Page 30 of His Blue Moon Princess (The Silver City #1)

I feel safe... Something warm is surrounding me. Damian’s familiar, reassuring smell. This is where I belong.

I breathe in deeply. Suddenly, a cold chill runs down my spine. I’m... scared. I can’t sense my wolf anymore. Where’s Damian? I can’t feel him anymore! There is a dark, frightening shadow coming closer, reeking of blood. Of sweat. A memory that scares me. I want to run away, but I can’t move. I don’t feel my legs; I don’t feel my wolf!

“Nora, Nora! Wake up, Nora!”

I suddenly open my eyes. Damian’s facing me on the bed and holding my trembling hands. What was I...? A nightmare? I’m on his bed, in his room. The sun is rising outside. I catch my breath, slowly coming back to my senses. Damian puts a hand on my cheek, worried.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah... Sorry, I think I just had a nightmare...”

What was it about? I forget already. I can vaguely remember a chill and something that made me panic. Gosh, this was so intense...

Damian leans to kiss my forehead, caressing my cheek. “You’re okay, Nora. Sorry, you were asleep so deeply, I went to take a shower before waking you up.”

Now that I notice it, his hair is dripping, and he is wearing a new pair of dark jeans. He is still half-naked though, with a bath towel around his shoulders, and I can see the black crescent moon tattoo on his neck in full. He smells like mint-scented shampoo. I smile.

“I like a clean boyfriend,” I say while giving him a quick kiss.

“Noted, princess.”

“Can I borrow your shower if you’re done?”

“Sure. I’ll try to find you something clean to put on.”

I go to his bathroom to wash the remnants of my nightmare away. I can’t remember what was scaring me so much in that dream... Maybe that’s for the better. I realize I just spent the night sleeping with Damian and blush. I felt so great into his arms, I could get used to it. If only I could overcome my fears. I’m all right as long as it’s kissing and hugging, but whenever we go past that, I just can’t do it; I’m frightened. Moon Goddess, I wish I could get rid of these feelings... Damian is already more than patient with me, and even my wolf is going crazy about it now. What is wrong with me?

I finally get out of the shower, and I have no choice but to roll a large towel around me. When I go back to the bedroom, I find a plain grey t-shirt Damian left for me on the bed.

“Sorry, that’s the best I could find. I can ask—”

Damian stops, staring at me in my bath towel, and my bare legs underneath. I didn’t realize he would still be in the room! He averts his gaze immediately, and I get all red, grasping the situation.

“Moon Goddess, you’re really not making it easy, Nora.”

“Sorry... Can you give me a minute?” I mumble, deeply embarrassed.

He exits the room with a sigh, and I run to grab the clothes. How bold can I be? Stupid Nora! You’re the one making him wait, and now you walk around half-naked in his bedroom! What kind of torture is this! Moon Goddess, I really need to be more self-conscious around Damian from now on...

I quickly put on my underwear and denim skirt from yesterday, with the new t-shirt. It’s obviously oversized, but I remember seeing how Elena wore stuff like this, tucking it in her skirt and all. Once I’m ready, it does look alright in the mirror. I dry my hair quickly, leaving my curls to take a natural shape, and find my earrings. When Damian comes back, I’m busy texting Bobo. He is now wearing his usual black shirt and a dark tie.

“Sorry about earlier...” I mumble, still embarrassed.

“Well, I can’t say I didn’t like what I saw.”

He approaches me with a smile, putting his arms around my waist, and leans a quick kiss on my lips. At least I know he likes my body...

“Let’s go get breakfast, I still think I need to feed you a bit more.”

“Do you have a kitchen here?”

I don’t remember seeing one yesterday while I was exploring his place. He shakes his head, proving me right. “We are going to the Company’s cafeteria. It’s not Nate’s restaurant, but it’s decent.”

He takes my hand, and we exit his apartment. This time the windows are all open, and the whole place certainly looks better than yesterday, in the sunlight. To our surprise, Neal is waiting for us at the entrance of Damian’s office. He greets us quickly.

“You look better, Boss. Hello, Nora.”

“Thanks, Neal. What are you doing here?” Asks Damian.

He sighs. I haven’t seen Neal often... He is wearing a dark suit like Damian’s, and I notice his wedding ring. So, the oldest Mura sibling is already married... I wonder if Bobo is an uncle?

