Page 46 of Forbidden Moon
“Would you like us to talk to Ben for you or keep it quiet?”
While he found the offer incredibly generous, the idea didn’t sit well. He’d have to face Ben himself and hope for the best when the time came.
“Thanks, but let’s keep it between us for now. I wouldn’t mind if you told Evan, though. He’s probably going to need some support if Ben flips out.”
They paid their tabs, left the diner, and exchanged more hugs before going their separate ways. Jonah started walking back towards the LRC office, concerned about Ben and Birdman, yet feeling a bit lighter and more carefree after revealing the truth to his dear friends. He was due to meet RJ in less than an hour, and the idea of spending the day with his mate filled him with giddy anticipation, driving everything else from his mind.
Chapter 19
ACLOUD OF UNCERTAINTYhung ominously over Gladstone, now at the center of yet another crisis. Ben’s unexpected announcement surprised and dismayed each of his packmates and resulted in further restrictions. No humans were allowed on packlands until further notice, along with a ban on shifting out in the open.
Feeling personally responsible for the security breach, Caleb closely questioned his men to find the guilty parties. The effort yielded results, though not precisely what he expected. Armed with new information, he met with Ben, Evan, and Jack in the main conference room. His Alpha wasn’t pleased.
“I can’t believe this! Our own men have been shifting where they could be seen, and evenyoudidn’t know about it? Who are they? I want them pulled from the team and replaced by someone who can do the job.”
Caleb bared his throat as Ben’s power washed over him in angry waves. Evan placed a hand on his mate’s arm and squeezed, reminding him to dial it back. Ben growled at no one in particular, and with some effort, managed to calm down enough so Caleb could reply.
“If we do that, we’ll lose almost the entire team! When they’re patrolling in wolf form, they can’t carry a phone. The only way to check in with each other is to shift briefly and then resume their route. Remember, we have twenty-five miles of shorelinealoneto patrol,on top of our landlocked borders, plus all of the interior.
“Before you ask, I’ve already instructed our men to move deeper into the forest when they need to shift and use a different spot each time. If I order them to patrol in human form only, there’ll be serious gaps and time lags. We don’t have a lot of options, Ben. Increased border coverage means adding more men to the team, using electronic surveillance, or a combination of both.”
Caleb’s scent radiated frustration and guilt. The last thing he needed was to lose his Alpha’s confidence. A glance at Evan and Jack told him they agreed.
“Sorry, Caleb. I don’t mean to blame you or your people. You’ve done an outstanding job as our Security Chief, and I have no intention of throwing you under the bus. The problem is that Birdman found a way to spy on us. What’s your best guess as to how and where?”
Relieved, Caleb acknowledged Ben’s apology with a nod and then got up to stand beside a large topographical map of the packlands.
“As to where... I believe our western border is the most likely place. It’s close to the city of Gladstone and the heaviest distribution of people, can be approached by watercraft, and is dotted by numerous homes to the north. As to how? I just don’t know. Human eyesight isn’t good enough to see clearly from across the bay, and we would have noticed someone spying on us from a boat. Then you have the line of sight and angle to consider, andno onecan see through trees.
“For Birdman to watch in person, he’d have to cross our border unseen, stay long enough to observe, and then get back out again—also unseen. Even if he managed it, we would have detected his scent and followed it back to the entry point. Either he has powers we don’t understand, or we’re missing something.”
Jack, quietly observing until now, leaned forward over the table.
“I contacted Walter to ask him if there have been any changes in Birdman’s entries recently. Following the first round of security changes, Birdman has not reported a single new sighting. It is, perhaps, only coincidental, but it may suggest we have already done something to thwart his ability to see us. If so, he may decide to use other means instead.”
Ben heaved a defeated sigh.
“You may be right, Jack. Damn it! If he’s as afraid of us as his entries suggest, I doubt he’ll try a direct approach. Unfortunately, it doesn’t prevent him from sending someoneelseto do his dirty work. He said he needed proof before exposing us, which means video footage or photographs. Somebody’s going to have to get awfully close to try it, even if they don’t realize we’d probably catch them.”
Three heads nodded in unison, accepting the logic of Ben’s thinking. He continued.
“Caleb, along with no open shifting, we need to restrict our people to the interior. Until this threat is neutralized, no one except the security team is allowed near the borders. I intend to ask for volunteers to beef up all our patrol routes and the main entrance. Meanwhile, I want your men redistributed to provide greater coverage to the west. If necessary, we’ll install fencing to limit entry points and discourage intruders on foot.
“When we’re finished here, I’m going to contact Alpha Sheppard and take him up on his offer of help. We have no idea what Birdman is planning to do, so we must be prepared for both offense and defense. The last thing I want is some kind of lockdown, so our people are free to come and go as usual for now. If things change, I’ll consider additional measures at that time. I don’t need to remind you that this isn’t only about Gladstone—it’s a threat toallshifters. If we drop the ball here, our people will have to go into hiding or die trying. I only hope we can put an end to this before it spirals out of control.”
