His Blue Moon Princess
Chapter 105

"Look, James, it's your little cousin..."

I encourage my son to step forward, as he's acting all shy towards the newborn. She's wrapped up in a pink baby blanket, sleeping soundly in her father's arms. She is so small! Only two weeks old, yet already so cute. It feels like James was the same just yesterday, children grow up so fast!

"She's

tiny..."

"It's a baby, she is much younger than you," I explain.

He looks hesitant, but I suspect that William is also intimidating him a little bit. I turn to my cousin, looking as serious as ever.

"How is the mom?"

"Fine. She is resting for now, but she keeps saying she wants to go back to work."

I'm impressed, but not too surprised. Tiffany Pearl is a Clan leader and an imposing businesswoman. After the Gold Moon Clan's fall, the Pearl Moon and Sapphire Moon cooperated a lot on putting back everyone's financial health back on track, as well as Silver City's economy. Spending so much time together led my cousin and Tiffany to grow closer eventually until they officially started dating. I thought they would take it slowly after that, but they suddenly got married, and Tiffany got pregnant soon after that. "I still think this is a bad idea. Though I absolutely don't mind helping you behind your husband's back, I am not approving of this meeting, Nora."

I sigh. One thing that never changed: William and Damian still get along like cat and dog. My husband and my cousin bicker like teenagers any time they meet, and it's pretty exhausting. I think William enjoys acting like a disapproving mother-in-law just to annoy Damian, considering himself as my family. Well, he technically is, since he added me to his family registry a few months ago

Thinking about my family issues saddens me a bit.

It took me a while to open Alec's letter. I even considered burning it a few times. I don't know what was scaring me so much. Maybe the perspective of re-opening old wounds that were not done healing. The idea of facing my brother still scares me. But, after a long time, I opened that letter and after reading it, decided to give him one last chance.

It wasn't just about the letter's content. Though Alec expressed deep regrets, I also took into consideration the fact that he was honestly doing some good around him. I always knew about his work at the orphanage, as well as his volunteering at the Rehab Center. Alec also accepted to be treated as an Omega, and to never shapeshift again. That's a lot, even for someone who did worse than he.

"I know, William, but... If he wants to apologize, I think I can listen. And I'm doing this for myself, not for him."

My cousin stays silent. It's the truth, though. I never really got over what had happened back when I was with the Jade Moon. Even after Marcus and Vincent's deaths, that pack remained like a thorn in my past. I never found some closure about how they abused me, especially how Alec treated me.

Though they consider me their leader, I decided to let my husband treat them as any other subaltern pack, and that was it. But Alec was banished from the pack and remained as a question.

Will growls and puts his daughter back in her cradle. James immediately runs over to observe his little cousin some more, looking more confident know that Rose isn't in her father's arms.

"Whatever. You know you can trust me. But I'm not leaving you alone with him. I can't believe you let no one else know..."

"Damian was very against it, I told you. And Liam is out of town again."

"What about that bodyguard of yours? Boyan?"

"Bobo is with his boyfriend, I'm not disturbing him now. Moreover, they know I'm with you, what could happen to me? The Sapphire territory is one of the safest isn't it?" William clicks his tongue.

"Of course. Anyhow, I would like to see a mere omega try anything...

"William," I sigh. "Stay calm, please?"

My cousin rolls his eyes but doesn't reply back. He became even more overprotective since my coma and Elena's departure... Another reason he and the Black Brothers still don't get along is that he blames Nathaniel for what happened. "Whatever. It's your brother after all, not mine."

Even if he says that he probably will be on his guard all the while... Not that I really risk anything, though. I'm as powerful as most Alphas in Silver City, and Alec is only an omega. No, the biggest injury I could suffer is probably emotional.

I look at the clock. Almost three. I take a new sip of tea and wait silently. William is talking to James, answering my son's endless questions about the baby girl. I watch them exchange and realize I'm not as nervous as I thought I would be. Is it because I know I'm safe now? Or maybe because I moved on...

Suddenly, we hear a knock at the door. William gives a silent order, and a werewolf opens the door, my brother Alec following right behind him.

This is my first time seeing him in three years and I can barely recognize my half-brother. He has changed so much... He is way thinner than before and looks older than the mid-twenties he should be in now. Even if it's obvious he tried to dress up a little, his shirt is old and his pants are a bit too large for him. He walks in slowly, a bit fidgety. I stand up, and our eyes finally meet.