“Your job. We canceled yesterday’s meetings, but seeing how your lady came back last night, I figured you would come to work today. We have a lot to catch up on, and a board meeting in two hours.”

He hands a thick red folder to Damian, but my mate frowns.

“I just got up, and I intend to have breakfast with Nora.”

Seeing Neal’s upset expression, it doesn’t seem like those matters can wait... I take the folder from his hand and give it to Damian. Both men look at me with confused expressions.

“You can review this over breakfast, okay? I already feel bad enough that you skipped work yesterday because of me,” I explain.

A broad, satisfied smile appears on Neal’s face, the first one I’ve seen, actually. “Now I know why my sister and brother love you so much, Nora. On behalf of the other employees, thank you.”

It sounds like he didn’t really like me before... Well, I guess he didn’t have many occasions to meet me. Now, at least, he seems satisfied. Damian, however, is quite unhappy. He takes the folder but growls at Neal when we walk past him toward the elevator.

“I didn’t think you would side with Neal on that one...” He sighs as the elevator goes down.

“I had to. We probably made things difficult for him lately, and you are a CEO. Even I can understand that you have responsibilities.”

“My girlfriend is my principal responsibility for now. Neal can do well by himself...”

I kiss him on the cheek to have him drop that grouchy face. He may complain, but the truth is, he has already opened the folder to check its contents. I take a look, too, but it’s full of detailed reports, numbers, and graphics that I can’t understand at all.

“How is your company doing?” I ask casually.

“Not bad, despite the Sapphire Moon Clan embargo...”

In our time and City, werewolf Clans fight with their fists but also with business deals. The Black Corporation is related mainly to the Blood Moon Clan; thus, what happens to one always impacts the other.

I keep thinking about it over breakfast. As Damian said, it’s quite decent for a Company cafeteria, but empty at this time of the day. Which is good, because my outfit is still a bit too casual here, especially when I’m eating facing Damian. My mate, imposing in his dark suit, frowns a lot as he reads his files. I don’t dare to speak, but his hand is on mine for the full breakfast, and that’s enough for me.

Now I finally feel like we are a couple. Last night’s discussion was really an eye-opener for me. I want to stand as an equal next to Damian, not just his scared and weak mate. The vision of Alessandra King is still engraved in my mind. She wasn’t just introduced as his fiancée; she was radiating by herself, a strong presence anyone could feel. I want to be the same.

“Nora?”

I raise my head, realizing I gotlost in my thoughts, and he noticed it. Damian is done eating and looks at me with a worried expression.

“You were frowning. What’s wrong?”

I shake my head and smile at him. “Nothing, I’m good. Can we go? Bobo will be downstairs anytime, and I’m pretty sure Neal will have found a whole bunch of other folders to keep you busy with...”

He gets up and comes to hug me, kissing me passionately once again. Am I getting used to this? I don’t feel as shy as before while moving my lips against his... I still get butterflies running wild through my whole body every time we do, though.

When we part, he sighs. “I don’t want to go to work... I missed you so much this weekend.”

“You have to, Damian, and me, too. I’ll see you tonight, okay?”

“You’re more reasonable than me. Okay. Stay with Bobo.”

I roll my eyes. “Did you forget the whole part about me being able to take care of myself?”

“You may be able to fight, my Love, but you still can’t drive! So that gives me an excuse to keep your bodyguard close,” he laughs.

A few minutes later, I get in the car, still sulking. Bobo laughs when I tell him the reason. “So, I got promoted from your bodyguard to the driver?”

“It’s not funny, Bobo!”

“It’s okay, Nora. Even the Boss rarely walks alone; it’s too dangerous. He’s just looking out for you. Plus, it gives me an excuse to stay with you, isn’t it great?”

Well, he’s right... I do like having Bobo close, so I can’t really complain. He takes the highway, and I stop pouting.

“Bobo, what were you doing before you became my... bodyguard?”

“Some errand boy for the Black Corp, mostly. Neal often made me deliver important papers from one place to another, even when I was in high school, confidential documents. I liked it, too. I only had to fight an ambush once in a while, and I got a good paycheck for really flexible hours. My brother was a bit bossy, though.”

“You sound like you were some corporate spy!”

