name Cornelia as his beneficiary, James worked with Caden to produce identification documents for Cornelia. She needed an identity that will be valid when presented in front of humans. Luckily, the Dark Howlers pack had this in place as they created IDs for many refugees that came their way.

Cornelia didn't understand what James was doing most of the afternoon, so she asked him about it after dinner, and she was not happy when he told her that he needed to meet with a lawyer (again!) later that evening.

"Why?", Cornelia asked.

"I want to give you full access to my assets and to name you as a beneficiary of my will. Documents are mostly ready, and I need to verify the information and sign them."

"Why are you doing that?", Cornelia asked, and her expression darkened as James explained. It all sounded confusing, but one thing she understood was, "Are you planning to die?"

"Of course, not.", he said. "However, I am not immortal and I will die one day."

"You don't need to.", Cornelia said and James's eyebrows shoot up. Was she serious?

He dispelled those thoughts and said, "It doesn't need to be death. Maybe I won't be around for other reasons and in case that happens, I want to know that you have access to my assets."

Cornelia didn't like this. "Why does it feel like you are planning to leave me?"

James was not sure if Cornelia's doubts related to him abandoning her were because of her initial disappointment when she realized that he can't feel the bond, or because she saw how werewolves are licentious, or maybe her insecurities went deeper than he could imagine. But he knew that he needed to assure her that he was not going anywhere. Not willingly, at least.

"Cora", he called. "Imagine that the two of us live in your Coven, and then something happens to you. Wouldn't you want to know that I am taken care of?"

Cora had difficulty seeing the problem. Witches were not materialistic, and they were not hoarding things. In their Coven, everyone did their part be it cooking, cleaning, harvesting, or weaving… they would eat how much was needed and practice magic, and that was it. She didn't understand the need of having money. Can you eat it?

James realized that his hypothetical situation didn't have the desired effect. He tried another approach.

"How about this scenario? We live in your Coven, and your sisters are not accepting me. I am a male and not a witch and none of them wants to get close to me. I get to eat and a place to sleep only when we are together. And then one day, you need to leave on a mission, and I can't follow. Will you be at peace while wondering if your sisters kicked me out?"

Cornelia's expression changed. Her sisters wouldn't do that.

Actually, if James was there and Cornelia was not close to protect him, Cornelia feared that her so-called sisters will try to get their hands on James. He was a handsome, healthy male, able to copulate and produce offspring. That's why Cornelia didn't want to take him to the Silver Flame Coven, but she didn't want to tell him that, fearing that James will be interested to go there when he hears how hundreds of attractive (and scarcely dressed) females will be available for him to pick from. After all, if James doesn't feel the bond, there will be nothing to remind him of fidelity. Will he abandon her?

Unaware of Cornelia's thoughts, James was pleased to see Cornelia's face darkening which meant that she wouldn't be happy if he was in the Coven without her.

"In case that happens, you will want to have something in place to assure I am safe. Right?" James waited for Cornelia's confirmation, and then he continued, "This is a similar thing. I have no intention of leaving you, Cora. And I have even fewer thoughts about ending my life before it's my time. However, accidents happen, and if it comes to that, I want to know that you won't be left to fend for yourself. Yes, you could reach out to Talia, Damon, and many others to help you, but money is a necessity if you want to be independent."

"I thought that werewolves live in packs." Just as witches live in Covens. "Why do you speak of independence as a necessity?"

James was embarrassed to say this, but he had to, "Because my pack is not a good place to be, and my family sucks. If I have a choice, I would leave, but I'm not reckless to put myself in a position where I won't have a place to sleep or what to eat."

"If your pack is not good, why don't you stay here? This pack seems nice."

James had to agree with that. The Dark Howlers pack was nice, however… "My father wouldn't let me go. If I stay here, I will attract trouble for Alpha Damon and his pack. If I leave in the near future, my father will accuse Alpha Damon of putting ideas into my head."

"And that's why you are going back, to a no-good place.", Cornelia said solemnly.

"Right.", James confirmed. "But it's temporary. We have two years to come up with a plan that will allow us to sever the connection with the Red Moon pack and to disappear without endangering anyone."

"Since you have an exit plan in place, why do you need to give me access to your wealth?"

