Page 4 of Welcome Home: When Shifters Unite!
“STOP COMING UP.” The driver shouts and I shuffle in my seat, ready to pick up my case and step out, as our stop will besoon. I’m ready for the restroom, something to eat and a drink. I’ve not had anything since yesterday at the camp. I even missed breakfast this morning, as I wanted to get home quickly.
Thinking about the ‘Welcome Home’ has me wanting to cry, but I’ll not waste tears on them, any of them. The one that hurts and disappoints me most is Papa. I always thought we had a connection, but it wasn’t true on his part. It feels like a loss, even though I know it’s not.
Two stops and we arrive at our destination. I step outside of the small bus station and look around. The town is close by and there are lots of people bustling around even though it is gone past six in the evening.
‘Let’s find somewhere to stay, and if we can’t, you can shift and we’ll sleep in the woods. I can keep us both warm and find a dry and safe place to sleep.’
“I’ll find us somewhere, Blue. If not, we can do as you say.”
I see Blue stretch and turn a few times before settling down with her chin on her front legs. I can’t help but send a pulse of love to her, which has her tail thumping a few times before she closes her eyes to sleep.
First stop has to be finding a bed-and-breakfast, then tomorrow a job. I’m not sure how the town is run, but I’ll get the rules and learn them quickly. The last thing I want is to cause myself a problem.
“You lost, honey?” I hear, and turn to see an elderly lady, who I can smell is a wolf shifter.
“I’m looking for a bed-and-breakfast to stay at for the time being. If you can point me in the right direction that would be very kind,” I give her a smile. She’ll know I’m the same as herself, and she’ll be able to smell I’m a newly turned rogue.
“Old Mrs. Sprandle runs the B&B that I would recommend. She’s a stickler for keeping things clean and being paid on time. But she serves a good breakfast and evening meal, and the rooms are spotless.” The lady points down the street to a detached house that has a B&B sign hanging at the gate.
“Thank you so much. I’m Adira, by the way.”
“Name’s Dottie, and I live at number 42 if you want any information or just company.”
“Again, thank you, Dottie, and I’ll remember that.”
I quickly make my way to the bed-and-breakfast and knock on the door. Gripping my broken suitcase. I must look a mess, and I hope that Mrs. Sprandle won’t hold that against me.
The door opens and a human lady opens the door. She’s around sixty years of age, gray hair in a bun and thin as a rake. But she gives me a huge smile when she sees me.
“Hello young lady, what has you come calling?”
“Dottie said you may have a room I can rent until I get myself established. I’ve only just arrived on the bus, so I apologize for my messy appearance.”
I notice she is looking over my shoulder and turning my head; I see Dottie giving a small nod to Mrs. Sprandle, and she opensthe door wider. “Come in, let’s get you a hot drink and we can get you all sorted out.”
Two hours later, I have been told to call the lady Joyce, and she knows I’m a shifter, so not to worry about trying to hide that. I have a room, and she will put a word in for me at the local school that has a position vacant for someone to help in the kitchen.
‘We are safe here. Joyce has given me no bad feelings. You get a job and then we find a place of our own. Good night, Adira.’
“Yes, I will find us somewhere and a job. I’ll do whatever I have to for us to survive this. Good night Blue.”
The next morning, I’ve eaten a tasty breakfast and have directions to the school, and where I need to report for the interview for the kitchen assistant vacancy.
The town has shifters and humans walking together, laughing, and this gives a warm and welcoming feeling. Saying good morning as they pass me, although they’ve never met me before. I’ve not had this in my own pack, and I was raised with them. It’s staggering to think I am being welcomed so easily.
Entering the school grounds, I walk around the building to the back door, which is the kitchen entrance. I knock and wait for someone to answer, looking over my shoulder at the grounds to stop myself from getting nervous.
The door opens, and a man appears in my line of vision. He smiles and asks, “You Adira?”
“Yes.”
“Come on in, let’s get this interview over and hope that we can get you started today, because I can tell you I’m short staffed and need that pair of hands you’ve got.”
I giggle at his manner, so light and carefree, yet you can also sense he’s a hard worker and is nobody’s fool. He asks me all the relevant questions, without going too far and becoming downright nosey. He is a shifter, and when I mention the Luna camp, because he asked what I’d been doing the last year, he looks at me in surprise.
“Luna camp?”
“Yes. I just got home yesterday, and now here I am.” I give him the best smile I can muster, but he sees the hurt behind it and grabs my hand, giving it a light squeeze.
