Page 31 of Ascendant Moon
“May Luna guide you. Let us know when you have arrived and how things are going.”
Once passengers and baggage were loaded into the blue van, the bearded fellow closed the door and the driver pulled out of the parking spot to continue farther down the same access road. Behind them, their ride from the ranch went back the way it came and returned home. Moments later, the vehicle approached a large open hangar and turned so that the sliding door was hidden from view. The bearded man got out first, issuing instructions.
“Leave the luggage, and follow me. Speak to no one.”
Dante led the way, followed by Nick, Sergio, Shane, Jack, and Milo. Jack caught a glimpse of their bags being wheeled inside on a large flat cart, and while there were several people in the hangar, none of them seemed to take notice of the group. He sampled the emotions of the nearest employees but found nothing out of the ordinary. Either they were very well trained, or they’d done this often enough to make it routine.
He supposed it was safer to pretend that everything was normal and above board, and looked ahead to see where they were going. The man led them to a storage room at the back of thehangar, and then spoke directly to Jack as soon as everyone was inside.
“Fruit and snacks will be available during the flight. Feel free to use the restrooms behind me, and remain here until we are ready to board. The non-stop flight will last approximately three hours. If there are no questions, be prepared to leave in ten minutes.”
Right on schedule, the nameless, bearded human returned, and they formed another line to follow him to the plane. No one else was seen as they made their way across the large hangar to a midsized jet, offering both speed and comfort. Inside, they found large seats and an open, airy cabin with large circular windows. Though impressed, Dante, Nicolas, and Sergio had never flown before and didn’t realize how noisy, crowded, and claustrophobic most commercial aircraft were. Jack and his bodyguards certainly did, and they looked forward to traveling in style for once.
Out of ten available seats, only a single one at the front contained a “reserved” sign. Jack and Sergio chose a pair of adjoining seats at the center of the aircraft, intending to share teaching dreams during the flight. Shane and Milo took fore and aft aisle positions that gave them the best view of any potential threats, while Dante and Nick filled in two more of the center seats. As they all buckled in, their human guide explained the emergency instructions, comfort features, and the location of the aft lavatory and fore galley.
With no questions to answer, the bearded fellow knocked twice on the closed cockpit door before claiming the reserved seat for himself. Moments later the outer door was raised into place and sealed as they backed out of the hangar and queued up for the runway. Shortly after, they were airborne and on their way.
Chapter 17
A few hours later, Schaawe Lake
Gray laughed at Marie and Kiah as they used the water slide in wolf form—howling on the way down and paddling back to shore to do it again. William had left them in his care while he went to pick up Jack from the airport. Apparently, the True Elder was bringing three shifters back with him because Luna had revealed something about their future that required an urgent visit to Gladstone.
The whole idea of active guidance from the moon left Gray with questions that couldn’t be answered to his satisfaction. While he refused to discredit their beliefs, he didn’t fully understand this connection to Luna or how it worked. As a non-shifter, he had to accept that certain things would not make sense, at least not yet. Whatever their quirks or foibles, these people were strong, intelligent, loving, fiercely protective, and had the most well-adjusted families he’d ever seen.
Their free-wheeling views of sex and intimacy had caused more than one embarrassing moment in the few days since his arrival. Aside from constant displays of affection, shifters seemed to enjoy bawdy comments, jokes laced with innuendo, and even open nudity at times. Nolan and his mate Garrett, who apparently lacked filters, had a penchant for randy shenanigans and yet enjoyed a deep and abiding love that no one questioned. The Diné were much more reserved and circumspect as a people, though Gray had always believed that loosening up a bit wouldn’t hurt.
Either way, he found that the residents of Gladstone enjoyed a great deal of freedom in their committed relationships.Becoming mates was a lifelong venture, and it gave them a confidence and security that human couples rarely achieved. From what he’d picked up without asking directly, shifter sex was both intense and extremely satisfying, though Gray’s inexperience left him unable to form a comparison.
With the travelers arriving soon, and the aroma of something delicious wafting through the air, the lakeside bunch decided to head towards the packhouse. Besides sex, he’d discovered that food was a top priority for shifters—not surprising given their lupine nature and excellent sense of smell. Kiah and Marie certainly noticed that it was time to eat; both of their bellies growling ominously after they retook their human forms. Gray helped towel them off and get redressed before they joined the others on their way to lunch and what promised to be a noisy welcome for Jack and the others.
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The comfortable flight home had passed quickly, especially for Jack and Sergio who got a head start on teaching dreams. While they were occupied, Shane and Milo shared stories about their home with Dante and Nick, giving them some idea of what to expect. After landing and retrieving their luggage, the group was quietly ushered into the airport terminal via a service door. From there, they parted with their bearded human host and went to meet the van sent to fetch them.
Unable to wait a moment longer to see his mate, William had come along and greeted Jack with a multitude of hugs and kisses. Now on their way to packlands, the van buzzed with conversation, mostly in Spanish, as Dante, Sergio, and Nick observed the forested but relatively flat terrain out the windows. The drive didn’t take very long, and once they reached Highway Two in Rapid River, Jack imparted some advice.
“We will arrive shortly, and our people are waiting to greet us. Gladstone is a tactile group, so you can expect to receive many hugs. We will begin with lunch at the packhouse, and then you will be shown to your accommodations. Remember to speak English, since I am the only one at Gladstone who understands Spanish. Ben, Evan, William, and I will always be available if you have questions or need something during your stay.”
Nick barely heard a word Jack said, having picked up an enticing and arousing scent through the open windows. What was that?Whowas that?The closer they got, the more agitated his wolf became—threatening to shift and run off in search of that incredible aroma. Unable to hide the spike of adrenaline, or his arousal, the other occupants stared at him in wonder. Jack, however, knew exactly what was happening. As they approached the security gate, he reached into Nick’s mind in an effort to short-circuit the normal shifter response.
Your mate is human.
Do not frighten him.
Control your wolf.
Slow and easy.
Jack gently withdrew as Nick’s expression revealed both need and confusion. He’d never attempted something like this before and wasn’t entirely certain it would work. The mating call was extremely powerful, and if Gray resisted Nick, the situation could become complicated. Jack opened the mind-link with William.
“Nick has scented his mate. While I keep him calm, send Evan a text. Ask him to monitor Gray when we arrive.”
William understood what was at stake and fired off a message by the time the van passed the upraised gate. Moments later,he received a thumbs-up emoji and nodded to Jack. Meanwhile, Dante was growling with concern for his friend and annoyed that Jack and Sergio had kept him in the dark. In less than a minute, they’d all find out how this unusual mating would unfold, and then deal with the consequences.
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With only seconds to spare, Ben and Evan slipped in next to Gray and the twins at the front of the crowd. Evan knew one of their visitors was meant to mate with Gray, but this pairing was extraordinary on many levels and instantly beset with baggage. What was Luna thinking? At least here at Gladstone, the couple would have help and support when it came time to make difficult decisions about their future.
