Page 49 of Welcome Home: When Shifters Unite!
Adira steps nearer to Leo, causing Rawlin to stand in the back of my mind, stiff-legged, and grumbling. “You need to do this?” Adira asks, and he gives a nod.
Turning, Leo looks at the two lions. “Soloman, step away.” The gentler of the two lions steps back and gives Leo a slight dip of the head. Now I’m realizing what is about to happen.
“I know you think you can win, William, but it’s time to end this. You have no pride left, they have all gone,” Leo states gently when you consider the seriousness of the situation.
“I will never step down!” William roars as he launches himself after a fast shift.
Leo, however, shifts faster and honestly he knew what was about to happen, and his lion was ready. The fight is nasty, and we all step back, giving room. James, I can see, is ready to step in if needed…as we all know Leo has to win this.
Adira has her claws at the ready, and I can see her fangs sitting on her bottom lip. Now is not the time to think about it, but thatis sexy as can be, especially to Rawlin, who is giving soft growls to Blue.
A giggle erupts from Adira, and it is deep, showing that it was Blue in control. But the flush that rushes up from Adira’s neck to her forehead is all her. I give her a grin, and allow Rawlin to come forward somewhat, to show he’s all in with what’s happening.
My attention shoots back to the fight when everything suddenly goes quiet. Leo, or should I say his lion, is standing over the body of William. Leo throws his head back and roars. Birds take flight in fright at the sound, and I hear other animals scuttling in the underbrush, rushing to safety.
Adira steps forward and gently tells Kazi to shift and allow Leo to come forward. Turning my head, I see Rom has shifted into his tiger form. More than likely, he was ready to stand with his Beta if needed. Or finish the lion if it won and killed Leo.
Stepping forward, Bolton, a member of James's pack, gives Leo a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Doing the same as he stands in front of Rom. Now they are both not showing all that the Goddess gave them. Rawlin is settling in my mind once more.
James speaks first. “Okay, get this body buried. All of you…” pointing at the rogue shifters. “either go to my pack and await my arrival, or head to Alpha Adira’s and wait for her. If neither of them are your choices, move out of this territory fast or you will be deemed an enemy and hunted down and erased.”
Two of James' pack step forward, with one taking all the rogues with him. Well, it seems they are joining James's pack and not Adira’s.
“Let’s move toward the packhouse, if it even exists anymore.” Adira quickly walks forward and I catch up, grasping her handand entwining our fingers. I can’t help the huge smile that is across my face. It just doesn’t want to go away, but I don’t feel bad about it because, looking at Adira, she has one on her face, too.
Leo and Rom stay close to us, and I can see Leo particularly is agitated after the fight. None of us like killing another shifter, or human if it comes to that, but sometimes it is necessary.
Reaching our destination, the packhouse still stands. It needs to be repaired, but the house is solid stone, and I’m sure will stand for hundreds of years if looked after.
Walking through the door, which is solid and a beautiful piece of wood, the grain is stunning and will be even more so once cleaned up and polished. At some stage, the place has been lived in as there is clutter around, and by clutter I mean trash of one description or another.
We walk from one room to the next, and I keep near Adira, as I can feel her stress rolling from her. I take her hand and turn her to face me. “We can do this together. Whatever you want to happen, we do it together. If you want to keep the house it is well built, needs some love, I admit, but it is salvageable.”
Adira nods, turning toward James, but keeping hold of my hand. “I’ve seen enough. I need to make some decisions and then I will come and see you. With Strongbow Pack land being alongside yours and the Hunters Bow on the other, I’ll keep you informed. But know that I am no threat to you or your pack. In fact, we are family now.”
James grins, stepping forward and pushing me away before enveloping Adira in a hug. “Yes, you are family now. But honestly, you could have picked the handsomest brother, and not the ugly young one.”
Adira bursts out laughing, and I chuckle as this is typical of my brother cutting the tension. But he is right. Adira is his family now, as much as I am.
“I’m not ugly, brother. If Momma was still alive, she’d skin you for that remark.” I try to give a wounded look, but it doesn’t work as Adira giggles and James shakes his head at me with an enormous smile on his face.
Back at the border of Hunters Bow Pack and Dark Water Pack, I stand next to Adira, giving my brother a look that tells him I’m sorry for leaving, but happy I’m going. It’s such a complicated feeling, but I quickly feel the link to the Dark Water Pack close and rub my chest where my heart lays. When Adira cuts her hand and creates our pack link, I feel the rush of the Hunters Bow Pack through me. Rawlin jumps to his feet and growls loudly, informing all the pack members he is here and he is an alpha wolf.
Adira kisses my cheek, sending a flow of tingles and desire through me. Rawlin struts in the back of my mind, preening to his female. I would laugh at his antics if I didn’t feel exactly the same.
“It’s time for you to go, brother. Find happiness. You deserve it more than anyone I know.” James wraps an arm around my neck and holds me a moment before stepping back into his territory. “I’ll see you soon brother, and I’ll talk to you in regard to pack issues in a few days, Adira.”
“Yes, and thank you, Alpha James.” Adira wastes no time. She turns and climbs into the vehicle, and beckons I climb in beside her. Rom and Leo are in the front, one driving and one in the passenger seat. I don’t care if I’m being truthful with anyone, I am more than happy being beside my mate.
Reaching the farmhouse, I follow Adira from the vehicle and into the building. Taking my hand, Adira smiles. “We are home. It’s not a packhouse as you would expect, but a farmhouse that we have converted into a home for whoever needs it at any time.”
“I…”
“No, don’t speak yet. I want to go to the office and arrange where your place is in the pack. We need to do that before we mate and forget time and members for a while.” Adira blushes.
I am introduced to Robbie, Mavis, Thorn, and a tiger cub called Blossom. The cub threw herself at Rom as soon as he walked through the door. Adira leans towards me. “Blossom is a rescued tiger cub, and has adopted Rom as her father. Rom now has a chosen mate in Jenni, and they both love Blossom to pieces. She is a sneaky little cub, mind you, so we have to watch her.”
In the office, we take a seat next to each other and, holding hands, I wait for Adira to give me her thoughts. When she says nothing I feel it is time to get this over with. “Adira, I am more than happy to be a beta to you in the pack. Yes, I am an Alpha, born with the blood which is strong. But Rawlin and I have been a Beta a long time for James, so it is nothing new to us.”
