Talia looked in the direction where Damon went, and she could see the crowd parting to make way for him.
"What are you looking at?" Mindy asked.
Talia shook her head. She didn't want to admit that she was eyeing if any female would be foolish enough to get close to her man. Talia was done being intimidated or polite when it came to shameless women. Damon was mated and marked, and he was Talia's!
Talia saw chef Page preparing two bowls of ramen with extra care, and she noticed one more figure by his side passing him things as he extended his hand. They worked without a word spoken. It was a female child, around ten years old.
Talia could sense that the child was not from the Dark Howlers pack, and what stood out in this mass of smiles was that the girl was not smiling. Her expression held a sadness that was kept in. It was uncharacteristic for such a young child.
Talia remembered that Mindy and Tatiana collaborated that people from the Blue River pack shelters to help with the fair, and Talia guessed that the girl was from that group.
"Do you know who is the girl at the ramen stand?" Talia asked.
Mindy was not sure, so she looked at Tatiana.
"Oh…" Tatiana said when she recognized the face. "That's Jane. Why?"
"It's just…" Talia was not sure how to explain it. "She seems to be shouldering grief that shouldn't belong to such a young child."
Tatiana nodded in confirmation. "She came to our shelter not long ago. We found her wandering the streets of a human city and searching for food in trash cans. We have no idea if she has any living family, and we don't even know her name. She has no pack link. Jane refuses to talk, and people in the shelter gave her the name Jane Doe. She doesn't trust people, and when she finally opened up to one…" Tatiana glanced around, and she was glad that Cornelia and James had left the table some time ago.
Tatiana continued in a hushed voice. "It was Kim Dorsey. Jane was by her side when Kim was killed."
Talia's face fell when she connected that Kim was Marcy. She read reports that Marcy was killed during the rogue attack while defending a child, but Talia didn't know that was the girl in question.
"It must have been horrible for the girl," Talia said. If she didn't belong to a pack, it meant that she grew up isolated from their kind and probably from humans as well. At such a young age, she wouldn't be able to shift into wolf form and hunt, and since her social skills were lacking, she couldn't seek help either.
"Whatever progress she made, it was wiped off with that attack," Tatiana said. "After that, Jane barely ate. We brought her here because we didn't know what else to do. Our psychologists are helpless because she is not responding to their treatments. At this rate, she will lose her wolf." Tatiana looked toward the ramen stand. "To be honest, I am surprised to see that she is reacting to the instructions of that man. Is he some kind of an expert with trauma victims, or is he just good with children?"
"That's Lulu's father," Talia said, and it took a second for everyone to understand what Talia meant.
"Sometimes, one grief recognizes another," Gideon said.
"Do you think they could help each other heal?" Mindy asked.
Gideon shook his head. "No one heals after such a loss. But maybe they can help each other find purpose to keep living."
"What are you thinking?" Tatiana asked Talia, who was obviously up to something.
"Both Chef Page and Jane lost the only person they were attached to. Would it be possible for him to visit Jane, or maybe for Jane to stay with him?"
Tatiana looked at Maddox, who was so far only listening.
"As Tanya said, our treatments are not working. If you have an idea, feel free to give it a shot," Maddox said.
Talia was quick to mind-link Damon. 'Can we get someone to replace chef Page at his stall temporarily? I would like to talk to him.'
"You want me to do what?" Chef Page asked Talia in disbelief.
Chef Page and Talia were at the table with Damon, Mindy, Gideon, Maddox, and Tatiana.
"The girl helping you at the stand," Talia said. "She lost a person who was dear to her recently and is currently staying in a shelter in the Blue River pack. She is not responsive to attempts to integrate into society. I was hoping you could take some time off the stand and check out the fair with her and see how it goes."
Chef Page looked at the stand he left behind that was now staffed by two warriors from the Dark Howlers pack. Jane was standing behind them with her head lowered. He told her to wait, and she didn't move a muscle.
"What should I do with a child I barely know? Play games?" Chef Page asked.
Talia shrugged. "If that's what you want."
"You could take her to a stand that sells sweets. Kids like those," Tatiana said. "We can give you money to cover the expenses."
Chef Page lifted his hand. "With all due respect, Luna Tatiana, I have money for snacks. I just don't see why me. I have no idea how to deal with children who are grieving."
"You are the first person to whom Jane responded in weeks," Maddox said. He omitted the part with Marcy. "At this rate, the girl is at risk of losing her wolf. She is barely eating, and we tried everything in our power. You are our last hope that Jane's life could turn for the better."
"The worst thing is that she doesn't cooperate," Gideon said. "No one will blame you."
Seeing that Chef Page hesitated, Talia didn't want to push it. "It's OK if you are not comfortable with it. We were only asking. You can return to your stall and pretend that this discussion didn't happen."
"I didn't say I won't do it," Chef Page said. "But, how do you expect me to make her play games?" He told her, more than once, that she should go to the area for children and enjoy the fair, but the girl didn't leave.
Talia got an idea. "Let me take care of it. I just want to know if you are willing."
"Alright. Let's say you persuade her to go, and I accompany her. Then what?"
"Let's take this one step at a time and see how tonight goes," Talia said. "It goes both ways. If you want to meet her again, you are welcome to visit her in the shelter, or maybe she can visit you."
Chef Page went to return to his stall, and Talia reached into her backpack.
Damon was curious to see what Talia had on her mind, and his eyebrows shot up when he saw her pulling a small plush toy from there. It was Cinna.
Talia patted the plush puppy's head and looked at Damon. "I was thinking of giving it at one of the stalls where these are used as prizes, but this will be better. If it works." She gave Damon a kiss on the cheek. "Wish me luck! Watch over my backpack until I return."
