His Blue Moon Princess
Chapter 55

...A little princess with blue eyes? Damian meant me? Is that when the two of us met, during those eight days? I can't remember any of it... And how could he come out perfectly fine and well? If their father's beating was as hard as Liam said.

"What else did he say?" I ask, impatient.

But Liam shakes his head. "Not much. Damian never told us the details about your encounter; I don't know why. He just talked about his little princess all the time, his fated mate. I never saw him looking happier than the days that followed. Sometimes, he would just close his eyes to feel you, even if you couldn't feel him, and smile. But after that, he realized he couldn't replace you anymore, and that's when we all started looking for you. He was desperate, Nora. Sometimes, he would get so angry, because he could feel you getting hurt. He became crazy. It's like he was closing his heart all over again. He was obsessed with replaceing you because he knew you were in pain."

I know. It's all I could think of once I knew Damian had been linked with me since my childhood. Every time I got hurt, he was on the other end, feeling the blow and my pain with it... And to think he looked for me for ten years... Suddenly, I feel the need to be close to my mate. I want to see Damian, be in my mate's arms again. To look into his silver eyes. I don't care for all those power struggles, the Clans tactics or any battle. I want him.

I fight to calm my wolf, to silence my urge. I massage my temples. What is wrong with me? Liam looks at me, intrigued, but I just shake my head as if it was nothing. We resume eating, and I take a few bites before talking again. "You have a plan, don't you? You wouldn't have sabotaged this engagement party and brought me there otherwise."

He smiles. "It's more an idea than a plan, for now, to be honest..."

"Are you going to actually tell me about it, Liam?"

"...Are you going to reconcile with my brother?" He replies right back.

What game is he playing now?! I don't like his little smirk. So, what, he won't tell me anything unless I forgive Damian? How can he toy with my feelings right now?! I growl at him, but he ignores me and keeps eating, waiting for my answer. "I'm still mad at him, you know!"

"I know."

And yet he keeps smiling like some mischievous kid. I really don't like his attitude! He is acting like I'm so gullible! Who said I was going to forgive Damian so easily?! He got engaged to another woman, for Moon Goddess' sake! Whatever reasons he had, how am I supposed to get over this, and it hasn't been two days, either!

While I'm fighting with my emotions, my wolf is fidgeting, too. She wants to see our mate, really badly. She is angry, but she misses him a lot also. Can't we go see him? I want to tell her to shut up, but I know she is me, too. A part of me that longs for her other half. I'm still thinking it over and over when Nina comes to take our empty plates away. This time, Liam chooses the desserts for the two of us without even looking at the menus, and I don't mind it. I'm too busy fighting my inner turmoil to argue over desserts right now. "Talk with Damian."

I glare at Liam, annoyed at him.

"I'm serious, Nora. Talk to him, at least. You two love each other, don't you?"

I hate that look he is giving me right now. Why does he have to be always right? And so sure of himself, too.

"I still don't understand how I can help Damian."

"Nora, you are much stronger than you think. You don't realize it yet. And I know you, you are not going to let that girl get Damian."

My wolf starts growling. Hell no, he is our mate, ours! It takes me a few seconds to calm her down. I wish I were better at taming my inner wolf, but that whole fated mate thing doesn't make it easy.

Nina brings our desserts, crepes topped with fruits and chocolate, with two hot chocolates covered with marshmallows. Gosh, how can Liam eat so much? He practically jumps on his dessert like he hasn't eaten in three days.

I sigh. "Okay, I will talk with him. Just talk. I don't promise anything else."

"Mhm," he replies, his mouth full.

I start eating my dessert, too, and though it is delicious, my mind is still lingering somewhere else. What am I supposed to say to my engaged mate? Liam just gave me a lot of information about whatever was going on, but I really need to hear it from Damian. Last night, I lost all trust I had in him, and now, it's like picking up the pieces of broken glass. It's sharp and painful, and I know the cracks will remain. I don't want to go through something like this ever again.

I've had enough with all the secrets.

Liam raises his head, and I realize I subconsciously used my wolf's voice to talk. He heard me. He smiles and puts his spoon back on the table. His eyes wander outside, watching the rain and the sea.

"You know, I overheard my brothers' last secret yesterday," he says.

What is he talking about now? He keeps talking, his eyes still looking outside.

"There was a reason my father hated me. Why I was the one he always wanted to beat up most. Our mom... She got sick because of me."

Because of him...? I thought their mother had died of a sickness. They never gave me details about whatever she had, but I know she died slowly, very weakened. Liam's eyes are undecipherable, but he won't stop from gazing outside.

"Our father already fought a lot before I was born. Mostly against vampires. There were several Clans here, in Silver City, a few years ago, constantly fighting with werewolves for territories. One day, he attacked the wrong one. He killed a vampire's loved one, so... that vampire took revenge on him."

"... He attacked your mother?"

