Page 46 of His Blue Moon Princess (The Silver City #1)

He gasps and raises his eyes towards Sylviana. “Was this... real?”

“Yes. I’m sorry, but you needed to see the truth.”

He shakes his head and wipes his tear away. Everyone is looking at the two of them while William breathes in, trying to hold back his emotions. Did Sylviana show him something just now? It looked like she was only slightly touching his head, though.

My cousin regains his composure after a few seconds and turns to Damian. “It seems like I owe you an apology, Black.”

An apology? What is he talking about? William isn’t looking at Damian with eyes full of anger, anymore. Instead, he looks calmer and resolute. I exchange a look with Liam, but he doesn’t seem to know any more, either.

My mate frowns and turns to Sylviana.

“What was that?”

“A glimpse of the past... About what truly happened to their family.”

“You can do that?” I ask, surprised.

Sylviana nods with a smile, but she doesn’t explain anything else until my mate asks.

“…What happened?”

“Your father did chase the vampires to the North, but... It only led them into the Dark Witch’s hands.”

I gasp. So, the vampires didn’t attack the Blue Moon Clan because of Damian’s father, but because the Witch used them to get to my family? Precisely the same way she tried to do so a few weeks ago here, in Silver City...

“You’re saying... she killed them?” I ask.

“She most likely instigated it. Judah Black only was wrong for sending her more vampires to use. Still, she would have attacked the Blue Moon Clan sooner or later, because of the Royal family.”

That means my mom, Elena’s father, and the two of us... I can’t believe they met such a terrible and sad end. How did our grandmother feel, trying to protect us until the end? And what happened to our parents? I wish I could ask more from Sylviana, but we have more pressing matters at hand.

At least William isn’t showing any animosity towards Damian or his brothers anymore. The Jones, too, watched the whole scene with deep interest.

“Are you saying... the Sapphire Moon might consider an alliance with the Blood Moon?” Asks Andrew Jones.

William seems hesitant. This could be decisive. If William is willing to stop this fighting with Damian’s Clan, we could actually get closer to an alliance. Moon Goddess, this would be enough. If the Sapphire Moon decides not to ignore the Blood Moon Clan anymore and actually work with us, most of the packs will follow. The Jones would, for starters. Even Tiffany Pearl is looking with interest at Sylviana and standing right next to Vincent.

Next to William, a man is already discussing with Lysandra, probably his Beta. The Purple Moon Clan Alpha has her eyes set on the Kings, and so do I. Because if William agrees to a peace truce with the Black Brothers, this would be terrible news for them.

Alessandra is staring at Sylviana with eyes full of hatred, but the Light Witch doesn’t seem affected at all. Are witches unaffected by werewolf auras? It looks like it. Sylviana is staring back, her hand slowly caressing Liam’s back.

“Liam, are you okay?”

“I will be once we get rid of those Gold Moon suckers...”

“Why didn’t you tell me before? About Sylviana?”

“A lot of reasons. She said this is how things needed to happen.”

“Wait, do you mean she—?”

“Can foresee the future? Yeah, somewhat. But it’s not all crystal clear, you know. A grain of sand can totally change it all, so... got to be careful.”

I nod slowly. I can’t totally grasp all the details, but it does explain a lot of Sylviana and Liam’s previous actions. I glance towards Nathaniel. I still haven’t been able to contact Elena at all. That’s odd.

“Nathaniel?”

He turns his head towards me.

“Have you heard from Elena? I can’t reach her at all...”

“I told her not to come here. Not in her condition. Her friend Daniel is watching her.”

Oh, so this is about pregnancy. Indeed, I wouldn’t have wanted Elena anywhere near here. Things are way too tense for her pregnancy, and if it ends up in a fight... Nathaniel’s face is expressionless, I wonder what he really thinks about this baby. He doesn’t seem so happy, either. Don’t tell me something went wrong between him and Elena?

“You’ve got to be kidding me...”

