Page 14 of His Blue Moon Princess (The Silver City #1)

Vincent suddenly attacks, and the voice in my head surprises me enough to almost not see him coming at me. I react at the last moment, throwing my fangs at him.

“Don’t let him dominate you!”

Who is guiding me? I listen to her anyway, and start fighting him off. I growl loudly and don’t let him take the upper hand. He is bigger, but I’m beginning to understand his tactics. I can dodge some of his moves smoothly and manage to bite him back for every time he manages to injure me. I can see he hasn’t fought for a while. He tries to get a hold of me, but I won’t let him. I’m careful not to let him too close or get on top of me. I’m starting to get tired, though. It feels like this goes on for a while before I finally see an opening on his flank. I aim for his shoulder with no restraint and bite as hard as I can.

“Take him down.”

I use my strength and his sudden reaction to the pain to push him down to the ground, laying ons his flank. He is still fighting me off, but his shoulder and throat are obviously painful for him.

“Go for his neck.”

The voice in my head is guiding me all the way, I don’t have any time to wonder who is mind-linking with me. I fiercely bite Vincent’s neck and hold him down. This time my fangs won’t let go, and he can barely move, let alone free himself. I’m smaller, but my front legs are on his back, and the continuous pain is getting to him.

“You got him.”

I hope she’s right and hold my position. The crowd’s getting louder, but I don’t care. I’m waiting for Vincent to admit his defeat. I’m tired, I want to finish this soon. His pack keeps encouraging him, but some are starting to yell at him for being weak. The other Clans seem to have lost interest in the fight, the outcome is clear now. They are patiently waiting to see it.

Finally, Vincent submits. He stops fighting, his tail between his legs, and whimpers. This is it. I slowly let go and retreat a few steps back. Tonia comes up to me to give me my sweatshirt so I can cover myself when shifting back to my human form. This is quite embarrassing in front of so many people, even if it’s for a split second! Thankfully, Bobo stands in front of me, too, and I suppose the best anyone got was a quick peek at my butt before I got my panties on.

I stand up and look at Vincent. He takes his time to shift back, and his wife brings him a pair of jeans to put on. I wish he would hurry up, I’m freezing with my bare legs... Gosh, while looking down, I just noticed I’m bleeding from under my sweatshirt, probably my flank injury. Some got on Bobo’s brown fur, too, as he is standing right next to me. I try to gently push him away, but it’s like trying to move a mountain, he doesn’t care one bit. He is focused on Vincent, growling at him and his pack, making sure no one dares to come at me. Meanwhile, I see Nathaniel walking up to me. He smirks at Vincent.

“So?”

Vincent growls, but bends one knee and lowers his head, his neck covered in blood... I can’t believe I really did this. He is visibly furious, but with so many witnesses, he has no choice.

“I acknowledge my defeat. Nora Bluemoon is now free to lead the Jade Moon Pack if she wants.”

A lot of unhappy pack members growl, but they don’t have a say in this matter. Vincent raises his eyes to look at me, filled with hatred. I look around. Is that right? I see Nathaniel smiling, but Liam is still fiercely growling. A few pack members have come to gather behind their Alpha.

Vincent might be a lousy Alpha, but his Clan still values him very much, as the Greene Family took over the Jade Moon Clan a few generations ago already. I sigh. What do I do now? I could take over, and they would have no choice but to obey me, but...

“Do it, Nora. Isn’t it what you wanted?”

Says Vincent.

I realize everyone is waiting for my decision. I turn to Nathaniel, but he’s still smiling mysteriously, leaving me to decide. I breathe in.

“I don’t want to be your Alpha. That will only be an excuse for you guys to hate me more than you already do, and you will turn against me on the first occasion. I don’t want to have to fight every day until one of you gets to kill me.”

Everyone is looking at me, surprised. They probably didn’t expect me to reach such a decision. I see the beginning of a smile on Vincent’s face. Oh no, you won’t get away that easily.

“However, I do have conditions,” I say.

Now everyone is back to growling again, but other than the Jade Moon pack members, everyone is staring at me, all ears, waiting for it. I look straight at Vincent’s eyes.

“The Jade Moon Clan will pledge full and complete allegiance to the Blood Moon Clan from today on. Your turf will become part of their territory, and your Clan members will follow the same rules as theirs.”

