Moon's Crescent (Book One)

Twelve: Visiting Aiden

***Moon's P. O. V.***.

Every day for two weeks Crescent has been asking to visit Aiden. I've been kind of ignoring him because I don't think Gabe wants Aiden to be bothered.

"Please, Moon? I really want to see him! He's my friend!" Crescent begs for the millionth time.

"Crescent, stop! He needs to be left alone. He's sick for heaven's sake!"

His face falls, "But-but. . . Gabe said I helped him! I'll go by myself if you don't take me."

"Ugh, fine! Just shut up about it! We'll go to the hospital tomorrow."

"Okay!"

~~~~~~~~~~

"Hello," I say to the receptionist at the hospital. "We're here to see Aiden. I don't know his last name, sorry. His mate's name is Gabe."

"I know who you're talking about. Sorry, but he's not here," she replies.

"Can you give me their apartment number?" I ask.

She hesitates, but I'm the alpha so she can't refuse, "Yes. It's 156. Building B."

"Thanks."

I link arms with Crescent again. We can't really hold hands, so we do this instead.

"Where are we going?" he asks. He obviously wasn't listening that entire time.

"We're going to Aiden and Gabe's house," I reply.

~~~~~~~~~~

I knock on the door and step back. I'm not sure that anyone is home. There's no light coming out from under the door or anything. I knock once more, and the door opens.

Gabe is standing there, and he looks awful. He's wearing rumpled sweatpants and a t-shirt. He has dark circles under his eyes.

"Gabe?" Crescent says questioningly.

"What are you guys doing here?" Gabe asks, not unkindly.

"Can we see Aiden, please?" my mate asks happily.

"Crescent, he's not here," Gabe replies sadly.

"Oh. Where is he then?"

"Crescent," Gabe's eyes fill with tears. "I think you need to go."

"Why? I've been waiting to see Aiden! He's my friend!"

"We have to respect what he's saying," I say, tugging Crescent's arm.

"No! I'm not leaving! Gabe, it isn't fair! Tell me-"

"He died, Crescent," Gabe interrupts, tears rolling down his face.

"H-he what?" Crescent asks in shock.

"He passed away. There was nothing else they could do for him, so shortly after the time you slept in his room, I took him home to die. He was comfortable and safe, and I'd like to think he was at peace when his heart stopped."

Crescent suddenly lets out a wail, dropping to his knees before I can catch him. Gabe crouches down beside him, still crying. I soon kneel down as well by my mate.

"Why?" Crescent bawls.

"Sometimes things happen and no one knows why," Gabe answers shakily. "I'm sorry, but I need to be left alone right now. I'll contact you guys some other time. . . Bye."

"Goodbye. Sorry for bothering you," I say as he stands back up and goes back inside the house. "Crescent, let's go home."

He rocks back and forth with a blank look on his face.

"Come on, boy, stand up," I say roughly. "We have to leave. Will you at least let me carry you home?"

He nods a little.

"Get on my back," I command, turning around so my back is towards him.

He climbs onto my back, wrapping his arms around my neck. I put my arms under his knees to support him, and then I walk home.

I feel like I should say something. I clear my throat and figure out what I should say. I have to be sensitive about this. This is crushing for Crescent. I mean, a kid dying of cancer in any situation is awful, but Crescent had a special connection to Aiden.

"He's in a better place, you know," I say. "He's not suffering anymore."

"I-I know, it's j-just th-that I m-miss him!" he cries. I can feel his tears falling on my shirt.

"Sorry, Crescent. I honestly have no idea what to say."

When we get home, I try to lean back and lower him off my back and onto his bed. Maybe he just needs some alone time to think things through.

"No, Moon!" he says, clinging to me.

"What?" I ask, slightly pissed off.

"I don't want to go to my bed! I want to be with you!"

"I have some more work to do. You'll be bored."

"I won't," he pleads. "I just wanna sleep on your back!"

"You'll fall off if you sleep!"

"Just tie a blanket around your waist," he whimpers.

"Seriously? You've got to be kidding me." He doesn't reply, but more moisture builds on my shirt. I can feel him shaking, too. "Okay, okay! I'll do it! Stop crying like a bi-"

I cut myself off. I can't say that. A sick child that Crescent really cared about just died, and here I am saying mean things.

I get a smaller blanket from the closet and tie it around my waist. I look like one of those women in Africa who carry babies on their backs. Now Crescent barely even has to hang on. The blanket is holding him up under his butt, and it's pressing against his back so he's secured tightly. His legs are still wrapped around my waist so I can see his feet.

I sit on my bed and take out my laptop. There's an email from Miss Sinclair saying there's some finance papers I have to pick up. Crescent's breathing has slowed, letting me know that he's fallen asleep. I don't think he'll mind if I walk down to my office really quick. As I make my way there, I try to be careful and not jostle him too much. I get some odd looks from the other wolves as I go, but I just growl at them. I don't care what they think.

Crescent is mumbling in his sleep while I'm making my way back to our suite after retrieving the papers. He's having a nightmare, I can tell by how his voice sounds and the way he twitches every so often.

I feel kinda drowsy when I get back to my bed.

~~~~~~~~~~

I wake up several hours later, and Crescent isn't strapped to my back anymore. I fell asleep working. My laptop is still open and I have a pen in my hand.

I immediately feel worried. What if that little asshole got too depressed again and killed himself for real? I jump out of bed, imagining worst case scenarios. I go downstairs to find the patio door open.

"Crescent?!" I yell.

I run outside, and I stop dead in my tracks. He's sitting there cross legged. I gasp in shock. His hair is glowing white, as are his eyes. His pupils and blue irises have seemingly disappeared. His clothes and hair are swaying gently as if there's a breeze, but there isn't. Tiny, sparkling orbs circle him, and he's moving some of them around in the air with his hands. He's mumbling softly to himself.

I stumble backwards, nearly falling.

"Crescent?" I call out again.

He doesn't reply, still caught up in his daze. I'm about to approach him to try to snap him out of it, when slowly the angelic white light of his hair and eyes fades, and so do the orbs. He nods like he's satisfied, and I don't think he knows I'm here.

"What the hell are you?" I choke.