Damon was irritated. Those two women didn't show any intention of leaving his side even after he told them that he was waiting for someone.
It's not that their presence really bothered him, but their chatter distracted him from looking out for Talia. He saw them like two flies who refused to take a hint and leave.
Suddenly, Damon felt uneasy. Actually, he felt uneasy since Talia left him on that bench, but this was serious, like something was really wrong.
Damon looked in the direction of the restrooms, where Talia went, and through the crowd, he saw a pair of brown cat ears.
He didn't get a good look at the person, but he had a strong feeling that was Talia.
"Talia!", Damon shouted and moved in that direction, leaving two bewildered women behind him.
"Talia!" He continued calling, frustrated that the crowd obstructed his view and slowed down his movements.
Why was Talia walking away from him? Why can't he find her? Was that her?
What if Talia is still in the restroom? Or what if she went to the bench and he was not there?
She left a while ago, and with every passing second, his anxiety swelled.
'Calm down boy.', his wolf said.
'Calm down? How can I calm down? Talia is missing and how the fuck am I supposed to find her in this crowd!?'
There was a throng of scents in the air and even without them, Damon had difficulty tracking Talia's delicate scent of freesia if she was not close to him.
'Use the bond.', his wolf said.
Damon didn't get it. 'How?'
'Over the last few days, the mate bond strengthened. The discomfort you are feeling is from the mate.'
Damon's panic increased. 'What? Is she hurt?'
'This is not the time to chat. You need to find her.'
'How am I going to find her by using something I don't understand? Explain! And make it quick.', Damon demanded.
'As you spend more time with mate, your bond strengthens. The discomfort you are experiencing is a reflection of her feelings toward the mate bond.'
Damon couldn't identify the sensation clearly, but he knew that it was unpleasant.
'She doesn't know I'm her mate. How can she dislike the bond if she is not aware of its existence?'
'No matter if she is aware of the bond or not, the bond exists. And right now, mate doesn't want it. We can talk about this later, but right now you need to find her. Focus on the source of discomfort and follow your instincts…'
Damon couldn't believe this. How is it possible that Talia has these negative feelings toward the bond? Isn't that the same as negative feelings toward him? What did he do? They were talking and eating corndogs and then she left.
But his wolf was right. Damon's first priority should be to find Talia, and everything else can wait.
Damon closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, and then he dashed into the crowd.
The amusement park has tree lines along the paths that connect rides and other entertainment areas. The trees provide separation between various theme-based sections and there are several spots surrounded by trees and other foliage that are like a natural oasis in the middle of the bustle of the amusement park with play structures for the kids, benches, and picnic tables.
Visitors come to these areas to take a break, rest, and snack before going back to the rides.
In one of those resting areas…
Talia sat on the ground, with her back facing a big tree that was further away from the people who sat at the picnic tables. She hugged her knees and stared blankly at the grass in front of her.
She had no idea how far she walked. Her intention was to distance herself from the situation and to not interrupt Alpha Damon and two women who were trying to seduce him, but now it seems that she caused trouble.
Will Alpha Damon be upset when he realizes that she is missing? Will he even notice her absence?
Talia was dejected. If Damon wanted to flirt with women, why did he bring her along?
She told herself not to get attached, yet the attachment was already there. With every minute she spent with Alpha Damon, she was getting used to his presence, and attention, and becoming more dependent on him.
Pathetic. Is this why she escaped the Red Moon pack?
Instead of spending time with an unstable Alpha who teases her whenever he gets a chance, she should focus on things that matter.
Talia already decided to learn cooking and how to fight, and if she can get a job to help in the hospital, that will be a huge bonus. But instead of studying, she ended up following Alpha Damon here.
Why are they here? Alpha Damon is a busy man with no time to dawdle in the amusement park, and he definitely didn't come here so that she can have fun.
If she was focused, she would not come here and waste time. She would study and help in the kitchen, or even just reading news articles is better than this.
Yes, it should be fun, but it's not.
When they arrived at the amusement park, Talia was carried away by the noise and colors and the good mood and she forgot who she is. How can she enjoy here when her next meal and a place where she will sleep depend on the mood of someone else? How is this different from how she lived at the Red Moon pack? Sure, her room is better and she has fancy clothes, but she is still weak and useless. This won't do.
A man clearing his throat got Talia's attention, and she realized that three men were standing in front of her.
All three of them looked like they are in their early thirties, with neat hairstyles, polo t-shirts, and jeans. Overall, they looked tidy, but their smiles made Talia uncomfortable.
From her personal experience, when someone comes sneakily that close and smiles... it can't be good.
Talia scrambled to her feet and her back was glued to the trunk of the tree as she eyed them suspiciously.
The man in the middle spoke, "Don't be afraid. We came here to check if you are OK."
The man on the left continued, "Yeah. You look distressed and alone. Are you alone?"
"She is with me.", a gruff voice came from Talia's left and her heart skipped a beat when she saw Damon's icy-blue eyes directed at her.
Damon extended his hand toward Talia. "Come here, love."
Talia bit her lower lip nervously. She left Alpha Damon, yet he came to find her, and he even called her love to put a show for these three men.
Was Alpha Damon angry?
Yes, he was angry, but at the moment their eyes met, the uneasiness in Damon's chest disappeared and he knew that Talia was relieved to see him.
Damon wiggled his fingers, reminding Talia that he was still waiting, and she put her hand into his without further delay.
Damon's fingers wrapped around Talia's hand, and he pulled her to stand behind him.
"Do we have a problem?", Damon asked three men.
The middle one raised his hands. "No problem. We saw a girl here, she looked in distress, and we came to check if she was OK. There is no more to it."
The man on the left added. "She is a beautiful girl. You shouldn't leave her on her own. There are all kinds of scoundrels in the area."
Damon didn't buy their story. The three of them looked like scoundrels. But he didn't want to cause a commotion here in open, so he responded with a stiff nod. "I will keep that in mind."
As three men walked away, Damon turned to Talia.
Talia met Damon's stare reluctantly, unsure what to say. His chest heaved and she was confident that he was angry. Should she apologize?
Before she could say anything, Talia found herself in Damon's embrace and his lips landed on her forehead.
This time, she was confident that Damon kissed her there. Why would he do that?
Talia was not sure what to do, so she just stood stiffly.
Damon wanted to kiss her everywhere and to squeeze her until they merge into one so that they are always together, but he knew that would be too much and Talia would probably freak out.
For a moment, he really thought that she was gone, and he was on the verge of losing his mind, but then he saw her sitting under the tree and he stood on the side and observed her while trying to guess what's going on in that pretty head of hers.
He also stayed on the side for a reason that he was mentally unstable and if he went to Talia he would probably say things he would regret forever, so he gave himself some time to calm down.
But then those three guys approached Talia, and Damon couldn't just stand on the side.
Damon thought that he will explode in anger, but the moment she placed her hand in his, all fury was replaced with helplessness at the realization that his other half thinks he is not good enough. Were those her feelings or his? Damon was not sure.
Why did she run away? Why did she leave him alone?
"Don't leave me, Talia…", Damon murmured, and her heart cracked under the weight of emotions that washed over her.
