Cungr kept catching a scent in the air, it clawed at his hindbrain, awakening his wolfblood, breaking his focus on the conversation. The scent was faint but wildly distracting. A hint of sharp ginger and lemongrass melded with the smell of wet creek rock. The hair on the back of his neck prickled, someone or thing was stalking him. A predator. He scrutinized the dark shadows detecting nothing. The unease of the pack must be throwing him off. Everyone was jittery, only partially engrossed in their discussions. Being here away from his pack has him edgy. Alex, the Arch Beta, reacted to the Arch Alpha's unease through their link shifting his massive weight back and forth in agitation preparing to attack an unseen threat.

Alexander’s deep rumbling voice, tugged Cungr's attention back to the topic at hand. Rogues killing human hikers. Unneeded attention brought to their species. In this age of technology, where every hand held a camera, it was becoming increasingly difficult to hide in plain sight. The exposure blood-lusting rogues could give to shifters was deadly. The occurrence of rogue shifters seemed to be escalating exponentially in the last year. Covering it up, explaining it away was increasingly difficult. The days of blurry photos and dismissal of witnesses as crackpots were coming to a rapid close. They were narrowly avoiding detection as it was through strategically placed pack members in government roles. Add in the perpetuation of inaccurate myth through Hollywood and their cover remained precariously in place. You couldn't become a shifter through a bite, the moon did nothing but call on heat and mating, and other than rogues they weren't mindless when shifted. The only thing that was spot on was their particular allergy to silver.

The rogues had left a few survivors with video evidence behind. Kate, his companion and Selene to be, had managed to scrub all evidence and hack their cloud accounts after Brice and Trip snatched the human's phones at the hospital. The two burly fighters posing as FBI agents. How Brice managed to convince anyone he was FBI with his long silken cords of hair was beyond Cungr. Somehow it worked and all concrete evidence of what attacked the hikers was eliminated.

The conversation turned towards cleaning up the remaining physical evidence at the attack site. That is when the situation flew sideways.

Davin wheeled about releasing a growl of alarm. Cungr could smell the mix of anger and fear coming off the local Alpha. All eyes fixed on the source of a musical laugh erupting from someone Davin’s wide shoulders blocked. Then she moved into sight, tears streaming from her eyes as she laughed at an Alpha’s alarm. Her steps slipped in a smooth sure sideways stride containing innate grace. The female had an odd non-linear way of moving making it hard to predict where her next step would land. Davin asked her why she was there, her reply was snarky and teasing, eyes flashing a pale jade green. The wind swept past her lifting wisps of honey-golden hair that framed handsomely strong yet feminine features. The same alluring scent rushed over him carried by the wind, she was the source. Davin started towards her preparing to attack. She threw her hands up in half submission but Davin didn’t stop. The idiot Thompson piped up saying she should leave. Something snapped in Cungr and he began to maneuver to attack Davin.

The woman's voice growled out a command that froze all the local wolves in their tracks. Fear rolled off some of the males in heavy waves, their wolves’ desire to flee almost overpowering them. Her command pressed down as a heavy weight on Cungr’s chest pushing the air out, ancient force in it. It was nothing like the searing whip-crack of an Alpha’s driving command. This was death stealing your breath, it caused a chill of fear to run down his spine. "What female can command dominates this way, even if they are of mixed heritage?" She was of an ancient bloodline flooded with power to be coveted. An archaic genetic drive took hold of Cungr as he continued towards her. Her glowing eyes snapped up, assessing him.

Feeling her gaze pierce him like a predator ready to take down large game his soul wretched and clarity descended on him, this is his female. “Can she feel the pull?” He wondered.

The tall muscular woman took a few rolling steps then launched at him, air cracking with the screaming cry of a blooded warrior. Landing on his back, her face inches from his; he sees her fangs growing long, pupils narrowed to slits in pale jade green eyes. He feels it like a wave crashing when she realizes. Her smell is so intoxicating he loses the use of his faculties. When her gravely voice rasps in his ear the words barely register, his skin catches with volcanic heat. Her weight lifts from him and the wolves launch to protect the Arch. They are attacking what belongs to him!

