The Alpha's Bride

Damon gestured toward the carts with the food. "What do you want to start with?"

Talia was about to reach out for something but stopped herself. "Won't you pick first?"

It was ages since she ate in a group setting, but Talia remembered that high-ranking members of the pack eat first. As a child, she always waited for others to have their picks before she could get food. And even if everyone had food in front of them, no one dared to eat before Alpha… and she was with one big scary Alpha in the room right now.

Damon shook his head in disapproval. Talia was obviously hungry, and he ordered all this food for her, yet she wanted him to eat first.

Sure, normally, in the pack, others wait for him, but this was not normal, and he didn't want Talia to feel that she was below him.

He grabbed a fork and poked a finger-sized sausage and held it in front of Talia's mouth.

"Eat", he ordered in a voice that didn't allow for further arguments.

Talia was about to get the fork and hold it herself, but Damon prevented her from doing so.

"You are hurt." Damon gestured toward her wrist. "Let me feed you." He really wanted to feed her.

Talia was about to say that her other hand is fine, but something about Damon's expression told her to open her mouth and accept his offerings. And she did.

"Mmm…", a small moan formed in her throat involuntarily a second after she bit on it. The sausage was warm and juicy, and it was a long time since she ate something so tasty.

Damon watched her chew with her eyes closed and he swallowed hard. Why the heck was he getting aroused now?

That sweet moan was the most seductive thing he ever heard in his life and mental images of Talia naked under him flashed in front of his eyes. What sounds will she release when he is sheathed deep inside her?

Damon cursed internally. Damn it! This mate bond turned him into a horny teenager!

He cleared his throat. "Do you like it?"

Talia's eyes snapped open, and she nodded shyly.

Damon smiled. "I will order more of those."

"No need. There is so much food. Won't you eat also?"

Damon was surprised. She was obviously starving, yet she was concerned about him. Silly girl.

He put the fork in his mouth, and finished the half of the sausage that was there.

Damon scooped some scrambled eggs and fed Talia, and then he got scrambled eggs for himself.

"I can eat on my own.", Talia said, and Damon shook his head in disapproval.

"Let's not make your injuries worse. Take it easy until my pack doctor says you are fine."

Talia exhaled helplessly, but she was touched by his concern.

She wanted to bring up the point that there is no need for them to share a fork, but she didn't want to appear whiny and complain.

Bite by bite, Damon fed them in turns, and they ate in silence.

He had a million questions he didn't know how to ask. Who is she? How did she find herself in the Red Moon pack? How did she end up in that attic?

But Damon kept those questions for himself, content that Talia was with him and that he could take care of her. The only thing that could make this better (in Damon's opinion) is if she could sit in his lap.

Talia had a million questions she didn't dare to ask. Why did he help her escape? Why was he treating her kindly? Is he really taking her to his pack? He promised her a room and food and a doctor… is it really that easy?

But Talia kept those questions for herself, content with all the food that entered her system. The only thing that could make this better (in Talia's opinion) is if she could put some clothes on.

Eventually, she reached her belly's capacity.

"I'm full."

Damon frowned. "Really? You barely ate."

He held a piece of bacon in front of her mouth. "Come on. You can have this much."

Talia put her hand over her mouth because Damon looked ready to force-feed her.

Damon continued persuading her.

"You are eating like a mouse." An adorable mouse. "You will remain skinny forever." Not that I mind. "There is no need to hold back in front of me." Please don't hold back anything in front of me. "Or is it that you don't like it?" I will order something else.

She was not sure why he would care about her weight, as for the rest, "I'm not holding back. This is the most I ate in years. Any more and I might have a tummy ache. It was delicious and warm, and I thank you for everything."

Damon exhaled helplessly and placed the bacon piece back on the plate. "It's OK. You will put some meat on those bones, little by little."

Talia was alarmed. Why did it sound like he was planning to make her gain weight so that he can eat her? Is he a cannibal? Well, that would explain a thing or two why they took her out of the Red Moon pack in such a secretive way. If they eat her, no one will notice her missing. Talia felt like crying.

Unaware of Talia's internal turmoil, Damon pushed the carts with food further away, and he kneeled in front of her.

"Let me check your legs."

Talia was flabbergasted. A big scary Alpha was on his knees in front of her! Isn't this like when the prince brought the glass slipper for the princess? And then they had their happily… Talia cut off that thought.

She is not a princess, and he is not holding a glass slipper, but a pack of bandages.

By now, Talia understood that Damon will do what he wants, and he wanted to see her legs.

She clutched the bathrobe at her thigh level and extended her leg toward him.

Damon was pleased that she didn't resist or try to negotiate.

Damon's hands landed just above her ankle, and he held his breath while savoring the sparks that made him tingly from the inside. Every time he touched her, it got more intense.

After covering up a few spots with cream, he looked up at her, and Talia's eyes widened in horror.

"I'm fine. There are no other injuries."

Damon rolled his eyes. "I will believe you for the front. However, I want you to turn around and show me your back."

Reluctantly, Talia turned and loosened the bathrobe, allowing it to fall from her shoulders.

The sweet citrusy scent of freesia assaulted Damon's senses and he swallowed so hard, that he was confident she heard him.

By looking at Talia with her clothes on, Damon thought that she was skinny, but now that he looked at her exposed back which elegantly narrowed from her shoulders toward her waist, he realized that she was perfect. Beyond perfect.

He really wanted to lick her.

There were a few bruises on her back, and he focused mightily on them in order to stay present.

Damon squeezed medicinal ointment on the tip of his fingers and started softly massaging it into the area of Talia's back where the bruises are.

The sparks flew through his fingers into his arm, like a gentle current that shook his pleasure centers.

It didn't take more than a few seconds when Talia inched away from him. "I think that's enough."

He didn't want to stop. "Let me rub it in, otherwise it will ruin the clothes. The surface is too big for a band-aid and the other option is to wrap you in a bandage. You don't want to look like a mummy, don't you?"

Talia let out a long breath. She was not used to anyone touching her and the fact that the bathrobe was loose, it made her feel exposed.

It was just the two of them in the room, and suddenly the atmosphere became intimate.

Talia closed her eyes and tried to think about something else. Anything would be fine, other than the feeling of his fingers moving in circular movements over her skin. But the sensation was impossible to ignore, and she felt her cheeks heating up as her heart thundered against her chest. Can he feel it? Or hear it? That would be embarrassing. She didn't want him to get the wrong idea.

Damon was as possessed. He started with tips of his fingers, and then with pads, and then with the whole palm, and even though he didn't roam away from her back, the sparks he felt were divine and urged him to keep on touching her.

Damon noticed Talia's increased heart rate and his lips lifted into a smirk when he picked up the scent of her arousal.

He was glad that he was not the only one affected.

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