Polly Grey woke that morning dreading the circumstances of the day. After learning that her only niece was pregnant by a man who left the city, Polly was determined to help Ada in any way possible. She even went as far to plead with Thomas, giving him a letter from his sister, hoping to find Freddie Thorne. Despite knowing that Thomas was right about Freddie and Ada's situation, it didn't take the sting from his accusations away. The two of them knew Ada wouldn't have a life with Freddie Thorne, especially with Inspector Campbell hunting down Communists.

It was her job to keep the family together, to deal with all the unpleasantness of family drama that seemed to arrive weekly. Thomas's job was to protect the family and move them up in the world, making sure no one could hurt them ever again. She wasn't worried about the family business; it was flourishing. Her concern involved Thomas's plan to rule the world from the comfort of his home in Small Heath.

She sighed in frustration, rising from her cold bed to start her day. Sitting on her side table, she glimpsed the train tickets that would take her and Ada to Cornwall for the….. Polly sighed heavily at the thought of Ada aborting her unborn child. The ugliness of the business brought back painful memories of her youth that she wished never to surface again.

After washing up for the day, she dressed with care and descended the dark stairs to the warm kitchen. The house and the Betting den were quiet for the earliness of the day. She knew it would be bustling later with activity. Pouring herself a cup of tea, she sat down heavily in her favorite chair. Polly hadn't told Thomas what she planned for the day and, frankly, it wasn't his business.

Thomas's involvement with running the Blinders and his goal of rising to the top of…. well, whatever he wanted to call it worried her incessantly. He wasn't the same man coming back from the war. He was intolerable, careless with his own life, and she feared it would be only a matter of time before he was harmed. As she sipped her tea, she thought about bringing Mazella into her worries, hoping the younger woman could make him see sense.

She snorted softly to herself. Mazella would string him up for being reckless. Polly almost wished Thomas would do something foolish to earn Mazella's ire. Her eyes flicked toward the second floor, hearing noises. Ada must be awake, readying herself for the harrowing day ahead of her. Deep down, Polly wished Freddie would show up, preventing Ada from making a mistake.

A train whistled loudly in the distance as Polly urged Ada to hurry. Earlier that morning, she and Ada rose to pack an overnight back before leaving Watery Lane before anyone noticed they were leaving. They had decided it yesterday they would take the train to 'fix' the problem that lived in Ada's womb.

Neither woman spoke as they hastened their step to the awaiting train. Polly understood Ada was reluctant to abort her child, but if Freddie would not come back and Thomas refused to help find him, then Ada didn't need the burden of a child on her. Not that Polly didn't think Ada would be an excellent mother, just the opposite. But she understood the burden of raising a child without help. The Shelbys took care of their own, but Ada was steadfast in her independence that Polly knew Ada would refuse help, citing she could do it on her own.

A small part of her agreed with Thomas's assessment that Ada wouldn't have a proper life bringing the baby into the world without the father. She knew if Thomas ordered Freddie's death, Ada wouldn't forgive him. It was her job to keep the family together no matter what dangers or arguments the family found themselves in.

They turned the corner to walk down the side of the train to their compartment when Freddie Thorne stepped out of a door and into their faces. Polly felt her heart stutter seeing the man before her. A tiny part of her hoped he left, fled the country and never came back, but there he was, standing there smiling at Ada.

"Freddie?" Polly hesitated, wondering how he knew to come today of all days.

"I got a tipoff," he said, eyeing Ada before looking down at her belly.

"Freddie, Tommy will kill you," Polly warned him urgently.

"It was Tommy who tipped me off," Freddie said with a smile.

Polly didn't understand why Thomas would do such a thing after their argument about Ada being pregnant. Thomas didn't want Freddie anywhere near Ada or Birmingham. She would have to interrogate him when she found the time.

"He left me a message," Freddie said, smiling brightly at Ada. "It said 'Leave town and take her with you.' "

Ada looked at him expectantly, wondering what he was planning. They had the chance to leave Birmingham for good. To leave and never come back. She would never be associated again with the likes of all the violence that filtered from her family. Though she realized she would miss them dearly, but she was a grown woman who could make her own choices.

Ada watched as Freddie got down on one knee, smiling up at her. "Ada Shelby, will you marry me?" he asked, holding up a ring. An enormous smile broke over her face as she felt tears sting her eyes.

