CHAPTER 05 Red Light

　　Desiree

　　My mother wrote me a thank you letter after she received the tickets. She promised not to share the meals with Rob and eat them at the park before going home. It was the least I could do. Apparently, the tickets could pay for some doctors appointments too. Whereas she would exchange meal tickets for treatment by moon doctors. The moon doctors would appreciate it because it is a great privilege to afford Blood meals and only the tickets could buy a Moon member Blood meals because it meant the Moon was a royal servant. My mother decided to use some of it to see if she could prolong her life a bit longer so she could guide me through the changes when my wolf comes. I couldn't count on her succeeding, but I appreciated her effort.

　　TWO WEEKS LATER

　　After the dinner service, I decided to go to the moon park in town to relax with some leftover dessert. The moons were happy I was working for Adam because the meals were delicious, and Sandy and Kate cooked in high quantities, which left a lot for us to share. The moon workers weren't much, so it was enough in small portions.

　　I sat on the bench in the desolate, and dead park, and looked up at the full moon. There was a time the pack was green, and it flourished, but now, it was a dead wasteland scorched by war and magic. The air was filled with ash, but it was all the moons were allowed. We had to make do at that park.

　　"You shouldn't be out here alone," I heard Prince Adams voice, and I jumped. I behaved like someone that was caught red-handed.

　　I kept my face to the ground out of fear.

　　"Good evening, your highness," I greeted him. Wondering what he was doing at the moon pack.

　　"You shouldn't be here your highness, the air is not suitable for your health," I warned, remembering what I was told about his well being and my life.

　　"Neither should you," he said, sounding indifferent," Are you waiting for your boyfriend?" he asked, and I shook my head.

　　"No, your highness, I have none," I said, and he was silent a bit.

　　"I want to eat, and I need my food taster to taste them for me before I eat them," he said, and I nodded, ready to follow him.

　　As he walked, I walked behind him. He tried to walk next to me, but I always lagged a bit so that I fall behind.

　　"You do not need to walk behind me, Desiree," He said

　　"I will get into trouble, your highness. I am just trying to survive here," I said to him with a pleading voice.

　　"You won't get into trouble if I was the one that ordered you to do it," he assured me, but I knew that was far from the truth. His command does not override his father's or the council. If I am found guilty of a crime, I will be punished, regardless of who put me up to it.

　　"Do you have a wolf yet?" he asked me.

　　"No, your highness, I am only seventeen," I replied.

　　"That explains it," he said and began to laugh, "And here I was thinking..." he said and then paused, " Never mind," and he continued to walk.

　　His behaviour was strange, but I chose to ignore it. I wasn't going to ask any questions that would get me in trouble.

　　"When is your eighteen birthday?" he asked,

　　"June twenty-sixth," I replied, and he nodded.

　　"I will keep that in mind," he said, and my heart begged him not to.

　　We got to the food truck, and to my surprise, it was a moon food truck. It looked run-down but the crescent moon painted on the side of the truck indicated it was owned by a moon. Prince Adam pulled his hood to hide his face and wore a moon badge. He ordered me to act normal. He didn't want anyone to know who he was. So I had to override my better judgement and treat him as a moon.

　　"Good evening, may we have?" I asked and waited for Adam to link me and tell me what he wanted, "Your Tuesday specials please," I asked, not knowing what that was.

　　"Desiree! how are you doing?" the food seller said and I realised it was Micheal, our nosy neighbour. He and his wife were full of it. How wondered why I never knew they sold food for a living.

　　"I heard you work for Bloods now," he said with a bit of disdain," Your father and grandfather will be rolling in their graves right now," He said, and I wanted him to shut up.

　　"You shouldn't be working for the people that killed your grandfather and absorbed his pack and took over his land and country. All of this is rightfully your mother's you know, but those thieves took it all. They can't even keep the ash away with their Science. Your grandfather kept the ash away and made our country flourish. Look at what they have done to all his hard work. The ash is coming. They might think they are safe, but it will consume this country. Lets see where they would run to then. They do not deserve your loyalty Desiree. You should be ashamed of yourself." he said, and I needed him to shut up.