Liam nods. "Vampire bites are poisonous to wolves. Usually, we can survive if we don't get too much of their venom, and our wolf form will heal it for us, but... When that vampire attacked our mom, he wanted to kill her. Our mother was a strong wolf, though. Always visit Ebookex.com for more novels and updates She should have been able to fight him off, but... From Elena, you probably know that pregnant werewolves can't shapeshift, right?" He asks, finally turning to me.

So that's it... Their mother didn't die of sickness, but from a vampire's venom. Because she was pregnant with Liam, and couldn't fight back at that time, or even shapeshift to take her wolf form. Hence, she had no choice but to get poisoned. Past a certain level of venom, our wolf abilities can't do anything; it's too late. Their mother was infected, and it slowly killed her, over the years, like a silent poison.

"You didn't know?"

He shakes his head. "I just thought our mom was sick. They never said a thing, and neither did she. But it does explain a lot of things."

It really does... Even their father's hatred for vampires, why he chased all of them out. I think about Liam, and his brothers, hiding him the truth. Why they did it...

"It wasn't your fault, Liam."

He nods. "I know. I already had that talk with Nathaniel yesterday. He and Damian choose not to tell me so I wouldn't be hurt or feel guilty. My mom probably felt the same, too. And whatever the reason, it doesn't change the fact that our father was a monster, even if I was partially responsible for his insanity. But..."

He turns to me, and grabs my hand, looking at me very seriously.

"It made me realize how much they have overprotected me. Again. And this time, Nora, I'm not willing to let Damian make all the sacrifices again. I want to be the one to protect my brothers this time. And I'm going to need your help with that. So please, don't abandon Damian."

***

Much later, I'm back in Elena and Daniel's apartment, though the latter is now gone, off to spend the night with Bobo. So, I'm left with my cousin, who fell asleep quite quickly a few minutes ago. But I can't sleep at all.

Everything Liam and I talked about today keep circling in my mind, and I can't shake it off. How many more hardships will the brothers have to face from now on? This war that is coming... Damian, how is he going to face it? I keep seeing him, next to that woman. Remembering that scene still hurts. But I am a werewolf. I need to start thinking like one, and that includes everything that is going on for the Clans right now. I need to start making decisions.

I get up silently, trying not to wake up Elena, but she seems to be sleeping soundly. In the living room, the clock indicates it's one in the morning. It's still pouring outside... I grab one of the blankets and sit on the couch. I take a few minutes, calming myself and observing the rain. This is going to be hard...

I finally take out my phone and look for Damian's voicemail to listen. He left it about two hours after I left yesterday. I take a deep breath.

For a few seconds, the message is completely silent. So much I have to check several times if it's really playing. But after a while, I suddenly hear some sounds. Oh my gosh, is Damian... crying?

I feel my heart tightening. It's muffled, but I'm almost sure this is what I think. I feel my own tears running down my cheeks, hearing my mate's pain. He breathes in, and finally, starts talking, slowly, with a broken voice.

"Nora... I'm so sorry, Nora.... I'm really sorry. I... I know I should have told you, I... I'm such an i***t. Nora, I never know what's the right thing to do when it comes to you. Nora... I want to protect you so much. You're the most important thing to me. I love you, Nora, I love you. I love you so much it hurts because I never know. I don't know how to make you happy, and I don't know how to protect you. I... That engagement, that woman, they mean nothing to me, Nora. They are nothing. I swear. You're the only one in my mind, you've been the only one forever. I... I need you, Nora. I don't care about any of the rest. My Clan, my people, my brothers... I can't do this without you, Nora. My wolf will go mad, and I... I can't take it. I need you. I really need you. Nora..."

He breathes in, and I do the same, not holding my tears back anymore. But there's more, Damian's voice comes in a whisper.

"...I love you. I love your blue eyes, the way you look at me and make me feel like a better man than I am. I want you, in my arms, every single second that goes by. Nora... I don't want to lose you, and I love you. I...I'm so, so sorry. Please, Nora. Don't leave me, please. I... Can we talk? I want to explain to you. I know it's late, but..."

He goes silent again, but I can hear his breathing, calmer than before. After a while, he chuckles.

"I'm a f*****g idiot... And I'm always too late when it comes to you, aren't I? I... I don't want to lose you again, Nora. I can't. I don't know how long it will take, but... I just hope you will forgive me. Tell me what it will take, I'll do it. I just want you back, Nora. I'm sorry. And I'm a dumbass."

I can't help but laugh between my tears when he says that. I never heard Damian pronounce that kind of word. A long silence, again, but I can hear is breathing, so I keep listening until he starts talking again.

"Nora.... I hope you will listen to this. I don't even feel stupid, talking alone here. If I just imagine you are listening to this... I already feel better. I know, I should feel bad, but I... Damn, I miss you already... I love you, Nora. I should have told you sooner, not in that stupid elevator, not like this... Told you, I'm always too late... But I'll say it again. I love you. I'll say it as many times as it takes, as many times as you want to hear it. I love you, Nora Bluemoon, I love you."

I burst into tears, listening to his voice whispering those three words again and again.