"I can't believe you're really awake."

Daniel is holding my hand, giving me a big smile despite his teary eyes.

"We've missed you."

"Thank you, Danny. It's good to be back."

It's Christmas Eve, and I couldn't be happier. As promised, I left the hospital a few hours ago and Damian took me to our brand-new home. I love it. It's an old traditional family house, with wooden floors, a fireplace, and stone brick walls. The decoration is the opposite of his cold apartment. Damian picked warm tones and wooden furniture, with Bobo's help. The more I visited, the more I fell in love with it. He thought of everything, even to include a little library where I could relax and read my books on a comfy sofa by the window.

Tonight, it's especially welcoming with all the Christmas decorations. I don't know how they managed to do so much in such a short time, but Bobo, Sylviana, and Liam made it all happen, just like a Christmas movie. Tonia pushed my wheelchair in the salon, in front of the fireplace and Christmas tree. As the doctor said, I can still only move a little, but I know my muscles will remember their former strength soon enough.

For now, I don't really mind. The house is crowded with our friends and family. Sylviana is in the kitchen cooking with Neal's wife, an adorable woman named Angela. Neal is chatting with Damian and Sean. Being an orphan, I learned earlier that Sean doesn't have anyone to celebrate Christmas with, so we invited him over.

Next to us, on the couch, Tonia and Bobo are busy keeping the children entertained. Bobo's nieces, the twins Juliet and Phoebe, are six years old, and Isaac, Nate's Beta, just had a baby boy. As I watch them playing with the kids, I wonder when will Damian and I have our own children. Somehow, as soon as we became a couple, I always knew we would have children someday. Daniel catches my glance towards the children.

"So, this wedding?"

"Probably in May. We would have had it sooner, but everyone around us insists we have a proper ceremony, so..."

"I bet so. They missed the Luna; how can they not have a proper occasion to celebrate?"

I turn towards him and whisper, even if only Tonia and Bobo can hear us. "Do you have news?"

He smiles and nods. "She calls from time to time. She's fine, Nora, I promise. What happened with Nate... really was hard, but her baby girl is more important to her. I think it's for the best, really. She will come back when she's ready." "Why did she have to leave?"

"I advised her so," replies a feminine voice.

Sylviana just joined us, and she takes a seat next to Daniel. I notice that despite playing with the twins, Bobo is listening, too.

"Her baby was in danger if she remained here, Nora. The Dark Witch knows there's another Royal now, and she would have targeted Elena just as much as you. Even more so, if she had known she was pregnant. So, I helped her hide for the time being." "So, the witch will continue to target us?" I ask, worried.

Sylviana sighs and nods. "She is weakened for now, but in a few years' time, she will probably try again, though I have no idea how. I will try to keep her away for as long as I can, Nora, but my power isn't unlimited and her thirst for power will keep growing. She will look for more targets, Nora."

From her eyes, I know what she's thinking about.

"You mean our children. Like Elena's baby."

"I fear so... Your children will be of Royal Blood, Nora, just like you. They will inevitably become her targets, as well."

"You think we shouldn't... have children until we stop her?"

Sylviana smiles and shakes her head, putting her hand on mine. "No, Princess. Nothing should stop you from living your life. After everything you've gone through, you deserve it. I promise I will do anything I can to protect you and your children, and all of Silver City. Get married, Nora. Have the children you want with Damian, and when the time comes for a battle, we will be ready."

She looks so confident when saying this... Behind Sylviana's shoulder, my eyes meet Damian and Liam, who have been listening to us. While Damian is gently smiling at me, Liam is frowning while staring at his companion. He looks... worried.

"Did you try calling him again?" I ask Damian.

But he shakes his head. So, Nathaniel is still not answering... I can feel his wolf, but he's obviously ignoring us. Isaac did say he was in a bad shape since Elena left.

Liam clicks his tongue. "I don't give a damn about this i***t, Nora. After what he-"

"Liam, not tonight."

Sylviana gets up and goes to him to talk, but he still looks annoyed and walks out of the room. I sigh. I miss Elena and I wish I had been there when all this happened. Daniel gets up to join Bobo and the kids, while Damian takes his spot next to me, taking my hand. "Don't worry about Elena. My brother is an i***t, but he's really in love."

I can't help but smile. "You brothers are so alike... When it comes to love."

Damian laughs a little and kisses my temple. My eyes follow Liam and Sylviana, who are still talking a bit further. They seem to be disagreeing on something, but I can't hear what this is about.

"I think Sylviana is right."

"About what?" Asks Damian.

"The witch. Now is only a break we should enjoy before she comes back. Once she does, we will probably have to face a war. A worse one."

"|

I agree. I've talked a lot about it with Sylviana, she's.... She knows a lot. About the future, but she won't say anything. I think that's why Liam is so worried about her."

He stays silent for a while, observing the little twins, who have decided to play with Bobo's hair. Or more like mess with it. Next to my giant best friend, his nieces look like adorable little dolls. Daniel is carrying Isaac's baby and laughing at Bobo's new hairstyle. I like having the laughter of children resonating inside the house...

"Let's have children," I whisper.

"I thought that was already in our plans?"

"I mean... Soon."

"I thought you wanted to put your work first? I don't mind, but Nora, I don't want you to rush because of the witch or something else."

"It's not about the witch, it's... I already missed two years of work, anyway. And I really want to enjoy my time with you. Talking about the future, I suddenly feel that what I want to see most is not a career, but raising our children. Starting a family, here. I don't want to worry about the witch until then, I just want to live our lives as we would have."

