Page 16 of Welcome Home: When Shifters Unite!
After Robbie gives his pot a stir, he rushes over and sits next to me as we both wait for Mavis to get her thoughts into order. She has a faraway look, and although I’m impatient, I continue to wait.
“Okay. What I have found I have verified the best I can with the archives in the main library, and your library here at the farmhouse. It seems Blaflono was meticulous in his recording of events. The trouble started well before you were born. It seems the old Alpha of the Blue River Pack wanted to mate withyour grandmother, who wanted nothing to do with Alpha River because your grandfather was her fated mate.” Mavis takes a breath and takes the glass of juice Robbie has poured for all three of us.
“What was their names? My grandparents,” I ask.
“Alpha Theodore and Luna Finessa. They were fabulous leaders of the pack, and their son, your father, Alpha Chanon, was revered as well. Your mother, from what I’ve found, was strong, fearless, and very independent, which caused your father fits at times.” Mavis smiles when she comments about my mother. “Your mother's name was Luna Arieka.”
Robbie snarls, surprising both myself and Mavis because he sounded like a wolf shifter. “So, you are telling us that all this happened because some piece of crap wanted a woman he was not entitled to?”
“Yes, but he also wanted the Strongbow packlands. He thought if he got your grandmother, then he could decimate them from within, and by doing so, take the pack.” Mavis sips her juice and looks as devastated as both myself and Robbie. “But, you know he was wrong because the pack wasn’t your grandmother’s and it would never have been hers. She mated into the pack. I honestly think he was losing his mind, and should have been looking for his fated mate to save himself.”
“What happened to him?” Robbie asks before I can and I give him an irritated look, but he shrugs his shoulders before turning back to Mavis.
“The amusing thing about all this is after all this went down, the Blue River Pack started to have issues. Matings were going wrong, the pups, or lack of, were becoming more prominent. My thoughts, and from what I read, were also Blaflono’s, was thatthe Moon Goddess was making him pay for killing her people.” Mavis stops speaking and looks into her glass of juice, collecting herself. “His son died during that fight and the current Alpha is Alpha Rudik River, who is the grandson, and he’s showing signs of trying to rectify some of the issues the Blue River Pack has had, such as other packs not wanting to trade. They have not been welcomed in Huntsville, which we’ve now renamed to Hunters Bow Pack, as you both know.”
“Well, we will not be doing any trading with him, no matter how he tries to rectify his grandfather's sins. Killing an entire pack is not something you should recover from, and your line should not be able to lick boots to get things going your way,” I snap.
‘We cannot blame future generations, Adira. That makes us spiteful, and that is not who we are. He would only be a pup when all this went down, so you cannot blame him for his grandfather's and father’s sins.’
“I’ll try to not think of him in that way, but I still don’t want him coming here,” I close my link to Blue as I don’t want her nagging at me. But I also acknowledge that I can’t blame Alpha Rudik for a past he had no involvement with, even if I would like to do just that.
“You finished linking with Blue?” Robbie asks and I give him a nod before standing and stepping over to the sink where I rinse the glass I had used for my juice. “I’ll think about what we should do if Alpha Rudik contacts us, but Alpha Rudik River will be discussed with Leo, Stella and yourself, Robbie.”
“That’s the best thing to do, Alpha Adira. Now, come on, you can help me sow some vegetable seeds, ready for a good harvest later in the year.” Robbie walks out of the kitchen and I give Mavis a shrug as I pass by her, ready to follow Robbie.
“I’ll see you later, Alpha Adira. I need to go do some work at the library or the Town Council members will give me trouble.” Mavis walks out of the kitchen behind me, but heads in the opposite direction.
As I follow Robbie I can’t help but think there is more to the story of why Alpha River did what he did. Eventually, I’m determined to find all the answers to every question that I have.
“This is good, Robbie. I would like to help again if you would be happy to allow it. Sowing seeds for the benefit of the house and pack is something that is…”
“Alpha Adira, there’s someone in town who is asking to speak with you. We have allowed him to sit in Asher’s store, but he’s not happy he cannot come to you at the farmhouse,” Conris, one of the pack members, states. Conris is a Leopard shifter, and he’s a mild-mannered, and reliable member from what I’ve been told.
“Did this person say who they were?” I ask, but have an itchy feeling this isn’t going to be good.
“He said he is your Papa?”
“Oh, I see. Okay, give me a moment to wash up and I’ll be along with you.” I give Robbie a look that says I’m sorry to leave him, then comment, “My Papa is in town. I have to see what he wants.” Robbie frowns knowing I don’t want to see anyone from my old pack.
Walking into Asher’s store a while later, along with Conris, who has stayed by my side, I give a “Thank you,” to Asher as I walk past him and into his living area, which is at the back of the shop.
Stepping inside, I see my Papa sitting at the table, with a drink in hand, but looking as though he’d rather be anywhere but here.
“What can I do for you?” I ask, not giving him the title of Papa. Now I know he’s not and will never be.
“Adira. I wanted to come and speak to you. I want you to know that I never saw you as a job. You were my daughter, and I still see you as my daughter…”
I cut him off from his speech, which is what it is. “You can stop right there. We both know I was never treated the same as you treated Joliee. I always thought it was because she was the youngest, but it wasn’t was it? It was because she really is your flesh and blood, where I’m just a monthly payment.”
“It might have been like that for your mama, but it wasn’t for me. You were my little girl, my pup, who I still love as much now as when you were tiny. I’m so sorry that I allowed my mate to do what she did, and I’ve spoken to the Mystic, who is, as we all know in contact with the Moon Goddess. I have asked for my fated mate bond to be broken so I can step away from your Mama, and the pack.”
That has shocked me, and I take a seat opposite Papa and study his face for any clue of dishonesty. I see nothing but regret.
“Do you realize how dangerous it was to come here? I had an order that if you came to turn you away, and if you came a second time, that you would not leave intact.”
Nodding, showing understanding in his demeanor. “I understand, and it’s what would have been right. But I wantedthe chance to speak to you, and to inform you that as soon as the bond is broken, I will leave the pack and go rogue. I would like to join your pack and be a part of what you are doing here, if you would allow it. Allow me to make amends for letting you down, as your Papa.”
“Are you going back to the Blackbird Pack now?” I ask, knowing he’ll take back any information he has found.