James liked that she called it wealth. It was not much, but she didn't grasp the concept of money and assets, and he wanted her to think that he was mighty.

"Just in case an accident happens.", James said with a smile and gave her a small kiss on her cheek. "I need to meet with the lawyer. You are welcome to join, if you wish."

Cornelia refused. She gestured toward the tablet. "My time will be better spent learning."

James wondered what she was learning about. He told her to stay away from social media because they are full of unreliable information, but even that was learning about human culture, so he let it be.

"Cora", he called. "I know that today didn't pass as planned but I promise to make it up to you. I will be back in no time, and then we can do something fun."

He kissed her again, this time on the lips, and then he rushed out of the room before he changed his mind and missed meeting with the lawyer who was already waiting for him.

Chapter 607 There is always tomorrow

James returned to his room to find Cornelia sleeping on the bed with a tablet under her hand.

He exhaled helplessly. He thought that meeting with a lawyer will take no more than half an hour, but it dragged for more than two hours. There were so many documents to sign, and it took much longer than he thought it will. Again.

James kept the folder on the side table and pried the tablet from Cornelia's fingers, and then he sat on the edge of the bed and observed Cornelia's sleeping form. She was beautiful.

He regretted that they didn't have a date, and they didn't spend the day alone either. But on the other hand, she was now his beneficiary, and she had her identification documents in order, and those were important.

If James was a regular guy, none of those would be necessary, but the circumstances of his birth forced him to do many things that were not common for a person his age.

James was a young boy when he realized that his father was not a caring parent like the ones he saw on the television. Alpha Edward was interested in results and maintaining his image of a strong Alpha, which meant that James needed to be strong and excel in his studies in order not to tarnish Alpha Edward's reputation.

More than anyone else, James would be punished harshly whenever he lagged behind the schedule others set for him, so James made sure to meet expectations, so he doesn't end up in trouble.

James was about twelve years old when he found out that he doesn't have an Alpha aura.

At first, he was in disbelief. The guy testing it made a mistake! The equipment was defective! And then he panicked as the truth set in: he really didn't have an Alpha aura.

But, what did that mean? Was he a faulty child or… was he not Alpha Edward's son? He already knew that his parents didn't practice monogamy, so the latter was highly possible.

Everyone knew James as the son of Alpha Edward, the young Alpha of the Red Moon pack, the leader of the next generation of Alphas. That glorious image was crumbling in front of James' eyes as he could see his father disposing of him secretly in order to conceal the disgrace of raising an impostor as his own child. Heck, the old guy would probably make it look like one of his enemies did it, so that he can get some benefits!

James was aware of Alpha Edward's personality. If James was not his son and didn't have an Alpha aura, it meant that James had no value, and he was in trouble. Big, big trouble.

James wanted to flee, but where would he go? His father had spies everywhere and they could track him easily, and James fell into depression while thinking about harming himself. James was looking into ways to cripple himself and make it look like an accident. In that way, he can blame the injury on his lack of Alpha aura.

Just before James did something irreversible, George showed up with a story about how there were cases of late bloomers where Aura shows later.

James suspected that was a bunch of rubbish. He did his research, and he never heard of such a thing as late bloomers. James didn't understand why George helped him out, and in time he realized that George was not Alpha Edward's loyal dog as others portray him.

Could James use George? He was not sure, so he decided to observe the youngest Commander.

James was always wary of George, waiting to find out George's motives, which only made him more cautious about everything.

He needed a plan, but time was passing quickly between training and studying, and the only consolation James had was that he was relatively safe until his eighteenth birthday.

James' childhood was not a carefree one; someone was always watching him and waiting for the young Alpha to make a mistake. As James grew older, more and more people were looking his way and James knew about their intentions. They were wondering how strong he was, how smart he was, and how much they can use him to get to Alpha Edward and then to the Red Moon pack. James pretended not to see any of those, but the tension was intensifying by the day.

James was sixteen years old now, and not a na?ve child. He survived so far by doing enough, yet not too much to stand out. However, now that he found Cornelia, James knew that things would need to change.

