For the first time since its opening, the Garrison was closed. Inside, standing and sitting around the pub, were members of the Darkfur Pack. Arthur and John sat to the side nursing their beer as they waited for Thomas to step through the doors for the first meeting since their grandfather passed years ago.

Ten minutes after everyone settled down with a drink, Thomas opened the double doors to the Garrison. While he didn't want to take the lead of the Pack, it was his by birthright. When he left his office an hour ago, he debated on how he wanted the meeting to go. He knew his ambitions would not match those of the Pack. His ambitions were for himself.

His primary responsibilities was to ensure the Pack had suitable hunting grounds and keeping everyone from fighting with other criminal gangs. With the latest altercation with the Lees, Thomas needed to remind the Pack the Lees were off-limits. At the moment, there wasn't enough money to help those who wanted to expand and open businesses. Many of them were tired of working for low wages. Several Pack members worked exclusively for him at the Betting shop, but the rest had to make due with other work.

They had been using the same lands for decades, but because of the growth of humans, he knew they would need to find a new location. The land was good hunting ground, full of wildlife, but he couldn't risk his Pack for comfort. Every animal that was killed by one of the Pack was collected and the meat distributed to the families.

Keeping the secret of the Pack was essential to their survival. The wives knew of their husband's dedication and role in the Pack. None of the wives were privy to information regarding the Pack, but they knew what their husbands were. Unlike his ancestors, who occasionally hunted humans that angered or defied them, Thomas refused to let anyone harm humans. Though, if Chester Campbell kept up with his vendetta against him, Thomas might reconsider.

Thomas sighed as he strolled toward the Garrison. His first choice of Beta would be Arthur, if he accepted it. Between his ambitious plans for himself and his family, he would need someone who could help lead and lend an ear to grievances when he could not. Though John would be a better choice, but his responsibilities at home with his children would keep him from fully embracing his role in the Pack, unless he took another wife.

"Well, it's about fucking time you showed up," Arthur said, rising from his seat as Thomas walked into the Garrison.

Each Pack member rose from their chairs, sinking to a kneeling position, exposing their bare necks before rising again. Thomas hid a grimace that threatened to cross his face. Either they knew he read the Grimoire or were plainly showing respect. It unnerved him seeing the preferential treatment, even after all these years of refusing to accept his role. He waited as they took their seats, his pale blue eyes scanning the room, noting who was and wasn't there.

Thomas instantly wished for a drink. He walked toward the bar, stopping in front of it, and looked around. From the corner of his eye, he saw a Pack member slip back into the room after locking the door. Now, no one could bother them.

"I realize this is the first Pack meeting since our return home from the war," he paused, placing his hands behind his back. "There are a few of you that have questioned if I was going to take my position as Alpha and I will be honest with everyone of you. I didn't want the responsibility when I first shifted." He paused, hearing the men grumble. Thomas didn't care if they liked his candor. He waited until they finished grumbling before he continued.

"Many of you know there wasn't anything I could do about it during the war and since I've returned home, I've had time to think about where I want us to go." He inhaled before reaching into his coat for his cigarettes.

"Did you finally read the Grimoire?" Arthur spoke up from his shared booth with John, leaning back on the soft cushion.

"Aye, I did."

"Bout bloody time," Arthur muttered, taking a sip of his beer.

Thomas glared at his brother for a minute before turning back to the Pack. "One of my major concerns is hunting grounds. There are nearly sixty of us and the world is growing. It will become harder for us to hunt. The only solution I see is to find a new hunting ground. Shropshire is a little over an hour away. Peak District is closer." Thomas paused, turning around to fill an empty glass with whiskey before turning around to face the Pack. "I believe these two locations would suit us best."

"You want us to hunt on a new location?" one man asked from the back of the pub.

Thomas lowered his glass and nodded. "I do. We're going to need places where the land is protected. We can't have humans hunting and killing us. If one of you dies, your wives would have me head."

While he didn't tell the Pack how he knew the world would grow, he knew it would because of Maze.

"What about new businesses?" another called out.

"We've bought the Garrison and I have plans to buy more pubs. It will be a slow start, but I want us to be successful in the next ten years."

"Most of us are tired of working for low wages…." someone shouted.

