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There were different cuts of steaks, grilled chicken, fish, shrimp, and there was some salad also (mostly as a bed for all the meaty delicacies).

"I recommend that you start with this one.", Damon said while placing on her plate a piece of roasted meat that was wrapped in bacon. "It's tender and juicy."

Damon cut the bite-sized piece before offering it to Talia on a fork. He fed her previously, so she didn't think much before accepting it.

"Mmm…", she hummed in satisfaction as the flavors exploded on her tongue. "It's more than just tender and juicy. It's the best thing I ever tasted."

Damon's gaze was stuck on Talia's lips that were lifted into a smile and moved as she chewed, and there was a small stream of grease on the left side that escaped her mouth when she spoke.

He reached with his thumb and wiped it off and Talia stared as Damon put that thumb into his mouth and licking it clean.

"You are right. It is delicious.", he said, and the way he looked at her made Talia wonder if he was talking about the grease or about her.

"Eat, my dear wife", Damon said with amusement in his voice. "There is a lot of food and it's not good when it gets cold. Remember what you like so that you make them for me at home."

Talia's stomach flipped when he addressed her as his dear wife, but she refused to let it show, confident that he was teasing her. She focused on what he said after that. "Shouldn't I make you things that you like?"

Damon shot her a side-glance. Should he tell her that he will eat anything as long as he can lick it from her, just like that bit of mess he collected from the edge of her lips?

A crazy image appeared in his mind: Talia lying on the table, with food arranged over her naked body. He would use his tongue and lick her clean.

Damn! He was getting hard again.

...

~ The Dark Howlers pack ~

The black armored Lexus SUV stopped in front of the packhouse and Damon turned off the engine.

Damon increased his hold on Talia's hand, and he had an urge to start the car again and drive away to a place where he and Talia can be on their own. Just the two of them.

The big mansion in front of the car is his home since he became aware of his existence, yet now he saw it as a place where he couldn't be openly close to Talia because others might see them.

Damon had his duties and things to do, and if he wanted Talia to tag along, people will notice.

Damon was not sure if anyone from his pack would dare to act against Talia, but the news that Alpha Damon found a girl who is more than just a hookup will spread and eventually reach the ears of the people who will want to use Talia against Damon; people who will want to harm her in order to harm him.

Talia noticed the change in Damon's mood, and she understood that the fun time is over.

A knot formed in Talia's chest and she wondered if that's how Cinderella felt when the clock struck midnight and she had to leave the ball because the magic was over.

Damon's carefree expression was gone, telling Talia that the spell wore off and she was back to reality where she is Talia. No one.

Talia didn't dare to harbor romantic thoughts toward Alpha Damon, but her mind drifted in the direction where he was someone who treated her well, a protector, a friend… maybe someone she could rely on. And now that his lips were pressed into a line while he looked toward the packhouse with his brows slightly furrowed, Talia understood that whatever happened earlier that morning, it will stay there. Should she thank him for the few hours he gave her?

Talia was not sure what that morning was for Damon. Was that his normal routine? Was he playing a game? Or just taking care of a poor girl that he brought home?

No matter what it was for Damon or if it held any significance, for Talia, that morning was special, and she was confident that she will cherish it as a wonderful memory for years to come.

It was the first time that someone treated her so kindly.

They went to the hospital, and Damon didn't only teach the rude doctor a lesson, but he also allowed Talia to vent her frustration. And then they walked in the park, and she got to taste blue cotton candy and to see Damon smiling face, not a smile that's intense or mischievous, but it was a warm and honest smile that made Talia hold her breath and wish for the power to stop time. And then they went to a restaurant, and she got to eat all kinds of tasty food and Damon said that she can work in the kitchen.

Truly, a morning worth remembering.

Damon was nice and caring and protective without being overbearing and she liked it very much.

Talia told herself not to be greedy because she already got so much from him, but a part of her wished that the morning doesn't end.

Damon looked at Talia's lips that were pressed into a line. He wanted her to smile again, just how she did in the park and in the restaurant, but just telling her to smile without giving a reason wouldn't make sense. Is it possible that Talia was happy because she was away from the pack? He pushed down the anxiety that was forming at the thought of Talia leaving the pack... and him.

"What will you do now?", Damon asked Talia.

His question dispelled her unreasonable thoughts about not leaving the car.

Yes, the caring and playful Damon was gone, and she shouldn't think about him again because she was facing Alpha Damon, the man who helped her out of the Red Moon pack, and his unstable mood was a reminder that the only one she can truly rely on is herself.

"I want to find Stephanie and figure out the schedule for the kitchen."

Damon didn't want Talia to work. He wanted her to relax and enjoy pampering the whole day, but he saw sparkles of excitement in her eyes when he told her that she can work in the kitchen, and he couldn't deny her this.

'Steph, where are you?', Damon asked through the mind link, and he got a response a second later.

"She is restocking the pantry.", Damon told Talia which earned him a smile.

Reluctantly, Damon let go of Talia's hand. The loss of sparks tugged on his heart, but it was time to leave the car.

"Damon", Talia called, and his mood improved because she didn't use his title.

"Thank you."

"For?", he asked.

"For everything. I had fun.", she said honestly, her smile put him in a daze.

She had fun? Damon wondered which part for her was the most fun one. Was it the drive, the hospital, the park, or the lunch? For him, each moment was precious, and he wouldn't mind being stuck in a loop where he gets to repeat them over and over again.

Talia reached for the door, to open it, and Damon placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Wait. I will get the door for you."

Talia observed Damon as he walked around the front of the car, his gaze didn't leave hers and it all appeared like it was happening in slow motion.

Somehow, Talia found herself lost in the moment of Damon opening the door for her and giving her his hand to hold. The touch of his palm on hers felt natural, and she wondered how could she get used to it so quickly.

Talia took a deep breath to compose herself when she realized that she missed his warmth the moment he let go of her hand, reminding her that the magic was gone.

She chided herself internally. 'What was I thinking? That we will walk inside holding hands? And then what? Don't be stupid and focus on the reality.'

They entered the mansion and Damon noticed that Talia took the hallway to the left that's leading to the kitchen.

Damon wanted to go with Talia, but if he did that, people would notice that he was sticking to her.

He could hear Talia's voice, "Hi Stephanie, Alpha Damon said that I can work in the kitchen, so I came here to talk to you and see when can I start."

"Oh, that's nice, dear!", Stephanie responded enthusiastically. "I just finished cleaning up after lunch, so there is nothing to do now, but you can help with dinner. We will start around five o'clock. How does that sound?"

Damon took a note that Talia addressed him as 'Alpha Damon' while talking to Stephanie. He would prefer that Talia drops the title when she is addressing him, but he knew that this was better. If people think that she is just an Omega, that would be the best.

Talia calls him by his name in private, and that should be enough.

Damon was contemplating if he should wait for Talia and go upstairs with her, but then he saw Cassie approaching him and his mood dropped.

As long as Cassie was not in his face, it was easy to forget that Cassie was still lingering around.

"Alpha Damon", Cassie called sweetly. "You seem to be awfully busy these days..."

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