"Nora..." He whispers.

That's all he says, but I can see him choke up a little. He stays where he is, a bit hesitant, his eyes fixated on me. I don't even know what to say... But William steps forward, acting like the Alpha he is and taking the lead. "Come in, take a seat."

Alec nods, but before he can say anything, James walks up to me and notices him. My son's big blue eyes suddenly grow larger. "Oh, you're the teacher!"

"Hello, James."

My brother finally smiled while saluting my son, and James innocently waves at him, his other hand holding the toy he took with him. It's odd to see them interacting. Despite William's words, Alec hasn't moved, and his eyes are fixated on me again. I realize he's waiting for my own approval. I take a deep breath in.

"Hello, Alec."

Those simple words from me seem to give him a lot of relief. He nods and finally walks up to us, taking the seat designated for him. He's only a meter away from me, across that table. It feels a bit unreal, after all this time. William sits between us, and James decides to climb up my knees to grab one of the cupcakes I brought from the plate.

"You look great," says Alec, with a weak voice I don't recognize.

He sounds like someone who just got over a cold. I try to remind myself, this man is not the one I used to know. Two years went by. He has changed. I have changed too.

"Thanks. And... Thank you for taking care of James at that time."

He shakes his head.

"No... I was surprised to see him."

"How... How did you know it was him?"

He should never have met James in those two years since he was born... He blushes a little and looks down, looking at his hands.

"Well, he... Looks a lot like you and the King, and I... I have... I kept a picture."

I frown. What picture...? He never had any of me when we were young. As if to answer my silent questioning, he reaches out to an inner pocket and brings out not a photo, but an old piece of journal paper. I recognize it. It's from the Black Corporation last Christmas Party. All of the employees and their families were invited, and that was the first time Damian and I brought James to a formal event. He didn't really care and only played with other children, but there was this one journalist who took a picture of him in front of the big Christmas tree talking with Liam, and another when he was with us, in Damian's arms. In those pictures, we look like a happy family...

I have a copy of that article home as well, but Alec's piece is all torn and wrinkled as if it had been folded and unfolded a lot. Seeing this piece of paper in Alec's hands makes me choke up a little. What was he thinking, holding on to that mere picture? I don't even know what to say, but Alec, still staring at the picture, suddenly starts talking.

"You really look happy in this picture... You... Changed a lot. I mean, not only physically, but... You look... Great."

This sentence, said by a man of my own blood who used to a***e me, suddenly gives me a shock. Because I realize how right he is.

I'm not that girl from the basement anymore. That weak, pitiful outcast who couldn't shapeshift or disobey anyone. I remember those days when I would stare at the forest and dream of running away. The dusty, cold couch I used to lay in. The whole room was like me: forgotten, full of broken things and with only a little light left. I never dared to speak out, complain, not matter how badly I hurt. This was indeed a long journey to get from there to where I am now.

"Thanks....How are you?"

The question flew out my lips like feather lost in the wind. Alec finally looks right at me. Maybe because I now know that we are only half-siblings, or because we both have grown and changed a lot, I only replace very few similarities with him... His thin lips, maybe. "I'm good, thank you. I... Try to make myself useful. The children are all very good kids. I'm very lucky to have them."

I nod. How to even pursue this discussion... Alec feels like a stranger I don't have much in common with now. I look down at James, with his little mouth full of chocolate... I wipe it out despite his protests.

"Nora..."

Once again, hearing my name in his mouth has a really strange feeling to it. I look at him again, but to my surprise, Alec's eyes are teary, and his hands are fidgeting, playing and wrinkling his napkin with obvious nervousness.

For some reason, I suddenly feel very sad as well. Thinking about our past... Our relationship was nothing but a toxic one. When he did not ignore me, Alec would hurt me or insult me anytime we interacted. That was the only way we ever spoke to each other for about ten years... How could we ever get over this? But he starts to talk, his voice obviously choked by sorrow.

"I... I know I've been the most... Horrible, despicable person to you. Anytime I think about... About what happened, I feel like throwing up and hating myself to no end. I'm... I'm..."

He starts to cry, and I feel my heart breaking a little seeing this. I've never seen Alec cry since our parents' death... But the man facing me seems so weak and miserable like he could fall apart any minute. I choke up a little bit, words stuck in my throat, an indescribable mix of feelings I can't even unfold.

