The Alpha's Bride

Talia was huffing and puffing when Keith stopped the treadmill. "I think we are done for today. I collected necessary data."

Talia was embarrassed. She thought that she was running for hours, but the machine showed only 26 minutes. Talia started with a walk that gradually progressed into a jog, yet she felt like her soul will leave through her mouth and she was sweating profusely.

She was not aware that she was that flimsy. Talia didn't lazy around, but she never ran or did anything physically taxing; that combined with her poor diet and mostly hiding in the attic, led to the outcome that she could literally feel her energy draining once she started to jog.

Since Talia came to the Dark Howlers pack, things are better, but a few days are not enough to chip into years of neglect.

Talia stumbled off the treadmill and sat on the floor.

"Don't be discouraged.", Maya said while giving Talia a bottle of water. "We all started somewhere. You will see improvements as you practice, but it's important to continue and not overdo it because if you get injured, you will need to rest and heal and that's worse than taking it slow."

Talia nodded. She couldn't find the strength to respond with words.

"Let's hit the showers, and Keith will go through the data."

Keith agreed with Maya and pointed upstairs. "I will meet you ladies in the lounge when you are done. We can go over the results as I introduce you to my latest berry-bonanza protein shake." He ended with a big grin.

Talia wobbled to the dressing rooms and her shaky legs reminded her of that morning when Alpha Damon held her as they walked to the bench. His hold was solid, and she leaned on him, knowing that he won't let go. There was always a sense of security when she was close to Damon.

Talia dispelled those thoughts. Alpha Damon was not here, and he is a busy man.

What happened that morning was a one-time thing, and she shouldn't overthink it. Yes, Damon said that they will go again, but Talia didn't want to keep her hopes up because it will only lead to disappointment.

Her motto is to appreciate what she has and not have expectations. That's how she will save herself from heartbreak.

Talia moved after Maya and she wished for someone to support her now, or maybe to have a cane, because she felt like her legs will give up on her at any moment, and she will fall face first. She cheered internally when they entered the dressing room without an incident.

When they stepped into the area with showers, Talia hesitated.

There were no partitions. All walls, floor, and ceiling were covered in white tiles, there were vents on the ceiling, drains on the floor, and showerheads stuck out from the wall on the right that had several grooves which held toiletries and… no privacy.

"You should undress.", Maya reminded Talia and when she saw Talia's frozen face, Maya giggled. "I can assure you that we have the same parts, and I won't bite. Come on. Keith is waiting. Put the sweaty clothes in that hamper…"

Talia inhaled a shaky breath and started undressing while chanting to herself that this is normal and that she shouldn't be cautious about her body.

Talia did her best not to stare at Maya's naked form. Maya is not a curvaceous type, her body is lean and toned, showing that she leads an active lifestyle.

"How are you feeling?", Maya asked as they showered.

"I'm beat. I really want to rest now.", Talia admitted, and she realized something. "Why are you showering? You didn't exercise."

Maya shrugged. "I'm giving you company. Showering now means that I don't need to do it later, so I'm not losing anything. What do you think about Keith?"

"He seems nice."

"What about the others?"

Talia knew that Maya asked about three guys and two women who approached her while she exercised. "They seem nice also. Friendly."

"They are decent.", Maya said. "As you get to know more pack members, you will see that this is a good place to be."

"Thank you for bringing me here."

"No need to thank me, Talia. I'm glad this is working out for you."

Maya felt guilty for not telling Talia the real reason why they came here. But telling Talia will only freak her out, and it won't make sense unless she tells Talia that Damon is her mate, and that's Damon's secret to tell. Ah, what a mess.

Maya couldn't figure out why Damon didn't talk openly with Talia. The girl could obviously notice that Damon's behavior is odd, and without an explanation, who knows what Talia was thinking of him?

During the shower, Maya told Talia that Keith owns a brand of protein shakes and is selling them online. "He treats us as guinea pigs by giving us to taste them before they hit the market."

