Chapter 41: Cassie's Act

Author's note: see Cassie's photo in the comments

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Cassie entered her room (aka the guest bedroom on the second floor where she usually stays when she visits the Dark Howlers pack), and she paced while biting her nails.

She understood loud and clear that Damon wanted her out of here, but how can she leave? She just got here!

Damon was never ecstatic to see her, but she always played her role of an airhead perfectly. She would ignore his grumpiness and accept any affection, and he never told her to leave. What changed?

Cassie got her phone and called her father.

"Hi, pumpkin…", her father said in a singing voice that doesn't sound like it should belong to a vicious Alpha Richard of the Steelbite pack.

"Hi, daddy…", Cassie spoke in a whiny voice which told him that something is not right.

"What happened?"

"Damon told me to scram."

He snorted. "What did you do?"

"Nothing. Really. Absolutely nothing. I arrived and I wanted to greet him, but he acted like I have a plague or something. He used his Alpha pressure to make me submit and told me not to appear unless I have an appointment. I'm not sure what to do now. I don't want to leave. He just returned after spending two days with Marcy and I need to find out how far they went. But if I insist, I might irritate him more."

"Relax, dear", Alpha Richard said.

"How can I relax?"

"Nothing happened with Marcy. I spoke with Alpha Edward and he said that things are looking good, but he didn't say that they sealed the deal either. It doesn't matter how far he went with Marcy or with any other woman, as long as he didn't agree to the Luna ceremony."

"But if he didn't fall for Marcy, why did he avoid me?"

Alpha Richard thought for some time before responding. "It sounds to me that he is under stress."

Cassie snorted. "If he is under stress due to some random thing, he doesn't need to vent on me."

"Don't you want to be his Luna?"

"Yes, yes!", Cassie confirmed enthusiastically.

"Then, you should learn to read his mood. Alpha's job is not easy. Other than managing his pack, Damon needs to handle relationships with other packs also. It's a job that never ends. When things are good, it's easy. But when he hits a rough patch, as his Luna, you need to observe and listen, and help him if you can, and if you can't then don't bother him."

Cassie pouted while thinking about her father's words. "But… how can I observe and listen if he doesn't let me come close?"

"He was probably irritable, and you came suddenly. I know you are a ball of energy, but you need to do it gradually so that he doesn't notice you coming. It's all about the right approach."

Cassie smiled. "Thank you, daddy. You always know what to say."

"Of course, pumpkin. Give him some time to cool off and try again but be more subtle. If all fails, be vulnerable. Real men love helping a lady in distress. And don't forget to pretend that you are clueless. If he suspects that you are putting on an act, he will really kick you out."

"Got it, daddy."

Cassie sent a smacking air kiss to the phone before ending the call.

She plopped on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

Right. She needs to give time to Damon to cool off and then she will try approaching him again. Later.

But what should she do until later?

…

In the study room…

Damon was still going through his emails when Caden entered after a brief knock.

"I've got you these to check and sign.", Caden said while putting a stack of papers on Damon's desk.

Damon frowned at Caden's gifts. "Did Cassie leave?"

"Not that I know of, and I have no intention of going to her room to check."

Damon's frown deepened. "That's not her room."

Caden chuckled. "You know that she always stays in that room, and no one else uses it, so… it's Cassie's."

Damon rubbed his forehead and Caden observed him curiously. "What's got into you?"

"She is annoying."

Caden agreed. "Cassie was always annoying. But what I don't know is what changed with you to suddenly tell her that she can't come without an appointment. You used your Alpha on her."

Damon paused. How is he supposed to answer this? "Cassie is acting like she owns the place, bossing Omegas around and upsetting Steph."

Caden nodded in slow motion. "Cassie always did that, but you never cared. When I asked you why we are allowing Cassie to stay, you would always give me a half-smirk and say how she has her uses. Did her pussy go bad or something?"

Damon exhaled irritably. "Maybe I'm tired of her shit."

He really didn't want to explain.

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Damon knew that Caden was suspicious, and he knew that Talia being his mate can't be hidden at this rate, but he didn't have a solution.

