Page 32 of Ascendant Moon
Gray stood next to Evan, holding the twins’ hands as they bounced with excitement to see their father. Jack had been gone for several weeks, and judging by the size of the crowd, his friends had obviously missed him. Did they always greet returning travelers and guests this way? Gray supposed it reflected their bond as a pack, which was nearly as strong as individual family ties. What would that be like? His wandering mind snapped back into focus when people began to wave and cheer as the van rounded the last bend and entered the parking lot.
The side door slid open, and William stepped down, followed by Jack. Next came their three guests—handsome shifters, especially the one in the middle. The one staring. The one walking straight towards him.
The crowd, including the twins, suddenly quieted down as the man approached, every eye watching him and the visitor. What was happening? Gray was about to ask Evan to explain when theman’s scent hit him like a freight train. Omega! No, no, no—not a repeat of what happened with Jonah!
His dick, now hard and hot, pulsed with desire, leaving Gray breathless and flushed. The stranger didn’t stop to introduce himself or shake hands. Instead, he wrapped Gray in his arms, pressed together from thigh to chest and cock to cock. Lost in that incredible scent and the man’s body heat, Gray couldn’t help but pull him closer. He responded with a rumbling growl that left shivery vibrations against inflamed flesh.
Nearly overwhelmed, Gray moaned when the sexy shifter planted his nose under his left ear, scenting deeply and leaving small licks and kisses. Only then did the words he was whispering finally get through to his addled brain.
“Mine. My mate. All mine.”
Mate? He was this man’s mate? But how… it couldn’t be … they’d just met and… and… Gray’s confusion and doubt ebbed away, replaced by a calm acceptance of something he’d never imagined for himself. Soon, the intense sexual desire that nearly brought him to his knees was reduced to a bank of glowing embers—still there, but no longer the only thought in his head.
When he opened his eyes, Gray found himself seated next to the handsome stranger on Ben and Evan’s couch. How did they get here? Had he passed out in the parking lot? Those thoughts were forgotten as the man gently cupped Gray’s cheek and pulled him in for a gentle kiss. Plush lips and scratchy whiskers tickled and teased just long enough to reawaken his libido, and Gray stifled another moan. Pulling back, he immediately missed the intimate contact, but there were introductions to be made.
“My name is Gray Claw. Why do you think I’m your mate?”
That prompted a small chuckle and a broad smile.
“I’m Nicolas Garcia, but I prefer Nick. Youaremy mate, and I know it because I recognized your scent before I ever saw you. I wasn’t expecting a human, but that’s something we can talk about later. What I really want is to get naked with you, though I’m starving. How about lunch, and then we’ll get down to business?”
Gray laughed at Nick’s honesty, and while he wasn’t opposed to intimacy with this beautiful man, it was probably better to eat first.
“All right. Where is everyone?”
Nick wasn’t sure how he knew, but the answer was on the tip of his tongue.
“They’re waiting for us in the packhouse. It’s just through that door over there. I can’t wait to introduce you to my friends.”
When they stood up, Gray reached out to stroke fingertips over the stubble on Nick’s face and kissed him soundly. The man growled again and his eyes turned from dark brown to a warm amber—wolf’s eyes. Gray shivered at the implied danger of Nick’s inner beast, but it thrilled rather than frightened him. Nick grabbed a hand and tugged him toward the door.
“Come on, mate. If we don’t get going, I’ll end up riding you right here in the living room. Oh, by the way, I won’t like it if anyone touches you, and they can all smell our arousal, so don’t be embarrassed if they tease.”
Gray was still processing all of that when they slipped through the door into a packed lunch hour crowd. The whole place erupted in cheers, whistles, and applause, turning his face fire engine red. Nick tugged him through the crowd toward hisfriends who’d saved places and were waving them over. As they sat down, Michelle and Perdy showed up carrying large plates of birria (goat) enchiladas, drinks, and dessert. Nick wanted to sit on Gray’s lap, but the contact would have been too distracting. Instead, he scooched over so they were touching from shoulder to thigh, and between bites, made introductions.
“Guys, this is my mate, Gray Claw. Gray, this Alpha over here is Dante Navarro. Next to him is Sergio Rivera, one of our pack True Elders. Maybe we can find mates for them, too, while we’re here.”
The surrounding tables all burst into laughter, and the men devoured their meal while they got acquainted. They asked where Gray was from, what tribe he belonged to, if he had any siblings, and what type of work he did. When he told them about being the unofficial caretaker of the new Lobo packs on tribal land, all three men wanted to know more about the restoration efforts. In turn, they answered Gray’s questions about their families, jobs, and life back in León.
When the subject of their future came up, Dante answered for all of them.
“We don’t know yet, but I get the feeling we won’t be joining the pack in Chihuahua. Luna seems to have something else in mind, but we aren’t sure what it is. While you and Nick get to know one another, Sergio and I will be learning from Jack and Alpha Blair. Whatever we end up doing, I want us to stay together if we can.”
Once they finished their meal, Jack and Evan came over to see how everyone was doing. While Evan spoke to Dante and Sergio about their housing and training, Jack gently probed the newlymates’ minds for problems. Thankfully, Gray had accepted the idea of mating with Nick, though he didn’t fully understandthe implications yet. Nick’s wolf, however, was insistent about turning and claiming Gray. Jack convinced him to back down and simply enjoy their physical connection for now, buying time to address the couple’s unique situation.
During lunch, Nick’s things had been delivered to Gray’s quarters in Quad Four. On their way there, Jonah and RJ intercepted the couple bearing sex toys, pain medication, and helpful tips for a comfortable mixed mating. Nick appreciated the advice, and though he’d had plenty of practice bedding humans, none of those encounters were with his mate or sustained over several days of near-constant sex.
Gray, on the other hand, was mortified by the specificity of their advice. His earlier amusement at shifter attitudes now became intensely personal, and he felt like a fish out of water. Nick noticed the change in his scent and wrapped an arm around his waist as they walked the rest of the way to the Quad.
“Don’t worry, mate. We’ll go as slow as you need, and I’ll never hurt you. Trust me, you’re going to have a lot of fun while we figure things out. Now, let’s get in there so I can unwrap the gift Luna’s given me.”
Chapter 18
Quad Four’s two-bedroom unit had been thoughtfully set up for an extended time of intimacy, with a fridge full of food, extra bath towels and sheets in the linen closet, and lube and hand towels on the nightstand. Nick set the box of toys on the dresser, shut the bedroom door, and then opened his arms to hug Gray. The poor man’s scent and facial expression had changed since they arrived, and he now smelled anxious and uncertain. This would never do, and Nick took charge of the situation.
“We’ll get to the good stuff by and by, but for now I want to see some skin. Off with the shirts!”
Before Gray could even respond, Nick had slipped the snug blue V-neck over his head and tossed it in the corner. With his muscular arms and lightly haired chest on display, Nick did a few poses and then walked right up to Gray with a cheeky smile.
