Rising Sun (Book Two)

One: Life As Usual

Hello, so I'm just jumping right into this! The first book will flow smoothly into this one. I don't feel like it needs a big transition thing. Plus that would be boring and none of you would like that. >~<.

***Crescent's P. O. V.***

I sit out on the porch by the pool, looking at the beautiful sunset. I look down at Eddy in my lap, who's sleeping peacefully. He's my cute little baby boy. No matter how old he gets, he'll always be a baby to me. I honestly can't believe he's already thirteen.

I sigh, knowing I'll have to talk to Peter tomorrow about getting marked. It's tradition that the wolf next in line for the title of alpha be marked when they're thirteen. I don't know how he'll respond to the news. He's so unpredictable. He might brush it off like its nothing, or he might completely flip out.

The patio door slides open and Moon comes outside. I smile. I love him so much. I couldn't ask for a better mate.

"Hey, babe," I whisper.

"Hey," he says, pecking me on the lips. "It's about time for the kids to go to bed."

"Is it really?" I ask, surprised. Looking at my phone, I realize it's later than I thought. "The sun sets so late this time of year! I never realize how late it is!"

"I like it this way. Having the sun out for longer is nice," Moon comments.

"I agree," I nod. "Anyway, I'll come inside and help you put the kids to bed. Can you take Eddy and put him in his bed?"

Moon and I usually put everyone to bed together. Sometimes it doesn't work out that way, but we really try. Eddy chills in bed while we focus on everyone else, and then Moon and I do his nighttime routine together. Now that they're teenagers, our kids complain that they're too old for us to tuck them in and say goodnight, but we don't care.

"Did you brush your teeth Charlie?" I ask, knowing he has a habit of forgetting.

"Of course I did," he replies as he rolls his eyes.

Peter is already in bed with the lights off. He never waits until I come in to go to sleep.

I pad over to his bed silently, leaning down to kiss his forehead. He's pretending to be asleep already. I brush back his blond hair that's so similar to mine.

"I love you, Peter. Sweet dreams," I whisper, tiptoeing out of the room and shutting the door quietly behind me.

Moon is saying goodnight to Ella, so I join him. He reads a chapter of a book to her every night. It's been that way since she was little. It started with board books, and now they've worked up to young adult novels. He's reading The Hunger Games aloud. At first I was against Ella being exposed to such violent themes, but she and Moon convinced me that she's mature enough to handle it.

After Moon has finished reading and we've tucked our lovely daughter in, we move on to Charlie and Nathan. They're hiding under the covers on Nathan's bed. They're playing on their DSs under there. They always do it that way.

"Time to turn those off," Moon says, taking the devices from the boys.

"We weren't finished!" Nathan whines.

"You can finish tomorrow," I say gently.

They grumble a bit more, but eventually go to their consecutive beds. Sometimes they sleep in the same bed, but not tonight.

"Night, boys," Moon says as he flips off the light. "We love you."

"Love you too, Papa and Dad," they reply in unison.

While I undress Eddy and get him in his pajamas, Moon runs downstairs to get his medicine. It has to stay in the fridge, so that's why it's downstairs. Eddy doesn't like his medicine, but it's really not that bad. I've tasted it before. It's just bubblegum flavored.

"Did you get a sippy-cup of water too?" I ask Moon as he enters. My back is to him as I slip some socks on Eddy's feet so they don't get cold as he sleeps.

"Of course," he replies.

"Eddy, babe, it's time for your medicine. Are you going to take it like a big boy this time?" I ask my little boy.

He wrinkles his nose in absolute disgust, "No."

I shrug, knowing he'd say that. It always has to be done the hard way. I fight the urge to let out another exasperated sigh.

"Daddy, no medicine," Eddy whines, his eyes filling up with tears.

"Sorry, baby. It's not a choice," I say.

Keeping Eddy laying flat on the bed, I open his mouth and pinch his nose shut. That way, he has to swallow. He whimpers, but I try to ignore it and get on with this. Moon squirts the pink liquid into his mouth and he tries to squirm away from me. I don't let go. Soon enough, Eddy swallows and we let him have a drink of water.

"That was good, Eddy!" I praise as I kiss his forehead. "You're getting much better at taking your medicine. It's not so bad, right?"

"So bad, Daddy," he replies, making a sour face.

Moon laughs, but then his face returns to its naturally grumpy expression. He seems a bit more on edge than usual.

"Is something wrong?" I ask him quietly.

"Do you wanna sleep with me tonight?" he asks, not answering the question.

"Moon," I complain.

It's not that I don't want to sleep with him, it's just that Eddy needs me more. He's used to me sleeping with him, and I feel like he needs that kind of consistency in his life. I know Moon misses me sleeping with him, but this is what we signed up for when we had kids. He can't just consider his own feelings anymore.

He presses his lips together, then shrugs. He says okay quietly. I quickly get my pajamas on and brush my teeth before getting into bed with my baby.

"Goodnight, Moon," I say, kissing him on the lips.

"Night," he replies grumpily. 

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

I pace back and forth across the bedroom floor. I'm frustrated that my own mate won't obey my wishes and sleep with me. I outta drag him out of bed right now and insist that he be with me. I know that Eddy needs extra care, and that he's comforted by Crescent being with him, but I have needs too. I feel like my mate is damaging our relationship by not taking my feelings into consideration as well.

I stop my grumbling and go to bed alone. Oh, well. I can talk to Crescent about this some other time.