Damon made his way toward the stairs, with the intention to go to his room. He needed rest, or maybe a drink because facing people without understanding what was going on was not helping.
Since he exited the portal that leads to the Midnight Guardians pack, Damon was running in his wolf form which took a toll on his body because his wolf was not there, and then he worked in the study without rest and he really wanted to shower and wash his arm where Marcy touched him. Twice. It felt dirty. Damon wondered from where that came. He touched many women and they touched him in return, and it was never a big deal, but this really felt wrong to the point of his skin crawling.
Damon was about to climb the stairs when he noticed an angry presence that rooted him in the spot. He turned slowly to see Stephanie standing there with her arms crossed over her chest.
"Damon, Damon, Damon…", Stephanie called repeatedly while shaking her head. Her face was stern, and her voice was full of disappointment, and it reminded him of the moments when his mother would scold him because he messed up big time.
What did he mess up now? Was this another thing he couldn't remember?
"What, Steph?"
"What did I tell you when you brought Talia here?"
Damon stiffened at the mention of Talia. It seemed that everyone here knew about that girl, and they all cared for her. Everyone, except Damon.
"What did you tell me?"
"You knew that she didn't have an easy life. Goddess knows why you were stubbornly keeping her here and refusing to let her relocate to another place, even though she asked for it, and Maya and I told you that's the right thing to do because everyone here was looking down on her. I thought that she made you feel something. I told you not to play with her. I told you not to harm her…"
Stephanie's words were like knives stabbing into Damon's heart.
"What makes you think I harmed her?", Damon asked.
"Are you kidding me? You went on a vacation with Talia. She was happy when she came to pick up the food for the road, only for you to return on your own and to allow that bloodsucker from the Red Moon pack to take Talia's place. Tell me, what did you do to Talia? Where is she?"
Maybe all of them thought that Stephanie was oblivious because she didn't talk about it, but she could see how Damon and Talia looked at each other, how they changed over time, and those small interactions where Talia's eyes would always search for Damon, only to find him looking at her already.
Stephanie thought it was real, but when she saw Marcy sitting at the table on Talia's spot and Damon acting like it was a totally normal thing, Stephanie had enough.
One glance at Marcy gave Stephanie a Cassie-like déjà vu. Marcy was just another she-wolf who was after Damon's money and power. Stephanie thought that after kicking out Cassie, Damon learned his lesson, but now that Marcy was acting like she was about to own this place and Damon was fine with it, Stephanie wondered if Damon was mentally challenged or if he was just thinking with his pecker. In either case, that's not how an Alpha should act if he cares about his pack. And Stephanie thought that Damon cared about the Dark Howlers pack. Maybe she was wrong. About everything.
Damon couldn't believe this. Why was Stephanie treating him like he was the bad guy? He might be many things, but he was not a person who would abuse women! Or maybe he was an abuser, the worst kind, but he forgot about that also.
"Why do you think I did anything to her?"
"Stop talking to me like I am an idiot, Damon!", Stephanie snapped. She was not talking to her Alpha, but to a grown-up man who was acting like a child and like his actions don't have consequences.
"Maybe this is some twisted game to you, but Talia came here broken and I thought you wanted to help her heal. I saw you taking care of her food, training, doctors, and you were there for her. I watched her transform from a scared girl who hides her insecurities behind a smile into a confident young woman who was glowing. I thought you were serious for once in your life. And I loved the fact that she was fixing you in return."
Stephanie's expression hardened. "If I knew that all was just an act so you can break that poor child again, I would never allow it to happen! You should know that I stayed here only because of the friendship I had with your mother. I hoped to repay Violet's kindness by helping you, but seeing you do this…" Stephanie released a long breath. "I realized that I overestimated myself. Since my presence here is a waste of time, I suggest you find someone else to manage your packhouse. I will leave before the pack run, and I hope you will allow me to take Lisa with me. No matter what she did to end up in the dungeon, I guarantee that she won't be a problem because we will be far from here."
Damon felt his stomach sinking. He didn't care much about Lisa, but Stephanie was always by his side, offering support and scolding when needed, keeping him grounded and acting like his mother. The fact that she was giving up meant he really crossed the line, and he didn't even know what that line was, damn it!
"Where will you go?"
"I don't know. I will stay with my sister at the Lightclaw pack until I figure out where to go next. No matter where I go, I will pray that The Moon Goddess forgives you for how you treated all women who fell for you, especially Talia. I knew that what happened to Violet and Jacob messed with your head, but I didn't know that it messed your heart beyond repair. Set her free, Damon. Don't make Talia pay for your mistakes."
Stephanie was about to leave, but then she remembered one more thing. "People follow you because you are a good Alpha. If you continue treating people who love you like trash, you will find yourself either all alone, or surrounded by snakes like Marcy. In either case, you will discover that managing a pack is quite difficult on your own."
Damon stared at Stephanie who gave him a sad smile and then she turned and left. Just like that.
He jabbed his hand into his hair. All this was such a mess. What the hell was going on?
Should he tell Stephanie that he doesn't remember? How will that help?
But no matter how angry Stephanie was, she actually told him more than anyone else.
Stephanie said that Talia came here in a bad state and Damon spent time with her, caring for her, and then… then what?
