Insight

As Flint felt drove toward the cliff, he felt something in the mindlink. Something strong and joyful. An accomplishment. The heart that beat alongside his own, it was pounding cheerfully. He touched his sternum and smiled. A few minutes later, his phone vibrated in his pocket.

"Alpha Flint." He answered the device.

"Specialist Anna Delanie. I have an update." She stated quickly.

"I'm on my way to our meeting. What happened?" Flint probed.

"I saw Luna Eve." Anna replied.

"Tell me everything." He pressed harder on the gas pedal.

"She was with the blue haired girl and another Shadow member. They went to the post office. Then the furniture store, which is where I spoke to her." She informed him.

"You spoke to her?!" Flint grinned.

"Yes, Alpha. The first thing she did was ask how you were doing." Anna heard his smile and returned it.

Little thing... His wolf released a content sigh.

"Tell me more." He stated quietly.

"She said the pups are stronger than she is. She's on a raw meat diet. She also reaffirmed that the tea is creeping sedum." Anna continued, "I told her about the side effects. She knows not to remain on it for long periods."

"Good." Flint exhaled. "I'm here. Where are you?"

The Alpha climbed out of the truck and began to walk through the woods.

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes." Anna stated.

"Talk and drive. What else happened?" He replied.

"I told her to wait for the last snow of winter. She knows the solution will be ours at that time. Also..." The specialist paused awkwardly.

"Yes?" Flint probed.

"She said, 'Tell him we love him. We're okay for now'. Then I had to go or risk getting caught." Anna answered.

Flint smiled to himself. Eve was thinking of him just as much as he was of her. He felt it, and now he had confirmations of it.

"I'm pulling up. See you soon." Anna stated before hanging up the phone.

Flint looked out at the cabin from the cliff. He couldn't see Eve, she must have been inside. The specialist arrived a few moments later with a manila envelope. She told him that after the butcher shop, the trio returned to the cabin. She also told him that Bastian had left and she'd set Peter, on his trail.

He reported that Bastian had evaded him somehow, once they were on the highway. It was as if he'd known, or assumed, that he was being followed. Inside the envelope were the sonogram pictures and the research on Seth Lawler that Anna had gathered.

As evening turned to night, Flint drove back toward Green Tree. The mindlink, which told him constantly what the pack was feeling, had been tense for some time. Yet, for a moment it seemed to lift. Then he felt Johnny. The presence was strong and steady, like an ocean wave. His phone rang a moment later.

"Report?" He stated.

"I found something, Alpha." Johnny informed him.

"The vine?" Flint asked immediately.

"Maybe. I've sent you a picture. It hasn't bloomed. It just looks like a turquoise sprout." The warrior answered.

"I'll check it. Hang on." He pulled into a gas station off the nearest exit.

Flint put the call on speaker and opened his email. He examined the picture before reaching into the backseat. He opened the herbology book to a picture of the vine. In comparison, they were the same color and shape. However, the one Johnny had found was small and clearly young. Goosebumps covered his spine.

"It's the right plant." Flint nodded. "Where are you?"

"We found it on Mount Gainey. We're three days of straight trekking away from Green Tree, not counting breaks and meals." He replied.

"Let me see something..." The Alpha opened a web browser on his phone.

He looked up the almanac for the previous years on Gainey mountain. Flint swore under his breath.

"What?" Johnny probed.

"The last snow of winter took place on April eleventh last year. It's the high altitude." He grunted.

"Can I bring it, roots and all?" The warrior asked.

"No." He shook his head. "We can't risk damaging it. It has to bloom."

"Then we'll stay until it does. The group is holding up." He stated immediately.

"Good." Flint sighed.

"We have been having problems with hunters. It's open season out here right now. The humans aren't coming to the peak, but they were tracking us for a while." Johnny informed him.

"Any injures or exposures?" He asked.

"No. I kept them from getting close with some misleading trails." He responded.

"Smart move. Good work. Stay with the vine. Any humans get in your way, avoid if your able. If not..." Flint's tone got serious quickly. "Nothing and no one is to stop you. Understood?"

"Yes, Alpha." Johnny answered immediately.

"Stay safe, kid." He added before hanging up the phone.

He sighed and ran his hand through is hair, pushing it back from his face. It seemed to him that every step he took toward getting his mate back, he had to take three steps backward. It was frustrating. Still, he thought of the elation Eve had felt at seeing Anna. She had hope. This alone gave him a small modicum of peace.

Little thing's mind is getting clearer. We can feel it. His wolf stated.

She can't keep her link to us closed forever. Especially if her wolf is getting antsy. Flint thought to himself as he pulled back onto the road.

Soon, we'll be able to feel her more. Very soon. The wolf replied.

We can hope. He nodded to himself.

Flint felt the heart beating alongside his own. Eve. She was calm. Whatever was happening, she was more content than she had been since her abduction. The static that had corrupted the sensations of her emotions was gone. Bastian was also gone. This confirmed his belief that the rogue was the cause.

Knowing that Eve was thinking of him, knowing she said she was okay, knowing that she felt better without Bastian around... It all served to help ease his frustration. If, only a bit. Flint was more than ready to get his mate back. Eve was more than ready to come home. Now, once again, they simply had to wait.