A gust of wind swirled around Keith and Talia, making the flames of tiki torches dance wildly, and a second later, everything was calm again.
Keith removed his palm from the tablet, and Talia clearly saw that his flesh was crimson red, yet the cold stone tablet was completely clean.
Keith bowed to Talia and then to Damon before stepping away.
The next one was Liam. He cut his palm and said the pledge, the tablet reacted, there was a sensation in the chest and a gust of wind, and he was done. One by one, all Talia's guards present pledged their loyalty to her, their sincerity overwhelming her emotionally.
Gideon ended the oath with his arms raised up toward the moon while another stirring of ancient words no one understood left his lips.
Gideon had an appearance of a modern mature man, yet in these moments he extruded an ancient aura full of wisdom, like a sage from centuries ago. The only things missing would be a long white hair and an equally long beard fluttering in the wind to make it completely fantastic.
"It's done.", Gideon declared.
Talia looked at her five guards with the focus on their bleeding hands. Mindy was giving them gauze that was soaked in aromatic herbs, and bandages to wrap around their wounds.
"Let me heal you", Talia said.
All five of them refused, and she heard Damon's voice in her head, 'That's the proof of their oath and they carry those wounds as badges of honor.'
Talia exhaled helplessly, and spoke to her guards, "I am touched that you were willing to do this. I hope that you never face danger while protecting me, but if you do, keep in mind that I'm not a porcelain doll that needs protection at any cost. Don't endanger yourself recklessly because if you are harmed, you can't guard me. I am your Luna, I am not weak, and I will fight by your side so that we can keep each other safe. Is that clear?"
They nodded and everyone's attention moved to the tablet in Talia's hands that was now glowing in silvery light.
"What is this?", Damon asked, uneasy feeling telling him this was not part of the ceremony.
"I believe that the Moon Goddess acknowledged Talia's words as her oath.", Gideon said, his eyes sparkling with excitement because he had never seen anything like that happening before. The tablet reacted to blood only, but now it seemed that it reacted to Talia's silvery magic-like ability. Gideon really wanted to do some tests and confirm if his guess was correct, but how can he express such a request without making it sound that he wants to treat his Luna as a test specimen?
Damon's brows were together, forming a deep frown. Which part of Talia's words was the oath? That she didn't need protecting? Or that she will protect her guards? What nonsense was that?
Before Talia could say anything else, Damon snatched the tablet from her hands and shoved it into Gideon's.
"Don't let her hold such things.", Damon said to the Shaman in an ominously low voice. If he knew this would happen, Damon would be the one holding the tablet, so that those five wretched guards pledge to Damon that they won't harm his mate.
Gideon lowered his head in submission. "Yes, Alpha." Well, so much for doing tests, Gideon thought. If he asks Talia to try something like that again, Damon will skin him alive.
Sandy clapped loudly, ignoring that her left hand was freshly bandaged.
"Now that this is over, let's celebrate in Shifters!", Sandy exclaimed cheerfully, breaking the tense atmosphere.
Damon didn't like the idea of partying. As Talia's guards, they should always be ready for action. "We will leave tomorrow morning. Do you have the luxury of time for drinking?"
Sandy's face fell and she looked helplessly at Liam, Pierce, and Caleb to see that their stony expressions didn't show how disappointed they were. Sandy didn't bother looking at Keith because even as a Coach he would tell them to skip on the fun before the game.
Talia hugged Damon's arm and spoke to her guards, "Enjoy at Shifters, but remember that you need to be here for breakfast."
Sandy fist-pumped into the air. "You are the best!"
Damon looked at Talia in disbelief. Did she just override his order, in front of others?
"Don't worry.", Keith said to Talia and Damon. "I will go with them and make sure they don't overdo it so that everyone is ready on time."
Somehow, Damon and Talia sounded like concerned parents, and Keith was the responsible child in the family who will keep his younger siblings out of trouble.
They all wished each other good night and Keith walked away with Liam, Caleb, Pierce, and Sandy.
"They are in a good mood.", Maya said in a singing voice. "You have good guards, Luna Talia."
Talia acknowledged that the mood was good. Was she overthinking this?
The only one missing was Lulu and Talia hoped that this wasn't the beginning of a rift forming between them.
James woke up with a big smile on his face and Cornelia in his arms.
He buried his face in the crook of her neck, taking deep breaths and allowing her sweet scent of wild berries to fill his system.
As if his morning wood was not enough, Cornelia's closeness made him hard to the point of aching, but James didn't want to move away from his chocolate-colored Goddess. She was beautiful and enchanting, and he felt that disturbing her sleep would be sacrilege.
James smiled foolishly while thinking about the previous day. They spent it together and it was fantastic.
The day included a lot of hand-holding and kisses, and they broke that skin-to-skin contact only when absolutely necessary.
First, they went to a mall to shop for clothes.
James was never into fashion, but his logic told him that outfits in the display windows and on mannequins were from the current season, and he stayed away from the clearance section where clothes were on sale. That's how he picked a few dresses for Cornelia and made her try them on. Everything looked good on her. He bought it all, happy that Damon arranged a credit card with the name James White. Alpha Edward had no way of knowing that his son was shopping with his mate instead of sweating it out in the gym. James felt a sense of accomplishment in that.
Since coming to the Dark Howlers pack, for the first time in his life, James had an opportunity to act like a teenager, defying his parents and enjoying life, and this day was definitely one of those.
Next, James and Cornelia went into the aquarium. He heard how those two warriors wanted to take Cornelia to the aquarium, but they never did, so James decided to take her there. Cornelia was fascinated with jellyfish, sharks, and many other creatures. She got to touch starfish and clams, and she said how seahorses look nothing like horses, and then they got soaked while watching a show where dolphins performed.
With her clothes wet, Cornelia thought that her options were to stay wet or return to the packhouse, but James was ready for this. Why else would he take her shopping first?