"I understand that," Thomas replied, holding a hand up to stop a barrage of comments. "It's only been a few months since we've returned. I made no plans before the war to expand until I returned. I didn't even know if I would make it back home."

A low rumbling of agreement reached his ears as Thomas stood there and waited for anyone else to speak their grievances before he ended the meeting. As far as he was concerned, the meeting was over until something else happened.

"What about the Special running around Birmingham?" Jimmy Hoots asked.

Thomas paused, wondering how much he should inform the Pack. He looked over at Arthur and John, who shrugged, giving him their suggestion. "He's here to clean up the city. Communists have flooded the city since the war ended and he is here to…. remove them. Do not give him any reason to suspect or arrest you." Thomas ordered, eyeing every single man in the room.

"The Lees are near the city," a husky man asked, lowering his beer from his post at the front door. "What are we going to do about them?"

"The Lees are my business," Thomas instructed, eyeing the man before glancing out at the rest of the Pack. "I'm the one they're after. I will deal with them."

"You need someone following you, Alpha." Scudboat murmured.

Thomas shook his head slowly, slipping his cigarette between his lips. "No, I don't want suspicion to be raised with them. They have just as many eyes as we do."

All heads nodded at his order. It was his job to keep everyone safe from people like coppers and other gangs in the area. He finished his drink, sitting the empty glass on the bar top before tapping the dying cigarette against the ashtray. When no one else spoke about their grievances, he dismissed everyone. As they left the pub, he reminded them they would journey to the Peak District tonight for the full moon run.

Once the Pack left the pub, Thomas walked over to the table John and Arthur occupied. He sat his bottle of whiskey down on the table with a quiet thunk and sat down in the empty chair.

"That went well," John commented, finishing his beer.

"I think so too," Thomas agreed, tapping his cigarette on the ashtray.

"I still don't see why we have to move locations. The one we've used for decades is fine," Arthur grumbled.

"As I told everyone else," Thomas began slowly, glowering at his older brother. "We need a place that is protected. Humans don't mill around those areas in the nighttime. We'll be fine."

"Yea, until someone gets shot…" Arthur snapped, slamming his beer glass on the table.

Thomas arched an eyebrow at his brother, clearly not amused by Arthur's petulant attitude. "Oh, and you would risk the lives of the Pack for comfort?"

Arthur scowled at Thomas for a minute, only breaking his gaze when John nudged him roughly. "I suppose not."

Thomas finished his drink and rose from the chair, pushing it in before grabbing his hat from his coat pocket. "I'll see the two of you there."

Thomas paced the empty Betting house an hour before he was supposed to leave for Peak District. He could feel the wolf's restlessness the closer nightfall fell. A half empty bottle of whiskey sat on the table next to his jacket and waistcoat. He divested of the cumbersome garments the second the last person left the Betting house.

He rolled the sleeves of his white shirt to his elbow before reaching for the half empty glass of whiskey sitting silently on the table. Placing the rim of the glass to his lips, he swallowed back the amber liquid, relishing the burn. It helped soothe a fraction of the restlessness he felt. He could hear the quiet ticking of the clock in the parlor, counting down the minutes until he left to pick up his brothers.

Thomas paused his pacing, hearing the front door open quietly before closing. His body became taut, waiting on the intruder to walk into the Betting house. Inhaling quickly, he groaned quietly, smelling Maze's scent of springtime and lemon. She entered the room, her dark eyes looking around the room. When she spotted him, a smile bloomed on her face.

Gripping the back of the chair, he shivered as her scent invaded his senses and filtered around the room. He felt the wood creak from the pressure of his hands. It had been several days since he last saw her and tonight, with the full moon so close; it was difficult for him to keep himself in control.

"What are you doing here?" he grunted, closing his eyes as she ventured closer to him.

"I haven't seen you in days, Thomas," she said, coming around the table, stepping close enough to him, but not overcrowding. She eyed with interest as he twisted his hands roughly around the top rail of the chair. Something was amiss with him, she noted. "I found out Ada is married…."

Thomas's head snapped up to look at her. He narrowed his eyes slightly and opened his mouth to ask where she learned it from, but snapped his mouth closed.

"People talk, Thomas…." she murmured, brushing past him to sit on the table. It was improper for her, but she couldn't find it in her to care. "You could have told me."

