Page 39 of Ascendant Moon
“Nap, food, and homework for Sergio…”
Dante just shook his head and escorted his dizzy friend to Quad three. Whoever Sergio mated someday would have to acceptthe aftereffects of teaching dreams. Fun for them, blue balls for everybody else.
############
Wednesday morning, September 1st
Walking past the Quads, Jack sampled the air, confirming that the mating week frenzy had finally eased. Nick and Gray would soon emerge to rejoin the pack, and a disruptive announcement was sure to follow. He’d almost waited too long to call a meeting meant to contain, or at least divert, the potential damage. Jack was the last to arrive at the packhouse conference room and closed the door behind him. Ben, Evan, Donna, Caleb Vogel, Sergio, and Dante were already seated, wondering exactly why they were here. Jack sat down, and with a nod from Ben, began speaking.
“Thank you for coming. What I am about to reveal is no secret to our friends from León, but it will soon become known when Gray announces his intention to be turned.”
Ben’s rumbling growl could be clearly heard above exclamations of disbelief and protest—though not from Sergio and Dante. They were simply confused by the reactions of their new friends and wondered what all the fuss was about. Ben sent a burst of Alpha power through the group that quieted everyone down, and then gave Jack a look that could peel paint.
“Explain! Gray can’t be serious. Why would he even suggest such a thing?”
Unperturbed, Jack told them what he’d known for some time.
“It was first revealed to me in my dreams, and like you, I was repulsed by the very thought. After consulting with Hezekiah and Hector Alvarez, I discovered that we havebelieved a falsehood for nearly two centuries. A few True Elders propagated an untrue story to protect shifters during the purge. While their goal was to limit our exposure to humans, they have done us a great disservice that shocks me even more than the lies themselves.
“Fortunately, the lost pack’s original True Elder knew the truth and passed on the information to his successors. Our friends at León have been safely turning human mates for generations without a single death or case of madness. Most likely, Nick and his new mate have already discussed this, and I expect Gray to announce it shortly. I wanted to warn all of you beforehand so that we may avoid any unnecessary tension.”
Donna, shocked and angry, spoke up before anyone else had the chance.
“Now wait just a damn minute!No oneis being turned under my watch until I understand exactly how this works. Gray knows almost nothing about shifters, and not only is he our guest here, but by default he represents the Navajo Nation! How would we ever explain his death if something went wrong?”
Quiet until now, and blindsided by Jack’s announcement, Evan had something to add to the discussion.
“I don’t blame you for being skeptical, Doctor, but you know Jack would never endorse a practice without making certain it was true. How many times in the recent past have we learned of something that no one else knew about? Hezekiah’s journals come to mind, and look at all the things we discovered from them.”
Ben nodded in agreement, and now that the initial shock had worn off, he was thinking more clearly.
“Jack, does Alpha Sheppard or anyone else know about this? Maybe Luna chose to reveal it now because we’ll need to use the practice, but in the wrong hands, it could endanger us all.”
As usual, Jack came prepared with answers.
“I have not yet informed Alpha Sheppard, but Alpha Cruz in Chihuahua is aware of it. He agrees that it should be used very selectively and will eventually educate the Mexico packs. I intend to wait until after Gray is turned in order to give our esteemed president a full report.”
Donna winced, hands spread across her enormous belly, and added another thought.
“Forgive my earlier outburst, but it’s never wise to surprise a pregnant woman.”
Laughter broke the tension in the room, and everyone relaxed. She gave them a wry smile, turning toward Dante and Sergio.
“Assuming that Gray hasn’t been overly influenced by his hormones, what would Nick have told him? How was this handled in León?”
Sergio took this one, keeping Dante in reserve if he needed more firepower.
“Traditionally, the human was informed during the mating week and given a choice to remain as they were or be turned. The process isn’t complicated or dangerous if done correctly, and we always assumed that other packs were doing the same thing. As our Omega, Nick has had plenty of practice with turnings, and personally helped care for those involved. Gray couldn’t have asked for anyone better to explain things and answer questions.
“As I understand it, both Jack and Evan influenced Nick’s wolf to slow down the mating process. He won’t realize that anything is different, but it was done to give Gray more time to accept Nick on his own. Both my dreams and Jack’s show them happily mated as Lobo shifters, so it’s a matter of when, not if.”
Now more curious than angry, Donna’s medical mind wanted answers.
“Can you explain how this works? I need to know everything about it if I’m expected to oversee the practice in the future.”
Dante agreed with the good doctor, and after a request to keep the process secret, began a concise summary.
“It all begins with a bite to the leg or lower arm that draws blood—never the neck or torso, since the body will try to change too quickly. Whatever type of shifter performs the bite is what the human will become, whether it’s an Alpha, Beta, Delta, or Omega. The same goes for the wolf species—Gray, Lobo, or Arctic. The process takes three to four days, and while there’s little pain, the one being turned will be weak, feverish, and sleep through most of it.
