Page 24 of Welcome Home: When Shifters Unite!

It doesn’t take long before I come across two of the pride members. Two that I grew up with. Kazi snarls, letting them know they are on land they are not welcome on.

Both shift back to their human form, and I shift from Kazi. I walk over to a hollowed tree and take out shorts. Throwing a pair to each of them and taking a pair myself, quickly yanking them on before standing with my hands loose at my sides, waiting.

“What is it you want? I’ve made it clear I am not coming back to the pride.”

“The pride needs you, Leo. Everything is falling apart. We need a leader that can pull it together and bring the pride some peace and harmony.”

Zorak is the one that has spoken, and I tilt my head to the side as I give him my full attention. “I will not now, or in the future, return to the pride. When I tried to do the right thing, all stood behind William. Now you have your leader in him, so let him lead. I want nothing to do with any of you.” Seeing Zorak open his mouth to speak, I quickly hold my hand up to stop him, and continue. “You all knew what he was like, and you all knew that he would not bring good things to the pride. You all can suffer in the pile of dung you have created. Now, I am Beta to the Hunters Bow Pack. My allegiance is to Alpha Adira. Nothing before death will change that. I suggest you turn and leave before the Gamma and Delta arrive because they won’t worry about your pride issues.”

“Come on, Zorak, nothing is going to change his mind,” Yarik speaks for the first time. He looks sad at this outcome, but also resigned. He turns to look at me and asks, “This pack has no species that are unwelcome, is that correct?”

“Yes, Alpha Adira doesn’t care what you are, just that you are a decent being,” I respond.

Nodding, both Zorak and Yarik turn to leave, and just in time as I hear Stella and Thorn closing in on our position. It would be a little late if things had gone wrong here, and a fight had broken out. Turning, I walk away from the lions as they rush over the border and to relative safety.

“What’s going on?” Thorn asks as he rushes up to me.

I chuckle before responding. “Well, it’s a bit late, but we had two lion visitors. Seems they want me to go back and rid them of the trash they allowed to lead them. I’ll never go back. At one time I’d have happily died for the pride, but when they turn their back on you, it’s something you never forget.”

“No, I agree. Once they’ve done that there is no turning back, and you never trust them again,” Stella states, and from her tone of voice she has experience with the topic.

“I don’t think they’ll be back for any reason other than wanting to join the pack. I have a feeling that the pride is ready to implode and if that happens, they will want somewhere to go where the cubs will be safe.” I give them both a look that tells them my comment is serious.

Back in town, and with Stella and Thorn going about their business, I take a quiet moment. I stand and watch the pups running toward the school, where they are going to be quickly heading down to the basement. We are running these safety exercises three times a week, and when the horn blows, everyonehas to get to their stations or safety area. That includes the pups, cubs or children, and it’s comical to watch small pups leading human children to safety. But it’s amazing that in this place, it doesn’t matter what you are.

A single pup in human form is wandering around, looking lost. I make my way over, making sure the pup sees me coming. The last thing I want is to frighten her into running.

“You lost, little one?” I ask in a gentle voice.

She is so cute as she looks up at me with a pool of tears on the rim of her eyes. She nods rather than speaks, and her little bottom lip trembles. Honest to goodness, it’s enough to break your heart.

“Can I pick you up?” I speak quietly still, as she looks spooked by being lost. I’m not sure why she’s alone, but I’ll make sure she’s okay. As soon as she gives me a little nod with her head, I pick her up and hold her gently against my chest. But when she wraps her arms around my neck and tucks her face under my chin, I feel Kazi sigh. He likes the feel of the pup, and I know he would have loved any cubs we would have had.

Once we step into the basement a young woman runs over to me, “Bestra, oh my, where did you find her?”

“Are you her mother?” I ask right away.

“Yes, and she was with me one minute, and gone the next. I teach and had seven of the children with me. But Bestra just poof, disappeared!”

The woman is obviously irate, and about to burst into tears, but before that can happen I hand her the child and step away. “Everything is good now. Maybe you could teach them to holdhands, so you have like a chain of children, then you won’t lose one?”

“That is a good idea. Thank you. I’ll try that the next time we do the drill.” Giving me a smile as she turns back to the children, I hurry away to check out if things are as they should be now in the basement before heading back to the farmhouse.

As I’m walking back to the farmhouse, I look over to wave at Greta and Tarlo, but as I lift my hand, Greta rushes away with her face flushed. My eyebrows shoot up in shock as Tarlo watches Greta run, then turns and gives me one heck of a smug smile.

Nope, I don’t want to know. I don’t want to get involved. It has nothing to do with me. But I’m going to tell Adira the gossip, nonetheless.

Chapter 13

*Adira*

Sitting at the office desk, I hold the pen in my right hand. I suddenly notice I’m twirling it, showing I’m somewhat nervous about writing this letter. I’ve already replied to them, but I think it needs to be very clear that what they want is not going to happen. Thinking about what the Elder Council wants from me; I push down the anger that I can feel brewing. Some of the anger is coming from Blue, and that’s not helping my emotions.

“Blue, we won’t do what they are asking, so don’t get upset. I’ll write a letter and they’ll come here and we’ll tell them exactly what we feel about their idea.”

‘We will not have a mate we don’t want. I’ll rip him apart if anyone tries to mate with us. We can get a second chance mate, if the Goddess thinks we are good enough.’

“It will be okay, Blue. I’ll sort them out and let them know that whatever they plan is not going to be happening. As you have said, we will wait and see if the Goddess gives you a second chance mate. If not, then we’ll see what we want to do in thefuture.” I see Blue in the back of my mind circle a few times before settling down and laying her chin on her paws.

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