At one table in the back…

'Are you OK with this?', Nora's voice sounded in Marcy's head through the mind-link.

'OK, with what?', Marcy responded with a question while pushing the food on her plate.

'Your future husband is entertaining some nobody.', Nora said.

Nora couldn't believe that Marcy showed no interest in investigating the situation or going to greet her future fiancé (aka Damon).

Nora was unsuccessful in seeing Damon earlier that afternoon and Alpha Edward warned them to stay away, but Nora had a feeling that if Damon sees her in person, he might ask her to stick around. After all, if she managed to get intimacy from Damon right under Marcy's nose in the packhouse of the Red Moon pack, why couldn't she do it again here, regardless of who Damon's date is?

However, Nora was not completely confident and that's why she wanted to tag along with Marcy, but with Marcy being indifferent, Nora was stuck sitting at the table.

As for Marcy, she knew that Nora was instigating her. Did Nora really think that Marcy will fall for that trick?

But what Marcy didn't understand was, what was Nora trying to accomplish? Even if Marcy went there and made a complete fool of herself, it's not like Nora can take her place; not as Damon's (future) fiancée, and not as Alpha Edward's daughter. Nora can't be that stupid to sabotage Marcy without getting anything in return, right?

'What do you expect me to do, Nora? Did you forget what my father said?'

Nora rolled her eyes. 'Come on. You are his daughter. He won't kick you out of the pack.'

'True. My father won't go that far, but Alpha Damon might send me to the dungeon.', Marcy said matter-of-factly. 'You are the one who told me what happened. I have no intention of being a cellmate to whatever-her-name-is.'

Marcy came from Europe less than a month ago, so she didn't get a chance to meet Cassie, but the news spread fast, and Nora and Marcy knew what happened in the hallway, even though they were not there.

'That woman used some witchcraft to come here with Alpha Damon and get his attention. Everyone is laughing at you.', Nora snapped.

Marcy cringed. Witchcraft? Really? 'Let them laugh. That woman won't last. A week from now, I will laugh while announcing my engagement to Alpha Damon.'

For the first time since coming from Europe, Marcy was glad that she was the new face and that she didn't know people present. It was easier to ignore them.

Was Marcy OK with this? Of course, she wasn't! But what were her options? One was worse than the other, and the safest thing was to stay put and wait for this torturous evening to end.

This was Marcy's first major event outside the Red Moon pack since she came from Europe, and Marcy was pissed that instead of strutting around with her head held high, she needed to lay low.

Yes, she should go and greet Damon, but she was determined to postpone that as much as possible.

Marcy's priority was to befriend Kalina. That's why she came here.

Marcy couldn't leave early without angering her father, but if Alpha Damon leaves, Marcy will have a good excuse as to why she didn't greet him. As for that woman who is latched to Damon, Marcy will show her who is worthy to be by Damon's side, if she dares to show up in front of Marcy.

…

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Talia shivered suddenly as the malice toward her nearly took physical form and it gave her goosebumps.

"Are you cold?", Damon asked while rubbing Talia's shoulder and upper arm.

"No." She was not cold, but she couldn't explain why she shivered. It was like something icy formed in her heart and caused discomfort.

"Are you sure?", Damon's brows came together in concern. Yes, it was a warm summer evening, but Talia didn't have her wolf and Damon was not sure how her body temperature was regulated, but he definitely felt those goosebumps under his palm.

He got an idea.

"We are done with food, how about dancing?"

They still didn't have dessert and Omegas were refilling trays with a variety of snacks, but the official part of dinner was done.

Talia stared at Damon. Did he just ask her to dance? She kind of danced in the Shifters nightclub, but that was packed with people and the music was loud and upbeat, and this was jazz. On top of that, Talia didn't see the dancefloor or people dancing. Will they be the only ones?

"I don't know how.", Talia said weakly. She really had no clue how to dance to this slow music.

Damon chuckled. "Me neither. Come. It will warm you up and help with digestion, and when we return, we can have dessert."

Damon could see that Talia was hesitating, but he didn't want to let her wiggle out of this.

He glanced at the four people at their table. "We are going to dance and will be back in a bit."

