Page 44 of Forbidden Moon
“Birdman’s payment came from FirstBank Upper Michigan. They only have a few locations, and only the main branch is located near a major center of population—Gladstone. It’s the largest pack in the U.P., located in the third-most populous county, and has more open borders than any packlands I’ve ever heard of. As good as their security may be, they’ve managed to let their guard down where someone could see them.”
Sheppard quietly digested Stuart’s summary, trying to find a hole in his logic. He failed, and it disturbed him greatly.
“Thank you, Stuart. I commend you for a job well done. I’d like the council to see this information before we act, so if you’ll write up a summary of your findings and send it to me, I would be most appreciative.”
Stuart only nodded, his vocal cords temporarily cut off by an enormous yawn.
“Excuse me, Sir, I’ve been up for twenty-four hours straight. I... uhm, already sent you an email with all the information you need. In addition, we’ll keep searching for Birdman’s real name and address, but it’s a long shot.”
Sheppard managed a tight smile.
“Excellent! Unless something else needs your immediate attention, I want you to go home and get some sleep. I’ll try not to disturb you unless it’s necessary.”
Sheppard made his way to the secure elevator leading to his office, ready to start rousing people from their beds on a Saturday morning. While he waited for the other Council members to arrive, he would alert Gladstone personally. Ben Blair was a good man, an excellent Alpha, and his friend. Sheppard didn’t want to be the bearer of such bad news, but if any pack had the means to deal with this situation, it was theirs. Strong leadership, a crackerjack security team, and the presence of two True Elders represented an enormous amount of ammunition. He would, of course, offer resources to either nip this in the bud or send a clean-up crew to contain the fallout.
####
EVAN AWOKE AND GLANCEDat the clock. The alarm wouldn’t go off for another fifteen minutes, giving him time to influence Ben’s mind in the right direction. He wanted to make sure his mate would not, as planned, meet with Jonah for what promised to be an unpleasant confrontation. He’d kept Ben up late last night, redirecting his anger with some intense love-making—which coincidentally prevented Ben from accosting Jonah when he got home, assuming he came home at all.
Evan turned on his side, spooning up against Ben’s warm, solid, body and gently opened the mind-link. Rather than altering his mate’s memories, he reinforced Ben’s love for Jonah and reminded him of the intensity of bonding with one’s mate. Evan wasn’t keen on doing anything more than surreptitious prodding, hoping Ben would handle the situation with more acceptance than anger.
Done with his meddling for now, he reached around to fondle Ben’s stiffening prick. His mate responded with a deep, low growl and the scent of rising desire. Before long he turned over, pulling Evan close for hungry kisses, trapping their erections between them. Just as things got interesting, Ben’s phone went off. It was Alpha Sheppard by the ringtone, and given the early hour, they knew it must be important. Evan pulled away so Ben could answer it, hoping it might be good news. It was not.
####
JONAH’S STOMACH GRUMBLEDagain, reminding him he’d skipped breakfast in his haste to leave before Ben got up this morning. With nowhere else to go, he returned to the LRC office to work on the presentation countering Senator Hawthorne’s proposals. Being distracted of late, Jonah found himself behind schedule on the project. It also served to occupy the time until his date with RJ. While he’d remembered to stash his overnight bag in the car, he hadn’t brought along anything to eat.
The breakroom cupboards held little more than snacks, not nearly enough to satisfy his metabolism. Going home to eat wasn’t an option today, meaning a proper breakfast at the Dewdrop. Jonah shut down the computer, locked up the office, and began the short walk. The forecast called for another warm and sunny June day, perfect for whatever he and RJ might want to do after running his errands. Jonah smelled the food and coffee all the way down the block, prompting his stomach to rumble even louder. He stepped inside, waiting by the door to be seated.
Darlene looked over with a wide smile.
“Jonah! Pick a spot anywhere, Sugar, and I’ll be right with you!”
He headed for his favorite booth in the corner, miraculously empty given the sizeable crowd, and took a seat. From here, he could see the door, most of the dining room, and the front counter. He watched Darlene fill a few more coffee cups before moving in his direction.
“It’s good to see you, honey. Where you been lately?”
While Darlene would enjoy listening to the details of his budding love life, he wasn’t about to share.
“Working on a special project this week. You know how it is.”
She nodded, pulling the order pad from her apron.
“I sure do. Everybody’s busy these days. What can I get you?”
“I’d like the Rock and Roll breakfast platter with extra bacon and double the French toast. Decaf coffee and a large milk, too, please.”
Darlene gave him a wry grin.
“I’ve never seen a man your size pack away so much food! Honestly, I don’t know where you’re putting it either. I swear some people have the best genes. I’ll have your order up in about ten minutes, Doll.”
As she turned to go, Jonah looked up to see Donna and Lou enter the diner. Damn! He hadn’t expected to see any packmates this morning, but he wasn’t about to be rude. He waved them over and stood for hugs. Donna gestured to the empty seats.
“May we join you?”
“Of course. I just put my order in, so you got here at the right time. Out and about today?”
Lou kissed Donna’s cheek and tugged her closer.
