Intuition

Flint was panicking. As much as he wanted to run toward the cabin in the distance, he knew that he couldn’t. His muscles ached and his veins were on fire from running so far. Still, his wolf was restless. The animal was fighting to move. He could do nothing else.

Little thing! We must go to her! The Alpha growled in frustration.

No! The temporary solution... It comes from Bastian. If we take her, she won’t have it anymore. Flint stated in a solemn, matter-of-fact tone.

We have to go to her! She needs us! The animal began snarling.

If we approach at all, he’ll sense us and move her. Then we won’t be able to find her again! He growled internally.

The roar that was fighting it’s way out of his throat was strangling him. Choking him with its ferocity. Flint shuddered and shifted. He couldn’t leave his inner beast in control any longer. In a matter of moments he stood on the cliff with his bare skin in the open air.

He searched the mindlink to the pack, despite the snapping and snarling of the animal inside him. Anna was close, around twenty miles away. However, someone else was closer. Peter, the tracker working for Anna, was only twelve miles away. The Alpha sent out an instinctual pull, drawing them both to him.

Flint stood alone, staring out at the small cabin. It was difficult to remain on his feet. His entire body ached. He lost track of time beneath the sounds of his wolf. He was thrashing around in his mind, trying to break free. The Alpha was demanding to rush to his mate to save her. To hold her. Simply to see her. Then the door of the cabin opened.

A blonde figure stepped onto the porch. His heart began racing. Even though she was miles away, he could see her. He knew it was her. His mate. He could see that her stomach had grown and she held it protectively. Her gaze turned to him and Flint could even see a flash of cyan blue as the sunlight crossed her eyes.

Electricity. It coursed through him. He couldn’t look away from her. He couldn’t move. Even his inner animal was frozen by the sight of her. Goosebumps covered his skin. Relief washed over him. He was sure. He had actually found her.

Peter approached in his wolf form to stand beside the Alpha, however Flint didn’t notice him. The door opened behind Eve and another familiar figure appeared. The sight of the man’s dirty blonde hair stole whatever relief Flint had been feeling a moment ago. Bastian touched Eve’s shoulder and casually turned her to face him.

Anger. Aggression. Fear. Anxiety. Every muscle in his body tensed. Eve glanced at him before turning around and going back into the cabin. Flint could feel her emotions as if they were buried beneath his own. She wanted out. She wanted to go home. Still, Eve knew she couldn’t leave Bastian until Flint found the winter jade vine.

Anna arrived, jogging from the road where she’d left her truck. Flint recognized that he had company... Still, he was unable to tear his eyes away from the cabin, the porch, and Eve.

“I found her.” Flint pointed to the cabin in the distance. “She’s there.”

“Alpha, we’re four hundred miles from StarLight territory.” Anna peered at the structure.

“I don’t care. She’s there. I can feel her.” He gestured to the small, nearby town below. “That must be Kirkwood.”

The specialist pulled out her phone and started typing. Immediately, she sighed heavily. She was annoyed, overly frustrated with herself.

“What is it?” Peter shifted into his human form.

“Kirkwood is a community of five hundred and twenty six. They don’t appear on the map until you’ve nearly arrived.” She grunted.

Flint could feel how disappointed Anna was with herself, it was radiating from her.

“You’re here. We found her. Nothing else matters.” Flint stated firmly.

The specialist nodded stiffly. A few minutes of tense quiet passed by.

“Orders, Alpha?” Peter probed.

“Anna is the best as disguising her scent among the rogues. I want her to go into Kirkwood. I need to know everything the humans do about Bastian and the other Shadow members.”

Flint finally glanced at the wolves around him.

“Peter, I want you go get as close to that cabin as you can. Do not get caught. I want to know their movements and security measures.” He paused. “Look out for Luna Eve. If you see her, watch her. See that she’s safe with your own eyes, every chance you get. Understood?”

“Yes, Alpha.” The pair answered in tandem.

They set off in different directions without hesitation. Flint looked back to the cliff, and the scene below. He knew he should go back to StarLight territory. Every time the wind changed direction, there was a chance it would carry his scent to his enemy. Still, elevation was on his side. He continued to stare out at the expanse, and the tiny cabin in the center of the forest.

We found her. We can’t leave her there. The wolf barked firmly.

We can’t go to her. We can’t take her. We can’t leave. We can’t stay away from the pack either. Flint was exhausted, body and mind.

We have to-

“Enough!” Flint roared loudly.

The beast wouldn’t give him a minute of rest. He had been pushing the search for Eve so much that it felt like the human part of Flint’s mind was caving in. He needed silence in his head. He yearned for it.

Instead of giving him the quiet that he so longed for, the beast began to try to break free. He couldn’t leave her behind. He refused to. The white wolf burst forth, snarling. Power hemorrhaged from him in waves.

No! If we stay here or we go to her, we’ll lose her! He snapped aggressively.

We can’t leave! We can’t! The wolf snapped his jaws, growling.

We have to! Flint was snarling internally, fighting his instincts. We want her to live, to survive?! We have to! Until we find the vine and we can save her and our pup.

No! The beast dug his claws into the ground.

Yes! For now... We have to. He commanded.

The wolf couldn’t move. He couldn’t decide. He couldn’t think anymore. Then, as if there were no other choice, he ran back into the forest. It would take him seven hours to get home, if he ran at full speed. Even the fire in his muscles from all the running, couldn’t slow the aggressive power in his chest.

The Alpha had been fighting to restrain his inner wolf for his entire life. However, he had never argued with him before. They had always agreed. Until now. In fighting his need to save Eve, he was fighting part of himself. The part of him that would always be connected to her. His beast.

Flint had to leave Eve in the hands of the enemy. It was the last thing he wanted and the only thing he could do to help her. The Alpha power threatened the lives of his mate and their pup. Bastian had a temporary solution. Until Flint could provide the same security for her, he would have to leave her behind.

That day would come quicker than Bastian anticipated. Of that, Flint intended to make certain. By any means necessary. Every step he took away from Eve caused him physical, mental, and emotional pain. But to save her and their child, he would do anything. Suffer anything. Face anything. Defeat anything. He simply had to.