Page 52 of Ascendant Moon (Gladstone Shifters #6)

Once they cleared the forest, Lincoln couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

The place was amazing, with beautiful buildings, homes, and grounds in every direction.

It was nothing like any packlands he’d ever visited before, and he’d only reached the central complex.

What other wonders might be discovered if he had time to explore?

Right now, they were headed into one of the underground homes and…

Lincoln suddenly dropped to the ground, whining in distress.

The overwhelming scent of an Alpha had released a wave of memories, paralyzing the poor Omega.

Lincoln knew that Richmond wasn’t anywhere nearby, but the thought of being trapped inside with a powerful Alpha terrified him.

Evie and Jonah lay down on either side, allowing their scent to do its job while they licked Lincoln’s ears.

Evan surmised that whatever happened to this Omega must have involved an Alpha, and he opened the mind-link with Ben.

“I need your help, love. Our guest isn’t reacting well to your scent. Meet us outside the front door, but don’t crowd him.”

“Got it. Be right there.”

Meanwhile, Evan crouched down so he wasn’t towering over the frightened Omega, and reached into his mind with gentle assurances.

No one here will harm you.

Our Alpha is a good man.

This is a safe place.

Lincoln stopped fussing and shook his head in confusion as the worst of his distress faded into the background.

Just then, a muscle-bound Alpha approached with a friendly smile on his face.

Lincoln should have been scared shitless, but this man wasn’t giving off any frightening vibes at all.

He went down on one knee next to Evan and spoke softly.

“Hello, friend. I’m Alpha Blair, but you can call me Ben. I’m glad you’ve come to Gladstone. I think you’ll like it here, and I promise to keep you safe. You’re probably hungry, so why don’t we go inside and see what Cody can make for you?”

Lincoln cocked his head but remained where he was until Evan intervened—enhancing his natural curiosity and hunger.

That did the trick, and Lincoln stood to follow Jonah and Evie through the open door.

Inside, Lincoln noted the lovely home, detecting the scents of five other children and an adult male in the kitchen.

Whatever he was preparing smelled wonderful, and Lincoln cautiously approached as an apron-clad Beta met him in the dining area.

“Hi there! I’m Cody, the Blair’s chef. Since you’ve been traveling, I bet you’d enjoy some human food for a change.”

Lincoln nodded his agreement, tongue lolling out the side of his mouth.

“Great! I’ll let you know when it’s ready.”

Lincoln, Jonah, and Evie were then led to the living room where Ben sat down on a large leather sofa to observe while Evan picked up a stack of cards with letters and numbers on them.

He laid them out on the floor in order—numbers on top, letters beneath.

Lincoln assumed this was the word game he’d heard about earlier, and Evan explained what it was all about.

“First, why don’t you tell us your name? Just use your paw to touch each letter in sequence, and then touch the STOP card at the end.”

Lincoln got up and began spelling it out for them. It wasn’t the easiest way to communicate, but it was better than having no voice at all. L-I-N-C-O-L-N. STOP . Evan smiled at him.

“Lincoln! And your last name?”

With only four letters, this one was faster. H-A-R-T. STOP .

“Lincoln Hart. Now we’re getting somewhere! I’d like to know where you came from, if you’re willing to tell me.”

Lincoln shook his head and growled. Evan wasn’t surprised.

“That’s okay, I understand. Just remember that we won’t do anything to compromise your safety. Do you have any family or friends that we should contact?”

There was only one person who qualified, and Lincoln spelled it out. M-E-L-V-A. STOP . W-I-N-C-H-E-L-L. STOP .

Evan made an assumption based on his dreams and visions.

“Was Melva supposed to follow you here?”

Lincoln nodded, yipping excitedly as Ben pulled out his phone to text Caleb Vogel. Evan had warned security that someone would be coming, but having a name would speed up the process.

“We’ll tell security to watch for her then, all right?”

