Page 40 of Forbidden Moon
“Thank you. It’s early days, but I think we have a good shot at something special. Sorry if I’ve been distracted today.”
“You’re all good, man. Now, I’m going to hit the restroom before we take off and give you a chance to answer all those texts. He’s probably worried you’re ghosting him.”
####
JONAH SIGHED IN RELIEFonce RJ responded to the latest set of messages. It probably wasn’t fair to bother him during work, but he needed the connection desperately. He told no one that he’d driven out to RJ’s house during his lunch break. He needed to know if the directions were accurate before attempting it tomorrow morning. Good thing because the turnoff wasn’t easy to see, and he drove past the unmarked driveway twice before figuring it out.
Between his demanding wolf and the inexorable draw of his mate, Jonah didn’t think he could stand the separation from RJ until Saturday. How pathetic would it be for him to show up on the doorstep unannounced, acting all clingy? Now that he thought more about it, a much better plan blossomed in his mind. Yes, as long as he was careful it might work, and he’d at least get to see him. Risky? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely.
####
THAT EVENING
Ben exited the daycare-school construction site with the rest of the weary crew. They’d all missed supper due to an unforeseen glitch with the placement of a critical support beam. Fortunately, Nolan caught the blueprint error before making a costly mistake, though it required the boss’s help to correct it. Ben hurried them along.
“Thanks for staying late, everyone. We’ve got about an hour to eat and get ready before our guests arrive for Movie Night. I’ve heard tonight’s film is not to be missed!”
The group laughed, dispersing in all directions. So far, Robert’s description of every film included a “you don’t want to miss this” warning. He’d been right, though they still found his enthusiasm amusing. With Ben’s invitation to the Cooks pack, tonight’s event promised to be something special. It would be a full house, and everyone looked forward to spending the evening with good friends.
Two distinct scents grabbed Ben’s attention as he approached the house—supper andJonah. At last! His little brother’s extended absence had him worried and pissed off in equal measure. He expected both a reasonable explanation and an apology from the pack Omega. When he stepped through the door, he realized the only thing left of Jonah was a fading scent. The kids greeted him enthusiastically before Evan sent them off to play so their daddy could eat.
Less than pleased, Ben skipped his customary greeting.
“Where the hell is he?”
Evan ignored his mate’s rude behavior, answering as he led the way to the dining room and Ben’s waiting supper.
“You just missed him. He stopped in to say hi and spend some time with Evie Rae before going to run an errand.”
Growling and suspicious, Ben plunked himself at the table and began to eat.
“An errand at this time of day, and he couldn’t wait for me to get home first? I assume you reminded him of Movie Night.”
Evan slipped an arm around Ben’s shoulder and kissed his cheek.
“Don’t be grumpy. Yes, I reminded him, and he told me he’d try to get back in time. I’ll watch the kids while you finish eating and take a shower. If I know Alpha Frazier, he’ll show up early to bend your ear, and I promised Robert we’d help out with any last-minute prep.”
Evan turned to go, leaving a surly and growling mate to eat his supper alone. He hadn’t mentioned that he and Jonah planned the whole “near miss” scenario once he knew Ben would be working late. Evan hoped Ben would let the episode slide in the rush to get ready, their soon-to-arrive guests, and the film—giving Jonah a little bit more time. He’d also warned his brother-in-law in no uncertain terms.
“I can’t keep doing this, Jonah. I give it one more day, tops, before Ben decides to hunt you down. Spend as much time with RJ as you can to deepen his attachment. Whatever happens, you know we’ve got your back.”
####
JONAH TINGLED WITHnerves as he drove, knowing full well the danger involved. The inexorable pull of his mate, exacerbated by their separation, caused him to take an unacceptable risk—which was why he hadn’t told Evan or anyone else what he planned to do. The only thing distracting him from his mission was Evan’s final words before he fled the house to avoid meeting up with Ben. It helped knowing he wasn’t facing this situation alone, but apparently, time was running out.
He’d been hoping for a few weeks of dating before introducing his mate to Ben and the pack. Now he realized the folly of such thinking. Keeping secrets was a human foible, and under normal circumstances, wasn’t a game shifters played. He already owed Evan an enormous debt of gratitude for his help thus far, but a burden of guilt came with it.
His brother had no real reason to be angry with him, though he’d rather deal with that than see Ben upset with Evan. Worse, any rift between them would undoubtedly spill over to the kids—especially Evie. She wouldn’t understand why her parents were angry or out of sorts or Jonah’s involvement in the whole mess. A child her age wasn’t mature enough to handle a conflict of this kind, and her Omega nature would compel her to “fix” it.
Intellectually, he knew having a human mate and the issues it brought to the pack wasn’thisfault. He did choose, however, to hide it from Ben for a time. Perhaps he’d made a mistake and should have trusted Ben to help him instead of assuming the worst. Too late now to correct it, and with Evan’s warning ringing in his ears, little time remained before the shoe dropped and he’d have to come clean. What did that mean for his budding relationship with RJ? Could his mate accept the reality of shifters after only knowing him for a few days?
Jonah spied the sign off Highway Two for the Birch Bark Cafe and turned. He found a perfect spot in the back, next to a large dumpster enclosure, and parked the car. No one would think anything about it, and the vehicle wouldn’t be here for long anyway. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the plastic bag, got out, and looked around before moving. No one in the cafe could see him here, and the trees came right up to the edge of the property.
Wasting no more time, he jogged deep into the woods to a secluded spot and stripped. Everything went into the bag, quickly hidden in the underbrush before he shifted. Scenting the air revealed no one close enough to spot him, and he took off in a southeasterly direction. Except for crossing one narrow road, there was sufficient cover to conceal him from those living nearby. With care, no one would ever guess a lone wolf wandered through their neck of the woods.
