Page 149 of Forbidden Moon
“Jo, are other things going to change?”
Jonah nodded.
“Yes. Jack said they develop over time with exposure to my scent, pheromones, and body fluids. You’ll live longer, have better health, stronger muscles, and increased stamina. Eventually, your senses will be almost as sharp as mine, and our scents will change to include one another. Jack says it’s Luna’s way of giving couples like us more equal footing.”
The last destination on their trip was found in a finger-like projection of land at the farthest point north in Michigan. They wanted to visit the place where Evan found Jack, living in a lean-to near the shore of Schlatter Lake. Evan’s memory provided Jonah with exact details, and the pair reached the secluded spot, surrounded by pine trees. No doubt things changed over the last four years, but Jonah told RJ the story while they stood on the same parcel of ground.
Before leaving, Jonah shifted to investigate as a wolf while RJ looked on. It meant something, this place, and no one else in the pack had ever seen it. All the changes which ultimately led Jonah to his mate started right here, and he wanted a tangible memory to carry with him. Back in human form, he took several pictures so he wouldn’t forget. Last, he took a selfie of him and RJ kissing, with the lake in the background. Then it was time to go.
Their travels were filled with fun, conversation, and discovery, whether hiking, driving or playing tourist. Each day brought them closer together, yet near the end of their second week, they were ready to return home. It wasn’t only aplace; home was family, friends, pack, work, and all the sights, scents, and sounds that went with them—in a word, Gladstone.
Epilogue
OCTOBER
While the children ate lunch, Ben and Nolan finished their walk-through of the school and daycare building. Like all new construction, they followed up on minor fixes and final touches—things brought to their attention after move-in. Outside, they made notes regarding playground equipment and other features which would wait until spring.
They moved on to Westside and Eastside, checking progress on the homes yet to be finished—eventually ending up at the now-empty Quads. Over the winter, they would be remodeled into guest housing. As for offsite projects, Micah had his hands full with fall and winter jobs. Tom’s crew was on schedule to finish the Delta Avenue apartments by year’s end. All in all, things were looking good, and Ben was pleased.
With the beginning of the school year, things changed dramatically at the Blair household. Evan began teaching history to the older children while juggling his True Elder duties and caring for his family. Lance, too, made major adjustments to his life. Between his involvement on the school board and occasionally helping at the daycare, he also oversaw nightly homework and school projects for his six regular charges.
Evan surreptitiously sampled Lance’s mental and emotional state out of concern for his friend. He’d been entirely too quiet since the wedding, and everyone noticed. It surprised Evan to learn that while Lance still longed for a mate, he was not in the throes of despair or harboring some dark secret. Rather, he’d embraced the reality of being single and his new responsibilities—content with his life and being loved by his packmates.
As always, nothing remained static at Gladstone. Katrine and Mandy were more than busy managing their business and caring for the girls. Downtown, the shop’s online sales grew every week following the media blitz in Arizona. Katrine chose to severely limit her commissioned pieces, freeing her to paint whatever she wanted. It hardly mattered these days, as her work remained in high demand. Their little ones were growing up fast. At nine months of age—sixteen by human reckoning—Holly and Noel were sweet chatterboxes who loved to play and regularly lost their shoes.
Jack and William discovered the wonderful world of twins learning to shift, walk and talk—running their dads ragged. Kiah and Marie, so different from each other, were nonetheless best buddies, often teaming up to thwart their parents’ agenda. At the same time, Jack kept busy orchestrating the deep search of Michigan’s upper peninsula for more True Elders. Thus far, most of his involvement was over the phone or via email, but even Gladstone would be asked to send a search team on occasion. With winter approaching, time was of the essence.
Similarly, Evan took on an advisory role for the southeast provinces of Canada nearest his childhood home. Responsibility for the remainder of the enormous country fell to Everet and the Alaska councils. The dreams which alerted them in the first place were now being repeated and augmented by Luna. Either the situation was urgent, or they were getting closer to their goal of finding the hidden gems among them. So far, their efforts hadn’t borne fruit.
As for the newlyweds, Jonah and RJ were the epitome of wedded bliss—deeply in love and learning how to balance one another’s strengths and weaknesses. They enjoyed inviting friends and family over for a meal and often volunteered to babysit or host sleepovers for Evie and her brothers. RJ made friends easily, and his growing abilities continued to surprise him and delight his packmates. On most days, only his scent reminded them of his humanity.
After some consideration, Robyn declined Caleb Vogel’s offer to work with him in Security. Her part-time jobs kept her in touch with both her best friend and Ben’s successful business enterprise. She felt useful and appreciated in her current roles, with no desire to make such a wrenching change. Always gracious, Caleb accepted her refusal and set about finding the right person to assist him.
It surprised no one when Lou announced his decision to run for Sheriff in the spring. Roy Tucker wanted to retire and intended to use his considerable influence to see the man elected as his replacement. If Lou had his way, most of his future deputies would be shifters, and he continued mentoring Scooter through his law enforcement training.
On a personal level, and much to everyone’s delight, he and Donna were planning to try for a baby this winter. It just so happened Erin and Micah were ready to start their family soon, and the grapevine blossomed with rumors about what it might mean.
Following the success ofAll in Good Taste, Robert had recently published his next food-related book.InterSEXion - Where Food and Intimacy Meet, became an instant hit with rave reviews and interview requests from the media, magazines, and fellow bloggers. The accomplishment meant he and Ash were even more eager to move into their new home, as it featured a quiet, comfortable office where Robert could focus on his business. Ash, proud of his unorthodox mate, remained his biggest fan and enthusiastic food-tester with benefits.
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WHILE ADAM SHEPPARDexpected a busy fall season, he found himself spread too thin this year. Persistent reminders made by his long-suffering mate, and his Second, Oscar York, hadn’t changed his workload one iota. He appreciated their concern, evenagreedwith them, but there were too many essential irons in the fire requiring his attention.
The new group of Delta students, his pack security initiative, and the search for True Elders meant multiplied hours on the phone, long meetings, and overseeing the other regional councils andtheirassigned tasks. All of it critical and requiring vigilant attention to detail. On the upside, the efforts of so many were beginning to make a difference. Security improved across the board, and many of his Delta students were now preparing for careers in areas previously avoided by shifters.
