His Blue Moon Princess
His Sunshine Baby Chapter 86

"Man, you need a break."

Seven, eight... I keep ignoring Isaac and focus on my exercise and muscles, feeling the strain in my arms. He just keeps walking back and forth next to me. Damn, he's so annoying. "No, you need a whole life, actually. Seriously, you're scaring me."

Thirteen, fourteen... I make sure to breathe in and out, despite the sweat on my forehead. I glance at the timer. Damn, it's been an hour already. I feel like I've only been here for five minutes. Maybe ten, since Isaac keeps ranting non-stop. "Are you listening to me, Nate?"

"More like I am hearing you, actually. I'm fine, Isaac. You can tell that to whoever sent you."

He growls,

"You're not fine, man. Seriously? I don't know if I didn't like it better when you were depressed, or drunk every time of the day. Now you're sober but like a freaking machine." "Thanks..."

"No, no, no man, not a compliment. Seriously, Nate. You wake up at 5 am every morning, workout for two hours, get to work at 7.30, work until 8 with a fifteen minutes lunch break, go clubbing, party like an animal and start all over again. Do you know who sleeps as little as you? Insomniacs!"

Actually, I rarely wake up after four in the morning... He doesn't need to know, though. And I don't "party like an animal." I used to. Now I just check on how my clubs are doing.

"I am fine. I'm over it, taking my life back, okay?"

"That's not a life, Nate, it's a freaking clock. Fine people, even workaholics businessmen, sleep late on weekends, watch crappy soap operas in their free time, eat burnt mac-and-cheese for dinner and see their family for brunch! They don't kill themselves on a freaking elliptical instead of all these!"

"So it was Nora," I growl.

My sister-in-law was probably worried since I ignored her invitation to eat with them. Again. Damn it. I put the weights back on the rack, and stand up to face him.

"Isaac, stop making a fuss. I just missed one brunch with my brother and Nora. It doesn't mean anything."

He shakes his head.

"One brunch? Nate, you haven't seen them in days! The Boss is worried, and the Luna you've skipped all of their invitations for two weeks. Do you even remember what your nephew looks like?" Here he goes with the guilty card.

I didn't mean to worry Damian or Nora. But, somehow, it hurts to see them. Since my sister-in-law awoke from her coma, they have been living the perfect family life. A big house, a son, now a second kid on the way... Meanwhile, I've been trying to drown myself.

First, it was alcohol. When Damian told me Elena was gone, I couldn't believe it. It hurt so bad. I kept remembering my fight with her, how I had said I never wanted to see her again. I didn't think she would really leave Silver City! Her words still haunt me, like some dark movie playing over and over in my head.

So I kept drinking, but it didn't change a thing. Sober or drunk, it hurt too much to think about her, yet I was still unable to forget. I even tried sleeping with other women, only to realize how useless it was. I couldn't go back to the time I didn't love her.

Damian got angry with me, so did Liam. We fought a few times. Both of my brothers couldn't take my dangerous behavior anymore. The more I drank, to more reckless I got. Eventually, I almost died in a car accident, last year. It was a big wake-up call. I had to promise I wouldn't drink another drop of alcohol anymore. Nora was worried about me, too. She invited me over and over to make sure I was fine, eating properly, getting decent sleep...

After James was born, however, it became harder. Because seeing my nephew reminded me of the child Elena was carrying....We never said her name. They knew how painful it was for me. It was no use, anyway. She was gone. But I still started distancing myself from them, slowly.

"I'll call Nora after I'm done with my workout, Isaac, okay?"

My beta and best friend was frowning, doubtful, so I ignored him to move on to the rower. He followed me, of course.

"It's not just Nora, Nate. How about you take a few days off work too, huh? I'm your HR Director and I know you haven't taken a day off in months!"

"Damian took days off to watch Nora and James. I can take over, I'm fine."

He rolls his eyes at me.

"You stubborn prick! The Black Corporation isn't going to collapse if you and Damian take a day off! We have Neal, Thaddeus, Victoria, they all happen to work for you, you know!" "Fine!" I growl, annoyed at him. "I'll take a day off tomorrow..."

"Oh, so you will finally rest... on a Sunday? Hallelujah!"

Shit... Are we Saturday already? I lost count. I keep rowing, hoping he'll finally go away, but he stays there with his arms crossed. Don't tell me he is really going to wait and watch me call Nora? "Seriously, Isaac, don't you have a wife and a kid to..."

Daddy...

I stop, the handle flying off my hands. What was that? I swear I...

