Page 88 of Ascendant Moon
“Didn’t I tell you, sweetie? Lincoln and Melva were invited to Donna and Lou’s house tonight. I don’t think he’ll stay out too late, so you should see him when he gets home.”
“Oh. Okay. He’s not afraid of everyone anymore, I can tell.”
Ben answered this one while keeping Evan exactly where he was.
“That’s right, baby girl. You and Jonah have helped him so much that he’s only afraid sometimes now. I’m very proud of you.”
Evie beamed at the compliment and then crawled up on the couch to demand double smooches from her daddies. They planted loud smacks on each cheek at the same time, and she ran back to the playroom to join her brothers. Evan returned his attention to Ben, leaning in to resume their own kisses when his phone rang. He was surprised to see it was from Scooter, and Ben growled at the interruption.
“Hi, Scoot. How’s the seminar going?”
“Hey, Evan. It’s going okay and I’m learning lots of stuff. I was hoping you had a few minutes to talk. Something weird is going on and I can’t figure it out.”
He and Ben shared a puzzled look, and Evan stood up.
“Sure. Give me a sec and I’ll take this in the office so we won’t be interrupted. Hang on.”
Evan closed the door behind him and sat down in the big leather chair, surrounding himself with Ben’s marvelous scent.
“Tell me what’s troubling you, my friend.”
“Well… I’m having like, sexy thoughts and dreams about other guys. I mean, I never really thought about anyone that way before, but my human roommate is hanging out with one of the waiters, and his pheromones are driving me crazy!”
Oho! Evan wasn’t at all surprised, though the timing of Scooter’s sexual awareness had to be Luna’s doing. Either way, he needed some reassurance at the very least.
“I don’t think it’s anything to be worried about, but I understand why it might be confusing. Are you bothered because it’s guys and not women, or is it something else?”
“I never paid much attention to that kind of stuff. Maybe if I had some… experience with sex it wouldn’t seem so weird right now. I’ve been dreaming about it at night and then can’t stop thinking about it during the day!”
“Is there a particular guy that interests you? Is it your roommate?”
“His name is Tripp, and yeah I think he’s attractive, but there’s no one in particular. I just can’t seem to stop looking! Almost every guy gets my attention and I’m constantly fighting a boner. Is this normal?”
Evan wished he could be having this conversation in person. Voice-only left out a lot of the clues he relied on to know what to say. He’d have to go with his gut this time.
“Nothing you’ve told me is abnormal or wrong, so rest easy. You’ve matured a lot in the last three years and have been focused on schooling and your deputy training. You haven’t had time to process all the other things that someone your age might have—including sexual attraction, love, and finding a mate.
“This conference is the first time you’ve been away from home and doing things on your own. It makes sense that your mind is now forcing you to think about something other than your career. That would confuse anybody, Scoot, so don’t be hard on yourself. Tell me this—have you come to any conclusions about romance and relationships? You know, what feels right and what doesn’t?”
Scooter didn’t answer immediately, though Evan could hear him growling.
“Yeah, sort of. I think women are pretty and everything, but when I beat off, I’m always thinking about a man. I guess thatmeans I’m gay, but it doesn’t bother me. I just always believed that nobody would want me, so why get excited about it?”
Evan couldn’t allow that comment to stand unchallenged.
“Hold on, my friend. There is absolutelyno reasonto think you aren’t mate material. Just take that idea out with the trash and leave it there. You have more to offer than you realize, and that means adjusting your self-image. Meanwhile, open up your mind and heart to possibilities, and I don’t mean just sex. Keeping everyone at arm’s length could lead to spending your life all alone.”
Scooter hadn’t thought things through quite that far, but he trusted Evan to be honest with him or he wouldn’t have called in the first place.
“Thanks, Evan. That’s a lot to think about, but I’ll try. Umm, how are things at home? Am I missing anything?”
Oh boy. Answering the question gave him the opportunity to plant some important seeds, but he couldn’t give away the farm.
“Everything’s great here, and we have some new people who arrived a few days ago. It’s a long story, but Lincoln Hart is a pregnant Omega who’s been through a really rough time. His friend, Melva, helped him escape their pack in Wisconsin and they both showed up here looking for a new home. He’s doing better, all things considered, and both Jonah and Evie have been helping.”
Scooter had an instant and visceral reaction to Lincoln’s name and the fact that a pregnant Omega had to escape from his own pack. Evan waited while the man’s angry growls rumbled down the phone line.
“Will he be all right? Is he safe?”
