Chapter 629 – Hidden Desires of the Werewolf King Novel

Filed To Story: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel

“You will need to hold this.” Gideon handed Talia the stone tablet that was light gray and unusually cold to the touch like it was refrigerated previously.

Talia wondered if the stone she was holding was that heavy, or if that was the heaviness of what it represented. Those five people will use the tablet to entrust their lives to Talia, and that was heavier than anything. Would she be able to do the same if the roles were reversed? She was not sure. They were her friends, and Talia trusted them, but the only person who had her unconditional trust was Dayson.

Dayson explained how their pledge of loyalty to Alpha and Luna was normal. Pack prospers together and everyone has their role. As warriors, their duty was to fight and protect, and protecting their Luna was the highest honor a warrior could have because only the most skilled ones get to serve at the top.

Even with that explanation, Talia didn’t feel it was right. Was it because she didn’t grow up as part of a pack? Dayson was her home and she would do anything for him, but she couldn’t understand the concept of a tightly-knitted community where people will make sacrifices for someone else’s benefit. That’s not how things went in the Red Moon pack where even Omegas wouldn’t hesitate to backstab others even if they didn’t gain anything from it.

Talia looked at Keith, Liam, Caleb, Pierce, and Sandy, silently giving them one last chance to back out from taking this oath, but determination in their eyes told her they will stick to it.

Keith stepped forward first.

Gideon handed him the ceremonial knife made out of white bone, the same one that Mindy used when she joined the Shadow Fang pack.

At Gideon’s nod, Keith ran the blade over his palm, drawing blood.

Talia’s brows furrowed when she saw Keith’s blood dripping, indicating a deep cut, and he placed his palm on the tablet Talia was holding without hesitation.

Gideon murmured ancient chants, while Keith looked up at the Moon that was nearly full and spoke in a clear voice, the sound carrying through the forest, like it was amplified, “With the Moon Goddess as my witness, I, Keith of the Shadow Fang pack, pledge my loyalty to Talia Moonrider, the Luna of the Shadow Fang pack.” Keith lowered his gaze and locked eyes with Talia. “I will treat your safety as my priority until there is breath in me, and if I ever think of harming you, may the Moon Goddess take my life.”

Talia felt that the tablet in her hands was heating and she gripped it tighter when it started vibrating.

The tablet emitted a burst of red light, and Talia’s breath hitched at the sensation in her chest she couldn’t identify. Was that the bond of the oath? Did Keith feel the same?

A gust of wind swirled around Keith and Talia, making the flames of tiki torches dance wildly, and a second later, everything was calm again.

Keith removed his palm from the tablet, and Talia clearly saw that his flesh was crimson red, yet the cold stone tablet was completely clean.

Keith bowed to Talia and then to Dayson before stepping away.

The next one was Liam. He cut his palm and said the pledge, the tablet reacted, there was a sensation in the chest and a gust of wind, and he was done. One by one, all Talia’s guards present pledged their loyalty to her, their sincerity overwhelming her emotionally.

Gideon ended the oath with his arms raised up toward the moon while another stirring of ancient words no one understood left his lips.

Gideon had an appearance of a modern mature man, yet in these moments he extruded an ancient aura full of wisdom, like a sage from centuries ago. The only things missing would be a long white hair and an equally long beard fluttering in the wind to make it completely fantastic.

“It’s done.”, Gideon declared.

Talia looked at her five guards with the focus on their bleeding hands. Mindy was giving them gauze that was soaked in aromatic herbs, and bandages to wrap around their wounds.

“Let me heal you”, Talia said.

All five of them refused, and she heard Dayson’s voice in her head, ‘That’s the proof of their oath and they carry those wounds as badges of honor.’

Talia exhaled helplessly, and spoke to her guards, “I am touched that you were willing to do this. I hope that you never face danger while protecting me, but if you do, keep in mind that I’m not a porcelain doll that needs protection at any cost. Don’t endanger yourself recklessly because if you are harmed, you can’t guard me. I am your Luna, I am not weak, and I will fight by your side so that we can keep each other safe. Is that clear?”

They nodded and everyone’s attention moved to the tablet in Talia’s hands that was now glowing in silvery light.

“What is this?”, Dayson asked, uneasy feeling telling him this was not part of the ceremony.

“I believe that the Moon Goddess acknowledged Talia’s words as her oath.”, Gideon said, his eyes sparkling with excitement because he had never seen anything like that happening before. The tablet reacted to blood only, but now it seemed that it reacted to Talia’s silvery magic-like ability. Gideon really wanted to do some tests and confirm if his guess was correct, but how can he express such a request without making it sound that he wants to treat his Luna as a test specimen?

Dayson’s brows were together, forming a deep frown. Which part of Talia’s words was the oath? That she didn’t need protecting? Or that she will protect her guards? What nonsense was that?

Before Talia could say anything else, Dayson snatched the tablet from her hands and shoved it into Gideon’s.

