His Blue Moon Princess
Chapter 76

"So, you and that woman, Elena Whitewood are..."

"Cousins. She is the daughter of Queen Diane's other child, my mother's twin brother, Gabriel."

They look at me in awe. Damian and Neal are very confused, but I went as far as I could with my explanation. I had no choice but to explain our relationship to them since Elena gave me the information about the Opal Moon Clan. I didn't want to hide it from Damian anymore, that would have been unfair. So, I told them everything. How Elena discovered our link at the duel for the Jade Moon Alpha Clan, that she hosted me when Damian and I briefly separated, and how we figured out we were related.

"So, she's also part of this Blue Moon Clan?" Asks Neal.

"Right. And William Blue's second cousin, just like me." "Nora, why did you never tell me?"

Damian looks lost, and I understand.

I sigh. "Because Elena was afraid Nathaniel would know her implication with me. Their relationship is quite complicated, Damian, and I... I don't want to mess it up."

He stares at me a few seconds and holds his hand out for me to take it. I walk around the desk to join him, and he makes me sit on his lap, giving me a kiss on the forehead.

"I understand," he whispers.

I didn't tell him about the baby, as that was Elena's only demand when I told her I had to talk to Damian. I get it, though. She has her reasons for keeping this pregnancy to herself, and moreover, that would be a big secret for Damian to keep from his brother. When will she tell Nathaniel, though? She avoids the question whenever I try to know where their relationship is at. But then again, she only learned about the baby two weeks ago. And aside from Bobo, Daniel, and me, she hasn't told anybody else.

"I won't tell Nathaniel, you can tell him directly later. He doesn't like talking about his relationships, anyway," says Damian.

I can only agree on that point, but still, I don't really like that he is mentioning Nathaniel's relationships. It sounds like Elena is only one of many, and that's not what I wish for my cousin... But then again, I'm not supposed to intrude in this. Moreover, we have a lot to handle already.

I turn to Neal. "What do you think? From what Elena said, do we have to fear that the White Moon Clan would betray the Sapphire Moon Clan?"

Neal shakes his head, scratching his beard with a complicated expression. "That's very unlikely, in my opinion. No, from what miss Whitewood said, I would believe the Opal Moon is acting on its own. The White Moon has a long history with the Sapphire Moon- they were the only ones willing to finance them back when the White Corporation was struggling."

"They are scientists, right?" I ask, trying to remember what Bobo taught me.

"That's right. They are an old Clan in Silver City, but their former businesses were not doing so good, so they decided to aim toward the sciences back fifty or forty years ago. It was a difficult start, but they made use of their proximity to the University and constructed new facilities. The Sapphire Moon was the only pack willing to finance them, while the Gold Moon Clan didn't see any use of investing in science."

"How could they not? It's essential for people's health, medicine, biology, environment..."

"Yes, miss Nora, but back in the '60s and '70s, it didn't sound so promising. But the Sapphire Moon made the right bet, as the White Moon Clan started taking off thirty years ago with several medical breakthroughs and enough success to become a much, much wealthier pack."
"So, you and that woman, Elena Whitewood are..."

"Cousins. She is the daughter of Queen Diane's other child, my mother's twin brother, Gabriel."

"It explains why they don't get along with the Gold Moon Clan..."

It probably came as a bitter surprise to the Gold Moon Clan, realizing they lost such an opportunity to smaller Clans. I can see how different they actually are from the Sapphire Moon, as Neal said.

"That, and their constant fighting at the border. Anyway, those two hate each other, and I really don't see their Alpha betraying the Sapphire Moon," says Damian.

"The Opal Moon would be acting on its own, then?"

"Xavier Whitewood is known to be quite hot-headed. It would be much more believable than Clark Hamilton allying the Gold Moon Clan."

Elena actually said the exact same thing as Neal. That her Alpha was sometimes rash in his decisions, but that the White Moon Alpha would never agree to him meeting with the Gold Moon. Anyway, that means the packs have already started shifting alliances.

"Taaron King and Alexandra trying to conceal the broken engagement is really working against our interests, right?"

Neal nods.

"Even if we work with the media, they still hold a great deal of power, enough to stop us. I'm afraid we won't be able to hold them back long enough to be able to stabilize things between the packs."

"So basically, their idea is to put as much pressure on the other Clans as they can until they start pestering Damian to marry that... woman, right?" "Exactly."