All heads turn to Alessandra, who is staring at William with disgust. Did I miss something? My cousin is ignoring her, but he obviously just said something I missed. Damian, too, is glaring at the Gold Moon Clan.

“Now would be a good time to shut up,” growls Lysandra.

Alessandra ignores her and points her finger at Damian while glaring at William. “Don’t tell me you’re going to let this go!”

Sylviana is smiling, but I am not. My guts tell me things are about to get ugly. The Gold Moon Clan was counting on William’s hatred against Damian to work in their favor. A truce between the two would mean they cannot attack the Blood Moon or count on any other support. No pack would follow them against both the Blood Moon and the Sapphire Moon. Now, not only William won’t fight Damian, but he might even side with him if they were to do anything. Andrew Jones and Tiffany Pearl look like they are okay with it, too.

Behind Alessandra, several Alphas look restless. They probably are reconsidering their options... She suddenly turns to me. Her eyes are full of hatred.

“You little whore... I should have killed you last time!” She yells.

“You’re welcome to try!” I growl back at her, and half of the other people present are growling as well behind me.

Damian is the most furious one, but he’s also the one holding me back. He addresses Taaron King and his daughter with a voice as cold as death itself. “This is the last time I hear one of you insult my mate. The next time, I will have your whole Clan dead.”

“See! This man is threatening us! He does not deserve to be—”

“For someone who has insulted the city’s Luna more than twice to his face, you should even be lucky to be still standing on your two feet, King,” growls Nathaniel.

Alessandra almost chokes up from hearing him. “The city’s Luna? Who?”

“The Luna Nora Bluemoon, granddaughter of Queen Diane, blessed child of Moon Goddess. She is a Princess to you, swine,” mutters William, angered too.

Alessandra looks like she’s about to go insane from anger. Her eyes go to the other Alphas, but no one will contradict them. Most aren’t showing any expression. Lysandra is smirking while looking at Alessandra, and Old Man Seaver is shaking his head. The Rising Moon Alpha looks a bit scared, hesitant, and she is staring at Alessandra like she’s crazy.

“If you do not wish to ally with anyone else here, you are welcome to leave. However, that embargo on the financial system hindering the other packs has to end by tomorrow, or we will take action,” threatens Damian.

“Take action? You think you can take action, threaten us?”

Alessandra’s tone suddenly changed. From craziness and anger, she suddenly went strangely calm. I glance towards Sylviana, but the Witch is frowning, visibly confused too. Damian’s eyes are on the Gold Moon Clan.

“You really think you’re the strongest wolf, Black? You think no matter what, you can take us on?”

What is she thinking? Damian is indeed strong, but her speech is mocking him. I exchange a glance with Liam and Nathaniel. Both brothers are on the look-out, too. I hang onto my wolf, ready to shapeshift, but what is she thinking? Only the Rising Moon and lesser packs would support the Gold Moon, why would she act boldly right now? Alessandra and her father but might be manipulative, but they are definitely smarter than bluntly provoking Damian... Especially when most of the packs are now supporting him!

On the sidelines, the other packs are getting agitated as well. They can sense something’s not right in Alessandra’s attitude.

“I don’t know what game you’re playing, King, but you better leave now,” growls Damian.

She smiles in contempt. “I don’t think so. Do you think I’m actually that stupid, Damian? That I would have come here without some back-up plan? Sure, I had hoped things would go smoothly, and you would have lost the Alpha King’s spot in a peaceful manner, or with the Sapphire Moon’s pressure, but... “

Every werewolf starts growling— something’s about to happen. Alessandra is way too confident. Damian pushes me behind him, and William and Bobo both get closer to us. Nathaniel decides to move to the side, shielding his little brother and Sylviana.

“Damian...”

“Stay behind me.”

“Alessandra... This is my last warning.”

She laughs at him and suddenly smiles. “Too bad, mine is already over.”

