52

The sun had already begun to set when Ari woke from the previous night's events. Mika had already left the room hours before to get a head start on his duties. A knock on the door was what had woken her really, and another came a bit louder. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, "Come in." a young girl with glowing green eyes entered the room with a tray of fruit and cup of what smelled like fresh sun brew tea. Ari looked at the girl, she had seen her the night she and Talia had sat and caught up.
"What is your name?" she asked taking a sip from the brew. It had been made from the horn of cattle, with a brass brace around it for a handle.
"My name is Sierra luna." she bowed her head to Ari.
Ari smirked, "That is a beautiful name, Sierra. How old are you?" She patted the bed next to her for the girl to sit. She did as instructed keeping her hands in her lap. "I'm 15 years old." she smiled. Her eyes sparkled as the candle light bounced off them.
"Is your parents here too?" Ari didn't know why she asked that but at once she regretted it. Flashes of two people laying in a bed, pale. They looked as though they had been sleeping. The woman's round face looked much like Seirra's, there was no mistaking it this was her parents.
"I, I am so sorry I should not have ask." Ari placed her hand on the girl's shoulder to comfort her.
"It is ok luna. I am here with my maw. She has been raising me for the last two years." Ari could tell the smile the girl wore was only for the outward appearance. She was still longing for her mother and father.
"May I ask how?" she quietly asked.
"I'm not sure. They got sick is all I know. First momma, then daddy soon after. The only reason I did not, maw maw says is because I slept in my own room of the house." she shrugged her shoulders. "I was glad daddy made that room for me, but some days I wish he hadn't. You know?"
Ari blinked back the flash back to her own childhood and the night her parents essentially had been taken from her. "I know exactly what you mean Seirra." the girl's eyes widen as she looked at Ari. Ari knew she was seeing the images of her own past as she tried to project them. She had really hoped that was what she saw and not something crazy like her and Mika going at it, or images of her riding a horse.
"You aren't alone here." she pulled the girl into her and gave her a hug. "Thank you luna. I do not feel so as much now." she sniffled and squeezed Ari's shoulders back.
"I better get back down into the kitchen before maw maw comes looking for me. Is there anything else I can bring you luna?" she stood and crossed the room, turning just before she exit. Ari shook her head no and the girl disappeared back down the hall way.
Ari looked around her, how many nights had she laid in a dirt bed under the stars or in a cave? How many times had she dreamed of finding a place to be hers and here she was? In a freaking pack of werewolves now, their luna. *Life is crazy.* she shook her head.
She scarfed down her grapes and few apples slices and headed down to check in on Talia.

She found her sitting up in the bed with little Matty nursing. “Oh sorry." she blushed as she turned to leave.
"No, it is ok. You can't see anything he's eating." she called out.
Ari stepped back in, “How are you feeling?" she watched as the little chubby cheeks moved against Talai's chest. She was right she couldn't see her breast because of the baby's head.
"I am feeling pretty good today. Thank you. Matty slept all night. I was the one who kept waking up. I just.. I just had to keep watching and making sure he was still breathing. It is weird." she smiled.
"How did it go with Theo?" Ari asked smirking.
Talai grinned looking down at Matty, "He was great actually. He held Matty a couple times while I slept. I woke up once and he was humming to him by the window. He said later he was sun bathing him. Said it was good for him. Anyway, I don't think Matty cried hardly any, he's a good baby." she unlatched him and laid him across her shoulder. She started to pat his back and soon he let out a little burp. She turned him back around so Ari could see his little face. Matty had a small amount of milk dribbling from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes were closed tight. "You want to hold him?" she offered. Ari almost jumped from her seat. She hadn't thought she wanted to but when you are asked to hold a baby you hold the baby. He felt so light in her arms, and she wanted to sit there and coo at him all day.
"I can't get over how beautiful he is Talia." she gushed.
"Thank you." she replied. "Guess who made the bed?" Ari looked at her questioningly, then understanding dawn across her face. "Nooo." she drew out.
Talia nodded and burst into giggles. "Yep, Theo made it. I guess he is a softy after all."
Ari laid Matty across her chest and patted his back absently as she talked with Talia. “So? Are you guys?"
"I don't know. There is something there. I know he cares a lot for me and Matty. But he wants to give me time to adjust with Matt's passing and being a new mom. But I don't know if I am hurting as much now as I had." she looked down at her toes as she curled her knees up to her.
"I know that sounds so horrible, but it feels like Theo is filling a hole in me. I mean when I was giving birth it was him that I was focused on. It was his voice that kept me from going screaming mad. His voice," she trailed off thinking about his words. Ari caught glimpse of Theo looking down at Talai while she delivered. She heard almost as if he was far away, *"You can do this."* Talaia's voice responded, *"I can't do this alone. I can't!"* she had almost sounded panicked then. Theo's voice again responded this time soothing, and calm,*'You will never be alone. I will be there for you and the baby. You can do this. I won’t go anywhere."*
Ari's jaw dropped. She felt the emotion this time, the care he had for her friend. "Wow! Talia!" she gasped. Talaia's cheeks redden, “I know right? But we will take it slow. I still need to figure this mom thing out, but at least I know he will be there for me."
"Yeah you are lucky." Ari remembered that soon Theo will need to leave with her and Mika to go on a mission. *How will Talia take it?* She took a breath and figured it was better to ask now rather than later.
"So, you know we will be collecting a few of the males from Henry's pack." she lead. Talia nodded as she reached out to get Matty from Ari. They passed the little bundle between them, he never stirred. "Yeah? So?" she asked.
"How would you feel if Theo went with us?" Ari probed. Talia looked at her like she had grown a third head. "Look, yes I have feelings for him. And things are new between he and I, however pack business is pack business- it comes first. Now Matty and I damn well can't tag along so you have to understand luna." she teased.
"What are you serious?!" Ari mocked." Well Mika is gonna talk to Theo today about it. We need him with the new guys." her tone changing to a more serious one.
" I understand. I can manage. We will be here when ya'll get back." she laid him next to her as she snuggled around him. Ari took this as a sign for her to leave and let them nap some more.