Intuition

“Beta contestant Graham Monroe. Southern entrance.” The announcer’s voice followed another buzzer. The crowd was still cheering and they continued as the other wolf entered the arena again.

Graham walked toward the Alpha. He stopped about three feet away and faced him. Meeting Flint’s gaze when his power was on full display was no easy task. The prospective Beta was clearly struggling. He barely managed to do as he was expected. Graham took a shaky step toward his superior and growled.

Without hesitation the Alpha lept into him. He knocked the smaller wolf back onto the ground. Before Graham’s body had stopped rolling across the field, Flint pounced on his spine and pinned him to the dirt. The screams and applause from the audience grew even louder.

Elijah stood from his seat and peered at the fight. He could feel his son’s strength, but he also sensed agitation. Ashley clapped by his side, swept up in the show. Below the stands, Eve clenched her fists. Her inner beast was snarling and fighting to join her mate on the field.

Flint clamped his jaws on the front of Graham’s throat. His teeth tore into the wolf’s flesh as he continued to press on this spine with his paw. The crowd slowly quieted to watch in awe. This was a very familiar deadly move. It was the one used to defeat Duncan.

You won but you sacrificed your honor. Flint’s wolf growled in his opponent’s mind.

Graham struggled for freedom but the more he moved, the more he bled. He quickly decided to stop fighting against the jaws holding him.

Respect is earned. Now you have much further to go. The Alpha stated grimly.

Yes, Alpha. Graham’s wolf forced the response.

Flint released him while kicking off of him. He lept to the side and left the prospective Beta wallowing in the dirt with blood coating his throat and chest. The crowd, the Alpha’s family, and his mate waited on bated breath.

Graham stood weakly, struggling to hold up is body weight. He staggered forward and again stopped a few feet away from his superior. This time, he had no strength to meet Flint’s gaze. Instead, he bowed lowly, placing his chin on the ground.

The pack members began applauding again, tentatively. They had been unsure if Graham would be conscious to bow and claim Beta. Now that he had, they were clearly relieved. Flint raised his head, again allowing the power within him to flood the mindlink.

This small gesture is what made Graham the Beta of StarLight. The crowd went wild and again rose to their feet. They were cheering, stomping, clapping, and screaming. The turn over of power was always a turbulent time and they were all seemingly happy that it was over.

Flint shifted into his human form. He remained crouched as Eve ran toward him from the Northern entrance to the field. She handed him the shorts Joshua had giving her. The Alpha slipped them on and stood.

Graham twitched and strained as he took his human guise. He was unable to stand, though he tried. His assistant ran out to him and laid a robe over him. Flint stared down at the injured man for several uninterrupted seconds before he looked at his mate.

He gave Eve a small smile and took her hand. Flint walked back to the center of the arena, leading Eve to follow him. He raised his hand and the pack got louder. They were clearly still excited from the fight they’d witnessed and the strength they’d felt.

Flint looked down at Eve with a little grin of accomplishment. She shook her head at him and laughed lightly. The Alpha laid his hand on her stomach protectively and placed a warm kiss on her temple. Again, the crowd got even louder.

“Do you know what you just did?” Eve whispered as he led her back across the field.

“Put an asshole in his place and got a new Beta?” Flint replied in a low tone.

“Not that. You just basically announced my pregnancy to the pack.” She stated as they entered the locker room.

“The pup is showing, baby. Everyone already knows.” He rubbed her slightly hardened stomach.

Eve sighed and nodded in defeat. In truth, Flint had simply confirmed the hunches of the pack members. Most already thought she could be pregnant. Blair entered the locker room with her PDA and a small box in hand.

“The Beta Dinner is tomorrow at seven. I have everything set up, as agreed. The pack is clearing out but I had your car brought around so you might be able to miss the traffic jam.” The assistant informed them.

Flint nodded and pulled on his t-shirt.

“Also, this came to your house.” She handed Eve a small package.

“What is it?” She asked rhetorically.

“I don’t know but it was sent from within the territory.” Blair pointed to the return address.

Flint glanced at it as he tied his tennis shoes. He knew the neighborhood but not who lived there. The name was slightly familiar to him but he couldn’t place it.

“Do you know an Adam Hurley?” Eve probed.

“Not off the top of my head.” Flint stated.

She pursed her lips and opened the package. She retrieved a hardback children’s book from within. She furrowed her brows as she examined the classically styled illustration.

“The Little Wolf by Janice Downs.” She read aloud.

She sat the box beside Flint and opened the cover curiously. The Alpha looked into the box and reached in to retrieve a small note. The feeling of his stress drew all eyes to him. His mate gingerly took the note from him. The words in front of her made her blood turn cold.

><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Dear Evie,

I know you haven’t forgotten me. I told you that would be a mistake. Rest assured, I haven’t forgotten you either. Stay safe. Stay strong. I look forward to seeing you again. I hope you do as well.

Sincerely,

B

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

The Luna felt her power rise to match her anxiety. Flint stood and hugged her. He wasn’t sure what to say but his wolf was growling furiously in his mind.

“He’s teasing us.” She breathed quietly.

“Don’t get upset, baby. That’s what he wants.” Flint took the book and threw it into the trashcan by the door.

Joshua took the note and read it over, narrowing his eyes at the words. Blair peered over his shoulder to see what was going on. Her jaw dropped at the sheer audacity of their enemy. A thought struck Flint about the same time as everyone else.

“Who is Adam Hurley?” The Alpha growled.

Blair began typing away on her phone before looking up a few minutes later.

“I found his name in the Green Tree Gazette. According to the obituaries, Adam Hurley died in June of 2000 from a stroke. He was one hundred and two years old. He had no surviving family members. His mate apparently passed away the year before.” She read the screen aloud.

The information sunk into the minds of those gathered.

“How did Bastian send you something from inside the territory?” Blair probed.

“He couldn’t have.” Joshua shook his head.

“Then how-”

“He’s not working alone.” Eve cut the assistant off to answer her queries.

“There is no way he made it onto the territory. Someone sent this for him.” Joshua nodded.

“We have a rat problem.” Flint spoke through his teeth.

“What do we do?” Blair looked worriedly to Eve.

“We find them.” The Luna stated firmly.

“And we end them.” Flint explained in a growl.