The Chronicles of Moon
Chapter 41

Bells

The little girl still stands there fuming and pouting a moment before marching into the room. She brushed the stray tear away quickly, and Moon hid her smile.

“So, Bella, right?” Moon says, closing the door just a little, but it is still partly open. Moving closer to where the girl stopped marching, looking at the half-unpacked box of things on the floor. Moon followed her line of sight to the item in the box that seemed to be holding the small girl’s attention.

Moon sat down by the box and pulled out the stuffed bunny. It was soft and floppy, gently loved. It was one of the last stuffed animals Gramps had gotten her when she turned sixteen. Yes, Moon was a little old for stuffed animals, but that didn’t matter to her. She loved it just the same.

“I see you have found Bunny,” Moon says, looking at the floppy rabbit and then at the girl who looks like she longs to hold it. Moon holds it out to Bella, smiling, “you can hold it if you want.”

The girl actually smiles at Moon and sits down on the floor as soon as she has the fluffy white bunny in her arms. “Bunny,” the girl muttered as she holds onto it. “I had a bunny like this once.”

“What happened to it?” Moon asks.

“It got lost when we ran away from my pack.” The girl says with no real feeling behind it. Moon’s head is full of questions. Now, who is this girl? Where is she from? Why is she so attached to Colin?

Moon is getting ready to ask when there is a knock at the door, and it slowly opens more. Colin is standing there, looking at the two sitting on the floor. “I thought that was you I smelled, Bells.” He says, looking at the girl. Then Moon, like he had a bit of explaining to do. The girl squeals and jumps up, flinging herself at Colin, who catches her in his arms, hugging her.

“You left me all alone, and I was sad.” The girl whimpers into his shoulder.

“I told you I had to go,” Colin says.

“Yes, but I didn’t think you meant for days and nights.” Bella still whines a bit.

Colin pulls her back a little to look at her face. “Well, I told you I had to go to Big Springs pack and that I would be back as soon as I could be. Now I see you have met Moon.” Colin is gentle with the girl, and Moon is in awe of how sweet he is with her. Somehow she didn’t think he would like children or have time to talk to them the way he is with this girl.

“I did.” The girl is curt, and Colin picks up on her immediate dislike of Moon.

“Oh, I see.” Colin simply says. “You don’t seem very happy for me.”

“Well, I was going to grow up and be with you forever.” The girl innocently confesses, and Colin chuckles. Well, the Moon goddess had other plans. You are still a little girl and will be for a long time. I will be too old for you anyway, and you know it. I think you just don’t want to lose time with me here in the packhouse, and you won’t. I told you that.”

“So I can still be your sister, then?” She asks, seeming satisfied with his answer and squirming out of his arms. He sets her down on her feet, and she jostles the stuffy in her arms, seemingly making it dance.

“Maybe you should just odapted me,” Bella says carelessly.

Colin clears his throat, a little lost for words now and trying to hide it. “Bells, why don’t you go and play? I bet they are looking for you.” Colin tilts his head knowingly, and Bella smiles at him sheepishly

“Okay.” She sighs, going to give Moon back the bunny.

“Why don’t you keep that safe for me,” Moon says, and the girl lights up, squealing again, hugging the stuffy tightly and scurrying out the door with it.

Moon looks at Colin, expecting some kind of an explanation now. Colin walks over to her and holds out his hand. She takes it, and he helps her up.

“Okay, I will tell you about it over dinner then.” Colin shoots her a funny smirk, and she eyes him suspiciously.

“Fine, but I’m not fighting her for you. I think she would win.” Moon teases and Colin laughs.

“She is a handful.” Colin remarks leading Moon out of the room and to the double doors. Moon hesitates a moment, and Colin smiles. “Don’t you trust me?” He acts hurt.

“Not really.” Moon quips back at him but smiling.

He opens one door and leads her into the sweet. The whole wing of the house has been turned into an apartment. Moon hadn’t been expecting that. She just thought it would be a large master bedroom of sorts. Not an apartment with a kitchen. Moon can see the table set for two, and he leads her to the island counter adjacent to the table.

“Would you care for a glass of wine before dinner is ready?” Colin asks. Moon can see the pots on the stove and smell the alfredo sauce cooking. She can even smell garlic bread, and the salad is neatly sitting on the spotless counter.

The whole apartment is neat and clean but a bit bland. There is little to suggest a person lives there. No pictures, no color other than red and dark brown, just plain and boring-looking white walls with splashes of red and dark wood accents.

“So you can cook?” Moon questions looking around still.

“Yes, Kitten, I can cook. They teach you more than military schematics at that fancy academy.” Colin has moved into the kitchen and is watching Moon look around. She blushed when he called her kitten, but she didn’t protest. “So, red or white wine?” Colin isn’t a big drinker, but wine does little to affect wolves, so he doesn’t see the harm in it.

“White, please.” Moon looks at him standing in the kitchen and smiles. “It’s a little bland in here, don’t you think? It hardly looks like you live here.”

“Well, I’m sure you can fix that.” Colin smiles, handing her a glass of wine.

Moon sips it. “So, Bella?” Moon presses, and Colin sighs.

“She came here a year ago. Her pack was attacked, and her parents were killed as they fled. She was so scared it took a month before she would talk to anyone. I had nearly given up on her coming back to us. Another member of her pack pulled her off her mom. It wasn’t good. Bells wouldn’t eat or talk, and I thought I had to try and help her. She took to me. I guess she likes grumpy and boring.” Colin shrugs a little, “She won’t stay in the orphanage or school long, but she just runs away here, so we kind of let her. At least we know where she is. She generally hangs around the kitchen and helps Ann.”

“Well, she loves you,” Moon says, sipping her wine and sitting on a stool at the counter.

“That’s new, for sure. I know she heard about you, and while she is usually happy to act as a little sister, she has never wanted me to adopt her. I think she is just afraid to lose people again. She doesn’t talk about her family like they are gone. She knows they are, but she still acts like they will be here to get her any day. I don’t know what to do for her.” Colin is clearly worried for the girl, and Moon’s heart breaks thinking about the girl.

“Well, looks to me like we are starting a family sooner than expected.” Moon winks at Colin, making him choke on his drink.

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