Before Talia could figure out what to say to avoid it, Damon was already holding her hand and leading the way.

To Talia's horror, they were going to the stage where Alpha Magnus held his speech when he introduced Kalina. It was elevated, for everyone to see! Talia saw two other couples who were dancing there, but the stage provided enough space for at least fifty more couples, and those two definitely didn't provide any protection from all the gazes directed their way.

"Nervous?", Damon asked Talia with amusement in his voice.

Talia nodded in small jerky movements.

"Don't be. Just relax and follow my lead.", Damon said and pulled her closer to him.

Damon put Talia's hands on his shoulders and his palms pressed gently on her back. With small nudges, he was telling her which way to move.

Damon smiled. "You are doing very well."

Talia narrowed her eyes at him. "You said that you don't know how to dance." It was obvious that Damon knew what he was doing.

Damon took Talia's hand into his and he made her twirl once, twice, and then he pulled her back toward him.

"It's been so long since I danced, that it doesn't count.", Damon said, and seeing Talia's questioning gaze, he explained, "My mother taught me. I didn't see the value in dancing, but my mother insisted. Every time we had a pack event, she would drag me to dance. She said that I need to practice because once I meet a special girl, I will want to dance with her."

Damon leaned closer and murmured close to Talia's ear. "It's more than a decade since I danced last time. You are the second woman who made me come to the dancefloor."

Talia's heart fluttered, making her lightheaded.

Did he just say what she thought he said?

"I… I…", Talia stuttered. "I didn't make you come here.", she blurted out.

Damon chuckled. "Are you sure? I had an inexplicable urge to dance with you, kitten. This is another first for me. With you."

Before Talia could respond, Damon made her twirl again, and then he pulled her toward him where she nestled in his firm embrace and they moved together, following the beat of the slow jazz music.

Talia was not sure if she was dizzy from all the twirling or from the unexpected intimacy they shared on that stage, for everyone to see, but she knew that no matter how dizzy she gets, Damon won't let her fall.

Back at the table…

"Alpha Damon is a good dancer", Mindy said.

Maddox was also looking that way. "We went out together so many times, but this is my first time to see him dancing."

'He changed for Talia. Do you think that Alpha Damon is serious? Will he make Talia his Luna?', Mindy continued through their mind-link so that no one can overhear them.

When she didn't get a response, Mindy turned to see Maddox holding his phone and recording a video of Damon and Talia dancing.

After capturing about ten seconds, Maddox lowered the phone and started typing swiftly.

"What are you doing?", Mindy asked while peering at Maddox's phone.

Maddox moved his phone before Mindy could read the lengthy text message he was working on.

"Sending this to Axel.", Maddox said.

Mindy didn't know that her brother was so close to Axel. Are they gossip-buddies? No, her brother has no filter, but he doesn't engage in gossip. "Why?"

"Axel showed unusual interest in Talia and since you forbade me to poke Damon about it…", Maddox looked at Mindy and wiggled his eyebrows mischievously.

Mindy rolled her eyes when she realized that her brother will make Axel do his dirty work. And it's not because Mindy said so, but because Maddox found a scapegoat who can dig out the information and Maddox will just watch from the sidelines.

Is this childish behavior befitting a powerful Alpha who is leading a pack?

But Mindy knew that her brother has a lot of work, and he is under constant pressure and stress, and it's rare for him to relax and be playful.

She shook her head helplessly. "One day, you will find a girl who will move you, and then I will encourage Alpha Damon to mess with you."

Maddox glanced at Tony, with the hope to get some manly support, but he saw that Tony was completely focused on Kalina.

Maddox made a face. It was a familiar scene, mated couples who are so much into each other that they don't notice anyone else.

It's not that Maddox is against mates, but he is in his mid-twenties and doing fairly well. The idea that a woman will show up and flip his world upside-down was unsettling. At the same time, Maddox was curious to experience ultimate infatuation with the woman who will make all others insignificant, and they will be absolutely focused on each other.

An invisible lightbulb lit up above Maddox's head. Couples who are into each other… infatuation… isn't there one couple that fits that description… right there on the stage, dancing?

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