“You just pick the wrong fights, Princess.”
I roll my eyes before realizing Neal saw that. He probably thinks I’m annoyed at him and did this on purpose, but I really didn’t. He clicks his tongue, and I look somewhere else, anywhere. Bobo is yawning like he couldn’t care less. I wish I was as carefree...
The door suddenly opens, and Damian enters, followed by several people. Tonia is there, with Isaac, Vane, and Sean, too. The office suddenly feels crowded, but I stay on Damian’s desk when he walks up to me. He goes to put his arms around me, but I ignore him. I’m too angry right now; I don’t want to be hugging and acting sweet.
“Isaac. Tell us again what you just said,” he says.
Isaac nods. “The situation with the Gold Moon Clan remains stable for now. Basically, they still act like nothing is wrong, despite us shutting them out. Most of the contracts we were working on have simply been signaled as ‘on hold,’ and they still make use of our name whenever they can.”
He walks up to us, going around the desk, and uses the phone, dialing in some number. After a while, we can hear Thaddeus’ voice. They exchange a few words, and Isaac puts him on speaker.
“We are about halfway into transferring the funds, but the Gold Moon Clan is greatly objecting. Miss Nora, I reached out to your Jade Moon Clan as you suggested, and their alliance with the Pearl Moon is valid. They have been giving us a hand with the financial aspect for transfer of funds, though the progress is quite slow.”
I’m surprised, but happy to hear that. Did Vince really help in this? I knew he had a great relationship with the Pearl Moon Alpha, but I never imagined he would really be willing to use it for the Blood Moon Clan or me. So, they are transferring all the Blood Moon accounts from the Gold Moon Clan establishments to Pearl Banking?
I’m shocked at how Damian already put everything in motion. Isaac cuts off the phone and turns to us. “It’s a slow process, but we are getting there. I think the hardest part will be the aftermaths of having so many breaches of contracts and accords nullified. Basically, the Gold Moon Clan will try to play dead the longest they can and try to grab as much as they can while trying to prevent us from cutting ties.”
“What about your side?” Asks Damian to Vane and Sean.
“Everyone is following your orders, Boss. It’s gotten lively, but the guys are happy to chase outsiders off our territory. The Gold Moon got quite complacent, our wolves were waiting for it, anyway,” says Vane.
“We chased most of them off overnight. It got a bit physical, but we reminded them who has the better fighters. No killings, but a few broken bones,” adds Sean with a smirk.
Damian nods.
So, this is really happening. The Blood Moon is cutting ties with the Gold Moon Clan. How will the other Clans react? I keep thinking about the dynamics between the packs in Silver City. It’s a very fragile peace with have going on.
“What do we do about Liam?” Asks Tonia.
Nathaniel rolls his eyes. “He doesn’t want us to help him, so leave him be. Knowing Liam, they might even beg us to take him back within the next three hours...”
Nobody contests that. I would think Liam tends to get himself out of these situations just fine. I just wish he wasn’t basically hiding from this mess.
Isaac gives me a faint smile. “You scared us, miss Nora. Going to the Sapphire Moon Clan territory like that was a bit dangerous...”
Great, I am really getting to get scolded by all the Betas now?
Damian seems to be suddenly reminded of the matter, and his angry aura almost explodes in the room. “What the hell were you thinking? Going with those two again! Nora, you could really have been killed! And with what happened yesterday, what if this sicko had found you? You didn’t even tell me a thing before going!”
“You would have never let me go if I had asked you!”
“And for a good reason! The Sapphire Moon hates us, they could have killed you on the spot, and this isn’t like the Jade Moon Clan or the Sea Moon! This is damn serious, Nora, we are enemies! What the hell were you doing there!”
“I went to try and help you!” My yelling seemed to shock a lot of people, aside from Bobo. “I know canceling your engagement with the Gold Moon Clan will bring a lot more issues than you tell me! Liam told me about how things were with the Sapphire Moon Clan, and whatever it is, this doesn’t look good! I couldn’t leave it at that, so I went there to try and negotiate an Oath of Peace with them.”
“An Oath of Peace? Nora, we are not even on speaking terms with those people! One single step on their territory could have gotten all three of you killed!” Yells Damian.
“Now that you mention it... How did you guys manage to go this far?” Asks Nathaniel.
I sigh. “That’s the thing. It turns out I have a lot more in common with the Sapphire Moon than the Jade Moon.”
Damian frowns again, and I can tell he is thinking hard right now, probably reminiscing everything William said earlier. All the others look concerned, too, so I breathe in and start to explain. I tell them everything. How I met William’s father, his hatred for the Black Brothers’ father. I describe the painting the best I can, how much Queen Diane and I look alike, and all of her story William told me. When I stop, after explaining how William decided to keep Liam as an exchange for myself, the room stays completely silent, each of them in awe.
Tonia shakes her head as if she’s trying to wake up. “You’re saying... you are the grand-daughter of this Moon Goddess reincarnation, Queen Diane? And the Sapphire Moon Alpha’s... cousin?” She asks, bewildered.
“His second cousin, supposedly, yes.”
“Well, that would explain how you are so pure as a Royal...”
