Page 91 of Ascendant Moon
Lincoln is your mate.
Slow and easy.
Let your scent do its work.
Gentle touches.
Most had never witnessed him or Jack influencing another’s mind, and even the little ones stopped fussing while the scene unfolded. Unfortunately, Scooter’s wolf resisted the ideas, more interested in knotting and claiming. In the hushed silence of the packhouse, people watched as perspiration dripped from Evan’s face while he struggled to get through to the stubborn wolf. It wasn’t surrender Evan sought, only compromise with Scooter’s human half.
The delay had given Lincoln a few moments to size up the man who his wolf recognized as his mate. He was a Beta, though almost as big as an Alpha, and rippling with muscle. Too much like Bruce—only… this man seemed different somehow, and he was pleasantly handsome. No one else appeared to be threatened by him, and the majority of scents reflected love and happiness. Lincoln had thought that a mate was the very last thing he’d ever want, but surprisingly, the idea wasn’t repugnant at all.
Evan detected a change in Lincoln’s scent about the time Scooter’s wolf gave up the fight for control. He released his friend, leading him over to the blanket for an introduction.
“Lincoln, this is Nate Scoon, your mate.”
A look of wonder and affection came over Scooter’s features, ignoring everyone else in the room. Lincoln’s scent wassomething of a mixed bag—apprehension, anticipation, and a good dose of curiosity. Scooter dropped to one knee, focusing on the beautiful wolf before him.
“Mate... Lincoln. Don’t be afraid, sweetheart. I won’t ever hurt you. May I sit with you for the movie?”
Lincoln still looked dubious, and Evan made a suggestion that could break the ice.
“Scooter, why don’t you shift? I think your mate would be more comfortable if you were in wolf form.”
Lincoln yipped in assent while Jonah moved aside to make room for the bigger wolf. Scooter stripped without a care in the world, flinging clothes hither and yon in his haste. When the shift was complete, he approached slowly and flopped down on his belly—nose twitching with the amazing scent of his mate. Since the sweet Omega didn’t flinch, Scooter followed up the sniff-fest with a warm tongue bath of his face and ears.
Evan breathed a sigh of relief, giving his packmates a thumbs-up gesture. Smiles and happy tears could be seen all over the room, and Robert switched off the lights to resume the film.
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At intermission, Michelle and Perdy brought the new couple large bowls of supper leftovers, along with enormous slices of mixed berry pie. Meanwhile, the others got up to use the restroom or grab their own dessert and bags of popcorn for later. For the most part, people left Scooter and Lincoln alone, unwilling to risk breaking the hard-won détente that enabled them to slowly ease into their new relationship. No one had ever seen anything like it before, and many were in awe of Evan’s skill and power. Ben was enormously proud of his mate for brokeringthe deal, even though he’d been flying by the seat of his pants. Jack, too, was impressed, and came over to congratulate his protégé.
“Ben is right to be proud of you, as am I. They seem to be stable at the moment, though I suspect it would not be the case if Lincoln had met Scooter when he first arrived. Well done.”
Evan appreciated the compliments, but wasn’t about to take all the credit.
“I had a lot of help, and advanced warning in my dreams. As long as Scooter’s wolf doesn’t push too hard, I may not need to interfere again. The real test now is if Lincoln feels safe enough to spend the night alone with him. If they can cross that bridge together, I don’t anticipate any problems until Lincoln delivers the pup and shifts back. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
Once the film resumed, Scooter curled up behind his mate in a universally recognized protective gesture. Now touching and surrounded by their scents, Lincoln managed to relax and watch the rest of the movie, chuffing at the funny parts while everyone else shook the packhouse with laughter and applause. His new mate proved to be the perfect gentleman; attentive and considerate. There were occasional whiffs of arousal and sexual interest, but Scooter never pushed for more or made him feel like something to be used. He was not, in any way thus far, like Bruce—yet Lincoln’s disturbing memories continued to assert themselves.
At the conclusion of the show, people collected their little ones, visited with others, and helped with cleanup. Many now felt free to stop and offer the couple their congratulations. Scooter remained in wolf form since Lincoln seemed to prefer it, though it was odd while all of his packmates were human. No matter—he’d do anything to help his Omega get used to their new situation and it started him thinking.
Evanmusthave known ahead of time that he and Lincoln were mates—maybe through one of his dreams. It was probably best that he hadn’t mentioned it on the phone or Scooter would have come home immediately. It didn’t really matter now, but he was going to ask him about it when he had the chance. Meanwhile, all his energy would be spent getting to know Lincoln. One-sided conversation wouldn’t get them very far, but maybe Jonah and RJ could give him some pointers.
While Ben and Evan collected their pups, the older woman who had shared their blanket came up to give Lincoln a teary hug.
“I sure wasn’t expecting this to happen—a least not so soon. I’m so happy for you! Just remember, having a mate doesn’t mean I don’t get to see you, understand? I didn’t come all this way to be ignored.”
Lincoln chuffed at the old woman, and she turned an appraising gaze on Scooter.
“We haven’t met, but I’m Melva Winchell. I’ve known Lincoln since he was a child, and he deserves the very best mate. If you even think about hurting him, I’ll take you down. When we have a chance to talk, I’ll tell you all about him—but only the good things!”
His mate seemed mortified by the strange introduction, but Scooter admired her devotion to Lincoln. She must have been the one to set him free and bring him here, and for that, Melva deserved his respect and friendship. Scooter bumped her hand with his snout and licked her fingers. She just laughed and walked away shaking her head. It seemed the stress of the day had caught up with both of them, as he and Lincoln opened forjaw-cracking yawns. Evan walked up just then and asked about bedtime plans.
“Lincoln, would you rather sleep in the spare bedroom again tonight, or go home with your mate?”
Scooter hadn’t even considered those arrangements yet, but he noticed that Lincoln was given the choice, not him. His mate lifted a paw to point towards the door that led to the Blair’s home. Scooter couldn’t bear to watch him walk away, but what choice did he have? When he didn’t follow, Lincoln trotted over to lick his face, urging him to come along. Inside, Evan led them to the room and showed Scooter the water bowl and sandbox. On the way out, he turned to add one more thing.
“Just so you know, Lincoln feels more comfortable with the door open. I’ll see you in the morning for breakfast.”