Before anyone finds out that Talia is his mate, Damon needed to prepare himself and Talia for those who will come after Talia in order to get to him. She will be put on the spot, scrutinized, hunted. Some will come openly, and some will act from the shadows.

Damon didn't want to see that. He wanted to see Talia energetic and happy, just how she was in the forest, earlier that day.

The other option was for Damon to get his act together and to convince everyone that Talia is just a girl who doesn't mean anything. But how can he do that when every woman he met so far is just a vague outline, while he can remember every speck of golden in Talia's honeyed eyes?

Damon would need to be indifferent toward Talia and allow women like Cassie to get close to him.

He didn't care for Cassie. Her or any other, it didn't make much difference for Damon, but now just the thought of contact with any other woman was repulsive.

Damon stood up abruptly.

"Where are you going?", Caden asked.

"I need a break. I'm going to shower…", Damon responded without halting his steps.

…

When he approached his room, Damon paused, and he fought a mighty internal battle while deciding which door to take.

On his right was his bedroom, the master suite on the third floor.

On his left was his old bedroom, and a faint scent of freesia told him that Talia is inside.

Damon cursed under his breath and took the right. He needed a shower. A cold one.

Shower didn't help to calm down Damon's raging emotions, and after dressing up, he went straight across the hall to find a cure for this newfound madness.

Damon placed his ear on the door and listened intently. Nothing.

He knocked gently a few times and waited. Nothing.

Damon told himself to leave. Just keep on moving. But the only thing that moved was his right hand which held onto the doorknob, and he peeked into the room through the gap.

"Talia?", he called. Nothing.

Damon opened the door so that his head can fit, and he smiled when he saw Talia on the bed.

He knew that he should leave. What will he say if she wakes up and finds him in her room?

'Say that you were worried about her, so you came to check if she is OK', his wolf gave him an idea, and that was the last straw Damon needed to get into the room and close the door behind him.

He slowly inched toward the bed, each step bringing him closer to the girl and her addictive sweet citrusy scent of freesia.

Damon had no idea at what point he got close enough to sit on the edge of the bed.

He reached for Talia's hand that was peeking from under the cover and he inhaled a shaky breath at that initial surge of sparks when his finger touched the inside of Talia's palm.

He will never get bored of it.

A second later, Talia's fingers curled around Damon's, and he smiled. Technically, she was holding his hand. He liked that.

Talia rolled on her side, and the cover slipped lower, revealing her shoulder and upper arm.

Damon held his breath when he spotted that the loose tank top shifted sideways, and Talia's breast was almost exposed. Almost.

That was definitely a side-boob view! And it was a beautiful view.

Damon stared at that area and chanted silently for Talia to move just a bit more.

He really wanted to suck her there.

Damon felt the pressure in his groin area increasing and cursed internally.

Does she need to tempt him even in her sleep?

Doesn't she know how hard was for Damon to keep his hands to himself? Probably not. She is innocent and gorgeous, and all the dirt is coming from him.

Damon cursed again. Since when is he thinking about touching a woman as something dirty?

A woman as wonderful as Talia is made for touching. His. Only his.

If any other guy thinks about touching Talia, Damon will bestow him a marvelous death.

Damon released a long breath while controlling his urges.

Slowly, very slowly, Damon grabbed the edge of the cover and pulled it higher to conceal the source of visual temptation which sent pulses of need into his throbbing cock.

He didn't trust himself that he will not start feeling her out the moment his shaky restraints snap.

Damon observed Talia's sleeping face and fought mightily against his urge to lie next to her, aware that the pull of the bond was getting stronger by the minute, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Damon held Talia's hand and closed his eyes while allowing the scent of freesia to fill his system, and everything faded.

There were no sounds, no people, no Caden or Maya or Stephanie, and definitely no Cassie. It was just the two of them, Damon and Talia, and it felt like this room provided a sealed dimension that keeps everything else out, or maybe it was keeping Damon and Talia in. He didn't mind, as long as no one interrupted this peace that came over him.

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