He needed to provide for her, and he will need to protect himself and his mate. Was he strong enough for that? Probably not. He was desperate for allies, but the trick was that the more people knew about Cornelia, the bigger was the possibility of Alpha Edward finding out about her.

James needed to be smarter than ever, or everything might collapse.

James saw the lawyer's confusion when they were putting the will together and how everything will go to Cornelia Silver (the name on Cornelia's documents). However, the guy was not nosy, and James hoped that Caden was right about the lawyer knowing how to keep secrets because if this reached Alpha Edward's ears, a lot of people will be in trouble.

James released a long breath and looked at his chocolate-colored beauty that was sleeping peacefully. His good mood about settling the paperwork was spoiled at the thought that he neglected his mate. Again.

James knew that Cornelia was curious about the world, yet because of him, she stayed in the room. He hoped that she will forgive him, and he decided to address her needs as his highest priority going forward.

Even if Heaven collapses, tomorrow, they will go on a date, and he will treat her as a lady worthy of admiration and respect, and give her only the best of things.

James got up and swiftly changed into sweatpants and a cotton t-shirt. He brought those for training, as he would usually sleep in his underwear (or nude), but because of Cornelia, James decided to cover up while sleeping so he doesn't make it awkward for her. But once they go all the way, he will definitely NOT wear any sleepwear, and he won't allow her to cover up either. He will cover her up, with his body. He liked that mental image.

Slowly, very slowly, James lifted the blanked and scooted under it to join Cornelia.

The moment their bodies touched, Cornelia moved, and she ended up with her head on his shoulder.

James loved that Cornelia gravitated toward him in her sleep. Was that their mate bond showing her the way? He liked to think so.

James buried his face in her hair and took a deep breath, allowing the sweet scent of wild berries to fill his system. It was appetizing and it made him think of Cornelia's addictive flavor he tasted while they kissed earlier that day.

His crotch area tightened as he thought about how she would taste when he kisses her on her lips down there. James never went down on a woman, but while thinking of Cornelia, he really wanted to bury his tongue between drenched folds, and… he groaned and moved sideways to adjust his erection.

James and Cornelia didn't go on a date, nor spent the day alone, but they were together now, and they had tomorrow. They definitely had tomorrow, and that was a good thing.

With those thoughts, and Cornelia in his arms, James closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

 

Chapter 608 Back at the Shifters nightclub (1) [Bonus chapter]

Talia and Damon stood on the elevated platform at the entrance to the Shifters nightclub that provided a good view of the space and the crowd that filled it.

Maya and Caden were on the left, and Dawn and George were on the right, both a step behind Damon and Talia, showing non-verbal respect for their positions as Alpha and Luna.

Zina was also with them in the group, and now she really felt that she was dateless. If Talia had any power to attract mates, Zina hoped it will take effect soon.

It took a second for people in the nightclub to start nudging each other as they turned toward the elevated platform, and it seemed that even the music quieted down.

This was not Talia's first time in the Shifters nightclub, but the place looked more packed than ever before.

'Most of the crowd is from the Dark Howlers pack.', Damon spoke to Talia through their private mind-link. 'Last night the Shifters was closed due to the pack run, and people came here tonight to make up for it and to celebrate their Luna. Many businesses in Darkbourne closed early and some suggested that the day of your Luna ceremony be a holiday.'

Talia's insides trembled from anxiety and she hoped it didn't show. Why was everyone looking at them?

Damon lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of her palm, right there, for everyone to see.

'Our people want to welcome you.', Damon said.

Talia was not sure if the crowd was welcoming because they were just looking at her.

Damon raised his head and his howl was louder than the music.

"AWOOOO!"

Before his howl ended, the whole nightclub shook with the uproar of howls, claps, whistles, and cheers.

'They are happy you are here.', Damon spoke into Talia's mind. 'Do you want to respond to them?'

Talia looked at Damon apprehensively. All that was for her? She didn't have the pack mind-link to peer into their thoughts and emotions, but she could see that they were smiling, and the mood was good. It didn't seem right for her just to stand there and not reciprocate. But… Should she start shouting? Or howling? Nothing seemed appropriate. She was the quiet type.

Seeing her reluctance, Damon said, 'Let's do it together. One, two…' And he opened up for her to feel his excitement and pride, but mostly happiness.

