Page 22 of His Sunshine Baby (The Silver City #2)

When I wake up, my first thought is that I’m feeling super nauseous, and very heavy, like I’ve been sleeping too long. I’m familiar with the smells around me… is it the hospital?

“Hey, morning, babe.”

Daniel is sitting next to the bed I’m in, smiling softly, leaning against the mattress. What’s going on? I am so confused.

Then, it all comes back when I see the little bandage on his cheek. The vampire attack. Nora’s white wolf injured, Eric’s death. Oh, Moon Goddess! I turn to him, panicked.

“Danny, my baby. I beg you, tell me my baby is–”

“She’s fine. She’s fine, Elena, I promise,” he says, grabbing my shaking hand to hold it. “Your little girl is a fighter just like her mom. She held on, don’t worry. She’s still there.”

I let out a big sigh of relief and put a hand on my belly, where I feel like she should be. Oh Moon Goddess, if I had lost her… I was terrified for a second. Gosh, I already love you so much, little thing.

“There’s bad news, though…” says Daniel, frowning a bit.

“What?”

“Well, since you were transported to the hospital and all, the wolf’s out of the bag.”

Oh, shit.

“You mean they know I’m pregnant?”

“Well, everyone suspects so, but only Clark, Isa, and a few other people are aware.”

Fuck! Damn, we were supposed to keep this pregnancy a secret as long as possible, and now all of the White Moon and Opal Moon clans know. Great. It couldn’t have been worse. And I haven’t been able to talk to Nathaniel yet!

I’m about to ask more when Abigail walks into the room.

“Honey, could you help me put the… Oh, Moon Goddess, Elena! You’re awake, sweetie! Daniel, I told you to tell me as soon as she woke up!”

“Mom, she literally opened her eyes half a minute ago.”

“Oh, I see. All right, take this, let me check her up. Hi, sweetie, how are you feeling?”

His mom asks me a few usual questions, like if I’m in pain or dizzy, and does her check-up. I’m feeling so numb and my limbs are sore, I wish I could stretch.

“How long was I unconscious?” I ask.

“You weren’t completely unconscious, you had short wake-up moments, but only for a few seconds. Anyway, it’s been two days.”

Two days. Did they hold the funeral yet? What did Clark say about my pregnancy? Has Nora healed already?

I look down at Danny’s bandaged leg. He notices my glance and chuckles.

“I’m fine, I get to rest by watching you. It doesn’t hurt and it’s healing fast, as usual.”

“My babies have good health and self-healing,” says his mom. “But you, sweetie, you know you have to take it easy, right? Especially with your little one in there.”

“What happened to me? Was it because of the fight?”

“Well, we took you to the ER and did an ultrasound–” starts Daniel, but I interrupt him.

“Daniel, English, please. Cut it out with the scientific stuff.”

His mom laughs and is the one who turns to me to explain.

“It’s called threatened miscarriage.”

“I don’t like how that sounds.”

“It means you almost had a miscarriage, and right now your body and baby are fighting to prevent it. Your blood pressure was too high, Elena, and that leads to complications for pregnant women.”

“You mean it can still happen?”

“Yes. Unfortunately, the only thing you can do is rest. Rest a lot and wait a bit to see what happens next. We will keep you here for a few days, do HCG tests and ultrasounds often to verify until we think it is safe for you to go home.”

I want to cry. Damn, I knew it was going to be hard. I take a deep breath to calm down. Low blood pressure, Elena, low, low, low. I exchange a look with Daniel. I know my best friend is trying to be as comforting and optimistic as he can. He keeps holding my hand, rubbing it with his thumb.

“What do I do now?”

“Rest, Elena. Lots and lots of rest. Not just staying calm, but you need to lie down and rest. No caffeine, no effort whatsoever, and when you’re released from the hospital, you go straight home and rest.”

“You know Clark is not just going to let it slide. Did he say anything?”

“Well, he was mostly worried for you, but he wants to know who the father is. He kind of already suspects it’s not Levi. But, trust me, he has no idea about you-know-who.”

He’s in for a big surprise, then. Daniel seems uneasy for a second.

“Clark’s here.”

“What?”

“Well, he was here a few minutes ago, and he just went to visit your dad, so he's probably still around.”

I’m not sure I’m ready to confront my godfather and Alpha now, but after what happened with Xavier, and the fact that I’ll be completely unable to move around or do any pack activities for a while, I guess I’m going to have to do this sooner or later.

