Damon looked at Talia with sparkles in his eyes and his heart expanded from happiness.
She knows.
Finally.
But why was she frowning? What's up with those negative emotions?
"Kitten? What's wrong?"
"Are you sure this is not a mistake?"
Damon shook his head at the silly girl. "There is no mistake, kitten. We are mates. My wolf told me even before I saw you."
"So… you knew we were mates when you came to the attic in the Red Moon pack?"
"Yes."
"And when we met in the kitchen before that?"
"Yes.", he responded reluctantly, hoping that she won't bring up their encounter before that one because it involved Macy sucking him off.
Of course, Talia didn't want to think about Marcy between Damon's legs, even though that image flashed in her mind.
"And that's why you brought me to your pack?", Talia asked.
"OUR pack.", Damon corrected her before adding, "It was either you come here, or I move in with you to the attic. You must admit that this is more comfortable."
Talia was not sure what to do with this information. She was remembering how Damon came into the attic, and how he held her, and then he sneaked out of the Red Moon pack in the attic, their short stay in the hotel, and her arrival to the Dark Howlers pack, and there was also an inevitable thought about… "If you knew we were mates, why did you allow Cassie to come? Was that to show me my place? Did you want me to know how you can have any…"
"Stop.", Damon interrupted her. "I didn't invite Cassie to come. Steph told me that Cassie was on her way, but I was overwhelmed by the fact that I found my mate, and I forgot about her."
Talia noticed that Damon often forgets women who are buzzing around him, and she couldn't figure out if that's his idea of being cool or he really has memory problems. Whichever it was, it put her in an awkward situation.
"You forgot that Cassie was coming, but you definitely noticed when she arrived. Why didn't you tell her to leave? Or did you enjoy the scene when she accused me of stealing food?" Talia vividly remembered Cassie clinging onto Damon's arm who just stood there and didn't do anything to clarify the situation. "With Cassie's personality, even if she didn't accuse me of stealing stuff and slapping me, she would find some other way to get on my case."
Damon's stomach was full of painful knots. "You have no idea how sorry I am for allowing that to happen. I thought that if I ignore her, she will leave in a few days. I didn't want Cassie to suspect we are mates, because she would target you and spread the word about your importance, and at that time you were so fragile. I was protecting you."
"Protecting me? With lies? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Would you believe me?", Damon responded with a question. "Even with the sparks, you are doubtful."
"I don't doubt we are mates, but I doubt if the Moon Goddess made a mistake."
Damon could feel Talia's insecurities and he did his best to dispel them. "You are beautiful, smart, kind, and amazing in every way possible. Since I laid my eyes on you, no other woman exists for me."
"Is that why you rejected Marcy as your Luna?"
"No. I went to the Red Moon pack with the goal to reject her, but just saying I was not willing wouldn't work, so I had to go there and play along like I'm considering it.", Damon said without missing a beat. "Kitten, don't do this. There is a reason why we met and why I fell for you. You are my other half and I am yours."
"You are saying those things only because of the bond."
Damon cocked an eyebrow at Talia. "Would it make you feel better if I said that I fell in love with your ass? Or with the way your nipples harden in my mouth?" He chuckled at her outraged expression. "I feel in love with your soul, and that is why everything about you is perfect, for me. You are my mate, my moon, my Luna. No one else can fill in that position."
Damon reached to hold her cheeks and Talia moved away despite delicious sparks that danced over her skin the moment his fingers touched her skin. When Damon is that close, she can't think about anything other than getting closer.
Talia could feel his dejection, and this time she knew he didn't like her refusal of his touch. Her instinct was to comfort him, but she had to say what was on her mind.
"I can't, Damon. I have no idea about leading a pack or managing a household. I am weak. I can't even take care of myself. I'm not the Luna you need."
Damon was not willing to give up. "I'm fine with the way you are right now, and regardless of the new things you learn and how you redefine yourself, I will be fine with that also. I will believe in you until you believe in yourself."
"What if that never happens?"
"Then, I will believe in you forever."
Damon felt Talia's defenses melting and he leaned closer for a kiss, only to be met with Talia's fingers pressing against his lips, preventing that kiss from happening.
"You can't make such promises.", Talia said. "You don't know what will happen in the future."
Damon took Talia's hand in his and placed it over his chest, pressing with his palm firmly. "Do you feel this, kitten? My heart is beating for you. We will take this slow and announce it to our people whenever you are ready. I can promise that no matter what, I will be by your side. We will figure it out, together. The only question is, are you willing to stay by my side?"
Talia was not sure how to cope with the changes this day brought. That morning, she thought of herself like someone who is borrowing temporary patches of happiness by being with Damon. After hurtful words from Lisa, Talia searched for solace in the forest, but then her soul cried when she rogues hurting Damon, and now he told her that they are mates, and he was talking about their future, together.
Could she be his Luna? The Luna of the Dark Howlers pack? She didn't think so.
But then… if someone told her a few weeks back that she will get to see this side of Damon, where he was anxiously waiting for her response, she would call that person a liar.
Somehow, Damon had the power to make impossible things possible. He took her out of that attic, and he gave her a life she only dreamed about and supported her requests to do things on her own, to learn and grow, and now he was talking about forever… the two of them.
Regardless of anything, Talia was aware that she was completely in love with him.
Can she stay away from him? Absolutely not.
As Talia's emotions reflected her thoughts, Damon had a feeling that a kiss is a go, and he leaned to peck her lips once, twice… "It's amazing with the sparks, isn't it?", he murmured.
"Yes…", she breathed. It was the first time to have that lips-to-lips contact since she started feeling the sparks, and her lips were tantalizingly numb, yet super sensitive at the same time. She really wanted to feel more of it, and Damon didn't let her wait for long.
"Don't worry about anything, kitten.", Damon spoke between kisses. "I will take care of anything you find overwhelming. I only need you to say that you are mine. Are you mine?"
"Yes.", Talia responded with a smile and looked into his icy-blue eyes that were reflecting a myriad of emotions.
"I am Talia Blake. The only one who can call herself Mrs. Blake. As for anything else… give me time."
Damon thought how that was acceptable. "We have all the time in the world."
Damon felt a big load falling off his chest. The secret was out, and Talia accepted him as her mate.
Part of him feared that she might reject him, but now that the danger passed, he was able to fully immerse himself into Talia's presence.
The next thing will be marking. Should he do it right now? Or should he wait for his wolf to awaken from the slumber? They waited for so long, that an additional day or two won't make much difference. Probably.
He really wanted to bite her.
Talia latched herself onto Damon, voluntarily losing herself in his embrace that was enhanced by the delicious sparks that made her feel alive. Everything he did was amazing, yet she really wanted more.
Their kisses quickly turned hungry.
Damon tugged on Talia's hospital gown, exposing her body for him to feast upon, and her soul hummed in pleasure at the sparks that converged at her core.
The machines were beeping loudly, but both Damon and Talia were lost in the haze of their arousal and didn't notice anything out of place until the door of their room flew open and Travis stormed in.
"Ah!", Talia screamed while pulling the cover higher to conceal her breasts.. Yes, Damon's torso was obscuring Travis's view of Talia's body, but that only made it more awkward.
