Page 10 of His Blue Moon Princess (The Silver City #1)

“Bobo?”

He raises his head immediately and walks up to me. He puts his big head on my mattress.

“I really hope you brushed your teeth since you chomped that arm, Bobo,” I sigh with a frown.

Gosh, that was disgusting to even remember.

Where is our mate?

I sit up, shocked to hear my wolf. I can feel her so clearly now! She is sniffing around for Damian’s smell, and I find myself doing the same thing unknowingly. What a sensation... I can read in her as clearly as I can think now. I think she’s grey... Or no, maybe even white. She doesn’t mind Bobo’s presence, she likes him, but she wishes it was Damian. And I can smell Tonia’s not far, too. How strange.

Bobo lets out a short, low-pitched sound, and I know he asks if I’m okay. I wouldn’t call it a sentence, more like a... feeling. It doesn’t come as precisely as if we were mind-linked, but my wolf still understands what he means to say for me.

“I’m okay, Bobo. I... I can feel my wolf!”

He tilts his head to the side, his tail wagging a bit like a curious dog. I just want to enjoy this new range of sensations. It feels different, yet the same. As if I had just awakened a sixth sense, or a second me, no matter how weird that sounds. I breathe in deeply. She is checking out our environment, and I feel it through her. The smell of fresh sheets, and some lavender coming from the wardrobes. Bobo mostly smells like food and dead leaves. No smell of blood, thankfully. She picks up something good ... cold chicken and onion soup? I look around me and notice a closed Tupperware on the nightstand.

Now that I think about it, I’m starving. We both are. But as I reach out to grab the cold soup, something weird holds me back from my ankle. ...Did I just hear a metallic sound?

I frown and push away the sheets to look at my legs. ...What the hell...?

“Damian!” I yell, too shocked to say anything else.

Instead of him, Tonia rushes into the room, alerted by my screaming. She has changed into dark jeans and a sports bra, and her hair is all over the place. She walks to my bed to try and check me with a worried look, but I push her away.

“Baby girl, are you okay?”

“No, I’m not! Tonia, why the hell am I chained to the bed!”

I’m totally panicking right now. A shackle is running from one of the bed’s feet to my ankle, with a big leather bracelet holding it up. Why the hell am I chained to this bed? I look at Tonia, trying to get a decent, logical answer to what is going on, but she just seems uneasy.

“Nora, I... Sorry, I couldn’t stop him...”

“Tonia? ...Don’t tell me this is Damian’s idea.”

Her silence is more than eloquent for me, but I can’t believe it. Is Damian crazy? Why would he chain me to the bed like a dog! I try to force on it, but of course, it won’t go off. He can’t do this to me! I get out of bed, only to realize the chain is about ten feet long, just enough for me to reach my bathroom. I take my head in my hands, unable to believe what’s happening.

“Nora, are you okay?”

“I’m not, Tonia! Why would he do this? I’m chained to a bed!”

She really looks sorry, exchanging glances with her brother.

“I swear I tried to stop him, Nora, but he didn’t listen. He said he doesn’t want you out until they have caught that guy, Marcus.”

Oh, my Goddess, is it because of what I told him? Did he freak out because I told him the details of when Marcus assaulted me? I remember his last words before I fell asleep. He really meant it. He won’t let me out until they have caught him. But he didn’t have to chain me to that bed like some animal! I try pulling on it, but Tonia intervenes to stop me.

“Stop, stop, Nora, calm down. You really shouldn’t be moving around so much when you collapsed earlier...”

“Tonia, I don’t care! I don’t want to be chained! Not by Damian or anyone else! Where is he?”

“He had to go back to work. He left about half an hour ago...”

“Call him,” I order her with a clear voice.

I won’t calm down until I can talk to him. Tonia sighs but takes out her phone. I’m so angry, I’m almost shaking right now. She gives me her phone, and within a minute, Damian is at the end of the line.

“What is it?” He asks coldly.

“Damian, you can’t chain me to a damn bed!”

“...I’m in a meeting right now.”

“I don’t care!” I yell. “You just can’t do this! You undo it right now! I can’t believe you did something that crazy to me!”

“You are safe where you are, Nora. I don’t want to risk you sneaking out on Tonia and Bobo again and getting yourself in danger.”

