Gypsy Moon

Chapter Forty-four: Aiden

. . . . . . (mid July)

I stared at the boy silently as he ate a dinner that could have fed three adult wolves. The human waitress at the diner chuckled and said she had a kid about his age that ate just as much. I certainly hoped she was exaggerating; I had a feeling one of my parents would actually call and ask why our food charges looked like my pack doubled overnight.

He still wouldn't talk, occasionally we could get him to respond through a mind link, but he seemed to prefer communicating through derisive huffs and scathing glares. Of course, Rhys was delighted with his surly demeanor, though he did remind me of the kid's fondness for music.

He looked familiar; I couldn't quite place why. I began humming a tune softly and he looked up at me, startled. I tilted my head and hummed louder, he stared at me like I was a phantom. Bryce gasped and the boy glared suspiciously as Bryce's eyes clouded over. I trailed off and he turned his glare back on me.

"Lilian, please contact Desert Falcon and ask if they would be agreeable to host the Alpha family of the Frozen Crescent wolves." He blinked and looked at me like he thought I had lost my mind. Sinah and Lilian frowned as they tried to place the pack name. He snorted in irritation and shook his head, turning his attention back to his food. I felt the rest of the pack open their minds to me. Sinah's calm voice spoke first.

/:Do you know who he is?:/ Bryce and I nodded in unison, not taking our eyes off of the disgruntled teenager.

/:I think he's Frozen Crescent's second son.:/

/:The Luna told me about it when we were there, they had a major attack on their packhouse a while back and their second son was never found, even though the attacking pack was decimated.:/ I nodded at Bryce.

/:I think the timing is about right, too, and they aren't really far from where we found him.:/ Kyle frowned.

/:What does that mean for us? Won't they want him back if he's their kid?:/ I shook my head slowly.

/:Of course, but I somehow doubt even family ties will get him to leave Sinah. He swore himself to HER, not me.:/ I noticed Lilian making a note on her tablet, her ability to multi-task was awe-inspiring. /:Frozen Crescent is a good pack, honest and strong. I believe it is more likely we now have an iron-clad alliance with them as well.:/ Kyle blinked.

/:As well?:/ Sinah and I grinned and we hooked our fingers together, glancing at Lilian. She smirked and pointed to us in turn.

"White Moon. River Talon." The boy startled again and growled. Lilian blushed in embarrassment, and we all looked guilty. I shook my head.

"I'm sorry, pup. I just think I might know your parents." He growled and scoffed, rising from his seat. He stomped out of the diner, and we all trailed after him. He waited until he was safely hidden beside the camper before he shifted. Lilian sighed and made another note on her tablet as his outfit, HER outfit, was destroyed.

He was very small for a wolf, not much larger than a German Shepard, most likely due to his upbringing. But he was quite handsome. His coat was super short, with smoky fur, dozens of greys swirled across his pelt like they had been painted in watercolor.

He was also angrily shaking a bush he had uprooted. Lilian walked towards him with a grin, and he snarled at her, but she didn't stop moving. She leaned forward and stroked his head like he was a house pet and he growled softly.

"Don't worry, my friend. The Crazy Frappe is only super weird when it happens to you. You'll get used to it." Sinah began laughing and he dropped the bush to stare at her. The rest of us smiled knowingly as he searched our faces and he huffed in disbelief. He shook his head and stalked into the camper, still in wolf form. Bryce and I blinked.

"Son of a b***h!" He scrambled back out of the camper at my outburst, his ears flat against his skull, and he flattened himself to the ground defensively, fear plain on his features. I felt like I had been stabbed, and I sat on the ground heavily. His face shifted to concern, and he crept to my side, sniffing anxiously. I panted and lifted my hand to touch his side, raising my head to stare directly into his eyes.

"I cannot tell you how sorry I am, Gyam." He tilted his head in confusion and glanced around the pack, his confusion growing. "I did not mean to frighten you." He blinked at me and snorted. Bryce chuckled sheepishly and he shifted his skeptical gaze towards him.

"We were surprised, you are small enough to be in the camper in wolf form." He blinked at us like we were simpletons and I laughed.

"I don't know about Bryce, but I was jealous." He blinked and stared at me while I grinned. I had never seen abject bafflement on a wolf's face before and I started to laugh. He turned away from us silently and calmly climbed into the camper once more. Still in wolf form. I laughed harder and stood up, herding my pack into the camper behind him.

"Bryce, will you and Mir drive tonight?" He nodded and slid into the driver's seat again as the pup made a point of sitting in the passenger seat. He deliberately made eye contact long enough to give me a sarcastic growl and lifted his paw to touch the button on the music player with his claw.

I'm not sure what the first two songs that played were, even the kid's muzzle was gaping in a grin by the time we stopped laughing and Bryce started driving.

. . . . . .