"I haven't seen you in days," he reiterated her words to her. Thomas glanced down slightly at her, his hands itching to touch her. The skin on his arms itched like mad. He placed a hand on the dark blue skirt of her dress, clenching the silk fabric in his hand. "You don't seem surprised."

"I suspected it would happen," she admitted, ignoring his narrowing eyes. "I mean," she paused, wetting her lower lip. "Freddie returned to town. It was inevitable."

Thomas grunted in agreement. He inhaled slowly, trying to keep himself under control and lost. Shuffling close to her, he blocked her from moving away from him. The wolf whined in his head, urging him closer to her. He wanted her, wanted to wrap himself around her and not let go. Sliding his fingers through her loose hair, he revelled in the softness of the strands. As he lowered his head to the crook of her neck, he felt her lean back gently onto her fists, holding her up.

Her breath hitched, feeling the tip of his nose brush against the skin on her neck. Maze didn't expect a powerful reaction to seeing her. Granted, it had been several days since she last laid eyes on him and her skin itched madly. The second she felt his cheek caress hers, the itching soothed minutely. She wanted to touch him, wanted to run her hands along his bare arms to support her, but his strength pushed against her, forcing her recline back onto her fists.

Thomas grunted low in his throat as he inhaled her delicious scent. His long fingers flexed and tightened in Maze's hair, holding her close to him. The itching that came with separation from her eased the second he touched her bare skin. Gently, Thomas trailed down her neck with soft kisses, eliciting a quiet gasp from her. Emboldened by her acceptance of his actions, he pressed his lips harder against her skin, resisting the urge to nip the flesh. His body shivered at the thought of biting her.

He felt a slight tremble in her arms as her body started to lose strength holding her up. Taking the last step between her legs,between her legs, he felt her inner thighs brush his trousers. She tilted her head back, exposing her bare skin to his lips. He groaned in desire, moving his head away and kissing down the other side of her neck as his fingers clutched her skirt, bringing it high upon her legs, exposing a stocking-clad thigh to his sensitive fingers.

Maze felt her arms buckle as Thomas slowly lowered her to the table. She stifled a moan, feeling his rough fingers caress the garter straps. She wanted to stop him, but didn't find the strength to do so.

Thomas cracked his eyes open, the amber hue reflecting in her dark eyes as he hovered over, looking down at hHis body was aflame with desire for her, and he stifled a low groan, inhaling the scent of her arousal. er flushed face. His body was aflame with desire for her, and he stifled a low groan, inhaling the scent of her arousal. He silently cursed to himself seeing desire flood her lovely features. The wolf growled in appreciation, seeing her underneath him.

"Thomas….." she breathed, opening her eyes further as his hand snaked further up her dress.

"Maze…" he grunted, curling his short nails into her skin. His head spun wildly at the notion that she was underneath him. He shivered violently in pleasure, biting into the inside of his cheek to keep what little control he had left in check. He wanted to push her dress to her hips, lower his own trousers and slid inside her. The pounding in his head continued as he stared at her, unable to command his body.

"We…" she swallowed, pressing her hands to his chest. "No…" she shook her head and moved quickly from underneath him. They were friends, not lovers.

Thomas grunted, pressing his hands on the table firmly as Maze disappeared from underneath him. The clock chimed in the parlor, indicating the hour for him to leave. "Fuck," he muttered as she left the room. He could hear her from the parlor as she whispered, "Fuck me," before leaving the house quietly. Thomas stood there, his mind raging from the experience.

He shook his head violently, trying to erase the image of her underneath him; her face contorted in desire. A part of him knew he shouldn't have pushed her further, but the other half of him didn't care. Thomas wanted her; he wanted his mate in all ways. He just had to figure out how to tell her.

Thomas waited impatiently for his brother's to join him. The moon would rise before seven that night, and they needed to be there at least half an hour before it did. Tapping his hand on the steering wheel, he rolled his neck as the wolf became more restless. Tomorrow morning, he would take Grace to Cheltenham for the races to meet with Kimber. A part of him felt wrong taking Grace when he wanted to be with Maze. He had to remind himself that it was for business, not pleasure.