“Damian, I promise I won’t do that again without telling you. I swear. But I don’t want you to force me like this. I don’t want to be chained like a dog!”

“No.”

“Damian!”

But he hangs up on me without letting me finish. I let out a scream of frustration. How can he do this to me! I know I shouldn’t have snuck out, but that doesn’t mean he can go ahead and do something like this to me!

Tonia is nervously playing with one of her braids, visibly feeling sorry about the situation.

“Tonia, do you have a key to this thing? Answer me honestly.”

“No, baby girl, I swear I don’t. The Boss knows I was against this, so he won’t trust us with a spare key.”

“Bobo, can you break this bed?”

He lets out a growl and shakes his head. I can’t blame him. This thing is obviously too big, but I had to ask. I sigh. I can’t believe this...

I need a clear head. I grab new clothes in the closet and head to the bathroom. It really is long enough for me to take a shower with this horrendous thing still hanging on my ankle, but it’s a real pain to take my clothes off, even for a dress. I take my time in the bathroom, washing my hair and body with cold water to try and think. I’m too angry to make good decisions right now. I keep thinking about what to do. I can’t let Damian do this. I know how stubborn he is, but I just can’t let him win. I understand I went too far, but this is not security, this is a punishment.

I get out of the shower and start dressing up. I randomly picked some black lingerie, but I realize this shackle is a nightmare to even put my panties on! I can somehow manage to pass the underwear through the hole, but that means I can’t wear pants if I have this thing on! By chance, I choose a sweater dress that I can put on with no difficulties, but I’m still mad!

I glare at my reflection in the mirror, with my wild black curls falling all over my shoulders. I look like an angry lion, but I also realize my eye color has slightly changed. From a natural dark blue, my wolf’s recent awakening has given it a new shine, like two sapphires. Even if I like this change, it doesn’t minimize my anger one bit. I’m not going to go along with this change. ...But what should I do?

“...I don’t understand,” says Tonia. “You can get mad like this at the Boss, the most powerful wolf in the City, but you let your pack abuse you for years? What’s wrong with you?”

“It’s not the same fight,” I sigh.

And I know this won’t be an easy one either...

“Nora, please.”

I keep ignoring him, sitting as far as I can on the bed, watching the sunset outside. It’s already been two days, but I won’t give in.

“Nora, I don’t mind if you give me the silent treatment, but you have to eat. Please.”

I’d rather starve than allow this. I need Damian to realize that. I tried yelling, begging, crying, but since putting myself in danger is the only way to make him react... I’m never going to allow this. I need him to understand how mad I am. He hasn’t been violent, but this isn’t any better than the days I was locked up in a basement.

With Bobo lying behind me, like a big cushion, I feel a bit better despite the hunger and dizziness I’m trying to fight off.

I know Damian is mad at me for doing this to myself. But he doesn’t have any right to do this. He’s torn between the fear of losing me to someone else, to a pack that wants to hurt me, and seeing me like this.

“Nora, look at me, please.”

I finally turn to him, and I can see the horror in his eyes. I’ve lost weight. More than I can afford. I see him try to breathe, calm himself. He takes my hand, and I don’t fight him. I don’t have the strength to push him off, to be honest. He brings them closer and slowly kisses my palm. I can’t hold back a smile. He’s about to surrender; I know it. He understands.

I’m starting to understand how hard it is for him. To let go, to trust me. Damian is a man who controls absolutely everything around him, including his family. But I won’t give him that power over me, and it... terrifies him. If he could, he’d probably lock me away just like this forever, in his golden tower. He sighs, and his hand goes to the shackle. He uses his strength and tears it in a few seconds with an annoying metallic sound.

“...Thank you,” I whisper.

I caress his cheek. I’m strangely proud of him. I know I should be angry, but I don’t have enough strength left for that. I see all the craziness in his eyes. His fear, his anger, his love for me.

“Boss, she needs to eat...”

“Leave us.”

Tonia and Bobo exit the room without discussion.

We keep staring at each other for a long, long time. Until the suns sets, until it’s completely dark outside. After a long while, I smile.

