10. Summer Wine.

I went through the portal to the Montana house and knew there was already a magic house there, too. In the beginning, when the magic houses were discovered, we went to fuck there. Especially in the sex house, it gave quite a lot of different stimulants, and a couple of times, Charles and I spent quite a long time there. Of course, Damon and Mariella lived there, and Mariella tried to get me and Damon to go there, but nope. Not my thing.

Here I have a very nice SUV, violet and roomy. It's just damn good to drive. It was also fully loaded, meaning I had my locker in this car and it was just in case I had to go to flea works if some rush mission would come along. Being a leader, meant I had to be more or less ready to help if the need arose so my cars were fully loaded. I did not share them with Pack as this was my work related and Pack had nothing to do with my work. I was not going to involve them in it, not even I could have. 

I looked at the farm information, and I knew I had a lot of mileage, but I didn't mind. I've got time. I felt that if there was a rutting season, or I needed to reproduce, I might do nothing again. I don't feel like it. I was not in the mood to have cubs and be a good little female having cubs and look at me damon with heart pictures in my eyes. I already started planning a trip for the next day.

This farm was, therefore, almost a must for me, as this was the new farm of a Flea called Penn. He had gotten me some pretty special meats over the years. Penn had been one of my trustees, and he was a great guy with children and grandchildren. Also, he had his sister helping him on the farm.

It was like a balm to my soul to see someone having a life that they deserved, not getting killed in their prime because of me. My guilt was one thing that I had not let go of. I had no right, and it was just part of me, part of being the leader. If someday, I would not feel any more guilty, I hoped I would have the sense to stop being a leader because then I would not be right for that job anymore.

Mariella looked at the two gorgeous males next to her and sighed. This was life. Although these were basically the same Damon, memories, and feelings, they were not quite the same. Two was hurting Mariella mercilessly; there was no stopping him, or this specimen didn't allow his nose to jump.

She understood that even number two had had feelings and memories of number one; he had been on one stage when he had been put in that jewel and now he was free; he was different and even though he was good in bed, he sometimes mentioned Mimi and talked about her differently than number one did.

Mariella understood she did not mean the same for number two as she did with number one and number two had some feelings for Mimi that number one did not have. Life would be quite interesting. Soap opera that was their pack's life was getting more and more interesting too.

Mariella found she was under control and in good order after a couple of irritations. And the most amazing thing. Number one just watched and didn't intervene. And he was a cocky bastard and was fucking pleased that Mariella had got a proper smack on the nose. It seemed that he noticed that it was okay to put Mariella in place properly too. Heart pictures in his eyes were going away as well. 

He just said, " Darling, you've already been warned, and that was the action. Try to remember the actions and the consequences."

Mariella felt a few stinging lessons, and she also got a few good flanks as well and took naps from time to time. Number one was just smirking at her as she woke up. Oh fuck, he could be a right arrogant bastard.

Mariella sat in deep contemplation, her brow furrowed as she pondered Mimi's plight.

"You know," she mused, her voice filled with concern, "what's troubling that girl? Why does everything seem so arduous to her? It's because she doesn't react. Or if she does, it's by retreating into herself, isolating from the situation. Instead of raising her voice and defending herself, she chooses the easier path of walking away, leaving conflicts unresolved. I've heard Damon say the same about her. Mimi always walks away, even when there's a celebration or gathering."

Damon 1, his eyes fixed on Mariella, took a moment to absorb her words before responding. "Yes, you always have a different perspective than I do. I hadn't even considered it from that angle, but you're absolutely right. Mimi and I never had any arguments while we were in England, and if we did, they were trivial and quickly resolved. Well, in bed, to be honest. But isn't makeup sex the best, darling?"

The two exchanged glances, acknowledging the truth of Mariella's observation.

Number two remarked, "That's why Mimi always carries such pent-up fury, unable to vent it on anyone. It's not a perfect solution, but reacting helps keep things in order. The lady needs to release her anger properly first. This is partly due to Bran's programming and teachings."

He fell silent, deep in thought, before continuing. "Think about it, Mariella. Let me share the rules we followed with Bran. I know you'll question and challenge them, but remember, this teaching began from the very moment Mimi entered the household. She was taught her place and the hierarchy, one of the core principles. First and foremost, everyone else is superior to her, and she must always obey. That was the primary rule, as per Bran's teachings. Even though women could be dominant, in the pack hierarchy, they were always deemed inferior."

Damon number two's voice remained resolute and measured as he unveiled his insights to her. The dimly lit room, still smelling of their passion and sweat, cast long shadows, emphasizing the seriousness of his words.

"Then, Bran emphasized his position and told Mimi stories about how he solved each problem. But Bran was afraid of Mimi from the very beginning and would have killed her if possible because Mimi's rage was so great, and she had mauled everyone in the medical establishment and everywhere else."

