His Blue Moon Princess
Chapter 45

He gives me an innocent smile, but I don't buy it. Who are you thinking about?

Top secret.

Why is everyone keeping secrets now?! Is it a trend or something? I glare at him but he acts innocent and ignores me, until Damian is actually the one who notices. "Nora?"

"Nothing... Liam took the last tuna sandwich."

My excuse is so lame, the youngest Black brother bursts out laughing. That is not funny! Now I look stupid, even though I feel like Damian doesn't believe us. Neither do the Mura siblings. They all look at us with interrogating looks. They know I wouldn't argue over a stupid sandwich with Liam... I get up to avoid their stares and go make some tea. Damian interrogates his brother with his icy gaze, but Liam ignores him and keeps eating his sandwich. Nice one, Nora.

Oh, shut up.

When I come back with the tea, they already changed subjects back to the attack. Damian left Neal behind to oversee the Northern territory's defense issues with the White and Opal Moon Clans, and Tonia explains the situation at the harbor.

"They were so adamant about getting to the harbor... Doesn't that mean they knew where Nora was right away? Assuming she was her target, anyway."

"She definitely was," says Liam.

"But why? Why would they want Nora, why her in particular?"

"...Maybe it's because of this whole Royal thing?" Says Bobo.

I frown. What would be their interest in a Royal? Royals are specials for werewolves, but not for vampires... And it's not like I'm a leader of some sort or anything. I'm not even leading any pack or indispensable anywhere.

"Or it could be to destabilize my brother? He is known to be the Alpha of Silver City, even if it's unofficial. If they took Nora as a hostage, they could-"

Damian growls, but I put my hand on his to calm him down, and shake my head.

"I doubt it, Liam, no one really knows about me. Even tonight, people from the other packs had no clue who I was or which Clans I was related to. The Jade Moon Clan concealed my existence for years, and I only went out a few times in the last two months. Vampires should be even more clueless..."

"But what's their point in catching a Royal's kid?" Says Tonia, doubtful.

"Maybe not for the vampires, but for the witch..."

Once again, all eyes turn to Liam.

"What? Witches can do really weird stuff with blood and everything. Maybe she wants to try, well, using Nora for curses..."

"You got to be pretty damn sure of how useful she is going to be if you send a hundred vampires to a city full of werewolves just to get one!" Grumbles Tonia,

Damian growls again. I guess hearing about how a witch could use my body is not to his liking... I need to stop all this thinking before he gets too many ideas.

"Anyway, we are not sure of anything for now. We can only test my blood and see what's right or not about this whole Royal theory."

"And strengthen our defenses. Neal said they didn't replace any witch among the bodies, so she might try again to attack us again. I'll hold a meeting with all the Alphas," says Damian.

"I think we have some time before that witch can attack again. It must have taken some time to gather so many blood-suckers, and they almost all died or were chased by our packs. If it was an alliance, she is not going to replace any Clans willing to cooperate with her for a while. And if she subdued them somehow, I would guess it's going to take a long time to do it all over again, too," adds Liam.

"That's a lot of theories. And since when are you a witch expert, anyway?"

I have to agree with Tonia. I had no idea witches could subdue vampires, but Liam seems to know a lot more than I would have thought.

He shrugs. "I have to hunt one down on our territory. I should know the basics at least."

"Catch her fast, Liam. We need to know if she's on our side or if we have to get rid of her, too..."

"I know."

I yawn without being able to hold back, and Bobo does the same two seconds later.

Tonia sighs. "Well, I guess you kids should go to bed. You're getting up early tomorrow."

"Wait, I have to go to school?" Says Liam, pissed.

"Yes, you do! Just because you came and fought a few blood-suckers, you think you can skip? Hell no, brat," growls Tonia.

I actually forgot about work, too. It's late but I can still catch some decent sleep if I go to bed now. Liam argues with Tonia for a while, before Damian intervenes."Liam, enough."

With just those two words, the youngest brother stops complaining right away, though he is obviously pouting. Tonia smirks and I can't help but smile, too, at his childish behavior.

Damian throws him a key. "You're sleeping downstairs at Nate's place. Tonia, you're coming with me. Bobo, you stay there."

They all agree, but I turn to Damian, a bit disappointed. "You're not staying?"

"I have to go back. The White and Pearl Moon Clans need help, and I can't leave Neal and Nate to handle it on their own."

He quickly turns his eyes to the others, and everyone gets the message; they all exit the room quickly, leaving us alone facing each other. He takes my hand and kisses it softly, making me smile. "Sorry... I know it's your birthday."

"It's okay, my birthday ended an hour ago. And I had the best one in my life, too."

I lean to kiss him, and he responds to it immediately. See? I'm getting braver and braver whenever we interact. Maybe getting to know more about his past helped a lot, too. He puts an arm around my shoulder, and we both lean on the back pillows, my head against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry for leaving you behind, but I'm glad you weren't in the front lines. I was worried enough with where you were."

"I know... I'm glad I can't defend myself now, but there is so much going on..."

"Don't worry. We can handle a witch or two."

"At least the others packs helped, too. I didn't think they would."

"Not all the packs. That's another reason I want to talk to them, but you don't need to concern yourself with that."

Here we go again. Whenever it involves the other werewolves, he shuts me out. Am I not supposed to become his Luna someday? Shouldn't I at least be interacting with his pack already? But Damian never lets me close to his pack's affairs or members, except for his brothers and the Mura siblings. I don't like being put aside.

Maybe Elena is right, and I should stay cautious...

"You look tired. I should go," he whispers.