　　"Tuesday special, please," I asked him, a bit short and angry.

　　"Meow!" his mate, Tandae said, " A bit feisty this evening," she said, and I said hello to her and repeated what I wanted.

　　They finally brought the Tuesday specials, which were rice and beans with fried chicken. Adam requested that they served two servings in one spot.

　　We sat side by side at the table by the food truck, and he kept his hoodie on. He opened the food and smiled.

　　"Bon appetit!" he said, and my eyes grew wide.

　　"Come on, Desiree, Let's eat as friends," he said, and I didn't know how to feel about this, but I joined in.

　　He put a spoonful in his mouth and closed his eyes to savour the taste.

　　"There is nothing better than this," he said, and I was shocked.

　　"You come here often?" I asked him, and he nodded with a grin. He looked very handsome, and my heart jumped.

　　"Don't you like the food?" he asked me, and I nodded, claiming it was okay.

　　"So your grandfather was the Alpha," he asked, sounding a bit sorry for me, and I nodded.

　　"Sorry for your loss," he said, and I nodded.

　　"That was a long time ago. I am over it." I told him

　　"They aren't," he said sounding a bit sad. "How come you are Dawson. I thought the alpha was Johnson?" he asked, and I shook my head.

　　"He was my mother's father. My father was his Beta," I said, and he nodded with realisation.

　　"Could your mother do magic?" he asked quietly, and I shook my head.

　　"It's a dormant gene in her bloodline", I replied, and he nodded.

　　"I heard my father say something like that," he replied, and I smiled.

　　"I hope this isn't awkward?" he asked me and didn't know how to respond.

　　"It is a bit. I mean, I am a moon, you are the prince and the King heir," I said, pointing out the issue, and he smiled. He sat too close to me for comfort, and I did not know what to do about it. I was afraid that someone might see us and report, but he was relaxed and confident.

　　The food was, nice, but I was too worried to enjoy it.

　　He thanked me for the company and left. The moment he left me, I relaxed. It was as if I had held my breath throughout. I became very worried and scared. I hoped for my sake that no one saw us together.

　　I returned to the packhouse. Instead of sleeping in the Blood quarters, I went to the service quarters that belonged to the moons. I did not want to go to the blood quarters.

　　I woke up early the next day and went to wait for the chefs in the kitchen. The instant they finished, we took the food to Adam's apartment. As soon as the servers, left he smiled at me and asked me to sit, but I refused.

　　"Please, your highness, I do not want to get into trouble," I said, very afraid. He was too nice for comfort. He stood up and locked the door, and then asked me to sit.

　　"I know you haven't eaten yet. Once we are done, you can leave. I promise no funny business," he said, and I reluctantly sat on the table. I dished the food, and he dished his. I tried to stop him, but he smiled. "No one is here, Desiree. You do not need to taste my food," he assured me, but I insisted. He obliged me and let me eat the food first. After fifteen minutes, he dug in.

　　We had some small talk over breakfast, and when he finished, I started packing up the dishes and leftovers. He smiled at me and retired to his room.

　　I unlocked the door and called the Omega to clear the dishes. As usual, I took the leftovers to the Moon service quarters.

　　I wasn't comfortable with Adam's behaviour towards me, especially after reading Alice's journal. I hoped for my sake that the guy doesn't fancy me because that would put me in a lot of trouble. I just wanted to keep my head on my neck, and Adam was making it difficult. I went to aunt Margret's room to rest a bit.

　　"I had a good time with you last night. Will like to do that often if you don't mind. The rice and beans were killing.." I heard Adams voices in my head through the mind link, and I shook. His voice stirred up all kinds of forbidden emotions in me that I knew I needed to be careful. He was the next King, he was a Blood, and he was engaged. It was a big red light.