“ …Clark? ”

“ Elena? You’re awake! Wait a minute, I’m coming to see you! ”

I exchange a look with Daniel, letting him know. He nods. Abigail, who caught on to what was going on, crosses her arms, unhappy.

“Elena! Your blood pressure!”

“It’s going to be fine, I promise to stay calm.”

“You’d better! I’m staying here anyway!”

We hear someone outside the door, but to my surprise, Levi shows up instead of Clark, smiling from ear to ear as soon as he sees me.

“There she is! Hey, glad you’re back with us, princess.”

He comes and gives me a soft hug.

“Levi! How did you–”

“I was on my way here when Danny and Mom mind-linked me to let me know. You okay?”

“For now,” I admit. “Clark is coming.”

“Oh.”

Levi exchanges a glance with his mom and brother and nods, taking a seat next to my bed. He’s clearly not leaving my side even as Clark is on his way.

“I didn’t confirm or deny anything, Elena. I…”

“I know. But I won’t lie to Clark.”

“Lie to me about what?”

We all turn our heads as the Alpha just walks in, looking concerned. He sighs and walks up to my bed, frowning behind his beard.

“You scared the hell out of me, kiddo. What if something happened to you?”

I smile. He’s still my godfather after all. I know he feels he has to look after me since my mom’s passing and my dad’s coma. Clark is like family to me, my second father. I don’t want to lie to him. I’ve grown tired of all the lies. If my pack has to know, it’s better they know everything.

“Clark, I need to talk to you.”

“Yeah,” he says, suddenly serious again. “Elena, you’re pregnant? How come you didn’t tell me?”

“I only learned about it two– I mean, this week, and it is not an easy topic for me either.”

He glances in Levi’s direction. The two of us have pretended to be a couple for a few weeks, but truthfully, I doubt Clark ever believed it. He knows how close I am to Daniel’s brother, but he also knows my real feelings for Levi.

Clark is the kind of Alpha who is good at reading people’s feelings. He’s good at catching lies too.

“I’ll take it Levi is not the father, since you say it like that?” he sighs.

“He’s not.”

“Then who? Don’t tell me it’s…”

What? How could he already know about Nate? But after a while, I realize we are not thinking about the same person at all. How dare he? He’s one of the few people who know I lost a child because of Diego!

“Holy shit, Clark, how can you even think I’d ever sleep with Diego again?!”

He lets out a big sigh of relief.

“Thank Moon Goddess. I don’t know, with the timing, I… Then who is it?”

There’s a long silence in the room. I exchange a look with Daniel, but he nods. I have no idea how he will react. Come on Elena, it’s only one name.

“Nathaniel Black.”

Clark freezes completely for a second, stunned. He turns to the Lewises, but none of them are saying a word or moving. Then, he turns back to me, blinking several times.

“Black? Like… the Black brother? The King’s–”

“The King’s brother, yes.”

“Elena, are you kidding me? You slept with Black?”

More than once, actually, but he doesn’t need to know that.

“Was it when they came? But you…”

Oh, Moon Goddess, no, he’s thinking about that damn time when we went to fetch the wine! I sigh, a bit annoyed.

“No, Clark, I had an affair with Nathaniel before that.”

“And after, too,” suddenly says Daniel.

I glare at him. Can’t he just shut up for once? Clark looks like he’s about to pass out, so I just tell him everything, well, not the details, but how Nate and I met and agree to see each other up until now. I leave out our repeated fighting, though. It’s annoying and embarrassing enough as it is.

My godfather takes it all like a slap in the face, speechless for a while. After a long moment, he looks at me like he doesn’t recognize me.

“Elena, do you realize what you have done?”

“I know I shouldn’t be seeing someone outside of the pack, but-”

“BLACK! A Black, of all people! The King’s brother! Are you kidding me, Elena? And you’re pregnant, on top of that?”

“Okay, stop, enough,” suddenly says Abigail. “Yes, Elena is pregnant, and I understand if it upsets you, but she and her baby are not fine. So if you don’t stop yelling at her right now, you’re leaving this room, Clark.”

My godfather glares at her, but Abigail is a nurse, and she has beta blood, too. She can take it and doesn’t budge.

“Who knows?” he suddenly asks.

“About my pregnancy, people who saw me bleed, I guess. As for the father, only the people in this room.”

“Fine. Elena, I want no one to know.”

“Excuse me?”