"Yes!" she cried, nodding her head excitedly. He stood up, sliding the ring on her finger and gave her a slow kiss. A kiss between two people who loved each other and didn't care what others thought about them.

Polly watched in ecstasy as her niece became engaged. It would solve all their problems and Ada could have the baby with a husband on her arm. There wasn't a need for them to stay at the train station any longer. She squealed with Ada, giving her a tight hug.

"Now, the both you get, get on the train and go," Polly instructed, letting go of Ada.

"No," Freddie said abruptly, causing Polly to pause.

"What?" she demanded.

"We're not leaving. Birmingham is our home. This will be where we raise our family," Freddie said insistently, looking at Polly to challenge him.

Polly realized things changed quickly just then. Ada was an engaged woman now and her future husband would make all the decisions from now. All she could do was bow her head in acknowledgement. Polly took a chance to look at Ada, who beamed at Freddie, but she could see the lingering fear too. She worried, just as Polly did, about Thomas and his reaction to them staying in Birmingham.

Freddie took Ada's hand, leading them away from the train station as Polly stood there, unused ticket in hand, watching them walk off.

Thomas pushed the green double doors open to the Garrison before mid-afternoon began, followed by his brothers and two of his inner circle. When he stepped into the pub, he winced hearing the singing coming from the patrons. Thomas had forgotten he promised Grace she could bring the singing back to the pub. He made a promise and he wouldn't go back on it, no matter how he felt about the decision. He missed the sidelong glances from his brothers as Thomas pushed the door open to their private room.

For the first time in days, he found he had a free day. Well, almost a free day. He was waiting for Polly's return. Despite his disdain for Freddie Thorne, he sent a message anyway to someone who could contact the Communist. It would do no good for Ada to handle parenthood alone. He hoped Freddie would come back and take Ada with him and leave the city.

If Polly convinced Freddie and Ada to leave the city, Campbell couldn't arrest his sister, nor have her imprisoned. Thomas was pulled away from his musing, hearing beer mugs set heavily on the table as Arthur pulled a pack of playing cards from his jacket pocket. Thomas glanced up to see Grace leaving the room, closing the door behind her. He made a mental note to inquire about her "family emergency."

Thomas sighed, giving his head a slight shake, and settled in to play a few rounds of cards with his crew. As the hours moved, the pub became full of patrons, dancing and singing for entertainment. Arthur was sloped over the table, his cards barely hanging on through his fingers. John slouched against the bench, a toothpick hanging from his lips as he leaned over his cards.

Thomas winced internally, hearing the patrons at the Garrison singing like a bunch of drunkards. It was late afternoon. The singing started before after the lunch hour and continued long after. He sat with his brothers and two other Blinders, engaging in a poker game. Cards and coin were spread around the table mixed with beer glasses.

The door pushed open, letting the singing come into the room as Grace brought a bucket of beer inside. Thomas paused, reaching for his cards, and looked at her.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" Grace asked, setting the bucket of beer on the table and distributed more beer in the mugs. "Whiskey?"

"No. No whiskey," Thomas said, picking up his cigarette and placing it between his lips.

"Why no whiskey?" John asked, hunched over the table with cards in his hands.

"Yea," Arthur added.

Thomas looked at them slyly, knowing something was going to happen eventually. He grabbed his cards, looked at them before setting the cards back on the table face down. He expected Billy Kimber to show his ugly face soon.

"What's changed your mind about the singing?" John asked over the noise. "They sound like they're strangling cats out there!"

Thomas laughed at his brother. Strangling cats, indeed! He gave another glance at Grace, who shot him a coy smile before returning her attention to finishing her task.

"Yea, I mean, it's about time, you know," Arthur said, holding his cards close to him. He knew John could be a fucking cheat. Arthur looked over in time to see Grace give his younger brother a coy smile.

"Time for what?" Thomas inquired, watching Grace leave their room.

"For you to take a woman," John said, noticing how Thomas eyed the barmaid.

Thomas resisted rolling his eyes. If they only knew about what transpired between Maze and himself a few days ago. How his hands touched the smooth skin of her thighs and how she responded so easily to him. He concealed a shiver, hoping his eyes didn't change color.

He gave into Grace's demand for singing because he was in a giving mood when she asked, plus it was part of the deal. She went with him to Cheltenham. He would let them sing again. Of course, he couldn't tell his brother's this knowledge. It pissed Arthur off that Thomas fixed a horse race without talking to Billy Kimber about it.

