"Don't worry about it, Meg. I understand.", Cassandra said with a smile when Talia didn't greet her respectfully, even after Meg's reminder. "Kai was also ignoring protocols when he brought you here. The mate bond makes us do things we can't control. You can get a chair for Talia."
"Is it safe?", Meg asked.
Cassandra confirmed. "He won't hurt her."
"Why do you think Damon will hurt me?", Talia asked warily.
Cassandra glanced at Damon and then spoke to Talia, "His powers are awakening, and we still don't know what they are. At this point, he is unstable and might harm others unintentionally. That's why he is here. But you are his mate, and as such, his abilities won't work on you."
Talia was not sure if that made sense. If abilities don't work on mates, how was she able to heal him? But she didn't care about the details. Even if Damon was about to destroy everything in his reach, she had no intention of stepping away from him.
"How is he?", Talia asked.
"He is stable, but not responding to medications as expected.", Cassandra responded. "We are increasing the dose gradually. He is strong."
Talia smiled a little as pride swelled within her. Yes, Damon is the strongest.
Cassandra gestured to Meg to leave. "I'm sure that Talia will want some privacy."
"I will come and get you for lunch. In about one hour.", Meg said to Talia and she left before Talia responded.
Talia definitely wanted privacy, but Damon was unwell and she had many questions. "Cassandra, can you tell me what's happening?"
Cassandra stopped in her tracks and turned to face Talia.
"What do you want to know?"
"Everything. Maybe all this...", she waved toward Damon and the glowing stone platform, "Is normal for you, but it's not for me. I want to understand the situation."
Cassandra nodded in understanding and started explaining, "The powers that are awakening are unstable at first, and can flare at the slightest stimulation. The medication we gave him is helping him absorb the powers."
"What about this platform?"
"It's helping to drain excess.", Cassandra said. Seeing that Talia pressed her lips into a line, Cassandra added, "It is not taking what's inside him. Think of it like scooping foam from the top of boiling milk to prevent spilling over the edge."
"How long will this take?"
Cassandra shrugged, indicating that she is not sure. "It depends on his body and his ability."
Talia was not happy with all these unknowns. It all sounded fine, but she had no way of confirming that it was true. But at the same time, what were her options?
Since she came here, Talia didn't let go of Damon's hand. She could confirm that his temperature was stable and he was not groaning like before. He was definitely in better shape compared to what she saw in the meadow and that told her that Cassandra is helping him.
"Thank you for explaining. I apologize for being rude. I am just worried about him.", Talia said.
Cassandra gave her a reassuring smile and left the room.
The door closed and Talia's eyes moved over the space. Chairs, cabinets with glass doors so she can see boxes inside. On the opposite wall was a table with various jars, containers, spoons, and a small weighing scale. Talia guessed those are for mixing the medicine.
Talia had a feeling that someone was watching her, but no matter how much she looked around, she didn't see any cameras. However, that didn't mean they didn't have them. She remembered the latest cameras Damon installed in the packhouse. They were tiny and came in various colors to blend in with the surroundings. Unless one looked carefully and knew what to look for, it was nearly impossible to see them.
Talia leaned over Damon and put her forehead on top of his.
"Wake up, Damon…", she called, her voice barely above a whisper. "We are in the Midnight Guardians pack. I don't know if that was the right thing to do, but I believe they can help you. Please, wake up. I need you…"
When Meg returned to take Talia for lunch, Talia was not willing to leave Damon's side, but she knew that Meg was right. She needed to eat, and a walk would do her good. In addition to that, she needed to explore this place. Something told her that she should come up with exit strategies.
"If anything changes, they will let us know.", Meg assured her.
Talia was surprised that Meg led the way down another hallway, and Talia wondered if the Midnight Guardians pack was completely underground. Is that why no one knows where they are?
Meg chatted about her life with Kai, and how she was training with him to be a Beta once Axel takes over as the Alpha. Meg was visibly excited.
"What does your family say about it?", Talia asked.
Meg's smile stiffened. "They still don't know. I mean, Axel told them that I'm mated to his future Beta and that I will be in touch when I can. I'm sure that my mother is happy to know that my mate is not from the Lightclaw pack, but still… she is probably worried."
Talia wanted to ask Meg about her plans to visit her family, but by then they were in a big space with many tables and benches for people to sit. There was a line where people stood with trays in their hands, and the scent of various foods permeated the air, making the whole space look like a cafeteria.
Windows were high on the walls, with the same dim lighting Talia saw in her room and in the room where Damon was, and she suspected that this is some artificial lightning. They were truly underground.
"Come…", Meg tugged on Talia's arm. "Kai and the guys are already there." She gestured to the left, and Talia saw Axel, Kai, and Tyler sitting at a table and waving at them.
Talia followed Meg's example and took a tray to stand in the line.
Talia noticed many curious gazes on her, but she knew it was because she was a new face.
The line moved slowly, and Talia thought of using this opportunity to get some information.
"I see you can control your ability."
"Yes.", Meg responded enthusiastically. "Actually, I'm still practicing to control my strength, but I am confident that I won't break stuff accidentally."
"And you are not glowing anymore.", Talia stated the obvious. "How long did it take you to get the hang of that?"
Meg puffed her cheeks. "At least a week for the energy to stop showing, and then two more weeks so that I don't blow up stuff accidentally."
Talia gaped at Meg. "Did you say, three weeks?"
Meg bobbed her head. "Give or take a day."
"But… It's only been a few days since you left the Dark Howlers pack."
Meg's mouth formed a big O when she realized, "No one told you. Time here passes differently."
