Finding Their Way: The Children of Blood Moon

Change of Hands

*Asteria POV*

"So, are you really going?" I asked my mate as we laid in bed. He was silent. "Donavon, please don't ignore me. It's OK to tell me your decision, I'm not going to be angry," I explained.

He rolled over to face me and just stared at me. I could see the conflict in his eyes, and I felt utterly guilty for making him feel like he had to stay with me instead of helping my family.

"Baby girl, I can't explain the reasons why I feel I need to do this, or why I want to do this. I just feel deep in my soul that I need to help Maddix and Damian. They have been so good to me, and the only way I know to repay them is to help them figure out who is trying to kill Damian and Alette," he explained.

"When I was undercover for them all those months, I discovered I was good at doing that kind of work. I am good at flying below the radar, and getting people to trust me. I promise you that at the first sign of imminent danger, I will bail." He said.

When he put it that way, I knew he had to do this for my family. He still felt he needed to prove himself to them. To prove his loyalty. I had told him many times that he didn't need to do that anymore.

Maddix had officially made him a member of Blood Moon when he was still away working for Damian, and my brother trusted him wholeheartedly.

"OK," I whispered. He furrowed his brow and repeated what I said. "OK?" he asked. I nodded my head. "Yea," I sighed. "On one condition, we buy a burner phone, and you contact me daily. Many times a day," I said. He laughed and told me we had a deal, but he was speechless when I finished my conditions.

"I also want us fully mated before you go. I need to be able to be completely connected to you," I stated.

He sat up on his elbow, and looked at me and said, "Asteria, are you sure? I don't want you to feel like you must. I only want it when you are for sure ready."

I didn't reply, and I leaned in to kiss him. "I'm sure, and I'm ready," I finally whispered.

He rolled me onto my back and started to kiss his way down my body. The sensations I felt were beyond anything I had ever felt with Simon. The sparks ignited against my skin with every kiss and nibble Donavon made. "Babe, are you positive? Once I get started, I don't think I will be able to stop," he growled.

"If you stop, I will continue. Is that clear enough for you?" I stated. He smiled a bashful smile and buried his face between my legs. The man sent me into a spiral of ecstasy. The things he did to my body took me to places I had never felt before. He had me reaching multiple orgasms with ease, and I didn't want him to stop any time soon.

"I need to feel you inside me, DJ, please," I begged. He positioned himself on top of me, and with one quick thrust, he filled me. He slowly made love to me, making me forget every bad memory I held involving the mate bond and Simon. All I felt was love in all of its glory. Pure, raw and sensual love.

When we finished, he left briefly to get something to clean us up, but immediately crawled back in bed with me. "Thank you," he whispered. I snuggled in closer and told him he didn't have to thank me. It was me who should be thanking him.

"DJ, I should be thanking you. Not only for the amazing s*x, but for also helping me see that not all love hurts. That the mate bond is worth it. After everything with Simon, well, you already know how it was. It's the past, let's keep it that way," I said.

We lay there and talked until it was time to get up for breakfast. Out of every meal, it's the one he won't miss out on. Lette has teased that I had better become a master at making homemade buttermilk biscuits and gravy, because it's his favorite thing ever.

He says it reminds him of his grandmother. She made biscuits and gravy every morning and made enough for him to have a snack late if he wanted it.

At the moment, the pack bakery at Ruby Meadows makes sure he has plenty every day when he is there.

As I was getting dressed, Maddix linked me and asked if he could speak to me alone. I joked with Donavon that I was being summoned, so he kissed me and said he would meet me in the dining hall.

I knocked on Maddix and Riley's room, and he called me in. He had a bunch of papers scattered on the coffee table, and asked me if I could help him figure out where funds were short for Ruby Meadows. "I'm sorry to bother you with this, Asteria. However, you are the smartest person I know when it comes to numbers," he explained.

It was no secret that Ruby Meadows had been running short on funds this past summer. The numbers weren't adding up, and we had our busiest year yet with the farmers market. That indicated a thief, or someone wasn't fully reporting their earnings.

As part of the agreement to be able to run a shop or set up a pop-up space, you must not only pay for your space rental, but also give 15% of your earnings. Rental space was cheaply priced, and Maddix wouldn't take the percentage if your sales were under a certain amount for the day.

"It's right here, Mads. Look," I said as I showed him the ledger for space rentals. A woman by the name of Yvonne Fulkner was in charge of setting up spaces and collecting rental fees. She had done her job for the most part, but it was clear that she was letting people slide. Especially her family.

"Dammit, I knew that I had a bad feeling about her, but uncle Paolo recommended her for the job. He said it would be a great favor to him," Maddix said. "Did you know him and Marion were having marital issues?" he asked. I shook my head but said that it didn't surprise me, because he is rarely home with her.

"Asteria, not to change the subject, but I really need to speak with you about something important. I've been putting it off, but I can't wait any longer. I want to offer Ruby Meadows to you and Donavon. Running two packs is too much for me anymore now that I have a family of my own. I don't know how mom and dads did it. Please say you will take the offer. You would be Alpha of course," he said.

Did I want this? I would love to have Ruby Meadows as my own, but I don't think I want the alpha title. I would be happy as a Luna, though.

"I will need to speak to DJ, but if he agrees, he will be the same as Gunner is to Addie. No exceptions. He has earned his spot, and is about to put his life on the line for us again," I stated.

"DJ?" Maddix asked. I nodded my head. "It's his initials for Donavon Jared," I informed him.

Maddix quickly agreed to my terms, and I excused myself to go speak to my mate. I was nervous about bringing it up, but I had faith that he would help me make the right decision.