I nod, and he puts a quick kiss on my forehead before leaving. I stay alone for a while, lost in my thoughts without really falling asleep. I hear Bobo coming back, and he lays next to me on the couch, his head on my lap, like he always did as a wolf. "Liam and my sis are gone. How are you?"

"Tired... How about you?"

"Same. But your sandwiches were really good."

"Thanks, Bobo."

We stay silent for a few seconds, and for a moment I wonder if he fell asleep after closing his eyes, but he starts talking again.

"I think it's worth a shot. The blood testing."

"I think so, too... I should ask Elena to do the same."

"Don't worry, she has someone who can do it for her."

"...The tawny wolf?"

I just guessed randomly, but to my surprise, Bobo actually nods. I hope her friend is okay, though his injury didn't seem too bad. But she mentioned they lost friends from their pack... I probably shouldn't try to contact her now. They are probably either tired or busy. I suggest to Bobo we should get to bed, and he agrees. He changes back to his wolf form and comes to sleep on my bed.

I take a while to actually fall asleep, though. Once again, it was a big day. I would have had an incredible birthday, if it wasn't for the events that followed it... I remember my moon necklace and quickly text Damian about it. He replies right away, saying not to worry and that he'll send someone to fetch it. Reassured, I finally lose myself to slumber.

For the next two weeks, things got quite busy for everyone.

I kept working steadily at Nathaniel's restaurant, even if the man barely had any time to come and visit it himself. Somehow, I felt some tension between my manager, Narcissa, and him, though I had no idea what it all was about. Maybe I was just imagining it. Anyway, I decided to mind my own business and kept working as usual.

Moreover, since I demonstrated my fighting skills during our battle against the vampires, Damian finally agreed to lighten the surveillance around me. For example, Bobo didn't have any obligation to watch me while I was working at the restaurant anymore, so from then on, he usually just came to get me at the end of my shift. Also, Tonia stopped coming to the apartment as often as before and now only sleeps over a couple of times a week. Apparently, she is also the trainer for the youngest wolves of both packs and helps her older brother with his Beta duties.

As planned, she sent my blood samples to Granny Adriana, and now we are just waiting for the results. Liam also took some, though he never said who he would give it to, no matter how I insisted. He did promise he would let me know later, though. Finally, Elena said her friend Daniel, the tawny wolf, was to run some tests on both our blood samples to see if he could replace out about our kinship. Apparently, Daniel is a medical student, though his specialty is mental illnesses. But we have barely interacted since the fight. She seemed busy, and I figured her pack might still be busy with the aftermath of the attack.

Damian, too, barely had any time to meet with me. Seems like his Alpha duties kept him running from one place to another after this mess. He never shared with me whatever it was that he was busy with, though. As time passed, I asked less and less, but got more suspicious. Not only he was obviously kept me in the dark, but because of this, I couldn't trust him, and our relationship wasn't making any progress either.

One evening after work, Liam, like often, came to the apartment to eat with Bobo and me after his classes. I was starting to doubt that he really was looking for the other witch that was supposedly in Silver City. He just went to school or skipped classes from time to time, got into fights here and there in the city, and dropped by unannounced when he was craving my cooking.

Like tonight. However, I was set on making him spill the beans about Damian. I knew Nathaniel and he knew much more than they wanted me to think.

"Why do you think my brother lets me meddle in his adult stuff? They both treat me like a kid!" Said Liam, sitting on my kitchen counter and eating cherry tomatoes.

"Don't act innocent when it suits you, Liam. I'm sure you know something and won't tell me."

"If I do, and I don't say I do, I'm not going to spill the beans. Sorry to disappoint you, Nora, but you are not nearly as scary as my brother."

So I'm just not intimidating enough now? I roll my eyes while fetching the basil herbs, and take the bowl of cherry tomatoes from him, just to annoy him. "I thought I could trust you!" "Oh, you can! But still, not going to talk."

He is really annoying sometimes... I turn to Bobo for help, but he is busy texting again. He is glued to his phone these days! I stir up the sauce, trying to think of how I can convince him. "Liam, I know there is something going on, and no one will tell me. All I do is go to work and come home."

"What are you talking about, you do go out sometimes."

"I'm talking about wolf stuff! I'm still without a pack, remember? It's been weeks! I can't just act human, I need to have a pack, hunt with other wolves, mind-link other people."

This is the biggest issue for me these days. I don't get why Damian still hasn't let me join his pack yet. He doesn't even let me meet them!

"Welcome to my life! I don't have a pack either, for the reminder. All my brothers do is make sure I go to school and don't get into fights." "But you do get into fights," says Bobo.

"Yup, I'm a rebel. But that's not the point."

His finger heads to try my sauce, but I slap his hand and glare at him. No answers, no treats.

He pouts. "Gosh, you're starting to learn from my brother. You're almost as good as him at glaring now..."

"I'm going to do a lot more than glaring if you don't start talking. How about I tell Damian about my blood samples you took?" I ask.

He gasps. "Seriously? You're down to threats now?"

"Told you, my patience has its limits."

He frowns, and stays silent for a while, thinking. I leave him to his thinking and set up the table for three. Bobo finally puts his phone aside and helps me bring the food as we take a seat. Finally, Liam comes to sit, too, and looks me in the eyes. "Okay... I can't talk, because I want a long life and a painless death, but I can give you a hint, as long as you promise not to tell my brothers I told you."

"I promise."

He breathes in and finally says it. "You should go to Damian's Company Christmas Party. There you go....Can I eat this plate of pasta now?"