Talia's smile stiffened, making it crooked like it was drawn by a toddler.

Did Damon say that he will take her with him to another pack? To an official party?

There will be other Alphas and important people! How can she go? She has no idea what to wear or how to apply makeup or how to behave, she will only embarrass herself and Damon.

What about she-wolves who will want to throw themselves at Damon? Is he expecting Talia to fend them off or to stand on the side and watch as Damon gets lovey-dovey with some other woman?

Or maybe… "You want me to go as your assistant?"

Damon cocked an eyebrow at her. "You are going as my date."

Talia's eyes widened to the point of forming perfect circles.

"What if someone from the Red Moon pack is there? What if they recognize me?"

Damon shrugged, indicating that it's not a big deal. "We will go with the story that you grew up with your grandparents before joining the Dark Howlers pack. Even if someone recognizes you, no one will dare to touch you."

Caden had his concerns, and he blurted out, "Are you sure that's wise?"

Damon shot him a glare. "There is no reason for Talia to hide. She is coming with me."

Talia had mixed feelings about this. She liked the idea that she doesn't need to hide, but at the same time, appearing in public with Damon will attract a lot of unwanted attention.

But… would she want to be with anyone else in public?

The unstable Alpha smells of the forest and the dark chocolate, and even though he makes her all jittery inside, it's undeniable that with him she feels safe.

Talia decided not to overthink it. It's not like she can influence this anyway. If Damon says that she will go with him, she will go with him. Period.

Damon is an Alpha and she can't refuse him.

More than just an Alpha, he is the man who took her out of that dingy attic and gave her a new home, and thanks to him she experienced many wonderful things like a nice room, a soft bed, a full belly, a festival, a hug, a kiss, and she was painfully aware that she couldn't say 'no' to Damon, even if she wanted because she fell for him like an idiot.

If Damon went to that event without Talia, she would miss him and wonder if any woman seduced him. She wouldn't believe it for a moment that he would sleep alone. On the other hand, if Damon took anyone else, her heart would ache so… this is for the best.

With those thoughts, Talia focused on sorting the rest of Damon's email.

Damon didn't want to separate from Talia, and his first thought was to reject the invitation. However, this could be a good opportunity to introduce Talia to the circle without much pressure. If he announces that she is his future Luna, everyone will scrutinize her. Like this, Talia will get a chance to attend the event lowkey.

Caden pressed his lips into a line. He knew that he was crossing the line, but with Alpha Richard asking around about Talia and Damon being seen with Talia at the festival, and now this party… 'Did you forget that others are looking for Talia?', Caden asked through the mind-link. 'Aren't you inviting trouble?'

'Is it unusual for an Alpha to have a girl by his side?', Damon responded with a question. 'I had so many women around me and they are all alive and doing well. By hiding Talia, it will only be more suspicious. Besides, if I can't protect her, no one can.'

'You will go openly with Talia? Will you announce that she is your mate?', Caden asked.

'In due time. I want to find the right timing to tell her first. Until then, as long as I don't reveal that Talia is my mate, she won't be targeted.'

Damon knew that the clock is ticking, but he wanted to make sure Talia trusts him.

Part of Damon regretted not telling Talia they are mates at the moment they saw each other. OK, maybe not during their first encounter (because of the situation where Marcy was sucking him off), but the second time in the kitchen, or maybe when he found her in the attic would be a good opportunity to tell her something like, "Girl, you are my mate, and you are coming home with me".

Unfortunately, at that time, Damon was not ready to accept the bond and he missed that chance.

Since that boat sailed away, now it won't matter if he tells Talia in one day or a week, because other than worrying if she will freak out due to the information that she is the rightful Luna of the Dark Howlers pack, there is also a concern that she will blame him for concealing that fact from her.

Damon was confident that his best option is to make Talia fall for him completely and to trust him enough to not run away, and then he will tell her everything.

Ah, only if Talia's wolf is present, Talia would know they are mates and feel the bond and Damon wouldn't need to worry about any of this.

…

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...

Maya and Caden went to finish packing because Caden was due to depart on his weeklong assignment shortly after breakfast, leaving Damon and Talia in the study.

