The Chronicles of Moon
Chapter 56

Cookies for Breakfast

Luckily for everyone, the rest of the night goes smoothly as they fall easily into the routine of getting Bella fed and settled in her new room. Moon had unpacked Bella’s few things first and noted the things the little girl would need. They asked Bella over dinner how she wanted her room decorated, which had Bella buzzing with excitement. Talking about everything bunny themed. It seems to be her new favorite animal.

Ann was going to pick Bella up from school the next day and keep an eye on her while Moon and Colin were gone. She said she had plenty of baking to keep the child occupied. She even offered to keep her overnight if need be. Colin had never been so uncomfortable talking to the older woman in his life. He could hear her chuckling and knew she would have probably winked at him if they had been face to face.

Colin and Moon have yet to announce anything to the pack, and he knows they all know by now anyway. He will still have to do a formal introduction and announce her to the pack, it is what is expected after all. With the joining of packs and everything else going on, he just has yet to make the time for formality, but he has a few plans to rectify that soon.

As they lay in bed, Moon quickly falls asleep, curled in his arms and gently breathing next to him. He curls himself around her more for his comfort than hers. The feeling of dread at losing her to Maddox and Caleb is eating away at him slowly. He knows he would go mad if anything happened to her. He isn’t strong enough to live without her now that he has her.

When Moon wakes, the sun isn’t even up yet, but she is wide awake. She tries to wiggle free of Colin, and as she suspected, he would he holds her closer to him, groaning softly.

“You wake up too early, you know that?” He grumbles in her hair, snuggling his face in a little further.

“So, I have been told. I can’t help it. I’m an early riser, and you need to let me go. I need to pee.” She laughs and wiggles more.

“Fine, you win.” He reluctantly agrees and lets her free of his arms. She shivers at the loss of his warmth rushing off to the bathroom.

When she returns to the room, Colin breathing softly again, still sleeping. He clearly doesn’t share her love of early mornings, and she smiles, tiptoeing out of the room. She begins looking around the kitchen as a sleepy Bella joins her dragging Bunny with her. She takes him everywhere with her, even to school, refusing to part with him. The teacher said it would be acceptable to let her have it during the school day if it helped Bella feel more comfortable.

“You are up early, Bells.” Moon smiles at her warmly, but Bella doesn’t return the smile wiping her eyes.

“I had a bad dream.” She mutters, looking close to tears. Moon has the small girl wrapped in a hug stroking her hair before the first tear can fall.

“Do you want to tell me about it?” She gently asks, but Bella shakes her head. “That’s okay. You don’t have to, but sometimes it helps. I’m always willing to listen, okay?” Bella just nods, and after a moment, she pulls her face from Moon’s shoulder and looks at her.

“What were you looking for?” Bella seems to think changing the subject is her best option.

“Oh, I was wondering if I could find everything I need to make scrambled eggs,” Moon replies, smiling. She’s pretty confident in her ability to not mess those up to badly. “Or we can get dressed and go downstairs for breakfast. I’m sure Ann has something good down there.”

“Oh yes, please, I want to see Ann.” Bella beams, making Moon smile as well.

“Okay, then you go and get dressed, and I will as well.” Bella is off like a shot knowing full well Ann will slip her a cookie even if it is only breakfast. Ann always has cookies to sneak to the pack’s pups.

Moon manages to slip into the closet and dress quickly. As Colin sleeps, she runs a brush through her hair and throws it up in a ponytail. She finds Bella in her room struggling with the brush tangled in her hair and offers to help. Moon puts Bella’s hair up and leaves a note for Colin on the counter. The last thing she needs is for him to wake up and find them gone.

Bella bounces the entire way downstairs with Bunny tucked under her arm. The dining hall is filled with people even this early, and Moon is happy to see Ben and Emily there as well as Jonny and Chris. Emily smiles and waves to her to join them. Bella takes Moon’s hand, a bit nervous about all the new faces she sees.

“It’s okay. Come meet some of my pack.” Moon says.

“Well, are they going to stay here forever like you?” Bella asks and Moon pauses a moment. Some might stay, but when this is over, and things are safe again for them, will they leave and rebuild? Can they rebuild?

“I don’t know, but they are here now, and it will take time to repair the town. But I hope they all stay.” She answers honestly.

