Chapter 881 – Hidden Desires of the Werewolf King Novel

Filed To Story: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel

Petra had her hands full of chasing away girls who wouldn’t take no for an answer from her two best friends (Zack and Erik). Her glaring down at females was funny to watch.

‘It will be not-so-funny when she comes of age,’ Liseli chimed into Talia’s mind.

‘Why?’

Liseli exhaled dramatically. ‘You are so focused on what the girl is doing that you don’t notice the brown-haired boy.’

Talia understood that the brown-haired boy was Zack. He was smiling at Petra. Talia thought that Zack was amused by Petra’s protectiveness, but now that Liseli mentioned it… ‘Are Zack and Petra mates?’

Liseli hummed in confirmation. ‘And Zack knows it.’

Talia sighed dreamily.

“Is our walk over?” Dayson asked Talia without bothering to conceal his impatience by talking through their mind link.

Talia cocked an eyebrow at Dayson, and she used their private channel to ask, ‘Can Sapa sense when someone is mated?’

Dayson’s expression fell. He was hoping that the walk was over and it was sexy time. But Talia asked him a question, so he responded, ‘Yes.’

‘Did Sapa tell you that Zack and Petra are mates?’

‘No,’ Dayson responded, and a second later, he added, ‘The old guy says it’s not our circus and not our monkeys.’

‘Did he call me a gossip!?’ Liseli raged in Talia’s mind.

Since Talia was pregnant, they couldn’t shift into wolf form. On top of that, pregnancy hormones affected the ancient wolf, making Liseli irritable.

“Let’s keep on walking,” Talia said, hoping to get distracted by something else.

Cristian and Michelle were holding each other and watching Ashton who was squealing with joy in the bouncy house with a bunch of other kids.

They saw a lot of people having fun, but Dayson noticed that someone was missing.

“Where are Keith and Arya?” Dayson asked suspiciously. Those two were always sticking to Talia, but now that he thought about it, Dayson didn’t see them since they cut the cake.

Talia smiled knowingly. “Shortly after our ceremony, Arya showed signs of heat, so…”

Dayson’s eyebrows shot up. He knew where this was going. If Arya got pregnant, Keith and Arya would be busy with their pup, which was a good thing because the duo would do something other than breathe down Talia’s neck.

On the other side, if Keith and Arya became parents, Talia would lose reliable guards, and Dayson had to admit that Keith and Arya were perfect for the job. Creepy, but still perfect.

With the full circle completed, Talia wanted to check on another person. “Let’s make sure my father is alright, and then we can go.”

Dayson’s eyes lost focus, and in less than a second, he confirmed Valerian’s location.

Talia and Dayson found Valerian in the garden behind the packhouse. Cassandra was there also, standing a few steps away from Valerian in silence.

“Why are you not enjoying your party?” Valerian asked when he noticed Talia and Dayson approaching them.

“I wanted to check on you,” Talia said. “How are you doing?”

Valerian released a long breath. “A little bit better. Are those two alive?”

Dayson knew that “those two” were Sophia and Isaac. Dayson was getting real-time reports from soldiers. “They received care for their injuries and are transported to the human city as we speak.”

“Do you know what will happen to them?” Valerian continued probing.

“They will be left in an apartment that is furnished and has food for about one week. They will also get identification documents like humans. After that, it will be up to them,” Dayson responded.

“You are generous toward people who hoped for your death,” Valerian said.

“In this way, we will get to keep an eye on them. Besides, they are Axel’s parents, and if I allowed them to die, Talia would be upset. She cares about her cousin.” Dayson’s eyes flashed dangerously. “But don’t assume I am generous. Someone will pay them a visit every few days to remind them that no place is safe.”

Valerian nodded in approval. “They will get to experience living a life similar to what Natalia had.”

“Exactly,” Dayson confirmed.

“We are going to be absent for some time. Will you be alright?” Talia spoke to Valerian.

“I will leave,” Valerian responded with finality.

Talia didn’t want him to go, but she couldn’t ask him to stay when she was the one leaving first. It would be a selfish thing to do. Besides, Valerian was physically fine, and she knew that he wouldn’t be in that garden forever.

“When are you leaving?” Talia asked.

“I was thinking of heading out tomorrow.”

“To the Midnight Guardians pack?” Talia guessed.

“No.”

“I see,” Talia breathed. “How long will you be away?”

“I don’t know.”

Talia didn’t like the uncertainty. “Can you give me an estimate? A month? A year?”