"AHHH!", Talia screamed when Damon suddenly scooped her from the chair she was sitting on. She was almost done with sorting the emails.

Damon sat on the chair and placed Talia on his lap.

It's an extra-wide executive chair, and so spacious that they could sit side-by-side.

"What are you…", her voice trailed away when she saw his mischievous smirk directed her way.

"You are not fulfilling your duties, Mrs. Blake."

"Which ones?", Talia asked helplessly.

"I didn't get my morning kisses."

"What morning kisses?", Talia mumbled. "I woke up, and you were gone."

"Did you miss me, kitten?"

Did she miss him? Of course, she did. Will she tell him that? Absolutely not.

But Talia couldn't lie either, so she lowered her head to avoid his inquisitive gaze.

Thanks to the mate bond, Damon was able to read her like an open book. He could feel her emotions and he knew that she missed him and that she was embarrassed to open up.

"It will not happen again.", he said.

Talia didn't get it. "What?"

"There was work I needed to settle early while Caden is still here, and I didn't want to wake you. Going forward, I will not leave the bed without you." Damon inched closer and spoke in a low voice. "Like that, you can give me my morning kisses in bed, without your panties."

Talia inhaled a shaky breath. Here it is. It's the shameless Damon that made butterflies go crazy in her stomach.

He was cheeky and handsome, and he smelled nice and tasted even better, and Talia was confident how that combination must be illegal in some countries.

Talia swallowed hard. "What makes you think that I will sleep without my panties?"

Damon cocked an eyebrow at her and smiled smugly.

If she thought that he will allow her to snuggle with him in bed, with her private parts covered, after last night, she is gravely mistaken.

Damon's resolve to move slowly was cracking anyway, and he was absolutely unwilling to move backward. Any progress they made, won't be nullified.

His hand landed at the back of her head, pulling her closer to close those last few inches of space between them.

Damon pecked Talia's lips once, twice, and then he hummed in satisfaction when she responded to his kisses.

Her arms snaked around his neck and her fingers disappeared into his hair as she leaned into the kiss that was getting more heated by the second.

His kitten was getting comfortable with the intimacy between them, and he loved it. He loved her. Every part of Talia was perfect.

His hand slid lower from Talia's waist, and he gave her ass a squeeze.

Talia moaned into his mouth and his cock lurched in response.

'Fuck!', Damon cursed silently. He was not sure if it's because he was falling for Talia more by the day, or because their bond strengthened, but his body was reacting to Talia at an unimaginable rate, and he didn't know for how long he can control his urges to devour her completely.

Yes, he is an Alpha with a high libido, but he was never so hard by only smelling or touching a clothed woman. Sure, a good kiss can get him going, but only halfway.

However, Talia is different.

She was driving him crazy, and he was aware that it's only a matter of time before he snaps and has his way with her.

The scent of her arousal only made things worse, and Damon knew that even though Talia doesn't know they are mates, her body knows. There is no other explanation why a shy and inexperienced girl like Talia opens up completely the moment he touches her.

The fact that she was responding to him with more intensity every time, gave Damon hope that her wolf is about to wake up. He really wanted her to feel the delightful sparks that make him feel alive. Soon.

When he was close to reaching his limit, Damon broke the kissing frenzy and leaned his forehead on her shoulder.

Both of them were breathing heavily and Talia held onto him firmly because she was dizzy and this time she really feared that she will fall down on her butt.

"Damon?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you sure that I should accompany you to that party?"

Damon lifted his head to look at her. "Do you want me to go with someone else?"

Talia's eyes flashed in dejection. She wanted to point out how she might embarrass him, and not that he should pick someone else.

Talia knew that Damon has many she-wolves ready to accompany him, but did he need to flaunt that fact? They were kissing until a minute ago, and she was still sitting in his lap!

Damon kissed her chin. "Don't worry, kitten." He kissed her nose. "The only woman I want by my side is you." He kissed her chin again. "So... yes, I am sure that I want to go with you. Only you. Do you know why?"

"Why?", she breathed.

"Because you are mine and I am yours. Only yours."

The unknown emotions swelled within Talia at the same time when Damon's lips pressed against hers, and she was back to fisting his hair as another kissing frenzy began.

---

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