Liam watched the scene of Sandy and Tyler locked in a kiss, and his expression turned sour. He just bickered with Sandy and told her that she won't catch a man by dressing like that, and there was Sandy, with a man who was also overdressed for a casual dinner.
Was this the Moon Goddess' idea of pranking him?
Liam's mood worsened when he remembered that he called out his rank on Sandy. Wasn't that Tyler, the Gamma of the Midnight Guardians pack? As Gamma's mate, Sandy outranked him in a second. High-ranked pack members go above warriors, even Generals get to obey Gammas. Damn it!
Liam wanted to ask someone for a shovel so that he can dig a deep (very deep) hole to hide. This won't end well. Sandy was now smitten with her newly found mate, but once she snaps out of it, she will be out for revenge. Sandy was not a girl who will forgive and forget, and Liam provoked her. Damn it! If he knew that she will be mated to the Gamma (becoming Gamma herself), he would keep his mouth shut about her slutty outfit! Was it too late to tell her that she looks great?
Axel and Yasmin stopped at the top of the stairs, and Yasmin bounced from excitement at the sight of Sandy and Tyler kissing. Another female to join her and Meg! Things will definitely be livelier!
And Yasmin hoped that with Sandy as his mate, Tyler will finally agree to move to the main house.
Before Talia became the Alpha of the Midnight Guardians pack, Beta and Gamma didn't reside in the main house that was reserved for the Alpha family.
Talia suggested that high-ranking members stay close. It will help them with work and overall socializing; it was a practical thing to do.
After Alpha Isaac and Alpha Sophia were officially stripped of their Alpha positions, Kai and Meg moved to a suite on the second floor, but Tyler refused. He stayed in his one-bedroom apartment because he didn't want to risk over-hearing the nightly activities of two couples. But now he was part of the couple-group also, and Yasmin was looking forward to adding one more female to their group.
Talia leaned on Damon and smiled, happy for the newly mated couple. She looked like a proud mother in front of her children who achieved something monumental.
Damon had mixed feelings. Sandy and Tyler being mates was another connection between the packs, pulling them closer to Talia's dream of uniting the packs, which was a good thing. However, did this mean that Talia lost her guard? There was also a sour feeling that resurfaced from the back of Damon's mind every time Talia was by his side, witnessing mates recognize each other.
It was a sacred moment, one they will remember forever, yet Damon ruined it for Talia. And that was something he will never be able to fix no matter how well he treats her going forward.
"Damon?", Talia called softly. She didn't know what he was thinking about, but she could feel his flickering emotions that stung painfully.
"I'm so sorry, kitten", he said.
Talia's eyebrows shot up. "What…?"
Damon put his index finger on her lips to stop her from finishing that question.
"I…" He didn't' want to voice his thoughts and spoil the mood. Sandy and Tyler were mates, and everyone was happy for them. "I love you." And then he kissed her like he meant it.
Talia was not sure what to make out of it. Was he overthinking something? She rejected that possibility because Damon was not known as someone who would think much. Damon was a guy who would do whatever he wanted and deal with the consequences (or ignore them) later.
No matter what was on Damon's mind, he was hugging her and kissing her tenderly and she allowed herself to be lost in his kiss that came with flavors of dark chocolate. Her favorite.
After a round of congratulations, Tyler and Sandy were not sure what to do because they were hungry and on their way for dinner, but they were also hungry for something else.
Tyler's arm coiled firmly around Sandy's waist. It felt good to have her close, the sparks of their bond prickled his skin even over their clothes, but the feeling was new and foreign, and he wondered if it was OK to hold her like that or if that was too intimate. But he was certain that he didn't want to let go of her. His hand on her hip tightened together with concern if she will see him as a lecher.
Sandy could see how flustered Tyler was, and she thought that he was adorable. She couldn't wait for some privacy so she can eat him up, starting with those maple-infused lips that were still a bit swollen from their kissing session; their first kissing session, the first of many. She really wanted to kiss him again and do much more, but they were on their way to dinner, and she didn't want him to think that she was a lustful she-wolf. Liam's previous words still echoed in her mind and she hoped that Tyler didn't think of her as a harlot.
Yasmin broke the standstill with, "Don't worry about dinner. We will get you something edible and leave it at your door. Tyler, your room is ready. Use it."
Tyler gave Sandy a questionable look, silently asking her if she was still set on going to the cafeteria.
"I hear you have a room.", Sandy said, her voice trembling in anticipation of what was coming. "I would love to see it."
Tyler swallowed hard and took Sandy's hand in his. He walked up the stairs, forgetting about anything else other than the girl whose hand he was holding and the pulsing need that was rising in his crotch area.
Axel and Kai shook their heads helplessly, knowing that their friend was eager to experience carnal pleasures, and they couldn't blame him.
Axel looked at Yasmin and he put his hand in his pant pocket to not-so-covertly adjust his hard-on. At the thought of what Tyler and Sandy were about to do, he wanted to do it with Yasmin. Who knows… maybe he could add a pup or two to the existing pregnancy?
"Where are Alpha Sophia and Alpha Isaac?"
Talia's question pulled Axel to the reality that was not so risqué.
"It's Sophia and Isaac now. There is no need to use their previous titles.", he responded. "I told them that you are here and invited them to join us for dinner, but they decided to stay in their quarters." There was one two-bedroom house close to the main house, used for exclusive guests a long time ago, and they cleaned it up so that ex-Alphas can reside there. "I hope you don't mind."
Talia didn't expect a warm welcome. She dethroned them and took their abilities.
"I don't expect them to join us for meals.", Talia responded. "I want them available in the morning. I need to talk to them."
Axel nodded stiffly. "I will let them know."
Talia was grateful that Axel was handling things with his parents. She didn't want to think about them, and if she didn't need answers about Guardians and about her past, she wouldn't want to see them at all.