Lincoln didn’t want to spell out “thank you”, so he licked Evan’s hand instead.

Thick fingers lightly stroked the top of his head, pausing at each ear for some scratches.

Lincoln released a pleased growl and leaned into it.

He’d been touch-starved for far too long and relished the comfort this simple gesture brought.

Cody interrupted the moment with a welcome announcement.

“Food’s ready! Is anyone hungry?”

Though it was too late for lunch and too early for supper, Cody made something for everyone.

At Evan’s encouragement, Lincoln jumped up on a dining room chair, flanked by Evie and Jonah.

While Ben, Evan, and Evie all received normal portions, both pregnant Omegas were given platters stacked with cheeseburgers.

Lincoln savored every delicious bite, wondering how Cody managed to make a simple burger taste like filet mignon.

Of course, nearly anything would be more pleasing than eating raw meat from the floor of Bruce’s kitchen.

That wasn’t the end of their mid-afternoon snack, however, as Cody then brought out dessert.

“This is a new recipe that I’ve been wanting to try. Let me know what you think.”

Lincoln and Jonah both received extra-large portions of a still-warm peach cobbler, doused with creamy caramel sauce and topped with scoops of vanilla ice cream.

Lincoln dug right in, giving his taste buds a treat and satisfying his ever-present need to feed.

When the dish was empty, he lapped up all the stray crumbs from the tabletop until nothing was left.

When he opened his mouth to yip in appreciation, a rumbling belch popped up to say hello instead.

The table erupted in laughter and chuffing, drawing Cody out of the kitchen to see what was going on. Evan snitched.

“I think Lincoln really enjoyed dessert.”

Cody smiled at their guest and stroked the thick fur of his neck.

“Is that right? Well, I’m glad you liked it.”

Once they left the dining room, Ben returned to his office, Evie went to her room to shift and dress, and Evan texted Donna to see if she was free.

Ready for us? I think our guest could use a bath!

No problem. Give me ten minutes.

When Evie returned in human form, Lincoln couldn’t help but notice how much the pretty little blond looked like Evan. He didn’t understand how that could be, since the man was a Delta wolf, but he didn’t have any way to ask the question. Evan had one for him instead.

“One of our pack members, Donna, is a doctor, and we have an infirmary where she sees those who need treatment. She also monitors pregnancies, and I’d like her to give you a quick exam. Is that all right?”

Lincoln nodded his head and Evan smiled at him.

“Good. Do you want Jonah and Evie to come with us?”

Lincoln yipped, wagging his tail.

“Okay everybody, let’s not keep the good doctor waiting.”

On their way to the infirmary, Evan pointed out the packhouse, guest accommodations, some of the housing options, and other features of the central compound.

The infirmary building now boasted a brand new addition that housed the entryway and waiting room.

The old space had been remodeled into a full human bathroom, and a lupine facility that included an adjustable grooming table and a stainless steel wash station.

Lincoln would be the first one to use it, though no one had informed the Omega of that fact.

Donna awaited them inside, eager to meet their visitor. She knew almost nothing about him, but her primary concern was his overall health and that of the pup or pups he carried. Evan made the introductions.

“Lincoln, this is Donna Follett, our pack doctor. You’re in good hands.”

Donna got right down to business.

“Hello, Lincoln. Has anyone been caring for you and your pup?”

He shook his head, which answered the question, but didn’t provide the details Donna really wanted to know.

“I see. I take it you were in a pack until recently, but how long have you been traveling?”

Lincoln looked up at Evan, who began throwing out guesses. A week? No. Longer? No again. Evan counted down from seven and stopped when Lincoln nodded at four days.

“Mmm… I think we’ll combine the exam with a nice warm bath. I want to make sure your coat isn’t hiding any injuries or pests. Come with me, please.”

Lincoln followed her around the corner to a well-lit room that looked something like a dog grooming station.

Donna pointed to a ramp leading to a stainless steel washing platform, and Lincoln reluctantly climbed up and inside.