His encounter with Maze earlier warred in his mind. He clenched the steering wheel, remembering how her skin felt under his fingertips. Thomas closed his eyes and leaned back into the seat, trying to push down the intensity of emotion that threatened to swamp him. Behind closed lids, he saw her face as it was when he was over her. He didn't think he would be getting rid of that image soon. Thomas shook his head, feeling the wolf whine as he felt his body shiver. He needed to run. Running helped ease his worries, cleared his mind.

He hoped things went smoothly. Arthur was to lead the Blinders to stop the Lees from taking the money from Kimber's bookies. It did anger Arthur that they wouldn't take a cut from what they saved. Thomas reminded him that until he achieved his goal of Kimber using the Blinders as security, they would not take any money.

He still hadn't told Arthur the full truth. Arthur believed it was a way to keep Kimber off their backs, not take over the racecourses, eventually.

The door opened as John and Arthur stumbled into the car and sat down heavily. Neither of them looked at Thomas, but he understood. His restlessness was driving him mad. The meeting ended nearly two hours ago, but the two of them appeared drunk. Driving away from Watery Lane, no one spoke for the hour drive north.

Arriving with forty minutes to spare, Thomas ambled out of the car and stretched, looking around Peak District. His eyes wandered over the rounded hills and tall grass. He closed his eyes and listened for wildlife. He could hear a river in the distance. Its churning water soothing the atmosphere. In his study of the area, he found it wasn't full of large game. Eventually, he would have the Pack travel the entire area, hunting for any sort of game and running.

Behind him, his brothers yawned loudly before pushing around. Thomas smiled at their antics, but turned back to the view in front of him. He could see where the area was mountainous, but wanted to head north to see the moorland at the base of the Pennines. Ten minutes later, he heard the sound of vehicles coming closer. He hadn't told them where to park their cars, but the small area of Mapleton would suffice for now.

He could feel air change around him as the temperature began to drop slowly. It would be a chilly evening and the drive home would be cold. Several men offered to gather wood for fires to keep them warm as they waited for the moon to fully start rising in the sky. Thomas nodded at their offering and walked around the area and behind the car, where he leaned against it.

Soon enough, Pack members had two fires going. Thomas could feel the warmth from the fire from where he parked the car. Removing his overcoat, he tossed it in the car and his waistcoat. Around him, the men began to undress, leaving their clothes in vehicles and close to the fire.

The moon rose over the surrounding hills, and Thomas felt the pull of the curse began. He swore quietly, his hand gripping the hood of the car. Closing his eyes, he felt the pain began at the base of his spine and travelled to his brain where his head throbbed. His hand slipped from the car as he bent at the waist.

The pain seared through him as he felt his body began to shift. It wasn't as painful as the first one, but it ached. His mouth opened to scream as his joints and muscles moved around, expanding and constricting until he collapsed on his knees in the soft, wet grass.

His body trembled as he shifted. He took one more gasp of air before releasing the beast. The wolf howled at the rising moon as the rest of the Pack answered him. He shuddered as his sharpened senses overwhelmed him for a minute. Shaking his head, he turned around to see the Pack behind him. Howling once more, he turned and ran north.

Thomas awoke the next morning wrapped in a blanket beside a dying fire. He groaned, rolling over onto his back and cracked his eyes open. Around him he could smell food cooking and the men stirring as they awoke. Pushing himself up to a sitting position, he saw three men busying themselves with sorting out food for the Pack. In the distance, hanging on a tree, was a deer. He didn't know they killed anything last night. Inhaling, he closed his eyes for a second before opening them again.

"Morning, Alpha," one man said, noticing him awake.

Thomas grunted and pushed himself to rise to his feet. He was naked from the waist up, but managed to put his trousers on before he collapsed. The sun barely peaked over the rolling hills of the Peak District, letting him know he had a few hours before he needed to meet Grace to go to Cheltenham.

"We'll have food ready in a minute," another one spoke up, handing Thomas a cup of coffee. He took it and winced at the bitter taste, but knew it would wake him quicker than tea. Hot cup in hand, he strolled to the car, where he found the rest of his clothes and boots. He dressed quickly and reached for the coffee again when someone shoved a plate of food in his hands.

