The Alpha's Bride

Damon went through the report on what the spies revealed under interrogation, without hiding anything from Maddox and Axel.

Caden already told Damon that there is nothing top-secret and the Blue River pack and the Midnight Guardians pack are closest allies to the Dark Howlers pack. They share a relationship of trust and mutual respect where they are collaborating on several initiatives, and whenever they face problems, they are quick to assist each other without questions asked.

"My men are still working on them, but I believe they spilled most of it.", Damon said. "In case anything else comes up, I will let you know."

Maddox wanted to address one point. "The girl that Alpha Richard is inquiring about, that's Talia. Right?"

Damon didn't deny the obvious. "Yes. I believe that's the case."

"Did you reconsider my offer that she comes to my pack?", Maddox reminded Damon of the talk they had on the previous day.

Damon narrowed his eyes at Maddox. "She will not leave so I suggest you give up on that."

"If Miss Talia needs protection, my pack is better suited for that role.", Axel chimed in, and Damon gritted his teeth.

"Didn't you hear what I said?", Damon asked stiffly. "Talia is NOT leaving."

Axel tilted his head and observed Damon like he was looking at an unreasonable child. "You will force her to stay here even if that puts her in danger?"

"I'm not forcing her.", Damon was quick to respond.

"Is she aware of the danger she is in by staying here?", Maddox asked.

Damon couldn't believe this. "Why are you set on taking her away from me?"

"I will interpret your answer as a, 'no'.", Maddox said smugly. "Why are you set on keeping her here?"

Maddox could see that Damon was hiding something related to Talia. Is it her ability to conceal her presence? That would be very handy for spies, scouts, and warriors in general.

"I have my reasons, just how you have yours.", Damon said. "I can assure you that Talia is not mistreated, and I will do my best to ensure her safety. Talia is getting necessities to live comfortably, and she is learning things she is interested in. If you doubt my words, you can talk to Talia, but don't put crazy ideas into her head or scare her needlessly."

With that, Maddox and Axel left the study and Damon asked Maya and Caden to stick around.

"Both of you are aware that Talia is my mate, and you knew that from the day she arrived here.", Damon paused and when both Caden and Maya nodded, he continued. "I hope you will keep that information to yourself. Talia doesn't know we are mates because her wolf is not with her."

"Do you plan to make her your Luna?", Caden asked.

"I'm not planning anything.", Damon responded. "For now, I hope that she can heal her body and her spirit while pursuing her interests. Everything else can wait."

Maya frowned. "You will not tell her?"

"Tell her, what? That she is my mate and set to be my Luna? I can tell her, but she is insecure and timid. I will be lucky if she doesn't run away."

"So, you will lie to her?", Maya continued probing with displeasure obvious in her voice.

"Not lie.", Damon responded. "I will reveal the truth gradually while assuring Talia that she can rely on me. I need her to trust me."

"How can she trust you if you are lying?"

Damon was irritated with Maya's stubbornness. Why is she set on making him the bad guy?

"Beta Maya!", Damon addressed Maya officially and she felt her stomach tightening even though Damon didn't use his Alpha aura.

Damon is not used to explaining himself, but he wanted Maya and Caden to support him, so he decided to share some bits.

"Travis believes that Talia's wolf will awaken as long as she is in a supportive environment. Do you think that blurting out how she is going to be the Luna of the largest pack in North America is something that Talia can handle right now? She doesn't see me as her mate and no matter what I say will change that. At best, she will think that I'm joking."

Maya wanted to retort, but she felt Caden giving her hand a squeeze, so she held back. Of course, Damon didn't miss this nonverbal exchange between Caden and Maya.

Damon continued talking to Maya. "I am aware that you are responsible for Talia getting drunk in the Shifters nightclub and that you took her to the training center where she met coach Keith and a number of soccer players."

Maya swallowed hard. Somehow, she knew that Damon was going to bring this up.

"I took her out to a nightclub and to the training center, yes.", Maya admitted while trying to make it sound as innocent as possible.

"Why?", Damon asked.

"I wanted Talia to familiarize herself with surroundings and make friends."

"Friends…", Damon repeated, and his voice was rising with every next word, "You were aware that she is my mate, yet you wanted her to make friends with men behind my back? Tell me, Maya…", Damon now spoke through his teeth as anger swelled within him. "What kind of friends can my mate make at the gym where everyone is scarcely dressed and sweaty, or in a nightclub which is full of horny drunkards?"

"It was all innocent.", Maya said quickly.

Damon's eyes stirred with madness. "Innocent? If it was so innocent, why did I pry Talia out of the hands of a drunk guy in the Shifters? And why did I find Talia with Keith, drinking beer at one of his hookup spots? Do you know what would happen if I didn't arrive in time?"

Maya inhaled a choppy breath. "Nothing would happen."

"YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!", Damon roared.

"Alpha!", Caden stood up in Maya's defense and Damon glared at him.

"What!? Are you going to justify what she did?", Damon's voice was low, but he was shaking with anger. "If I didn't step in at the Shifters, Talia would be manhandled by some bastard who was not willing to take 'no' for an answer. Even if her drunk friends intervened, Talia would be caught in the middle of a fight. And can you guess what would good coach Keith do with Talia at his hookup spot after they finished a sixpack of beer? Tell me, Caden, how would you feel if I put your mate in a situation where a bunch of unmated guys surrounds her? What would you do if you find Maya with a random guy laughing and drinking, and I label it as making friends?"

"That wouldn't happen if Talia knew she is your mate.", Maya said, and Caden facepalmed. Why can't she stay quiet?

Damon was obviously angry, and an angry Alpha doesn't listen to reason.

Did Maya forget that werewolves are possessive?

Caden will start a fight in a heartbeat with a guy who dares to make a move on Maya, and Alphas have stronger animalistic instincts compared to other werewolves. Actually, Caden was surprised how Keith walked away unscathed after Damon caught him with Talia in a secluded spot.

Damon looked at Caden with an icy expression and spoke in a flat tone, "Take your mate from here because I don't want to ruin our friendship by crippling her."

Caden knew that Damon is more dangerous when he speaks calmly in monotone than when he is raging, so he pulled Maya up to her feet and practically pushed her out of the study with haste.

…

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...

Damon's shoulders heaved as he tried to get a grip on his anger.

First Maddox brought up the point of taking away Talia, and now he remembered that Maya was the one who put Talia among unmated guys, more than once. What the hell? What was she thinking?

Maya would know how to extract herself from the situation where a drunk guy is making unwanted advances, but Damon saw Talia's panic when she tried to push away the guy in the Shifters nightclub and the drunk bastard wouldn't budge. And then that cheery lovey-dovey mood with Keith at the lake. What would Talia do if Keith made a move on her? Would she refuse? What if Keith didn't want to hear 'no' for an answer?

Just winning over Talia was hard enough because he had to chip away her insecurities carefully.

If people who are close to Damon are against him, what can he expect from his enemies?

Damon wanted to find Talia and snuggle until he calms down, but he didn't want her to see him in this state. Rage rippled through him in waves, and he didn't want to scare her.

He walked to the window and opened it. A fresh morning breeze hit his face, but he didn't care to enjoy it.

Damon pulled the gray polo t-shirt over his head and jumped out of the window.

Four paws landed on the neatly trimmed lawn and a majestic black wolf dashed into the forest, leaving rags of what used to be Damon's jeans behind him.

A good run will help him let out the steam. Hopefully.

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