"You want to replace me? Your Elders won't allow it!", Marcy exclaimed desperately. Alpha Edward told her that he was working with a few Elders from the Dark Howlers pack and that Marcy will have their support once she becomes Damon's Luna.
Damon sneered. "Elders of the Dark Howlers pack barely hold any power and they definitely can't decide who will be my partner. They can accept my decision or lose their position."
Marcy looked at Damon in disbelief. Was he bluffing? That's not what her father told her, but Damon seemed confident. Now what?
It took Marcy a moment to remember an important person. "What about my father? My father won't allow it. You called me here only to embarrass me like this. My father will retaliate. Will you risk thousands of your pack members getting hurt and killed because you offended the Red Moon pack?"
Damon's anger swelled when he saw Marcy talking like she has an advantage. At first, Damon suspected that Marcy was just a pawn in Alpha Edward's hand, but now he confirmed that she was trying not only to manipulate him but actually threatened him with a war.
How twisted was her mind to think that things will end well after she said words that sounded awfully like, 'marry me or there will be a war'? She was just as power-hungry as her father.
Damon suppressed his urge to snap Marcy's neck and he kept his voice even while saying, "I am aware that Alpha Edward won't approve, but I doubt there will be a war when the news spreads how you came here to be my Luna in the company of your fated mate. What you did was showing blatant disrespect to an Alpha and you went against the Moon Goddess. No one will support such an act. Not even Alpha Edward will dare to condemn me for kicking your sorry ass out of my territory. Or would you rather that I send you into the dungeon?"
Blood drained from Marcy's face. Damon knew!
Marcy's head snapped to stare at George who looked at her with a satisfying smile on his face. But probably more irritating was that Dawn was sitting on the sofa next to George, their shoulders and hips connecting while holding hands with their fingers interlaced. Why was George allowed to sit there and enjoy with his mate when everything Marcy wanted was slipping through her fingers?
Marcy glared at Talia and spoke to Damon, "So, you will rather make this nobody your Luna instead of me who has the backing of the Red Moon pack?"
Damon narrowed his eyes at Marcy. "Just to make things clear. You should consider yourself lucky to be alive. That's how much protection of the Red Moon pack is going, but it's running thin at this point. If you call Talia names one more time, you will join Nora in the dungeon. Learn your place, Miss Marcy. No one will insult my fated mate, not even if they have the backing of the Red Moon pack."
Marcy's mind shook like a sledgehammer hit her. "Fated mate?"
Talia felt no pity for Marcy. Why did she sound like it's the first time she heard that Talia and Damon were mates? Talia was confident that Marcy should know that.
Damon's firm hold on Talia's shoulder helped Talia stabilize her emotions while facing her bully, the princess who hit her when she was at her lowest.
Talia clearly remembered seeing Marcy at the welcoming party in the Red Moon pack. People were swarming around Marcy, all with smiles on their faces, eager to leave a good impression.
Marcy had everything and what did she do? Marcy rejected her mate and came here with the intention to take Talia's mate.
Talia told Marcy that Damon was her mate. She warned Marcy to stay away, but she didn't. Talia healed Marcy so she doesn't die from breaking the mate bond, but Marcy didn't learn.
Actually, Marcy was escalating. The more Marcy thought that things were going in her favor, the more despotic Marcy's attitude was.
Talia enjoyed seeing Marcy falling off her high horse as the information sank in that she won't be Damon's Luna.
Marcy won't be Damon's anything, and Talia wanted to make sure that Marcy understood she had no chance of getting close to Damon. Not with Talia around.
Talia pulled the collar of her blouse to the side, to expose the left side of her neck, and spoke to Marcy who was staring blankly at Damon. "Just in case you forgot what I told you before, Miss Marcy..." Talia waited for Marcy to look her way before continuing, "Damon and I are mates. Fated mates. See this? Marked. Mate."
Marcy's eyes flashed in disbelief. That was a mark right there, and the way Damon's hand rested on Talia's shoulder, told Marcy that was his mark! What was Marcy supposed to do now? Give up? How can she give up when she was already here? Everyone knew that she was here to become Damon's Luna, her inbox was full of congratulations and messages how they were the perfect couple, and if she returns empty-handed, she will be the laughingstock!
Marcy turned to look at Damon pleadingly.
"But, my father…"
"Oh, for fuck's sake!", James snapped.
His emotions were all over the place because of the thing with Cornelia and he didn't have patience for this circus. He thought that by now Marcy would realize she was cornered, but it was obvious she was still struggling, and James decided to spell it out for her.
"What about father, Marcy? What do you think he will do when you go to him crying how Alpha Damon bullied you? Do you think that father will comfort you, or will he see you as failing your mission? THINK!"
Marcy's whole body jolted when James shouted, but he was not done talking.
"You should have an idea how important this was to him. Do you know how he will punish you? You grew up in Europe, so let me tell you. His favorites are silver and wolfsbane. First, he will chain you, then he will peel your skin slowly and sprinkle a mixture of silver and wolfsbane, just enough so your healing slows down but not enough to cause permanent damage, and then…"
"Stop!", Marcy shrieked and plopped back into her chair. She never saw her father doing those things, but she heard rumors. He was ruthless and there was a reason everyone feared him. But no matter how scary Alpha Edward was, it won't change her current situation. Now what?
Marcy looked around the room to see mocking smiles and eyes that were happy she was in this situation, and only Alpha Damon was looking at her seriously.
"Will you leave me like this after you had your fun?", she asked.
"Do you think I'm having fun? It was you who dragged me into your family's drama for acquiring power.", Damon spoke in a dangerously low voice that made Marcy shrink in her chair. "I don't owe you anything, but I will help you if you do something for me."
"I want you to protect me from my father.", Marcy was quick to say. "I want your guarantee that he won't harm me."
"It seems you have something on your mind.", Damon said.
Marcy nodded. "Europe. Paris. Give me money and send me there and you won't hear from me. A million euros. You can afford that much."
James facepalmed. "You really are stupid. That's the first place father will look for you."
Marcy made a face. "Do you have a better plan, little brother? One that's less stupid?"
"It will depend on your cooperation.", Damon said.
Marcy wanted to ask what their plan was, but she knew there was a price to pay, so she asked, "What do you want me to do?"
It was James who moved to give Marcy a few sheets of paper.
Marcy took the papers and frowned at her brother. "You are part of this."
James shrugged. "Part of what? Of saving your ass? Yes. You are welcome."
