Intuition

The ceremony was beautiful. Skylar spoke for a few minutes about the moon goddess and her role in each mating. During the vows, Eve could feel her mate's eyes on her. She looked toward him to see Flint holding a reserved smile. His emerald gaze was somehow brightened by his black suit.

When the party began and everyone was enjoying their food, Eve approached the GraySky table. Skylar and Lauren smiled at her beside Jay and Faye.

"You guys having fun?" Eve probed.

"How could we not? It was beautiful." Lauren answered happily.

"Good. Uncle, you were as captivating as ever." She nodded to him.

"Habit." He shrugged with a grin.

"What about you, Flint? Enjoying yourself?" Jay asked.

"Anything to keep me out of HQ." He offered him a half-smile.

"Hear, hear." Jay chuckled.

"You need to eat." Flint whispered to his mate.

"I'm going to sit before they buss my table." Eve gestured behind her.

"Okay, Evie." Faye nodded.

Flint put his hand on her back and led her to her seat. A few minutes later he brought her a plate with two steaks on it and sat beside her.

"Thank you." She kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank me by finishing all of that." He nudged her shoulder with his gently.

As they began eating, Eve started observing the crowd. Very few people had come to speak to Flint, which she thought was odd. As Alpha, pack members were constantly talking to him about one thing or another. Now, that seemed to have stopped.

Examining the mindlink did nothing to alleviate her worries. It wasn't a hollow feeling that their pack seemed to be avoiding him; they actually were. There was a stiff, uncomfortable air when people met her gaze.

"What's going on?" She whispered.

"With what?" Flint probed.

"With the pack. Tensions are higher than I thought." Eve replied.

"It's the treaty. The support we had at the time, has swayed." He stated.

"I don't like it." She mumbled.

"We handle things with NorthWood, and they will relax." Flint reassured her.

"Are you sure?" Eve sipped from her water glass.

"As sure as I can be." He sighed.

As they finished eating, Ellie and Austin took to the dance floor. A romantic, upbeat song was playing. Eve smiled as she watched Ellie's dark hair swing around her bare shoulders. She was beaming in the arms of her mate.

Austin was smiling down at her like she were something precious and fragile. Their happiness was radiating through the pack around them when everyone began to join them on the dancefloor. Flint stood and offered Eve his hand.

She smiled in response and accepted it, allowing him to lead her onto the dancefloor. The song changed but the beat was similar. Flint pulled Eve close to him, guiding her in sweeping steps. The Luna looked up, into his emerald green eyes, and she found warmth there. The kind of warmth one can only feel if enveloped by adoration.

Beneath it though, was something frightening to Eve. Fear. The kind of fear that only comes when you're afraid of losing that beloved, adored thing. Flint read her feelings and averted his gaze. Instead of explaining the feeling that had alarmed his mate, he simply held her tighter to his chest.

"You know something you aren't saying. It scares me." Eve whispered.

"Everything's okay." He murmured in return.

A lie. Eve could feel the uncertainty in his words like it were her own. She felt lightheaded and she clenched her fingers into the fabric of his jacket. Flint looked down to see the color draining from Eve's cheeks.

"Eve?" He began walking them back to their table.

"I'm alright. Just, hang on." Eve closed her eyes as Flint helped her sit down in her chair.

The power was rising in her stomach to rage in her chest. She took several long deep breaths through her nose to calm her pounding heart. The wolf in her mind was howling and thrashing from the force building within her.

Be still, little thing. Flint's wolf entered his mate's mind.

Eve managed to swallow the wave of strength, though it took her several minutes and even more deep breaths. Flint sat in his chair and took her hands into his warm palms.

"I'm okay." She finally sighed and met his gaze.

"We need to leave. Drink some water. I'm going to get the car." As Flint stood, someone bumped into his shoulder.

He spun anxiously to see Duncan.

"Alpha, I didn't see that you were standing. Sorry about that." The commander stated.

"Is that all you're sorry about?" Flint asked in a rumbling tone.

His anxiety and frustration had turned to anger in a mere moment. Having felt Eve's inner power, Flint now found himself at the mercy of his own.

"I did what was asked of me." Duncan replied, knowing what had angered him.

"Did you?!" The Alpha growled.

A shockwave of strength and rage flooded the pack mindlink. Every eye in the yard turned toward the conflict. Eve reached out and took hold of her mate's sleeve but she failed to get his attention.

"I did." Duncan answered while averting his gaze from Flint's.

The growl that resonated from the Alpha's chest was aggressive. The force of the power flowing from him pushed Duncan back a step. Flint tensed to take a step forward but Eve stood in his way. She placed her hands on his chest. After a few seconds, his eyes moved to hers.

"Everyone is staring at you right now." She whispered.

"So?" He grunted.

"Flint, please." Eve continued murmuring quietly. "Go get the car."

He stared at her for a few moments before turning and silently walking away. The Luna turned a sheepish smile toward the many onlookers.

"Nothing to see here." She waved at the DJ. "More music, maestro."

The music came back on and Eve looked at Duncan apologetically.

"That wasn't about you. I promise, I'll handle this." She spoke in a low tone.

Duncan nodded stiffly without responding. Eve turned and weaved her way through the guests. They were still whispering about their Alpha. She could sense how they had already begun feeling like Flint had returned to his explosive, unpredictable ways.

"Ells." She touched the bride's shoulder.

"Evie." Her best friend hugged her. "What was that all about?"

"Nothing big. Just a disagreement." Eve shrugged off the scene from a few minutes ago.

"Sure." She answered sarcastically.

"Doubt me later. I have to take off." She smiled stiffly.

"What? We haven't even cut the cake yet." Ellie furrowed her brows.

"I know. Pack business is calling. I really have to go." Eve hugged her best friend again.

"Okay..." She sighed. "I'll send your family to your house before they go."

"That would be great." She kissed her on the cheek.

"Be careful, Evie." Ellie called after her.

"You too." Eve replied with another false smile.