The Alpha's Bride

Damon knew that his situation was specific, and he hoped that Maddox will come up with something he can work with. He looked at Maddox expectantly. "Any ideas?"

"Only one."

Damon perked up. "Which one?"

"We need women.", Maddox said matter-of-factly.

Damon's expression darkened. What the hell was wrong with Maddox? "Do you have short-term memory loss? I told you only a few minutes ago that Talia is my mate. How can you suggest women? Are you getting a kick from adding trouble to my misery?"

Maddox waved his hand, indicating to Damon to calm down. "Not the type of women to sleep with. The ones with brains. I am good at breaking bones and making others submit, but when there is a need for subtlety, I consult my sister."

Damon paused and he had to agree with this. Whenever he needed a plan, Maya would handle brainstorming, and he and Caden would execute on it.

"Do you think Mindy will help?", Damon asked.

Maddox smirked. "You know what Mindy likes. Give her a fat check or endorse one of her projects and she will help out."

Damon thought how that might work. With Marcy arriving no earlier than tomorrow evening, Damon will have plenty of time to catch Mindy and talk about this.

Damon raised his glass toward Maddox. "I'm glad you are my friend, Max. Thank you for helping me out."

Maddox clinked his glass with Damon's. "That's what friends are for."

They downed their glasses and Maddox smacked his lips in approval. "This is good stuff. Let's have a few more rounds while girls are getting ready..."

"I hope you didn't plan to finish the bottle without me.", Caden said from the door while approaching the duo.

"Is Maya with girls?", Damon guessed while retrieving a glass for Caden. Why else would Caden be on his own?

"Yeah. They are getting ready in Mindy's room."

Since Caden was there, Damon thought of asking, "Do you think that Maya will help me figure out how to deal with Marcy? If Maya and Mindy put their heads together, I'm sure they can come up with something good."

"Didn't Talia ask you to deal with Marcy yourself?", Caden reminded Damon.

"That doesn't mean I can't seek advice."

"You can seek, but don't get your hopes up.", Caden said. "They have some sistership going on, and Maya is eager to see how you will wiggle out of this one. She wanted to bet if you will mess up as soon as Marcy arrives, or if you will last a day."

Damon frowned. He knew that Maya was rebellious but mocking his predicament was too much. It seems that Maya forgot how Caden was away because of her attempt to set up Talia with random guys. Maybe he should send Maya to survival training. But then Caden will be miserable and probably go after Maya. Looking at Caden, he didn't seem to be worried about Damon either.

Don't they realize how important this is? If he fails, they will lose their Luna!

Damon got an idea. He will go on a vacation with Talia, and Caden and Maya will need to deal with whatever is here. Yeah. That sounded like the best punishment.

But Marcy was set to come in twenty-four hours, and Damon was running out of time!

Damon wished for a pill or a spell that will put him to sleep for a week so that when he wakes up all the guests (Marcy included) are gone, and he can go back to being lovey-dovey with Talia. Just the two of them.

"Don't act like it's the end of the world.", Caden said to Damon.

Damon made a face. "Easy for you to say. Your mate didn't give you a task that might break you apart if you fail."

"Why are you so dramatic?", Caden asked Damon. "Talia gave you a task, but I'm sure she won't let you walk over that bridge on your own. Don't forget that the mate bond works two ways. You need her, but she needs you as well. As long as she sees you are trying, Talia will be happy with the outcome."

Damon responded with a stiff smile. Yes, that might be valid if Talia doesn't have in her mind a grumpy talking wolf who dislikes him to the core.

Damon didn't doubt that Talia will help him. However, if he fails to handle Marcy as expected, Talia will need to fight against her wolf again, and Damon didn't want to put that burden on Talia.

He was the one sleeping around and even though he didn't sleep with Marcy, he is the one who made that video so… he should fix it. Somehow.

"Finding a mate should be a happy event, but it seems it turned you into a wus.", Maddox said to Damon.

Damon was not in the mood to argue. He had a problem called Marcy on his hands, and it's not like Maddox will understand. Damon knew this very well, because only a few weeks ago he was like Maddox, and worse. Damon was looking down on the mate bond and mocking guys who were into their mates, and now he was completely entranced with the presence of Talia. It seems that the Moon Goddess has a sick sense of humor because she was making guys eat their words.

"Remember what you said and repeat them to yourself once you find your mate.", Damon said. "Then you will realize what an arse you were."

Maddox snorted. "Mate should make you stronger, and not act like a sissy. Look at yourself."

Damon smirked. "I can't wait for you to find your mate."

"My mate will be obedient and not make me jump through rings of fire in order to get what's already mine.", Maddox said confidently.

"The Moon Goddess is giving us what we need, and you need a bitter pill that will cut your ego in half.", Damon said seriously.

Maddox chuckled. "Maybe my mate will support me, so my ego doubles."

Maddox enjoyed bickering with Damon. Only a few people would dare to talk back to Maddox, and talking with Damon was refreshing, even when they talked smack and end in a fistfight. Their friendship is like that. Raw and rowdy and honest. How it should be.

Damon narrowed his eyes at Maddox. "You know what? I bet that your mate will be a sixteen years-old she-wolf."

Maddox grimaced. "I'm not a pedophile."

"I know.", Damon said smugly. "The point is that you will be so smitten with your mate that every other woman will disgust you, yet you won't be able to touch the target of your affection until she comes of age. Two years of celibacy will teach you how important mate is."

Maddox couldn't believe this. Damon was beyond evil. "Are you cursing me?"

"You are cursing yourself by acting like there is no tomorrow.", Damon said and let out a long exhale. "If I didn't jump on a woman every time I got aroused, I wouldn't be in this predicament."

Maddox couldn't believe how sappy Damon got.

Maddox looked at Caden for support, only to find the latter completely focused on the amber liquor in his glass like it's the most interesting thing he had ever seen.

Of course, Caden was listening, but he had no intention of getting into a spat that involves two Alphas.

Besides, Caden agreed with Damon.

…

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...

The guys got ready in less than fifteen minutes and waited for the girls in the hallway.

"Why are they taking so long?", Maddox grumbled.

He wanted to go to the Shifters and start his hunt. All that talk about mates made him horny.

Another reason for urgency was that Tony and Kalina were set to arrive soon and if the newcomers get there before Maddox and the gang leave the packhouse, they are bound to be delayed by welcoming them.

"You know that other than taking forever, the girls are also chatting to the point of turning it into a social event.", Caden said to Maddox.

Damon didn't comment. He was eager to reunite with Talia, but he was also happy that she was having fun with Mindy and Maya. Damon could feel Talia's joy washing over him and he knew the longing that sneaked in there was for him, and his heart was in place.

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