Page 37 of Welcome Home: When Shifters Unite!

No, the last was that one from Huntsville. He took some killing. Me and Tony got him along with others.

Tony the one that leopard murdered?

Yeah, he was my cousin, in actual fact. We took out a lot of scum shifters over the years.

Alpha Adira steps towards me and gives me a small nod. I’m ready for the action to start. Robbie saunters into the camp like it’s a Sunday afternoon stroll, taking the four hunters by surprise.

“Oh, I’m so happy to have found other people in the forest. I was lost and I can tell you it is scary as hell out there on your own.” Robbie is playing it to the full.

“How the hell did you end up in the forest?” One asks as he gets to his feet. He’s obviously had quite a bit to drink as he’s wobbling somewhat as he tries to give Robbie a threatening look.

“Well, it’s a long story, but…”

Thorn makes the first move, in his leopard form, jumping on one of the hunters. Quickly followed by Leo’s lion and Stella’s wolf. Alpha Adira steps forward in her human form and ignores the screams and chaos her three pack members are causing.

The fourth hunter is the one I want, and Alpha Adira knows it. She speaks over the sudden silence, “Well, well, if it isn’t the shifter murderer. Along with his band of merry murderers, I might add. But, sadly, they won’t be around to assist you any more. But then neither will you. So dear hunter, meet my dear friend here, Cayden.” I step out of the shadows and I can see the fear in the hunter's eyes, and smell the piss that has just traveled down his legs. Alpha Adira continues, “My friend, Cayden is a dragon shifter, and oh, he’s the cousin of you know, the one you just bragged you murdered from Huntsville. Cayden is here for his revenge, and he will have it. It is the end for you, and I hopeyou like the hell you are going to be visiting any minute from now.”

The hunter reaches for a weapon, but he’s not fast enough. I blow a thin stream of dragon fire onto his arm, which, of course, has him screaming from the pain. Hitting his arm to put out the flame that is licking deeper into his muscle and tissue.

“You are condemned to death for all the murders you have committed against the shifter community. A community that has done everything it can to stay away from the human population. All they ask is you leave them in peace. But you found it fun to murder. Now this is my vengeance.”

I quickly note Alpha Adira, Leo, Stella, Thorn and Robbie have stepped away. They don’t want to be caught up in what comes next. I allow Brymrag to come forward enough to harden my body, showing scales running up my arms, forehead, and nose. Taking a lungful of air, I slowly blow out a stream of blue flame encompassing the hunter from head to toe. He starts to scream, but it’ll not take long for that to stop.

We all wait for the hunter's end, and I wasn’t wrong. It didn’t take long. It wasn’t as satisfying as I thought it would be. But, now, he won’t be hurting any more shifters, and that is worth his ending.

Robbie shouts, attracting our attention. “Babies, Alpha, babies…”

We all rush over to where Robbie is behind a tent the hunters erected. Stopping when we all see a cage. Inside the cage is a tiger cub, wolf pup and a bear cub. All huddled together, and terrified, I’m sure.

Robbie opens the cage and sits in front of the door, crossed-legged, and speaks low and soothingly to them. It takes twentyminutes before the tiger cub crawls forward to Robbie and climbs into his lap. He strokes and soothes it, speaking to it about shifting into its human form.

I walk away because I can feel myself getting angrier. The disgusting bastards killed the children's parents, that I’m sure of. The fear that I’m sensing from them is overwhelming. Robbie is doing a fantastic job with them, calming, encouraging, and loving.

Turning to look at the situation once more, Robbie has all three now wrapped in his arms. Mumbling to them about coming home with us, then being safe, and how sorry he was about their parents.

Stella and Alpha Adira take a child each and as they walk away Alpha Adira turns to me. “Burn it. Burn it all.”

Brymrag rushes to the front and storms over to the bodies, throwing out his dragon fire until they are nothing but ash. I allow him free rein while he burns everything he sees. We are lucky that dragon fire can be selective, and we have not set the forest on fire. Once there is nothing left to see I turn and hasten to catch the others. We have a long way back since we agreed not to change into our animals.

We eventually arrived back at the pack, and the farmhouse was full of shifters and humans. All stepping forward to help with the children, who have now thankfully trusted us enough to shift from their animal form.

“I hope we won’t need to do any extra field trips, Cayden,” Alpha Adira states. “But I thank you for coming with us. Finding closure for yourself, and vengeance for Blaflono. I wish I could have met him. Everything we have found or heard about him tells me he was a good person.”

“Getting closure is good, and I have searched a long time for that one hunter. I had heard the other was dead, but to get the confirmation was indeed needed. I’m going to head out now, take my time traveling home. I may go halfway, then fly the rest. Let Brymrag have his wings for a while.”

“You are welcome here at any time. We would love to have you come again. You will always be considered a friend. If you ever need us, we will come.” Alpha Adira reaches up, pulls my head down and kisses my cheek. Which has Brymrag puffing out steam with enjoyment.

“If you ever need me, you know how to contact me now. It was truly great to meet you all, and leave with a friendship I never expected.”

Home…come on, Brymrag, let’s go home!

Chapter 19

*Adira*

We have three new children in the pack. The ones we rescued have told us as best they can what happened. The bear cub has been adopted by Jackie, who is a bear shifter herself. The cub is a male, and he is the sweetest thing. When he told me his name was Artan, a little blush rushed up his cheeks.

The little female tiger cub is called Blossom, and she hasn’t stopped crying quietly since we rescued her. She seems to have attached herself to Rom, which is amusing as he has tried to get her to stay with Petra, who is a snow tiger, but she won’t. Hence, we see Rom carrying this little cub around in cub and human forms. I think he may have gotten himself a daughter, whether he likes it or not. But Jenni loves the little girl already, so that has helped, I’m sure.

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