His Blue Moon Princess
Chapter 21

I can't believe it.

Damian's lips are on mine, and he is kissing me so passionately, my breath can barely keep up. And yet, I want more. I respond to his kiss, my hands on his torso, my whole body on fire. His grip on my waist bring me even closer to him, actually sitting on his lap, and his fingers in my hair are making me crazy. I'm losing control. I need him like I need air, and I crave for more each second his lips are on mine.

It's not a sweet, innocent kiss. Damian is passionate, claiming his hold on me, wanting me. Our bodies entangle dangerously, and I can feel a wildfire igniting inside me. I'm... Gosh, I'm going insane. I didn't even know I could be so indecent, but here I am, responding to Damian's kiss with all my might. My clumsy hands are on his neck and on his bare torso. It's almost like my wolf has taken over. I'm so... reckless, and hot all over. The taste of his lips, his hard breathing, and his hands all over my body are driving me crazy. All of a sudden, he stops our kiss, and he pushes me on the bed, holding my wrists down. We are both panting, looking into each other's eyes.

"Okay, stop, stop Nora. If we keep going..."

I nod. I know, I felt his wolf going crazy. I can barely hold mine, too. She might be ready, but I don't think I am. I mean... I'm not sure about it. I just know I feel like I went through Hell and Heaven altogether, but I know my wolf is also doing her share, too. She is so excited that I don't know how I feel myself anymore. I need a clear head, and for now, I'm just dizzy. I need to catch my breath. Gosh, I must be so red from blushing...

"Sorry, I..."

But I don't know what to say. Everything's so confusing right now. Damian leans on me and kisses me, a quick, innocent one this time. "Stay there. You need to eat something now. I'll go get Tonia."

He could just use their mind-link to ask her, but we both know it's best to put some distance between us for now. He exits, or should I say escapes, the room quickly. I'm such a mess right now! I must be red from blushing, and I can barely catch my breath. I sit up, adjusting Damian's t-shirt, and put my fingers in my hair to try and brush it roughly.

Oh my gosh, I can't believe what just happened. I feel like I just got off an emotional roller-coaster. My heart is beating like crazy, and my wolf is not acting any more decent either. I can't stop smiling. I'm happy I finally managed to get Damian to understand and trust me, but... I didn't expect what followed! I was so glad to show him my wolf form, but I couldn't possibly have imagined he would... kiss me next! "Nora?"

Tonia just came back, carrying a table tray. I feel so embarrassed facing her after what just happened, and I can't help but glance down. Oh gosh, I forgot I just had a t-shirt on! It's big enough to cover up to my thighs, but still! I go to grab a new outfit from one of the wardrobes and run to the bathroom, making Tonia laugh.

"Nora, I know where I've seen that t-shirt! You naughty girl!"

This is so embarrassing I could die.

I try to ignore her laughing while I get dressed up. I grabbed a blue denim skirt and a white top that actually match my taste. Once I'm a bit more decent, I take a look at myself in the mirror. My hair is a bit all over the place, and my cheeks are bright red, but it's not that bad.

When I exit the bathroom, I flee straight to the bed and stubbornly concentrate on my lunch to ignore Tonia's amused glances.

"Well, happy to see you feeling better, baby girl. Bobo was worried, too, you know."

At least she doesn't look like she will try to ask difficult questions.

I catch a bit more rest in the main room after eating. I am still tired from my hunger strike, after all, and Damian needs to go to work, anyway. He said goodbye with a surprisingly innocent and swift kiss, but just remembering it makes me blush, too. Bobo volunteers to accompany my nap on the couch.

When I wake up again, it's dinner time. Bobo is snoring loudly at my feet, curled up like a giant, furry ball. I get up and join Tonia in the kitchen, but to my surprise, she is not alone.

Nathaniel smiles at me as soon as I come in, standing next to the counter. He is dressed in a formal shirt and dark jeans, his blonde hair shining like he just stepped out of some magazine. How can the Black brothers be so handsome, all three of them? "Hello, princess. How are you feeling today?"