The next second, an explosion suddenly bursts from one side of the stadium. All heads turn in horror to witness wolves flying in flames, and screams are heard from all sides. Alessandra is still laughing when a second explosion bursts, closer this time. Bombs! They put damn bombs!

“Damian!”

I turn my head and see my mate, already in his wolf form, running towards Taaron King. I realize the whole Gold Moon clan started attacking the nearest wolves. Moon Goddess, this is hell!

I start running, too, Bobo right behind me. Another explosion bursts a few meters from us, and the blast pushes me back, making me lose balance and fall to the ground. I need to get up, I need to join Damian! I struggle to get back on my feet and start running again. Ashes and smoke are quickly invading the stadium, making my eyes sting and cry horribly. I hear werewolves growling and yelling absolutely everywhere around me. The whole stadium has become a war scene.

“Nora, we need to help Damian!”

“I know!”

I have no idea if Liam’s voice came from my head or somewhere near me, but I don’t have a second to stop. Where is Bobo? I lost him!

I suddenly spot Alessandra, fighting fiercely with Lysandra. Both shape-shifted into their wolf forms, and I jump between them as I let my wolf take over, too.

“Back away, Bluemoon, this whore is mine!”

I don’t know why Lysandra is so keen on killing her, but I can’t leave! Alessandra is the mastermind behind this; she has to die!

My wolf is so full of anger and hatred, the fierce fight is merciless. Alessandra is defending herself against the two of us, but she’s definitely going to lose. Lysandra is not leaving her any way out, and I’m fighting like never before. My wolf is scratching her skin and biting her without any mercy, going wild. Lysandra suddenly yelps. Another wolf got her leg, and she’s poorly injured. She turns away to fight him off, but Alessandra lost focus thanks to that, and I go right for her throat.

I feel her blood on my fur. She’s suffocating, but my wolf fangs are not letting go. I bite harder, and her breathing is nothing but a little hiss.

“You... think you... won, Blue?”

“Do you think I’m not going to kill you? I won’t have mercy for you!”

“I don’t... care... You will pay. He... will...”

I feel her wolf die before she finishes her sentence. What? What did she mean? Who will what, who was she talking about? Lysandra returns, limping, and bites Alessandra’s dead body out of anger. I let go of the corpse.

I need to get to Damian. Alessandra was about to die, but she seemed so sure... I start running, looking for my mate with a growing fear inside. There are fighting wolves everywhere, but the Gold Moon is losing. Some werewolves ran away, and others are injured. I come across corpses, but I can’t stop to check. I’m terrified by what I could see. I’ve lost Bobo, even Liam. Everything is too confusing, and the smoke is so dense, I can only see a few meters ahead.

“Damian!”

“Nora! Where are you?”

I follow his wolf’s aura, and finally spot him! Damian’s fine! I run towards him, and I feel his relief. Something shines from a corner. I’m almost at his side.

I keep running. Damian’s right there, in front of me. I see his wolf run towards me, but something’s wrong. He looks terrified.

“Nora!”

I hear a gunshot, and something red suddenly covers my vision.

The blood splashes on my face before I even realize what’s going on. I just heard a bang, and Damian stopped running. He’s just in front of me, but I see the black wolf stumble and fall on his flank.

“Damian!”

Another gunshot is heard, but I couldn’t care less. All I see is my mate lying on the ground with blood flowing from a hole in his chest. I run to his side, unable to think of anything else. Damian is injured!

“Damian! Damian!”

I keep calling his name, my wolf howling after her mate, but he is barely moving. Oh, Moon Goddess, no, no, no, not him, not Damian... I try to look for the bullet’s location, and shape-shift to use my fingers. His jet-black fur is getting all sticky from so much blood, no, no... It can’t be. I finally hear him breathing, but it’s faint and erratic. Thank Moon Goddess, he’s still alive, but the blood is still pouring out…

“Help! Nate! Liam!”

