Page 4 of His Blue Moon Princess (The Silver City #1)

What, orders? Does she mean from Damian? He hasn’t come back here ever since... Why is that? I was kind of... waiting for him. My wolf misses him. Doesn’t he feel the same? And what’s with him having me stay here? I ask Tonia again.

“Yes, it’s the Boss’s orders. I’m not going to go against it, Nora, sorry. Do you want me to get you a new book? Or we can order a movie!”

She’s trying to be enthusiastic, but I don’t buy it. Tonia did provide me anything to keep me from getting bored. I’ve read a few books, and we can watch as many movies as we want on the room’s TV. It was nice when I couldn’t get up, but now I want to go out and get some fresh air too. It’s like I’m a prisoner here!

I shake my head and keep pointing at the door. Tonia looks sorry, but when she was about to answer, Bobo suddenly gets up from the couch and comes to my side. She frowns and stares at him for a few seconds, meaning they’re telepathically talking. It lasts a while, but then she suddenly sighs.

“It’s on you if anything happens! And yes, I am texting him about your idea.”

She takes out her phone and types for a while. I exchange a look with Bobo. What is this idea of his? A ring announces a reply text, and Tonia reads it.

“Lucky for you, brother, he says it’s okay, as long as we’re with her. Nora, Bobo just got you a tour of the hospital. It’s not much, but there is an indoor garden, so you will actually get some fresh air!”

It’s not much indeed, but I can’t help myself and smile. Fresh air at last! I thank Bobo with a big smile, then tuck my notepad and pen under my arm to take with me, but Tonia just laughs and takes them away from me.

“Don’t bother with those, baby girl, I’ll let you type on my phone if you need it, okay? Come on, let’s go.”

Getting out of my VIP room really seems like a big step. It’s silly, but I just feel so happy to get to walk a bit. Bobo is literally stuck to me, keeping so close I could feel his fur against my leg with every step I take.

I did have doubts for a moment that I was not in a hospital, but really a hotel with some medical equipment, but this is a hospital indeed. We walk by lots of rooms, patients, nurses, and doctors. And no one seems surprised to see the enormous werewolf walking by my side. Shouldn’t it be... not okay somehow?

Tonia just keeps texting and silently walks behind us. Turns out, she doesn’t look so worried about my little outing after all.

I might be just walking around in a hospital, but... It’s nice. I feel like I’m in a dream. I’ve been having this feeling since I woke up. All of this is so different compared to the last ten years of my life. Now I just have a walk, and I don’t fear that someone might hit me or get angry at me for not doing my chores. I don’t have any chores anymore! I just get meals every day without having to prepare it myself or sneak it out. I laze all day, sleeping, reading, and watching movies.

Bobo takes me to some ample outdoor space. This really looks like a garden! There are even a fountain and a few benches where patients are sitting to enjoy the sunshine. Bobo guides me to an empty one.

“Thank you,” I mimic on my lips.

He just lays down and starts dozing off. Tonia finally puts her phone away and comes to sit next to me, putting her feet on him like he’s some stool.

“So, how do you feel now?”

I smile and nod happily. This feels great. I am a bit disappointed we are not really outside, but this is still really enjoyable. Feeling the warm sunshine on my skin, smelling the fresh air.

“Good, you could use some more tan, baby girl. You’re white as a sheet.”

I agree. I’ve always hated my pale skin, but I guess that’s what you get from living in a dark basement. Tonia sighs and turns out to me. She hands me her smartphone, with the keypad activated.

“Okay, I understand there are some things you don’t want to talk about. But I have to say, Nora, we know nothing about you. We couldn’t find where you come from, what happened to you... I get that you’ve had a hard time, but...”

Bobo suddenly raises his head and starts growling. Tonia pushes him with her foot.

“You, shut up. I’ll say it if I want to. Listen, Nora, the Boss is really... mad about what happened to you. Nathaniel’s got him focused on other things for now, but he won’t let it go. Someone attacked you, and I can tell you know who it is. So, won’t you tell us?”

I shake my head slowly. No, no, I can’t. Even more, if Damian is going after my brother next. Tonia scratches her head and just nods.

“Okay, so you really don’t want to. So, how about you tell me what you can, huh? Even stupid things, okay? Tell me about... I don’t know, your family? Your friends?”

I hesitate a little. I’m not sure how much I can really say without endangering anyone. I take Tonia’s phone, and slowly start typing. She reads out loud.

“Your parents are dead, okay. I’m sorry, baby girl. Oh, you have a brother. Is he older? …Okay. And no friends... Well, you got us now!”

I smile and nod shyly. That’s right, but... Tonia looks at my question, surprised.

“Oh, you want to know about us?” She chuckles. “Okay, so what do you want to know, let me think... So, Bobo and I have an older brother, Neal, who is the Beta to the Blood Moon Clan, actually.”