"Much better, thanks. Are you staying for dinner?" I ask as I walk over the counter to check what's left in the fridge.

"No, princess, I'm just dropping by. I was hoping we could talk a little."

I frown and close the fridge. What does Nathaniel wants to talk about? He may be smiling, but I can tell he's actually pretty serious. I walk over and sit at the table next to him. Tonia brings us drinks, and I know she wants to listen, too. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Remember you mentioned you wanted to work?"

I nod, intrigued. I did more than mention it, considering the argument I had with Damian that night, but I didn't think Nathaniel would be the one to bring that matter on the table again. But the second brother gives me a reassuring smile. "Well, I've discussed this with Damian, and I wanted to know if you would be interested in working at my restaurant, La Rose Argentée. You could have a trial period there and see if you like it." "Are you serious...?"

I'm so shocked, I can barely breathe. I can't believe Nathaniel is offering me a job! He laughs at my surprised expression.

"Yes, I am, Nora. I happen to be short on staff at the moment, and as we both know, my brother wants you somewhere we can watch you. My restaurant is secure enough for that, and I know you have a knack for French cuisine; so isn't this perfect?" "But, you've never seen me at work before! And to get such an offer..."

Even I have heard of that restaurant! Of course, I didn't know who it belonged to, but La Rose Argentée is famous for being one of the top, first-rate restaurants of Silver City. I only have experience as a waitress in a pub and cooking for a pack! But Nathaniel laughs at my confused expression.

"Don't worry, Nora. As I said, just give it a try! No pressure, princess, it's all up to you. You can take your time, and when you've made your decision, you'll give me your answer next week, okay?"

I nod, but I'm still going to need some time to process this. It's like having my dream job served on a plate! It feels too good to be true, and in a certain way, it is. But I know of Damian and his brothers' influence. It is not an exaggeration to say they own half of the city. Liam did mention his brother had several hotels and restaurants to manage. Finding me a spot in one of them probably was a piece of cake. But still, it is hard to believe how lucky I am! If I can make it, though. I really want to make the cut. "Nora? There is something else we need to discuss."

He looks a bit more serious this time. He puts his hands before him, taking a thinking pose for a second, searching for his words. Then, he looks at me in the eye, not smiling for once.

"We are facing a... rather odd issue since we met you. Damian and I have been looking into the city records for a while, as we were trying to get to know more about you."

He means when they were searching for my Clan, I suppose. It is probably no surprise, either, that they can freely run through the city's classified documents to get information on someone. It must be as simple as walking in a library for them. But what would be the problem with my legal information? The city records mostly hold every citizen information, such as our birth date, the city of origin, and parents. The night creatures like werewolves also can access some particular information such as our family trees, the Moon Clans we are related to, and rank data through the city's records. But I don't see where there might be an issue on any of these.

Nathaniel frowns, and takes out several documents that I have never seen before.

"When you told us your name was Nora Bluemoon, we started looking for you. My brother knew your birth date, and I originally thought we would be able to discover your background information quite easily. But we didn't."

What? I don't get it. How could they not replace a single piece of information about me? I look at the documents scattered. Register of births from 1995 to 2003, list of family names established in Silver City since the eighteenth century, several Clans registers, and a few family trees with names similar to mine.

"What do you mean?" I ask, confused.

"That means there is absolutely no trace of your existence, nowhere, Nora. Legally, you have no records in any of these documents. You should be in at least half of them, but you are not. No girl named Nora was born in 2000 or any of the years around it. There is no family name like Bluemoon registered in Silver City, and you are not even mentioned as part of the Jade Moon Clan!"

I look at him, dumbfounded. How is that even possible? I have never lived anywhere else as far as I can remember, so how can this city be completely unaware of my existence? I check the documents he's brought, trying to replace some clue, anything to prove he's wrong, but after a few minutes, I have to admit Nathaniel's right.

I don't appear anywhere.

"...How is that even possible?" I ask.

Nathaniel frowns.

