When Damon and Talia returned to their table, they found it unoccupied.
Maya and Caden were on the dancefloor, and Talia was unsure if they had taken any breaks from dancing. The Beta couple was visibly excited about the upcoming heat, and Talia was touched that they didn't question her source of that information.
James, Cornelia, Meg, and Kai went to their rooms, and it was not farfetched to think they won't be seen until tomorrow.
Damon and Talia sipped their drinks while chatting thoughts through their private mind-link. Damon would point out people and share their backgrounds, and Talia listened with interest. The duo would also use their super-hearing to eavesdrop on other people talking.
Alpha Edward was at the table with Alpha Richard and Alpha William. Talia was surprised about them not doing more than greetings when they passed nearby, but Damon told her that all three of them would be here for the next day or two, so they were probably waiting for the audience to thin out before they approached Alpha Natalia of the Midnight Guardians pack.
Alpha Cristian, Alpha Peter, Alpha Patrick, and Alpha Robert left the Blue River pack that evening. Each of them left behind a few of their people as representatives for the next two days.
One of the people who stayed behind was General Jordan from the Spring Leaf pack. General Jordan was not planning to stay longer than one evening, but considering that he didn't show his face since he and Lidia Wilkow went into the packhouse, Alpha Cristian had no choice but to leave him a message to return whenever he was done with his… business.
Among gossip, Damon and Talia heard that Nora disappeared with a high-ranking member of the Steelbite pack. They didn't need to guess what that was about.
Maddox approached Damon and Talia; his wobbly steps were a giveaway he was drunk.
"Sorry for neglecting you," Maddox said. His steady voice didn't match the drunken haze in his eyes, but the grin on his face was impossible to ignore.
Maddox didn't want to drink so much, but people lined up to congratulate him while toasting for his Luna and his pup, and he couldn't refuse.
"Don't worry about it," Talia was quick to respond. "You have a lot to celebrate. Enjoy, Max. We are happy for you and Tanya."
Maddox smiled gratefully and swayed a bit while saying, "Alright. I will catch up with you later." And then he walked back to the table where Tatiana was surrounded by people.
Talia never saw Maddox drunk like that, but he didn't stand out because many people laughed and talked loudly. It was a party, and the mood was good.
Talia wondered if Damon would be with Maddox, drinking and having fun, if not for her presence and the danger that loomed over their heads. She hoped that he won't blame her for missing out. Should she just tell him to go and enjoy it, and she will be okay? She could join Tatiana and a group of women there, but they were all from Wilkow and River families, and Talia would be an outsider. She could take a walk or just stay at their table. How dangerous could that be? The party was ongoing for hours, and nothing happened.
Talia pressed her lips into a line when she remembered how Damon said this deceptive peace could last a week or a month… what if it's years? Will she need to live for so long with this lump of anxiety in her stomach?
Talia jolted when someone sat at the table, one chair away from Damon. It was Lulu.
'Why are you here?' Damon asked Lulu through their mind-link.
Lulu had an instinct to shrink in front of Damon, but she gathered her courage to respond, 'If you plan to get people to approach you, you need to be approachable, Alpha. As of now, you and Luna look like a couple, and not a legal one. Unless you start mingling with others, no one will dare to talk to you or Luna.'
'Did something happen?' Talia's voice sounded in Damon's head. She guessed that he and Lulu were mind-linking, and she hated that she couldn't join in that conversation.
'Lulu says that we look unapproachable, and she thinks that her presence will signal others that it's OK to talk to us.'
Talia thought for a moment before responding, 'She is right.'
"Thank you, Lulu," Talia said. "How are you finding the party?"
Lulu perked up when she saw that not only Talia spoke to her, but Damon relaxed as well. Keith told her not to meddle, but she thought that joining this table would be a good idea, and she was not wrong.
A few minutes later, two Alphas approached Damon and Talia to exchange pleasantries. Talia didn't meet them before because their packs were too small to participate in the Council of the Alphas, but Damon knew who they were. He told Talia through their private mind-link that two newcomers were usually neutral, keeping to themselves so that they don't provoke bigger packs, and some other helpful information that made her appear knowledgeable about other packs.
When the second group of people approached the table where Damon and Talia were, Lulu excused herself and returned to her position.
'What were you thinking?' Keith seethed at Lulu through their pack mind-link.
'Are you jealous that I got to sit with Alpha and Luna while you were watching? I think that a reporter took a picture of us. I might be in the next edition of the WW Magazine.'
'You are playing with fire, Lulu.'
'Stop making an issue when there is none. Alpha and Luna didn't object to my presence, actually, I might get a reward.'
Keith didn't respond, but Lulu knew he was sulking.
Keith told her not to go there, mostly because he feared she would cause trouble. Damon and Talia didn't say anything about isolating Lulu, but they were all pressed by the fact that Lulu was the only one out of Talia's guards who didn't take a blood oath. Keith was aware that Damon had increased vigilance when it came to Lulu, and Keith feared that Lulu would end up in trouble for the smallest mistake. She won't dare to provoke Alpha Damon, but even an ambiguous situation can be blown out of proportion, and if any of the guards messes up stuff, it will come crashing on Keith.
Keith needed this job; he needed to keep an eye on Talia and ensure she was safe… even if he had to bear the sight of her being with another man.
Eventually, Damon and Talia decided to call it a night.
Talia left first, and Damon was a few minutes after her.
Talia was eager to remove the bridesmaid's dress and hit the shower. She was nearly done washing up when Damon joined her.
He smiled in approval when he saw her getting the shower gel for him.
"What do you think about tonight?" Damon asked while she was soaping his back.
"The party went well, but…"
"But?"
Talia released a long breath. "I don't know what I was expecting." It was a lie. She was hoping that baddies would jump out of the shadows, Damon and she will tackle them, and that would be the start of their happily ever after without any dangers.