Is their brother Damian’s Beta then?

“We have our mom, but basically, we don’t have many friends, either. To be honest, the Boss kind of... picked us up when we were in big trouble, let’s say. The pack is everything to us now.”

I nod. I suddenly remember something I heard.

“Why you don’t smell like a werewolf? We were kind of curious about that, too... What? You’ve never shapeshifted? Are you kidding?”

I shake my head and bite my lip. No, I haven’t. Tonia frowns.

“That’s really unusual. Most werewolves turn for the first time when they’re around ten. Of course, some earlier, some later but... You’re seventeen. You... Can you feel your wolf? When did you start feeling her?”

I nod and show her my fingers to answer.

“Seven? Nora, that doesn’t sound like a late bloomer. More like... some barrier or something.”

I nod. I know... I know I should have been able to shapeshift long ago by now. But... I just can’t.

“Do you have some sort of trauma? I know it is bizarre to ask, but... Wait, you do?”

I keep nodding slowly. Well, I don’t know if it can really be called a trauma for real, but... I put a few words down and show her, but she frowns.

“...From when you were seven? And what happened? Can you tell me?”

I hesitate a bit, not because I don’t want to tell her, but because I’m afraid. It’s not exactly a happy story, and I’ve never told anyone before. It just makes me so... sad and miserable. And how much can I really tell her without revealing too much? I hesitate a while and end up giving her back the phone. She reads it and sighs.

“Your parents were... Oh, I see... I’m sorry, baby girl. Did they belong to a pack?”

That question again. Somehow, I feel that’s what Tonia really wants to know. If I belong to a pack, and if that’s the case, which one. I’m pretty sure it’s Damian who wants to know where I come from, and I don’t like it. Why does he want this information for? Before I can answer, Bobo suddenly gets up, turning his head in a new direction. I thought there was something, but as I follow his gaze, I realize it’s Nathaniel Black coming to us, with his usual gentle smile. He has a motorbike helmet under his arm. Since his shirt is slightly unbuttoned at the top, I can see the crescent moon tattoo he wears on his chest, the same as Damian. I figured it’s a common thing within the Blood Moon Clan, since Tonia has one, too, though smaller, on her arm.

“Hello, guys. I took a small detour to come to check up on you. How is our princess feeling today?”

I give him a smile as an answer. It’s not the first time Nathaniel has come to visit me since I woke up. He never stays long, but he always displays a friendly smile and will talk to me about anything but himself. I have noticed that he just likes to inquire about my tastes, like my favorite colors, or my personal tastes. Like today, he hands me a small carton box, and when I open it, it turns out there are four delicious-looking French canelés inside. I love those!

“Glad you like it, princess. You really have a thing for French cuisine, don’t you?”

I nod and thank him silently. Somehow, I’m a bit more comfortable around him now. Maybe it’s because he’s always acting extremely nice to me, bringing me gifts like these and all, but I somehow got used to talking to him, forgetting who he is.

“Really? Well, next time I’ll invite you to my restaurant then, you can try it all to tell me your thoughts on our menu. Deal?”

“Oh, the Boss will love the idea,” says Tonia, with a mistrusting look.

But Nathaniel doesn’t seem intimidated at all. He just winks at me, as if we were now sharing some secret, making me blush. Gosh, why is he so handsome, too! His mid-length hair gives him a wild and juvenile look, and his blue eyes must have all the girls fawning over him. He may not be as breathtaking as Damian, but he still is very attractive–and yes, I do realize my judgment is most likely totally clouded by my wolf-self. But he’s more angel-like beautiful, while Damian is the devilishly handsome type.

“Nora, I actually came to tell you that you’ll probably be able to leave the hospital soon.”

What? Really? That’s great! When will that be, and why do I have to wait again? I frown to show him I’m a bit curious about this delay since no one will explain to me.

“Don’t worry, I assure you it will be pretty soon. I...”

But then he stops talking and grabs a smartphone. Oh, it must have been vibrating. He answers it in front of me while I take one of my canelés to start eating it. This is so good!

I take one to give it to the siblings. Tonia frowns and declines it -I’ve learned that she’s not too fond of anything sweet or sugary by now-, but Bobo happily gulps it all in one go.

“Yes, yes, understood. No, wait, brother. I’m actually with Nora, do you want to talk to her?”

I suddenly raise my head. Damian? Is that Damian on the phone? I look at Nathaniel with eyes full of hope, but he suddenly gives me a sorry look and hangs up. Wait, what?

“Sorry, Nora, he is... busy. But you’ll see him real soon, okay? I have to go now. Tonia, Bobo, take good care of the princess, okay?”

He puts his phone back in his pocket, and he just leaves like that in a hurry. But while watching his hand, I saw it.

A stain of fresh blood on his sleeve.

