Page 25 of Blackmailed

“I suppose all that’s left is introducing him to his siblings,” Jefferson said.

“We’ll be together on Thanksgiving. I think until then we should be selfish.” Jochi stared up at him. His emerald green eyes were filled with love and adoration.

Jefferson nodded. “Fine by me. I’m sure this family gets off on surprises anyway.”

Jochi grinned. “Thank you, bèndàn.”

Jefferson kissed him. “You never have to thank me.”

“Yes, I do. Every day.” Jochi pressed his lips to Jefferson’s. “Are you okay with recent developments?”

“You mean the fact I’m going to knot you at some point and again at another point I might shift and fuck you as a wolf?” He cocked a brow.

“Well,” Jochi said, giving a breathy laugh. “When you put it that way. Yes.”

“Can’t say I’m not nervous or excited to experience it,” Jefferson said. “Not sure how I feel about animal sex, but I guess we’ll take it as it comes. Who knows, I might be one of those wolves who can’t shift.”

Jochi nodded. “Maybe. We’ll see on the full moon.”

“Perhaps,” Jefferson agreed.

“There’s more though, isn’t there?” Jochi placed his hand over Jefferson’s and squeezed. “You’re worried about the girls.”

“I am,” he answered. “This is something I never thought in a million years would happen. They're mated to a wolf and a coyote, yet nothing has happened. The naive part of my brain wants them to continue to be in the dark about this development, however, I also don't want to cause any harm by not telling them.”

If he thought about it long enough, he’d allow the guilt to seep in. If only he’d have been a wolf sooner, could he have saved Susanne? If he did save his wife, what would have become of Jochi? Every new question brought with it another hard answer, he wouldn’t even consider. Because, the ‘what ifs,’ would eat him alive. Susanne wouldn’t want that for him. She’d want him to be happy and she’d remind him, everything happens for a reason. Now, he had to live for whatever the reason might be.

“Betrayal.” Jochi nodded. “It's easier to accept those around us as being shifters. Being one ourselves sometimes muddies the water. I think Charisma and Penelope will take it harder if you keep the truth from them instead of enlightening them from the get-go.”

“You’re right. When we tell them about Déshì, we’ll tell them about the other, in private though. They’ve already been through enough in the past year.”

Jochi inclined his chin then tied back his hair. For the last few days since they arrived, he’d been letting his hair flow freely. It came down to his rear and drove Jefferson insane. “Now who you do think should replace you once you’ve given your retirement speech?”

“I’ve been thinking about it since I realized I wanted to retire.” There was one person—woman he could count on to have his back no matter what happened. Emersyn Lake, the Mayor Pro-Tem of Phoenix. For the last ten years, she'd worked alongside the mayor and the state's legislature assuring all shifters and humans in Arizona had their rights protected. Some of the literature he'd read about her lately said, if she decided to run for governor, she'd win. Taking Jefferson's place would better suit her and allow her to run the whole damn country if she chose to one day. “Emersyn Lake.”

"Good choice," Jochi stated. "She's mated to a mountain lion, I believe and has two children. She understands the difficulties facing shifters in a volatile environment. She also knows how to compromise and meet in the middle as well. She will use your seat for the greater good."

“I believe so too.” Jefferson grabbed his phone. “I need to speak to her though. Don’t want to get our hopes up and then find she doesn’t want the position.”

“Then I will leave you to it. Déshì and I should go home. Don’t want to miss the delivery people.” Jochi leaned in for a kiss.

Jefferson met him halfway, tangling his fingers in Jochi’s hair. The kiss set Jefferson on fire. Maybe it’d been all the talk about shifting and knotting, but the longer he sat there, the need for his mate had risen to the point of becoming painful. “Be ready for me when I return.”

Jochi sucked in a breath. “Always.”

Chapter Seven

Jefferson’s palms itched. His body tingled from head to toe. A thread of uneasiness weaved with excitement coursed through his veins. He woke up early and did something he hadn’t in years—went for a run. After the long night they had with Déshì, he shouldn’t be able to move, yet he had more energy than a man of his age should.

It’d been two days since he called Emersyn and offered her the position. He didn’t push her though. He gave her until the following week when he was supposed to return to D.C. to think about it. The move would put a ton of strain on her family. Lord knows it did for Jefferson’s family. He’d rather she talked it over with her husband then answer him. In the interim, he continued to work on his speech and put together the incriminating file on those who were involved in trying to take him down.

When it was all said and done, at least fifteen Senators would be up on Capitol Hill explaining their actions to the whole of Congress. The idea did chase some of the aggravation away, however, until then Jefferson had work to do, which made the sudden boost of energy and hyperness, due to the first day of the full moon, welcomed and worrisome.

As he circled the block of the new subdivision, he slowed. He'd probably run the circuit ten times already and he was nowhere near calmed down. He thought about going for another round, but the thought struck him,find Jochi.

Jefferson walked back into the house moments later and found Jochi sitting on the couch, Déshì on his shoulder while his mate hummed to the little boy. A knot of desire formed in his gut. Seeing his mate and his new son, twisted the arousal building in him. Kalkin tried to warn him of what might happen the first day of the full moon, but Jefferson had taken the wait and see approach. No one knew exactly what a dormant wolf would do on a full moon, especially since a year had gone by before he even understood the wolf lurking within the deep recesses of his mind.

Now, however, the magnetic pull between him and Jochi snapped to life with an unexpected hunger Jefferson couldn't explain. Jochi glanced over his shoulder at Jefferson and he could see the arousal in his mate's emerald green eyes. It took all of Jefferson's will power to keep still so as not to hurt their son. For the last couple of days, he noticed, the wolf had become a bit less timid, yet the wolf didn’t show his full potential until Jefferson and Jochi had sex. Then the wolf took over and the feeling of expectancy overtook any sense of reasoning Jefferson might have had.

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