I mind-link anyone I can, I don’t care who I reach or not. My mind is so confused right now, I can’t even understand what’s going on around me. We’re in the middle of a mist of ashes, with smells of fire and blood all around. Those who haven’t run away are busy fighting, nobody has time to pay attention to an injured wolf.

What do I do? Should I kiss him? I don’t know if I can heal an injury this size! Damian had me promise not to use it again, and if I pass out here, in the middle of the fight...

I realize I’m crying, but Moon Goddess, who wouldn’t? My fingers are still in my mate’s fur, I’m not leaving him. I’ve never felt so helpless! Suddenly, something grabs my wrist, pulling me with sharp pain, and another gunshot is heard.

“Nora! Don’t stay there!”

Bobo! It’s Bobo, who just grabbed my wrist between his fangs.

“Bobo! Bobo, Damian’s injured, we have to—!”

“Someone is shooting at you! Don’t stay there!”

“But Damian, he...”

“Nora, you have to move!”

I try to fight Boyan off. I don’t want to leave Damian alone, I can’t! He might die if I leave him! Bobo won’t let go of my wrist, even as I start bleeding. He keeps pulling me away with him. I don’t want to leave Damian!

Suddenly, another gunshot resonates. Bobo whimpers and lets go of my wrist.

“Bobo!”

I see red blood running down his head, all over his brown fur. Oh, Moon Goddess, not Bobo, too!

“I’m fine! It just grazed me. But Nora, you have to move, you’re the target!”

What? I look around, but I can’t see who is firing at us. I look at Damian’s body. Moon Goddess, I don’t want to leave him, but if I’m the one they are shooting at... I stumble to get up, trying to find my senses. Tears are pouring down my cheeks. Damian, Bobo... I see him stumble to walk to Damian’s side. He is really injured; a trail of blood is following him.

“Bobo...”

“Nora, just get away from here!”

I nod and turn around to run away. My heart is heavier and heavier. Moon Goddess, I don’t want to leave them... I can’t even breathe, my crying and running are making a mess of me, but I can’t stop, either. Damian, Damian, please, someone save him...

I have no idea where I’m headed, but I don’t slow down. Suddenly, I trip over something. It’s a body... Taaron King! The Alpha is in such a bad state, his throat torn open, I can’t bear to look. I don’t know who killed him, but I can’t stop. I get back up and start running once more. I try looking for a familiar face, anyone who can help me. Where is Liam, where is Nate? The gunshots have stopped. I run into someone, and some unknown wolf attacks me. A grey shadow and his fangs suddenly grasp my leg. I let out a cry of pain, but the pressure’s suddenly gone.

“Nora!”

I turn around. William! I grab my cousin’s collar, still in his human form and start screaming everything my lungs have left.

“William, Damian’s hurt! He’s hurt! Someone was shooting at us, and he... he got in between, he... He was losing blood, a lot of blood! William, please, you have to help him! I beg you, please!”

My cousin puts his hands on my face, looking horrified. “Nora, you’re injured, you—”

“I don’t care! Just help Damian, please, William! Please!”

He hesitates, but I’m just begging and crying like crazy. He quickly nods, and suddenly turns around while taking off his jacket, looking for someone.

“David! Nicki! Pierce! ...Lara!” He calls around.

He puts his jacket on my shoulders, and two wolves suddenly emerge from the black smoke. William pushes me toward them, but I ignore him.

“William, Damian, Damian he—”

“Nora, I swear I’ll go find him, but you have to get away from here! Stay with those two, they’ll escort you out! Okay?”

I can only nod, a bit numb to whatever he’s saying. But his words and Bobo’s resonate in my head, and I get it. I have to get out of here, run away. My wolf is begging me to go back to Damian, and I want to listen to her so, so badly. The only thing I’m scared of right now is my mate. I don’t care about the explosions around us, the raging battle between all werewolves, or the corpses we run across.

The two wolves run in front of me, and I follow them like I’m in some nightmare. My legs are going numb, but I just can’t stop. My heart stayed behind, where Damian was lying. I can’t believe this is happening...