Talia gasped for air as emotions swelled within her, and then both of them howled, "AWOOOO!"

The crowd in the nightclub was jumping and the noise increased further when Damon raised Talia's hand that he was holding, high above their heads, and Talia was confident that all eyes in the club were on them. It was nerve-wracking and heartwarming at the same time. Somehow, this noisy bunch of people made her feel welcome.

Damon pulled her closer and gave her a mind-spinning kiss as the crowd below them exploded in another wave of noise. Damon smiled into the kiss. He was enjoying it.

People were visibly excited, but they were all orderly as they parted to open up a path for their Alpha and Luna to reach their VVIP booth.

Talia met many eyes that observed her with curiosity, and she was pleased with herself that she projected confidence. Damon's proximity gave her the courage to stand tall, and she didn't want to disappoint him by shrinking and appearing insecure. As Damon's Luna, she needed to show the Dark Howlers pack that she can take care of their Alpha and of the whole pack.

They all sat on sofas in pairs, except for Zina (she didn't have a pair).

Zina wanted to leave and mingle, but at the same time, the appeal of being in the VVIP booth was urging her to stay.

"How about we go to the bar for some girl-time?", Maya suggested.

Talia glanced at Damon, silently asking him what was going on.

'Caden and I want to talk to George.', Damon spoke to Talia into their mind-link, and Talia understood that this might be something for Dawn not to hear. She was curious but she knew that Damon would give her a heads-up if he could.

"Sounds like fun.", Talia responded to Maya, and Dawn and Zina followed.

…

Zina, Dawn, Maya, and Talia sat at the bar in the Shifters nightclub, each with a colorful cocktail that Katya personally prepared for them.

Pierce, Liam, Caleb, and Lulu found them quickly. They saw them entering the club, but they didn't dare go into the VVIP booth without invitation. But now that the ladies came to the bar, they decided to approach them.

Sandy was in the pack hospital, giving Keith company for the evening. They were taking turns so that Keith was not bored while waiting to be discharged.

"Guys, why do you look like you are guarding Talia?", Lulu asked while eyeing Pierce, Liam, and Caleb who were standing to form a protective half-circle around Talia as she was sitting on the barstool.

"We are her guards.", Liam responded matter-of-factly.

"You don't need to do this.", Talia said.

Caleb shook his head. "Do you think that Alpha will forgive us if anything happens to you and we are around?" He leaned closer to continue in a lower voice, "Besides, standing next to Luna is increasing our popularity."

Talia laughed at Caleb's cheeky expression.

Pierce ordered a round of shots to toast for their Luna, and the mood became lively quickly.

…

In the VVIP booth, George was going through the folder that Caden gave him. It contained information about Penelope Faith, twenty-two years old daughter of Alpha William Faith from the Night Sentinel pack.

When looking at the number of pack members, the Night Sentinel pack was the third pack in North America. However, their influence was not significant as they were sixth in terms of the military and fourth in terms of economy, and they were ranked eleventh when looking at the size of their territory. But they couldn't be dismissed as insignificant either because Alpha William formed various alliances with other packs, and one of those was with the Red Moon pack.

George flipped through the files that were in the folder to see pictures and information on Penelope Faith. Her education, hobbies, friends, favorite foods, music, books she likes to read… it was detailed.

"I assume there is a reason why I'm looking at this.", George said.

Damon took a sip of whiskey from his glass before responding, "We are watching movements of Alpha Edward. His interaction with the Night Sentinel pack increased in the last few weeks, and our spies confirmed that he is putting an extra effort for Penny to attend James' sixteenth birthday."

George cocked an eyebrow as he picked up something amusing. "Penny? Are you so close to the daughter of Alpha William to address her by a nickname?"

Damon froze and cursed at himself silently. These small things will get him in trouble!

Actually, he forgot about Penelope as she was one of many, but when he saw the blonde in those pictures, and her name in the files, he got a flashback or two.

Should he tell George how Penelope was one of his bride candidates that he explored thoroughly about two years ago? It was one night and a number of unanswered texts and voicemails. Damon decided not to share those details. His past was not important. Damon was glad that Talia was not nearby because he didn't want to risk another meltdown.