Within half an hour, the area was cleaned and the men ready to head back to Birmingham. Thomas rolled his neck and moved his shoulders around. His body was sore, but nothing like the first shift in January. It had snowed heavily in February, causing them to skip a month.

An hour later, he dropped John and Arthur off at the Betting house, reminding them they had a job to do today. Both men grunted and nodded, telling Thomas they would be ready within a few brief hours. As he drove to his home, a nagging feeling started in the back of his mind. His plans for today would change, he was sure of it. Driving the car to Charlie's, he left it there to be oiled and greased for the drive to Cheltenham. The car got him to the Peak District last night, but he couldn't afford to break down on the way to Cheltenham with Grace in the passenger seat.

As he slipped his coat on almost an hour later, he sighed. His gun sat safely in the holster he carried on his shoulders. He hoped he wouldn't need it, but one never knew. Today would be the start of his journey to rise and take over Billy Kimber's racecourses. Taking one more look in the mirror, he felt he was ready as he could be.

Thomas quickened his step towards Charlie's. He had less than half an hour to meet with Grace before leaving.

"Will it get me all the way to Cheltenham, Curly?" Thomas asked, walking over to the car, Charlie following him by his side.

"He's good with motors, but it pains him," Charlie said, coming around the car to inspect it before rising to look at Thomas.

"Tommy might need a getaway car," Charlie spun a joke, earning a glare from Thomas. "The Lees, coppers and Kimber's men will be all over the racetrack."

Thomas climbed into the car, sitting comfortably behind the wheel as Charlie kept talking. It sounded as if the older man didn't want Thomas to do this today. Thomas understood all the risks and knew who was going to be there. None of his men were going to kill anyone. Their mission was to fend off the Lees to make Kimber think about using the Blinders for security.

"Give it a turn for me, will you, Charlie?" Thomas asked, ignoring Charlie's ranting.

"This car seats four," Charlie noted, leaning into the car.

"It will be me and a girl," Thomas assured him.

"Mazella? You're taking Mazella to the races?" Charlie asked, his eyes widening.

"Someone else," Thomas replied before pressing his foot into the accelerator and leaving Charlie's.

Ten minutes later, Thomas pulled around to the front of the Garrison and slowed the car to a stop. Grace rushed over, dressed in red, to climb into the car as Thomas opened the door for her.

"Is it the two of us going to the races?" Grace asked, climbing into the car beside Thomas.

"Something like that," he replied evasively.

He didn't dare look at Maze's house as they passed it.

Arthur stepped out of a truck, his mind set on the mission ahead of him. He didn't mind that Thomas did all the talking while he did the roughing. As he prepared for the day at the races, he stretched and rolled his neck. He didn't even fucking care if he watched the race.

Today, he was in charge and today Thomas and the rest of the Pack and the Blinders would see what kind of leadership skills he had as he put a hurt on the Lees. As he walked down an alley behind a building, he saw ten other men and John waiting for him to take the lead.

The way they waited for him to give instruction was intoxicating. He could get used to it. Coming around the car with a long stick in his hands, he saw his youngest brother Finn standing there waiting for them as John walked around to speak to the other men. He didn't want his youngest brother in the mix of today, but there wasn't any stopping the lad. Today was going to be fun…. in a sense.

Arthur jumped up on top of a box and gathered the men's attention. "This is called the final briefing of the job today. Sixty miles down that road," Arthur pointed in the correct direction, "is Cheltenham. Our job is to stick it to the Lees. They're skimming money off legal bookies. Running chalk and selling rafflers and it's our job to stop them."

"What about Kimber's men? Don't they have their own protection?" John asked.

Arthur smirked at John's question. He was feeling euphoric, leading everyone and telling them about the mission for the day. "Kimber's let his men go rotten. They know the Lees are taking the money and letting them do it. We are going to show Kimber how it's done."

"Now take what you're good at. If you've got a gun, then keep it on you unless one is pulled on you." Arthur instructed, walking around as the men dug around into a large crate full of weapons of all sorts.

"What about the money?"

"We don't keep it," Arthur said, giving them a grin. "You're in Tommy's army now. Trust only kin." he warned before telling them it was time to go. Within minutes, they were loaded up and driving away.