“What? What kind of condition is that!”

Yells Greg.

I glare at him, annoyed by their attitude. I take a step forward, and Bobo follows me, growling loudly at them.

“I just dominated your Alpha, I’m free to do whatever I please with this pack. You guys never cared about training properly, so it’s high time for things to change. Your turf is one of the first grounds outside of Silver City. If anyone launches an attack on the area, you will be the first wall of defense. Do you want to stand on the frontlines being unprepared like you are now?”

They look at me, dumbfounded by my words. I turn back to Vincent.

“And you, you’ll have to finally act like a real Alpha. You will train the young ones properly, watch the border, and make sure everyone in your Clan is treated fairly. Am I clear?”

My apparent calm may have led him to think he could answer back. He growls at me.

“Who are you to decide what kind of Alpha I should be? Aren’t you washing your hands of my pack? You are giving us to Him, and now you get to decide what we...”

“protecting their pack is the duty of any alpha here!”

I start yelling. “Stop being so lazy and do what you were named Alpha for! You may have their respect, but you are worse than a dog if you think you can sit comfortably and relax just because of that! Any Clan could overpower yours, and yet I’m giving you a chance to keep your turf and pack and turn them into a proper one! If you don’t like it, all of you leave!”

A long silence befalls on the assistance. I’m fuming, pissed at their attitude, and Vincent’s ignorance. But all of a sudden, I feel an arm around my waist, and a familiar smell surrounds me.

“...It seems like my coming here wasn’t necessary.”

I turn around, facing him. I can’t believe he really came!

Damian is holding me tightly against him, but his silver eyes are glaring at Vincent. I notice that everyone in the plaza has reacted to his presence. A lot of people have instinctively stepped back, shapeshifting to their wolf forms or regrouping with their peers. I’m sure some people even ran from the scene right away.

But the most scared one is definitively Vincent. He doesn’t dare to look up now and is shaking. Honestly, I don’t feel sorry for him; I’m tired of his attitude, and if Damian can finally get him to understand his place, so be it.

“What are you doing here?”

I whisper.

“I couldn’t sit still while you were fighting this trash. And I have a few things to settle once you’re done with him...”

His ice-cold voice is definitely aimed at Vincent. Even his pack members don’t seem so sure about staying close to him now, as nobody wants to have a share of Damian’s wrath. But I’m not like them; I don’t fear him. Instead, I’m feeling even more confident with my mate next to me. I glance at Vincent, too, letting him make up his mind.

He is now looking at me, carefully avoiding Damian’s piercing glare.

“We agree to your terms, but we would like to pledge allegiance to you, Nora. I promise to do as you said, and I do recognize that I have lacked as an Alpha.”

To me? I don’t understand why they would obey me instead of Damian. Aren’t they supposed to form alliances with other Clans instead of a single person? Now it’s like he is submitting his Clan to me, but I’m not sure I want to be responsible for the Jade Moon Clan... Though in this configuration, it would be more like having ownership while Vincent is managing it, I suppose? When our eyes meet, I think I get it. My earlier words really did have an impact on him. Is it possible that I do have Alpha potential, as Tonia and Nathaniel thought? I exchange a look with Damian, but his eyes are still on my former Alpha. He is clear: I can do whatever I please with them. I turn to Vincent.

“That’s fine for me, then.”

“All right... The Jade Moon Clan, with me, Vincent Greene, as its acting Alpha, swears a total and willing allegiance to Nora Bluemoon. May the Moon Goddess be our witness tonight.”

A few people in the plaza applauds or whistles. Nathaniel and Damian both seem content too, and my mate gives me a swift kiss on my forehead.

“Well done, princess.”

I smile and blush, still a bit shy. I think it’s the first time Damian called me by something else than my first name... I lean my head against his chest. I’m tired, but his warmth is the best thing right now. He glances down and frowns with an angry look all of a sudden. I forgot the blood running from under my sweatshirt. I shake my head and try awkwardly to lower my clothing on my thighs.

“It’s okay, it’s not that bad.”

Damian is not listening to me, his eyes fixated on the thin trail of blood. I want to say something, but suddenly, both Bobo and I turn our heads in the same direction.

