A few hours before dawn breaks, Alex is still without contact from the Arch Alpha. Kate did not sleep well and it showed on her weary drawn face. Alex noticed her pacing up and down the balcony outside their hotel rooms well before sunrise. After showering and dressing Alex headed down to catch breakfast. He wasn’t fond of hotel food, but what could you do?

Trip and Brice were in the hotel lobby playing cards and snacking on a giant pile of bacon. It looked like they had emptied the buffet tray onto their plates. Other patrons looked at them in annoyance. The two handsome, deep brown-eyed, brawny, dark-skinned men joke and smack talked to each other loudly eliciting an angry glare from the front desk clerk. Their levity could be annoying. Generally, Alex found them a pleasing respite from Cungr's quiet contemplative nature.

They had met in Atlanta, Georgia in Moon Tide territory when a rogue clean up took a dangerous turn. The two men materialized out of the back door of a night club taking the pack of rogues, that had Alex cornered, by surprise. Brice, after getting a "feeling", drug his friend out of the club. Cungr was too far away to arrive in time to save Alex's bacon, the Arch alpha did manage to appear just as the last rogue expired beneath Trip's claws. The alleyway looked like the rogue pack had been thrown in a giant blender without a lid on it. Once things calmed down Cungr proposed an exchange with Moon Tide. Moon Tide's Alpha was more than thrilled to be rid of the two friends as they had been difficult to manage and constantly challenged the local Alpha's position. By Cungr's orders, from then on for better or worse, wherever Alex went so did Trip and Brice. Rooms generally drew deathly quiet when the 6'10" blue-eyed blonde Beta and his smaller 6'5" ebony-skinned bodyguards entered a room.

Alex grabbed some sausage and eggs then sat down to watch the two friends banter back and forth. He laughed when he realized the macho men were playing Go-Fish.

“Want us to deal you in?” Trip asked in the deep Barry White baritone that he and Brice shared.

Alex, “No, we need to get moving. You two about ready?”

Both men respond in the affirmative.

Kate walked around the corner, she masked her puffy eyes and dark circles with a pair of oversized darkly tinted sunglasses. Something deep in Alex always stirred when she entered a room. Kate wore high heels, her sale lined coat, and a close-fitting rose pink dress. He noticed Brice and Trip are staring as well. Part of him wanted to snap at them to police their gaze, that would be more than a little hypocritical. They all knew she was betrothed to the Arch Alpha so even without a mark she was off-limits. Still, Cungr had never cared if they looked, just no touching.

Alex had wondered about the uncharacteristically nonchalant way Cungr regarded Kate. Alpha's were usually insanely possessive of anything they considered theirs. Kate was elated at the privileges she had gained by becoming the Arch Alpha’s betrothed. She was given anything she wanted and enjoyed freedom her previous pack had never allowed. Cungr’s lack of possessiveness did not seem to concern Kate in the least, though she herself was almost manically crazed if another woman came near him.

This was going to be a hot mess if Cungr brought back a mate. Thinking about it made Alex’s head hurt. He found emotional drama detestable in even mild cases, this would surely be a disaster of legendary proportion. One that would be incalculably compounded if that woman was actually what he suspected. He had never prayed so hard to be wrong in his entire life.

As they piled into the SUVs Alex curses lightly under his breath. Folding to fit in these foreign vehicles was a challenge for him.

"What?" Kate exclaimed. "It was the biggest thing with four-wheel drive the rental place had available."

Alex shakes his head and puts the vehicle in gear, "Next time just buy something, this is ridiculous."

When they arrive at Thompson’s Ranch the house is surrounded by trucks in various stages of disrepair. Davin and Thompson are sitting on the front porch and rise as they approach. Thompson held the door and everyone went inside heading to the dining room, gathering around a massive table. Red stood off in a corner trying to be as invisible as possible. The majority of the pack members milled about in an expansive den area, waiting for news or instructions. Brice and Trip headed over to the den, Trip pulling the deck of cards out of his pocket on the way. Alex doubted they’d be playing Go-Fish this time.

Once the lead pack members were settled at the dining table, Alpha Davin rolled out a topographical map. Kate drew close, looking around Alex’s shoulder, her scent was the sweet clean honeyed fragrance of lilies of the valley. Some of the local pack members eyed her warily. A few had clear looks of lust, others seemed annoyed at her presence. Possibly it was because she was female, or her status as an Omega, perhaps both. He shook the sensation off and focused on the map in front of him. Whatever their thoughts on Kate, they had all remained wisely silent on the subject.

