Did you catch Monday's detail-packed feature, Phases of the Moon, back in 2021 when @Mann Ramblings posted it? If not, I hope to tempt you into reading it with this week's Signature feature blog posts, so on to the excerpt! 

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Positioning himself squarely in front of the mirror, he stepped into the buttery denim and dragged them up his thick thighs at a snail’s pace so he could admire his own form. He was well aware of the power leashed under his skin. His swarthy looks, firm muscles, and his alpha scent drew people to him, wolves and human alike. They craved him and his authority, wishing for things they couldn’t have or never be.

Some might call it vanity, but Fergus considered it being honest. There was no harm in accepting your advantages. Being a wolf had given him many.

Shifting his hips, he hiked the fabric over his ass and buttoned up the front, making sure the bulge thrust forward properly for display. No, that was not a wadded up sock. The short sleeved, button down shirt struggled to contain his chest, so he kept it open enough to release the tension, knowing the furry view it gave. A confident display kept others enticed or off balance and helped cement his position as alpha. Fergus would always be seen as strong and his den would prosper, in spite of occasional whispers.

Having a human wife to bear his offspring made for a ripe target. Thankfully her inferior blood hadn’t damaged his children. They would be wolves after all.

Once he finished dressing, he headed downstairs, admiring the subtle stripe pattern on the dark burgundy wallpaper which butted against the knotty cedar wainscoting. Masculine, woodsy scents filled the hall reminding him of the outdoors at all times. On the ground floor, overstuffed leather furniture graced the cedar floors and thick area rugs. Rich details gave a dense, cabin feel he preferred.

He found Alice in the breakfast nook off the oversized, granite and rustic wood kitchen, nursing a cup of coffee. Petite, yet attractive with mahogany shoulder-length hair, shadows darkened her features. Her hands strained to hold the drink steady as she stared unfocused at the blank portion of the wall.

“How are you feeling, Alice?” He dug into the refrigerator for a snack while watching her from the corner of his eye. “The first whelping is always the worst, but the boys did fine.”

“Is it over?”

“For now. Last night was the last day of the full moon.”

“The screaming and noise. It was horrible.” Alice’s mug rattled as it settled to the table. Her brow creased hard as she focused to the bottom. “Is it always so painful for them?”

“At first. There’s nothing simple about rebirth. But it’ll get easier as they get used to it. Eventually, once they’re older, they won’t even notice it.”

Fergus threw together a roast beef sandwich from a plate of leftovers as the weary lines grew and faded like pulses in Alice face. A pall of silence fell over the room, broken only by the sound of milk as he poured himself a glass. It would be a shame if she failed to accept the reality of their existence. Fergus was halfway through eating before she made another sound.

“Why wouldn’t you let me call a doctor? They could have died.”

“Yes, they could have. But they didn’t. Some things can’t be seen outside the den.”

“Are they going to go through that every month?”

Fergus’ brow arched with disbelief. What a ridiculous question. “Of course they are.”

The way Alice’s shoulders and face dropped gave Fergus pause. There was something he didn’t care for in her stature, the slight plotting lilt to her head, resolving some grand scheme.

“Are you planning on turning me?”

 

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