Talia was sitting on Damon's lap and relishing the feeling of his firm arms around her.
They were on a bench in the closet, yet she felt content like they are in the most romantic place on Earth.
Her sight moved to the left side of the closet, and she smiled a little. The willful Alpha really moved her clothes into his room. Doesn't this mean that they are living together? Officially.
"Are only my clothes here, or…?", Talia's voice trailed, and she waited for Damon to respond.
"Your toiletries are in the bathroom and everything else is on the sofa in the sitting area, waiting for you to find its place.", he responded, and she could hear that he was smiling.
"Does that mean that the room across the hall is unused again?", Talia asked.
Damon hummed in confirmation while thinking how that could be the perfect nursery. Yup, he will impregnate Talia and that room will belong to their son or daughter, just how it was his when he was a child.
But he didn't want to tell that to Talia now. It was too soon and she would either not believe him or freak out.
There was another thing he wanted to say.
"Later today, another desk will arrive in my office so that you can have your workspace in OUR office."
Yes, there were plenty of unused rooms in the packhouse that could turn into Talia's study, but Damon wanted to have her in his visual range, so… this will work.
Talia looked at him and blinked. "What if you have an important meeting?" Will he chase her away then?
Damon smiled and shook his head. "I have no secrets from you, kitten." Other than them being mates, but he will tell her that. Soon.
Talia's heart swelled, rejecting any sprouting negativity. She didn't want anything to ruin this happiness that came with a sense of belonging.
Yes, this bliss is temporary, but is there anything in life that's forever? No.
Talia's arms circled around him, and she sank further into the comfort of Damon's embrace while telling herself that right now, this moment with Damon is perfect and it's enough. It has to be.
Damon kissed her temple and Talia let out a satisfying sigh.
He could feel that Talia lulled herself into peaceful enjoyment and he was happy about it.
This was the most skin-to-skin contact they had so far, and he relished all the sparks that penetrated into his system, urging him to get closer.
Talia was his drug.
Damon realized that what he felt for Talia was not an ordinary love. She was the center of his world, and he didn't remember how he survived before Talia entered his life.
Damon held Talia's hand and led the way down the hallway of the main floor of the packhouse.
Talia was distracted by his body that was covered only with a tank top and training shorts. Damon's physique is impressive and no matter how much she sees the tight landscape of his muscles, it's never enough.
When Damon opened the last door on the right, Talia understood why he asked her to wear clothes for exercise.
The room had two walls covered with mirrors, and there were two treadmills, two rowing machines, two ellipticals, two benches with weights on the side, two sandbags, and an area with an exercising mat.
All machines were facing a wall that had mirrors and big television, just below the ceiling.
"I didn't know that the packhouse has a gym.", Talia said.
Damon smirked mysteriously. This was not a gym before yesterday.
He ordered Omegas to set up this room as soon as he realized that Keith is Talia's personal trainer.
Damon has no issues with Talia training, but he won't allow that wretched coach anywhere near Talia and those horny werewolves (aka his pack members) are not worthy of watching Talia's scarcely dressed form.
Talia looked around before turning to Damon with a smile. "This is fantastic." And very convenient. Like this, she doesn't need to go to the training center, and she can shower nicely in her room.
Talia's thoughts halted when she realized that she is now staying in Damon's room.
He didn't move into his room only her clothes, but her toiletries, the flowery garland that she is drying for him, the Cinderella book, and even Blackie and Cinna are now in Damon's room.
Talia wondered, why was Blackie on the sofa while Cinna was on the floor? But she just assumed that Cinna fell accidentally because whoever transferred things didn't pay attention.
While thinking about the new living arrangements, Talia smiled because this confirmed she will sleep with Damon every night, and she could imagine them doing their morning routine side-by-side in the bathroom.
Will they share a toothpaste?
Ah! Will they shower together?
Well, considering what Damon did to her in the closet earlier, it's only a matter of time before they get frisky under the shower. Talia's cheeks heated at that thought.
She forced herself to focus on the present.
Gym.
Training.
"Will Keith come here to train me?"
Damon looked at Talia's bashful expression while asking about Keith and his mood worsened.
"I will train you.", Damon said stiffly. "Coach Keith is busy."
Talia didn't get it. "Busy with what?"
"The whole soccer team left for a month-long survival training in the mountains. As their coach, Keith is with them."
Damon thought that maybe he overreacted by sending them all to live for a month in harsh conditions, but after seeing Talia's expression, he regretted not making it longer.
The moment Damon received Keith's detailed plan on training Talia, Damon informed Keith that he has one hour to pack a backpack of necessities and wrap up any loose ends before going for a month-long training.
"Oh…", a sound escaped Talia's lips and she frowned while thinking that just yesterday she saw Keith in the training center, and he didn't mention anything.
Damon couldn't handle the jealousy that bubbled inside him.
"Tell me, Talia… do you miss him that much?"
Talia didn't get it. "What?"
Damon walked to her in slow steps, and she couldn't look away from his icy-blue orbs that locked her in place.
That was not Damon she knew.
That was a vicious predator stalking his prey.
Talia swallowed a mouthful of air while wondering what possessed him this time.
"Coach Keith…", Damon said in a dangerously low voice. "You seem to like spending time with him. Are you sorry that you won't see him for a month?"
Talia was not sure how to respond to this. Does she like spending time with Keith? "He is a nice guy, and my trainer and…"
Damon's face darkened and Talia realized something.
"Are you jealous?"
"Of Keith? Don't joke like that." Damon had no intention of admitting it and Talia calling him out took him by surprise.
No one EVER called him out like that.
Damon denied it, but somehow, Talia knew he was lying.
Her heart swelled at the thought that this was not an intimidating Alpha. This was an insecure one.
Talia couldn't believe that a guy like Damon would be insecure about her.
He is handsome, powerful, influential, confident, and she is none of that. But then… Damon is a werewolf, and they tend to claim things (and people) and it's not unusual to hear about a fierce fight over a favorite t-shirt.
Something inside Talia stirred, urging her to comfort him.
Talia closed the distance between them and gingerly wrapped her arms around Damon.
"Didn't you say that I'm yours?", Talia asked in a small voice. "I remember you saying how you had many firsts with me. I can say the same about you. I gave you my first kiss. How could I be thinking about any other man?"
All negativity dissipated from Damon in an instant, and he hugged her back with urgency.
This was the first time for Talia to initiate a hug and she kind of said that she is his. And she confirmed that he got her first kiss.
"Mine. Don't forget that.", he mumbled into her hair, and she nodded in agreement.
