The dawn was peeking through the window of the master bedroom on the third floor of the packhouse.
Damon and Talia didn't get any sleep, and for the first time since they got together, the lack of sleep was not due to the copious amount of carnal pleasures.
When Doctor Travis arrived at the house where Marcy was, he did a quick checkup to confirm that her condition improved significantly and that she should wake up soon.
Knowing that Damon and Talia had a lot on their hands, Travis offered to stay back with Marcy so the duo can go to the packhouse and rest.
"I will contact you if any changes happen.", Travis said. "This is the least I can do for my Alpha and Luna. Please, allow me to contribute…"
Damon accepted Travis' offer because Talia was tired after using her ability, but since they got in bed, Talia was tossing and turning, the much-needed sleep refused to take over. Her proximity and sparks were turning him on, and her addictive scent added to his arousal, but Damon knew that Talia was exhausted, and he kept his hands to himself.
Travis sent updates every hour, and they knew that Marcy's condition was steadily improving. Based on Travis' estimates, Marcy should wake up sometimes during the next day, if not sooner.
Back to the present…
"Why don't you sleep?", Damon asked Talia.
"I have a lot on my mind.", Talia said.
"It will all be alright.", Damon assured her.
She let out a long breath. "How do you know?"
"Because we are together.", Damon responded matter-of-factly. "I'm sure that most of the people by now know that I found my Luna. No more secrets, kitten. There are many things ahead of us, good and bad. Among all of them, I look forward to walking through Darkbourne while holding your hand for everyone to see."
Talia's lips stretched into a smile as she imagined a sunny day, and the two of them walking hand-in-hand with no one giving them strange or derisive looks because they would know that she belongs there, by his side. It was a pleasant mental image.
Talia's smile faltered when she remembered that they have a number of challenges to cross until that can come true. And one thing seemed more daunting than the other.
She sounded brave in the study, but the truth was that she was a nervous wreck. The pack run was coming, and she had no idea about shifting. And then there was Alpha Edward who will definitely throw a fit when he finds out that Damon introduced his Luna, and it was not Marcy. What if the war is coming? And she was also anxious about the marking, and her not understanding her powers… there were a lot of things.
Talia hugged Damon tightly and buried her face in his chest, taking deep breaths and allowing his addictive scent of the forest and dark chocolate to carry her into their lovey-dovey bubble where it's just the two of them and nothing else.
Damon could feel her insecurities bubbling, and he felt helpless in easing her troubles. Talia was prone to overthinking things, and at that moment Damon didn't have quick solutions. The only thing they could do was to face challenges as they come and to prepare for them to the best of their abilities. Lack of sleep wouldn't help.
"I wish that you rest", Damon said. "Try to sleep. Even an hour or two is better than nothing."
Talia looked up at him. "My turbulent mind is not letting me sleep. Maybe you can distract me."
Damon's lips lifted into a smile. "What do you have on your mind?"
Talia scooted higher and he thought that she will kiss him, but Talia's lips latched to the side of his neck, her tongue moved in circles, each sending electric pulses through his body.
He squeezed her buttocks harshly and buried his face in the crook of her neck, returning the favor of kissing and licking her neck, and within a minute their bodies were entangled, and outrageous sounds filled the space.
In the bathroom of a guest bedroom on the second floor…
George pulled a t-shirt over his head and fixed his hair while checking himself in the mirror to ensure he was visually presentable.
When he got out of the bathroom, he paused at the sight of the blonde woman sleeping soundly on the bed. Dawn. That was his mate, his second chance of happiness… and he was determined not to mess it up. Dawn was caring and she didn't object to him marking her right away, and that was all he ever wanted from a mate; acceptance and assurance that they will stay together no matter what. That's how it should be.
He smiled at the memory of Dawn telling him how she will support him. It was heartwarming to know that someone was willing to take care of him.
George took a deep breath that filled his chest with the scent of cinnamon that permeated the air. He felt saliva pooling in his mouth because he associated that scent with Dawn's flavors. She was delectable.
Now that he experienced a true mate bond, George thought how he was silly to have hopes about Marcy who rejected him on the spot. However, if he didn't cling to Marcy, he wouldn't meet Dawn, and he wouldn't get his second chance, so in a way… even his futile fight against Marcy's rejection served a purpose because it led to a happy ending. For him, at least. As for Marcy, he didn't have any form of pity for her. His whole life George suffered because of the Redmayne family, and Marcy proved that she was no better. After the hell she put him through, he was glad that his wolf stopped urging him to get close to her and salvage what was left. It was pathetic.
George hated the idea of leaving Dawn behind, but he needed to talk to Alpha Damon, and he didn't want to wake her up. Besides, he still didn't tell her about his real identity, and he didn't want Dawn to find out about it from Alpha Damon.
But, what if she wakes up in his absence? Won't she think that he abandoned her?
Since they found out they were mates, George and Dawn spent most of their time indulging in carnal pleasures and exchanging sweet nothings, but that was not enough to establish a trustworthy relationship.
George thought about what to do, and then he decided to leave her a note.
He found a piece of paper and a pen and scribbled a few words so that Dawn knows he went to settle some things and he will return when done. George hoped that he will be back before she woke up.
'Settling things' meant discussing what Alpha Damon wanted to talk about, and George had a feeling that it included his real identity and dealing with the fallout from last night. He had no idea why Alpha Damon didn't expose him, but he pushed his anxiety away. He will deal with it as it comes.
