The Alpha's Bride

Chapter 880: The fair mixer (5)

She turned to greet Ashton, who was running toward her.      

Talia smiled at Ashton. He looked super-cute with whiskers drawn on his cheeks.     

"Hi, Ashton. Are you having fun?"     

Ashton grinned. "I am now." He threw a side-glance at Damon. "Thank you for watching over my Luna, uncle Damon."     

Two elderly people approached them with urgency. Those were Luna Michelle's parents.     

The old man stopped a few steps away, but the woman stood next to Ashton.     

"We are sorry that Ashton is disturbing you," Ashton's grandmother said apologetically.     

"There is nothing to be sorry about," Talia said. "Ashton is a wonderful child, and I enjoy his company."     

Ashton looked at his grandparents. "Why are you apologizing? I did nothing wrong. I came to talk to my future Luna."     

Ashton's grandmother glanced nervously at Damon. "You can't claim Luna Talia as yours, Ash. She is Alpha Damon's Luna."     

Ashton's little brows came together as he looked at Talia seriously. "I am not old-fashioned. Once I am of age, I will accept you even if you have a history with other men."     

Talia thought how he was adorable. "That is very generous of you, Ashton."     

"I told you I will not mistreat you." He pointed his little finger at Damon. "If uncle Damon bullies you, let me know, and I will talk to him."     

Damon's whole face twitched with annoyance. How dares that stinky boy talk like he was not there! He wanted to give Ashton a piece of his mind, but he knew that it would be of no use.      

Damon's hand snaked around Talia's waist as he pulled her closer.     

"Talia, let's go to the area where grownups are having fun." Damon glared at Ashton while talking stiffly, "We should leave kids where they belong. In the kid's area."     

"But, you just came here!" Ashton protested.     

Damon sneered. "You should go back to your pretend games, like other children your age."     

Ashton puffed his chest. "It is obvious that I'm more mature than other children. They might be pretending, but I picked my Luna for real."     

Talia was about to interfere in the oncoming squabble between two children when she heard Meg's voice in her mind, "Babies are coming!"     

Talia ruffled Ashton's hair. "I need to be somewhere else. Have fun here, OK?"     

Ashton grabbed her hand. "When will I see you next time?"     

"I'm not sure. I will talk to your mother. Be a good boy and listen to your grandparents."     

Ashton nodded reluctantly, and he frowned when he saw Damon's mocking grin.     

"Don't let that old guy bully you!"         

"OLD GUY!?" Damon squeezed through his teeth as anger rippled through him. The little snot crossed the line!     

Talia gripped Damon's arm while speaking through the mind-link, 'Why are you arguing with a child? We should go to the pack hospital. Yasmin is about to deliver babies any minute.'     

"You are lucky that Talia thinks your life is not worth harvesting," Damon grumbled at Ashton, and then he turned to leave with Talia under his arm.     

Aston glared at Damon, and he was about to shout something when a hand covered his mouth.     

"Ash, please," his grandmother pleaded. "We are leaving in half an hour. Don't you want to use that time to play? Or should we get more food?"     

Ashton pushed his grandmother's hand away and straightened his shirt.     

"Ice cream. I want more ice cream. The big one with rainbow sprinkles."     

His grandparents agreed immediately. Ashton already had too many sweets, but anything was better than provoking Alpha Damon.     

…     

On their way back to the car, Damon and Talia passed booths where they saw James and Cornelia bobbing for apples. At another booth, Amelia, Liam, Caleb, and Trisha were buying leather bracelets.     

In front of the stage with live music was a clearing where people danced, some in groups and some as couples. Talia spotted Tony and Kalina, Maddox and Tatiana, Dawn and George, and Pierce and Daria swaying to the music.     

Damon picked up Talia's emotions, so he pulled her toward the dance floor.     

"We should go to the hospital," Talia reminded him.     

"Babies will be born with or without us, and I want to dance with my Luna," he said.     

Talia had no objections. The truth was that she wanted to dance with him as well.     

Three songs later, Talia brought back the topic of the pack hospital, and they disappeared into the lively crowd. Damon wanted to use his aura and make people move to make way, but Talia told him that it wouldn't be nice.     

Damon and Talia paused at the booth where Keith and Arya were shooting with air guns at moving targets.     

Werewolves normally don't use weapons, so this was novel for both Keith and Arya.     

The line behind them dispersed some time ago because Keith and Arya were super-competitive, and they were lost in besting the other, totally forgetting that this was a fair, and that others wanted a turn also.     

"Are you guys having fun?" Talia asked.     

Keith and Arya froze before turning to the voice to see Talia and Damon standing behind them.     

"Yes," Keith responded with a bow, and Arya quickly lowered her gaze. "Thank you for sending a second shift so we could have fun at the fair."     

"Meg mind-linked that it's close," Talia said. "We are heading to the pack hospital."     

"Do you want us to go with you?" Keith offered.     

Talia refused. "No need. Enjoy your evening, and don't forget to eat something." She was hinting that they should leave this booth for others to try shooting with an air gun.         

At the mention of food, Damon remembered one thing. "I will order ramen to-go. We can take it for guys in the hospital also."     

Talia approved. She remembered from the Summer Solstice event that ramen was delicious, yet she didn't get a chance to eat it, yet. "Do you think we should ask Chef Page to open a ramen restaurant in Darkbourne?" Then she can eat ramen anytime.     

Damon shrugged. "You can ask him if he is interested in cooking noodles full time."     

"Ramen is much more than cooking noodles."     

"Whatever you say, kitten…"     

Keith and Arya looked after Talia and Damon, who blended with the crowd.     

"They don't look like Alpha and Luna," Arya said.     

"That's what makes them special," Keith responded proudly. "They choose to belong with their people."     

Arya poked Keith's ribs with her finger. Yes, Keith explained that his adoration for Talia was different from what he felt for Arya, and she knew it was true, but his tender feelings for another female stirred her jealousy.     

Arya was still wrapping her head around the fact that Talia saved her life and how much Talia was responsible for bringing Keith and her together. Arya was not the one to owe favors, and it seemed that she owed Talia big time.     

"Are we playing?" Keith asked Arya.     

"I feel like ramen now. How about you?"     

Keith had no objections. "Alright. Let's eat."     

Keith's hand moved around Arya's waist, pulling her toward him. "How about we start with some appetizers? There is grilled corn and chestnuts."     

"We can keep those for dessert."     

Keith licked his lips slowly. "I have something else on my mind for dessert."     

Arya's eyes widened when she realized that he was talking about her. But then… he was her cotton candy, so she could have him for dessert as well.     

"Let's hurry up with food so we can have dessert."     

Keith laughed because her words were bold, but she was blushing profusely. And he was happy.