Based on Damon's lack of reaction at the mentioning of Marcy being Damon's Luna, Caden confirmed that Damon had issues with his head and that was scary because Damon was an Alpha, and the fate of the whole pack was in his hands. He needed to get Damon to open up, at least a little bit.
"We know each other for a long time, Damon. I can see that something is weighing on your mind. Talk to me. I was your wingman since middle school."
Seeing Caden's earnest expression, Damon hesitated. Caden was always by his side as his Beta and as his friend, and if not for Caden watching his back, those Elders would get him many times. Damon shook his head while thinking that this memory issue made him paranoid.
Regardless of if Marcy was a good Luna candidate or not, the mere fact that Damon was being forced into that union was making him reject her. What's the point of being an Alpha of the largest pack in North America if others can dictate his actions? No one can make Damon do anything against his will. No one!
"Can you jog my memory a bit? What stunt did Alpha Edward pull so that Marcy comes here?"
"You really don't remember?", Caden asked. It was not Alpha Edward, but it was Talia who said that Marcy should come so that Damon can deal with her. Even Caden was not sure why Damon agreed with that ridiculous request, but both Damon and Talia were confident how that was the right thing to do, yet now Damon seemed to be oblivious. This was worse than Caden thought.
Caden pointed at the second desk in the study. "Do you remember who sits there? Did you forget why you went on a vacation?"
Damon was still shaking his head. "No."
'Caden!', Maya's voice boomed in Caden's head. 'Where are you? Talia is here and we are waiting for you.'
'Coming.', Caden responded.
Maya warned him not to push Damon's buttons before they come up with a plan, but Caden had to say something.
"You went to the cabin, and asked that no one disturbs you and…", Caden paused.
It's not that Caden didn't want to tell Damon, but Caden knew that this behavior of Damon burying himself in work was Damon before Talia. Damon would spend his days stuck in the study, and when training with warriors was not enough to release steam, Damon would go and find himself a few women to keep busy for a night, and then the cycle would repeat.
If Damon truly reverted to that, he would not listen to anything related to mates, and if Caden brought up Talia, Damon would call him crazy, and probably kick him out. The only way this would work was for Damon to remember on his own.
"Do you expect me to tell you what you are missing?", Caden asked. "Will you believe me if I tell you that you met your perfect Luna? In two days from now, we have a pack run that the two of you should lead."
"I found my Luna?", Damon asked with disbelief obvious on his face.
"Three nights ago, there was a party, Damon. All Elders were here. Do you remember that?"
Damon's nod stopped abruptly as Caden continued to rain questions, "What happened at that party? Do you remember talking about the pack run? Who was sitting by your side?"
Caden frowned at the sight of Damon who looked at him with a blank face.
"I am telling you as a friend, Damon. Instead of burying yourself in work and risking to make wrong decisions because you don't remember some things, I suggest that you face the elephant in the room. What do you remember from our trip to the Red Moon pack last month?"
Damon frowned. "I remember us going there, Luna Layla welcomed us while making excuses for the rest of her family not being present, luxurious dining room, inspecting warriors. Alpha Edward wanted me to come up with a date when Marcy will be my Luna, but I was not willing." How did he leave without committing to a date or exposing Marcy as not worthy?
"What about our trip back, Damon? How did we get back?"
Damon paused. "In a car, maybe?"
"You don't remember, do you? How far did you go with Marcy?"
An image of Marcy kneeling between his legs flashed in his mind, and her bare ass, but that was it. There was a memory of him taking Nora from behind, but it was fuzzy like it happened to someone else, and he just listened to the story.
"You didn't shag Marcy, even though she was throwing herself at you. You had more than one opportunity to have a go at her, yet you didn't. Do you know why?"
"No.", Damon admitted.
"When we came from the Red Moon pack, Cassie was here. Did you sleep with her?"
Damon remembered Cassie, but nothing more than interaction in the common areas downstairs. "I don't think so."
"How did Cassie leave? Do you remember Maya escorting Cassie after she assaulted our pack member? Who was the MVP of the tournament at the Summer Solstice festival? Who was your date at the Luna announcement party at the Lightclaw pack? Do you remember why the Steelbite pack is giving us an annual tribute? When was the last time you bedded a woman, Damon?"
Damon was frustrated. "Is there a point in these questions, Caden?"
"Since we returned from the Red Moon pack, our lives changed, your life changed, for the better. Look around and notice what is different and remember why before you hurt the people who are dear to you."
Damon couldn't believe that Caden left the study just like that.
Did Caden think that Damon didn't try? Even his wolf was not responding, damn it!
Damon knew that something was off, really off, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
But… Caden mentioned the second desk in the office, and he said that Damon should look around. Was it really possible that someone was sharing his office? It was not Caden nor Maya, they have their space. Who could it be?
Damon stood up slowly and sat on the chair in front of the second desk. The laptop was closed, there was a pencil holder, and otherwise, it was clean. He opened the drawer on the side to see a few notebooks, and when he flipped through them, he saw clumsy handwriting that would belong to a middle schooler. And the content appeared to be matching, maybe high school. Did he adopt a child? A big one?
It didn't make sense.
He opened the laptop that lit up with 'Welcome Talia'.
Damon blinked. Talia. Where did he hear that name? He remembered the girl who was with him in the cave when he woke up.
Did she infiltrate his packhouse before she kidnapped him? But then… she didn't trick only him, but Caden and probably Maya as well. What about Stephanie?
Damon's head ached and he realized that his memories were flakier than he thought. When was the last time he spoke with Stephanie in person?
He had no idea what to think about this, but he had a strong hunch that this was related to the Red Moon pack and Marcy. Caden told him to face the problem head-on. Maybe if he talks to Marcy things will fall into place?