He didn't eye the barmaid because of affection or interest, but to learn her secrets and then use them against her. Thomas didn't trust anyone who could blatantly lie to him. He asked around about Grace and came up nearly empty of information.

"Nah," Arthur said, shoving John on the shoulder. "'E's fine the tway he is. Remember what Da used to say 'Fast women and slow horses will ruin your life.' Thomas shared a small laugh with his brothers, remembering the words clearly.

The front door opened, letting in the bright light of the afternoon pour into the dimly lit pub.

"Coppers?" A Blinder asked.

"No, I don't think so," Thomas said, looking toward the light.

Harry, at the bar, watched as two men in trench coats carrying guns walked into his pub. "Holy shit," he muttered to himself. "It's Billy Kimber."

The door to the Garrison flew open as Billy Kimber stormed in, looking around the crowded pub. He was dressed well to his station and the wealth he accumulated in life, unlike the low-life scum before him. He looked around the room, trying to find the man responsible for dragging him down here.

"Is there a man named Shelby here?" he asked loudly to the startled patrons.

When no one answered, he pulled his gun from his overcoat, raising it to the ceiling before firing off a shot. "Do any of you fucks understand English? I said, 'Is there a man named Shelby here?'"

Thomas peered at his brothers, hearing their name called from the heart of the pub. Quickly, they rose from their chairs, the wooden legs scraping the floor noisily. The door opened as Thomas, Arthur, and John walked out of the chamber they were relaxing in. Thomas studied Billy Kimber for a fraction of a second before requesting Harry to get the men drinks.

"Everyone else, go home," Thomas ordered, watching the patrons scramble from the pub.

Thomas strolled to the middle of the pub as people dispersed. Placing his cigarette to his lips, he puffed on it quickly, hoping the nicotine would calm his hyper-aggressive nerves. Amid everyone leaving, someone placed a table with five chairs in the middle of the room. There were two Blinders standing by to protect their boss, just as Kimber had two men doing the same.

Thomas slapped his cigarette box on the table and snagged a chair to sit down. He got his first full look at Billy Kimber and didn't like what he saw.

Grace hurried over with a tray of drinks, setting it on the table softly. Thomas could tell she wished to stay, but this wasn't a meeting for women. Thomas glanced at Grace before taking his seat. "You go home too." he instructed, catching her unaware. She tried to argue, but Thomas stayed firm.

All eyes turned to watch Grace storm out of the pub before turning back to glare at each other.

"I never approve of women in pubs, but if they look like her…." Kimber began oily, eyeing Grace's backside.

Thomas said nothing, but saw that Grace caught Kimber's attention. This knowledge would help him later with dealing with the kingpin. Arthur poured several glasses of whiskey as Thomas lit another cigarette. He didn't need the rush of nicotine, but it kept his hands busy.

"You said you wanted to talk to a man named Shelby? There are three of us," Thomas said, pointing out himself and his brothers.

Kimber snorted softly at Thomas's snark. "Until a few days ago, I'd never heard of you. Then I did some digging around and what I found out, I didn't like. Then I found what you did. You fucked me over and now I'm here."

"Which of you is the boss?" he asked, looking between the three of them.

Arthur glanced at Thomas slyly, "Well... I'm the oldest." making Kimber chuckle lightly.

"You laughing at me brother?" John asked seriously, glaring lightly at Kimber.

"Right." Kimber paled slightly, backing off. "I'm told the boss is called Tommy. I'm assuming it's you because you're looking at me like I'm a fucking tart."

Thomas gazed at Kimber with his usual calculating stare. He listened as Billy ranted, wondering to himself how this was going to play out. "I just want to know what you want, Mr. Kimber."

"There were suspicious betting patterns at Kempton Park," Roberts, his bespectacled accountant, said, taking over the conversation. "A horse called Monaghan Boy. He won twice and then finished last with a £3000 bet on him."

Hiding a smirk, Thomas glanced between them. "Now who am I talking to? Which of you is the boss?" he asked, reiterating Kimber's original question.

"I'm Mr. Kimber's adviser and accountant."

"And I'm the fucking boss!" Kimber began, enraged. He pushed his chair back and stood up. "End of the fucking parley! You fixed a race without my permission. You… fucking….. Gypsy…. scum." He gesticulated wildly, emphasizing his point. "I am Billy Kimber. I run the fucking races and one of you Gypsy fucks fixed a race and now I'm going to shoot you tied to a post."

