Gregory's lips lifted into a smile, and he couldn't hide the surprise from his eyes. "You know who I am?"
Talia lifted her chin confidently. "I know what you are. Now, if you would introduce yourself, I would know your name also."
"You can call me, Gregory."
"Is that your real name?"
His smile widened. He thought that she might run away, attack, or call for reinforcements. Not that any of those would work, but he was pleasantly surprised to see how calm she was.
"You impress me, Alpha Natalia. I am glad we can talk peacefully."
"Last time I checked, people who want peace don't come sneakily while concealing their identity."
He sat on the ground and crossed his legs in the lotus position.
"If I announced to everyone I am a Guardian, people would make a fuss about it."
"And that is why you attend events pretending to be a staff member?"
He shook his head. "I'm not here for the event."
"Why are you here?"
"For you."
"For me?"
He nodded earnestly. "You are ignoring my requests for us to meet, so I came to see you in person."
Well, since they addressed those points, Talia thought of asking one more thing.
"What did you do to my guards?"
"They are unable to respond, but otherwise unharmed. Considering your identity, only Alphas or an army would dare to attack, and that means your guards should be able to defend against those in order to be considered as someone who can protect you. Why do you have such weak guards? Being around you is only putting them in danger."
Talia's insides tightened. Was he talking about Lulu? "Are you responsible for what happened last night?"
He waved his hands. "I had nothing to do with it. I only want to talk."
"That's what the rogues said."
"Did they?"
Talia confirmed. "They said that if I go with them voluntarily, no one will be hurt."
"The last night's event was because they wanted to get you? If it was me, I wouldn't spread my forces so thin and play games. Whoever was behind it didn't think it through. Why make a move at an event full of Alphas? Unless they knew that most of the Alphas will stay in the packhouse."
Gregory looked at Talia eagerly. "But you showed them their place. I couldn't get too close, but I know that you handled them."
His eyes moved over her body. "Your delicate frame wouldn't allow you to emerge unharmed after physically confronting several grown men no matter what technique you were using. How did you do it when you couldn't use your aura?"
The more he spoke, the more Talia was unsettled.
"How do you know about the Alpha aura being blocked?"
"I can sense the effects of the devices they used. Some of my kind were involved in research and production." And they mimicked what Gregory himself could do. Gregory suspected that the devices were made with the goal to deal with him, but he didn't want to reveal that to Talia.
"And you gave them to rogues."
Gregory made a face. "You are so quick to accuse me. I have nothing to do with rogues getting their hands on those. Humans are mass-producing them, thinking that they are making pest control devices." He chuckled. "In a way, they are right." Most of the Alphas are greedy bastards that should be eradicated.
"Why should I believe you?" Talia asked.
He shrugged. "Why would I lie?"
Talia was not sure what to think of this situation. Gregory was too relaxed, talking like he didn't use a filter, and it only made her wary of him. Liseli said that he was stronger than Vincent, but Talia never measured her power against Vincent's so that information didn't serve any purpose other than telling Talia that the man in front of her was dangerous. But she was dangerous as well. Who would win if she attacked him now? What if he attacks? Will she be able to react in time?
However, as much as the man in front of her was a mystery, she was a mystery to him as well, and if she projects confidence, he won't dare to do anything funny.
"Alright," Talia said. "Let's say I believe you. You said you are here to talk to me. What do you want?"
"To be honest, I would be pleased if you accept my invitation to come with me."
"Why?"
"Didn't Julian invite you to join us?"
"So, you came personally to escort me for a tour?"
"I didn't think you will come right away, but if you are willing, we can leave right away."
Talia narrowed her eyes at him. "You won't force me?"
"The invitation is for you to join us as one of us. Not as a prisoner. If I force you to come, you will only try to escape. This is an open invitation. Now or later, it's fine, but I prefer sooner than later."
"What's the rush?"
Gregory clicked his tongue. "Let's say that I waited for a long time for a powerful female to make her appearance." And there was a point that if she found her mate, things will be complicated.
His eyes moved to her neck, and he froze. There was a mark, right there.
Gregory thought of the possibility of Talia having a mate, but considering her strength, he assumed that she would be the one who did the marking, and not the other way around, so he didn't pay attention to her neck. Until now.
Talia realized that he was staring at Damon's mark, and she put her hand to cover it up.
"You are marked," Gregory said under his breath.
Talia guessed that was not a good thing. Did the invitation extend to her mate as well, or did she put Damon in danger now? She thought that she didn't care if people knew she was Damon's mate, but now she regretted that she removed that scarf.
"Yes, so?" She couldn't deny the obvious.
"Who is it?"
There was no way she would say it. "What's it to you?"
"Is it someone from the Midnight Guardians pack?" He asked and then he shook his head. "If there is someone that strong, I would know." He was back to staring at Talia, straight into her eyes, like he could see her thoughts. "Who is your mate, Alpha Natalia?"
Talia frowned. "Don't you think you are crossing the line?"
He ignored her displeasure. "It must be an Alpha, right? But who is…" His expression froze when he realized… "You were last night with Alpha Damon. Everyone said how your two packs are close and forming an alliance, but that's not it. You are mates. He marked you." He shook his head. "How come I didn't think of that sooner? Even at the Council of Alphas, he was with you. The strongest male Alpha and the strongest female Alpha are mates. The world is about to change."
Gregory was talking like a fanatic and Talia got goosebumps.
She stood up. "This talk is over."
He was on her feet and he held her wrist. "Did you have your heat?"
Talia's eyes widened and she yanked her hand out of his hold. "That's none of your business!"
"I will take that as a, no." He said and he was back to staring at her neck. "How long has it been since he marked you? That doesn't look fresh. Considering your strength, it should have happened."
Talia couldn't believe this. What the hell was wrong with this guy? Weirdo.
"What are you doing?" Talia asked when he saw him making hand symbols so quickly that she couldn't follow his movements.
It lasted only a second and then he spread his palms toward her.
Talia moved to dodge whatever he was doing, but it was too late as she felt a breeze on her skin.
"What did you do to me?" She asked in panic, and it took her a moment to realize that nothing was happening. Other than Talia's anxiety shooting through the roof, everything else seemed normal. Or was it?
'Talia…' Liseli spoke in a strained voice.
Talia ran her hand over her forehead, confirming that she was sweating. 'What's going on, Lis?'
'I think... You are going into heat.'
As Liseli said that, Talia felt a wave of warmth swelling in her abdomen, and spreading through her body. It was like she got a fever.
She licked her lips which were already dry.
"What did you…?"
Before she could finish her question, Talia collapsed on the grass.