Damon cleared his throat. "The point is that Miss Penelope will attend James' birthday party. I suggest you keep an eye on her. We know that Alpha Edward is trying to secure his alliances through marriages."

George didn't understand why he should be concerned with that woman. For years, there were many females buzzing around James, but it was nothing serious because… "Alpha Edward won't pressure James to choose his mate before his eighteenth birthday."

"I was not talking about James.", Damon said, and seeing George's confused expression, Damon clarified, "I'm sure you know that there is a shortage of unmated young Alphas who are willing to mark a chosen mate, so ambitious ones will target the next best thing. You are the youngest Commander of the Red Moon pack, with the position just below Beta Raymond. Officially unmated. Available."

George's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he realized, "Are you saying that Alpha Edward wants to set ME up with this woman?"

 

Chapter 609 Back at the Shifters nightclub (2)

"We are not sure why Alpha Edward is so eager for Penelope to attend James' birthday party.", Damon said to George. "However, other than being easy on the eyes, and having Alpha for her father, she doesn't have much going for her. As you said, James is too young to choose his mate, and it doesn't make sense to ask them to date for two years. On the other side, Alpha Edward doesn't know about Dawn being your mate, which makes us believe that he will match you with Penelope. But even if our guess is false, you should keep an eye on Penelope because she will be there, and she will come with an agenda." Damon's brows came together. "And I don't need to remind you to keep Dawn safe."

George rubbed his forehead with force.

George was planning to bring Dawn with him to the Red Moon pack and conceal her existence from Alpha Edward. Estelle and other people who are close to George would know that Dawn is his mate, but he didn't want her to draw attention to herself.

The thing was that if Alpha Edward hears that George found his mate, even if George tells him that Dawn is insignificant Omega, she came from the Dark Howlers pack and the old guy might want to meet with her. George wanted to avoid that.

Asking Dawn to keep a low profile would be inconvenient, but only temporary until George finds the right time to issue an Alpha challenge to Alpha Edward. Per George's plans, it shouldn't be more than two-three months until everything is ready, but if Alpha Edward starts pushing women into George's lap, and George refuses them, Alpha Edward will figure out that something was off.

Ah, this was a problem!

There was an option for George to say how he was not interested in other women because he found his mate, but Alpha Edward was known to be sick and greedy; what if he tries to harm Dawn or eliminate her in order to make George available? Or what if Alpha Edward finds out that Dawn is an Alpha female and tries to take her for himself?

George was not sure what to do. It would be safer if Dawn stays in the Dark Howlers pack, but no matter what the best choice was, the mate bond urged them to stay close, and if they separate, both of them will suffer.

"Don't make any decisions without talking to Dawn. She is smart and strong, and most of all, she is your mate. It happened for a reason.", Caden said.

George nodded gratefully, and then he asked, "Is there something else, or can we join the girls?"

Caden took the folder with information on Penelope Faith. "You can get a copy of this if you want." And then he gestured toward the bar, indicating that George can join his mate.

George downed his drink and turned to his right. "Will you…" His question was cut short when he realized that Damon was not there. Where did he go?

Caden chuckled. "Damon left a while ago."

Actually, Damon left after delivering the threat about how George needs to keep Dawn safe. Those words reminded Damon that he needed to keep Talia safe, and he couldn't stay away from her anymore.

…

At the bar, Dawn and Zina were chattering with Talia's five guards excitedly. Their new statuses made them all feel important.

Talia was sipping her drink while thinking how this was different. Wherever she looked, Talia met gazes directed at her that were full of curiosity; some held admiration, some were happy, but none were mocking or malicious. Talia concluded how that was because now they knew she was Damon's fated mate and their relationship was serious.

Well, at least no woman will dare to come and talk to Talia like she was Damon's temporary entertainment.

Talia was concerned about she-wolves that were coveting Damon. Will they give up, or become craftier in getting close to him? Whichever it was, Talia hoped that they won't try anything funny because she didn't want to send any more women into the dungeon.