"I'm not sure, princess. It seems like your existence has been concealed from the very first moment you were born."

"But why would someone hide her birth?" Asks Tonia, perplexed.

I have no idea... The Jade Moon Clan was simply ignoring my existence so they could use me as a slave, and could have not been bothered about it. But I should still have some legal existence somewhere, shouldn't I? If so, then what is this? "...What about Alec?" I suddenly ask.

Nathaniel frowns.

"Isn't that your brother's name?"

"Yes. Alec was born in 1997, did you replace any trace of him?"

"Not in the Jade Moon Clan's registers, but we can replace him somewhere else..."

He grabs the 1997 births register, and we quickly go through it, when I finally spot him.

"Here! In October 3rd, Alec... Blackwood?"

That's the right birthdate and first name, but why is his last name different? It doesn't make sense. I know my last name! Bluemoon, Nora Bluemoon! I grab the 2000 births register, thinking I may have missed something. Maybe my name was misspelled, or I was registered as... Blackwood, like Alec. But after checking twice, still nothing. No name even remotely similar to Nora Bluemoon or even Nora Blackwood. There is a Luce Norwood, born in early October, and a Janice Bell in January, but those two are the closest I could replace.

"Alec Blackwood," reads Nathaniel, who's still looking over the 1997 register. "Firstborn son of Stephen Blackwood and Alice Blackwood, born Alice Forst. It says your parents got married in June the same year."

I nod. Those are the names of my parents! So why am I not registered under their names like Alec? I can't believe it!

"Do you know of the Blackwood family?" I ask Tonia.

"There are a few Blackwoods, in the Gold Moon and Rising Moon Clans mostly. It's a rather common last name for werewolves."

Nathaniel and I both grab each Clan's register and start looking. I replace it first and show them. My parents and brother are indeed in the Gold Moon's Clan register, along with a long line of ancestors.

"Do you remember living in this Pack?" Asks Nathaniel.

But I shake my head.

"No, I was too young. Our parents died when I was seven. I don't remember much before that."

The trauma of my parents' death is still lingering somewhere in my mind, but I really don't want to think about it now. All of this is unbelievable! How can I be totally omitted from all of those documents? Did my parents not record my birth? If we were part of the Gold Moon Clan, I should have been recorded like any of their pack's children!

Nathaniel sighs, and grabs those documents back. He tries to give me a reassuring smile, but I'm really too confused right now.

"Don't worry, princess, there must be a logical explanation. For now, let's not focus on this, ok? I will try to look deeper into this. At least we now know your parents' names, and we are still looking for your brother. Maybe he will be able to help you understand some parts of your story you didn't know about."

I nod, but I still don't know what to believe about Alec. I didn't mention to anyone yet that my brother tried to sell me to Marcus. I don't know what Liam actually understood from my conversation with Liz, but for now, Nathaniel and Damian don't seem to know about it, and I think it might be best to keep it that way until we replace Alec. He is still my brother, after all. I hope he is still in the area and we can actually discuss things.

I get up, trying to process everything that just happened, and Tonia and Nathaniel are thoughtful enough to give me a moment. They start chatting about trivial matters, making it obvious they are changing the topic on purpose.

I make myself some herbal tea, trying to calm myself.

"Nora? I still have one more thing to discuss with you, princess."

I come back to Nathaniel, my cup in one hand, and he smiles as I sit facing him again. Tonia gets behind me and starts braiding my hair for some reason.

"About?"

"The Jade Moon Clan."

I had forgotten about that matter. Nathaniel did leave them with an unambiguous warning, and summoned Vincent as the Alpha for a fight in five... No, four days now? This is going to be serious. People from other Clans might even come and watch, and our turf is exceptionally well located, and thus, envied by others.

"You challenged Vincent for the Alpha position. Are you going to fight him yourself? Do you really want to take over our Clan?" I ask.

He has an intriguing smile for a second, and looks at me with a mysterious expression. What is he thinking now?

"No, Nora. I was thinking you would fight this Alpha to take over the Jade Moon Clan."

.... Excuse me?