The weight of his words hung in the air, accompanied by a faint scent of anxiety.

"She was not with Bran very many times, as Adam and Samuel protected her. They saw Bran's mistrust of her. He poisoned her with chloral hydrate once. Making her vomit and get herself infected. Back then, she had no immune system, so she just destroyed bugs and healed herself faster than bacteria could multiply."

His voice was almost pained now, as if reliving the memories. "A few times when Mimi went or had to visit Bran, she was sedated on the couch in Bran's study. She just slept or was sedated while Bran talked and worked. Think how vulnerable the subconscious mind is at that point, how easily it goes there with all the suggestions. She was not so strong back then, very vulnerable, so a perfect victim."

Number one looked at Mariella, his eyes filled with regret, and said, "All that happened before I came into the picture, and I didn't realize it after that, either. Look, now it's so fucking obvious."

His frustration was palpable, the tension in the room thickening. "Once it happened when I had come and back then Damien took over while we were in Bran's house. It was supposed to be exercise, but then a pack of wild wolves attacked Mimi."

The sound of growls and snarls echoed in his mind. "Bran saved her but ordered her to be knocked out for a week. Damien had taken over and kept me away, as well as Adam and Samuel, and Bran kept Mimi in his study almost that whole week."

He was quite upset, too. They say that hindsight is always twenty-twenty.

"Then once we had one gig, the kind where Adam and Mimi had to go and check out if Constantine was the good or bad guy. And Mimi was supposed to be a botany student. Mimi was taught subconsciously."

The sound of soft music playing in the background filled the room.

"So they put her to sleep, and they put headphones in her ears to hear the information. And the lesson was learned. She got the same time her gun training as well, courtesy of Adam."

The room seemed to close in, suffocating with the weight of deception.

His voice was full of self-hate. "What a lot of things Bran must have gotten when Mimi was in almost the same space in his study? And I didn't realize it until just now. Oh fucking hell, that I'm stupid and slow."

Mariella wrapped her arms around Damon, providing a comforting touch amidst the turmoil. "You wouldn't have been able to do anything. You don't know that if it hadn't been for Damien, what would have happened?"

Damon sighed, feeling the weight of guilt settling on his shoulders. "I'm not playing the what-if game. I've never played."

Damon fell silent and remembered how happy he had been with Mimi when he had told her that. The warmth of her embrace, the sound of her laughter filling the room, and the scent of her perfume lingering in the air. How they were with each other again, and nothing was enough. But now he couldn't make Mimi's soul sing anymore. It was Charles's job to do that.

A fact he just has to accept. And what comes of it, he doesn't know. He wondered for a moment if it would be possible to duplicate Mariella without the white power and then turn her into an alpha female.

But Mariella herself said she wasn't an alpha. She is the one being protected, and the less than a year Mariella had held that power had driven Mariella into Charles' arms, and it had been almost unbearable for him. But if they could teach Mimi how to react and get the rage out of her, then maybe...

Mariella observed with keen interest as Damon's expression transformed once again. His face grew serious, his eyes distant, as if lost in a vivid memory. The weight of bitter acceptance washed over him, and Mariella couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for him.

She longed to understand what had caused such a rift between Mimi and Damon. The second Damon, known as "number two," paused for a moment, his gaze fixated on the future, before posing a series of questions to Mariella.

In a deep and commanding voice, number two began, "A young lady will secure a victory of 1-0 for the entire pack tomorrow. But before that, I have a few inquiries for you, Mariella. Question number one: Have you ever visited our house in Montana? Question number two: Did Mimi ever introduce you to a Flea named Penn? And finally, question number three: Are you interested in learning how to drive a car?"

Mariella's mind raced as she tried to process the barrage of questions. Memories of Mimi's peculiar activities flitted through her thoughts. She responded, her voice tinged with curiosity, "I have never been to your house in Montana, nor do I know if anyone else has, aside from Mimi. As for the Flea named Penn, Mimi never mentioned such a person to me, for number one just by passing. She never gave his contact information, even number one asked them. And yes, I am indeed eager to learn how to drive a car."

Damon, the first figure, perked up at Mariella's answer, his eyes sharpening with anticipation. He had foreseen this outcome in the future. It seemed Mimi had no intention of contributing to the pack's victory, but sought personal freedom instead. Nevertheless, he saw an opportunity to reintroduce Mimi to pack life, to teach her how to react and adapt.

Damon spoke, his voice laced with a mix of authority and affection. "I foresee for us a farm tour scheduled for tomorrow, followed by a cathartic release for a young lady. If you, my dear, desire it, we can proceed with the breeding process."

A glimmer of excitement sparked in Mariella's eyes. Mimi was finally under control and expecting a decent-sized litter. She longed to witness the entire organic breeding experience. However, she understood that Mimi's little plans of independence would be halted until she was properly pregnant. And after that, too.