"And there won't be any room for discussion?" I ask again, trying to think things over. "Probably not."

A long silence follows. The situation does seem impossible... To think my relationship with Damian would make such a mess between all the packs! I try to remember what the witch said, but all I can gather are the cards already in my hands. The Jade Moon Clan, and my relationships with Elena and William Blue.

Maybe I already have the answers... I turn to Damian, but before I can say a thing, I see him frown and make his angry face. "No, Nora."

"You don't know what I'm about to say yet!"

"You want to meet with William Blue again."

Gosh... He is right. I sigh and get up to face him, arms crossed. I can feel Neal is watching with deep interest, but I try to ignore that detail.

"An alliance with the Sapphire Moon, Damian, think about it! The Pearl Moon isn't big enough to go through that financial crisis, but William's Clan can. I can negotiate with them, and Elena can help us talk with the White Moon Clan, too."

"First, your cousin can't move against her own Clan. Secondly, the Sapphire Moon Clan hates me and all of the Blood Moon Clan. And finally, there is no way I'm letting you go alone again."

"I wasn't alone!"

"Yes, and where is my brother now?"

He's got a point... If only Liam could respond! Don't tell me something really happened to him?

I bite my lip. "What if... I got Liam back?"

"What do you mean?"

"If I can prove William will hand us Liam back safe and sound, will you trust I can negotiate with him?"

"Last time we talked about this idea, he mentioned an exchange. I am not giving you to them, Nora."

Here we go again with his possessive issue... Gosh, this is really getting old. Not that I don't know the feeling, though. There is no way I would let him go meet with the Gold Moon Clan. But William is my cousin, not my fiancé!

"It explains why they don't get along with the Gold Moon Clan..."

"I swear I will come back. With Liam."

"Nora, I said no!"

"Damian, they won't harm me! And I don't see any other way to help!"

"Once again, there is no reason for you to meddle in this! You-" "Enough!"

This is my first time growling at my mate, but this time, I am truly irritated. Won't he let me take my own decisions for once?! I use my Alpha voice, as he won't listen to me, otherwise, and I am done with watching from the sidelines. He doesn't want me acting behind his back, I get it, but there is no way he will keep me from acting at all.

I lean towards him and take his hand between mine. "Damian, don't tell me not to meddle. You are this city's Alpha and my mate. No matter what, I am to be the next Luna. This is my problem, too. I caused this, the moment I fell in love with you, the moment I decided I would mate with you. This is my city, and I will protect it from anyone who tries to mess with it. Werewolves, vampires, witches, I don't care. I'm an Alpha, your Luna, and no matter what, a wolf. Damian, you have to let me do this."

Once I'm done, he stares at me for some long minutes, and silence befalls on the room. I am done talking, but Moon Goddess, can't he say something?! No matter what, I know I won't be able to go against him if Damian still says no!

He suddenly sighs and takes a strand of my hair to put it behind my ear. "Moon Goddess, Nora, do you have any idea how much I love you right now?"

I can't hold back a smile. I know his voice when he is about to give up. I win, and I even get some more of his love. He sighs and closes his eyes to rest his head on the back of his chair. I glance sideways and catch Neal with a faint smile, too. Can the Beta forgive the Gold episode with this? I turn back to Damian, waiting for his answer.

"All right, I will let you meet with Blue. But I want you to return, and Liam, too."

I nod and try to reach Liam with my wolf again. Why isn't he answering? This is quite worrying right now, and I have no idea how to fix this... Oh wait, maybe I do. I wake my wolf, and we try to look for William's inner wolf together. Is it easier because he is my kin? Like Elena, I can reach him almost instantly.

Nora. An unexpected but pleasant surprise.

Tell me Liam is all right. I haven't been able to-

Who is that?

Liam Black! The guy you came with me! Black hair, blue-grey eyes, my age! Don't play with me!

Oh, the little one... I wonder.

What do you mean?

You tell me. He escaped our territory around midnight last night. Those Black Brothers are as annoying as ever...

He escaped? On his own?

Quite an achievement. No one ever left our cells alive and in such a spectacular manner...

What do you mean?

He literally made a door explode and fled the premises leaving twenty of my people sleeping like babies behind him. I'm still debating about being impressed or angry. Moon Goddess, Liam, what did you do now? ... And how?

Oh, right. He actually left the room full of butterflies. Is it supposed to be a joke?

Wait.... Did he just mention butterflies?