Page 79 of Ascendant Moon
It was questions like this that made Scooter realize how small his world really was.
“Sorry, no. I’d love to see it someday, but I don’t usually get far from home.”
Tripp sat down on his bed to put on shoes and socks.
“Well, it’s definitely worth your time. Be sure to look me up and I’ll give you the grand tour. Say, we’ve got almost an hour before the first session. How about joining me downstairs for lunch?”
Scooter’s stomach rumbled loudly at the suggestion and Tripp laughed. Food sounded great about now, and having his friendly roommate’s company wasn’t a bad idea.
“Sure. Just let me use the restroom for a minute and I’ll be ready to go.”
Scooter closed the door and prepared to take a piss when he overheard Tripp mumbling to himself.
“Damn, is he smok’in! Keep your hands off, Gallagher. He probably doesn’t swing your way.”
Scooter’s urine stream wavered a bit when he heard what Tripp said, though it explained a few things. Law enforcement seemed to attract guys with big egos who had something to prove, and many of them detested gay men. Tripp probably thought Scooter was just like all the others and was afraid to put the moves on him.
Obviously, he had no problem whatsoever with same sex attraction, though having a one-off with his human roomie wasn’t on the agenda. He was here to learn and that had toremain the primary focus. It didn’t mean, however, that he and Tripp couldn’t be friends. Maybe the week wouldn’t be so bad after all.
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Around 2 p.m., near Gladstone packlands
Lincoln waited until the freight train’s last car was halfway across the bridge before dashing out of his hiding place to follow it over the Whitefish River. It was a risky move in broad daylight, but the greater danger was the empty spaces between railroad ties. One clumsy move could snap his leg and leave him stranded on the structure. Though Lincoln was eager to put this last man-made barrier behind him, he chose his steps carefully to reach the other side without incident.
The heady scent of shifters filled the air and though he knew their general location, he wasn’t sure where the packland’s boundaries were. It didn’t take long to encounter the first hint—an old logging road that had been closed off with a huge pile of brush and a tall wooden barrier. If that wasn’t enough, signs had been erected saying “PRIVATE PROPERTY” and “NO TRESPASSING.” Given the nearby Highway 2, private homes, and a smattering of businesses, Lincoln could understand why the extra effort was needed to keep curious humans out.
Off to the left, he slipped through the trees heading southeast and eventually crossed another overgrown logging road. This one led to an enormous old burn scar—wide open and leaving him exposed to view. He supposed that it made little difference now, since he actually wanted someone from the pack to find him. Along with scores of individual scents, he could smell a nearby lake and the dissipating scent of cooked food. Thepackhouse would be a logical place to go, since surelysomeonewould be around to help him.
The thought died as his ears picked up the familiar sound of multiple paws moving in his direction. To prove that he wasn’t a threat, Lincoln sat down on a forlorn mound of burned rock and scraggly weeds where he could be easily seen. Moments later, two pairs of scouts cleared the tree line from different directions. Betas! Their unmistakable scent brought on a shiver of fear, and Lincoln rolled to expose his belly in submission. One of the group approached slowly to get a better look, scent him, and then throw back his head to howl an alarm of some kind.
What happened next might have been funny under other circumstances, but Lincoln still didn’t know if they were going to help him. The last thing he expected was for the nearest wolf to shift into his human form and talk to him!
“Welcome to Gladstone. My name is Ash, and we’ve been expecting you. Our Alpha mate and pack Omegas will be here shortly to escort you in, all right? Don’t worry—you’re safe here.”
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Evan had received a vision less than thirty minutes ago, showing him that the pregnant Omega was about to cross the northwest border. He’d also seen that another stranger, someone known to the Omega, would be arriving soon afterward at the front gate. He’d opened the mind-link to notify Ben, called Caleb Vogel with the information, and left the house to pick up Evie at school, along with Jonah who was helping at the daycare.
Luna’s dreams hadn’t been specific about the gender of their visitor, but Evan could postulate the reason for any Omega to be pregnant and on the run. It was almost certainly another case of abuse, and whoever it was would need to be handled gently. Asa young child, Evie could offer simple comfort without posing a threat. Jonah and the stranger had much in common, and Evan thought they might make good companions during their pregnancies.
Both his daughter and brother-in-law were surprised to be summoned in the middle of the day, and Evan explained once they’d left the building.
“We have a pregnant Omega arriving any minute, and I need your help. He or she will probably be afraid and upset, and after they get settled, I’ll try to learn more. Evie, I want you to shift for me. I think our visitor will be more comfortable if you’re in wolf form.”
Jonah nodded his head in agreement, softly yipping as Evie stripped down and shifted. Evan gathered up her clothing and shoes and set them on one of the benches at the school playground. Just then, someone howled an alarm to the west of the central compound, and the three of them started moving that direction. Evan jogged to keep up as the pack Omegas trotted alongside, and it wasn’t long before Troy O’Neil approached to lead them in.
Evan disliked the burn scar area. The scorched, naked rock and stunted growth spoke of death and pain—both old and new. Someday, they’d build something here that would, perhaps, replace those awful memories. It seemed fitting, in a twisted sort of way, that their visitor would arrive in this cursed place with a story that was sure to tug at the heart.
As they approached, Evan detected the scent of a male Omega, confirming his suspicion from the first dream weeks ago. Both Evie and Jonah uttered low growls of distress when they picked up the rest of his scent—fear, worry, desperation, and a tinyflicker of hope. The three of them slowed to a stop some distance away, so as not to crowd the Omega, and Evan dropped to one knee.
“Hello. My name is Evan Blair, the Alpha Mate at Gladstone. These are our pack Omegas—my daughter, Evie, and my mate’s brother, Jonah, who’s due around Christmas time. Is it all right if they greet you?”
Lincoln hesitantly sniffed the air, confirming what he’d just been told. The one named Evan had an odd underscent he’d never encountered before, but maybe he was one of the True Elders that lived here. He was startled to see that the little one was an Arctic wolf, though how she or her parents ended up here was something of a mystery. The real surprise was to find another pregnant male Omega living here—someone who might truly understand what he was going through. Lincoln nodded his head in human fashion, and the two descended on him with licks and body rubs.
He knew they were deliberately calming him with their scent, and it came as a sweet relief after the weeks of stress and despair. Lincoln howled, letting go of some of the pain as his heart nearly burst. Had he been in human form he would be a blubbering mess, but wolves don’t cry and this was the only way he could express himself. Even the Betas who had been protecting him joined in, carrying some of his burden away on the notes of their sad song.
When the chorus faded away, Evan told the visitor what he wanted to do.
