Damon swung the bedroom door open and marched into the room. Aila looked up from her phone and at her mate, surprised by the bristling energy emanating from him. Aila arched her brow expectantly and waited for an explanation.

Instead, he rushed forwards and picked her up, swinging her around until she next found herself sitting on top of Damon on the sofa, her knees on either side of him. Aila looked down into his molten silver eyes, "You had a long night, I see.."

Damon glanced down at the blood drops soaked into the navy top he wore, "Darren is just a tool for Lydia. She doesn't tell him anything of importance, but once again, he showed how much of a prick he is."

Aila nodded her head; she didn't feel bad for Darren at all. He put himself in that position and seemed to just keep digging a bigger hole as he goes. The Delta was stupid enough to think he could upset her in front of Damon. She didn't expect him to be tortured; at the most, he would be left in the cell for a few days.

"Speaking of torture.." Malia interrupted Aila's train of thought, "Do you think the pack puts up with the yelling and screams? Maybe Damon should get a separate building built for prisoners.."

"Hmm, it depends on how much they actually use it," Aila trailed off before speaking aloud to Damon.

"I think we need to make the basement soundproof. Especially if you are going to be torturing someone," Aila grimaced and looked down at the bloodstain again. She shifted on top of him to move away, but his hands gripped tighter around her bum, refusing to let her leave from his embrace.

"It needed to be done. You were out running though for most of it?" Damon searched her eyes as he spoke.

Aila sighed, "True. But I think it would be best to get it done. You still have maids, and what happens when another pack visits?"

"Torturing is a rare occurrence. Most of our enemies end up being killed on the spot unless we need intel. And if I had guests, nobody would be getting tortured at that time. But I will get Charles to sort it out," Damon mumbled at the end. Aila watched as his eyes went blank, and she realised he was organising it now with the butler. For some odd reason, she didn't think Charles was a werewolf but a human.

Once Damon's eyes cleared, his face darkened, "Aila. Why didn't you mind-link me about Saturday?"

"You were busy. I got it sorted; the guys will be my backup. Did Finn tell you?" Aila asked; she knew Damon was meeting him.

"Of course, he told me. I'm his Alpha. Something I think you keep forgetting..."

"Oh, you remind me all the time that you're the Alpha," Aila interrupted drily. Damon's jaw began to tick, and Aila smirked. Although they were mates and getting much closer, she couldn't help but find his frustration at her entertaining. Plus, she didn't mind the little punishments she received from him; they were quite delightful.

Malia snorted at her thoughts.

"I don't like it," Damon ignored her commentary and continued, "if you think something is off, then go with your gut and don't meet up."

Aila's brows drew together, "Something may be off, but I'm not going to abandon my friend. She might be the one that is in trouble.."

Damon narrowed his eyes at her and pulled her closer towards him, his eyes began to glow, and a low growl rumbled through his chest, the vibrations going through her.

"Postpone it, Aila," His voice deepened, sounding regal and majestic.

It was Darius.

"Hello Darius," She said pleasantly; her eyes were alight in amusement. Damon's wolf really did lose it over the most minuscule of things.

"Aila, for once, do as you're told," He growled ferociously.

Aila gazed down into Damon's radiant silver orbs, which burned furiously at her. "Darius, and Damon, I know you can hear me.. I have Finn and Ajax as protection. If I was stupid, I would go by myself. I don't know what to expect. It could be something silly or minor. Maybe, the new guy she is seeing has made her a little crazy. I don't know. But if she is in serious danger, then I need to be there. She's my friend, and I don't abandon my friends."

A sigh escaped Damon's lips, and he raked his hand through his hair before analysing every inch of Aila's face, nearly to the point that she shivered from the intensity. Lifting his hand, he moved a strand of her hair away from her face and rested his palm against her cheek,

"You will not be abandoning your friend. If she is in serious danger, then she would have asked to meet earlier. She has not. Postpone it," Darius attempt at speaking softly to her gradually turned into a demand.

A growl left Aila's lips as she kept her burning gaze locked on his, "Do not tell me what to do, Darius." She snapped and watched as his face darkened. In the next second, she was spun around and flung down on the couch. Her hands were held together by one of his, pinned against the leathery surface.

Damon growled at her, his face close to hers and eyes that shone as bright and mysterious as the moon. Aila's body burned now from the desire deep in her core throbbed from the position they were in and from her rising temper.

She thought her decision was a good call, yet her mate was acting like it wasn't and tried to get her to submit through physical force.

Well, two can play at that game.

"Aila.." Malia warned, but it didn't stop Aila.

She crashed her lips against his, and within a second, she already felt the bristling Alpha relax ever so slightly and happily kiss her back. Aila peeked through her eyes and saw his luminous orbs flickering and becoming darker. She internally smirked and bit down onto his lip before sliding her tongue in to meet his. Their passioned kiss led to his hands loosening, and she immediately ripped his shirt away from him, revealing his chiselled body.

Damon's smouldering gaze turned her on, as much as his hands gliding down her breasts slowly and resting on her hips as they kissed and grinded against each other. With Damon now distracted, she put all her strength behind her and flipped him over, making them fall to the floor. Aila made sure to straddle him and smacked his chest.

Damon's eyes widened at the sudden change, and he looked befuddled. Aila lowered her face and murmured next to his ear, "I'm not postponing it, and that's final. I made a smart call to get protection, and like I said, it is probably nothing and me just being paranoid. I will keep you updated throughout the day."

Damon sighed and searched her eyes; she could see the unease emitting behind his eyes.

"I will be fine," She added and kissed his lips softly.

"Okay. But message me before, during and after," Damon said sternly, relenting after the little power struggle between them.

Aila nodded her head before squealing in delight after Damon grabbed her and lifted her up while getting up to stand. He threw her over his shoulder before flinging her onto the bed. She looked up at him with excitement, but Damon's eyes were misted over.

"Oh, for the love of our beloved moon goddess!" Malia whined in her head and stormed off somewhere in the darkness of her mind.

Damon glanced down at Aila, "Lydia is awake."

He turned around, searched through their wardrobe and threw a black t-shirt on—one of Aila's favourites. Not only did it enhance his dark features, but the shirt was nice and tight. She looked up after making sure she wasn't drooling. Damon smirked before a mask of composure slid onto his face, "I need to go with Beta Kane-"

"Go. I'll be okay," Aila replied as she sat up. Although she felt an excruciating ache between her thighs, she knew he needed to see the bitch before the burial of the thirteen, and the weekend he was away.

Damon kissed her quickly on the cheek and then her forehead before rushing out of the bedroom door. Aila sighed and collapsed back onto the bed.

By the time Damon returned, Aila was asleep and wrapped up like a cocoon by the blanket. Damon slid in and pulled her into his chest, leaving a kiss on her neck, waking her for a moment before she snuggled further into his warm embrace.

For the next two days, the pair were too busy helping the families organise the burial for the thirteen to deal with their needs for one another. It was definitely there, scratching at the back of their minds, but duty came first.