They make it to the table, and Moon sees many people she knows, and she is smiling happily that they are all here. She makes a mental note that she will have to make sure they are all settling in alright.

“Wow, it’s so early, and the dining room is packed. Ben, Emily, this is Bella. Bella, you know Chris and his mate Johnny, right? Oh, and the baby is Rose.” Moon introduces Bella, and she smiles sweetly at the new faces.

“Hello, Bella, ” Ben and Emily smile back.

“Yeah, most of the pack is still settling in, and I think they like being close to one another,” Ben says through bites of bacon.

“Moon, I’m hungry.” Bella tugs her arm, looking at the large buffet table and licking her lips. Moon smiles at her.

“You think you can manage to get some food then?” Moon asks, but she can see Ann standing close by, knowing she’ll help Bella fill her plate.

“Oh yes, but here you watch Bunny for me.” The child holds the stuffed animal out, and as soon as Moon takes it, Bella beelines straight for Ann. Moon laughs when she sees Ann hand Bella a large cookie.

“Ann spoils the pups.” She says when Emily looks at her, wondering what she is laughing at. “Just you wait; Rosie will be getting cookies for breakfast, too, pretty soon”

She sits next to Emily, Rose is fussing as usual, and Moon holds her hands out for the squirming baby so her mother can eat. Emily happily gives her Rose and sighs.

“I swear she is the fussiest baby I have ever seen. I don’t remember my brothers being that bad.” She sighs harder, drinking her coffee like her life might depend on it.

“Oh, they were,” Moon assures her but Rose coos and calms down in Moon’s arms.

“You need to tell me how you do that every time she is with you she’s smiling and happy.” Emily is feeling a little jealous of Moon’s power over the baby.

“I don’t know, just have a knack with babies.” Moon shrugs; she never had a hard time calming babies down when they cried. It’s why she watched all the children in her pack. They just liked her.

“Well, it’s a gift,” Ben says, and the whole table is visibly more relaxed now that Rose is happy.

Ann is walking back with Bella and smiling about as brightly as Bella with the giant cookie sitting on her plate with her breakfast.

“I hope you don’t mind,” Ann says, pointing at the cookie. Moon giggles shaking her head. “I am okay to walk Bella to school if you would like. I know you and Alpha want to start out early this morning.” Ann offers.

“That would be great, Ann.” Colin answers behind Moon, “You couldn’t wait for me, huh?”

“Look, Colin, I got a cookie.” Bella cheers taking a big bite.

“Nope Ann has cookies.” Moon shrugs, looking up to see him towering over her.

“This is true. I’ll bring you something to eat if you want.” He offers, kneeling down, so she doesn’t have to look straight up at him.

“No thanks.” Moon is already thinking about the car ride and dreading it. Colin looks at her critically but doesn’t say anything just stands and walks over to the buffet table, grabbing a bottle of water and bringing it back to her.

“I would feel better if you did eat something,” Ann says, looking like a worried mother.

“Oh, trust me, you won’t think that once she gets in the car.” Johnny pitches in and Moon shoots him a look. “What, it’s true. I have never seen anyone get as sick as you do.”

“Thanks, Johnny.” Moon sighs, “We should probably get going soon anyway.” Moon looks at Colin for confirmation, knowing he probably has people waiting to leave and follow them there. If she knows him at all, he had it planned out like a military mission the moment she agreed to go.

“I’m ready when you are.” He replies. He may look calm, but inside, his stomach is in as many knots as Moon’s, but he’s just hoping they find something to help her shift into her wolf.

Moon hands Rose to Ben, thinking he had enough time to eat, and Emily looks like she could use the break. Rose starts to fuss almost instantly.

“Thanks.” Ben breathes. He wanted to finish the rest of the sausage on his plate in peace.

“You’re welcome, Benny.” Moon smirks as she and Colin say goodbye to Bella and wipe the chocolate off her face. As She turns to leave, she hears Chris laughing at the nickname and the shade of red Ben has turned.

Leaving the dining hall Moon sees the cute nurse she had been jealous of and Rachel sitting and talking alone at a table in the corner. Moon watches them for a moment noticing now they look very similar.

“Colin, does Rachel have a sister?” She asks, and Colin follows her gaze to the table.

“Yeah, they’re twins.”

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