"Nate? What's wrong?"

I wait a few seconds, but it's gone. I look around, but the gym doesn't have any kids, of course, it's f*******n to minors. Did it come from outside? Or one of the tv screens?

"Nothing. I thought I heard something..."

I must be more tired than I thought. I get up, grabbing my towel to wipe the sweat off and head to the locker room, Isaac right behind me.

"Come have dinner at our place, mate. Leah and Julian would be happy to see you."

"I'm good, Isaac. Anyway, your..."

Before I end my sentence, my phone rings. It's Damian. I sigh and answer my older brother.

"Yes Damian, I didn't mean to ignore Nora, I..."

"Nate, it's Elena. She just mind-linked Nora."

I stop breathing for a second. ...Elena? Elena mind-linked Nora? Why? Doesn't that mean she's close? Nora always said they couldn't reach each other because of the distance! I don't even know what to say. I... "She said Elena's daughter mind-linked her too."

Elena's...? My heart's thumping loudly in my ears. Why would Elena mind-link Nora now? She's coming back? And why would she...

Daddy...

A chill goes down my spine. This time, I heard it, I really heard it. My wolf is on all fours, searching around, restless. Where is she? Isaac's about to say something, but I run out, leaving all of my things there except for my phone, stuck to my ear. "Nora's trying to focus on her, but she just lost the mind-link to Elena. Her daughter..."

"Damian, I... I feel her too."

I almost choke upon those words, but I'm rushing outside, a confused Isaac following right behind me. My wolf's telling me to head west, and I'm running there. How could Elena's child mind-link me? She shouldn't be able to, right...? "Nathaniel?" Calls my brother.

"I'm going... I... I'm headed to the west..." I say, trying to save my breath.

"Nate, what's going on?" Asks Isaac, confused.

"Just come!" I yell to him, annoyed.

I don't even know myself! I'm rushing through the buildings, the streets, only focused on one thing. Why is Elena's child able to mind-link me? How? And why can't I feel her mother?

Nathaniel?

Nora! Can you feel her? Elena? I can't feel her!

I know, I could feel her too until a few minutes, but... I don't know what's going on... I can still feel Estelle, but it's very faint... Estelle... Her daughter's name is Estelle. I nod and keep running, following my instincts right where my wolf begs me to go. "Nate, I don't want Nora out in her condition. I'm sending Liam with you."

I nod. Not only she's the Luna and needs to stay in Silver City for her protection, but she's six months pregnant, she can't shapeshift. Damn, it had to be that idiot... He's been giving me hell since Elena left, and his witch girlfriend too. Okay, I don't care for now. I just need to replace Elena and her daughter. I don't want to use too much of the mind-link with Nora, the connection to... to Estelle is already so faint, I'm worried I'll lose it.

Daddy... Auntie Nora... Mommy...

I can sense her cries, and it drives my wolf crazy. I finally reach our border and run outside, right into the forest. She can't be that far!

A black wolf joins me, but I don't give a glance at my younger brother, we're both too focused on running as fast as we can for now. Something's definitely wrong. I feel a rumbling underground and realize Sylviana's probably following us too. Why is the witch coming? Can she help replace Elena?

Da... Daddy...

I take a turn left, my wolf guiding me by pure instinct. Why is it so easy? It's like an invisible thread guiding me straight to her. Within a few minutes, I reach the spot my wolf found, and look around. Where is she? I still can't feel Elena's wolf, and it's driving me crazy. Why can't I replace her daughter either? She has to be here. She...

"Nate!"

Isaac is standing a few steps away, in front of a large tree with something like a large c***k in the trunk. I walk up to him, my heart beating like crazy, my hands shaking.

I lose my breath. Curled up there, looking at us with her eyes full of tears, a little girl is hidden. She raises her head. Moon Goddess....

My wolf is going nuts, and I just lose the ability to think. She's... She's so like her mom. Golden blond hair, a little mouth, and her thin nose, her daughter's cheeks are only a bit chubbier than Elena. She is her carbon copy, with paler skin, but her eyes.... She has my mother's eyes. This vivid, sky shade of blue. The exact same eyes as mine.

I stumble a couple of steps back. This is... I just can't believe it. For so long, I had to keep telling myself Elena's child couldn't be mine. I was sterile, and the paternity test came out negative. It just couldn't be. I held on to that thought. But at the back of my mind, something else was lurking. That thin, dust-sized idea that maybe, maybe... I was wrong. That Elena hadn't betrayed me.