"Is that the berry-bonanza protein shake?"

Maya confirmed and started telling Talia about some not-so-successful flavor blends. "He is experimenting in his kitchen, and then poisoning us here. The banana chocolate was fine, but caramel mint was horrible, and I had an upset stomach after taking a few sips of bacon-infused lime…"

Talia laughed. Maya's expressions were comical.

…

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When Talia and Maya reached the lounge, they found that Keith was waiting for them with Liam, Pierce, Caleb, Lulu, and Sandy.

Keith had protein shakes ready for Maya and Talia. "I made them myself."

Talia took a sip reluctantly and she liked it. "This is good."

Keith grinned. "It seems I have a winner."

"What's in it?", Maya asked.

"Other than protein powder and oatmeal, there is a number of berries like strawberries, bilberries, blackberries, pineapple…"

"Pineapple?", Maya interrupted Keith. "How is that a berry?"

Keith lifted his chin smugly. "Just so you know, pineapple IS a berry."

Maya made a face. She really didn't know.

After collecting feedback on his new recipe for the protein shake, aka the berry-bonanza, Keith moved with Talia to the side, to discuss in privacy her results. They were just on the next sofa, so any privacy was an illusion because others were using their werewolf hearing to listen in to their conversation.

"I suggest that we start building your stamina. Once you can jog for fifteen minutes without feeling like you are going to pass out, we will add other exercises, and I will teach you some moves. I'm not much of a fighter, but if you learn everything I have to offer, you will be decent, and if you need more, you can ask one of those guys for pointers.", Keith gestured toward the sofa on their left where Maya was with Liam, Pierce, Caleb, Lulu, and Sandy.

Talia was excited about learning to fight.

"How often should I work out?"

"If you can do it every day, that would be perfect. Keep in mind that rest is equally important. Don't skip sleep. We can start with half an hour in the gym and then gradually increase time and intensity. I will keep an eye on you while you train, as your personal trainer. I'm here almost every day."

Talia had no objections. Keith was friendly and approachable, and she felt at ease talking to him. "When should I come tomorrow?"

Keith was surprised. "Tomorrow?"

"Is that a problem?"

"It's not a problem. I admire your dedication. It's just that with the festival, I thought that you will want to have fun there, but if you have free time, I will meet with you in the gym."

Talia realized that even though she has nothing planned, Keith probably does. "I don't know anyone, so I assumed…" She halted her explanation. It was not important. "That's fine. Let's meet in two days, or whenever you are free."

Keith cocked an eyebrow in displeasure. "Didn't I say, I can make it? I have duties in the morning at the sports fields, but my afternoon is free, and other than hanging out at the festival, I have no other plans. How about this… we will meet for your session here at three o'clock in the afternoon, and after that, we will go to the festival together. Hm? I'm quite good with ring tossing and I can secure you a stuffed animal. And no matter what everyone else says, deep-fried mini donuts dipped in chocolate syrup go great with chilled beer, you will see."

"That sounds perfect!", Maya chimed in, not trying to hide that she was eavesdropping. "Talia will be with me in the morning, and we will stop by to check out the games."

"Don't just stop by.", Keith said. "I will be happy to secure for you ladies the best seats in the house."

"Eh? What about best seats for us?", Sandy complained. She is a lady also.

Keith rolled his eyes. "You will be on the field, playing."

Pierce winked at Talia. "Cheer for us, OK?"

"So, can we hang out after the games? My father will have a stall with ramen noodles because he is in his Japanese phase. We can have lunch there, to give him some business. What do you say?", Lulu asked.

Talia saw that Liam, Pierce, Caleb, and Sandy were looking at her expectantly, and Maya gave her a thumbs up.

Suddenly, Talia found her schedule for the festival full. She was not sure how she felt about it, but she didn't dislike it. Not even a little bit.

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