Chapter 54
All eyes turned to them as they entered the dining hall. Phoebe’s cheeks warmed at the thought
they would know why they had been absent so long, but Jason tugged her close. He didn’t mind if they looked, as long as they didn’t come between them.
“Mommy! Daddy!” Emma ran up to them as soon as she spotted them.
Jason scooped her up, nuzzling her as they walked to the table that had been set aside for them
overlooking the rest of the dining hall. Patting Blake’s head, he ignored the stares. Every time he
showed his love for the pups it stirred whispers, but he didn’t mind. Originally, he might have
brought them along because they were precious to Phoebe, but they had firmly lodged themselves
in his heart as well.
A server brought a tray of champagne. Jason offered one to Phoebe before taking one for himself.
It was human-made, so he had no fear of it harming her. Standing close to her as Blake stood up
on his chair, Jason raised his glass, drawing the attention of their guests though most were already
watching them.
“Friends,” Jason announced. “We are here to celebrate an extraordinary she-wolf, the most
extraordinary one I have ever met. She came into my life just when I was on the verge of giving up.
I spent one lonely night after another, cursing the fickleness of the Moon Goddess, wondering
what I did to incur her wrath and be punished in such a cruel way as year after year I endured
without my mate, my Luna.
“But now I understand. It wasn’t a punishment. It was a trial, a trial to prove myself worthy of this
amazing, kind, gentle she-wolf. She completes me in ways I am still discovering. The piece of me I
was missing, she returned to me. And for the first time in all my years, my heart and life are full. To
my Luna.”
Jason raised his glass and all others followed suit. Phoebe felt her face warm at the praise. She didn’t dare look at anyone in particular as Máni swelled with pride.
‘It’s about time we were appreciated.”
Phoebe couldn’t help but chuckle at her wolf’s satisfaction. The last five years had been rather
frustrating for her wolf, Phoebe always thought it was odd her wolf continued to hide in the back
of her mind, refusing to assert herself until Jason’s arrival. Odder still was how quickly her wolf
became comfortable expressing itself once they reached Blue Moon. Was it because they finally
found their fated mate? If Jason had also rejected them, would Máni have remained silent?
“You’re thinking too much,” Jason’s voice flitted into her mind as his arm slipped around her waist.
Phoebe blinked, startled as he pulled her close.
“Anything wrong?”
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“No. I guess I’m just expecting myself to wake up and find this is all a dream.”
425 Points
“If this is a dream, I hope we never wake up,” Jason kissed her temple, “because a life without you is a nightmare.”
Phoebe rested her head on his shoulder. She agreed. If this was a dream, she didn’t want to wake up either.
Taking their seats, they settled in as the kitchen staff served up dinner: roast beef, steamed vegetables, potatoes, a variety of casseroles and salads. There was more than enough variety for just about any pallet, though their guests were a little surprised.
It wasn’t uncommon for packs to spend ludicrous amounts on more expensive fare in an effort to impress their honored guests. Lobster, caviar and rare delicacies were the usual expectations. However, Phoebe surprised the staff by insisting on a heartier meal with plenty of meat and calories to fill even the most gluttonous wolf. She thought spending money on food they truly enjoyed was much better than extravagant ingredients.
Though the guests were surprised by the food choice, they certainly weren’t complaining and eagerly asked for seconds. Even Blake and Emma stuffed themselves until they were ready to burst. Phoebe almost laughed out loud as Jason added more helpings to her plate.
He just would not let his obsession go, even though she had gained several pounds since arriving at Blue Moon. And he wasn’t the only one. Máni also pushed her to eat more. Phoebe couldn’t let go of the nagging suspicion her wolf was preparing for something. As to who or what that could
be, she wasn’t even sure Máni knew the answer.
In the past, they rarely shifted and so hadn’t been hampered by Phoebe’s modest meals. Now Máni wanted to build their strength. Phoebe wasn’t certain what her wolf was expecting. Surely, they didn’t have to be afraid of rogues in their new pack. Blue Moon was considerably larger and maintained patrols of its borders.
Yet Máni continued to act as if there would be trouble and they had to be ready. It made Phoebe
anxious, but she tried not to think about it in case Jason sensed her unease. He was sensitive to
their bond and she didn’t want to worry him given her lack of any hard answers or solid reasons.
As the night progressed, Emma struggled to remain awake and not fall asleep in her potatoes. Jason chuckled as she jerked awake yet again before reaching over and pulling her into his lap. The pup didn’t offer a word of protest, cuddling into his chest and falling asleep instantly. He nuzzled her, kissing the top of her head.
o his chest and fol
The others watched as he cuddled the sleeping pup with a mixture of confusion and admiration. Lunas in particular were quite envious at the care he showed the pups, not to mention how he showered Phoebe with attention. It seemed he couldn’t go a minute without at least kissing her
hand.
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Chats ha
+25 Points*
Those with chosen mates couldn’t understand his obsession as they had no trouble leaving their lunas for days. Their lunas served a purpose, providing balance to their packs, but they were nothing special. Certainly, sex was enjoyable, but for the most part they were content to ignore
them.
On the other hand, alphas who had their fated mate remembered their own early days with their lunas. Watching Jason spurred them to renew their romance and recapture that feeling, whether they had been mated a year or ten.
“Here, let me take her,” Norah chuckled, coming up to Jason with open arms. “I’ll put her to bed.”
Jason loathed to give up the little one, but eventually acquiesced and handed Emma to his mother.
Norah struggled to make the little one comfortable in her arms before looking at Blake, who was also fading. It had been a long day for both pups.
“Come along,” Norah tussled his hair. “Time for bed.”
Blake frowned, but was too tired to argue. Phoebe gave him a good night kiss before sending him
off. Jason grasped her hand and kissed it, earning him a shy, happy smile. Nothing could dampen his contentment at that very moment. It was perfect.
While the younger members of the crowd gradually made their way up to their rooms, the adults
remained for an extended visiting hour. Jason and Phoebe eventually left their table and mingled
with their guests. Jealous stares followed Phoebe wherever she went as Jason kept a protective
arm around her, nuzzling and kissing her as if to ward off anyone thinking of taking her from him.
“Jason!” William approached with his arm around Lily and seemingly unaware of the protective
aura surrounding Jason and Phoebe, “I’ve been meaning to ask you about that challenger tonight.
You clearly had him outmatched. Why did you send the pups inside? It wasn’t as if they were in danger.”
Jason hesitated, “Because he was their former alpha, I didn’t want them to have to watch their old
alpha and their new one fight to the death.”
“Meaning you didn’t want them to fear you,” Reed surmised as he joined them. He stood close to his sister, wishing his own Luna was there and couldn’t wait to return to her.
Jason grimaced. It was true. He did worry about how the pups perceived him. Every time Emma called him daddy and ran up to him stirred protective instincts he didn’t know existed and brought him a joy he really couldn’t describe. He didn’t want that to change. He couldn’t bear the thought of the pups suddenly being wary of him. Even just the thought was enough to make Lobo whimper.
“You mean to tell me, the mighty Alpha Jason is just a big softy?” William chuckled.
“He is, and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Phoebe said, leaning into him as his embrace
tightened.
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Chapter 54
“Whatever my Luna wants, she’ll have,” Jason whispered. He would never deny her anything.
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