Thomas watched with slight worry as Kimber turned to storm out of his pub. Quickly, he realized his window was about to close on him. Setting his cigarette down immediately, he rose, "Mr. Kimber." he began, hearing two guns cock at his chest. He shoved his hand into his jacket and pulled out the bullet. He heard the slight shuffling of feet from two of his crew behind him.

Giving it a toss to Kimber, who caught it deftly, Thomas continued, "Look at it. It has my name on it. It's from the Lee family. You are also at war with the Lees, correct?"

It was time to put his knowledge to good use. He hoped Kimber took the bait. "The Lees attack your bookies and steal the money. Your men can't control them and you need help." He paused for a second, watching Kimber's face as the man contemplated Thomas' words.

"Perhaps we should listen to what Mr. Shelby has to say," Roberts spoke up, watching Thomas with interest. It was true the Lees attacked their bookies. The lack of money coming from the bookies was dwindling down to nothing each time there was a race.

Thomas cheered inwardly. "Right, the Lees are doing a lot of talking at the fairs." He didn't need to let them know how he knew this information. It paid well to have spies the Lees didn't know. "They say the racetracks are easy meat for the taking because the police are busy with the strikes." He delivered the final blow. "We," he indicated to John and Arthur, "have connections and we know how they operate."

"You have…. muscle," he faltered slightly. "Together, we can beat them."

"Mr. Kimber," Roberts spoke up, clearly the intelligent and calm one between them. "Perhaps we should take some time for reflection. Possibly make arrangements for a second meeting?"

Thomas waited patiently for Kimber's agreement, eyeing the man with disinterest. He wanted to lace his next words with honey to trap Kimber, but knew they'd be rebuffed. Kimber would see through Thomas's attempt instantly.

Kimber reached into his pocket, producing a coin before flinging toward Thomas.

Thomas watched the coin fly toward him and landed on the dusty floor with a loud clang. He stared at Kimber, wondering what the man was doing.

"Pick… it… up pikey." Kimber said slowly, never taking his eyes off Thomas.

For a split second, Thomas refused to move from his station. He stifled a twitch, hearing a low snarl in his mind from the wolf at Kimber's impertinent manner. Thomas leaned forward to pick up the coin, much to the irritation of his crew, who moved quickly towards their boss. Holding up a hand, assuring them everything was all right, Thomas picked up the coin. The metal cool in his overheated hand as he stared at Kimber's ugly face.

He slipped the coin in his pocket as Kimber turned his back and stormed out of the Garrison. Kimber's men followed their boss as Roberts lingered for a second.

Roberts stopped for a moment as his boss stormed out of the pub. "We'll be at Cheltenham."

"As will I," Thomas said. Once Kimber and Roberts left, Thomas locked the doors to the Garrison.

The early morning sun shone brightly as Thomas rose from a half night of slumber. When he returned to his lodging, the box containing the Grimoire stared at him, inviting him to open the book and read. He set the box far from his bed, curtailing the wish to open the book and claim his position as Alpha. As he struggled to waken, he sat on the edge of his bed and glanced at the box again.

The urge to learn why his instincts and actions pushed him toward Maze's exquisite touch warred within him. He inhaled deeply, almost detecting her scent in the room. His skin prickled in goosebumps, giving him a full body shiver. He wanted to storm out of the room and go to her house, but kept his feet firmly planted on the floor.

His plans were set in motion for his takeover of Kimber's businesses and territory far better than he expected. There would be another meeting with Kimber and Roberts once they discussed Thomas' proposal. He was a fair man, and it was a fair offer. Peaky Blinders taking up security work for Kimber's bookies. It would enrage the Lees when the Blinders kept the Lees from stealing the money. Soon enough, he hoped, he would ease his way into Kimber's 'good graces' before he would betray him.

Once he was attired for the day, Thomas walked past the table by the door where he kept his keys. The box holding the Grimoire caught his attention. As he stared at it, he remembered Maze's request to find out why they were drawn to one another. He didn't want to open it and accept the role of the Alpha of the Pack, even though, by birth, he was.

He checked the time on the clock above the table. Thomas didn't have to be anywhere to meet with anyone for hours. Going against his better judgement, he snatched the book off the table, tucked it under his arm and headed out, locking the door behind him. Out on the street, he squinted against the brightness.

It was a rare day of direct sunny weather for Birmingham. Thomas took advantage of the sun shining to track down the family car. He would take it for a drive, outside the city to the quiet place that he, his brother's and Maze found once as children when they wanted to be away from the city.