He laughs. “Aren’t I a bit too noticeable for that? More like a bodyguard for secret paperwork! I like being your bodyguard much better,” he says with a wink.

I smile, pleased by the little compliment. It’s good to know I didn’t change Bobo’s life too much. I would have felt bad if they had him resign from some position to be my bodyguard. Now that I think about it, Bobo should still be aware of the Black Corp’s whereabouts...

“Bobo, that engagement with the Gold Moon Clan girl... It would be quite profitable for Damian’s company, right?”

He gives me a surprised look and stops at a red light. I can tell he’s looking for the right words to answer. After a while, the car starts moving again.

“The King Family owns most of the Gold Financial establishments of Silver City; that’s the reason their Clan is doing so well. The only other Clans in the same field are the Pearl and Sapphire Moon. The Black Corporation is mostly in techs and telecoms.”

“The kind of field that requires lots of money and transactions...”

Bobo nods. So, being allied with the Gold Financial would be incredibly beneficial for them... I feel a bit depressed now. That Alessandra King really has everything that would make her the perfect wife. A strong Clan backing her, the looks, the power...

“Bobo, could you give me a crash course about those things? What the other Clans specialize in, the big companies they are represented with, and such?”

“Sure, but why?”

“I just feel like it’s high time I knew about these things...”

Even if Damian and I are together from now on, I can’t keep walking around totally clueless about my surroundings. It’s not all about fighting with my fists, I get that. It may not be my primary field, but I still ought to know the basics. Maybe this way, I will finally be able to find a solution on how to help the Brothers from now on.

Bobo parks in front of the restaurant, and hands me a bag. “As you asked, I brought you some clothes. I took what I could find in your wardrobe, hope that will be okay.”

I check the content, but what Bobo chose seems perfect for work.

“Thank you, Bobo. I’ll just use the restaurant’s changing room.”

“And you also have mail.”

Mail? But I’ve never received any mail before. I don’t even know my own address! I check the envelope Bobo hands me, it’s indeed my name on it... I don’t recognize the handwriting. For a second, I thought it might be Liam, but he would have texted me, and this handwriting is obviously a female’s. It doesn’t seem to be Elena’s. I open it.

“Dear Nora,

We have never met yet, so I decided to write to you first. We have many things in common, but first, I believe we both want to preserve the peace in Silver City. I know many people are acting in the shadows to disturb that peace, and I do not intend to let them do so. I figured you might like having a new ally. You will feel suspicious: I cannot tell you my full identity yet, but I am a Witch.

Of course, I am fully aware werewolves and witches aren’t always on the best terms, but we might have to. As the only Witch of Silver City, I have no intention to leave, and no intention to let another Witch on my territory either. That other witch who attacked Silver City a while ago, is the one I think about. She might be gone for now, but I believe she will return.

A War between the packs would be precisely the kind of opportunity she will wait to strike again. I do not usually meddle in those kinds of things, but I cannot let that happen. However, I am powerless in that situation. So, I decided to rely on you, Nora Bluemoon.

I will give you my help, if you help me preserve the peace in Silver City. I will not ask for anything else. Keep the butterfly with you, he can be of help. Please, do not talk about my letter to anyone. The contents will hide from any eyes but yours, so you may keep it.

Finally, be careful about who you approach. The Gold Moon Clan may have presented a golden offer to your mate, but they are much more dangerous than they seem, and their interests may lie somewhere else.

Have faith in yourself, Nora Bluemoon.

Sincerely yours,

A Friendly Witch”.

I keep staring at the letter, stunned. A Witch? Does a Witch want to ally herself with me? I still can’t believe it, this all sounds so unreal! I check the envelope, but there is no name, no clue to who sent this and how. At the bottom of her letter, next to her signature, a butterfly is beautifully drawn. How am I supposed to keep it with me? Shall I keep the letter? While I’m wondering this, I see the drawing suddenly move by itself! The little butterfly flaps its wings twice, and takes off, flying away from the paper. Amazed, I watch the now very living butterfly fly around a few seconds before it comes to land on my hair like some ornament.

What sorcery is this? This butterfly is now very alive and standing proudly on one of my curls.

“Nora?”

Bobo looks at me, worried. I’m speechless, and before I can formulate any thought, I see his eyes drawn to the letter.

“What is this? It’s blank?”

