Page 108 of Ascendant Moon
“CONGRATULATIONS TO DELTA COUNTY’S NEW SHERIFF—LOU HARMON!”
The grapevine took care of the rest, and soon enough the whole pack knew. People were excited and proud, wondering how the first shifter Sheriff in modern history might make his mark. They knew Lou wasn’t interested in fame or power, which only made him an even better choice. Scooter found out when he got up in the morning and noticed a short text on his phone.
“I won.”
That put a broad smile on his face that was still there when he got to work. He found Roy Tucker in a particularly good mood, having just finished an interview with the local press, full of effusive praise for his replacement. Later that day, he caught up with Lou at the Dewdrop, having a free lunch on the house. He was so busy accepting congratulations that his food had gone cold, and they sent him off with a sack lunch and a thermos of hot coffee. When Scooter got up to go, Darlene shared her opinion of the whole affair.
“Well, hot damn! We got us the top lawman in these parts eating here like one of us regular folks. I should have asked for his autograph!”
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Ben hadn’t wasted any time telling Alpha Sheppard about Lou’s victory. In turn, Sheppard notified all the shifter councils, and forwarded the news to Oscar York and Colton Ramsey. In addition, he met with the Delta students that evening to inform and inspire them.
“Lou Harmon represents what we can accomplish going forward, and I hope some of you will choose a life of publicservice or leadership. Our future safety relies on integration, not isolation, and your gifts and abilities will be sorely needed. Keep that in mind as you pursue your education, and let me know if there’s anything my office can do to assist you.”
Chapter 54
Ten days later, New Mexico
Nick watched the dry desert landscape from the passenger window as he and Gray headed home. They’d gone to Albuquerque to see Walter before he began the next phase of his cancer treatment. He and Tayen had been in good spirits, hopeful that the CAR T-cell therapy would be successful. The process would take several weeks while the medical team monitored Walter’s body for side effects or other problems.
Since there were no cancer treatment centers or Oncologists near their home in Arizona, Walter and Tayen would remain in Albuquerque until he was stable. They would have preferred to go home, of course, but Gray’s mother was keeping an eye on their house and still came for regular visits.
Nick had been nervous about seeing the woman again, given their uncomfortable first meeting some weeks ago. He’d been surprised to discover that she had turned a corner in accepting him and Gray as a couple. He didn’t know if that was due to Sergio’s intervention or if she simply came to terms with how things really were. Nick’s impression was that her love for Gray, and the desire to be part of his life, had resulted in a change of heart.
Nick noticed how quiet Gray had been since they got on the road, and spending the next three hours in silence didn’t sound very appealing.
“Hey, sexy man! You’re thinking awfully deep thoughts over there.”
Nick’s warm hand on Gray’s thigh provoked an interested growl and a smile.
“Sorry. I’m worried about my grandfather and I don’t knowwhatto think about my mother. I would have said something if she had been rude to you, but she actually seemed happy to see us. I was tempted to tell her about our plan to ask your “first cousin” to be our surrogate, but we need to get our story straight before saying anything. I really want to give her the grandchildren she’s always hoped for.”
Nick understood, for he was just as eager to produce pups with his gorgeous mate.
“I get it. Since I don’t actuallyhavea first cousin, we need to work out the details before I get pregnant. Besides, we need to wait until everyone on the ranch is a shifter. What is Dante going to do about Klah? The guy has been nothing but trouble since we took over.”
Of the four Diné employees they had inherited, two had resigned on their own, leaving Sakari and Klah. The stubborn, overly curious man kept seeing and hearing things he shouldn’t, requiring Sergio’s constant intervention. He wasn’t a bad worker, but they had also agreed he wasn’t a candidate for being turned. Gray’s response contained a bit of hope.
“Sakari told me that she knows of a job possibility for Klah back home. With Sergio’s help, she thinks he can be convinced to take it and leave us in peace. We’ll need to hire someone to replace him, but we can manage until the right person comes along. If he goes, we could start our family next week when the moon is full.”
Nick’s rumbling growl filled the passenger compartment, along with zesty pheromones. By the time they reached Rancho Lobo,the randy pair had discovered how incredibly uncomfortable a three-hour erection could be—even if it was for a good cause.
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Meanwhile, at Seney
With current construction projects now complete, it was moving day for the most recent additions to the pack. It took some coordination of helpers and delivery trucks, but by mid-afternoon, both new houses contained furnishings and basic supplies. The timing was perfect, given that Zara and Margo were both due around Thanksgiving and would need their own space. The Picketts were also excited to move into their first home, especially now that Sofia was expecting their next pup in April.
Over at the Alpha’s residence, Seth, Leland, and Finn found themselves with newly emptied bedrooms that were being cleaned and refreshed. Locked in wolf form, poor Finn couldn’t do much more than watch the proceedings, but it would be a relief to have the entire house to themselves for the first time. Though the Omega wasn’t due until Christmastime, he and his mates were preparing for a major expansion of their family. Despite their packmates’ curiosity, they hadn’t told anyone that Finn was carrying four, possibly five, pups, and they would need all the space they could get to accommodate their little ones.
While the Calhoun clan deep-cleaned, Seth and his mates went over to the new hothouse to get Leland’s new space organized. They’d already carried in the sparse furniture, and though the walls were bare, Finn had promised to remedy that after he delivered. Today was simply putting things where they belonged so Leland wouldn’t have to do it all by himself. While Finn wentto check out the place with his nose, Seth slipped an arm around Leland’s waist and kissed his temple.
“What do you think, mate? Need anything else?”
Leland shook his head, eyes wide with delight.
“This is already much more than Ineed, but I will enjoy it nonetheless. We must take some photographs for Ben—he will want to see what the finished space looks like.”
