His Moon

VIII | Inner Circle

"Here you are, dear," Rosy said, placing a pile of dark fabric at the foot of Kaia's bed. She was just as kind and gentle as she had been in Kaia's hospital room. "Kaleb's clothes won't fit a slip of a thing like you, but they'll do for the time being."

Kaia smiled, unable to ignore how wonderfully caring this woman was. She also couldn't ignore the pulse of anticipation she felt at the thought of sliding Kaleb's clothes over her body. "Thank you," Kaia said, her gratefulness shining in her voice. 

Rosy stopped, standing up straighter, her expression softening, "What nice manners. Your momma must have taught you well."

A bolt of grief struck Kaia, traversing her entire body in moments. She tried not to let the sadness show on her face, but she must not have managed it because Rosy noticed. "Oh, dear," she said, her hand pressed to her chest, "I'm sorry, love."

Kaia raised a hand quickly, worried that Rosy felt ashamed. "Don't worry about it."

"Here I am, already owing you for letting you out of my sight at the hospital, and now I'm digging up old wounds!" she said, bumbling around the room before looking up in shock, "Oh no, it is an old wound, correct?"

Kaia nodded, "I was seven. I've had time." Kaia wasn't crying. That was proof of the lonely years that had passed. However lonely they'd been, without them, she'd be in tears. Honestly, remembering her mom only made her think about the surviving members of her family. She was scared for them, wanted them to know that she was ok. 

"So young," Rosy said sadly, placing one of her loose, gray hairs behind her ear. She came and sat on the edge of the bed beside Kaia, taking her hand. Rosy's hands were warm, comforting, gentle. "But you know, our Alpha lost both of his parents when he was barely older than that."

Pain thudded against Kaia's chest, knocking the air out of her lungs. She pictured a young Kaleb, standing alone in a cemetery, dressed in black. Losing both of your parents...Kaia couldn't imagine it. Her dad had his issues, but she still loved him. He was her dad even if he wasn't great at it. She wanted to go to the little lonely Kaleb in her head, scoop him up into her arms, and tell him that it was ok. He wasn't alone. 

Neither of them was alone. 

Kaia pressed her palms to her eyes, trying not to cry. Her fingers trembled slightly. There was a long moment of silence. "You don't cry a moment for your loss, but you're shaking at his." 

Kaia looked up. Rosy was staring at her, a mixture of pride and hope in her eyes. "I've always been worried about the kind of woman that Kaleb would find." She hugged herself, looking away and staring at the floor. "Would she be gentle? Would she be caring? Would her love just hurt him more?" Kaia could tell that Rosy loved Kaleb; the intimate tone of her voice made Rosy's fondness apparent. She wondered what the relationship between them was. 

Kaia stopped a tear from falling, entranced by Rosy's words. She tilted her head to the side, her habit, and her silvery hair fell over one of her eyes. Rosy turned back to Kaia, putting her hands on Kaia's shoulders, "But now I know that Kaleb's mate is just as compassionate and beautiful as I'd hoped."

Kaia smiled, grateful that she thought so despite all of the other worries that spun in her mind, making her dizzy when she paid them attention. One of those worries, however, managed to surface. "You don't mind that I'm human?"

Rosy grinned. It was the kind of smile that you'd think Mrs. Clause would don. "Honey, I honestly believe that you're just what Kaleb needs. And just in the nick of time. I don't care a lick that you're human."

Kaia nodded, "It seemed like that was...a strange thing. A guy called Grayson came in earlier and said that-"

"Don't listen to that crotchety old wolf," she said, standing up again, "His ego is so big that he can't see two inches in front of his nose!"