赤裸裸的滑稽故事

“Has anyone seen her? Or even heard from her?” Bell asked, looking around at the crowd of people in the cafeteria.

With all the visitors, it was much more crowded than usual, and almost impossible to spot someone you were searching for.

Bell looked at each of the others sitting at the table. Both Nessa and Clara shook their heads.

“I haven’t,” Corrine said, sipping her coffee.

“Fiona talked with her,” Galen said, offering Ren another spoonful of food.

Ren smiled and opened his mouth happily. Galen smiled as he fed his son. Setting the spoon down and wiping the boy’s mouth, Galen looked back at Bell.

“She’ll be here,” he said softly.

Bell took a deep breath.

“The vigil is tonight,” she replied, looking back into the crowd. “She should be here already.”

She let out a sigh. Galen reached his hand out to her and gave a gentle squeeze.

“No one knows where she went,” Clara offered. “Maybe it was too far to get back in time?”

“Maybe…” Bell sighed.

“Mama,” Ren called out.

Bell quickly looked down at him.

“Yes, my love?” she said.

Ren smiled up at her and held up the cookie from his plate. Bell smiled and got down beside him.

“Is this for me?” she asked.

Ren nodded.

“Mama, no sad,” he said. “Cookie happy.”

“He’s worried about you,” Galen said gently.

Bell reached her hand out and touched Ren’s cheek with a smile.

“That’s because he is a sweet boy,” she whispered. “Mama’s okay, Ren. I was just worried that Auntie Ashleigh won’t be here tonight.”

“She will,” another voice called from behind.

Bell stood and turned to find Axel and Alice standing behind her, each holding a baby.

“Luna Fiona said that Ashleigh agreed to come,” Axel said. “She’ll be here.”

Bell stood up and nodded, but it was clear that she didn't really believe him.

Alice smiled.

“She wouldn’t have agreed if she wasn’t going to come,” Alice said.

“Then why isn’t she here yet?” Bell asked quietly.

Alice lowered her gaze. She took a quick look behind her at Axel and then behind Bell at Galen before she met Bell’s eyes again.

“Were it you,” she whispered, “would it be so easy for you to come?”

Bell swallowed and looked away.

She knew that coming today was more difficult than she could imagine for Ashleigh. The only reason Bell was so concerned was because she was worried. Even knowing that Ashleigh had checked in for the past two months without fail, she still felt uneasy.

Bell needed to see her friend with her own eyes and know that she was all right.

“It’s still early,” Corrine said. “The vigil won’t begin until after the sun has set. She has plenty of time.”

There was a general nod of agreement among the others at the table.

“Now,” Corrine continued, sitting up with a smile. “One of you, give me my grandchild.”

“I won’t let go of Wyatt. I only just got him back from Sofia,” Axel laughed, “but I’m sure Jonas would love to see you, Mother.”

“And I would love to be able to eat something,” Alice smiled as she moved over to hand Jonas to Corrine.

“Axel, don’t you know it’s your job to keep Alice well-fed since she is feeding your children?” Bell asked with her arms crossed and a raised brow.

“Yea, weren’t you the one that gave me that advice before?” Galen laughed.

Axel laughed and nodded.

“Generally, yes,” he said. “But—”

“But,” Alice interrupted with a bright smile, “I have been doted on enough. We have agreed his job now is to make sure I can feed myself by taking care of the twins so that I can do so.”

Bell reached up and patted Axel’s head like a dog.

“I always knew you were a good boy,” she said affectionately.

Axel rolled his eyes and shook her hand away. In doing so, someone else caught his attention.

“Is Luna Fiona all right?” he asked.

Galen sat up straight. He stood and turned to follow Axel’s gaze. Fiona was walking toward them, but she was using her can again. Something she hadn’t needed for several months.

Galen swallowed and took a step toward her.

“Don’t,” Corrine quickly stated, smiling down at Jonas as she spoke, “she overworked herself. She is fine, but drawing attention to it will only make her uncomfortable.”

Galen stopped and took a breath. She was right. Fiona’s injury had been severe and life-threatening. But her recovery had been hard fought and well earned. It was a point of pride for her to walk unassisted.

She would not want him to make a fuss if she required her cane. Galen swallowed and tried to turn his attention so that it was not obvious he was still watching her. But he couldn’t stop himself from turning and staring when she was approached by someone else.

Fiona held her head high as she walked through the mess hall. The sound of the cane hitting the ground with each step she took was a blow to her ego.

“Greetings, Luna Fiona,” Landon said as he blocked her path and bowed to her.

“Greetings, Alpha Landon,” she replied with a nod.

Landon gave a half smile and stepped aside, but as she stepped forward, he took place at her side. He moved his arm to hold hers before the cane hit the ground again.

“What are you doing?” she hissed angrily, looking up at him.

Landon smiled and leaned down closer to her ear.

“The sound seems to offend you,” he whispered. “It causes a look of shame to pass over you with each step. Such a look doesn't belong to you.”

Fiona looked away, irritated at the warmth she felt on her cheeks.

“Mind your own business, Alpha Landon,” she growled.

But she didn’t pull away as Landon continued to support her on the way to the table. Though she would not say so out loud, she was grateful not to hear that sound anymore.

“I would have been happy to escort you,” Galen said as they arrived at the table. He pulled out a chair for her. “If you had called me.”

“I wasn’t looking for an escort,” Fiona sighed, letting go of Landon’s arm and sitting down.

Landon grinned but said nothing before he moved around the table to sit beside Nessa and Clara.

Nessa looked between Fiona and Landon.

Fiona had already turned her attention to Corrine and the baby in her arms. Meanwhile, Landon sat back in his chair, holding a glass to his lips as though he were drinking, but Nessa saw the smile that hid behind the glass as he watched the Luna of Summer.