I feel a tear running, and I have this strange urge to cry. How can this be real? She's right there, in front of me, staring at me with her Elena's traits and my mother's ocean-blue eyes.

She's... really... She's undoubtedly my daughter. Elena's child is really mine.

The truth hits me harder than anything. This little girl is the perfect mix between her mother and I. I recognize so much of myself in her, and my wolf is restless in front of his pup too. He wants to run to her, hug and comfort his offspring. He knows better. I... How... "...D... Daddy?"

It's like another electric shock when she calls me with her little voice. She knows I'm her father? How could she? I exchange a glance with Isaac, but I'm the one she's staring at, with her eyes full of worry, fear and... hope.

"Moon Goddess, Nate, she's really your spitting image..." Whispers Isaac.

She looks terrified, waiting for an answer.

I'm overwhelmed with emotions, right now, but my instincts take over. I put one knee down and held out my hand to her. I try to use my brain, thinking of what to tell her. Damn, what kind of situation is this... "It... It's okay. You can..."

Before I finish my sentence, she runs up to me, burying her face in my torso and crying loudly.

"I want mommy... Mommy left... And we left the house... And we ran really fast... Daddy... Mommy... I'm really, really scared..."

Hearing her cry like this, I can't take it anymore. I hug her back and get up, carrying my daughter in my arms. My daughter. Moon Goddess, this is so crazy. I turn to Isaac, restless. I have Estelle, now, but what about her mom? How do we replace her if we can't mind-link her? "Isaac, call..."

Nate! We found Elena!

I turn around, following my brother's wolf's voice. From the panic in his voice, I can't tell something's wrong. I run, holding Estelle tight. What happened to Elena? Why would she leave her daughter alone in such a place? I keep running, and I'm getting more and more scared by the minute. She was far from Estelle! How long was she gone?

When I get there, I first spot Sylviana, making a sour face. She's leaning over a dead wolf's body, laying in a pool of blood. Even the bottom of the witch's dress turned red... Moon Goddess, no, no...

"That's..." starts Isaac, just when I'm too frightened to ask.

"Reagan," says Sylviana. "She... She was Elena's mentor..."

Yeah, I remember that woman. She is the one I had met at the border. That grumpy woman who basically told me to f**k off... Now that I'm thinking over, this wolf's fur is silver-grey, Elena's, though I've only seen it a couple of times, was cream white. Then, where... I see Liam, back into is human form a few meters behind them, leaning over another wolf. Damn it, that's Elena!

I rush to his side, making sure Estelle's face stays in my shoulder so she doesn't look. There's so much blood... My heart goes cold. I can tell she's barely breathing, and there's such a large and deep injury over her shoulder, I can see her flush cut open to the bone! Moon Goddess, who the f**k did that? Is she unconscious? I keep staring, shocked, and realize her legs are injured too.

"This is really bad. We need to get her to a Hospital, quick," says Liam. "Sylviana, can you do something?"

His girlfriend is still by the dead wolf's side, her eyes red of sadness and anger. It takes her a couple more seconds before she leaves her side, and rushes to Elena. She inspects her injury, frowning.

"I'll do what I can, but we need to rush..."

Immediately, she grabs some of the soils, pouring it over Elena's injury. What the heck? Will this do any good? I want to protest, but before I do, something happens. A lot of little red flowers suddenly bloom all over Elena's injury. Is that any good? "Mommy...? Reagan grandma...?"

"No, no, Estelle, don't look," says Isaac, worried.

She's struggling in my arms, trying to see her mother. Crap, she probably sensed she was close... How can her wolf be awake already? She is what, four years old now? Isn't she too young for her wolf to be awake? I didn't even think of it, but she even mind-linked me... I can't stop to think about her abilities, though.

"Isaac, take her."

I hand my daughter to him, and rush to Liam's side to carry Elena. Damn it, I haven't see her in over four years and now this... She is so light. Did she change much during all this time?

"Nate, let's go," says Liam.

He's carrying her deceased mentor. What happened to them? That was no weak woman, neither is Elena. How could they end up in such a state? Who did this? Sylviana keeps looking around, visibly restless too.

"Sylviana, what happened to them?" I growl, though I do have an idea.

She shakes her head.

"Let's take them back. We are not safe here. We will talk later."

I'm already hurrying to bring Elena back the fastest possible. Moon Goddess, I hope she can get healed in time... I can't stop glancing at our daughter, in Isaac's arms. Truthfully, I wish I had enough arms to carry both of them. I still can't believe it...