Page 48 of Welcome Home: When Shifters Unite!
“Are you ready?” I ask no one in particular.
“Yeah, let’s go see what’s happening on your family pack lands,” Leo jumps out of the vehicle and opens the passenger door, waiting for me to climb out.
Blue rushes to the front and before I can stop her she shouts ‘MATE!’
Leo and Rom, stop walking and look at me like I’ve just exploded. Alpha James looks around the group of men to see who I’m saying is my mate.
But a male, all of 6’5” steps out of the group. He’s magnificent in my eyes. He slowly but surely walks over to me, stops in front of me taking a huge lungful of my essence. Then he smiles so wide you can see his back teeth. “Mate!” he sighs before stepping forward and taking my face in his hands.
Tingles like I’ve never felt before rush through my body. My mind goes blank as his lips land on mine. Sheer pleasure courses through me, and I’m not sure if that is me that lets out a moan of pleasure or him.
I’m not sure if it’s us that has to take a breath or the clapping, stomping, and hooting that breaks us apart. But I feel myself blush right to my hair roots. Blue settles into the back of my mind, allowing me to get my senses back.
“Mate!” we both say at the same time, and I feel the bond growing as we stand looking at each other.
Chapter 24
*Barrik*
Mate! I eventually met my mate! I cannot explain the explosion of joy that has a hold of me. Rawlin, my wolf, keeps shouting in the back of my mind about Adira’s wolf, who is Blue. The bond is snapping into place, even though we have not mated yet. This tells me the Goddess wants us to be together and has plans for us. What those plans are will be revealed only when she is ready.
My brother, James, is only two years older than me, but he’s taken the responsibility for the pack onto his shoulders with grace and strength. Although I am an Alpha, born and bred, I was more than happy to demote myself to being his Beta and supporting him.
My mate is an alpha female, with a rogue pack of her own. It’s staggering to think about, but I’ll not let that stop me from claiming what is mine. I’ll join her pack and stand at her side, as I have my brother. Leaving the pack where I was born is difficult, as I will leave everything familiar to me. But if my mate traveled across the globe, I would be by her side.
My fated mate died two days after we found each other. We had not had time to bond as her father wanted her to stay away from shifters. Yes, she was a human female, and sadly, if her father had not stopped the bonding, she more than likely would be alive. Greta had been running late to work after an argument with her father and rushed onto the road right in front of a truck. She never stood a chance of surviving.
Now, the Goddess has seen fit to give me an incredible second chance mate, and I will do everything, and I mean everything within my power to love, cherish and protect until my last breath takes me home to the Goddess. Then I will fight if needed with the Goddess to make sure Adira is with me in the beyond.
After we were congratulated, pummeled in my case, and settled into the task at hand. I remained by Adira’s side, while Rawlin keeps grumbling at any male that gets what he considers too near to her. I can’t help but keep giving little coughs to cover it up, but I’m not succeeding if the tiny smiles on Adira’s face is to be believed. I have to remember to tell her my name as I feel a little tongue-tied with shock at the moment.
We keep touching each other's hand, side or, in my case, her lower back. It’s instinctual to touch, give comfort and protect. Adira now and again gives me a sweet smile, followed by a tinge of flush on her cheeks.
“Come on, you two, stop with the gooey stuff. We are well into the Strongbow territory now. Concentrate.” Alpha James chuckles, but only for a second when we hear a fight erupt.
Adira dashes forward before I can stop her, and I shoot to her side, needing to be near and make sure nothing happens to her. I cannot lose another mate, because if anything happens to her, I’ll follow her home.
Four males and two females are standing in a circle while two males are fighting in the center. It’s a nasty fight too, one that has every intention of killing the other.
James bellows, using the force of his alpha aura to stop the fight. All but one drops to their knees, cowering under the power. Adira stands firm, as do I. Leo and Rom are standing but are sweating with the effort of staying upright. James' pack is all kneeling under his aura and as he pulls it back they quickly gain their feet once more.
“What is going on here?” James asks, but is keeping some of his aura around him.
The shifter females are panthers, two of the men are tigers, two are bears, and the two fighting are lions. It’s a strange mix to be together!
“None of your business,” one of the fighting lions states.
Adira steps forward with no sign of fear. Her wolf is present as her eyes are glowing and her aura has risen in the last few moments. “But it is my business. You are on Strongbow Pack territory, and that is my territory as the last and rightful heir. Now, what are you all doing here?”
One of the lions, who seems to be the aggressor, snarls at Adira, “There are not heirs to this pack land. The pack is dead, long gone, and we all know the Blue River Pack did that.”
“That is where you are wrong. There was one baby that survived, and that baby was me. Now, for the last time, what are you doing on this land?” Adira lets out more of her aura and I see the lion has hardly noticed, meaning he is an alpha in his own right.
The other lion that had been fighting steps forward, “We two are the last of our pride. Can I ask if you are Alpha Adira? Some ofour pride has come to your pack, and others have floated away. But our alpha here,” which is spits with no respect shown, “is trying to hold me with him. Let me tell you, I have no allegiance to him, and am looking to join your pack.”
Leo steps forward, lifting his head, which he’d kept down for some reason. Now, I’m seeing why, as the recognition shows on the faces of the two lions in front of us. “Leo!” they both say in tandem.
“Alpha Adira.” Leo turns and looks at her with so much regret that I’m thinking something bad is coming. “You know I have spoken of the Alpha of my pride. Why I left, and what needs done?”