Blank? He takes the letter and flips it over several times like he is looking for something. Oh, my Goddess, this is real. Bobo can’t see what is written there. It’s just as the Witch said. I raise my finger, showing the butterfly in my hair.

“Bobo, do you see this?”

He frowns. “What, something wrong with your hair?”

He really can’t see it? This butterfly is bright red, and rather large, too. Anyone would see it right away, but because of some Witch’s trick, it seems like I’m actually the only one who can... Is it really okay if I keep it with me? It seems to be peacefully resting in my hair like some ornament. It’s not going to attack me or something, right?

“Nora, are you okay?” Bobo looks at me with worried eyes.

I nod and quickly fold the letter to put in my pocket. “Yes, sorry, Bobo, I’m fine. Maybe just a joke, who knows?”

“But—”

“I’ll be going before I’m late, okay?”

He nods, and I quickly get out of the car before he can ask more questions. Once I’m in the restaurant’s changing room, I change really fast so that I can re-read that letter, making sure I didn’t dream it.

The contents are still precisely the same, and anyway, the butterfly is still in my hair. It just seems to fly away when I move around, but it always comes back to me. Is it going to stay there indefinitely? Is it fragile like a real butterfly, or will it throw fire or something if I try to mess with it? My wolf isn’t reacting at all to it, so I guess it should be okay. She is much more interested in the letter. There’s actually a sweet smell coming from it. Something like an autumn forest after the rain, and wildflowers. Is it that Witch’s smell...?

My colleagues arrive one by one, and I start my day as usual. I focus on my chores, though it’s a bit harder today, Narcissa is picky. She gets mad over very trivial things, and everyone is annoyed with her.

During our break, Elise keeps complaining about her. “It’s not our fault she has issues in her personal life! Why does she have to put her bad temper on us? It’s not like it will solve anything!”

“Issues in her personal life?” Asks Kathie. “How do you know?”

“I heard her. Before entering the restaurant, she was having an argument with her lover on the phone. It seemed like a jealousy thing.”

“I didn’t even know she had a boyfriend.”

I nod. Narcissa seems like the type who is married to her job... But I do remember seeing her react around Nathaniel. Was he the one on the phone with her? That reminds me, I should give Elena a call after work. I promised I would tell her how things went with Damian, and I just texted her quickly this morning to say I was okay. While the girls keep talking, my phone suddenly vibrates. It’s Damian. I take a few steps to isolate myself while answering.

“Hello, my Love. How is your day?” Damian says.

“A bit long, actually. The manager is in a bad mood... What about you?”

“You were right. Neal found a lot of paperwork to keep me busy for the next three hours, and a lot of executives for me to get angry at in case I would get bored.”

I chuckle. “Is it all the bosses who like to terrorize their staff, or just you?”

“I would say it’s a personal hobby. And I have to get prepared if I want to cancel that engagement soon.”

“Damian... Are you really going to cancel it?”

I don’t feel good feeling about it now. It’s not just about us. After talking with Neal and Bobo, I realize there is a lot more at stake. People’s jobs, business deals, financial issues... Damian’s whole company could be in a wrong position because of this.

“What, do you want me to marry her?” He asks, seeming amused.

“Go ahead, marry her. That way, I can crash your wedding like in movies, fight her and kidnap you,” I reply back, a bit annoyed.

“I would love to see that...”

I roll my eyes. I know Damian is just trying to make me feel better about this whole thing. I can’t help but feel restless, though I don’t intend to give Damian up either. He is mine, my mate. Or my mate to be, if I want to be precise...

“Nora, don’t worry. I’ve already made up my mind, and Nate and Liam agree with me, too. I will find another way to reach an agreement with King.”

It won’t be so easy, I’m sure of it. Isn’t there any other way out than allying with them?

“Nora?”

“Sorry, Damian, I have to go. Can I call you back after work?”

“I want to see you after work. I’ll come and pick you up.”

“Okay. See you later. ...I love you.”

I’m red as a beet after those three words. Plus, Kathie and Elise are giving me looks that clearly indicate they heard that. I hang up and scurry to them, trying to calm down my heartbeat.

“Nora, you have a boyfriend? Why didn’t you tell us!” Screams Elise.

I try to explain myself to my two excited colleagues, but before I can really get to the depth of it, Narcissa arrives, looking annoyed.

