After a few torturously long seconds under Talia's scrutinizing gaze, Damon thought of something to explain his erratic behavior.
"Your skin is pale. You should cover up so you don't get sunburns."
Talia wanted to say that everyone else is down to their swimsuits and just fine, but then she looked at herself. She really was pale. Actually, every person other than Talia was tanned to some degree, and her skin appeared super-white among that bunch of people. That's because she spent most of the time in the attic, and since she came to the Dark Howlers pack she was busy and didn't go much in the sun.
Talia wondered if Damon was right. Will her skin get sunburns?
She couldn't imagine that he would lie about something like that, and his concern seemed genuine.
Talia was never like this in the sun, so she was not sure, but still… "Even if I burn, I will heal quickly."
Damon shook his head, indicating how that's not acceptable. "How can I allow you to suffer? Any scratch or burn on you hurts me thousand times over. I asked Omegas to bring sunscreen. Be good and stay with me until then." Covered up. And there was no one coming with the sunscreen. Talia should just stay with him for the rest of the day.
Talia couldn't believe this. "But they are playing with the ball now. By the time sunscreen arrives, the game will be over."
Damon was never so conflicted. He wanted Talia to be happy, but he couldn't leave her so exposed for others to see either.
He got an idea.
"Here…", he reached to the side. "Wear my t-shirt. That should do it." His t-shirt looked like a baggy minidress on her, so it was acceptable.
Talia looked at the t-shirt he was holding and then at his expectant expression, and she thought of something... "Is this because I'm exposed?"
It wouldn't be fair. He was in his swim trunks only. They talked about it!
And this was a beach. Everyone was wearing swimwear!
"What? No!", Damon lied with a straight face. "I am just concerned about your skin. Now put this on and you can go and play, and I won't worry about you."
Talia didn't want to argue. She wanted to play with her girlfriends in the water!
Talia grabbed Damon's t-shirt and pulled it over her head while Damon held the towel around her so that it doesn't fall down and reveal her body for others to see.
With that, Talia sent Damon an air-kiss and dashed into the water.
Damon was sure that some already got a peek of Talia's beauty before he wrapped her in the towel, and Damon was ready to gauge their eyes out!
A minute ago...
While Damon and Talia negotiated for Talia to wear Damon's t-shirt, Axel used this opportunity to approach Maddox who was still struggling to set up an umbrella. The holding bar was crooked under Maddox's manhandling, but he was not giving up.
"What's the situation there?", Axel asked while gesturing with his chin toward Damon and Talia. "Did you find out anything new?"
Maddox looked at Axel in confusion and it took him a few seconds to remember that he and Axel were plotting to come here and expose Damon's and Talia's relationship. However, that was before Maddox knew that Talia and Damon are mates.
Maddox recorded Damon and Talia dancing and being lovey-dovey during Kalina's party at the Lightclaw pack and he sent those to Axel together with selected information. Maddox wanted Axel to be his accomplice, and possibly take the blame if Damon discovers them and blows a fuse. That's why Axel was here and now Maddox was not sure what to say.
"There are some developments.", Maddox said mysteriously.
Axel leaned closer, obviously wanting to know more. "Well?"
"I don't know if you heard, but I found my mate.", Maddox said with a big smile. "Tatiana Wilkow. She is the one in the black and golden bikini."
Axel wanted to say how he was asking about Talia and Damon (well, Talia mostly), but he didn't want to appear rude. "Congratulations on finding your Luna. Should I assume that you are totally focused on her now and you forgot about our plans?"
Maddox pressed his lips into a line. What plans? They only spoke about coming here and then figuring out something!
In front of Axel's disappointed gaze, Maddox felt guilt swelling within him and he couldn't pretend that he doesn't know anything.
"Axel", Maddox called. "I advise you to stay out of it."
Axel was alerted. "Out of what?"
"Their relationship is not simple."
"Not simple? What do you mean? Can you stop talking in riddles?"
Maddox was exasperated. Why can't Axel understand hints?
Damon told Maddox that he and Talia are mates, and how that was not a secret, yet it shouldn't be publicized either. Maddox didn't know if Axel belongs to the group of friends who can know about it, or if he was part of the general public. There was only one person who could decide that.
"You will need to ask Damon.", Maddox said.
Axel exhaled in frustration. "Every time I bring up Talia in front of Damon, he looks at me like he wants to rip my head off."
"And that should tell you that their relationship is not simple."
"Why can't you tell me?"
"Because it's not mine to tell.", Maddox responded right away. "You said it. Damon is protective of her. I don't want to say something I shouldn't and get on his bad side. If you want to know what's going on, it's better to ask him directly."
Axel understood that Maddox won't tell him. Well, he can't force him.
Axel gave Maddox a stiff nod and turned to see Omegas arriving with a bundle of white cloth and long bars that will be used to frame the structure which will hold the canopy.
"You can stop fiddling with that umbrella.", Axel said.
"Damn it!", Maddox cursed under his breath when he saw what Omegas were bringing. Caden was telling them where to set up the canopy.
Maddox threw the bent umbrella on the side and walked in large strides toward the source of his anger. "Damon! I want an explanation!"
Damon laughed and dashed into the lake with Maddox hot on his trail.
Two big guys rushed into the lake through the girls, splashing them in the process.
"Are you racing!?", Maya shouted after Damon and Maddox.
Of course, two Alphas didn't respond. They both dove underwater.
Damon was confident that he can outswim Maddox and he had no intention of stopping until Maddox cools off.
Maya looked at Caden questionably who was standing on the beach.
'What's going on?', Maya asked Caden through the mind-link.
Caden scratched the back of his head. 'I'm not sure.'
Well, Caden had a hunch, but he didn't think that two Alphas will act so childishly in public for everyone to see.
