Luckily, Dawn didn't wait long.
The door of Cornelia's room opened, and Zina peeked out.
"AHHH!" Dawn screamed while rushing to hug her friend. "Why are you this late?"
Zina laughed and hugged her bestie, who was clinging to her like a koala. Zina was happy to see that Dawn was energetic as usual.
Cornelia confirmed that Zina was delivered as promised, and then the witch returned to the Dark Howlers pack. At this time, James was on the training grounds, and Cornelia had research to do.
Dawn helped Zina settle into a guest bedroom, and then she showed her around to see the rooms and common areas and to meet Omegas, who were working in the villa. They were all friendly and loyal to George, but Dawn wanted to avoid Omegas peeking at them secretly because they were curious about Zina. Like this, they all knew that the pretty redhead was Dawn's friend.
No one asked how Zina got there because they all saw Cornelia making appearances sporadically while her room was off-limits.
Keeping secrets in this villa allowed Omegas to live and work without fear of being beaten, and they knew that betraying George (or Dawn) would get them fired, which meant returning to the Red Moon pack and the bad treatment they were getting there.
Lastly, Zina and Dawn went to the garden to have fresh lemonade, coffee, and pastries Dawn made. They called Estelle to join them, but the old lady refused; she didn't want to intrude.
"Now that we concluded the tour of this place, and I served you with refreshments, I want you to tell me what's going on at home," Dawn spoke to Zina excitedly.
"Isn't this your home?" Zina asked while taking a bite of a butter croissant that Zina could describe as heavenly. She really missed Dawn's pastries.
Dawn pouted. "You know what I mean. The Dark Howlers pack will always be my home."
George treated Dawn well, and she had everything she wanted in their villa, but stepping outside the property was a challenge, and Dawn couldn't think of the Red Moon pack as her home. Also, she didn't break the pack bond with the Dark Howlers pack, and part of her yearned to return there. In a way, Dawn was torn between belonging with her mate and belonging to her pack, but she knew there would be challenges when she agreed to come with George, so she didn't make a fuss about it.
Zina bobbed her head at Dawn. "What do you want to know?"
"Everything!" Dawn exclaimed, but then she added, "Talk to me about the good stuff."
"Are you stressed?"
"Aren't you?" Dawn questioned back. "To be honest, I am surprised you still came considering the latest developments."
Zina didn't know the details, but she knew that James' birthday party will be tumulous.
"I wanted to come here for a long time," Zina said. "Besides, if shit hits the fan, someone needs to be here and watch your reckless ass."
Dawn was touched. That snarky comment sounded like Zina, but Dawn knew that Zina meant it.
"I am glad you are here. Now you have Trisha, and you don't need me anymore." Dawn pouted.
Zina waved her hand, indicating to Dawn to stop. "Don't be sappy. Trisha is a good person, and we are getting along well, but she won't replace you. You will always be my best friend, Dawn," Zina said honestly.
Seeing that Dawn relaxed, Zina continued with a smile, "Let me tell you some good things. There are many new faces in the pack. The fair mixer was a huge success, and it added to the frenzy we like to call Malia." Zina sighed while thinking about how everyone had a mate other than her. But she didn't want to talk about it now. "Last weekend, we had a pack-joining ceremony for twenty-seven new pack members."
Dawn's eyes widened. "I'm sorry I missed that."
"I wish you were there. One girl joined. She is barely ten." Zina was talking about Jane.
"Ten? How can a ten year-old find a mate? Or did one of her parents find a second chance mate?"
Zina waved her finger, indicating how that was not the case. "She was in the shelter of the Blue River pack. An orphaned girl who was so traumatized that she didn't speak. She was at the fair and helping Chef Page around his booth. After that, he visited her in the shelter, and now he adopted her officially."
"Oh," Dawn said under her breath. She knew that Chef Page was Lulu's father and that Lulu was his whole world. Dawn had no idea how the man was holding on after Lulu's death, but everyone needed someone, and Dawn was glad that he found that girl. In a way, this development made Zina feel better also.
Zina continued with her updates. "Maya and Caden returned from their vacation. Maya had her heat there, and she doesn't want to confirm if she is pregnant." Zina glanced at Dawn's stomach. "What about you?"
Dawn shrugged. "As you know, I had my heat, but there are no symptoms, so…"
"Not everyone gets preggo on their first heat."
"I know," Dawn said while rubbing her flat stomach. "Actually, I'm happy it didn't happen. This is a bad time for pregnancy and pups."
Zina didn't believe her. It was obvious that Dawn was sad, but Zina didn't want to push for it.
Zina almost spilled the news about how Talia was pregnant, but she swallowed those words back. She promised to keep it a secret. It was not Zina's secret to tell.
At the thought of Talia, Zina remembered… "You should see Alpha Damon sulking."
Dawn was curious. "About?"
"About new Talia's guard. You heard that Keith found his mate, right?"
Dawn confirmed, and Zina continued.
"Keith's mate is Arya. A very pretty she-wolf. Arya was a general in the Spring Leaf pack. She is now Talia's guard, and Alpha Damon doesn't approve."
"Does he not trust her?" Dawn guessed.
"It's not what you think," Zina said and moved closer to continue in a whisper, "I heard that there was an incident of Alpha Damon walking into a room where Talia and Arya were in a compromising situation."
Dawn didn't get it. "Compromising situation?"
Zina wiggled her eyebrows, and Dawn got it.
"Oh, oh. But, isn't the female Keith's mate?"
Zina confirmed. "She is."
Dawn was not sure what to think about it. Did Arya sway both ways? What about Talia?
"What does Keith say about that?" Dawn asked.
"You know Keith. He was always creepy when it came to Talia, and now it seems his mate joined him in worshiping our Luna. You will see when they arrive tomorrow. I believe that Alpha Damon was hoping Keith would find his mate and stop looking at Talia with hearts in his eyes, but instead, now both Keith and Arya are following after Talia and looking at her passionately."
Dawn burst into laughter at the mental image of Talia standing, two figures trying to get close to her, and Damon swatting them away.
Zina happily munched on vanilla and chocolate cookies that went great with cherry glaze. She was glad to experience this leisurely atmosphere with Dawn and talk about anything, and everything like Dawn never left.