“You three! Your break is long over, go back to work! Elise, table fourteen is waiting for you to take their order. Nora, someone requested you on table two.”

Someone asked for me? I’m not even among the waiter’s list. Is it someone I know? I follow the girls back inside, and quickly walk up towards table two. When I see who is sitting there, I freeze.

Oh, Moon Goddess. Alessandra King?

She is sitting alone at a table for two, looking very proper in a black dress. You can tell she is from a wealthy background. I may be wearing a diamond necklace, but she is wearing flashy gold jewelry, and her designer dress is probably just as expensive. Gosh, I’m really in no mood to face my boyfriend’s fiancée now. When I walk to her, she is smiling like a perfect lady.

“You asked for me?”

“You must be Nora! I recognize your horrible scar.”

Seriously? That’s how she wants to start, bringing up my scar? When she looks at me, I can tell her eyes are obviously fixated on it, too. Most of the time, Bobo and the brothers act perfectly normal around me, so even if other people can’t help but look at it, I feel okay about my scar. However, here, Alessandra’s eyes are fixated on it, and it’s making me uneasy. I try to ignore it.

“And you are Alessandra King.”

“That’s right. Damian’s partner.”

She is doing this on purpose, isn’t she? I cross my arms. Obviously, she doesn’t want me to take her order. “Do you actually have anything to say, or did you just come all the way to my workplace to annoy me and make me lose my time? I have other customers,” I say, not hiding how much she is annoying me

She keeps smiling and takes a sip of her wine. “Don’t be so angsty, I just came to talk. I heard Damian wants to cancel our engagement because of his attachment to you. I hope you will help me reason him.”

His “attachment” for me? I’m not some damn pet! Moon Goddess, that woman really has a gift for pissing people off just by talking. If it wasn’t my workplace and there was no one around, I would be growling at her already. My wolf has been at it for ten minutes already, and though I agree with her, I must fight to contain her.

“Why would I convince my man to marry another woman?”

If she wants to play with words, I can do that, too. I may be a pacifist, but when it comes to Damian, I’m ready to show my fangs anytime, you pest.

“Oh, please, Nora, you know there is much more at stake, don’t you? Damian Black is not just a common guy who can marry anyone,” she says confidently.

“I am not anyone. I am Damian’s fated mate. You know what it means, right?”

She starts laughing, a high-pitched and annoying sound. I just hate how confident she acts while obviously looking down on me.

“Do you really believe in that kind of thing? This is so... ancient! This is the twenty-first century, honey. No one cares for that kind of thing anymore.”

If she calls me honey one more time, I’m seriously not going to stand for whatever happens next. And “ancient”? Who does she think she is! What are werewolves, then? Does she have any respect left for our Moon Goddess mother?

“I do care, and so does Damian,” I reply right back.

“Unfortunately, whatever bond you have with, it’s not going to be enough. Are you still a child? Well, you do look like one... Let me teach you something then: If Damian stays with you, he’ll lose everything. If he marries me, he will be the King Alpha of Silver City, and no one will be able to resist him.”

I clench my fists. I need no lessons from that woman. Yet, she keeps talking, while I feel my anger rise.

“If he marries me, he will have the full support of the Gold Moon Clan. Do you have any strong Clan supporting you, Nora? I doubt it. You are a penniless orphan. You have nothing to bring to him, no financial support, and no power whatsoever. So, you should learn your place right now, before I put you right back where you belong.”

...Put me back to my place? Is that bitch threatening me now? My wolf is on all fours, growling furiously already, ready to rip her head off any time. You’re right. I won’t let her speak that way to me. Not to us. She is the one who has no idea who she is talking to.

I slam both hands on the table, looking at her eye to eye. I draw all the strength and anger I can from my wolf for the first time.

“Listen to me, King. I don’t care about your money. I don’t give a damn about your Clan, either. I don’t need a pack, and I don’t need support. I don’t need anyone but myself. I don’t take any threats or orders, not from you, not from anyone. So, don’t you dare speak to me that way ever again. If you want a fight, I will gladly give you one. You don’t know me. You have no idea what I’m capable of, but you are going to learn that the next time you have the nerve to come to claim my mate. I will give you a lesson you will remember. Are we clear?”

I stop, my eyes still burning with anger.