His Blue Moon Princess

Avoiding Me

Tonia has her arms crossed, looking visibly pissed at me. What, are we also going to argue about this now? This is ridiculous!

“Are you trying to make my job difficult? Why do you have to work?”

How can this be a real question?! We agreed earlier that I was just… borrowing this apartment for now, but that also means I don’t intend to live here forever! I need to be able to live on my own, and getting my independence requires money! I can't just rely on Damian forever. I have to think about when I'll have to leave eventually, and when that happens, I don't want to be as hopeless as I was before. I almost died by the hands of my brother, and I let my pack step all over me. I'm not taking chances a second time. But I can't tell her any of this for now.

“Tonia, I need a job, I need money. I told you, I don’t want to feel indebted or anything. Staying here is already too much for me.”

“Will you stop with this stupid money issue?! You haven’t been here for 24 hours yet, and you’re already talking about leaving, and getting a job and everything.”

“Because that is the correct thing to do, Tonia! I’ve never relied on anyone, and I don’t want to!”

Tonia lets out a scream of frustration, but I don’t care. How am I just supposed to accept this dream life and let myself be sheltered like a kid? Life is no fairy tale! I appreciate what Damian's been doing for me, but I don't wanna stand back and do nothing. I'm done with fearing my own shadow. I need to learn to speak and live for myself. And it starts with getting a life on my own. And a job.

“Bobo, say something!”

I doubt her brother will step in to help her. He hasn’t stopped me when I said what I was about to do, and as far as I know, he has no intention of going back to his human form just to argue with me. Even now, he’s pretending to sleep under my chair, even though we all can tell he's just ignoring his sister.

“Nora, I don’t think you realize your situation. You’re the Boss’s mate. From now on, you are going to be in danger 24/7. Do you think you’re here just because he is being nice to you? Well, there’s that, but this is also for security reasons. I thought you wanted to get away from your pack. Just consider that now you have to avoid all the other packs!”

As far as security go, yes, I did notice the 200-pounds wolf following me around all day. But I bite my lip as I realize she’s a bit right, too. I know how far Damian’s reputation goes, and it’s nothing pleasant. If anyone wanted to harm him, they could try and attack me. We may not be official partners or have mated -yet-, but what I’ve experienced of our link so far tells me we would definitely feel it if something happened to the other. My wolf agrees, too, but she just doesn't want to part with him. Or let her mate be hurt. But I don't think she cares about the "getting a job" part at all. That's human stuff. I turn to Tonia.

“How many people know I’m his fated mate?”

She looks a bit surprised by my question and actually stops frowning to think about it seriously.

“Not many, for now. We tried to keep it to a minimum. Only like, ten or eleven people perhaps, including the Boss’s brothers and mine.”  

So they’re basically concealing my existence. Not that it bothers me; I also prefer it that way.

“But nobody needs to know, right? Tonia, I could find a job far from my Clan’s turf, act normal, and no one would know I’m related to him in any way.”

“No.”

I can feel some tension in her voice, and somehow, I think there’s something else. Something she doesn’t want to tell me. But what could it be? Is it that I’m really in danger, more than I thought? But neither Tonia or Bobo really seem to be on guard. And Tonia did leave us for a couple hours earlier, something she never did when I was at the hospital.

After a long silence, both of us doing our own thinking, Tonia lets out a sigh. “Gosh, when you were mute for a few weeks, I never imagined you could be that stubborn, baby girl. You know what? If you want to work, I get it. I really do. But please, talk with the Boss before doing anything. He was definitely against it, and I don’t want to be killed because I let you work.”

I really hope Tonia's just exaggerating about the killing part. Is she? I mean, he wouldn't kill someone for something so trivial as letting me get a job, right...? I try not to think too deeply about it and just nod at her answer.

“Okay then. I will ask Damian first, I promise. But do you know when I can see him again?”

She hesitates.

“I asked him earlier, but…. he’s busy, Nora.”

The busy excuse again. I get that Damian is an Alpha and must be quite busy with such a large pack to handle, but I’m getting tired of it. He’s out there doing werewolf stuff while I’m stuck here cooking and reading books, and I hate it.

“I’m sure he’ll find time to visit you real soon,” says Tonia with a sorry look. “But meanwhile, no more talking about you getting a job, okay?”

“...Okay.”

I can see the relief on her face.

So I did wait.

To be honest, living in the apartment wasn’t as dull as living at the hospital. Maybe Tonia trying to keep me busy had some effect, too, but there was definitely a lot more to do here. Every morning, she would take me to the gym and guide me through a proper workout. She kept teaching me boxing, but I also took a liking to using the treadmill. She insisted on how I should get healthier by doing so, and gain some more energy. It certainly did help me get more confident and stronger, I think. Then, we usually went back together to shower and change, and the siblings would watch me prepare breakfast with hungry eyes.

It felt really great to willingly cook for someone else. Tonia showed me how to order the groceries online, and every day, I would prepare any dish I wanted. Tonia and Bobo were no picky eaters and could eat almost anything I wanted to try. Except when I discovered that Bobo couldn’t eat anything spicy, and they both really hated pickles. I truly loved those moments.

After that, I could do anything I want. Watch a movie, read a book or two on the terrace, play video games with Tonia, or study.

