Chapter 107 – Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel

Filed To Story: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel

“If you walk leisurely, it will take you about twenty minutes to get there… If you are lost, just ask anyone to direct you to the town square with the clocktower, that’s the center of the fair… anyone can show you which way to take in order to return to the packhouse…”

“Will you come to the fair?”, Talia asked.

“Maybe later.”, Stephanie responded with a smile, but Talia noticed that Stephanie’s mood dropped.

Stephanie was hoping that Lisa will come, and she made plans with her daughter, yet Lisa decided to stay in the Lightclaw pack because of her boyfriend, Anthony, and Stephanie was not in a festive mood. How can she be happy when she knows that her daughter is hurting?

Stephanie lost her husband, and she has only Lisa, and as much as she hopes that Lisa will snap out of her infatuation with Anthony, Stephanie can’t force her.

Knowing that everyone will be at the fair, Stephanie decided to stay in the packhouse where she won’t need to force a smile. If she changes her mind later, she can always come to the fair, but Stephanie didn’t want to make any promises, and Talia didn’t feel like she had the right to insist, so she dropped the topic.

Talia left swiftly, while everyone was busy with breakfast. On her way from the kitchen to the main entry (or main exit, in this case), Talia heard Miss Mindy talking and several other unknown voices and Talia rushed out, happy that no one stopped her.

Talia didn’t want to risk Alpha Dayson asking her to join them at the table, and she didn’t want to be sad in case he doesn’t come to look for her either, so she left first.

Anyway, Dayson already said that he won’t be able to spend the day with Talia, and that meant he will be busy with guests. Guests like Miss Mindy and other important people.

Talia was confident that among the guests there were several other females. Will any of them throw herself at Dayson? Will she succeed to be Dayson’s Luna? Or maybe his company for tonight?

Talia pushed those thoughts away. What was the point? Even if Dayson held Talia’s hand and brought her to the table to sit by his side, Talia would just be uncomfortable. This was the best possible outcome for everyone.

She reminded herself to focus on things that matter. Tomorrow, she will think about moving out of the packhouse and figuring out her life, but today she will have fun at the festival, and Dayson’s presence (or absence) won’t make a difference.

Talia had plans and determination to make the most of it.

Only when Talia was walking on the road that lead to Darkbourne, and the packhouse was hidden from sight behind the tall trees, Talia peeked into the insulated bag to see what Stephanie packed for her.

There were two quiches, a bottle of juice, two apples, a granola bar… and a side-pocket had $100, broken down in ten bills, $10 each.

Talia felt her eyes prickling as tears threatened to fall. No one ever took care of her like that, and Talia imagined that if she had a mother, she would wish her to be just like Stephanie.

Talia took a mental note to thank Stephanie properly. Somehow.

The sound of a car coming from behind got Talia’s attention and she swiftly dashed between bushes that were next to the road. She didn’t bother to see who was in the car because she was determined to enjoy this sensation of freedom that touched her the moment she stepped outside of the packhouse.

She continued walking several meters away from the road, close enough not to wander, but far enough so that others don’t spot her.

Talia always liked the forest and she smiled at the rays of sun that peeked through the tree canopies, darting with the breeze that moved the leaves, like a welcoming light show of nature. There were no worries or bullies or anything else that could cause her stress. As a bonus, from the forest, Talia wouldn’t know with whom Dayson is spending his day or night, so she wouldn’t be sad.

She wondered, why was she cooped in her room all the time, when she could come here?

Talia was walking toward the distant noise of the festival, and she was making plans to return here with a book and read in peace. Tomorrow.

Dayson was driving toward Darkbourne while trying to spot Talia and with every passing minute, his anxiety was increasing. Why did she leave on foot without saying anything?

Earlier that morning, after Talia left the study, Dayson finished some work and went to the dining room in time for breakfast. He greeted the guests, but he couldn’t eat.

Last night Talia didn’t join for dinner, and when he saw her the next time, she was in the Shifters nightclub with two guys sticking to her. This time, Talia didn’t join for breakfast, and Dayson had a bad feeling about this.

Sure, Dayson knew that Talia will probably go to the festival, and he instructed Maya to accompany Talia, but Maya was at the table, munching on quiche, while Talia was unaccounted for.

‘Where is Talia?’, Dayson asked Maya through the mind-link.

‘Why should I know?’, Maya responded with a question.

‘I asked you to take her to the festival..’

‘Are you expecting me to skip breakfast and neglect my duties because Talia needs company?’

Dayson let out a low growl. ‘Maya, did your bravery increase because I didn’t punish you for allowing Talia to get drunk last night?’

Maya forgot about that. Dayson didn’t bring it up and she hoped that he won’t, but the reality was different.

‘I apologize, Alpha.’, Maya responded with haste. ‘I spoke with Talia about accompanying her to the festival, but we didn’t discuss the details. I was thinking of checking on her after making sure that everything is in order with guests.’

Seeing that Maya was not helpful, Dayson stood up and headed to the kitchen, guessing that Talia was there. If this is any other day, Dayson would assume that she was in her room, but he already saw Talia, so he knew that she was awake and ready for the day.

In the kitchen, Dayson found Stephanie sipping coffee while staring absentmindedly through the window.

“Where is Talia?”, Dayson asked Stephanie.

“She left for the fair.”

Dayson frowned. “With whom?”

“On her own.”

Dayson didn’t like this. If she went on her own, that means she was walking. Didn’t Axel point out how Talia was in so much pain that she barely walked?

“When did she leave?”

Stephanie was not sure. “A few minutes ago.”

Dayson rushed to his car and that’s how he found himself driving and looking around, hoping to spot Talia.

He wanted to give her a ride to town and warn her to be careful and… he didn’t know what else he could say because he really wanted to be with her, but he was torn between his duties and dangers and this feeling of helplessness that mixed with rage and gnawed on his insides.

Dayson cursed under his breath. He thought that he was making progress with Talia, yet with every passing day, it felt like she was drifting away. Even now, she went to the kitchen and then left the packhouse, ignoring him completely.

Should he ask Talia to notify him before she leaves the packhouse? If he thought of that just a bit earlier, she would be in the car with him now, instead of who-knows-where.

Dayson knew that Talia loves the forest; did she go off-road? He hoped that she will stick close to the road so that he can see her.

Unfortunately, he reached Darkbourne without spotting the girl and his chest tightened.

Dayson told himself to calm down. Talia probably took the route through the forest, and he missed her, but that won’t change the fact that he was unable to find her, and he feared that one day she will be out of his reach, for real.