Page 10 of Forbidden Moon
By the time Robert switched from licking to sucking, Ash could hold back no longer, filling his mate’s mouth and throat with homemade cream. As Robert happily slurped up the last of it, Ash dictated an impression of his own.
“This woody-scented elixir is appropriate before, during, or after the meal and comes highly recommended. Five stars!”
Robert agreed, declaring the session a culinary-orgasmic success. Fortunately, dozens of other products awaited the discriminating food critic and his strapping assistant.
Chapter 5
MONDAY, EARLY A.M.
Evan twitched as the now-familiar dream disturbed his slumber for the third time this week. Luna chose to reveal more, for the setting and characters were in much greater detail. Much of the enshrouding mist lifted as brief vignettes told the story without words. If any doubt existed before, Evan now knew for sure it involved Jonah and a dark-skinnedhumanmale. He did not recognize the man, but a tale of attraction, denial, and reconciliation lay in Jonah’s near future.
He awoke with a start, locked down the mind-link, and fled to the bathroom to think. Seated on the edge of the tub, Evan took deep, regular breaths until his heart stopped pounding.A human mate for Jonah?Why did it have to be his sweet brother-in-law, of all people? What would Ben think? Should he tell him now or wait? Evan cringed at the idea of withholding information from his mate, yet as a True Elder, he alone must decide if and when Luna’s dreams were disclosed.
Only one person would understand his dilemma, though not at two o’clock in the morning. Jack would tell him to look at the problem dispassionately, distance himself from his own personal feelings in the matter, and consider what purpose or lesson Luna may wish to communicate to his people. Those things would be so much easier to do if the person involved wereanyoneother than his mate’s Omega brother!
Amidst roiling thoughts, Evan searched his memories for similar pairings in the past. What he found surprised him. While the idea seemed new to a twenty-first-century shifter, he discovered numerous examples of human-shifter couples living happily and raising families throughout their history. Not a significant number of them, but enough to prove they enjoyed Luna’s blessing. They weren’t mates in the traditional sense, yet the couples managed to form intricate bonds which strengthened over time. Still, any way he looked it, this would be... messy.
In the end, Evan came to two conclusions—Jonah deserved all the love and support the pack could muster, and Luna was neither capricious nor cruel. Whatever lessons were to be learned or changes made, Gladstone must face them together.
####
MID-MORNING, RANGERDistrict Office
“...far as I can see, all the necessary paperwork came in from Kalamazoo for your transfer. What I need is a current address and bank information for direct deposit, and then we’re all set.”
Glen Toomey leaned back in the comfortable chair and smiled at his newest officer. RJ Wilson might be a bit green, but the man seemed to have all the education and qualities needed to hit the ground running. Toomey considered himself fortunate to have snagged such a prize for the Delta District.
“Yes, Sir. The address I can provide, and I’ll get you the bank information as soon as I open the account. I keep discovering things I didn’t realize I’d need to do!”
“I understand. Major moves involve a lot of details. It’s going to take a while for you to get everything all straightened out. According to your file, you’ve got several weeks of paid leave built up. If you need to take some time off, I have no objection.”
“Thank you, Sir. I’ll let you know if I need it. I have something else I’d like to ask you before I get going. We don’t know each other very well yet, but as my superior, I need to know if you have any problem with a Black, gay officer in your district?”
Toomey wasn’t caught entirely off guard, thanks to dealing with every issue under the sun over the last thirty years, but he found Wilson’s question unusually frank.
“I appreciate your concern, RJ, but you’ll have no problem with me. I heartily agree with the DNR’s anti-discrimination and inclusion policies, both personally and professionally. You do your job well, and I’ll have your back a hundred percent—end of story. If you ever have a problem, I want to hear it fromyou, not the grapevine. Understood?”
“Yes, Sir. Thank you. Your support means a great deal.”
Toomey gave him a crisp nod, moving on to the task at hand.
“I want you to shadow other officers for a few weeks until you are more familiar with the area. It’s not busy work, Wilson, as you’ll soon see. Expect to get dirty, use your degree, and expand your training. When I feel you’re ready, you’ll be given your own assignments and a more regular schedule.
“I noted on your application that you have an interest in the wolf population. As a protected species, we have a strong mandate to watch over them in the course of our duties. You’ll need to do some additional reading on your own time and get up to speed on the regulations. When you get the chance, I want you to stop by the Lupine Recovery Council office in downtown Gladstone. Are you familiar with the LRC?”
