Page 112 of Ascendant Moon
Scooter lifted Linc’s chin for a tender kiss and then reached for his phone.
Chapter 56
The Eastside Apartments weren’t all that far, but Evan hurried along through the brisk wind and icy fall rain. Had he been in wolf form, the cold wouldn’t have bothered him at all, but he needed to be human for this visit. Scooter’s phone call was almost expected, given what he already knew about Lincoln’s history of abuse. That they’d made it this far without needing intervention was testament to Lincoln’s core strength and Scooter’s loving devotion. Thankfully, they hadn’t allowed pride to get in the way of asking for help.
Two quick knocks brought Scooter to the door and Evan was ushered inside amid the scent of a newborn. The new father looked relieved to see him.
“Thanks for coming over. Would you like to meet our sweet little girl?”
Evan laughed and followed Scooter to the nursery.
“Are you kidding? The whole pack wants to get a look at her, including me!”
He found Lincoln in a rocking chair feeding the newborn and looking nothing like he’d imagined. He was an attractive fellow, and his first glance at the child left no doubt that she strongly resembled him.
“Hello, Lincoln. It’s good to finally meet your other half. Now, who is this sweet little pup? Have you decided on a name yet?”
Lincoln nodded.
“We have, but we’re not ready to share just yet. Nate, would you finish her bottle while Evan and I meet in the living room?”
He handed the child over with a quick kiss, and they left the nursery to take seats on the couch. Lincoln began by giving Evan a hug.
“You’ve been such a huge help to me since I got here, and I want you to know how much I appreciate it. We called you because some of my memories of Bruce are causing problems. Nate said you could make people forget things, so I’m hoping you’ll do that for me.”
Evan took the request in stride, doing nothing to make Lincoln feel awkward.
“It’s possible, yes, but it depends on what and how much you want to forget. The best way for me to understand is to ask a series of questions that you won’t remember. Whatever you reveal to me is private and won’t be shared with anyone else.”
Lincoln was relieved that he didn’t have to dredge it all up again, or at least that he wouldn’trememberdoing so, and gave Evan his permission to proceed. The True Elder reached carefully into Lincoln’s troubled mind, spending several minutes finding out which memories needed to be excised or suppressed. It soon became obvious why the couple would want them gone.
Next began the more difficult process of identifying triggers that might bring the memories back to the surface or leave Lincoln confused. The man hadn’t requested thatallknowledge of Bruce be removed (both unadvisable and difficult), only certain events or actions that were interfering with his relationship to Scooter.
Uninterrupted concentration was needed to pull this off, yet Evan found the work both fascinating and rewarding. Others had needed similar help in the past, though their issues hadn’t been of an abusive, sexual nature. Much of Lincoln’s treatment involved blurring details without actually deleting the memoryin its entirety. The Omega would remember the gist of things but be unable to recall some of the finer points.
Specifically, Lincoln’s mind would not connect Bruce’s past actions to Scooter in any way, leaving room for the Omega to build new, unsoiled memories with his mate. It would give them a fresh start in all areas of their life together, and not only in the bedroom.
When he’d finished, Evan asked Lincoln another series of questions to see if his efforts had produced the desired effect. After only a few minor tweaks, he carefully withdrew from Lincoln’s mind and prepared for the cover story that would mask the true reason for his visit. Evan began speaking before the man was truly aware of his surroundings.
“… and, yes, everyone is eager to meet your little one. She almost looks like your twin! Be sure to get some extra rest today and tomorrow, and don’t forget to shift a couple of times to help your body reset itself. If you need anything at all, just call us and we’ll take care of it. Now, I need to get going so you can spend some time with your mate.”
Scooter walked into the room just in time to thank Evan for visiting, and received a hug and a wink. Once the door was closed, Lincoln shook his head.
“I thought Melva was coming for a visit today, not Evan. The pack is lucky to have an Alpha Mate like him. Is the baby asleep?”
Scooter pulled Lincoln in for hugs and kisses, more thankful for Evan than he could say.
“She’s sound asleep, and we can take a nap too, if you want.”
Lincoln reached down to squeeze Scooter’s sizable package.
“I have a better idea.”
Scooter growled, scooped up his mate, and made tracks for the bedroom.
############
Lincoln’s wanton moans were Scooter’s reward for making him feel good. He’d been rimmed, lubed, and stretched until he couldn’t stand it any longer, begging Scooter to take him. Foregoing his original plan, the big Beta rolled them over so that he was on the bottom, and handed his mate the lube.
