Page 120 of Forbidden Moon
While Lance got the kids ready for bed, the family regrouped in the living room for a crash course in all things RJ. Jonah relaxed when no one brought up his mate’s humanity or skin color, asking instead about family, job, and other neutral topics. There wasn’t time for a more thorough grilling, as they needed to return home. Besides, most of them would be back next Saturday for a combined celebration of July fourth and Evan’s birthday.
Anita slipped arms around the couple on the way to the car, gravel crunching beneath their shoes. She gave Jonah an extra squeeze and then spoke to his mate.
“I’m glad you are part of the family, RJ, and I can see how happy you’ve made my son already. Luna knew my baby needed someone extraordinary. I look forward to knowing you even better in the future. If you feel comfortable with it, I’m sure Lottie wouldn’t mind if you called me Mom.”
RJ stopped and turned to her, eyes filled with tears.
“You know, I think I’d like that. Thank you... Ma.”
Anita kissed both men goodbye, and they waved as the vehicles pulled away. Jonah hugged his mate, offering comfort.
“Are you OK, Rascal?”
RJ took Jonah’s hand as they started for home.
“Your family is... it feels like I already belong, and we’re practically strangers. I often wondered if I would end up alone all of my life, and this is... it’s a lot, Jo. You can’t know how much it means. I hope we get to see them often.”
Jonah pulled RJ closer. He’d learned something important about his mate tonight and tucked it away in a safe place. While family was old hat to him, it was new and shiny to Rascal. Soon, he’d realize family included the entirepack.
“I’ll make sure we do. For now, can I interest you in some hot sex?”
Laughing, RJ threw him over his shoulder and ran for the house.
####
WEDNESDAY MORNING
Life at Gladstone gradually returned to normal. Construction projects were back on track, and everyone, including Jonah, RJ, and Robyn, returned to work. Those previously on the injured list were feeling fine and suffering no ill effects. Tonight they were to enjoy their first pack run in weeks, and everyone looked forward to it. Ben found himself in the office first thing with an overloaded to-do list. He was behind in his design work, had a celebration to plan for on Saturday, a memorial service the weekend after that, and a long list of messages to answer.
His interaction with the authorities became a significant distraction, though he understood why it was necessary. With Lou and William’s assistance, they would eventually be able to put the whole thing behind them. From all accounts, the Michigan Foresters were history and faced severe fines and prison time. Believing Russell Hook to be mentally ill, the authorities supplied medication and secured him in a separate ward. Even if his lawyer succeeded with an insanity plea, he would likely spend long years locked away to protect both himself and the public.
Ben listened attentively, receiving a final briefing from the combined teams on the state of Gladstone’s security. Oscar’s summary proved to be both thorough and detailed.
“So, yes, most of what we brought with us will remain here on permanent “loan”, which we all know means my boss is writing it off as a gift. Don’t bother arguing about it, Ben, because it won’t get you anywhere. He’s determined to help you remain safe now and into the future, and I’ve recommended that he send his new security recruits here for training and exercises. Some of them will no doubt remain to beef up your numbers, and Alpha Sheppard has no problem with you keeping those who wish to stay.
“The combined teams have been busy the last couple of days installing additional fencing around the perimeter. Wildlife can come and go freely, but intruders will have far fewer entry points. With the use of trail cameras, you’ll be able to keep an eye on many more miles of the border with far fewer men on the ground. I’ve also left a few other recommendations with Caleb for further enhancements.
“I suspect your security chief will be fielding calls from many out-of-area packs looking to improve their own practices. At least we know what works and what doesn’t, and Gladstone can be a resource with experience to share. My men and I will be leaving shortly, though some of us will return for the memorial service. Its been our privilege to serve alongside your pack. You are a very fortunate Alpha.”
Ben dipped his chin to acknowledge the compliment.
“Thank you, Oscar. I wish we could have worked together under different circumstances, but we’re thankful for what you and your team did here. I intend to make that clear to Alpha Sheppard when I call him later. Artem, what can you tell me about the tech side of things?”
The pleasant, whip-smart Delta smiled at Ben.
“As Oscar already mentioned, most of the gear stays here. I understand you’ve found a suitable space to house the equipment, so as soon as you reroute the power and cables, you’ll have the conference room back. Caleb will have to decide how to redeploy the resources to your best advantage, and I will make myself available for consultation whenever you need it. You now have a much tougher security system in place, and under Caleb’s leadership, your people are safer than they have ever been.
“I also want to thank you for Robyn’s help during the crisis. She’s smart, tough, and passionate about her people. She’s also turned down multiple offers to return to Duluth and work for me. Having spent some time here, I can understand why she intends to stay, though Caleb may have more success poaching her than I did.”
Ben gave his security chief the evil eye, and everyone laughed. He wouldn’t stand in her way if she were happier working with Caleb, but he and Jonah would both miss her. He’d speak to Robyn and find out what she wanted to do. Ben stood to shake hands and say goodbye, trusting Caleb to see them off while he got back to work.
His top priority was converting the former storage space next to Caleb’s office into a new Surveillance Hub. While his crews were already overworked, safety came first. After all, it didn’t do any good to have a bunch of fancy equipment if they couldn’t use it. He never wanted to giveanyonea reason to question Gladstone’s security again.
