“Sort of. It’s Bobo who started, actually. Since we are werewolves, there are always big internal struggles with the money, deeds, and who gets more power and stuff. It’s like a Mafia, and the Boss certainly works that way. He never forgives anyone who oversteps their boundaries or tries to double-cross him. He has them all shaking whenever he enters a room. Thanks to that, it’s going smoothly, but trust me, some guys can never sleep well.”
This doesn’t come as a surprise to me. Saying that it works like a Mafia doesn’t only apply to Damian’s group, but all the packs as well. It’s all about power between werewolves. We learn to respect and submit to the strongest and fight to survive. The territory wars are no joke. Some packs are known to be more peaceful than others, but no one wants to step a foot on the wrong turf.
Considering this, the Blood Moon Pack needs just as many assets to strengthen its power over Silver City. Being a strong wolf means nothing if you have to beg others for money, or don’t have a proper place to let your pack live in. From what I’ve seen so far, Damian doesn’t have this kind of problem... I wonder how and when he got that powerful.
Tonia finally parks in front of a colossal shopping mall I’ve never seen before. She is smiling so brightly, it’s almost blinding.
“Here we go! Shopping time!”
Bobo lets out a low growl, and I’m pretty sure he’s not as enthusiastic as his sister.
I soon understand why. It was nice for the five or six first shops we visited. Tonia loves to try on lots of different things, dress me up like a doll, and run around to see what she might have missed. Her shopping technique is a bit scary, as I’ve never seen someone pick out clothes so fast. Only brands too! I feel a bit shy standing in the middle of such high-class items, but Tonia is clearly used to it. I wonder how she gets the money to pay for all that, though she only buys one-tenth of everything she tries. I try to keep her from buying me things, too, as my wardrobes are already full, but Tonia doesn’t care. When we leave the tenth shop, I’m carrying more shopping bags thandecent, and my feet are killing me. I have to beg Tonia for mercy.
“Tonia, I’m just going to grab something to drink. Can you meet us at the café we saw upstairs earlier?”
“Sure, sure. But stay with Bobo!” She says while looking into a pair of jeans.
“Promise.”
The big wolf is only too happy to accompany me to the third floor and escape his sister’s shopping marathon. We walk away side by side, and, once again, I wonder how come nobody says anything about the enormous beast walking around in broad daylight. I mean, werewolves are nothing new in Silver City, but he’s as big as a bear!
We find a table in a corner, and Bobo hops on the bench. I order two lemonades since I’ve seen him drink some at home. Gosh, I’m so tired! I don’t know how Tonia can run around on her heels all day.
The mall is actually not so crowded. It’s a Tuesday, after all, so no surprise there. I like this place, it’s all white,rather neat, and clean without being too pompous. There are three floors, the two upper ones being open so we can see downstairs. I like to look around to watch what people are doing. It’s mostly early Christmas shoppers, I would say. December is already starting next week, after all.
While I’m lost in thoughts, I suddenly get a chill. My wolf starts growling, and I instinctively get on my guard, too. I feel like someone’s observing me. I look around, but aside from us, the café barely has more than a couple of customers. I still can’t shake off this uneasy feeling. Something’s off.
“Bobo?”
He stood up and has started growling, too, standing against my leg in a protective stance. We wait, looking all around to understand what’s going on, but for a while, nothing happens. The uneasy feeling gradually disappears, and after a couple of minutes, I spot Tonia running towards us.
“Nora! What’s wrong? Bobo said something was happening!”
“I don’t know. I feel like someone was watching me. I’m not sure, and we saw no one.” I answer while looking nervously around me.
Tonia looks all around us, too, but everything seems normal. I’m sure someone was staring at me, and it gave me the creeps. My wolf instincts don’t lie.
“Whatever it was, it’s gone... But I don’t like this. If someone’s watching you, that’s no good, Nora.”
“Could it be someone else Damian sent to protect me?”
Tonia shakes her head.
“No. The Boss only trusts Bobo and me for your security. He would have told me if anyone else was supposed to watch you. And Bobo didn’t pick up any familiar scent either; it’s definitely not someone from our pack.”
She sits, still on her guard. But I think whoever it was, they’re gone... Tonia then grabs one of the bags and gives it to me. I frown while opening it and turns out it contains a small box wrapped with a Christmas-themed paper. She gives me a smile.
“Sorry, it’s actually for your birthday, but they only had this kind of wrapping. An early birthday present, though you should have had one sooner.”
I open the present, curious to know what it is. It’s a brand-new smartphone! I know this Korean brand, and it’s the latest model, too! Tonia even picked a white case and some very girly and shiny stickers so I can decorate it. She shows me how to use it, and in the contacts, she already put her number, as well as Damian’s.
Without warning, I can’t help but let out a few tears.
“Nora! What’s wrong, baby girl, why are you crying? You don’t like it? Should I have picked a different model? Or is it the color?”
She is so panicked about my tears that I can’t help but laugh at her questions. I wipe out my tears to answer, a bit embarrassed to be crying in public.
“No, no, Tonia, it’s awesome, really. I... I just... I haven’t received a present in years, so I’m really touched. Thank you so much.”