Just when I was about to come clean about my relationship with Nate, and my child? Is this a joke? But Clark shakes his head.

“Things are complicated at the moment. The Blood Moon and the Gold Moon are negotiating and things are heating up with the other clans. Everyone’s going to have to pick a side.”

“We have always been neutral, Clark,” says Levi, suddenly looking as worried as I am.

“Until now, but there is no way we are siding with the Gold Moon. And if the Sapphire Moon clan picks a side, we cannot abandon them. We were nothing before they helped us finance the hospital, the clinic, and the labs. It’s old history but it’s still relevant.”

“You’re talking as if some war was about to take place…”

Clark sighs, and puts his hands on his hips.

“I don’t know. But having two clans negotiate an alliance is never good. Everyone’s watching and getting ready, just in case. So, Elena, this child. I don’t want anybody to know.”

“I am not lying to Nate, Clark,” I talk back, annoyed.

My godfather growls, pissed.

“Why? You were concealing this relationship just fine until now, weren’t you? This is for the safety of our pack! Elena, if the Sapphire Moon knows my goddaughter and potential heir is having a child with one of the Black brothers, what will they think? You’ll put us all in danger! You’re smarter than that!”

“I spent more than six months hiding my relationship with him, do you think I don’t know the risks?” I reply, angry as well. “I know it was wrong, I know he’s not someone I should get involved with, but it happened, Clark, and I’m done lying to everyone about it.”

“Elena, this isn’t just about you! I was thinking of making you the Alpha of the White Moon clan, and now, this? I know how important having a child must be for you, but I don’t want Black involved in any way with my pack! Levi, you could–”

“I am not lying about my baby’s father!” I yell. “It’s not just about my child, Clark! I love Nathaniel Black, whether you like it or not! You can forget making me your heir, you can banish me, I don’t care anymore! I never asked to be made Alpha anyway, you can give it to Orpheus!

“Elena, I beg you, calm down!”

Abigail walks over to me, worried, checking my vitals. I take a deep breath in, trying to calm down, looking at my blood pressure on the machine. Think calm, think about baby girl. I wait a few seconds until I think I’m calm enough. Clark looks torn between worry and anger, saying nothing and fidgeting.

“Clark, I get things are heating up. But I won’t lie anymore. I lied for too long already, and this baby is my baby and Nathaniel Black’s baby. I grew up without knowing my biological parents. I swear to Moon Goddess, I won’t let my child grow up without knowing who her real father is.”

I see my godfather is just furious, but I am not changing my mind, he has to understand that. I see him take a deep breath. He doesn’t want to yell and put me at risk, but we are not done.

“What about your father, Elena? If I banish you, what about him? You’ll leave him alone?”

“My dad would understand, Clark.”

My godfather closes his eyes, letting out a long sigh. I exchange a glance with Daniel and Levi, both looking worried. I know they’re afraid Clark would really banish me.

Honestly, I’m afraid too. I don’t want to be banished from the White Moon clan for the rest of my life. But I also understand the position he’s in. If a conflict really arises and we are not clear on whose side we are on, we might get crushed by clans bigger than ours.

“Abigail. How long does Elena need to rest?”

“About two weeks, at least. She can leave the hospital in a few days.”

“Fine. Elena, I don’t want you to talk to anyone for now. I’ll get back to you when my decision is made. And that includes Black. You’ll do whatever you want after that, but for now, just focus on your health.”

He leaves the room, and all four of us let out a collective sigh.

“Damn, that’s my babe,” says Daniel. “Always in trouble.”

“Levi, what was that about a war? The Gold Moon and the Blood Moon clan?” I ask.

I didn’t hear anything about an alliance back at the fight. The Gold Moon was far from us, but the Blood Moon stayed in the north to help. Does Nora know anything about this? Or Nate?

Levi exchanges a glance with his mother, but they both shake their heads.

“Elena, you should just rest and not worry for now. You just woke up, sweetie. Levi will ask, but please, stay still and rest for now, all right? Danny and I will stay with you. Don’t worry about Clark, I’m sure we will find a solution.”

I nod, and Levi bids me goodbye, promising to find out more about that conflict Clark mentioned. I comply with Abigail’s new check-up until she leaves, and I’m left with Daniel.

“Babe, there is something else.”

I roll my eyes. What now?

“Don’t worry, it’s good news this time. I mean, a good idea.”

“What then?”

“Bobo called me. Nora had an idea. She wants to test your blood and hers.”

