Buried Ashes (MxM)

8-Meeting The Luna

Mason

I felt something tickling my nose, pulling me from my dreamless sleep. Looking down, I saw Aiden sleeping on my chest and smiled. His curls were disheveled from sleep, grazing my face. We hadn't meant to fall asleep the night before, but it just happened. His cuddles were just too warm and comfy. I suppose he felt the same about mine.

I looked to my bedside table to check the time, seeing the small clock read eight o'clock. Aiden's cochlear processor laid beside our phones on the wood. I wondered for a moment how much easier it must be to fall asleep with the ability to turn off your hearing.

I wrapped my arms around my mate and pulled him closer, deeply inhaling his scent. This seemed to wake him, as he squeezed my body for a moment before sitting up, and looking around. Once he realized he was in my room, on my bed, he sighed.

My mom is going to kill me, he signed sleepily, not bothering to speak the words. I smirked and sat up beside him.

I want to meet her, I signed. He grinned at me.

Maybe you can protect me when you bring me home today. She will be upset that I made her worry. I didn't tell her I would be gone all night, he told me in response. Before I could sign my reply, my mom's voice carried from downstairs, as well as someone else's I didn't immediately recognize. My head turned toward the sound, my eyebrows creasing.

Aiden looked at me with raised, questioning eyebrows.

Someone's here, I signed before standing up. His eyes widened as he scrambled to grab his phone and cochlear processor from my bedside table, quickly placing the latter behind his right ear. I walked to my bedroom door and cracked it open, peeking over the banister. Aiden was right behind me, clutching my arm.

"It's just worrying. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but I also want to enjoy it while I can," I heard Ben's voice travel from downstairs and sighed in realization. I turned to Aiden.

It's the... I stopped, unsure of how to sign Luna, so I decided to finger spell it, L-U-N-A.

Aiden's eyes widened to a point that had me worried they would pop out and roll across the floor. He grasped both my arms tightly and used one hand to sign his response.

Why??  his hand flew as he panicked. I chuckled softly at his response, and whispered while signing my words.

"It's okay. He and my mom are good friends. They kind of grew up together," I assured him. I didn't mention Jackson also being good friends with my mom. With the reaction he had from being in close proximity to the Luna, I didn't want to give him a heart attack at the idea that the Alpha could also show up. He seemed to calm down slightly at my words. I tugged his arm.

"Come on," I said as I led him to the stairs. He was slightly hesitant, but smoothed his hair a bit as he followed behind me. As we descended the stairs, the smell of freshly brewed tea filled my nostrils.

When we walked into the kitchen, my mom and Ben were sitting at the breakfast nook sipping tea. Ben's eyes widened slightly when he noticed me, and a grin followed when he noticed Aiden beside me.

"Good morning, Mase," he greeted me while glancing at Aiden with his eyebrows raised slightly.

"Uh, morning," I greeted, "This is Aiden." I told him after a moment, as I could see his facial expression asking a million questions. Ben's face softened as he stood from his seat, and walked slowly toward us.

"Luna," Aiden greeted him respectfully while looking at the floor.

"Isn't he just darling?" my mom asked from behind Ben. Ben seemed almost overwhelmed with emotion as he reached my mate. He softly grasped one of Aiden's hands for a moment with the grace and elegance only the Luna could muster.

"It's so nice to meet you, Aiden," he spoke softly. I found his reaction to be a bit strange. I expected my mom to be emotionally moved when she found out I had a mate; but not Ben. "Please, call me Ben."

"It's nice to meet you, too," Aiden told him with a smile while signing his response. Ben's eyes glanced to Aiden's hands briefly while he signed. Unlike my mom, Ben had noticed immediately. Though he made no move to do or say anything to point out Aiden's differences; which I was grateful for.

"Oh, Jackson will be so happy," he mumbled softly while looking at my mom who nodded in agreement.

I found it strange. Ben's emotional reaction to meeting Aiden, and his exchange with my mom. Why would Jackson be so happy? Why would he be any happier for me than any other wolf in his pack finding their mate? Perhaps because he's such good friends with my mom.

"I need to get him home. It was good seeing you, Ben," I told them as Aiden and I walked to the front door. We were still wearing our clothes from yesterday, as we had accidentally fallen asleep in them. Once outside, we walked to my bike in the driveway that now had Ben's car parked beside it.

"That was a little weird," Aiden told me. I nodded.

"Yeah, I don't really know what that was about," I admitted while I placed his helmet on his head, careful of the processor.

It wasn't just me. Aiden had noted the interaction to be strange, as well. What the hell is going on?