Page 70 of Ascendant Moon (Gladstone Shifters #6)
The pup nursed several times during the night, watched affectionately by her fathers.
Driven by hunger and a full bladder, Lincoln finally got up to relieve himself and get something to eat after their first long nap, but hadn’t shifted yet.
He wanted to wait until morning, when they were all rested and before anyone came calling.
As expected, the little one’s scent was a mix of Lincoln and her deceased sire.
Nothing could be done about that, and her daddies would just have to get used to it.
She certainly wasn’t to blame, though sometime in the future the girl would be told the difficult truth.
About an hour before sunrise, Scooter awoke to find his daughter rooting around for a nipple.
He used his snout to gently nudge her in the right direction, and Lincoln wearily raised his head when she began to suckle.
They gave each other wolf kisses and then settled down to watch.
Lincoln couldn’t help but wonder how different things might have been if he’d encountered his true mate before Ballard had impregnated him.
He was fairly certain he and Scooter would have waited to have their first pup, though the enticing man was hard to resist. Nate was hot, sweet, patient, and considerate—exactly what Lincoln wanted in a man, but hadn’t known until they’d met.
They barely knew one another and were already parents, but somehow Lincoln knew things were going to work out.
After all, Luna had obviously arranged everything just so, and who was he to doubt the wonderful life they could have together?
As he and his mate watched the little one eat, Lincoln revisited a question that had troubled him for some time—would she accept Scooter as her daddy?
Fortunately, they’d had a conversation with the Calhouns about that very issue.
Roman explained what had happened to them and what it meant for their pups.
“Our circumstances were a little different, but in the end, our boys bonded with me right after I claimed Lance. It was our newly combined scent that did the trick, and I bet the same thing will happen with you. Just don’t wait too long.”
Scooter was certainly on board with the idea, and Lincoln had no objections.
It’s true they didn’t know one another in human form yet, but they’d been together for six weeks and had made it through some difficult days already.
As far as they knew, no one else in the pack had met their mate while locked in wolf form, so yes, this was new territory.
They’d have to start all over again, though not completely from scratch.
Knowing they were mates clarified the situation, and having a daughter to care for would be an additional bonding experience.
Both men were on the young side for mating and parenthood, even for shifters, but Ben and Evan believed they would be just fine.
After the pup finished eating, they all went back to sleep for a couple more hours until hunger woke both men. Scooter got up and shifted, slipped on a pair of loose shorts, and leaned down to stroke Lincoln’s face while giving the pup a good scenting.
“Let me get everything ready so you two can shift, and I’ll be right back. Do you want to do it here instead of the nursery?”
Lincoln nodded, curling a little tighter around the pup to keep her warm. Scooter hurried out to gather the supplies and heard a soft knock on the door. He opened it to find a smiling Perdy, holding a large basket of breakfast food.
“Is this a good time? I can just leave it here if you want.”
Scooter gestured her inside with a smile.
“Good morning, Perdy. I was just going to get some things so Linc and the pup can shift. Would you mind putting that on the kitchen counter?”
Since Scooter looked a little uncertain, Perdy helped him mix a bottle of formula. Next, they slipped into the empty nursery to grab a diaper, changing pad, onesie, and a blanket. She also offered him some advice.
“Take turns feeding and holding her so the little one gets used to your scent, too. And the best time to get a nap or have sex is right after a bottle, while she’s sleeping. Be sure to call me if there’s anything you need, all right?”
Perdy let herself out while Scooter took everything to the bedroom.
Lincoln had overheard their conversation, and the aroma of breakfast caused his stomach to rumble in anticipation.
He intended to ignore his hunger for now, eager to get back into his human form and meet his daughter.
Scooter arranged all the baby items on the floor near the nest and then reached over to transfer the pup to the changing pad.
“Okay, mate. Time to shift.”
Lincoln’s body began the transformation, with the pup only a couple seconds behind him.
Plaintive cries filled the air as the little one was awakened by a shocking change she didn’t understand.
Lincoln fumbled with the diaper and onesie, assisted by Scooter, who handed him things while studying both of them.
The baby stopped crying by the time she was wrapped in a light blanket and held securely in Lincoln’s arms.
Tears streamed down his cheeks as he scanned her tiny face, thrilled to meet his daughter at long last, amid a worrying question that he’d chosen not to share with his mate. Scooter leaned in to scent them both, rumbling with pleasure, and settled the matter quickly.
“She’s got blue eyes, like me, but otherwise looks just like you. See, she’s got your nose and mouth, and even the widow’s peak! I don’t think anyone will ever question who her daddies are, based on looks, so no worries there.”
Lincoln swiped away the remaining tears and leaned in to kiss Scooter for the very first time.
His lips were warm and soft, with just enough pressure to send a shiver all the way to Lincoln’s groin.
They both moaned at the intimate contact, enjoying the scent and flavor of one another for a few moments before their little one began to fuss.
Based on the time, she was due for another feeding, and they got up off the floor.
Lincoln handed the pup over to his mate while he went to the dresser for a pair of boxers and a T-shirt.
Scooter growled appreciatively at Linc’s sexy body—about five foot seven, lean muscles, a full beard, and more body hair than expected.
He popped a boner that lewdly tented his shorts, making Lincoln blush.
The flair of pheromones must have confused the little one, and she abruptly stopped fussing to stare at the person holding her.
“Damn, you’re gorgeous! I’m not going to be able to keep my hands off of you for long. And say something, Linc. I’ve been dying to hear your voice.”
Lincoln gave him a slightly crooked smile, preparing to actually verbalize what had been on his heart for weeks.
“I love you, Nate, and can’t wait for you to touch me.”
