Filed To Story: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Keith cleared his throat awkwardly. Why did he feel like a kid who stole a cookie and got caught? He and Talia were having fun, and the most contact they had was holding hands! Why are they looking at him like he is some molester?
“I am Talia’s personal trainer. Don’t get strange ideas. Now let’s hurry up and join them. Or do you think that Liam, Pierce, and Jaeden won’t take advantage of Talia if they get a chance?”
Lulu and Sandy glanced at each other and nodded in understanding. Keith was right. Those three are just like everyone else… up to no good.
“Mindy is not with you?”, Talia asked Liam, Caleb, and Pierce while they made their way toward the main street where the parade will pass.
Talia could see that Mindy was not with them, but she was curious where Mindy went.
“We lost her at the stand with barbequed seafood.”, Caleb said.
“She didn’t seem very interested in barbequed squid.”, Pierce added. “I think it’s a girl thing. Lulu and Sandy also skipped that stand, but they stayed nearby.”
Liam noticed that Talia pressed her lips into a line. “Do you want to meet up with Mindy? She will probably be on the rooftop of the city hall. That’s where all the bigshots will gather to watch the parade..”
They normally couldn’t go there, but considering that Talia had lunch with three Alphas (and Mindy) at the same table, Liam thought that Talia can probably get access to that amazing vantage point and they will tag along.
“No, no. I was just curious, nothing else.”, Talia responded. She had no intention of going where bigshots are (how Liam called them).
Talia knew that city hall is a three story-high building on the main street of Darkbourne.
Her heart fluttered at the thought that Dayson will be there as well.
Dayson said that he will be done with meetings by the time the parade starts and that in the evening he will go with Talia to the festival. He didn’t specify the exact time, but it was late afternoon already, so it should be soon. Maybe after the parade, he will come down from the city hall and find her. Maybe.
They found a good spot, on the opposite side of the street from the city hall. Sandy and Lulu pushed Caleb, Pierce, and Liam away and stuck close to Talia.
Talia quickly snatched her insulated lunchbox and the brown puppy plushie that Keith gifted her. She didn’t want to risk separating from the guys and losing her precious things, so she was holding onto them tightly. She let them have the popcorn. That was not important.
The parade started as kids lead the way with floats they built with the help of their parents and teachers. There were cars and coaches made out of cardboard boxes, and some kids drove tricycles that were decorated with colorful flowers, ribbons, and pinwheels. After the kids, grownups showcased their elaborate floats that had various shapes and sizes. It all looked professionally made with light effects, parts that moved, and some had fog machines for added dramatic effect. It was obvious that a lot of effort went into making them.
But no matter how lively the scene on the street was, Talia would look toward the rooftop terrace of the city hall.
She saw Mindy, Jaeden, Maya, and Stephanie, and there were a number of other people Talia didn’t recognize. Dayson was not among them.
Of course, Sandy noticed that Talia was not paying attention to the parade. “Are you looking for someone?”
Talia wanted to deny it, but she was already caught, and there would be nothing unusual if she asked… “I thought that everyone important should be up there, but I don’t see Alpha Dayson.”
“Oh, he won’t be there.”, Sandy responded right away. When she saw Talia’s puzzled look, Sandy added, “You are new, so you don’t know.”
Lulu was listening to this exchange, and she inched closer to Talia and spoke in a hushed voice, “Our Alpha doesn’t attend the later part of the festival.”
Sandy made a dreamy expression. “I wonder who is the lucky she-wolf that is right now enjoying the special Alpha treatment.”
Talia felt like a hundred knives pierced her chest. “What?”
Lulu and Sandy exchanged confused glances.
Lulu spoke, “Don’t you know how Alphas spend their time off? Why would any of them stick here and watch the festivities when they can get a personal pleasure party elsewhere? After the closing speech for the tournament, Alpha Dayson finished his official duties. He probably had lunch at the festival in order to pick a woman and we won’t see him or her until morning.”
Lulu didn’t lie. Everyone knew that’s what Dayson does during the festival.
“Are you OK?”, Sandy asked when she noticed that Talia paled.
“I just need some air…”, Talia said and moved backward into the crowd.
“What did you say to her?”, Keith asked from the side angrily, and he moved after Talia before confused Lulu and Sandy could respond.
…
It was difficult to move through the crowd, but luckily, Keith spotted Talia before she took a turn into one of the side streets.
“Talia! Hey, Talia…”, Keith called while catching up with her.
With her head lowered and one hand clutching the insulated lunch bag, while her other hand held onto the brown puppy plushie, Talia looked like a picture of a lonely person.
“Did something happen?”
“Is it true?”, she asked without stopping her steps or looking at him.
“What?”
Talia stared at her feet while talking in a choppy voice, “Is it true… that every festival… after finishing with official work… Alpha Dayson picks up a woman, and no one sees them until morning?”
“Why is your question festival specific? It’s normal for guys…” Keith’s voice trailed when Talia lifted her head and looked at him with so much hurt in her expression that his heart ached.
Keith realized that he said too much.
From their earlier talk, Keith knew that Talia sees Dayson as a good guy, a savior of some sort, and considering that she grew up alone with her grandparents (how much Keith knows), Talia’s idea of a good guy is different compared to an average werewolf, yet he just said that Alpha Dayson (and every other guy) is sleeping around. To make things worse, Keith generalized it, so he ended up in that despicable bunch also.
Talia noticed Keith’s upset expression and she cursed herself for oversharing. Why did she voice her thoughts?
She already heard stories about how Alphas are promiscuous, and she knew that Dayson fits into that group like it was made for him. After all, Talia saw Dayson with princess Marcy between his legs, and she didn’t want to imagine what he did with Cassie or many other girls.
But why was this so painful to hear?
Is it because Dayson said that they will spend the evening together?
Talia was aware of his mood swings, and she knew that there is a big possibility it won’t happen.
If she looked realistically at the situation, there were probably a million things he would want to do instead of being with her. But she made the mistake of allowing herself to hope.
What was she hoping for? To be his bedwarmer for tonight? That’s stupid. Why would she wish for that?
Talia knew that Dayson who made her heart race was not real. He was a product of her imagination because for some reason, whenever she looked at Alpha Dayson, her mind would filter out all the unpleasant things and show her only Dayson she wanted to see.
Talia needed to let go of him and face the reality. The reality where Dayson she wants, doesn’t exist, and to Dayson who exists, she is not important.
“Talia?”