Thank you, Dale_Cooper0613, for the Magic Castle gifted on May 18, 2022!
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Jade felt that the air was heavy, and her mouth opened to respond against her will, "I heard that Alpha Damon organized dinner with Elders where he announced his Luna. After my modeling gig was over, I rushed to see if it's true and if I can become his Luna before he marks her."
Talia couldn't believe this. Jade rushed here to take the spot of Damon's mate? "Why didn't you call?"
"I did, but he didn't pick up and I thought he was avoiding me, so I came in person because I couldn't miss this opportunity now that Marcy was out of the running to be his Luna."
Cold sweat beaded Jade's forehead.
Why the heck was she talking nonsense? But it was not nonsense. Sure, she wanted to get closer to Damon by fake-dating, and then slowly she would incorporate herself into his life. She would show herself as non-intrusive and useful. Everyone thought that Damon will make Marcy his Luna, but Marcy was out of the way, and Jade was confident that things would move in the right direction given enough time.
If he would dote on her, that would be great, and if he didn't, she would continue modeling and traveling. In either case, it was a win-win for her, and now it was ruined.
Who the hell was this woman? Was this an Alpha command? Even Alpha Adam doesn't have this power.
Talia was angry again. Jade came here to be Damon's Luna before he marks the woman he choose? Well, too bad because Damon already marked Talia, and they were fated mates, but it seemed that none of these bed climbers cared about what they will destroy in order to get what they want.
Talia turned to Damon. "What do you say, Damon? Do you need a fake girlfriend? Should I leave so that you can mark this woman?"
Damon pinched the roof of his nose as he remembered Caden telling him that Jade was bad news and that her talks about independence and keeping their fake relationship fake were just to reel him in. At that time, Damon suspected that Caden was dramatic because Jade always spoke about her career, but what was this nonsense about her being his Luna?
"Let me clarify a few things.", Damon said. "First, I never agreed to the fake-dating scheme. It was Jade's idea. Second…" He walked to Talia and took her hand into his. Damon's heart tightened when he felt how stiff Talia was, but the good thing was that she didn't yank her hand out of his grasp.
He clasped her hand between his and gave her a squeeze.
"Nothing else matters, kitten.", he said. "You know that none of these women are important. You are and you always will be my only one. I admit, it's my mistake that Jade is here." He turned to look at Jade. "I believed that Jade's only interest in me was to get her father to stop forcing her into marriage. I believed that she puts her career first. I believed that she was strong and independent and that she won't allow them to use her for a political marriage."
Talia could feel his sincerity and she knew that he meant it, but the anger in the pit of her stomach was still swelling.
"You are telling me that she lied to you.", Talia said. "You are saying that she came here to seduce you and to use you for her own benefit."
Talia spoke to Jade. "You are a pitiful woman, Miss Jade. Did you really think you can use Alpha Damon for your agenda? I don't care what happened between you in the past, but you definitely got the message that he found his Luna, yet you came here to snatch that position. Are you worthy? Do you think that being Beta's daughter is enough qualification to be Damon's Luna? Or were you relying on your looks? Will Damon's Luna just stand there and allow others to question her in a degrading manner?"
This got Jade's attention. "Why are you talking to me like I did something despicable? I admit that I came here with the hope to get Alpha Damon's attention, but I didn't do anything wrong and Alpha Damon didn't refuse me."
"And you assumed that his silence is agreement.", Mindy interjected. She was angry for Talia, and she was also angry because this reminded her of Nina. If Gideon pushed Nina away decisively, Nina would get the message that she was in the past and that she should scram, but he didn't, and Nina continued advancing and disturbing Mindy's peace.
"Who are you?", Jade asked Mindy.
"I am a woman who knows how it feels when an insignificant ex comes to disturb MY mate!", Mindy responded.
Jade's eyes darted from Mindy to Talia, and she was confused now. Was Mindy Damon's mate?
"I knew you were impressive, but I didn't realize you have more than one mate.", Jade said to Damon while trying to lighten up the mood.
"One or ten, that shouldn't be your concern.", Dawn said. She saw Jade as an ex who can't get the message that she needs to back off, and that reminded her of Marcy. "What you should remember is that Alpha Damon is taken and you are not IT."
Jade was still looking at Damon. "Alpha Damon, I think we have some misunderstanding here… ahh!" She cried when another wave of pressure made her collapse down to her knees. She thought that it was Talia or maybe Damon, but Mindy was glaring at her.
Jade gaped at Mindy. From where did that Alpha aura come?
"The only one who doesn't understand her position is you, Miss Jade.", Mindy said with a malicious smile on her face. Her father was an Alpha, and even though Mindy's aura was weaker when compared to Maddox's, she could still handle Beta's daughter with ease.
Gideon looked at Mindy with sparkles in his eyes. His pumpkin-infused princess was fantastic!
Mindy turned to Talia. "She obviously came to seduce your man. What will you do with her?"
"You should make an example from her. Beat her, strip her, humiliate her, so that no other woman dares to come like this.", Zina said from the side. Everyone knew about women clinging onto Damon and trying to get close to him, but Zina remembered Cassie who was coming to their packhouse and bossing around everyone like she owned the place, and Zina hated it.
With Mindy being distracted, Jade scrambled up to her feet. Kneeling on the floor was embarrassing.
"You must be joking.", Jade said breathily. "Ahh!" She cried and fell back down to the floor.
After a long second, Jade looked up to see who pressured her with Alpha's aura now. Damon, Talia, Mindy? But it was none of them because the one who was staring her down was Dawn. What the hell?