Damian observes me for a while, then slowly nods. "I understand what you mean. To be honest, since I saw Neal's children, I've been thinking I really want to have a family with you. I've focused on work only before we were reunited, but now I want to focus on you, on us. Getting you better first, then our wedding, and having kids."

"What? Who is taking a break from work?"

Neal just entered the room and is looking at us with panicked eyes. Damian laughs, but his Beta is not really happy.

"No, no, no, don't you dare! Do you have any idea of the mass of work that we have? You already took a couple of days off and the Company is going nuts!"

"Nate can take over for a while. As I recall, he's drowning himself in work these days- you may as well have him use his position as my second for once."

They start to argue about Damian leaving his position for a while, and Isaac jumps in to protest against Damian switching position with Nate as well. Funny enough, everyone else replaces their argument amusing since both Betas are almost begging Damian not to do it. While they keep bickering, Sean comes to a seat next to me, looking a bit awkward.

"Luna, I wanted to thank you for inviting me."

"No, it's nothing. I wanted to thank you, too. I've heard that you've been... taking care of my brother Alec."

Sean nods. I was surprised to replace out about Alec's situation, but according to Sylviana and Tonia, my brother is now totally clean from drugs and has been busy trying to repair his past mistakes. He left the Jade Moon pack, and Damian welcomed him in the Blood Moon Clan, under Sean's command. My brother is now working in the slums, devoted to taking care of the orphaned children in the very same street we ended up ourselves years ago.

I have yet to face him, though. I think I'm going to need time to be able to forgive him and face him again. No one asked me about it, but I think they already understood.

Sylviana and Angie finally bring the argument to an end when everyone joins for dinner. I wish I had been in a condition to help with the cooking, but our good witch and Neal's wife did a terrific job by themselves. Everyone around the table eats and chats happily. I replace myself thinking that I want this kind of Christmas every year. Next year, maybe, Elena and my niece will be joining us, as well as my own child with Damian...

A few hours later, while the children are happily playing by the fireplace and all the adults are enjoying coffee or tea in the living room, Sylviana walks up to me with an intriguing smile. She comes to sit by my side and whispers. "Nora, Liam and I will be going home soon, but before that, I have a little gift for you."

I frown. A gift? But before I can even ask, she suddenly puts her hands on my temples and closes her eyes. I don't even realize I'm in the dark until a second later.

When I open my eyes again, a woman is suddenly above me, smiling at me. She looks young and really tired. I can't move, I'm... wrapped up in something smooth and warm. I try to say something, a bit confused, but the only sound that comes out is a baby's squealing. The woman smiles, and I notice her beautiful sapphire eyes.

"Hello, my little princess..."

The more I look at her, the more I see how much she resembles me. She's younger than I am, but her sapphire eyes, her pale skin, and those soft traits are the same as mine. I notice her freckles and long chocolate brown hair when she leans to kiss my forehead gently.

"Oh, you're so beautiful, my baby.... My little Eleanora..."

She hugs me tenderly, her eyes shining with infinite love.

"Nora?"

I suddenly come back to my senses. Sylviana is facing me, smiling. Damian is holding my hand, looking worried.

"Love, are you okay?"

"I'm... fine..."

I look at Sylviana, still in shock from what I just saw. I realize I'm crying, flooding with emotions.

"That... that woman... That was my..."

"Your very first memory I could replace," explains Sylviana. "She was very pretty."

Oh, Moon Goddess. That was my mother. My real, my birth mother, Princess Lilyan. I try to control my emotions, but the tears keep coming.

"Nora, what is it? Sylviana, what did you do?" Asks Damian, worried.

"I'm okay, she just... gave me a very beautiful present."

"I'm happy you liked it, Princess," whispers Sylviana.

I can't believe it... I just saw my mother! My mom, when she had just given birth to me. Oh, Moon Goddess... I'm just so happy right now, I can't describe it. Her eyes were radiating with love, she loved me so much. I'm trembling with emotions, Damian hugging me to calm me down while I explain what I saw to him and the others. After a while, I turn to Sylviana, still a bit shook up.

"She... She called me Eleanora."

"Yes, I heard it with you. It's a really pretty name for a Princess."

Damian smiles. "I like it, too..."

We discuss a bit more about my mother, and the revelation of my real name. I had no idea. I like it, but I think it's a bit late now, I've gotten too used to just being called Nora. Eventually, that's the name I've grown by. I'm just grateful to Sylviana for giving me a glimpse of my origin.

That night, when everyone goes home or picks a guest room, Damian carries me to our bed. I don't really feel sleepy yet. This is the very best Christmas of my life, and I'm still thinking about my mother.

My mate helps me change, and we lie facing each other in the bed.

"I've waited so long to be able to sleep beside you like this..." Whispers Damian.

"It feels good to be in your arms again. And I really love our house. Thank you, Damian, I love this Christmas present."

He smiles softly and we lie for a while, just staring at each other. His fingers are running through my hair. As Sylviana said, its turned a shiny white again. It's still a bit odd to me, but Damian is used to it, though he prefers it black.

After a long while, I hear him breathe in deeply, and I wonder if he's asleep. But his eyes are wide open, and still on me.

"Nora... I was thinking. Sylviana's present... There's something I have yet to give you, too."

"What is it?"

"A story."

I smile. "A story? A book you mean?"

But he chuckles and gets closer to me. "Not a book, my Love. A memory. The beginning of our story."

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