Filed To Story: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Two stalls later, a man was selling grilled chicken on a stick. Customers could pick one of five sauces that will be lathered over the grilled meat.
Dayson perked up when Talia closed her eyes and took a deep breath as a warm smile spread on her lips.
“We will take it.”, Dayson spoke to the vendor.
“Which one?”, the man asked while gesturing toward sauces. His eyes were on the meat that was grilling, and he didn’t look at the faces of his customers.
Dayson really had no idea which sauce to pick, but he knew that if she asks Talia, she will say that any is fine.
“Two of each.”
Talia observed as the vendor neatly wrapped each flavored type into a separate aluminum foil before placing them into a box that had a handle. There was even a small compartment on the bottom of the box that held napkins. Talia was fascinated.
Only when handing the box to Dayson, vendor realized. “Alpha! It’s an honor.”
Dayson waved at the man, indicating that he shouldn’t fuss about it. “How much for these?”
“They are on the house.”
Dayson didn’t like this. Yes, things in Darkbourne are free for Dayson, but he wanted to show Talia that he can provide for her. Dayson feared that if he just takes freebies, Talia will think bad of him. After all, if this was any other customer, that vendor would earn money.
Without a word, Dayson fished a fifty-dollar bill from his pocket and kept it on the counter of the stall before taking the box with grilled meat.
“Let’s find a spot to sit…”, Dayson said, and Talia tugged his hand to get his attention.
She looked at a group of people who were standing nearby and eating. “I think that this should be eaten on the go.”
Dayson didn’t think about it. If he did, he wouldn’t buy so many.
A moment later, he got an idea… “Alright. Let’s stand on the side.”
Dayson opened the box and held it for Talia to pick first.
She took a bite from the chicken skewer that was drenched in a tangy barbecue sauce when she heard Dayson saying, “Since my hands are full, you will need to feed me.”
Talia chewed in slow motion while wondering what she got herself into this time. But his hands were busy holding her lunchbox and the box with grilled chicken, so it made sense.
She reached to swap sticks with chicken, to offer Dayson the one she didn’t bite on, and Dayson moved the box out of her reach.
“I want to take a bite from that one.” Dayson gestured with his chin toward the skewer Talia was holding.
Talia hesitated and Dayson leaned to bite on the meat while Talia stood and watched in disbelief.
Yes, they ate together (and even fed each other) many times, but standing like this super-close in the crowd and Dayson eating from the same skewer was unexpectedly intimate and Talia’s heart skipped a beat. Aren’t the two of them like a couple? Like a real couple?
Talia saw that Dayson had a smidge of the sauce at the corner of his lips and Talia wondered if she was also messy. That was possible.
Her tongue darted left-right to pick up any residue sauce and Dayson stared at her.
He really wanted to kiss her thoroughly.
Dayson wondered, how is it possible that he is aroused no matter what Talia does? Just being close to her makes him half-hard and he was sure that he was losing his mind.
He knew that it was the mate bond, urging him to get close to Talia, urging him to claim her as his, but he couldn’t act on those feelings without freaking out Talia so Dayson chanted silently that he needs to wait. They are definitely getting closer and even though this is much slower than he wants things to happen, they are moving in the right direction and that should be enough. It has to be.
One by one, Talia and Dayson finished all skewers and neither of them paid attention to the flavors of the sauce or the texture of the meat, because both of them were lost in the soothing feeling of being together that mixed with anticipation of what is to come.
Dayson’s competitive spirit was at its highest when he saw the ring toss game and he threw a malicious side-glance at the Cinna.
There were several pegs of various lengths, with the tallest one at the front, and shortest at the back.
“What’s needed in order to get the biggest toy?”, Dayson asked the vendor who was at the ring toss game.
“Five out of five, on the furthest pegs…”, his voice trailed. “Alpha! You don’t need to…”
Dayson raised his hand to stop him from talking.
This was about Dayson showing his superiority compared to that measly coach who dared to covet Talia, and he didn’t need any concessions to achieve that… other than clearing up the long line of people who waited to play the ring toss game.
One glare from Dayson made twenty-something people who stood in line to disperse, leaving only the current player sweating bullets, unsure if he should finish his turn or scram right away.
Dayson was pleased with this outcome. He gestured toward Cinna while talking to the vendor. “That toy. Is it the biggest one?”
Talia frowned at Dayson’s question. Cinna was about ten inches tall, and there were obviously bigger toys on the display.
“Oh, no, Alpha.”, a female voice came from behind the vendor, and only then Talia and Dayson noticed a young woman with a flattering smile on her face.
“That toy looks like it came out of the third level for the prizes, and we have five.”, she said while batting her eyelashes at Dayson.
Dayson groaned internally. Who was this woman and why was she flirty with him in front of Talia?
Dayson decided to ignore the woman and focus on the guy. “How much for a round? Give me rings and show us your biggest toys. I want her to pick one.” Or all of them.
Dayson put his hand on Talia’s back and pushed her to stand in front of him, to the obvious disappointment of the woman who was inching closer to Dayson with every step while hoping to offer more than just services related to the ring tossing game.
“Really, that’s not…” Talia’s rejection was interrupted when her eyes landed on a plush toy that was about twice the size of Cinna.
This toy was a wolf with black fur and blue eyes, just like the wolf from her dreams. Talia dreamed of him on the night when she fell asleep in the forest, and she dreamed about that wolf several more times.
He was big and intimidating, but gentle and somehow she knew that he won’t hurt her; he was there to protect her.
“Did you see something you like?”
Dayson’s question made Talia blush. She wanted to deny it, but she ended up nodding.
Dayson was elated. Talia likes something and he will get it for her!
Dayson leaned closer to Talia and his breath splashed on her ear, “Which one, kitten?”
Talia jolted to look at Dayson with panic on her face. Why did he call her kitten? It’s one thing if he is teasing her when it’s just the two of them, but this was in public. What if someone heard? Sure, he spoke in a low voice, but most of the people around them are werewolves with enhanced hearing.
But Dayson’s gaze was unwavering and the longer she looked at him, the more anxious she got, so Talia responded, “The wolf.”
When Talia said that she wants a wolf plushie, Dayson glanced at the toys that were hanging on the wooden wall behind the ring toss game.
“I see five of them. You will need to be more specific. Or do you want all of them?”
Talia was quick to shake her head. “Not all. Just the black one.”
Dayson’s eyebrows shoot up when he realized which toy caught her eye. Isn’t that almost like mini-him?
But he never showed himself in front of Talia in his wolf form except for that one time in the forest when she was sleeping. Can this be a coincidence? Or did someone tell her about his wolf? Dayson decided not to overthink it.
Dayson spoke to the vendor who was eagerly waiting to serve his Alpha, “The black wolf. If I throw all five rings on the furthest posts, the toy is ours. Right?”