Page 42 of Ascendant Moon (Gladstone Shifters #6)
“Sometimes our lupine nature takes over, even while we’re in human form.
Adult shifters don’t usually remain in direct physical contact with anyone except their mate.
Ben’s wolf feels the need to reassert his claim, even though we both know it’s not necessary.
And, don’t forget that Alphas are naturally protective and possessive, especially when it comes to their mates.
I’ll admit it’s inconvenient at times, but the sex is fantastic!
You’ll understand better when we get to that part of your training. ”
Just the mention of sex training got Colton’s teen hormones all riled up, though he couldn’t do anything about it at the moment. Evan quickly reached into his mind to help quiet him down.
Intimacy is natural.
Others will come to you for advice.
Sex is a gift to be enjoyed.
No shame.
Mating is part of life.
Colton’s embarrassment and discomfort faded, though not in time to block a surge of lusty pheromones.
Ben’s wolf would misinterpret what he smelled in the air, causing a scene that Evan wanted to avoid.
He shut down the mind link, released Colton’s hand, and then led him to the front door.
Jim and Karol awaited them outside, ready to take their fuzzy-headed son home for a long nap.
No shifter, however, could miss the waft of charged air that followed them outside, and Evan quickly explained before they asked.
“Colton’s perfectly fine, though a little confused at the moment. We had a brief discussion about intimacy that set him off, though I usually save that part of the training for later. If you’re concerned, I’ll gladly explain it to you when we have more time.”
The couple gave him knowing smiles and led Colton back to the peace and privacy of his room.
Evan waved and swiftly went back inside, locking the door behind him.
Thankfully, security would guard the house, preventing anyone from disturbing him and Ben while they tended to business.
Evan couldn’t put it off any longer and opened the mind-link with his mate.
Seconds later, Ben burst through the connecting door, growling up a storm.
Eyes aglow, he swept Evan off his feet, carried him to the bedroom, and ripped off their clothing.
“MINE! MY MATE!”
Ben was so worked up that he skipped the preliminaries, immediately sinking sharp fangs into Evan’s mating mark.
While he writhed and trembled, Ben shot a huge load onto Evan’s torso and chest, covering him with scent.
Nowhere near satisfied, he lifted Evan’s legs, slathered some spent jizz on his still-hard cock, and plunged inside his mate’s ass with a forceful grunt.
Evan felt it all the way to his toes, crying out with pain and pleasure as Ben’s frenzied pumping reamed out his back passage.
Evan finally managed to soothe the beast, influencing Ben’s mind with calming thoughts that removed the razor’s edge from his mate’s ardor.
Using a trick he’d learned over time, Evan snagged fistfuls of Ben’s hair and yanked his head down for passionate kisses.
For some reason, it centered his mate, reminding him of all the other pleasant things they could do.
More orgasms followed until Ben’s wolf was satisfied and Evan could no longer stay awake.
############
Suppertime
RJ opened the fridge to make something for supper, but there wasn’t much there. He needed to go to the grocery store, but hadn’t wanted to leave his mate alone yet. Jonah walked up, lifted his snout for a good sniff, and leaned against the door with his paws to close it. RJ frowned at him.
“Hey! How am I gonna figure out what to fix with the door closed?”
Jonah shook his head from side to side, and then trotted over to the main entrance, softly yipping.
“You want to go for a run? No? Oh! You want to eat at the packhouse, right?”
Jonah gave him a happy howl and came back to circle RJ’s legs, tail wagging.
“All right, Love. Whatever you want. I bet you’re missing everybody, huh?”
Jonah licked RJ’s hand and dragged him by the pant leg towards the door.
“Okay, okay! Let’s go.”
With other packmates on their way to supper, it didn’t take long to attract attention.
Some waved, others called out greetings, and a few waited by the entrance to say hello.
Robyn must have spotted them coming, for she was crouched just inside the door, arms outstretched for a hug.
It must have taken fifteen minutes to reach the serving line, and RJ filled two plates with Jonah’s choices.
Perdy fetched a couple of large bowls—one for cold water and the other for hot chocolate.
Meanwhile, Michelle brought out a wooden platform for the Omega to sit on while he ate, instead of down on the floor.
The pair were ensconced at one corner of a table already occupied by the Ramsey family.
Introductions were made, and then Colton’s curiosity got the better of him with question after question about Change Mates and pregnancy.
He’d just received Evan’s memories this morning, so the topic was fresh in his mind.
The whole family chimed in, giving RJ very little time to eat while Jonah snarfed down his food and then yipped for more.
When it came time for dessert, Michelle brought them four cinnamon rolls she’d saved from this morning.
RJ managed to snag one before Jonah got them all, so he went to get a dozen chocolate chip cookies for his ravenous mate.
After the meal, Jonah wanted to make the rounds as he normally would have, sniffing out anyone who might be having a bad day.
They fed him tidbits, scratched his ears, and asked simple questions he could easily answer with commonly understood gestures or sounds.
RJ was still feeling overly protective, but at least he knew all of these people, and Jonah was having a great time.
When they left the building, Jonah turned right instead of heading home, ending up at Ben and Evan’s front door. RJ hesitated.
“Are you sure, Jo? I didn’t call ahead this time.”
His mate wasn’t taking no for an answer, throwing back his head for a long howl.
Seconds later, the door flew open and all six kids swarmed their favorite uncle, ushering them inside.
Apparently, they were all happy to see him, though RJ tried to apologize for interrupting their evening. Ben brushed it off.
“Are you kidding? We haven’t seen him since Sunday, and Evie’s been pestering us to make a visit. Come on in and have a seat.”
In a strange turn, the kids settled on the floor by the bookcase and started reading books to Jonah while they stroked his fur and scratched his belly. There wasn’t any bump yet, but they were still curious. That prompted RJ to ask a question.
“Evan, when did you start showing?”
His expression softened and he snuggled closer to his mate.
“I noticed it sooner because it felt different, but everybody else could tell by the fourth week. By the eighth he’ll be walking a little funny, and after that comes the waddle.
Just a word of advice—never tease him about how he looks.
His emotions will be all over the place and even lighthearted comments can really hurt. ”
Though Jonah could hear them, he didn’t seem to be paying attention to their conversation. In fact, the books had been put away, and the kids were shifting for some wolf playtime. RJ looked at Ben and Evan with a quirked eyebrow, eliciting a nod, and they stripped down to join the fun.
Following Jonah’s example, they went after the Alpha twins, snatching them up by their scruff to play keep away.
They went from the living room to the children’s wing, then through the kitchen, under the dining room table, and finally made laps around the couch before collapsing in a furry heap.
Evie shifted back first, and the others joined her.
“That was fun! I love you Uncle Jonah.”
She planted a kiss on his furry head and got a wet lick on her cheek in return.
The boys gave scritches and pats before saying goodnight, trooping off to their rooms for the bedtime routine.
At the door, Jonah got the same hugs as RJ, and he thanked the couple for allowing the impromptu visit.
Evan offered a final encouragement before they parted.
“You’re welcome anytime, so don’t be strangers!”
On the way home, RJ talked to his mate as he always did—even if he couldn’t respond with words.
“They’re really something, aren’t they? I hope our kids turn out that good.”
Jonah yipped in agreement and then took off at a dead run, leaving his mate in the dust. When RJ reached the house, Jonah was sitting on the welcome mat, chuffing at him.