“Don’t let her hold such things.”, Dayson said to the Shaman in an ominously low voice. If he knew this would happen, Dayson would be the one holding the tablet, so that those five wretched guards pledge to Dayson that they won’t harm his mate.

Gideon lowered his head in submission. “Yes, Alpha.” Well, so much for doing tests, Gideon thought. If he asks Talia to try something like that again, Dayson will skin him alive.

Sandy clapped loudly, ignoring that her left hand was freshly bandaged.

“Now that this is over, let’s celebrate in Shifters!”, Sandy exclaimed cheerfully, breaking the tense atmosphere.

Dayson didn’t like the idea of partying. As Talia’s guards, they should always be ready for action. “We will leave tomorrow morning. Do you have the luxury of time for drinking?”

Sandy’s face fell and she looked helplessly at Liam, Pierce, and Caleb to see that their stony expressions didn’t show how disappointed they were. Sandy didn’t bother looking at Keith because even as a Coach he would tell them to skip on the fun before the game.

Talia hugged Dayson’s arm and spoke to her guards, “Enjoy at Shifters, but remember that you need to be here for breakfast.”

Sandy fist-pumped into the air. “You are the best!”

Dayson looked at Talia in disbelief. Did she just override his order, in front of others?

“Don’t worry.”, Keith said to Talia and Dayson. “I will go with them and make sure they don’t overdo it so that everyone is ready on time.”

Somehow, Dayson and Talia sounded like concerned parents, and Keith was the responsible child in the family who will keep his younger siblings out of trouble.

They all wished each other good night and Keith walked away with Liam, Caleb, Pierce, and Sandy.

“They are in a good mood.”, Maya said in a singing voice. “You have good guards, Luna Talia.”

Talia acknowledged that the mood was good. Was she overthinking this?

The only one missing was Lulu and Talia hoped that this wasn’t the beginning of a rift forming between them.

…

James woke up with a big smile on his face and Cornelia in his arms.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck, taking deep breaths and allowing her sweet scent of wild berries to fill his system.

As if his morning wood was not enough, Cornelia’s closeness made him hard to the point of aching, but James didn’t want to move away from his chocolate-colored Goddess. She was beautiful and enchanting, and he felt that disturbing her sleep would be sacrilege.

James smiled foolishly while thinking about the previous day. They spent it together and it was fantastic.

The day included a lot of hand-holding and kisses, and they broke that skin-to-skin contact only when absolutely necessary.

First, they went to a mall to shop for clothes.

James was never into fashion, but his logic told him that outfits in the display windows and on mannequins were from the current season, and he stayed away from the clearance section where clothes were on sale. That’s how he picked a few dresses for Cornelia and made her try them on. Everything looked good on her. He bought it all, happy that Dayson arranged a credit card with the name James White. Alpha Edward had no way of knowing that his son was shopping with his mate instead of sweating it out in the gym. James felt a sense of accomplishment in that.

Since coming to the Shadow Fang pack, for the first time in his life, James had an opportunity to act like a teenager, defying his parents and enjoying life, and this day was definitely one of those.

Next, James and Cornelia went into the aquarium. He heard how those two warriors wanted to take Cornelia to the aquarium, but they never did, so James decided to take her there. Cornelia was fascinated with jellyfish, sharks, and many other creatures. She got to touch starfish and clams, and she said how seahorses look nothing like horses, and then they got soaked while watching a show where dolphins performed.

With her clothes wet, Cornelia thought that her options were to stay wet or return to the packhouse, but James was ready for this. Why else would he take her shopping first?

Cornelia changed her wet clothes in the back of the white Lexus, and James waited outside, his fingers itchy to open the door and get in with her. He really wanted to see her changing; well not exactly changing clothes, it was mostly about removing her clothes but he controlled himself.

James was also wet, so he went into the car after Cornelia was done and she waited outside. He hoped she will stay inside, but she was avoiding his gaze nervously, and suddenly he became aware of how that back seat and tinted glass will provide privacy. And just like that, he was hard again. Damn!

He was done in a minute, and then he found the bag where Cornelia kept the dress she wore previously, and he took a few deep breaths to inhale her scent that lingered there. Even when it was wet with a hint of fish, it was still fantastic. He knew it made him look like a creep, but he couldn’t stop himself.

Dazed by her scent, the moment James exited the car, he pulled Cornelia into his embrace and kissed her senselessly until their lips were numb, right there in the parking lot of the Aquarium. James knew kissing won’t be enough as he really wanted to make love to her, and the way she melded into him told him that she wanted the same. Oh, and then there was the scent of her arousal that confirmed without a doubt that her body wanted to be explored… but James knew that this was as far as they can go, so he stopped himself. For now.

After that, James and Cornelia had lunch in an Italian restaurant that was on the seventh floor and it provided a wonderful panoramic view of the city.

Next was the museum of history, and James bought them ice cream while they walked downtown. Chocolate for him and raspberry for her.

Cornelia loved the ice cream, but she didn’t approve of the concrete jungle. They were outside, yet it was stuffy and noisy, and her connection with nature was severed. She wondered how humans could live like that.

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