At the thought of the dungeon and women, Talia remembered Nora. George and James were not interested to discuss Nora's situation, as none of them liked her, and Talia feared that they will head to the Red Moon pack and leave Nora behind. She didn't want to keep Nora in the dungeon forever and letting her out didn't sound good either. The right thing would be to send her to the Red Moon pack, but the transportation seemed to be a problem. Talia shook those thoughts away. Surely, Damon will come up with something and they will get rid of Nora.

Talia glanced toward the VVIP booth, and she wondered what Damon, George, and Caden were talking about. It took a while. Talia measured her time at the bar as: four shots, one cocktail, and one beer.

She wanted to check on him. Should she go there?

Talia remembered one thing. Their mind-link! 'Are you done with your secretive thing?'

'Almost', Damon responded. 'Are you missing me?'

'Immensely.'

"Good thing that I'm close." His breath splashed on her ear.

Talia's eyes sprang open and then she jerked to face him. She was lost in her thoughts, and she missed that the chatter around her quieted down.

Maya, Dawn, Zina, Lulu, Liam, Pierce, and Caleb saw Damon approaching, but none warned Talia. They were all watching them with amused smiles on their faces, obviously entertained by seeing Damon cheekily sneaking on Talia, and Talia couldn't blame them. It was a rare sight for Damon to be so playful in public, and Talia was happy to know how that was because of her.

"Hey, handsome, are you here to buy me a drink?", Talia asked Damon.

Damon chuckled. "It will be my honor to treat such a beautiful lady."

Talia cocked an eyebrow at him. "Oh?"

Damon nodded earnestly. "I feared that the hottest female in the nightclub will reject me, but it seems I passed her test because she called me handsome."

Talia burst into giggles at Damon's shameless flirting, and she snorted a bit while inhaling. Was she drunk? Yup, she was.

Maya announced that she will join Caden. He mind-linked her so she knew that he was waiting for her in the VVIP booth.

Dawn was quick to follow Maya. She wanted to go to George.

Halfway to her destination, Dawn stopped abruptly when someone grabbed her wrist.

"What the…?" Her frown immediately turned into a bright smile when she noticed that the hold was charged with sparks. It was George.

Dawn's smile fell when she realized that his emotions were unstable.

"What happened?", Dawn asked.

George wrapped her in his embrace and buried his face in the crook of her neck.

"Dance with me", he said, and they started swaying on the tune of their own.

Dawn realized that George's mood was probably due to something that Damon and Caden told him, but this was not the time to ask questions.

She hugged him tightly with, "No matter what's coming, we will deal with it together."

George's heart jolted. Those were the words he hoped to hear.

"I am lucky to have you.", he said.

Dawn smiled dreamily. She was the lucky one. Her mate was better than she ever imagined him to be.

Dawn was on cloud nine, she was dancing with George. There were no fancy moves involved, but it was their first dance, and that made it special.

Chapter 610 Back at the Shifters nightclub (3)

At the bar, Zina rushed to finish her drink, and then she spoke to Liam, Pierce, Caden, and Lulu. "Now that Alpha is here, we should make ourselves scarce so that the couple can enjoy their evening."

Zina had already seen a lot of public display of affection during dinner, and she couldn't stomach any more. But she was happy for Talia.

Zina grew up in the Dark Howlers pack, and she was two years younger than Damon, so she knew him pretty much all of her life, and she never saw Damon so lovey-dovey. It was the way it's supposed to be when fated mates are together. Zina hoped that rumors about Talia's powers were true and that soon she will find a man who will look at her like that because now that her bestie (aka Dawn) found her mate, Zina felt lonely.

Damon didn't take a seat at the bar. He was standing next to Talia and stared into her eyes that were slightly unfocused and sparkling from the alcohol that coursed through her system. She was beautiful.

"What are you thinking about?", Talia asked.

"You.", he responded.

"What about me?"

"Many things." Naked mostly.

"Like?", she persisted.

Damon leaned to speak close to her ear, "I'm thinking how ravishing you look tonight. I wonder if I will be able to tear that dress in one move, or if it will need two. Should I tell everyone to scram so that I can take you on this bar counter, or maybe we can go in the car, or would you rather do it in the forest? Restroom stall? Or we could sneak into Katya's office..."

"Please, stop.", Talia said breathily. Somehow, she could see graphic images in her mind and it took her a few long seconds to realize that Damon was sending them to her. Naughty Alpha!

