Page 43 of Abundant Moon
“You naughty man! What are we doing?”
Ash continued the slow striptease without pause.
“I’m adding the missing sex scene, and you’re the star.”
A worthy performance ensued, short on dialog, and definitely X-rated.
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LIT ONLY BY THE MOON, the well-trampled meadow held a significant layer of old and new snow. Apparently, winter wasn’t yet ready to loosen its grip on the Upper Peninsula. While not participating in the run itself, the new parents arrived to cheer on family and friends. Cody and Abigail brought a squirming Perry who wanted to get down and play – not yet old enough to shift on his own, though he would be by summer. They couldn’t wait to run together as a family or with the other little ones in the pack.
Katrine and Mandy also showed up with Noel and Holly, all bundled up in pink and purple with only their faces showing. The sight, sound, and scent of so many others held their attention as they waved their arms and babbled at no one in particular. Like Perry, they weren’t hurting for attention. Most of the adults came by to say hello, expecting more interaction later without all the winter clothing in the way. As usual, the babies would be passed around and spoiled rotten even as the rest enjoyed a plethora of snacks.
The Cooks pack arrived, crammed into as few vehicles as possible, and spread out to greet their friends. This time instead of ignoring the man, Lance approached a surprised Cliff Townsend, taking him aside to visit. They spoke briefly before Lance leaned down to whisper something in his ear and Cliff responded with nervous laughter. Jonah watched the scene with interest and winked at Lance when their eyes met, glad to see he’d taken his advice about moving on. From what Lilly told him, Cliff had no interest in a relationship and hopefully Lance wouldn’t get his heart broken.
Ben and Evan watched their brood make a snow-wolf – difficult to identify at first glance. The oval-ish heap lay directly on the ground, lacking legs and tail, except for a crooked stick out the back end. The rounded head sported two overly large, mis-shaped ears and a dark rock for a nose. The pups declared their creation complete and surrounded Evan.
“See Papa, it’s you!”
“I found the rock!”
“He’s laying down!”
“I like the tail best!”
The excited pups soon abandoned their Papa to greet the rush of other children among their guests. Alpha Weston Frazier and his Second, Andy Tipton, approached with their mates, Molly and Joy. Ben lifted his chin to acknowledge the other Alpha and got the conversation started.
“Weston. It’s good to see you. With spring almost here, I imagine you folks must be busy.”
The Cooks pack had embraced agriculture and animal husbandry as their chief source of income. Orchards, berries, and vegetables provided a thriving U-Pick business for the surrounding population, and they also raised rabbits and whitetail deer in cooperation with the state. Wolves, coyotes, and bobcats consumed a lot of prey – in addition to hungry wolf shifters. Assuring plentiful food helped preserve the balance and kept the natural wolf population from being blamed for over-predation.
“Oh, there’s plenty to do! As soon as the weather clears we’ve got a new barn going up, the cherry orchard is expanding, and we’re adding another apple variety. The greenhouses we put in last year are going to make a big difference this season. We couldn’t have done it without your help.”
Ben’s investment in their operations not only helped another pack, it provided a steady source of revenue for future projects. It also kept his somewhat isolated packland well-stocked with prey, enabling happy hunting for his people. As the four of them visited, Molly spotted Robyn arriving, arm in arm with mates on either side.
“I have to admire the girl. I’d be at home with my feet up at this stage of pregnancy!”
Evan laughed with the rest of them.
“It doesn’t surprise me. Robyn’s not used to being cooped up all the time, and I know she misses her friends. She’ll have to take it slow and probably turn in early, but I’m glad she came tonight. In a few weeks she can resume her old life and start teasing Jack and William about diaper duty and midnight feedings.”
Saving the remainder of their conversation for later, Ben turned to announce the location of the run – along a little-used portion of the eastern border. No one wanted to remain naked in the cold for long, shifting from human to wolf with alacrity. Ben, Evan, and their guests, along with all their children, led the combined pack out of the meadow on what would probably be their final winter run, with a chorus of happy howls.
Chapter 24