“Test our blood?”

“Yeah. Apparently, the King and her entourage want to check if she is really a Royal or not, and we thought…”

“We could use the tests to check if she and I are really related?”

Daniel nods with a big smile.

“I mean, we had suspicions, but wouldn’t it be nice to confirm if she is your family ?”

I can’t help but smile a bit. Family? That sounds really nice.

“You can do that?” I ask.

“Of course I can! I’m already in touch with Tonia, we’ll compare it. But babe, if you are related to Nora, you know it might complicate things further, right?”

“I know. Let’s just keep my relationship with her a secret for now, right? Nate doesn’t know, and I hope she hasn’t told the King either.”

“She hasn’t, Boyan told me. But babe, if Clark banishes you… You think Nathaniel or Nora could…”

“Take care of me? Honestly, I don’t want to think about that now, Danny. I can’t even tell Nate about the baby for now, so… I’ll see how he reacts when it happens.”

Daniel chuckles.

“He’s crazy in love with ya, babe. Of course he will be happy about it.”

I hope so too.

One thing is for sure, I hate doing nothing. The long hours in the hospital were torture. I don’t know if Clark forbade visits or something, but aside from Danny’s family, I don’t get any visitors my entire stay.

It’s about the same once I can finally get home, except that now, Sylviana visits me too. I wonder if there was something keeping her from coming to the hospital, but it’s probably just too deep into the White Moon territory, unlike our apartment. She comes about once a week to check on me and my baby.

I get calls from Nora, too. I guess we don’t need any blood tests or proof to grow closer. I like when she tells me about her relationship issues, even if it’s hard to remember it’s about the King.

Somehow, I end up telling her to trust Liam instead of her own mate. No matter what, I can’t trust the King. I still remember the chill running down my spine when I crossed paths with him… and there’s the Gold Moon clan issue too. They are known to be a selfish and conceited pack, no one can trust them. They only have one redeeming factor: their wealth. But if they really make some kind of alliance with the Blood Moon…

I hear Nora sigh at the other end of the phone. She probably has a lot to think about on her own, too. I glance down at the papers on my knees, the ones I’ve been looking at for three hours now. Daniel is next to me, sipping his coffee and looking at the more detailed version of those tests.

I take a deep breath.

“Nora, anything yet on the blood results?”

I wish I knew if she really is a Royal. It could change so many things for everyone in Silver City, her mate, and even my relationship with Nate.

“Not yet,” she answers. “Tonia said it would take time. Apparently, gene-testing is longer.”

“I figured so,” I sigh, looking at Daniel. “Danny said the same thing. But I have something else. Apparently, matching our blood is much quicker.”

I hear her breathing stopping. Is she okay?

“Nora?”

“Sorry, I’m just so stressed suddenly! Do you really have it? You know?”

My gosh, she already sounds so excited, I can’t help but smile.

“Yes. Daniel just got the results this afternoon. I wanted to see you in person to tell you, but now that you called me first, I really don’t think I can keep quiet until then. But can you breathe first? You’re scaring me a bit and if you collapse, I’m too far away to help.”

“No, I’m okay! Just tell me, is it a match? Is it?”

Moon Goddess, she’s almost screaming! I laugh and grab the paper to check again before telling the poor girl.

“Elena!”

“Nora, it is! We are related!”

I feel the tears coming as I say that, and she is crying too. Great, we are both crying like pups now!

“Are you okay?” she asks.

“Why do you ask? You’re crying like a baby too!”

We laugh for a bit, and Daniel smiles and shakes his head too. This is so insane. I try to remember what Daniel said precisely.

“Nora, there’s more.”

“What do you mean?”

“According to Daniel, the percentage of matching DNA can indicate how closely related we are, so he brought the full results. 13.3% of our DNA matches.”

I wait a bit for her to take in the info, exchanging a complicit smile with Danny.

“You’re torturing her, aren’t you?” he whispers.

I stick my tongue out. I’ve been locked up for days, I’m just having a bit of fun while I can!

“Elena, speak!”

“We are cousins, Nora,” I finally say. “First cousins! One of my birth parents was your mom’s sibling!”

I just wish I knew which! Like anything about my birth family. I envy Nora who at least knew her dad.

“Are you kidding?”

I shake my head. I asked Daniel the same thing twice, too. But he was very specific, I remember each of his words by heart.

