Page 118 of Forbidden Moon
“Yes. I’m afraid they’ll fire me if I call in again. I don’t enjoy it there, but it’s hard for someone like me to get a job.”
Dominic froze as Jack’s intense gaze penetrated deeply into his mind. The human’s eyes glazed over as Jack made a gentle but thorough search. Any memories he’d missed deleting the last time were wiped away, even as he began inserting new ones. By the time Jack finished, Dominic would know nothing of shifters, the goings-on at the Preserve, or the existence of his blog. He’d never interacted with anyone at Gladstone but would consider the people of the Preserve as friendly neighbors across the bay. Wolves, while fascinating creatures, were of no particular interest.
The old habit of bird-watching would once again become a fascinating hobby. The person he knew as Russell Hook was only a co-worker who presented no threat whatsoever. Dominic would also find the courage to seek out female companionship and act on his desire for a better job. An improved life was now within his grasp, and he would seize it with both hands.
Jack carefully withdrew, leaving a dozing Dominic in the chair while he checked on Robyn.
“We’re good to go, Jack. I deleted all traces of the blog, wolves, and shapeshifters from his computer. I also removed the most revealing posts and responses from readers and left one final entry from Birdman. Take a look.”
“To my faithful readers,
“These past few months have provided an exciting experiment in human psychology. That’s right—shapeshifters are NOT real! No paranormal sightings at all, and absolutely no need for concern. This blog provided me with real-life feedback for my graduate thesis, and I appreciate your contributions so much. I’m afraid the only wolf people are the ones in books, movies, and our imaginations! Thanks again for your participation. Farewell.”
Jack raised an eyebrow and let slip an abbreviated growl.
“This is what Alpha Sheppard wanted? Do you think it will be effective?”
Robyn laughed, pulling the hair away from her face.
“I think so, yes. Some of Dominic’s readers won’t appreciate being fooled, but they’ll let it go and search somewhere else for entertainment. The Strange Things site is now under my control, and I can do everything from home before shutting it down completely. I’ll wait a week to allow reader comments and then delete the entire thing. Once Dominic’s subscription runs out, BlogPress will purge the site, and there won’t be any evidence it existed. Now, all we have to do is search through his things for physical records. I’ll give you a hand.”
Thankfully, there wasn’t much to look for. Robyn found a few items to take with them, including his journal of sightings. They replaced it with a much nicer leather-bound notebook and a fancy pen. Jack inscribed the front cover to go along with what he’d impressed upon Dominic’s mind.
“Dominic,
“I trust you will enjoy recording your bird sightings herein. A fresh chronicle for an exciting hobby! Your friend, Jack.”
The rest of the apartment turned up nothing of consequence, and Robyn waited in the living room while Jack woke the human and led him back to the bedroom. He instructed Dominic to lie down and rest or sleep until the morning. Jack set his alarm so he wouldn’t be late for work and then turned to go with an affectionate glance. He sincerely hoped his efforts resulted in a better life for Dominic. It was a much more fulfilling use of his gifts than this morning’s dirty work, and Jack left the apartment knowing he’d done his best.
Chapter 45
SUNDAY EVENING
Between residents, guests, and visitors, the packhouse used every available table and chair for supper that night. To make things easier, the kitchen staff served more portable food items on paper plates. No one minded at all; in fact, people were just as busy talking as they were eating. The desire to be together was an instinctual celebration of the pack dynamic and the need to surround themselves with kin. Those still recovering from this morning were gladly given seats at any table they chose.
Most of the Cooks pack left for home while Alpha Frazier remained with his four recovering men, including his Second, Andy Tipton. Between them, they’d suffered broken ribs, a shattered jaw, a collapsed lung, and a dangerous chest wound. They had, of course, lost one who’d died instantly after being shot in the head. This wasn’t the first time Cooks helped save Gladstone’s bacon, but it was the first loss of life. It hit them hard, and people went out of their way to share their pain.
Caleb, now awake and eating with the others, looked drained. He’d nearly lost his right foreleg to a gunshot blast, managing a quick shift before someone dragged him out of the fight. Doogie, one of Gladstone’s security team, sat beside him. He’d been shot in the hindquarters, narrowly missing his spine. He enjoyed joking about the militia wanting a piece of his ass, though the only one getting near it was Troy. The two became an item following their awkward assignment at the gatehouse, and a busy grapevine speculated about their future.
At another table sat several of the nearby Alphas who’d come to support the Gladstone pack. Amazingly, only Dean Getty from Munising was injured in the attack, knifed by an assailant who ran out of ammo. Donna almost lost him twice before he stabilized. She made the rounds with Lou at her side, now home after working most of the day. At this point, her patients only needed food and sleep. By the day after tomorrow, they would all be right as rain.
Those at the west end of the room got the first glimpse of their injured Alpha. The door to his home opened, and Ben came through leaning on Evan and his father for support. The excitement spread as he made his way further in, looking exhausted but needing to see and be seen. He stopped when he reached the room’s midpoint, and someone brought out his comfortable office chair so he could sit down. An excited hush washed over the crowd, and all conversation ceased.
“We lost some good people today, and Gladstone will remember their sacrifice. I want to thank all of those who came to assist us—we could not have done it without you. Doctor Follett and her team also deserve our heartfelt thanks. I wouldn’t be here without her dedication and expertise. The victory today involved the particular skills of our True Elders, who were given an extremely unpleasant task. William and I will be showing our appreciation privately.”
