Filed To Story: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
“It has nothing to do with Alpha Dayson’s status, Keith. They are fated mates.”
“I know.”
“You don’t.”, Katya snapped. “You will know only when you find your fated mate. She will not leave him no matter how he treats her because they are mates and if she leaves him, it will harm them both. I can see you don’t believe me. I wouldn’t believe it either before I met Oscar…”
“So if Oscar disrespects you in front of everyone, you will be fine with it?”, Keith asked dryly.
Katya gaped at Keith. “Of course not. But, Oscar wouldn’t disrespect me BECAUSE he is my mate. Mates come first and…” Katya’s voice trailed when she saw that Keith made a face. “Are you telling me that our Alpha is mistreating his mate? Is that why you ended up in the hospital?”
Keith shook his head. He didn’t want to talk about it, but he knew that Katya won’t let it go. “Maya said that Alpha was not himself, but I’ve seen Alphas with women, and I know that they treat them like trash. Shit! Even I treated women like trash.” OK. Not how Dayson treated Talia on the previous night, but Keith had his share of not caring about women.
“Are you saying that you changed?”
“I would never do such a thing to Talia.”, Keith said seriously.
“You wouldn’t because she is your Luna, and you need to keep your hands and your pecker to yourself.”
Keith made a face. “Can we go back to you talking about the pack run and me not listening?”
“As soon as you promise that you won’t do anything stupid.”
“You don’t understand, Katya. The world gets colors in her presence. Her smile makes the birds sing…”
“And you will get our whole family kicked out of the pack if you allow those feelings to grow.”, Katya said dryly.
“Don’t worry, sis. I know where the line is.”
“I surely hope so.”
…
Talia held onto the basket she prepared for Keith. She didn’t want Dayson to carry it and Dayson didn’t insist.
The nurse showed them to the room where Keith was, and Talia recognized the woman by Keith’s side. It was his sister, Katya.
Keith’s face lit up when he saw the figure at the door. “Talia”, he called, and he wanted to get out of the bed.
“No, no”, Talia said while rushing to his side. “Please, don’t get up for me.”
Keith’s eyes moved behind Talia and his expression stiffened. “Alpha.”
Talia brushed off the awkwardness between Keith and Dayson. She didn’t expect that they will kiss and make up anyway.
Talia greeted Keith and Katya and then she kept the basket on the side. “I brought you these. I was not sure what you like, so I got a bit of everything. How are you feeling?”
“I am fine.”, Keith assured her. “Doctor wants to run more tests just in case, but I am completely healed, and I can resume working as your guard as soon as I’m out of here.”
“I am glad you are well.”, Talia said and looked at him sadly. “Keith, I am grateful for what you did last night. Unfortunately, I need to inform you that you can’t be my guard anymore.”
Keith, Katya, and Dayson stared at Talia, all three wondering if they heard her right.
“What?”, Keith asked. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No, not really.”, Talia responded. “I am touched that you jeopardized yourself for me, but I don’t want you to do it again.”
“That’s what a guard should do.”, Keith said with desperation in his voice. Was he getting fired because he did his job? Guarding Talia was so much more than a job.
Talia pressed her lips into a line. “I know, but… I don’t see you as my guard, Keith. You are my friend, and I can’t bear the sight of you getting hurt. Not for my sake.”
“But I am fine.”
“You are, because you were lucky. What if you are not fine? What if last night we faced rogues? What if there were many of them with wolfsbane-laced weapons? What if you ended up with a permanent disability? What if you died? Did you think how I would feel if that happened? How would Katya feel if that happened?” Talia was on the verge of crying now. “There are so many people who care about you, and I can’t bear such responsibility. I want you to be safe and healthy.”
Keith knew that Talia’s words made sense and she said that she cares about him, but… “Who will keep you safe?”
“I have a good Coach who taught me to take care of myself.”, Talia responded, and she turned to Dayson who was standing at the door and observing all this without a word. She took Dayson’s hand into hers and spoke to Keith, “And I have Dayson.”
Dayson was touched by Talia’s trust in him, but he couldn’t believe that Talia was letting go of Keith.
He knew that Talia and Keith were close because he was her personal trainer before Dayson stepped in. She trusted Keith and they were getting along well. Keith was there for Talia when Dayson wasn’t, and the Coach had the skill set and attitude to be a good guard. There was no reason to dismiss him, yet Talia did it.
Dayson was aware that Talia hated seeing Keith being hurt while protecting her, but Dayson also knew that it was because of him. Dayson never hid his displeasure with the Coach, and Talia definitely considered Dayson’s feelings about this.
As an Alpha, Dayson delivered many punishments, some were excessive, but he never felt guilty about it. Actually, even now he wouldn’t feel guilty about crushing Keith if not for his concern about offending Talia.
Dayson wanted Talia to be happy and safe, but can he really allow an enamored guy like Keith to linger close to Talia? On the other hand, Talia is amazing and beautiful inside and out, and whoever spends time with her will start developing emotions. Can Dayson keep her guards on some rotation? But then there will be no sense of camaraderie and trust, and personal guards will feel more like people who keep her imprisoned.
Once again, Talia proved that she will put others ahead of her. She was a true Luna, willing to make sacrifices so that others will be happy.
Keith was dejected. He remembered Dayson pinning down Talia while mocking Keith for being helpless. How can he just let it go? Talia was humiliated and degraded, and even if she forgave Dayson, Keith refused to believe that she forgot about it.
“You think that Alpha Dayson will keep you safe? That’s not what I saw last night.”, Keith squeezed through his teeth.
“Keith!”, Katya exclaimed.
“It’s OK.”, Talia quickly said. “Last night was unfortunate. Do you remember how you got better quickly?” Keith nodded and Talia continued, “You can think of it as white magic. Dayson was under the effect of dark magic which blocked the mate bond and it made him look at me as an enemy. We needed the full moon for the ritual to dispel the dark magic, and now Dayson is back to himself. He won’t harm me.”
“I regret my actions from last night.”, Dayson said, making the other three look at him in surprise, but he was talking to Talia. “I harmed you physically and emotionally and there are no words strong enough to say how sorry I am. I am glad to hear that you will rely on me, but I can’t be with you all the time. You will need guards. Now that everyone knows you are my mate, people will target you.”
“I know.”, Talia responded to Dayson. “But I don’t want Keith, Sandy, Lulu, Pierce, Liam, or Caleb to put themselves in danger only because they are my friends. I will leave it up to you to pick my guards.”
Dayson was surprised by this. “You will?”
Talia confirmed. “You are the strongest Alpha and the fiercest warrior. Assign me people you think are the best.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am.”, Talia responded.
Dayson didn’t need to think much about this.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.