Davin outlined areas where K’s lair most likely was located. Yes, Davin called it a lair. For some reason that disturbed Alex more than Willie’s musings about the creature. It indicated the fear with which this pack regarded K, that fear seemed more realistic than the tall tales of an elderly man. He focused his attention back to Davin’s explanations of the markings on the map. Some were locations where K had been sighted, others were where dead werewolves attributed to K had been found. Then Davin brought out the photos, some dating as far back as the early 1800s, others more recent. They were grizzly butcher scenes staged as obvious warnings, all carrying the same signature. Werewolves gutted like game strung up in trees. Many missing their heads. Kate drew her breath in sharply and sat down in a chair. He placed his hand over hers as much for her comfort as his own.

“Were these all rogues?” Alex asks.

Davin “The majority, yes. A select few were serial trespassers on her claimed territory. As you can see, attacks are more prevalent in this Central Northern area. It is also where most sightings have been, so I figure that is the first place we should start looking.”

Alex studied the map in silence for a long while until he felt Kate’s presence pressing against his shoulder. She cleared her throat, “What about this Northeastern section of mountains where there isn’t any activity?”

“Sweetie, there aren’t any occurrences there because K doesn’t hunt there.” Davin remarked condescendingly.

Alex begins to bristle at Davin’s tone as Kate piped up again. Used to men rejecting her thoughts and talking over her, she remained admirably calm and unfazed by Davin’s dismissal and continued. “You speak of how little you know about this creature, then comment she has been here a long time. Don’t you think the reason she has remained hidden is that she is intelligent, skilled at redirecting your attention?”

Davin begins to retort, Alex cuts him off with a raised hand. After hearing Willie’s stories last night he doubted the creature would be as simple-minded as Davin tries to portray. It was more likely the local wolves were projecting their own thoughts and methods onto a creature none of them, including himself, understood. Kate’s assertion was logical when all information was taken into account. Davin and his pack had already dismissed Willie’s stories, except the young Delta Red, so they were working with only half the information they should be. Still, if he wanted their help he had to be cautious about coming off derisively.

“Both theories have merit.” Alex begins. “We should split into two groups, Davin will lead the group to cover these areas.” Indicating the locations where sightings were clustered. If you are willing to lend some men, my group will focus on the section of mountains that Kate suggests.”

Davin, “It’s a waste of time, but if you want to search that section we’ll send some men along.”

As the group begins to file out Alex catches Davin’s attention. “There is one other thing I need to discuss with you. Is there a more private place we may speak?”

Davin nods and leads him back to an office in the rear of the house, he shuts the door.

Alex "I would like to have Red transferred from Bright Moon to Onyx Flame, take him with us when we leave.”

Davin, ”I have more skilled, stronger men. Red is still young. Even though he's pureblood he's a Delta line. Why would you want him?”

Alex, “I have been looking for an assistant, most of Onyx Flame's pack members are already assigned other duties. I don't need a fighter. Sending Red to the Arch Alpha’s pack will guarantee your pack has standing with the Arch. Plus taking a skilled fighter from your pack with the ongoing rogue issues to deal with would not be a sound decision. I would consider this a personal favor. It is, of course, your choice as the Alpha of this pack.”

Davin wonders how much of a choice he truly has if an Arch Beta has decided to take one of his own. Alexander’s talk with him seems more a nicety than an actual asking of permission. Still, Red is just a Delta which was preferable to losing one of his Gammas. Plus the kid never knew when to hold his tongue, had a smart mouth. He'd likely never amount to much. “I’ll talk to Red and see how he feels about it, will having an answer this evening suit you?”

Alex, ”Of course. May we take Red with our search party this morning? I will ensure there is time for you to speak with him this evening.”

Shrugging, “That should be fine.” Davin replied. Davin wasn't really sure what good a Delta would be on a manhunt, but that was the Arch Beta's call.

Out front, the men were already splitting into groups. Thompson was arranging subgroups to divide the Northern territory up, expediting the search. Three local pack members had already been split off and were over by Brice and Trip joking around. The two Onyx Flame Gammas towered over the Bright Moon pack members. Kate was standing by herself studying her phone.

Davin barks out, “Red!” the young man’s head snaps up, his messy strawberry blonde curls bobbing with the motion. “You are with Beta Alexander’s group, get over there.” Red walks over to the smaller search group, his expression downcast. Brice and Trip regard him stolidly, his own pack members hold looks of slight derision. They are all Gamma rank and here he is a Delta. The boy felt worthless. Not only did all the men outweigh him by 50 to 70 pounds, but they also outranked him.

Kate walked over, taking Red's arm, “Come with me sweetie, I need your assistance more than these brutes do.” Red brightens up for a moment until he hears one of his pack mates say, “Momma’s boy” under their breath. Being a Delta was not as bad as being an Omega male, still dealing with dominants was never an enjoyable experience. He had been surprised when Beta Alexander had listened to him last night, it was a rare occurrence in Bright Moon to have his words acknowledged. Perhaps moving to Onyx Flame wouldn't be so bad.

As Kate pulls him away Red hears Brice's deep voice grumble out, "Stop being an ass dude. You're just jealous she's not hanging off your arm."