"I've been... So cruel to you, Nora, and... And worst is, I... I was just doing all that... All for making myself feel better. I... I felt like... Treating you like this was... Making me feel better, but... I was just a whole mess, Nora. I didn't... I didn't know how to handle any of this shit... Dad, Mom... I just... I just needed someone to blame... I didn't want to... To accept what they had done, so I... I just pushed all the blame on you. I just couldn't..."

He tries to control himself, wiping awkwardly his flow of tears, catching his erratic breath, sniffling and coughing. I've never seen anyone break down like this... And this is my former bully, someone who terrified me, now only a broken man.

"When I was on drugs, I... It made everything so much simpler. I didn't want to have to think, I never even want to mourn. I just... I couldn't accept it, so I used you. I was so, so cruel... I was unfair to you, Nora, but... I should have protected you... I only thought of myself and made you suffer... I know I should have been a better brother! But you were reminding me every day of our father's lies, our mom going crazy, and... And I took the easy way out by hating you."

This time, I'm crying for real. I feel the tears running down my cheeks, but I stay silent. I just don't even have the words for it. What do I even say to this?

"I'm sorry, Nora... I wanted... No, I've been wanting to apologize for a long time already. I... I know I've done things that can never be fixed. I'm... I'm not looking for forgiveness, but I wanted to tell you this. I... I know I've broken something and we won't go back to... To what it could have been. I just... I just wanted to let you know... Know I'm so, so sorry..."

He keeps repeating those words, over and over. I don't know.

I don't know if I should hate Alec. Maybe I should feel sorry for him, forgive him. Maybe I should ignore him. Maybe this would be the time to get mad at him. Tell him how much I've suffered, how I hate him for all that.

But... But I don't hate him. My heart right now doesn't have any space for that. It's filled with love from Damian, from my son, from my loved ones, my new family. The one I ever had with Alec got buried a long time ago. I take some time, gathering my thoughts and feelings, sorting out what I want to say.

"Mommy?"

James noticed my tears and his adorable baby face is all worried now. I wipe what tears I had left and kiss his forehead. "Mommy is fine, James."

He pouts, a bit confused, and suddenly hugs me, his little chubby arms around my neck, holding me tight with a serious face. His little body against mine gives me a wave of warmth, calming me down. I hug my baby back, suddenly feeling a lot more composed. Still holding him, I look at Alec.

"I know... It wasn't easy on us when they died. We ended up in the streets and... You met some bad people there. I won't say it wasn't your fault, but... I also understand you needed to escape reality. I am not ready to forgive you, Alec. I don't know if I ever will. Maybe. But, I do want to at least say thank you for apologizing."

Despite my words, his face seems to lighten up as I speak. Like talking to him already delivered him somehow, he listens to every single thing I say like listening to a prayer. So, I keep going, working hard on my composure.

"Nothing you did was acceptable. And in my heart, I know I'm not ready to forgive you. Some memories are still like old wounds to me, and I'm trying to heal them one at a time. So, no, not yet."

He nods, not looking surprised or particularly sad. Did he expect it?

"But... One thing I really wish for is for you to get better," I say. "I want to see the Alec you will become, how you can change and be someone new. Someone I... Someone I might someday think of as my brother again."

He nods frenetically, and I see him struggle to hold back his tears for a minute before giving up. He keeps crying and nodding repeatedly, trying to say some words despite the flow of tears.

"I... I promise you, Nora... I... I will become a better... Better man... I swear..."

I let him cry loudly for as long as he needs, but mostly because I have no idea how to respond to that, if I should. The funny thing is, I already feel a lot better now. I sigh, and caress James' jet black hair. My relationship with Alec is probably too damaged now. No one comes back from what I lived. But, even if it's just a mere whish on my side, I want to see him change.

This way, I could witness how not all of my family was lost. Moreover, I want to wish for him to replace his own happiness. It may be odd coming from me, but it's true. I think my brother deserves the end he paved for himself, a way he can decide on now. I don't think our blood link matters much now. No matter how odd it is, I think we will be "siblings-turned-acquaintances" for a while longer.

I guess I will have to heal on my own. Seeing my former bully so sad, with that r****t dead and all, never made me feel better. It just helped me realize the one that really needed to change was myself. Because in the Jade Moon, I had never had that confidence to stand up for myself. Now I do.

And that's how I want to keep going.