The others were shooed out into the hallway with the door left open—mostly for Lincoln’s benefit, and Donna slipped on a waterproof apron.

She waited until the water was warm enough and then thoroughly rinsed his matted coat, followed by a soapy scrub.

Her hands were gentle, yet confident, as she checked his joints and abdomen along the way.

“Assuming you’re carrying only one pup, I’d say you’re right around six weeks. Did you conceive during the August full moon?”

All the awful memories of that event returned with a vengeance, and Lincoln responded with a mournful howl.

Donna needed to ask an additional question, but she preferred to wait until they were alone.

“I’m so sorry, Lincoln. I don’t want to hurt you, but I need some information to make sure you and the pup are healthy. Let me get the rest of your coat rinsed off.”

She finished quickly, allowed him to shake out some of the water, and then asked permission to pick him up.

He was relocated to a grooming table nearby, where Donna dried him off with a fluffy towel and brushed out his coat from nose to tail.

Once that was done, she inspected his paws, eyes, teeth, and ears.

“Can you lie down for me, belly up?”

Lincoln did so, and Donna palpated his mildly swollen tummy and checked his nipples before allowing him to sit up.

“Everything checks out, though I have two minor concerns. Your leg muscles are a bit atrophied and you’re a little underweight.

Daily runs and more frequent meals should easily take care of that, and I’ll talk to our kitchen staff about your calorie intake.

Your pup seems to be on target, and your abdomen will really begin to swell soon.

By November, you may need to start taking it easier, but shifters are tough, and you’ll be just fine. ”

Evan and the others seemed pleased by the good report, and Donna turned to them with a request.

“If you would return to the waiting area, I’d like a private moment with my patient.”

Donna left the door open but lowered her voice as she asked Lincoln some difficult questions.

“Lincoln, is this your first pregnancy?”

He nodded.

“Did someone force it on you?”

Another nod.

“Do you want to keep this pup?”

He growled at her, clearly affronted.

“It’s your choice, of course, but some Omegas in your place prefer to let others raise the pup instead.

Either way, you have a home and a supportive pack at Gladstone.

As for meals, I’m going to ask Evan to keep you away from the packhouse until you adjust to things around here.

Our people will be eager to meet you, but it can be overwhelming for newcomers.

Now, I want to see you every two weeks for regular checkups, and if you have any concerns don’t hesitate to pay me a visit. ”

As the group left the infirmary, Evan’s phone beeped with an incoming text from the front gate.

Melva Winchell and friend are on their way in.

Evan opened the mind-link, asking Ben to come and bring the other kids with him. As they waited, Evan gave Lincoln the good news.

“Melva is here.”

Lincoln yipped and danced, listening for the sound of a car. He’d been missing her and worried about her progress, but assumed she would be arriving on paws, not wheels. She’d tell him all about it, and in great detail no doubt, but he didn’t mind one bit as long as she was safe.

An unfamiliar vehicle entered the parking lot, kicking up puffs of dust, and driven by someone Lincoln didn’t recognize. When the doors opened, Melva made a beeline for him, tears running down her cheeks.

“Lincoln! Oh, how I’ve missed you!”

She hugged him and he licked her face, tail wagging to beat the band. At length, she stood up to introduce her traveling companion.

“Lincoln, this is my friend, Ginny. I couldn’t make it all the way here, so I detoured to Newald and asked her to drive me here. Oh, the stories I have to tell you! Now, who are all these nice people?”

Ben did the customary introductions.

“Welcome to Gladstone, ladies. I’m Alpha Blair, and this is my mate, Evan, our children, and my brother, Jonah.

As you can imagine, we have some questions about what’s happened and how you ended up here.

We’d love for you to join us for supper later, and I’ll have someone prepare a room for your stay. ”

Lincoln plastered himself to Melva’s side as the whole group went inside for what was sure to be an interesting, and troubling, discussion.