“Damian, I promise I won’t leave again without telling you. But you can’t, ever, do that to me again. Don’t restrain me. It’s like I’m back in that basement all over again.”

His eyes darken, hearing my words. I know how much Damian suffered from all that happened to me, but it’s over now. He finally nods and leans forward to kiss my forehead.

“Don’t do something like that again, Nora. Take Bobo and Tonia with you, and tell me, or Nathaniel.”

“So, you are okay with me going out again?” I ask.

Why does this feel like such a victory? I’m so happy, my heart goes wild. I see him frown.

“Yes, I am, if you just promise me to not do such a reckless thing ever again. Don’t let these people hurt you again, Nora.”

“I won’t, I swear. All I want is for you to trust me. Look.”

I place a bit more space between the two of us, and focus on my breathing, closing my eyes. I hear my clothes tearing up and slowly, let my inner wolf take over in front of his eyes. I shapeshift completely into this pure, white wolf. He smiles, amazed.

“You’re beautiful...” He whispers.

I come closer, using my four paws, and he caresses me. His eyes are on my paws, and slowly, he seems to understand.

“You could have left anytime... If you shapeshifted, you would have been thin enough to...”

I chuckle internally, happy he realized that. I see his eyes widen when he understands this was all on purpose, to show him that if he wants me to trust him, he needs to trust me first. I hesitate a bit before shapeshifting back again, so we can talk. He closes his eyes and hands me his shirt right away. I blush and put it over my naked body quickly.

“Thank you,” I say, blushing a bit.

“Nora, don’t let anyone hurt you again. You’re strong.”

I nod, agreeing entirely with him. Things are certainly different now. I have people supporting me, and my wolf finally awoke. I’m no longer defenseless. Damian seems about to say something but, he looks at me again and, before I can say anything, he suddenly grabs my waist and draws me into a kiss.

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 brings me even closer to him, 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, 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 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.

Suddenly, he interrupts our kiss and 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 really need to eat something. 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, pulling Damian’s t-shirt down, 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 just have 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.

“Nora, I know that t-shirt!” She laughs. “You naughty girl!”

This is so embarrassing I could die, though I do try to ignore her laughing while I get dressed up. I grabbed a blue denim skirt and a white top that match my taste. Once I’m a bit more decent, I 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 while Damian left to go back to work. 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, 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 want to talk about? He may be smiling, but I can tell he’s 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. He 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 one of my restaurants, La Rose de L’Aube. 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 now, 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 de L’Aube is famous for being one of the top restaurants of Silver City. I only have experience as a waitress in a pub and cooking for a pack! 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 a spot in one of them probably was a piece of cake. But still, it is hard to believe how lucky I am!

“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. Damian and I looked into the city records, trying to get to know more about you.”

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 should hold every citizen's data, such as our birth date, the city of origin, and parents. The night creatures like werewolves also can access some information concerning the Moon Clans we are related to this way. 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 find 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 records be utterly unaware of my existence? I check the documents he’s brought, trying to find 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 not have been bothered about it. But I should still have some legal presence somewhere, shouldn’t I? If so, then what is this?

“...What about Alec?” I suddenly ask.

Nathaniel frowns.

“You mean your older brother?”

“Yes. Alec was born in 1997, did you find any trace of him?”

“Not in the Jade Moon Clan’s registers, but we can find him somewhere else...”

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

“Here! Born on 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 find.

“Alec Blackwood,” reads Nathaniel, who’s still looking over the 1997 register. “Firstborn son of Stephen Blackwood and spouse Alice Blackwood, born Alice Frost. 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 Blackwood, 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 find 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.

I shake my head.

“No, I was too young. Our parents died when I was seven, and Alec and I lived in the slums until the Jade Moon Clan took us in a few months later... 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 registered 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 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 understood from my conversation with Liz, but for now, Nathaniel and Damian don’t seem to know about it, and it might be best to keep it that way until we find Alec. He is still my brother, after all. I hope he is still in the area, and we can talk things out.

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 visible 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.

“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 dangerous. People from other Clans might even come and watch, and the Jade Moon Clan’s 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 a sneer on for a second, looking at me with a mysterious expression. What is he thinking now?

“No, Nora. I thought you would fight this Alpha to take over the Jade Moon Clan.”

...Excuse me?