His mate’s pleasant baritone pleased Scooter almost as much as the words themselves, eyes flaring amber amidst a carefully modulated growl.
“I love you too, sweetheart. After we eat and put the baby down for a nap, I’m going to do more than touch you. You’re MINE!”
In the kitchen, Lincoln warmed the bottle and sat at the table to feed their daughter while Scooter served up breakfast. Without a free hand, Lincoln relied on his mate to feed him—something Nate didn’t mind doing at all.
After the first few bites, Scooter brought up the issue of naming their child.
“Now that she’s here, I’m not sure any of the ones we had on the list really fit her. Do you have any other ideas?”
Lincoln nodded, savoring a bite of cinnamon French toast while he gathered his thoughts.
“I agree. None of the names are awful , but there’s another one that came to mind right after she was born. Let me explain and then see what you think.”
While Lincoln burped the little one, he weaved a short tale of someone who’d meant a great deal to him in his growing up years. Though she was gone now, her name held special meaning and memories for Lincoln. Scooter readily agreed.
“I like it. Good thing we have that figured out, because everybody’s going to ask. On second thought, we promised Melva that she could come visit today, and she’ll tell everybody whether we want her to or not!”
Amid their shared laughter, the first of many wet diapers appeared. Like a true gentleman, Scooter offered to change it while Lincoln cleaned up the breakfast remains. Once the baby went down for a nap, the couple would be free to pursue other activities.
############
A shower had never felt so wonderful.
Lincoln relished the feel of clean, warm water and silky soap as he cleaned up for his mate.
Scooter had completed his ablutions while he put the baby down and now it was his turn.
Robert had given them a very frank and detailed sex talk recently, meaning Lincoln knew exactly how to prepare for his mate.
If his instincts were correct, their first coupling would probably be more about claiming than chasing pleasure.
That was okay too, since they’d have plenty of time to explore one another afterward.
Stepping out of the shower, Lincoln hurriedly dried off, ran a comb through his thick brown hair, and brushed his teeth.
Opening the bathroom door, he found Scooter waiting for him in the hallway—naked, erect, and growling in anticipation.
Lincoln jumped up into his muscular embrace, wrapping legs around the man’s narrow waist as their mouths met in a hungry kiss.
Oh, he felt good! Warm skin, a vibrating chest, and the scent of mate mixed with pheromones was almost enough to trigger an orgasm.
Though Lincoln’s eyes were closed, he felt movement as Scooter walked them to the bedroom while kissing the daylights out of him.
The man’s big hands gripped his lightly furred ass, with one thick digit now teasing his sensitive pucker.
The sensations were too much, but not nearly enough, as Lincoln’s aching cock rubbed against Scooter’s hairy abs.
When his mate paused the kiss to take a deep breath, Lincoln started licking the man’s powerful neck, reveling in the concentrated scent found there and his mate’s unique taste. It wasn’t enough.
“Nate, honey, I need… can you… please .”
Scooter lay him down on the bed and crawled on top, groin to groin as he gazed down at his lover.
“Anything you want, sweetheart. Let me take some of the pressure off so we can enjoy the claiming together.”
Knowing his poor mate was ready to explode, Scooter skipped a lot of good parts to focus on Lincoln’s cock.
His smaller body was perfectly proportioned, with a lovely seven inch dick that was wider in the middle and hairy at the base.
Scooter licked the precum from his slit, drew down the foreskin to reveal the glans, and went to town.
He’d never given head before, but Lincoln didn’t seem to notice his lack of skill—writhing and growling as the orgasm built.
Curious how far he could go, Scooter engulfed his mate’s cock to the root.
Out of his mind with sensation, Lincoln responded by gripping Scooter’s head with both hands and thrusting into the warm, wet channel.
Seconds later he shouted his release—warm cum filling Scooter’s mouth and throat.
Unwilling to miss any, he pulled back a bit to suck every drop from Lincoln’s spent dick, humming with satisfaction.
A glance revealed that his smiling mate lay boneless and spent, breathing heavily but temporarily out of commission.
Scooter decided to lick and kiss his way upwards, stopping occasionally to lavish attention on points of interest until finally reaching Lincoln’s mouth.
The man roused enough to return the kisses and reached between them to stroke Scooter’s hard-as-iron, ten-inch shaft.
A dreaded memory suddenly popped into his head, unwelcome but present nonetheless, and he withdrew his hand.
Though Bruce’s dick hadn’t been nearly as big, he’d painfully pounding into him during the brutal “practice sessions” and Lincoln feared it might be the same with Scooter.
How could he give himself freely with memories like that dancing around in his head?
His mate noticed the hesitation and change in scent, rolling over on his side but not crowding Lincoln.
“You know I won’t hurt you the way he did. I’m not gonna do anything you don’t want, and there’s lots of other stuff we can try instead. It will all feel good—I promise.”
Lincoln burst into tears, snuggling up to his mate. The man was gentle, kind, and wanted nothing more than to make him happy, but the fears ran too deep, and he couldn’t see a way to work around them.
“You haven’t done anything wrong, and I’m not afraid of you, but it’s hard to forget what Bruce did to me. I’ll try, Nate. I really will.”
Scooter kissed Lincoln’s forehead and interlaced their fingers.
“It’s all right, love. Did you know that True Elders can help people forget things? If it’s okay with you, I’ll ask Evan to come over and he can explain it better.”
Lincoln’s knowledge of True Elder gifts was rather limited, though he’d heard pack members mention some sort of mind powers. He didn’t know how it all worked, but if it was true…
“Yes. If he can help me, I don’t want to let that dead bastard ruin what we have.”
Scooter lifted Linc’s chin for a tender kiss and then reached for his phone.