As Thomas and Grace left the confines of Small Heath, Thomas kept to himself as he drove. This was a business meeting he was heading to, not a date. Grace sat beside him, looking around quietly. She had tried starting a conversation with Thomas, but rebuffed every time. With the drive quiet, it gave Thomas the opportunity to go over the day's itinerary.

His goal was to make sure Kimber noted the Blinder's hard work and, in return, hoping to gain security employment. Bringing Grace was a bargaining chip. He didn't wish to use her in such a way, but if the opportunity presented itself, he would do whatever was necessary to obtain his goals.

Thomas escorted Grace through the back way into the racetracks. He didn't want his presence noticed by the Lees or Kimber's men. Ushering her passed jockeys, getting ready for the upcoming races, he wished for a drink.

"Are we supposed to be back here?" she asked, unsure of why they were going this way.

"Well, I prefer to come to the races the back way," he muttered, keeping a sharp eye out for Kimber's men and the Lees. It would do no good for them to be caught before he could get in to seeing Kimber. "It keeps me out of trouble. The tracks are a lawless place," he explained to her, hoping she would drop the conversation.

"I can't stand petty criminals," Thomas said, smirking at the thought. "This way." he said, escorting her gently through the winding maze of hallways.

"Will we lay a bet?" Grace asked, hoping to wheedle information out of him.

"No," Thomas replied, trying to tune down the overwhelming noises and smells. He could feel the wolf's disquiet of being in Grace's presence instead of Maze's. Batting away the feeling, Thomas focused on the mission at hand.

"This way," he said, nudging her to turn right. "You're lucky you're with me or you'd be wasting your money on fixed races."

She looked at him curiously. "Do you know how to fix a race?"

He looked at her for a split second, wondering how much she knew about him. "How would I know?" he deflected, placing a cigarette in his mouth to end the conversation.

He pushed a red door open, revealing a long covered walkway into a building. "All right. You do the talking. You're going to tell security that you're Lady Sarah Duggan of Connemara," he instructed, as two people came out of a room, pushing up against them. Giving their excuses, the couple moved past Thomas and Grace. "You got lost when you went to look for a boy riding your horse-Dandy flower. You'll tell them I'm Prussian and I don't speak a word of English."

The plan was simple to get them inside the racecourse. It wasn't the first time he'd snuck into a racecourse with a cover story. He noticed quickly that she seemed hesitant about doing the job she asked for. Most people, when dealing with him the first time, were hesitant, but it was a lack of their own confidence rather than his. "Come on posh girl," he urged, giving her a smile. "Earn your three quid."

Getting past security was easy. With an easygoing smile, Grace gave the man the cover story Thomas instructed her to give. Inside the dining area, they walked around until they found a set of stairs and climbed to the second floor that overlooked the dance floor. Across the room, lively music blared as people danced around. Three ladies in short off-white sparkle dresses were there as entertainment for those eating and dining.

Thomas gazed over the crowd of people, looking for Kimber. He wished for a drink but needed to be clearheaded in case of anything happening. Grace stood by him quietly, watching the crowd of people wishing for a dance. It looked fun, but she knew she wasn't here for fun...at least she didn't think so.

"I still prefer the Garrison," Thomas mused, lowering his cigarette and staring at Grace. The wolf didn't like him being around this other woman and would have preferred Maze to be there instead. He pushed aside the feeling and turned to her. If he wasn't bound to Maze, he could almost see himself with a woman like Grace. Almost.

"Do you dance?" he asked, keeping up appearances. If he was going to be here, he might as well show he was enjoying himself, whether or not he was.

Grace grinned at him as she believed she hooked him. "If I'm asked properly."

Amused, Thomas looked at her, "Lady Sarah Connemara, will you dance with me?"

A few minutes later, found Thomas on the dance floor with Grace in his arms. He enjoyed dancing, but his eyes were on the crowd, still searching for Kimber. Finding him a minute into their dance, he spun Grace around so that Kimber could see them. It was his opportunity to show her off and get Kimber to speak to him. Kimber's own wife seemed bored as Thomas gave Grace a smile.

He would have to take Maze dancing the next time he had a moment to spare. She loved to dance, and he loved seeing her eyes light up when she did. Of course, he promised her a night to themselves soon. It was the only way to keep her from coming to Cheltenham.

