"I accept." Naya said decisively.
Adam remained in his seat, while Maxwell walked Naya to the car, thoughtful and worried about his brother.
He opened the door for Naya and arched his eyebrow sarcastically, but she pretended not to notice his allusion to ancient times and got into the car.
On the way, they both remained silent. After a few minutes, Maxwell asked with a serious look on his face.
"Do you want to stay at the company or at home?"
"I want you to stop the car a few blocks before my house. If Dad sees you, he'll kill you."
Maxwell smiled.
"Would he know how to do that?"
"It doesn't matter. He'd try, and... You must feel pain, right?"
"Why don't you try to find out, Naya?"
She looked ahead thoughtfully.
"I know it's a precocious feeling, but... I don't want to hurt someone who's important to my ex-fiancé."
Maxwell nodded, and parked the car. Naya looked inquiringly at him.
"It's still about fifteen minutes before I get anywhere near where I was talking about..."
"I know, Naya, but first, I need your help."
"Why should I help you?"
"Because there's a very strong reason for your 'early' feelings for Adam."
"Go on."
"Naya, Adam didn't come after you for financial reasons. He came to you because he's the Alpha."
Naya leaned back in the car seat and closed her eyes. If she kept them open, tears would come out of them. Hence the strange attraction. At no time did she think of the vampire as a partner, since he was just as beautiful as her fiancé. Why hadn't he told her? He must have felt the same way she did. He must have glimpsed their children running around a cozy, comfortable house, even though his intuition always told him that she wouldn't be happy with him.
"What do you suggest we do?" She asked without opening her eyes.
"You must know a witch. Werewolves always keep a witch around so that their instincts don't overpower them."
"Yes. That was before we were freed. The witches left the packs the moment they became useless."
"We need a witch, or... From the moon."
Naya opened her eyes and turned them back to Maxwell.
"Wait for nightfall, vampire, and look at the sky. Why do you need my help?"
"You have a connection with the moon. All the Lunas of the past have. You must call out to her tonight."
"That's fantasy."
"Humans would say the same about our existence."
"And what do I say to the moon? Hello?"
"Ask her to undo the spell of the Mist."
"The spell that freed us from the witches? You've got to be kidding."
"That spell trapped the Alpha, Naya. He won't be what he was born to be if he's stuck in Bruma."
"Are you sure that by breaking the spell that freed all the werewolves, the Alpha will be freed from this spell?"
"No. But we have to try."
"You want me to ask the Moon to break the spell that freed all the werewolves, just on the off chance?"
"Yes."
"I have a better idea."
"Then tell me."
"I'll kill Bruma. The spell she put on Alpha will die with her, and I'll ask the Moon that with Bruma's death, she'll make our freedom remain."
Maxwell was silent for a few minutes.
"That idea is unfeasible."
"Why?"
"Because Bruma is my wife."
Naya was surprised.
"Because your wife bewitched the Alpha?"
"I don't think she did it intentionally."
"Nobody casts a spell 'unintentionally'!"
Maxwell became thoughtful, and remembered something.
"My wife didn't know what she was saying. Adam manipulated her."
"He wanted to be bewitched? What you're saying doesn't make any sense."
"Adam intended to create an unbreakable bond between them, and perhaps that was the Brumas' way of taking revenge for him taking advantage of my wife's innocence."
"And you think the Moon can do something to change that?"
Maxwell took a deep breath.
"She's the only one who can."
Naya looked sideways at Maxwell.
"And what I do. Howl at the moon, and wait for it to answer me?"
Maxwell frowned.
"How do you communicate with the moon when you need to?"
"Don't be silly. Only Alpha and..." Naya fell silent. Ever since Luna had manifested inside her, she hadn't thought about everything she could do. The Lunas of the past maintained communication with the Moon, but she didn't know how to do it. Perhaps she would be the first useless Luna in history.
"You're a vampire. You must have centuries of knowledge in your mind..."
"Not about the secrets of Lunas and Alphas. Just as you don't know the secrets of vampires. If you don't know how to do it, I know of only one other person who has the necessary knowledge, to summon the Moon."
"The Alpha?"
"The Alpha."
Naya became pensive.
"Take me back to the Alpha." She finally said.
"What do you intend to do?"
"I'm going to renew my engagement. And I don't care what I have to do, vampire. It rightfully belongs to me, and I'm not giving it up that easily."
"That doesn't answer my question. I know my brother. Right now, he's probably making plans to leave."
"I'm Luna. And I'm going to marry him."
"All right. On the way back, make plans, Luna. You insulted my brother when you treated me like an inferior, disgusting creature. Think about how you're going to make up for it." Maxwell said, starting the car.
"You don't seem upset." Naya commented, frowning.
"I accept who I am, and maybe your opinion of me is right, Luna." Maxwell said and the two made the journey back in silence.
When they entered the chalet again, Adam was in the living room with a glass of cognac in his hand and stared at them without surprise in his eyes when they entered.
"You took your time. I've already ordered you to bring some other food." He said, getting up and facing Naya. "You're going to apologize to Max, and then we'll sit down to lunch, like civilized people." He ordered.
Naya looked at Maxwell and smiled at him.
"Forgive me for my behavior, brother-in-law. I never expected to meet a vampire before and... I reacted like an... Old-fashioned."
"Apology accepted." Maxwell replied, but he wasn't looking at her, he was staring at Adam.
Naya immediately realized that the connection between the brothers was greater than she could have imagined. They could communicate through their minds.