Back into my room sometime later, I’m still thinking about it. Was that real blood? Gosh, I know it was, I’ve seen blood like a million times; how could I be mistaken about that? But I just can’t help but wonder about it. Like, how did he get it on his shirt; what was he doing before coming here?

I’m not naive. I know werewolves get into fights, and it’s not pretty. But the Jade Moon Clan was never very aggressive, so I’ve seen very few fights so far. We usually stand our ground and stay away from trouble. But everyone knows how bloody the Blood Moon pack is... How could they have gone from the shadows to domineering half of the city unmatched? They have wiped out an entire clan overnight.

And the leader is Damian Black.

I usually try to not think about my mate, as he is still a big, intriguing mystery to me. We barely talked, and I know next to nothing about him. Do I want to know more? I can tell from my only meeting with him that he is as frightening and dangerous as the rumors say. Any werewolf could tell he is the ultimate Alpha material, made to dominate people into submission. Tonia calls him the Boss, and even Nathaniel acts differently around him. They are very clear about this position toward him. What about me? How do I fit in this picture as his mate?

“Nora? Everything okay, baby girl?”

I’m sitting against the window, lost in my thoughts. I completely forgot about the book on my lap. Tonia seems concerned, and even Bobo won’t pretend to sleep. I just nod and smile faintly before resuming my reading.

It’s been a few days now.

Bobo takes me every day to the small courtyard, but we didn’t hear from Nathaniel or Damian anymore after that day. My throat is a lot better, as I can now make some sounds and speak in a soft voice. Almost all of the medical equipment has left my room now, and I should do the same sometime soon.

Then, one night, I suddenly woke up.

I just felt it. That state of nervousness, grasping me from the inside. I instantly knew he was near. The room was completely dark, but I knew it. Sitting up, I reached my hand out in the dark, and I felt his fingers grasping mine.

“You okay?” He whispers with that deep voice of his.

I shiver. That’s really Damian, his warmth close to me. My wolf instantly relaxes–she missed him. A lot.

“Ye...Yes.”

It feels so weird to be able to touch him at this moment. I feel like I might still be asleep, dreaming, I’m not quite sure. But I know. This feeling is so unreal, I couldn’t invent it on my own. I sit up and try to figure his traits in the dark as my eyes adjust. I find the pair of glowing silver eyes right away.

“What are you doing here?”

“We’re going.”

“I’m leaving the hospital? Now?”

But... It’s the middle of the night! Before I can say a word, I suddenly feel him lift me up, and I’m in his arms, carried like a princess. Gosh, thank god we’re in the dark, I must be totally red right now! So embarrassing and intimidating.

What is this feeling of emergency? I can tell he’s tense, and I immediately pick up something’s wrong. Why would I have to sneakily leave the hospital in the middle of the night, otherwise? At least I’m not wearing anything too childish or revealing, just a long, silk slip dress. I grasp his shirt hesitantly.

“Damian, what’s wrong?”

But he won’t respond to me. Instead, I feel him walking away, taking me across the room. What about Bobo and Tonia? What’s going on? The door suddenly opens in front of us, and we’re in one of the hospital’s bright hallways. I can finally see him.

He looks so serious, and his eyes are ice-cold. I don’t dare to ask again and just hold on to him as he takes me away. I realize Bobo is just ahead of us, leading the way and walking fast, looking around as if he’s looking for some sort of threat. They’re both so tense, it makes me worry. Where is Tonia?

Everyone lets us pass as soon as they see Damian. Some even show a scared look before running off, but he doesn’t care. He carries me all the way to the elevator, where Bobo chases some nurses with a growl. The machines go down, and I find being in his arms even more embarrassing now.

“I can walk...”

“No.”

His tone makes it clear we are not discussing this. I bite my lip and don’t dare to argue anymore. What time is it, anyway? I still feel so sleepy... I lean my head against his shoulder, trying to forget all this tension. I feel his shoulders relaxing a little from my touch. Is he reacting to me because I’m his mate? He won’t show any expression, though... Now that I’m close to him, I can smell him for the first time. He’s wearing some cologne, nothing too strong, though. Something that really suits him. It’s fresh and cooling like the sea, though, wild and strong like a pine forest at dawn. I really might get addicted to this...

The doors of the elevator open in a garage, and Damian takes me to a big car. Tonia’s there! She smiles at me and opens the door for us. Damian carries me inside and won’t let me go even as we are sitting. Instead, he takes off his jacket and covers me with it. Tonia takes the driver’s seat and starts the engine.

“What about Bobo?” I ask.

“Don’t worry, baby girl, he’s following us. We will meet him there.”

But where is “there”?

Tonia starts the engine, and we exit the parking lot. While leaning against Damian’s chest, I look out at the window, drowsily staring at the skyscrapers and lights of the city. I love watching the city at night... So beautiful and mysterious.

I fell asleep while gentle fingers stroke my hair, surrounded by this soothing and relaxing smell of his.