“Is there a rush?” Valerian asked.

“No, not really. It’s just…” Talia decided to come out clean. “I thought you would take over the Midnight Guardians pack as the Alpha.”

“As the Alpha?” Valerian repeated in surprise.

“You would be the Alpha of the Midnight Guardians pack if things were different. Our people need a leader, and my hands are full with things here. Axel could help and be your proxy, so it’s not too much work.”

Valerian shook his head, rejecting the idea. “That’s your position, Natalia. I have no right or desire to claim it. Our people admire you and follow you willingly. You are already doing great, and I’m confident you will do so for a very long time.”

Talia was alerted. Why did his words sound like a goodbye? “Where are you going? When will you return? Why are you secretive?”

“It’s not about keeping secrets. It’s about not knowing where I will go,” Valerian responded, and Talia’s expression told him she was confused. “It’s just…” He released a long breath. “It’s suffocating.”

Talia’s brows came together in worry. “What?”

Valerian held Talia’s shoulders. “You did nothing wrong, Natalia. You and your mate allowed me to stay here and get better, and I am grateful. But the only thing recovering is my body. My mind is trapped in the past, and my soul is empty.” Painfully empty. “I miss my mate, and I need a distraction before I do something I will regret.”

Valerian’s wolf was in agony. The mate bond was there, but they couldn’t act on it. Valerian feared that his wolf might turn feral or lose control. He didn’t want to show that ugly side to Talia. She suffered enough.

Talia’s eyes filled with tears. She knew that Valerian was suffering, and she gave him space to heal, believing that he would find purpose in being with her and maybe leading the Midnight Guardians pack. She had a pup on the way, which would make Valerian a grandfather, but it seemed none of that could fill the gap Astraea’s absence created.

Valerian pressed his lips into a line. “I don’t want to upset you, but… I have been watching you since I got here, and I can see that you have a good life, friends, and a mate that takes good care of you. I can leave content, knowing that you will be happy.” He looked at Dayson. “Take care of Natalia.”

Talia approached Valerian and wrapped her arms around him.

He hugged her back, and his heart cracked when he realized she was crying silently.

‘This is the best for all of us,’ Valerian’s voice sounded in Dayson’s head. ‘If I stay, I will only be a burden. I am grateful for everything you did, but I need to go before I run out of time.’

Dayson nodded in understanding. He didn’t know what that running out of time meant, but he was aware that Valerian was doting on Talia, and he wouldn’t leave if it were not serious.

Valerian patted Talia’s back. “There, there… don’t be sad. I won’t be gone forever. I will stay in touch.”

Talia sniffled. “Don’t lie. You won’t be back.”

“You don’t know that,” he said.

Talia raised her head to look into his eyes. “I can feel your wolf, dad.” Liseli was telling Talia that Valerian’s wolf’s state was bad, but Talia was hopeful it would get better.

Valerian smiled sadly while thinking that she reminded him of Astraea, again. “Then, you know why I must go.”

Talia fisted his shirt. “You can’t go. There must be something we do.”

“There is nothing you or anyone else can do, Natalia. The only one that can soothe my aches is not here.”

Talia was not willing to accept this. It was one thing if Valerian wanted to see how the world changed in his absence and to explore new places, but he wanted to leave without the intention of returning.

She didn’t want him to leave; she just found him.

That was her father, Alpha Valerian Moonrider. He was handsome and powerful, and he loved her. Since she was aware of her existence, Talia yearned for parents who loved her.

Talia looked up to see the moon, and she wondered if this was a joke from the Moon Goddess.

Is this why she saved him? Only so that she would lose him again?

Did he survive two decades in that dungeon, so his wolf would give up? Will Valerian turn rogue or go mad? How could Talia allow it to happen?

‘I know what you are thinking,’ Liseli said.

‘You do? Why don’t you come up with a solution?’

‘Even if we assume that your mother’s spirit is alive, she will be in a different realm, and there is no way for us to bring her here.’

‘We can’t bring her here,’ Talia repeated. ‘But… can we send my dad there?’

Liseli wondered if her ears malfunctioned. ‘What?’

‘We can teleport by focusing on a location or a person. Can we focus on my mother?’

‘Uhm… it is possible theoretically, but we don’t know your mother. What are you going to focus on? An image you received from a necklace?’ What if she teleports her father into the necklace? That would be a disaster.

“Dad?” Talia called. “If you could see your mate again…”

“I would do anything,” Valerian responded before Talia could finish her question.

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