Damon and Talia arrived at the parking lot of the Shifters nightclub and saw that Caden, Maya, Alpha Maddox, and Mindy were waiting for them.
Damon exited the black, armored Lexus SUV first while Talia sat obediently in her front passenger's seat.
Talia smiled at Damon's sleek butt-slide over the hood of the car as he made his way to her side of the car to open the door for her.
Damon offered her his hand, palm up with a big smile on his face that made her heart flutter while saying, "I am excited about this date, kitten."
A date? Talia's cheeks warmed as the delicious sparks of their bond danced over her skin wherever they touched. "Me too." She really was excited, and nervous also because this was the first time for them to be together in public, officially, on the territory of the Dark Howlers pack. It was a big deal.
"Totally whipped…", Maddox said under his breath while glaring at Damon who possessively held Talia around her waist the moment her feet touched the ground.
Mindy elbowed Maddox in the ribs. "Keep snarky comments to yourself."
"What's your problem?", Maddox grumbled.
"Maybe Alpha Damon is used to your harshness, but Talia is a nice girl. Don't make it awkward for her. You know that she can hear you, right?", Mindy said and looked at the duo who was now approaching them. "Besides, they look good together and you sound like a sour single guy."
Maddox rolled his eyes dramatically, but he didn't comment further. Was he a sour single? Well, not for long! He was determined to find himself company for the night and that will make him non-single. At least until morning.
Maya gave Mindy a thumbs up. She would scold Maddox also if she was not scared of him.
Talking back to Damon came on rare occasions because she knew him well, but Alpha Maddox was super-scary and Maya didn't dare to try her luck by saying something that might sound like disrespect.
Talia thought that the last time she came to the Shifters nightclub they had special treatment because Maya got them into the club without waiting in line, but now that she came with Damon, she realized what a special-special treatment was.
Everyone moved to make way for them, and most of the people bowed a little like they greeted royalty, and Talia knew those were werewolves. The few who were observing curiously were humans and even though they were clueless about Damon's identity, they could feel the solemn mood.
Even without using his Alpha aura, Damon demanded attention and submission and Talia's heart swelled at the thought of how that's her mate.
She couldn't stop staring at his handsome face that was stern and domineering, and Damon noticed.
He halted his steps and looked at her with mischief twirling in his eyes.
"If you keep on looking at me like that, I will eat you up right here.", Damon said in a low voice, only for Talia to hear, but it was inevitable that Maya, Caden, Maddox, and Mindy heard it also. They were right there, next to them!
Talia's face exploded in blush and Damon regretted teasing her because Talia was extremely cute when flustered. Instead of going into the nightclub, Damon had an urge to take her back home so that no one can see that adorable face.
Damon wanted to kiss her thoroughly, but he was painfully aware of all the audience, and he knew that Talia wouldn't approve. His hold on her tightened. "Let's go inside." His booth is dark, and he can kiss her there.
Talia held her breath when they stepped into the Shifters nightclub and within a split second, all eyes were on them.
Talia remembered the scene of Damon coming to the Shifters nightclub during the Summer Solstice festival. She was sitting at the bar, and she observed Damon who stood on the elevated platform with Caden, Maddox, Mindy, and Axel. At that time, Damon looked cool with a dangerous biker vibe, and she soaked in his presence hungrily even though she believed there was something going on between Damon and Mindy.
Talia realized that this was different. Instead of being one of many in the crowd, she was the one and only by Damon's side.
She swallowed a mouthful of air.
With so many eyes on her, Talia felt an urge to flee. She was not used to the attention, and she could hear whispers related to her identity that were like undercurrents stirring under the loud music blaring from the speakers.
[Who is that woman?]
[Alpha never brought a woman to the club.]
[Wait! Isn't that our team spirit?]
[Doesn't she look like the one who was with Alpha in the magazine?]
[Is it possible that's the same person?]
[I think I saw her in the packhouse.]
[Did our Alpha finally acknowledge a woman?]
Talia was aware of Damon's colorful past that was filled with numerous women. However, no matter how many females passed through his hands, Damon never displayed affection to any woman in public, and he would never show up with one by his side or allow her to associate herself with him, and this… was different.
Damon and Talia were standing on the platform, for everyone to see, with his arm around her waist. On their right were Damon's Betas, Maya and Caden, and on the other side were two prominent figures, Alpha Maddox and Mindy. The fact that Talia was in their company was another proof that she was not a random female, but that Damon valued her, and that further stirred the crowd to speculate about her background.
Talia felt the urge to run away. Can she run away?
She agreed to come here with Damon. Actually, she was looking forward to it.
What were her options?
With every passing moment, anxiety swelled within Talia, and she took a shaky breath while trying to compose herself. How can Damon be so calm when everyone was watching?
Right! Damon! He was the key to solving her predicament!
Talia was a nervous wreck, but Damon wasn't and if she could tap into his feelings, maybe she will find a way to survive this ordeal.
Well, there was no harm trying and she was out of ideas.
Talia focused on the invisible bond she shared with the exquisite male specimen by her side, and she felt… pride.
Talia looked at Damon as if she was trying to ascertain if she got it right.
Was he really proud of her?
Damon glanced at Talia and when their eyes met, Talia forgot how to breathe.
His endlessly icy-blue eyes smiled at her, and she knew it was true. He was proud to have her by his side.
An inexplicable emotion bloomed inside Talia's chest and her smile reflected the joy as her soul hummed in pleasure.
Her mate was proud of her.
Damon didn't see her as a nobody he found in the attic. He didn't see her as a weak she-wolf without her wolf. He never did. For him, she was Talia, his mate, his everything, and at that point, it was all it mattered.
Tears swelled in Talia's eyes as the emotions crashed on her with unexpected force. She dreamed about having a mate, a man who will accept her unconditionally and proudly show her around as his. And here was Damon, fulfilling her dream, the one she thought will never come true because she never saw herself as worthy. Isn't he amazing?
"Are you alright?", Damon's deep voice sounded close to Talia's ear. He didn't know her thoughts, but he definitely felt her fluctuating emotions and he wondered if coming here like this was too soon.
"Never better.", Talia responded and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Damon's eyebrows shoot up when he realized that Talia's lips shyly brushed against his, and he had no intention of leaving it at that.
Gasps and murmurs shook the nightclub over the loud music as the crowd in the Shifters observed the scene of their Alpha being kissed while standing on the entry platform, that was something like a stage, for everyone to see. And it's not that he didn't push the bold female away, but he actually embraced her and kissed her back.
Alpha Damon kissing a woman in public! That was unheard of!
Yes, they saw the kissing picture in the WW Magazine, but seeing a picture and witnessing it live were two different things.
It was monumental, like seeing a unicorn or some other animal everyone believed was extinct, and many phones were directed at the couple that was embracing each other to record the sight that will definitely change the world.
Katya was behind the bar as the owner of Shifters nightclub and as part of the crowd who observed the scene of Damon and Talia kissing.
She had no doubts about Talia's identity. How can she not recognize the only woman her brother showed interest in? And she also knew that because Damon appeared with Talia in public, Damon acknowledged Talia as a woman who is important. Definitely a girlfriend, and maybe even more.
Katya was aware that her brother is capable, but there was nothing he could do when the other guy is an Alpha.
Katya was not looking forward to the day when Keith will return from the training in the mountains because she knew that her baby brother will be heartbroken.