“No, I’m not. Daniel just told me this much matching DNA can only be a first cousin! Can you imagine? Your mother is my aunt! We are cousins!”

Nora cries a lot at the other end of the phone, and it’s hard to stop my own tears. For the first time, I know someone with whom I am blood-related! My first family tie found, Nora is linked to my lost past!

Daniel shifts position to come closer to me, smiling and holding my free hand. It takes a while for Nora to calm down, so I take deep breaths too and lie down, my head on Danny’s lap.

“Elena, do you know what this means?”

I sigh.

“Yeah, I thought about it right away. That means if you turn out to be one, I would be a Royal’s child, too.”

“Could it be?”

I really doubted it, but...

“Daniel said so. I may not have as much as you, but I do have some Royal characteristics, after all... My non-Royal parent was probably less pure or something? I don’t know... But I will need to find this out now.”

Nora being a Royal means I am one of sorts too, but it complicates things. A lot. Reagan never mentioned I was related to the Royals. Did she try to hide it? Why? If the woman she talked about was Nora’s grandmother, and mine too, she and I shouldn’t have such a difference in our Royal blood. But Nora is the pure one, not me. She’s got perfectly white fur, sapphire-blue eyes, and a monstrous Alpha Aura. I don’t have any of that, and my aura isn’t as powerful as hers. I’m pretty sure her mind-linking is stronger too, from what she’s demonstrated so far. So what is that big difference? Was it what Reagan wanted to conceal at any cost?

“Elena? What do you mean you need to find out?”

“I know I said before it didn’t really matter for me, but…”

I sigh. Daniel caresses my hair.

“Babe, you gotta talk with Reagan again,” he whispers. “Now you’ve got all this information, plus what Sylviana told you. She can’t pretend anymore. You even know the name of your former pack, and it’s about Nora too. And there’s…”

He’s right, there’s my baby. If she has Royal blood, it changes a lot of things. The vampires from last time were targeting Nora, it might have to do with this. I mean, it’s the only reason they would target her, from what we’ve heard. But turns out, I might have Royal blood too, even though it’s weaker. Nathaniel is an alpha too, this probably makes my baby ever stronger.

Daniel points at the phone.

“You can tell Nora, Elena. She won’t tell anyone.”

“Tell me what?” she asks.

I take a deep breath.

“Nora, I need you to promise me you won’t tell anyone what I’m about to say. Especially not the brothers. Not even Tonia, or anyone else.”

“I promise. What is it?”

“I learned yesterday before the battle. I’m pregnant. It’s Nate’s.”

She stays silent for a long while, and for some reason, I start crying.

I’ve been moody these days, but saying it out loud to Nora, just after the good news of us being family, unlocks something in me that I haven’t been able to release before. I can put up a good front for Clark, pretend I’m strong, act calm for my baby, but I’m completely lost inside.

I am fucking pregnant. I love this baby, but she wasn’t expected. It changes a lot of things. My relationship with Nathaniel, which was already a mess to begin with. My position in the pack that I might have to give up for her. Even school. I haven’t been able to go to school since I was discharged from the hospital, but even so, what comes next?

I’ll have to give up on university to take care of my baby girl. I’ll have to take on a full-time job to support her, maybe juggle with Daniel to take care of her properly. But before all that, I still haven’t told Nathaniel.

Nora and Daniel both try to comfort me, but it takes a while for my tears to dry. He takes the phone from me at some point and hangs up for me.

“Danny?”

“Yes, babe?”

“I don’t know how I’m gonna pull it off. The clan isn’t going to help me raise a child from another pack, and you know all my paychecks are going to my dad’s bills and our rent, and the school…”

I start crying even more, not making any sense between my sobbing and irregular breathing. Daniel caresses my hair to have me calm down.

“Babe, calm down, calm down. No stress, okay? First, you’re not going to be alone, ever. You have the best friend in the world, me, who would go to hell and back for you, okay? If you’re banned, they can ban me too. Plus, you know my family won’t ever abandon you, you’re like our secret third sister. So even if Clark decides on something really stupid, you know our family will be there to support you. Also, don’t worry about school, okay? You can always take a year off and resume later, no? As for money, your baby’s father is a freaking millionaire, Elena. He will help you with his magical bank account.”

“Danny. Nate doesn’t even know about this baby yet.”

“But once he does, he’s going to go crazy for his daughter, like any good daddy. Plus, do you realize? That kid will be the King’s niece! And Nora’s, too!”

Oh Moon Goddess, I didn’t realize!

