Damon groaned softly while pushing his wolf at the back of his mind and when he opened his eyes, he met Talia's concerned gaze directed his way.
"Is something wrong?", she asked.
He didn't want to lie to her. "My wolf wants to meet you."
Talia's heart fluttered. She saw werewolves in their wolf form from the distance and she really wanted to see Damon's wolf. "I would like to meet him also. Can I?"
Damon took a moment to organize his thoughts before responding. "He is very eager to spend time with you, but I am afraid that he might do something… unexpected." Like jumping on you and marking you.
"Do you think he will harm me?", Talia guessed.
"Not on purpose.", Damon said right away. "Wolves follow their instincts and give in to their urges even when they know that what they are about to do is wrong. When I confirm that he is calm, I will let you meet him. I don't want to take any risks with you, kitten."
Talia didn't understand but she knew that Damon must have his reasons for giving her such a vague response. She decided to shift the topic a bit.
"It must be nice to have someone in your head to talk to."
Damon assumed that she was talking about the mind-link. "Yeah. The whole pack. It can be noisy at times."
"No, I meant, your wolf."
Damon paused. How does she know that he can talk to his wolf? But she spoke about it like it's common. "Do you think it's normal for wolves to talk?"
"Isn't it?", Talia asked innocently. When she saw Damon's confused expression, she explained, "I remember that before my wolf left me, she told me that I am too weak to shift and…"
"She told you?", Damon interrupted Talia impatiently.
"Yes.", Talia confirmed earnestly.
Damon was staring at her, and Talia got uncomfortable.
"Is that wrong?"
It took Damon a few endless seconds to respond. "No, kitten. That's not wrong. However, not every wolf can talk."
"What kind of wolves can talk?"
"I know of only one. Mine.", Damon responded. His brows came together to form a serious expression. "Who all knows that your wolf can talk?"
Talia shook her head. "I didn't tell anyone. Only you."
It's not like she had a bunch of people to talk to, and even if she had company, she wouldn't talk about her wolf because it reminded her that was a wolf-less she-wolf.
"Good.", Damon said firmly. "Let's keep it at that."
Talia nodded in agreement, and then she asked apprehensively, "How many people know that your wolf can talk to you?"
Damon smiled. "Now, it's two."
Talia's eyes widened. "I won't tell anyone."
"I know you won't. I trust you."
A wave of heat invaded her cheeks. Damon told her a secret, and it seems it's a big one.
"Do you think that if my wolf is here, she would be able to talk to your wolf?", Talia asked.
Damon shrugged. "We will find out soon."
Talia paused. "How?"
Damon looked into her eyes deeply. "I believe that your wolf is not gone, but only weakened. There is a chance that by taking care of your body, she will find the strength to come back."
Talia blinked once, twice, and then things fell into place. "Is that why you want me to eat well, exercise, and see Doctor Travis regularly?"
Damon cocked an eyebrow at her. "I want you to do those things because it's good for you. If your wolf awakens, that will be a bonus."
Talia's heart swelled. No one ever cared about her so much. And now it seemed that she and Damon had something in common.
"Both of our wolves can talk", she voiced her thoughts. "Do you think that means something?"
Damon smiled. "It means that your wolf is special. It means that us meeting each other wasn't an accident." The Moon Goddess arranged for us to meet.
Damon tightened his hold on Talia and murmured against her ear, "It means we are meant to be together…"
Talia's breath hitched. Are they really meant to be together?
Regardless if that was true or not, Talia chose to believe in it, at least until they go back home.
She wrapped her arms around Damon's neck and kissed him while her soul hummed in pleasure, in harmony with Damon's.
The event hall was cleaned up overnight and tables were arranged for breakfast.
The dining room could easily accommodate thirty people, but with guests present, that wasn't enough.
Not everyone stayed overnight, but there was still a significant number of mouths to feed for breakfast.
Several long tables stood next to the wall with their offerings of fresh buns, sweet and savory pastries, fruits, scrambled eggs, sausages, ham, and hot and cold beverages. It was a buffet-style breakfast.