Straining to listen over the loud music, Thomas heard Kimber notice that the "Peaky Blinders were here" and Roberts' assessment that Thomas had the balls to be there. He smirked at the compliment and filed it away for later. And she's got some body, that one," he heard Kimber remark about Grace. This would make things easier that Kimber's attention was on Grace and not on business.

Roberts would be his obstacle but he reasoned beforehand that Roberts was the brains between the two men and that once Roberts saw how the Peaky Blinders save their arses that day, they would be hired full time to work for Kimber until the time was right for Thomas to discard Kimber.

Somewhere in the men's public washroom, the Lees slipped into position to attack Kimber's bookies. Pushing a man against the wall, he watched as fear slipped over the older man's face as he asked for chalk for the blackboard. The Lee man dug his hand into the older man's bag, pulling out a handful of papers before shoving a piece of chalk in the man's front pocket on his coat.

Before the Lee man could celebrate his minor victory, John, who grabbed and tugged the man around while Arthur stepped into the washroom, assaulted him. With a quick punch to the stomach, Raz, as Arthur called him, tumbled to the floor, gasping. Before he could collapse fully, John grabbed him, punching Raz several times before grabbing Raz by the hair and slamming his face onto the porcelain sink, blood splattering everywhere.

Arthur, finding himself in the middle of an adrenaline high, his own wolf in his head snarling at the opportunity to fight, walked over and removed his hat. As John pressed Raz into the cold wall, Arthur reached up with quick fingers, stretching Raz's ear until he could cut a slice off with the razors that were sewn into his cap. Raz's screams filled the washroom, making Arthur oddly excited about the pain inflicted.

It would be a step to show everyone he could be as ruthless as his brother. "Stay still, Raz, or I'm gonna take the other ear off. You're going to need to hear what I have to say." Arthur demanded, letting his aggression seep out. "No more chalking on Billy Kimber's boys, right? We're the protection now."

Arthur stepped back as John kept a hold of a bleeding Raz. The man was bleeding from all the cuts on his face inflicted by John earlier. "I commandeer this stolen money by the order of the Peaky Blinders," he said, waving the money around.

He turned to look at Raz, and the urge to rip the man's throat out rose to the forefront of his mind. Last night's run was still affecting his sense of judgement, and he wanted something to kill. The overwhelming smell of blood penetrated his nose, driving his own bloodlust high. With one last kick, Arthur left the washroom and snuck out of the building. In his arms, he was loaded down with bags until he made his escape.

Thomas twirled Grace once more around the dance floor as the music blared loudly behind him. He couldn't wait to leave the dance hall and find an iota of silence. Somewhere in the racetrack, Arthur would be doing his job by now while Thomas danced the afternoon away. He discreetly fished out his pocket watch to check the time and noted it was time for Arthur's appearance. Shoving it back into its proper place, he schooled his face and started moving himself and Grace toward the exit doors.

"Either your left leg is stronger than your right leg or we're making a getaway," Grace hissed at him as he pushed them away from the dance floor. She had been enjoying herself for the first time since her assignment with the Inspector began.

"Neither," Thomas assured her, pushing her back before letting go of her.

"I hope this doesn't involve razor blades," she muttered angrily at him as he dragged her.

"I've decided to move up in the world," Thomas said, pulling her. "Become a legitimate businessman." He didn't know what possessed him to tell her this, but there were times he found it easy to talk to her. Maybe because he couldn't tell Maze everything he wanted to share with her.

Stunned, Grace stopped. "My God, you're serious." She said, finally realizing that he was tired of being who he was. Maybe there was hope for Thomas Shelby after all. A way for him to do something more than be the criminal her boss pegged him to be. That statement changed how she saw Thomas.

"I'm always serious," Thomas replied, eyeing her before looking away before pushing the side door open revealing Arthur carrying the bags. They had been successful in their dealing with hurting the Lees and stopping them from taking the money from Kimber's bookies.

"We chased the Lees down the track, way down on Devon road," Arthur reported, dropping the bags of money. "We got every penny back," he continued as Thomas leaned down to grab the money bag.

Grace turned her back, hoping no one saw what was transpiring. Her hopes of a lovely afternoon with a good-looking man were dashed the second Arthur Shelby showed up with bags of money. Thomas hadn't told her why she was there, but the cop in her assessed he was up to no good. Though it wasn't enough to get cuffs on him.