If Nora marries the King, she will become my child’s aunt, right? That plus being my cousin. This is crazy. Out of all people, my long-lost cousin and I fell in love with two brothers.

As I think about our weird family tree, it reminds me…

“Danny, my dad.”

“Yeah, I know. Don’t worry, I’ll go see him for you, all right? I can ask Mom and Bonnie to check on him too.”

My poor dad. I keep imagining him, alone in that hospital room, still in his coma. If only he could wake up now. I know he would support me, tell Clark he’s an idiot, and be happy for me and my baby. He would probably give Nate one hell of a pep talk too. I chuckle imagining that, and Daniel notices it.

“Babe, I prefer seeing you smile. No negativity in this house, just warmth and a nice environment for our baby girl. You know what? Next time I go to the university, I’ll get you some books about babies and all the kinds of stuff you will suffer from with parenthood!”

We laugh together about what a struggle it will be to raise this baby until I get hungry for pizza and beg Danny to order some.

Actually, I crave pizza every day that follows. Sitting at home isn’t much better than lying down on the hospital bed. I give up studying by myself as it becomes boring and makes me angry anytime it reminds me how I won’t be able to attend university until next summer at least.

Daniel keeps his word and brings me dozens of books about pregnancy, kids, and parenthood. I become much more aware of everything that comes with pregnancy, and discuss it often with his mother at each of my check-ups. The next two hospital visits are a relief: my baby girl is still there and growing.

Daniel even starts buying baby stuff, and his mom brings me what she kept from her five pregnancies. Abigail and Bonnie are a huge support, but Sylviana is probably the person I come to trust the most. The witch comes often and gives me some tea to drink, soups, and other things she prepares herself. She teaches me some breathing exercises, how to stretch, and even how to make my own nutritious soups.

However, a few days have passed, and I’m still confined to the sofa. Even worse, I’m running out of things to read, and Daniel is especially grumpy.

“Consider it like he’s working, babe,” I sigh.

He’s glaring at his phone as if it was some vicious creature. If it wasn’t the expensive smartphone kind, I bet he would have already smashed it.

“I’m just saying. A call once in a while would be nice.”

“He is working. In his wolf form, Danny. Have you ever tried texting with your paws?”

“Why are you defending him?” he pouts.

“I’m the one ignoring Nate so I don’t have to tell him I’m pregnant before Clark decides to throw my ass in the street or not! So I kind of understand what Boyan is going through!”

“Who knows if he really is working? Hm? Have you heard from him? Or Nora?”

I roll my eyes. Daniel is a fucking drama queen when he is in one of his jealous episodes. At least it’s better than watching TV.

“Daniel, stop the insecurity episode right now. Boyan is gay for you, like literally. He makes you breakfast every time he’s here!”

“Carlo made breakfast too, and he still cheated on me!”

“Yeah, I remember, his coffee was disgusting. But Boyan is cute, nice, and caring. So now, can you grab that stupid smartphone of yours to order my pizza or do I have to get up?”

“That’s a different matter. With Juan, anyway, I…”

“ Elena…? ”

I frown. Was that Nora? I can barely recognize her voice. What’s wrong with her?

“ Nora? Nora, why are you crying, are you okay? What’s wrong? ”

“ Elena, can I come to your place? I have nowhere to go. ”

Nowhere to go? Isn’t she staying at that place the King bought her? Boyan told us it was a huge penthouse and all.

“ What? But what about your… ”

“ … I’m not going back there. ”

Something happened. I can tell in her voice. Her wolf’s crying, whimpering loudly. It almost makes me want to cry too, our bond is so strong.

“ Okay, okay. Do you know where you are? We will come and get you, okay? ”

She gives me the name of some restaurant, and I recognize it immediately, I ate there with Nate before. I get up to grab my coat under Daniel’s surprised eyes.

“What are you doing?”

“Grab the car keys, we are going to the Blood Moon territory.”

“No, we are not! Why would we–?”

“Nora needs me. Danny, we are going or I’m going alone.”

He opens his mouth to protest but realizes I’m serious as hell.

“Oh, damn you, woman!”

We get ready in a hurry, and that walk to the car is probably the longest I’ve taken in days, but Moon Goddess, it feels great! Daniel insists I get in the back, and I don’t protest. It’s pouring outside, but I can feel Nora so intensely. Her sadness seeps into me. What happened to her? What about Boyan? And her mate, the King?