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"Why did you leave?", Talia asked when she reached Tatiana.

"Should I stay there and watch Max with some other woman?"

"Are you jealous?"

Tatiana rolled her eyes. "What's there to be jealous about?"

Talia smiled knowingly. It was normal to be jealous if a mate is close to another woman. Even Talia was jealous at the sight of Cassie clinging onto Damon, and Talia didn't know that Damon was her mate at that time. Talia knew firsthand that the mate bond will work its wonders regardless of whether one is aware of it, and it's impossible to ignore that attraction.

Tatiana was irked by Talia's smirk. It was obvious that Talia didn't believe her. "I already knew that Maddox River is a lecherous bastard. The moment he was not with me, he found someone else and that only confirmed my opinion of him." She shook her head. "This won't work. I need to…"

"Stop!", Talia said sternly. How can she not know where this was going? Talia was quick to think about exit strategies every time things didn't look promising, and she could recognize that Tatiana was doing the same.

"What you need to do is listen. Max was there drinking because you argued. He was not with that woman."

Tatiana crossed her arms over her chest. "And how do you know that he was not with her?"

"Max was obviously more interested in the drink in front of him than the woman by his side, and… that was Lisa."

"Should that mean something?"

"It's Lisa. Tony's Lisa.", Talia said and when she saw Tatiana's confused expression, she realized that Tatiana doesn't know about Anthony's background.

"Tony used to date a woman before he met Lina. You know that, right?"

Tatiana nodded, and Talia continued. "The woman in question is Lisa. The one from the bar."

Tatiana's brows came together to form a frown. "Why was she with my Max?"

Talia picked up the detail of Tatiana claiming Maddox as hers, but she had a feeling that if she points it out, Tatiana will deny it. She decided to focus on answering Tatiana's question because saying too much or too little might backfire.

"Lisa was heartbroken when Tony found Lina, and she had trouble accepting the reality that Tony moved on. How much I know, Tony and Lisa didn't meet since then. She was probably with Max in order to inquire about Tony."

Tatiana was alerted. She knew very well that an abandoned woman is not reasonable. Lisa was probably blaming Kalina because Tony left her. "Will she target Lina?"

Talia wanted to say that Lisa won't, but her instincts told her otherwise and she couldn't lie. "I don't know."

Tatiana's anxiety swelled. It's one thing for Tony to have an ex, but... "Why is Tony's ex here?"

"Lisa grew up in the Lightclaw pack, but her mother is here. After Tony found Lina, Lisa moved in with her mother.", Talia explained. "Tanya, do you want to go back to the bar?"

Tatiana was not willing. "Why?"

"Because you and Max need to talk things through."

"We talked. It didn't work. He is drinking and if I go there, things will only get worse."

"But you want to make it work, right?"

Tatiana released a long breath. "To be honest, I'm not sure it's worth it."

"You are mates, Tanya. Of course, it's worth it.", Talia said. "You said that talking didn't work so maybe you should do something else together."

Tatiana made a face. "I have a pretty good idea what Max wants to do with me."

Talia's eyes flashed when she realized what Tatiana was talking about. Carnal pleasures! Talia pushed her awkwardness aside and asked, "Don't you want to do it with him?"

"Who would want to shag a buffoon who only knows how to argue?"

Talia inched closer and spoke in a half-whisper, "Maybe you should gag him and then go at it."

Tatiana shook her head quickly to dispel arousing mental images that started popping in her mind. Maddox with a ball gag, butt naked and restrained by black leather straps, sprawled on the bed while Tatiana flogs him… She won't need to hold back because he is not a weak human and she will soothe all those bright pink whip marks with her tongue... No. NO! That's NOT happening!

"Our differences are too vast, and steamy sex won't make them disappear.", Tatiana said.

"But you need to try, Tanya.", Talia urged her. "You are mates for a reason. Don't you want to find out what that reason is? When I met Damon, he scared me, but as I spent time with him, I started understanding the reasons behind his mood swings. Now I know that if I didn't give him a chance, I would regret it for the rest of my life. You have only one mate, Tanya. Only he can make you experience unconditional acceptance. You owe yourself to give him a chance."

Tatiana made a face. "Unconditional acceptance? He is stubborn and…"

"It goes both ways, Tanya.", Talia said quickly. "You need to open up to a relationship in order for it to begin."

"Fine. What do you suggest? And I don't want to hear anything sex-related."

"I don't know.", Talia said honestly. "But I know that you not talking to Max and him drinking won't solve the problem. It will only make it worse. You need to spend time with him. Talk to him. Maybe not about your relationship. Talk about anything else and you will see that you have things in common. Start from there and work your way up to sex. Max is a good guy."

Tatiana could accept everything, but this last part was fishy. "What makes him a good guy?" Other than being smoking hot and a great kisser?

"His pack has the largest shelter in North America. Any werewolf in distress will go to the Blue River pack for help. They offer housing, food, protection, and education for abused, disabled, and abandoned. And that is all thanks to Max's efforts."

Tatiana paused. She didn't know that. Actually, other than Maddox being an Alpha of the Blue River pack, she didn't know anything else about him. "Tell me more about Max."

"How about you ask him?"

"I will.", Tatiana agreed. It can't hurt to talk. Ideally, after he stops drinking. "But first, I want to check on Lina. Does she know that Tony's ex is lurking around?" Before Talia could respond, Tatiana continued, "Considering how relaxed Lina was, she probably doesn't know."

Talia agreed with this. Kalina knew that Lisa was in the Dark Howlers pack, but she probably didn't know that Lisa was at the beach.

"Let's go together.", Talia said. Her plan was to stick close to Tatiana and once they confirm that Kalina was safe and on alert, Talia was determined to bring Tatiana back to the bar.

…

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...

Talia and Tatiana reached the beach and Tatiana's eyes nervously scanned the male-only faces in the VIP area.

Guys were sitting in a circle and playing poker in the shade that the canopy provided.

Axel's eyes lit up when he saw that Talia was without Damon. Finally! He suppressed his urge to approach her when he saw her serious expression.

"Where is Lina?", Tatiana asked Tony.

"She went swimming with Maya.", Tony responded.

Tatiana turned to look at the lake. "Where are they?"

Tony realized that Tatiana was on edge, so he asked, "What's going on?"

"Lisa is here.", Tatiana said without removing her gaze from the water.

"Lisa?", Tony asked, obviously wanting more information.

Tatiana shot him an angry glare. "Your ex. Lisa."

Tony didn't think that was a problem. He knew that Lisa was in the Dark Howlers pack, and he was aware they might cross paths.

Tony heard rumors that Lisa was upset because he found his mate, but Lisa knew it was coming and he didn't see her since he found Kalina, so he didn't think much about it.

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