Anger roils up as Cungr springs to his feet, “I will kill all of them.” Alexander’s eyes expand with shock when he hears Cungr’s thoughts.

“LEAVE HER!” Cungr demands his power reverberating with an electrical crack through the pack. The only one unaffected by the Arch Alpha’s command is the green-eyed woman crouching on the ground preparing to spring.

Krish crouches in the dust preparing for an onslaught of claw and fang, then relaxes as she observes the scene unfold. A mirthful smirk plays on her lips as the wolves fall over themselves with confusion and fear. She can tell many are perplexed as to if they should run from her, fight, stand their ground, or run from the Arch. So much for staying hidden and avoiding attention. She had really landed in it now.

“Are you over hormoned canines ready to listen now?” she quips. Any sane creature would have made their escape during the confusion. Krish had not been completely sound of mind for longer than she cared to recall.

Davin glares at her as the Arch Alpha steps in front of him. The Arch offers his hand to Krish. She grins widely, grasps his hand firmly and rises. A pulsing sensation rattles through her bones causing her to make a barely audible purring noise. She resists the urge to step into the muscular man before her and rub against his chest. How tempting it is.

The Arch swallows hard as he experiences the soul burning connection. "Not how my parents described it." Cungr thinks, reluctantly releasing her hand.

The Arch, in a rich guttural voice “I am Cungr Varlay, Arch Alpha of the North American territories, Alpha of Onyx Flame.” Krish angles her head sideways and looks up at him then begins to dust her pants off. “Why doesn’t she answer me?” Cungr's expression shows clear agitation. Attempting to calm himself, her nonchalant demeanor tells him demands and dominance will fall short in dealing with this female. Cungr swallows back his ire and tries again “May I have your name lady? Perhaps your pack?” Decades of being obeyed without question have not prepared him for a female like this one.

Krish regards him in silence, looking him up and down like a meal she is deciding how best to devour. Cungr finds her brazen assessment of him unsettling. Suitable werewolf mates are rarely this shameless. Though females of his species are not demure by human standards, they still have a certain reserve.

Davin, misunderstanding the situation and wishing to curtail a conflict, chimes in ”Arch Alpha, this is K... I mean Kiz Ra heat. (he butchers her name horribly) She is…” Krish glares at him in warning. “… is not a member of our pack.” Davin stammers, “She hunts the mountain range North of here, outside our territory.”

Krish snaps, her patience with the local Alpha ending “Stupid wolf. It is Krish Razhett. Kri-shh Ra-z-ette she drawls out slowly enunciating the syllables as one would to a young child. May I tell you why I am here now?”

Cungr nods. Krish, sarcasm oozing through, “Thank you, your highness.” She flourishes her arm out in a mock bow that elicits an angry growl from the Arch. She is not taking this seriously at all, the most important thing that will happen in their lifetimes and she mocks him. He has taken lives for less disrespectful actions. The female is completely unaffected by his displeasure. Instead, amusement spreads across her features. A brow quirks up along with the curve of her lips. She appears on the edge of another laughing fit.

Davin wonders what the heck is going on with the Arch. Why is he allowing this nonsense? Fear of conflict loosens his tongue. “Spit it out K” Davin barks at her. The last thing he wants is for the Arch Alpha to attack Krish. His pack is already low on fighters, Krish would further deplete their numbers. They can't afford to lose anyone else with rogues invading their territory.

Krish, flippantly “I caught your rogues, they are in my vehicle 5 miles downwind of here. Well, what’s left of them… I want hunting permission in the Valley for the rest of the winter. Game has gotten scarce on the mountain.”

Davin, amped up on the adrenaline of the situation snaps at her. “You couldn’t have called from Willie’s instead of sneaking up on us and almost starting a brawl K? Do you know the shit storm you almost started?”

Cungr, redirecting his anger caused by her belligerent attitude. ”Do not talk to her that way. I warn you Davin, be respectful.”

Taken aback Daven immediately bows his head to the Arch ceding control to the dominant male. “Yes, Arch Alpha.”

Cungr, turning to Krish. ”You will not be granted permissions to hunt this land. You will be coming with me.” His words send the tall dark honey-blonde female in front of him into a reel of laughter.