I never graduated from high school. My brother had me drop out as soon as he could, so that I could work night shifts on top of working for the Clan. I never really thought about what I would have done with a diploma. I don't think I'm the college type. But the other day, I found a few school books in the study, and Tonia revealed that those belonged to Bobo. So from that moment on, I decided to take two hours, every day, to try and do some exercises. Funny thing is, Bobo was actually the one to help me with it, as Tonia explained she couldn’t finish high school either. When I was wrong, he would make a bark, and sometimes, showed me something with his muzzle. Tonia only had to translate when he really wanted to say or explain anything specific.

Turns out, Bobo really was good at teaching, even for a wolf. He was extremely patient with me, so this made my study hours quite enjoyable. Not that I was a bad student; I think I was doing quite all right, too.

But on the other side, the days went on, and I had yet to hear from Damian. The worst thing is, Tonia would have him on the phone about three to five times a week, and he never wanted to speak with me no matter how many times I asked.   

After two weeks, I got to the only conclusion I had left: he wasn’t busy, he was avoiding me. And I’d had it. We were on the couch, and Tonia had just taken the call in the middle of some old sci-fi movie I wasn't really interested in anyway. 

“Tonia, let me talk to him.”

But she quickly hangs up, ignoring me. She shakes her head, and when I see her open her mouth to answer me, I go first before she even gets to speak.

“Not the ‘he’s busy’ excuse again, Tonia! It’s been weeks! And at the hospital, it went on for a full month, too! Let me talk to him. Please.”

I see her hesitating, turning the phone in her hands again and again. She seems really confused about what to do. But I’ve made up my mind. I’m done waiting for nothing. Bobo, who was at my feet, suddenly jumps between us on the couch and takes her phone to hand to me. His sister protests, but it’s too late. With Bobo keeping her from taking it back, I quickly search through her contacts, and though she has a lot, I finally find him, simply registered under “The Boss”. So mafia-like.

I breathe in and press the green phone button. The first ring isn’t even over yet when someone immediately picks up.

“Tonia, il est occupé. Qu’est-ce qu’il y a?”

I’m surprised. I didn’t expect to hear someone answer in French! Tonia always talks in English whenever she’s on the phone. And it’s not Damian, either. It takes me a few seconds to actually recognize this voice.

“...Nathaniel?”

“Oh, is it our princess? Hello there. What is it? Everything all right?”

“Yeah, I just… I just wanted to speak to Damian. Is he there?”

“Sure. Damian, Nora is on the phone, she wants to speak with you.”

I finally hear Damian’s voice over the phone, but he’s not talking to me. I can listen to both brothers speaking in French, and I suspect they’re arguing. Though Nathaniel sounds very calm as usual, and it’s just Damian who sounds angry. It goes on for a few seconds, and I’m biting my lip, anxious. I wish I could understand French, as well. I hope Nathaniel is trying to convince him. In front of me, Tonia is also tense and scrutinizing me. I get up to avoid her gaze and go stand by the glass wall.

They stop arguing eventually, and after a short silence, I finally hear Damian’s voice on the phone.

“Nora.”

I skip a heartbeat. How can the simple sound of my name with his voice through a phone feel so good?

“What is it?” He asks, making me realize I didn’t say anything.

“I… I wanted to talk to you. When can I see you?”

“I’m busy.”

I roll my eyes. I’m really getting tired of this sentence.

“Why won’t you see me? Don’t say you’re busy again, please.”

He stays silent, and I don’t like it. I hate it. Why can’t he give me a proper reason? I’m sure he is avoiding me, I just wish I knew why. Even now, I’m suspecting the only reason I can talk to him is that Nathaniel talked him into it. I wait a bit more, but it’s still silent on his side, though I hear some sounds on the background. Otherwise, I would have checked to see if he didn’t hang up. I decided to give it a go again.

“I need to discuss some things with you, please.”  

“Are you okay?”

His question surprised me. Did my tone get him worried now? I nod unconsciously and start nervously playing with my hair.

“Yes, everything’s fine. It’s just, I have a few things I want to discuss with you.”

“You can’t discuss it with Tonia?”

No, I want to talk to you! Gosh, he really is unwilling to see me! What could I have done to him that he will avoid me at any cost? This is so infuriating. Am I the only one with a whimpering wolf who longs to see her other half? He can’t be that cold-hearted that he would ignore his own instincts!

“No! Damian, please. I want to see you.”

I can hear him sigh, and he goes silent again. I wait, praying he won’t say no or hang up without warning. One minute, two minutes… I can feel the siblings staring at me from the couch, but I try to ignore their gazes and wait for Damian. I fiddle my hair with my fingers for what seems like forever. Then, I suddenly hear him.

“Okay. I’ll come tonight. I might come late, though.”

“Sure, I'll... I'll wait for you. Thank you.”

He hangs up.

I take a second to breathe deep. I’m seeing him tonight! 

My wolf is acting crazy, jumping around like some happy pup. I turn to Tonia with a smile, totally ecstatic. She, on the other hand, has gone pale from all the anxiety.

“Tonia, he said yes! He is coming here tonight.”

“What? Really! Thank Moon Goddess, now you can stop harassing me.”

I stick my tongue out to her, but I don’t care. I’ve gone from anxiety to happiness in just a few seconds, with one word from him. That’s crazy.  

...And now I’m all nervous again. Damian’s coming. My fated mate is coming. Here! He's coming here! And this time I’m not half-conscious or sleepy. Get a grip, Bluemoon!

“Nora, you’re bright red, baby girl. Bobo says it’s cute. And he wants to know if we can have lunch now.”