Finding the car shortly, Thomas set the Grimoire on the front seat beside him and started the engine. He took Coventry road and drove away from the city. Alone with his thoughts, he drove in silence. As he neared Walsall, he could hear the city brimming with noise. He kept driving to a secluded spot.

Thomas turned down a narrow gravel road and parked his car under a Rowan tree. He grabbed the Grimoire and walked toward a small bench he saw in the distance. The quiet forestry left a tranquil feeling as he walked to the small bench. It was quiet enough that he could read through the Grimoire, with no one interrupting him.

As he sat, he inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. If he opened it and read the Grimoire, he would be obligated to call a Pack meeting and accepting his role as Alpha. He reached into his jacket and pulled out his cigarettes, lighting one quick before placing it between his lips. The inhale of nicotine soothed his trepidation.

A bird called out from behind him, making it the only sound in the woodland area besides his breathing. He ran his hand over the binding, the worn black cover detailing his family's curse. No one but himself could read the Grimoire, keeping the intimate secrets to the Alpha.

When he shifted at twenty-one, he didn't want the responsibility. Of all the Shelby brothers, Thomas was the one that didn't want to shift. He wasn't in awe of the gift he was given, designating it to a curse instead. He hoped when Arthur turned twenty-one, the responsibility would fall to his older brother. Unfortunately, it didn't happen the way he hoped. A small part of him prayed it would be John, but fate decided Thomas was the one to carry the mantle. Thomas knew part of Arthur's anger issues was the fact that Arthur wasn't the Alpha nor the leader of the Peaky Blinders.

He inhaled the cigarette again before letting his hand rest on the park bench's arm. Thomas titled his head back and inhaled the scents of the woods, the urge to shift simmering near the surface of his skin. The full moon was close. The first day of the Cheltenham race was on the same day of the full moon. This complicated things unless he held off until the third day for his meeting with Kimber, which he didn't wish to do.

Thomas opened his eyes and realized he couldn't escape the inevitable. He was the Alpha, regardless if he wanted the responsibility or not. Opening the book, he began to read.

"Fuck," he cursed to no one an hour later.

Thomas neared the end of the small book when he stumbled upon the section on Mates. Thomas read over the section three times, making sure he understood the information clearly.

Mates is another word for soulmates. Every Alpha of the pack has one. It is predestined who the mate is to the Alpha. Normally, the Alpha will find their mate after the first shifting. Other times, it will take a few years. Alphas are very possessive of their mate. We refer to the female as a Luna.

The Alpha will recognize his mate by the strong, addictive scent the female gives off. If not around their mate daily, the Alpha and Luna's skin will begin to itch with no respite from scratching. We call it 'skin-hunger'. The only way to relieve them of this is skin to skin contact. Each Alpha and Luna need skin to skin contact as much as possible for the first few years.

The Marking process where the Alpha will bite his Luna in the place between shoulder and neck. It is done in a ritual circle under the full moon closest to the Spring Equinox. Once this is done, the Alpha can wall his emotions from his Luna. He can also block his scent on her for protection—this can be done in dire emergencies before the marking ritual takes place. The Alpha may or may not be aware he is doing it.

Thomas sighed loudly, puffing out harsh air between his lips. His head rolled around in his skull at the indication about him and Maze. It surprised him no one figured it out before he did. He was sure that Polly would have noticed by now. She was the observant one in the family besides himself. This was the ramification of not reading the Grimoire when it was presented to him at twenty-one. He and Maze danced around each other for years, especially since their arrival from France.

"She's me fucking mate," he swore quietly to no one.

He closed the Grimoire, rubbing his hand over the cover again as he contemplated what he read. His mate. The night she found him after his first shift should have clued him in. Thomas cursed himself for refusing to follow his instincts after his first shift. He sighed once again and rose slowly to his feet.

Thomas tucked the Grimoire close to him and walked back to his car. He set the Grimoire on the seat from earlier, but this time he didn't push the book away from him. Thomas sat down behind the wheel, resting his hands on it and sighed deeply, examining the changes in his life now that he knew what Maze was to him. He would have to be diligent with her safety. Thomas glanced at the book again as he adjusted the levers before getting out to hand crank the car. Once he had the engine running, Thomas slid back into the driver's seat and looked around before leaving.

His last thought as he entered into a mindless drive back was how was he going to tell Maze.