Alec’s smell. I’m sure of it. Bobo jumps ahead of me and starts running in that direction. I only take a second to shapeshift, escaping Damian’s embrace. I hear Tonia behind me.

“Nora, no! Don’t!”

I’m not listening and not stopping. Running on all fours, I’m right behind Bobo, following Alec’s scent in the north-west direction. I’m sure my brother was close just a second ago— we can’t lose him again. Bobo is much bigger, but I still catch up to him, proving that I’m definitely faster than most. We run side by side, chasing the same person.

I hear, or sense, other people running behind us, too, but no one can catch up to us. We have to act fast; I can’t slow down. We chase him for a long time and enter further into the industrial area of the city, running past several warehouses. Is that where he was hiding? This is a remote area of the town; it could make a good hide-out.

I finally spot my brother running in his wolf form ahead of me. He is a mix of light brown, white, and sand colors that I can easily recognize even in the dark. He is fast, too, but not as fast as I am, and I’m catching up. It’s only a matter of seconds now. We have arrived at the Docks area, which I am not familiar with. From what I can see, there is nothing but old warehouses on our left and the sea on our right. If Alec keeps going North, we will end up on the Sea Moon Clan territory, though. I definitely don’t want to enter there; we will be attacked right away.

I’m almost on him! I realize I ran ahead of Bobo and lost him, but I can’t think about it now, and he can’t be too far behind. He will probably catch up soon. I have to focus on catching my brother. Without warning, Alec suddenly turns around to face me.

I wasn’t prepared for that. I try to slow down as much as I can. Alec seizes the occasion right away and jumps on me. For a second, I think he’s going to attack. I realize I’m wrong a second too late. He pushes me with all his strength. I’m already unsteady because of my run, and I can’t defend myself. In a split second, I realize what he is doing. He just pushed me in the sea. ...Alec knows I don’t know how to swim.

My body brutally hits the surface, and I gulp a lot of water unwillingly. I try to paddle, but I’m disoriented by my sudden fall and the freezing waves surrounding me. I can’t believe he got rid of me so easily!

I have to find the surface, but I’m choking, unable to breathe. I panic, trying to fight off the water blindly, desperate for air. I start to feel numb and tired. A dark veil is taking over me, and my head is spinning...

“Hang on!”

Air! I feel myself being pulled out of the water, and I start coughing unstoppably. Someone’s patting my back, helping me breathe and pulling my hair out of my face. I hadn’t even realized I had shifted back.

“Are you okay?”

That’s the voice that was talking to me during the fight! I want to answer, but I’m drowsy and just nod while trying to catch my breath.

“It’s okay, breathe. Use the mind-link to talk to me, don’t waste your strength.”

How do I do that? I try to formulate a clear thought, and I feel my wolf helping me somewhere in the process.

“Thanks.”

I feel her shapeshifting next to me before I can take a glance at her. But when I look up, I immediately recognize her creamy-white fur and her gold, mesmerizing amber eyes. I’ve seen this wolf before. She was the wolf accompanying Nathaniel when I went to the Jade Moon Clan a few days ago.

“Don’t worry; they’ll be here soon. Bobo got him. Just catch your breath, your mate is coming. I got to go,”

her voice echoes in my mind.

“Wait! Who are you?”

“I can’t stay. I am not supposed to be here. Don’t worry, I’ll find you again. Don’t tell anyone about me. Especially not Nate.”

I want to say something, but before I do, she’s gone, and I am in no condition to try catching her. I’m exhausted and can only lie on the ground. I close my eyes to try and chase the dizziness away, but an unknown smell suddenly grabs my attention. Other wolves.

I hear growling and try to stand up, but I’m way too tired. It’s not good... I look up and see a bunch of unfamiliar wolves slowly circling me, menacing. I’m sure they are from the Sea Moon Clan. This is really bad. I’m lying on the ground, too tired to defend myself, or even return to my wolf form! A guy in his human form goes ahead of his peers with a nasty look on his face.

“Look what we got here... A pretty mermaid just landed on our docks, boys. Are you lost, sweetheart?”

I answer with a growl. That guy is making fun of me. Gosh, why do I have to be defenseless and naked now! He frowns at my growl, unhappy with my response. I wish I could be more menacing than that, but even my growl shows how weak I am at the moment. In response, all of them start growling back and come closer.

