Gypsy Moon

Chapter Twenty-two: Lilian

. . . . . . (early July)

"That was horrifying. I hate you for making me see that." I laughed as Bryce shivered in revulsion.

"No, that was adorable, and I am going to have a full dozen now, just because you're afraid of them." I skipped happily, backwards; I was trusting him to tell me before I tripped on anything. Luna Marie's baby was the cutest, fattest baby I had ever seen. Luna Marie was thrilled with her, her two-year-old son was less enthusiastic until someone let him hold her. Watching the brotherly love wash over his little face made everyone in the room 'awww' at him.

Except Bryce. He was stuck in a corner, looking at the baby like it was made of nightmares. I thought he was going to die on the spot when Luna Marie asked if he would like to hold her. His face was sheet white, and he stared at the infant like he expected it to burst into flames. He actually begged me to leave then.

I smiled at him; he was still having waves of goosebumps.

"Why are you so scared of babies?" He shuddered.

"Because they are smelly vomit fountains, armed with hair triggers and air horns for lungs." His description made me trip, and I was laughing when he helped me back to my feet.

"Now I'm going to have a baker's dozen- oooh!" A shiver shot through my body, heat pooling in my stomach, before spreading to my entire body in a wave like an o****m. I looked up at Bryce and saw the same thing seemed to be happening to him.

"Ha!" He ran his hand through his mohawk and laughed, pulling me into a quick hug. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

"What was that?" He turned my head to the side, looking at my neck and nodding to himself.

"Well, I do believe our Alpha just marked our Luna. And she must have returned the favor in kind." He turned the side of his neck to me. I didn't know what I was looking for until he pointed at a small mark behind his ear. It looked like a birthmark, but it was shaped oddly.

"That looks like a wolf, sorta. But like, there is a moon in it too, and that might be a heart? I don't know." I shook my head.

"Yours looks just like that as well, Aiden and Sinah should have much larger versions, right here." He touched my shoulder where it curved into my neck. "This is our pack symbol, it seems. I guess the Goddess decided them marking each other was enough to make the pack official. There is usually a lot more ceremony and pomp." I laughed suddenly.

"But that would be NORMAL Bryce. We can't have that now, can we?" He roared with laughter.

"No. No, we can't." He started when my phone rang. "I'm going to go harass Aiden, now." I nodded and pulled out my phone while he jogged away. The caller ID flashed, and I smiled, pressing the answer icon.

"Hey Kyle, how's your day going?"

"What the hell just happened?"

"Huh? What happened?"

"That's what I'M asking! I was talking to a customer, and I felt really weird... like..."

"Like you just had a little o****m?" My mind was racing.

"Yeah, just like that. I knew it! It went through me and then the customer flipped because a red spot showed up on my neck and she was screaming that I was breaking out in hives and did anyone have an EPI pen, and all I could think was that I wanted to give someone a hi5, and that I needed to talk to you. So, I ran home and called you. I have no idea what is going on at the diner now." I smiled as he rambled, my smile threatened to cut my head completely in half.

"Kyle. You and I are going to have a REALLY long conversation, and very soon, but trust me, this isn't an over-the-phone conversation."

"Where are you? I'll come to you. You said you had to be gone for two weeks. I'll let Natalie run the diner while I'm gone. Could you send me an address?" My smile was so broad I was starting to get strange looks from the wolves walking by. A she-wolf stopped in concern when she saw the tears running down my face.

"Hang on just one second, Kyle."

"Lili-" I lay the phone on my breast and smiled at the woman.

"Happy tears, don't worry." She nodded and smiled and continued on her way. I wiped my face and took a deep breath before putting the phone back against my ear.

"Kyle?"

"Lilian! Talk to me!"

"Kyle, I have to talk to Sinah and the guys we left with before I can answer any of your questions, so I have to ask you to please, please wait for me to call you back in just a little bit. I swear this is a totally wonderful thing though, okay?" He was quiet for a moment.

"I'm still going to start packing." I nodded even though he couldn't see it.

"That's actually a good idea. I'll call you back in a bit. Love you!"

"Wha-?" I disconnected the call and squealed, to the alarm of several nearby wolves.

"Heh, sorry, happy screeching." I laughed and ran for the packhouse.

I could not wait to find the others.

. . . . . .