Intuition

Eve was sitting on the back porch swing with Onyx when she felt the ache in her chest. It disappeared nearly as it arrived but to the Luna it was an unmistakable sign that things were getting worse. Though, no further proof was needed.

In the week since her kidnapping, the situation with Eve’s health had been constantly changing. After she ate or ran in her wolf form, she often felt like she was able to take hold of the power inside her. But this didn’t last long.

At times, her heart beat sluggishly. At others, it raced in her chest. When she felt panicked or emotional, she would pass out or shift without trying. All this was extremely worrying to her, though not only to her.

Bastian had been keeping a constant eye on her. Eve’s plan to escape while he slept fell apart quickly. It seemed that the rogue ‘Alpha’ didn’t sleep. At least, she didn’t know when. Bastian would leave occasionally, though not often. When he did decide to go, Eve was watched by Onyx and the rest of the Shadow pack.

The young woman had become somewhat of a friend to the Luna. Eve wouldn’t depend on Onyx to help her betray Bastian, but she would ask her questions in exchange for stories from the mountain.

Eve learned that she wasn’t being held in the valley below the mountain. Instead, they were in the foothills several hours away from the range in a place called Kirkwood. Onyx described it as a sleepy farm town where everyone knew everyone else by name. Eve thought it sounded like a nice town. Much like Acres. Except here in Kirkwood, she was a prisoner.

As the pain in her chest eased away, she felt pressure in her stomach. Not too much, just a light thump against her skin. Eve rubbed her stomach and felt what seemed to be the outline of a foot beneath her skin. It made her smile as she drew her fingernails across it, tickling the area.

“What is it?” Onyx probed.

“Nothing. The baby kicked me.” Eve replied.

“Can I feel it?” She asked with fascination.

She pondered it for a moment before nodding. Eve took the girl’s palm and laid it over the tiny sensation. A few seconds passed before he kicked again, a bit softer this time.

“Wow.” Onyx giggled.

Bastian stepped onto the porch with two large plastic cups in his hands. He looked over the scene in front of him with a small, unreadable smile before approaching the swing.

“One order of fresh deer for Evie.” He handed her one cup with a white, plastic spoon in it.

“One red slushy with strawberries for Onyx.” Bastian gave her the cup with the straw in it.

“Thanks.” She drank from the cup and shivered happily.

Eve stared at the meal, as she had every dish of raw meat, for several moments.

“Thank you.” She nodded.

“Come on, Evie. It’s not so bad.” Bastian sat on the swing beside her.

“Oh, really? Do you want some?” She got annoyed and thrust the cup at him daringly.

“No.” He chuckled and leaned away from it.

Onyx shook her head at them. To anyone else, it would seem that Bastian and Eve were just friends. Sitting together and joking around. But everyone staying at the cabin knew differently. She had simply stopped backing away from Bastian every time he entered the room.

Eve had grown more accustomed to Bastian’s flamboyant, overly friendly behavior. As much as she wished she was home in her pack with her mate, she didn’t have the energy to fight with him everyday. Bastian was glad and thought this was a sign she was warming up to him. Not much, just a bit.

“We should talk about that run yesterday.” Bastian eventually stated.

“Bas, can’t we just-” Onyx was interrupted.

“Nope.” He shook his head.

His adoptive sister cut her eyes worriedly to Eve before she began to stare into her slushy.

“What about it, punchy?” Eve rolled her eyes at his authoritative expression.

“You took off, Evie. You can’t do that.” Bastian sighed.

She took a bite of the fresh, ground venison. She then took a slow breath, gathering her thoughts.

“I needed to. So I did.” Eve stated simply.

“You were swarmed by Shadow wolves. They aren’t as easily controlled as the mountain wolves. They could have hurt you.” He nudged her shoulder with his.

Eve scoffed at him. She thought back to the scene yesterday. Bastian had been running alongside her through the surrounding woods. She was pretending to be playing with him before she darted away.

She was caught by Felix and Leigh. They were a couple who had been running on their own. Upon seeing the little black wolf alone, they howled. Announcing their position and the situation. Callie pounced within moments.

Eve was knocked off the path and down a small incline. A threat. The feeling came over her for a mere moment before the power inside her boomed out of her chest. The Luna jumped on top of the female wolf. She tightened her jaws dangerously around Callie’s throat.

Bastian arrived but didn’t interfere. He simply watched Eve, waiting to see what she would do. Tyler stepped forward to take Eve down but Bastian growled at him, causing him to freeze in place.

Eve tossed Callie away, roughly throwing her into the ground. She ignored the blood pouring from her neck and ran back toward Eve again. The Luna raised her chin, preparing for the blow. However, the Callie never reached her destination.

Bastian jumped over Eve, blocking her from the attack. Callie bounced off of him, landing hard on her back. He growled at her warningly. Callie grumbled and snapped at him in response. Bastian snarled in a deep, rumbling tone. The wolf stared at him with wide, watery eyes before she turned and ran away.

Eve felt the power still radiating from her, but she was exhausted. She need more meat. Bastian looked into her electric blue eyes curiously for a moment before he grunted and lifted his chin at the wolves around them.

They all slowly began walking away. Eve’s legs swayed and then caved. Bastian shifted in a moment. He knelt in front of her, listening to her breathing closely. Her eyes fluttered closed tiredly. Bastian lifted her furry body in his arms and carried her back to the cabin. Onyx met him worriedly on the porch. She demanded to stay with Eve until she shifted back.

“Evie?” Bastian drew here mind out of the memory of yesterday.

“They couldn’t have hurt me. I had to stop myself from-” Eve glanced at Onyx, pausing. “I was the only dangerous one in that circle.”

She took another bite of the meat in her cup. The Luna had noted already how sheltered and protected a life Onyx had been given. Even Bastian treated her gingerly and hid the deadly activities of the Shadow pack. The last thing Eve wanted was to be the one who introduced the young woman to true violence.

“Not the only dangerous one.” Bastian replied quietly.

“Are you referring to yourself, punchy?” Eve glared at him.

He chuckled as if the question amused him. Onyx leaned forward and cut her gaze at him.

“Hey! It wasn’t a threat, or anything. I’d never hurt Evie. I just don’t like being underestimated.” Bastian reached behind the Luna to tussle his sister’s colorful hair.

“Whatever you say, punchy.” Eve scoffed.

“Why do you call him that?” Onyx probed.

The Luna met Bastian’s dark eyes. She saw alarm but it slipped away, replaced by his ever-constant nonchalance.

“He’s a hell of a fighter. Literal hell.” Eve answered vaguely as she rose to her feet.

Eve saw the regret flit across his face at her statement while Onyx simply nodded curiously. Bastian helped her up with his palm on her back. She had stopped jerking away from him days ago. Truthfully, she had gotten so large that she did need a little help standing up sometimes.

“I wanted to talk to you about some stuff.” Bastian informed her as he followed her inside the cabin.

“What stuff? Like letting me go? Being a decent person?” Eve mumbled as she climbed the stairs.

“Nope. I want to talk about the pup. I have a theory.” He grinned.

“Stop thinking about my pup. I don’t care about your theories.” She entered her room.

Eve sat on the bed and finished the deer meat she’d been given. Bastian walked into the room and closed the door. He then sat on the end of her bed. She furrowed her brows at him and sat the empty plastic cup on the nightstand.

“I can help you, Evie. Hear me out.” Bastian asked in a soft tone.

She examined him skeptically.

“Okay, punchy. You have five minutes.” Eve eventually stated.