The stadium is invaded by smoke, and fires started after the explosions. Ashes are flying all around us, spreading so much smoke that I have no idea where we are headed. I just follow the duo blindly through the chaos.

Suddenly, a new gunshot bursts. The wolf that was running next to me stops running mid-air and rolls on the ground. Moon Goddess! Her head is covered in blood. She’s dead. I gasp, and the other wolf turns around, facing a silhouette running towards us.

Another bang and he falls down like a dead weight. I scream in horror. Moon Goddess, they are both... I turn around, trying to look for the culprit. Who did this? Who shot them?

“Nora, Nora...”

A chill runs down my spine. That voice... Oh, Moon Goddess, no, no, not him, not now... I start running in the opposite direction. My legs take full speed, and I shapeshift in the middle of it without slowing down. My wolf takes over, and she’s braver than me. Fear doesn’t stop her; she keeps running as fast and as far as she can.

Why is he here? How the hell did he get here! This nightmare is getting worst by the minute. I can hear him running behind me. Can I outrun him? Can I? I have to!

“What the...? Nora?”

I turn my head, and I suddenly bump into someone at full speed. I fall on him, but he helps me up right away.

“Nora? Moon Goddess, you’re covered in blood! Who—?”

“Run!”

“What?”

“He’s here! He—"

I see his eyes finally spot the silhouette behind me. In a split second, Vince’s expression changes, and he pushes me away from him. I hear another gunshot, and Vince’s eyes suddenly go blank. I scream uncontrollably. He falls on his knees like a puppet. Moon Goddess, Vince! I can’t stop looking at the Jade Moon Alpha’s corpse, lying at my feet. A loud crying echoes in my ears, making me go insane. Moon Goddess, please make it stop...

A flash of pain suddenly tears my leg apart. I scream again, from the pain this time. I barely heard the gunshot. I fall, the pain bursting through my whole body. I suffocate. The bullet’s silver is killing me, making my whole body spasm. I try to gasp for air, but a slap across my face throws me down.

“Finally! Finally, I can give you what you deserve, you little whore!”

His voice disgusts me the most, despite whatever else I’m going through. I spit some blood and raise my eyes to look at him, ignoring the pain.

Marcus.

He’s disfigured by horrifying bite scars, and his face shrank. He looks like a monster, sweating and breathing hard like some savage. He steps closer, and I struggle to move away. My leg is so painful, my whole lower body is numb from the pain. I try to push with my arms, but my desperate efforts are useless. I can only grab a few meters before he catches me. I suddenly scream in pain. He’s deliberately stomping on my injured leg!

“How pathetic you look... Look at you. A Luna? A Royal? You’re just a little slut, crawling in dirt...”

I have to get away from him! Marcus points this gun at me, but my arms are moving on their own. My instincts act before I think— my wolf knows we have to. My leg is a whirl of pain... Like ice running through my veins, paralyzing me.

“You should have seen all this coming, Nora. Running away from me? Hiding in Black’s shadow? Did he have fun with you? Did you become his bitch!”

This tongue of his is spilling words like poison. I don’t want to hear Damian’s name in his filthy mouth! Another gunshot bursts through the air and I stop moving. He shot a hole right in front of me.

“No bodyguard, no Black left to protect you, Nora... Do you have any idea what I’m going to do to you?”

“Don’t... fucking touch me,” I growl.

He laughs, like the insane monster he is. All of a sudden, I feel a violent pain in my stomach, and his foot kicks me again. I lose my breath.

His hand brutally grabs my hair, and I try fighting him off. He starts dragging me around, my bloody leg leaving a trail behind me. Moon Goddess, it hurts! I feel my body going numb again, losing strength.

“What the...? Let her go!”

Nate’s voice. Yelling. Growling. Gunshots.

I try to open my eyes. A body on the ground is getting further from me. I see the light blue eyes closing, and I lose consciousness...