Arthur rose, finally seeing Grace. "Nice dress. You can wear that to my pub."

"Buy the men a drink. Was anyone hurt?" Thomas asked, this time not as the leader of the Blinders, but as Alpha.

"A few cuts and bruises," Arthur stated proudly, showing off his cuts. Thomas clapped his brother on the shoulder for a well-done job. Now the easy part was over and the hard part began. Though he didn't see Kimber nor Roberts putting up a fight about the Blinders getting their money back for them.

"Let's go, Lady Sarah," Thomas instructed, pulling Grace away as Arthur disappeared from the dance hall.

Taking her by the wrist, Thomas pulled Grace through the throng of people, the heavy bag resting on his shoulder. As he pulled her along, he thought about how he was going to approach Kimber with the bags of money. He could almost feel Grace's displeasure at the interruption of their day.

Thomas pushed past standing humans to find Kimber's table, dropping the heavy bags of money onto the pristine white tablecloth. The coins spilling out loudly, clanging to the floor as Thomas stood there waiting on Kimber. He shook the last of the coins out of the bag. "Your money, Mr. Kimber."

Billy Kimber stared at Thomas, flabbergasted that the man in front of him kept his word. It wasn't often when a man kept their word.

At a distance, Grace stood by the bar with a cigarette, trying not to spy on Thomas's business with Billy Kimber. It might be none of her business, but he dragged her here for a job. A job that she needed to fulfill quickly. She still wasn't sure why he asked her to come with him, but she would soon find out.

"Rescued from the Lee brothers and returned to you with a request for a fair hearing," Thomas said, his voice laced with a light order as he took a seat without being asked. Billy, his wife, and Roberts stared at the money as Thomas made himself comfortable.

"Your own protection is failing, Mr. Kimber," Thomas began his speech. "Your men are taking cuts. I want to suggest that from now on you contract out your racetrack security to the Peaky Blinders." he finished, slipping a cigarette between his lips. "We'd be saving you a lot of money, Mr. Kimber. In return," he paused, lighting the match, "you give us five percent of the take and three legal betting pitches at every race meeting north of the River Severn rising to six after one year if we're all satisfied with the service. What do you say Mr. Kimber?" he finished, giving the cigarette an inhale.

Thomas stared at Kimber, hoping the man would make the right decision. He knew his crew could do the job without risks or loss of money. Thomas knew Kimber was losing money quickly to the Lees and a man like Kimber didn't want to lose money.

Billy Kimber looked at Thomas Shelby and finally realized the man in front of him could make him a lot of money. There were things said about him that were unflattering, but his quick decision making concerning money wasn't one of them. Men like him wanted more. More money and power. Thomas Shelby could give that back to him in the long run.

"I'd say you talk to my accountant," Kimber said. "I want to dance." he said, rising to his feet and walking off toward the direction Grace was. Lying to Grace saying that Thomas told him it was all right for Kimber to take her to the dance floor, he snatched her up, leading her to the dance floor.

Thomas watched from a distance as Kimber danced with Grace. This was a reason he refused to let Maze come along as his date. The thought of Kimber putting his hands on Maze made him homicidal. He suppressed a vicious shudder; the wolf agreeing to his thoughts on the matter. The silence at the table was welcoming, but Thomas knew Roberts was going over the small ledger in front of him, running numbers.

"H—how many men can you put in the field?" Roberts asked, his pen poised on a ledger.

"At every track?" Thomas mused, his mind mulling over the numbers. "There are a lot of men out of work. Two guards for every bookie."

"Yes," Roberts replied.

"We have contacts with good people among the gypsies. We'll always know when the Lees are going to attack," Thomas assured the man. "With all the strikes happening, you can't rely on the police. We're at least more honest."

"Looks like you two are making a deal," Kimber said, interrupting their conversation.

"We're making progress," Roberts said to his boss.

"Then let me throw a condition into the mix," Kimber said, turning his attention to Thomas.

They spoke quietly as Grace looked around the room. When her eyes turned to the table where Thomas was, she caught Kimber looking at her and a shiver of disgust and fear washed over the cop. She was entirely grateful she brought her gun with her today.