Page 68 of Ascendant Moon
“We’re one cook short today, boys, so it might take a little longer. If time’s a problem, we can make that order to-go.”
Chad shook his head.
“It’s all good, Darlene, but uhhh… there’s a guy over by the door making eyes at you.”
Darlene grimaced and lowered her voice.
“Lord Almighty, he just don’t give up! Next time his wife comes in, we’re gonna have a little chat.”
She waltzed off to the kitchen, leaving the old lecher disappointed and the men in the corner booth laughing. Their food arrived just as quickly as always, and they talked about the job while RJ worked up the courage to tell his friend the news.
“Before you hear it from someone else, I wanted you to know that Jonah and I have a little one on the way.”
Chad’s fork stopped in mid-air, a confused expression on his face.
“You… what? Are you adopting?”
RJ could have worded that better, but it was too late. Time for damage control.
“Not exactly. You see, Jonah’s sister, Meredith, volunteered to be our surrogate, and the baby is due in December.”
Chad reached out to clap him on the shoulder.
“That’s great! Congratulations, my friend. Boy or girl?”
“Not sure. Meredith figures she won’t get too attached if she doesn’t know, and we don’t mind waiting to find out.”
Chad pondered for a moment before answering.
“That’s kind of smart, if you ask me. It must be hard to carry a baby you won’t be keeping.”
Chad’s easy acceptance enabled RJ to relax through the rest of their meal, though not everyone would react the same way. A gay black man had enough prejudice to handle without adding interracial children to the mix. It shouldn’t be a problem among shifters, but the human community would have other opinions. RJ couldn’t control what ignorant people thought or said, but their views often put limitations on how he lived his life.
Following lunch, Chad encouraged RJ to keep him updated and they went their separate ways. The only other person who really mattered was Glen Toomey, his boss. He’d have to give the man a reason for taking family leave around the holidays, but Glen wouldn’t bat an eyelash. In fact, he’d be the first to shut down nasty gossip with a verbal thrashing for anyone dumb enough to speak their mind. Now all he had to do was keep the phony story straight no matter who he was talking to.
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Sunset, Eagle River, WI
“All right men, quiet down and listen.”
Alpha Richmond and every able-bodied man in the pack was gathered outside the packhouse before they went looking for the cougar. The stubborn animal had decided not to travel through the area as originally hoped. Instead, the dangerous cat was hunting inside their borders, leaving occasional paw prints and half-eaten kills here and there. Richmond had no choice but to hunt it down or his people would never be safe.
“Cougars are most active at dawn and dusk. They’re stealthy, quiet, and will stalk prey for hours until they’re ready to pounce. This one’s a lone male, and I estimate he’s bigger and heavier than me. Unlike us, he can climb trees, but with a lot of the leaves on the ground already, he can’t hide up there very well. He’s not likely to attack a group of wolves unless we get him cornered. In that case, we strike en masse and kill him before he gets away.
“One last thing. Stay sharp and watch your back. For all I know, we’ve walked right by him without knowing it. The wind finally died down, so we have a better chance of scenting him tonight. Let’s go.”
After a quick shift, the men split into three groups and headed for the northern boundary, leaving the central compound unnaturally empty. As ordered, Melva and the rest of the pack watched from the safety of their own homes. Her first instinct was to sneak out and spring Lincoln from his prison. Unfortunately, Bruce had appointed three of the older men to surround his home “to protect the pack Omega.” No one really believed his lies, but it was mighty risky crossing both him and Alpha Richmond. Damn!
One day soon, Ballard would make a critical error, and Melva intended to take advantage of it. She’d made a promise to get Lincoln out, and one way or another, hewouldbe free—even if she died trying.
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Later that night, Gladstone guest house
With all the kids in bed and sleeping, Karol had coaxed Jim to the relative privacy of the living room so they could talk without being overheard. They settled on the sofa; Karol leaning back against her mate’s muscled chest with his arms around her midsection. She lifted her chin for a kiss and Jim gave her several before the conversation began.
“Our son is changing. I know Evan said he would, but every day he’s… I don’t know exactly. More mature? Calmer? More confident?”