Her eyes moved to his lips and then she glanced at the bar counter. "Can we really do that?"

Damon burst into a laugh. "We can do whatever you want, kitten. As long as you are willing, I am available."

He stepped closer to press his crotch area on her hip and to make a point that he was hard and ready.

"Should I request for the club to be emptied?"

Talia was speechless. Tempted but speechless. "No.", she responded after an intense internal struggle. His proposition was enticing, but she would die of embarrassment because people will probably know why the club was emptied.

Her face lit up with mischief when she got an idea. "Not here, but we have a bar at home. Don't we?"

Damon's eyebrows rose in slow motion, together with his lips that formed a smile like there were strings attached and someone was pulling them up.

"Should we go home then? Can you walk, or should I carry you?"

Talia burst into giggles. She really loved when Damon was carefree and playful.

"We came here to drink and dance.", she said and swayed a bit on the chair. "Maybe I had enough of drinks. I'm not sure if I can dance."

"You can drink as much as you want, kitten.", Damon said. "Have fun and don't worry about anything else because I'm here. If you want to dance, I will make it happen."

Talia smiled at him foolishly. Yes, she was drunk, but she was more drunk on happiness because Damon was by her side, looking at her like she was the only woman in the world, and THAT was all it mattered.

Talia finished her drink and demanded, "Let's dance."

"As you wish", Damon said, and he chuckled when he saw her tripping over her own feet. He didn't let her fall as he held her close to him.

Talia leaned on Damon and his hold was solid as they swayed on the dancefloor.

Her body was limp, and she moved with him while humming a tune.

Damon chuckled and pressed his lips on her forehead.

His kitten wanted to dance, and he was determined to make it happen, even if he needed to dance for the both of them.

…

Lulu arrived at the pack hospital, and she slowly opened the door of Keith's room.

The light was off, and she was not sure if they were sleeping or not. It took her a few seconds to get used to seeing in the dark and to spot Keith on the hospital bed and Sandy lying on the sofa.

Keith was sleeping, but Sandy was looking at the door.

"You are early", Sandy said while checking the time.

They were taking turns in keeping Keith company while he was in the hospital, and Lulu was supposed to come at midnight, yet it was barely eleven o'clock.

"Shh…", Lulu waved at Sandy to keep it down in order not to wake up Keith.

"He is not sleeping.", Sandy said. "We were talking until a minute ago."

"You can turn on the light. I was just resting my eyes.", Keith said, and a second later Lulu flipped the switch that illuminated the room. "I don't need company. I will leave in the morning."

Keith was perfectly fine, and Doctor Travis told him that he can leave, but that was late in the evening, and Keith thought that there was no point in heading home.

Keith's plan was to sleep in the hospital and from there head to the packhouse in the morning. Damon told him that they will discuss the current dangers Talia is facing after breakfast. It was Keith's first task as Talia's head guard and he was taking it seriously.

Katya already brought him a change of clothes, he had an attached bathroom, the room was spacious and clean, the bed was fully adjustable and there was a button for him to call nurses to bring him food and whatever else he might need. It was like a luxurious hotel, and Keith would take this chance to relax and think about things, but somehow he ended up always in the company of people who thought that he needed to be entertained.

Keith paused at the outfit Lulu was wearing. It was a sparkly black tank top and a red miniskirt, and she had a black leather purse and matching shoes with stiletto heels that made her long legs appear even longer. Lulu's clothes were tight and even though her important parts were covered, nothing was truly hidden.

"I think Lulu is here to tell you that there is a party, and she won't come tonight.", Keith said to Sandy with amusement in his voice.

Lulu needed a moment to realize that Keith was looking at her outfit. "No. No. I'm coming from Shifters, that's all."

"Did they close early? Or did something bad happen?", Sandy asked. Leaving Shifters before two o'clock in the morning is considered early. "In any case, you had time to go home, change clothes, and come here before midnight. Or did you come here like this with an intention to seduce Keith?", Sandy said teasingly.

There was a time when Sandy thought that something was going on between Lulu and Keith, but neither of them acknowledged it and Keith was no more than his polite self, so Sandy assumed that it was Lulu's one-sided crush.