Suddenly, a large shadow flies over us, and a young black wolf attacks them without warning. He pins one of them to the ground and breaks a neck in one swift motion. All of the Sea Moon wolves take a few steps back, some getting ready to attack, some afraid. I finally recognize Liam’s fur, and by then, another beast comes.

He is pitch black, darker than night. He moves slowly, his fangs showing, the menacing wolf exudes the most dominating aura I’ve ever felt. He seems even bigger, surrounded by shadows. I gasp. All of the Sea Moon wolves are focused on his presence, obviously wary of him. No one dares to move an inch.

Damian finally reaches me, standing above my naked body, in a protective position. He is guarding me and looking straight at the man who talked to me with killer eyes. The guy gulps, his gaze going from Damian to me back and forth. The terrified look in his eyes says it all.

“I... We didn’t know, we just... wanted to check on her. It’s...”

Damian’s silver eyes are still on him, without blinking. He is not growling or moving, but even I can feel his anger from here. Liam lets go of the neck he had his fangs in and shapeshifts. I try not to look at the naked teen in front of me.

“Hey, I thought you guys wanted to play, what’s this?”

Gosh, Liam, you’re having way too much fun right now.

“We don’t want to cause a fight. We just came to check why intruders were approaching. And you attacked us first!”

He shows his injured comrades, still lying on the ground. I can’t tell if they are unconscious or dead, but the amount of blood on the asphalt is not okay. Liam doesn’t care.

“So what? Do you want to complain? You guys should have stayed put instead of coming to take a peek at my brother’s mate while she was vulnerable.”

“We did not know who she was!”

But Liam shrugs. Above me, Damian lowers his head, gently pressing his muzzle against my cheek. He’s worried about me. I raise my hand to lose my fingers through his fur. I’m so tired, I feel like I could fall asleep here on the ground. I hear a car coming and steps rushing towards us.

“Nora!”

It’s Tonia. She approaches me and covers me with a large coat. Finally, someone bothered about me being naked. Damian has been covering most of me with his body, but still. He gets up, and I can hear him changing back, too. When I look up, Damian already and only has a pair of jeans on despite the cold. I can see his bare torso; I never noticed how muscular he is. I look away, though I’m probably too cold to blush any more.

Suddenly, I feel strong arms pulling me up, and Damian taking me off the ground. It’s a bit embarrassing to be carried like a princess against his chest when I’m wearing nothing but a coat! And in the middle of a territory dispute, to boot. I’m soaked, tired, and I probably stink more than I can smell.

“Can’t we just go home already?” I ask.

Liam turns to me with a pout, visibly annoyed that I’m ruining his fun. Damian doesn’t care, though. He heads back to the car without a glance at the dozen hostile wolves behind him, Tonia behind us.

“What about Alec?” I ask.

“Bobo got him, don’t worry.”

Behind us, I hear Liam growling. He and the Sea Moon Wolves haven’t moved. We reach the car, Damian sits at the back, with me on his lap.

“Liam!”

The youngest Black brother can’t disobey, but he still gives a glare to the guy.

“Next time, guys.”

He dashes to join us and finally sits in the car while Tonia drives away. I notice a few wolves outside that must have come with them, but they all quickly disperse as soon as the car starts. I try looking for the creamy white wolf from earlier, but I don’t recognize anyone.

“What about Nathaniel?” I ask.

“He stayed behind to take care of things with the Jade Moon Clan.”

I nod. Why didn’t that female werewolf want Nathaniel to know about her presence? I assumed she was from the Blood Moon Clan, but it seems more complicated than that. How could that woman mind-link with me? She is not from the Jade Moon Clan, and aside from that, only relatives or bonded mates can do such a thing!

Unlike I thought, I couldn’t fall asleep in the car. I don’t know what kept me awake, despite the long trip and my exhaustion. For a while, I just stared at Liam’s silhouette against the window and the city’s nightlife behind him. Tonia put the heater on, and I’m starting to feel better already. She has some jazz music playing on the radio, not too loud, though. Sitting on Damian’s lap, I feel his hands gently brushing my hair. Gosh, I always feel so safe whenever I am in his embrace. I’m cold, soaked, and exhausted, yet I am content being there. What happened in just a few hours seems crazy.

“You okay?”

Asks Damian