Omegas were moving swiftly, ensuring that there are enough clean plates and utensils for everyone and that no food is lacking.
The breakfast itself didn't last long. However, the majority of guests had plans to leave before lunchtime, so they were not in a hurry. They lingered at the tables with beverages of their choice, snacking something slowly and chatting leisurely. The atmosphere was cheerful with chatter and an occasional burst of laughter.
Some people took a stroll in the garden, taking advantage of the pleasant morning before the rising sun heated the air to unpleasant levels.
Marcy was in the event hall, at one of the tables with her mother, Luna Layla, with a mission to approach Kalina and befriend her.
Marcy was not in a good mood.
Last night, other than a disastrous encounter with Kalina in front of the ladies' room, several misses actually approached her and asked if she is really Alpha Damon's future Luna with mocking smirks, obviously insinuating that Alpha Damon was busy with another woman right under Marcy's nose.
Marcy was never so embarrassed in her life.
Then, Alpha Edward scolded her for failing to talk to Kalina, so Marcy spilled the beans about how she and Nora met Kalina in front of the restroom and how it didn't go well.
Of course, Marcy had no intention to take the burn of her father's rage, so she ratted on Nora, revealing that the latter went to Alpha Damon's room on her own, disturbed Damon's date (aka Lia), and that was the reason for Kalina dismissing them like nobodies.
Alpha Edward was furious, and he was shouting how all of them are incompetent.
When he said that they are leaving right away, Marcy assumed how that included her as well. She didn't want to spend more time at the Lightclaw pack, surrounded by gut-wrenching whispers about Alpha Damon and his date.
Everyone was discussing the incident of Alpha Damon sending Cassie to the dungeon, and how he was uncharacteristically lovey-dovey, and that he left the party early with his date in his arms. Marcy saw that those gossipers were eyeing her while talking about how lucky Alpha Damon's date is.
Marcy didn't want to stay at the Lightclaw pack a minute longer than necessary. She wanted to lock herself into her room and to stay there forever, or at least until everyone forgets who she is.
The shame was unbearable, and Marcy would probably blow up in a fit of rage, but her wolf was not there; she was still sulking because Marcy rejected George and since then, Marcy was unable to shift into her wolf form, and she was feeling weak and tired most of the time.
To Marcy's surprise, Alpha Edward told Nora to pack her things, leaving Marcy and Luna Layla behind with instructions to approach Kalina and make use of this opportunity.
Marcy had no idea how her father would punish Nora, and she didn't care.
Marcy was dejected that she was still stuck in the same unfavorable position where she needed to befriend Kalina. Unless Kalina had memory problems, she would definitely remember the incident from the previous day. How can Marcy approach her like everything is fine?
Marcy was hoping that her mother will talk some sense into her father. Unfortunately, Alpha Edward was specific about Marcy's task and Luna Layla was always submissive in front of Alpha Edward.
Marcy spent a decade away from home, but the last few weeks were enough for her to confirm how Luna Layla would never object to whatever Alpha Edward would say.
Back to the present...
Marcy was pushing a few grapes on her plate while her eyes rested at the table where Kalina and Tony were sitting for more than an hour.
People would come to the table where Kalina and Tony were, stay for some time before moving on, and then the next group would approach them, and Marcy knew that her time was running out. If she delays this further, she was risking that Kalina will leave, and she will totally blow her chance.
Marcy knew that she needed to move, but she was not willing.
First, her yesterday's meeting with Kalina was a total flop, and second, she was dejected to see how everyone was sucking up to Kalina as the future Luna, while Marcy was being ridiculed.
Isn't she the future Luna of the Dark Howlers pack? Even without that, she was the princess of the Red Moon pack, the second largest pack in North America, and everyone should come to befriend her yet... it didn't happen. Instead of that, Marcy was the one who needed to approach some nobody who was just lucky to be the mate of the future Alpha.
To add salt to the wound, Tony was hovering around Kalina like she is the center of everything, yet Alpha Damon didn't even check on Marcy and she was confident that he knew she was in attendance.
How can Marcy not have grievances?
