11

CHAPTER 11

Talia lay still on her bed, trying to focus on her book about omega wolves when Damon stepped into the room with a package. 

She looked up at him briefly and returned her eyes to the book she was holding, but the noise he made distracted her. 

At his table side, he tore open the package, revealing a neatly folded letter, a dagger and some perfumes. 

“They wouldn’t listen,” he muttered, eyes skimming the letter.

Scoffing, he removed the dagger from the package and grabbed the letter and the rest of the items, then stepped outside to trash the box.

He returned shortly while Talia gave him questioning looks with raised brows. 

"Aren't those from your father? Why would you trash them?" She kept her gaze fixed at his back that was turned to her while he ignored her, examining the new dagger.

"I'd advise you to go get your package rather than asking questions. Packages only come in once every three full moons.” He mumbled under his breath as he began wiping the dagger. 

“I doubt anyone would send me a package.” she mumbled under her breath.

Lucien couldn't send him anything, her parents are dead and definitely, her uncle doesn't even know she was alive. 

But her fingers tightened around the book when she saw that Damon had stopped what he was doing and was staring at her. Reflexly, she reached to brush hair from her face, only to remember it had been cut short.

Then realization dawned on her that she was Sage Storm, and not Talia. 

"Of course, my father... Alaska Storm would definitely send me a package." She grinned and stood from the bed, dumping the book on the bed. 

Briskly, she walked to the door, avoiding his constant glances until she stepped out of the room, shutting the door after her. 

"That was close" Titi growled. 

"Pinch me" she responded as her eyes darted to the trash can.

At the mail office inside the school premises, students stood in two lines, one for boys, one for girls; waiting to receive their packages. 

She remained on the line as her gaze darted to Derek. His face was emotionless and bleak. 

She raised a hand in a hopeful wave, but Derek’s eyes slid past her like she wasn’t there.

Her hand is still in the air when she noticed some grunts from the girl's line. 

It was Selene and her minions, she had received a very big package and her friends, Bella and Anna, were helping her take it to the dorm.

She saw Derek walk away with his package without sparing her a glance, then she shrugged.

It finally got to her turn and she received the package, it had the seal of the beta of the Blue Moon Pack pack and the name, SAGE STORM was engraved on it. 

"Here... Sign" the man said, giving her a pen. 

Her fingers trembled as she took the pen, sweat forming at her brow.

How would she forge Sage's signature? She had never seen it before and Lucien didn't prepare her for something like this. 

"Come on, other students are waiting" the man urged her and she responded with a nod and scribbled "SAGE" on the book. 

After all, no one from this school has seen Sage's signature before. She shrugged, catching her breath. 

She grabbed the package and started walking away while others students filed in to receive theirs.

When she got to the dorm, the scent of shampoo hit her nostrils as she stepped into the room, closing the door after her. 

As she walked to her table side, she could hear the sound of the shower running in the bathroom. 

She dropped the package on the table, her thoughts drifting to what Damon had thrown away.

Damon was in the bathroom and it wouldn't hurt to see what he had trashed, right? 

What he had trashed couldn't be that bad, right? Did something happen back at home or are they forcing him to get married to someone else? 

She paced to the edge of the bed, then back again, chewing her lower lip.

With a sigh, her hands folded at her side, she stepped outside the room, back to the trash. She hovered by the trash bin, glancing around, then back at the crumpled letter. 

 Her hand moved before she made the decision. She picked it up and opened it carefully as she stepped into the room. 

Damon,

I’ve taken a wife. She’s young. She’s not Luna, and she’ll never replace your mother. I don’t expect you to care. I just thought you should hear it from me first.

Your father, 

T.Creed. 

"Who's his new victim?" Talia mumbled under her breath as she stared blankly at the letter, with her heart racing hard. 

The letter didn't mention the name of the wife, but one thing she was glad about is that, she wasn't the bride. Someone else had taken her place, but she still felt a pang of pity for the new victim. 

Damon stepped outside the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist while he towelling his damp hair. 

His eyes darted to the letter Talia was staring at as his family crest engraved in the letter flashed his eyes. 

He crossed the room in two sharp strides, snatched the letter, and tore into it.

His voice was low but tight, like it was holding back something sharper. “You shouldn’t go through other people’s things, Sage.”

"You have no idea how lucky you are to have a father who cares about you and even send you letters" she said, before she could stop herself.

Then she swallowed and shifted her gaze from him. "I mean... Other people's parents are dead" she shrugged.

"Then, I envy them" he said coldly and moved to the door side, opened it and stepped out to trash the letter. 

But he felt a shadow retrieving itself as the hairs at the back of his neck stood erect. 

Carefully, he paused and looked around, then the eerie feeling hung in the air and he could swear that someone was watching or eavesdropping. 

Slowly, he moved back into the room, carefully closed the door after him, then walked to the table side as he took off the towel wrapped around his waist. 

Talia’s gaze darted away as heat rushed to her cheeks. She faced the wall, swallowing hard.

“Can you hand me my lotion from the bathroom?”

"Huh?" She batted her lashes, refusing to turn to look at him.

"Sage... Are you alright?" He was staring at her as she nodded.

"Oh, yes yes yes" She forced a grin that didn’t quite reach her eyes and stood quickly from the bed. Then started walking to the bathroom, briskly, avoiding eye contact with him while he creased his brows. 

She stepped out holding the lotion, only to see him smoothing cream into his damp hair, shirtless and unaware of her presence. 

Her gaze betrayed her, trailing over the carved muscles of his back, lingering too long.

She swallowed hard, throat tightening as the heat in her cheeks rose. The bottle slipped

from her fingers and hit the floor with a soft thud.

 Damon turned slightly, his eyes catching hers in the mirror.