Page 9 of Welcome Home: When Shifters Unite!
“The town council has also told me the Elder Council will visit this week. They are sure it has to do with the finding of a she-wolf, and we think that is you, Adira.”
I stare at Leo blankly, then flick my eyes to Stella and Robbie before returning them to Leo. “Why?”
“Because you have the blood of the old royals. They won’t want you mating with anyone from the Mass Mountain Pack, because that would strengthen the bloodline.” Leo is giving me a look I don’t recognize. Then what he says next has me standing to my feet, but holding onto the edge of the table. “The town council wants you to form a pack. Become a female Alpha so the Elder Council cannot just rip you away from here. We need to announce you are no longer a rogue and that way they cannot push you into a mating with an Alpha of their choosing.”
“We are your pack, Adira. Me, Leo and Robbie. It doesn’t mean you have to have an enormous pack to run. Does it, Leo?” Stella asks.
“No, the town council said they were good at you forming a pack, and we are a pack. You are the Alpha and I am the Beta. Stella would have to be the Gamma, and Robbie is just Robbie.”
“Oh, come on, I know I’m human, but I can be something.” Robbie is scowling at Leo and I know that he’s hurt and feeling left out.
“Well, how about you be the Omega? They are the most important as they feed and look after the pack. Without them, the rest of us would be hungry and stink.” I give Robbie a hopeful look, because no way do I want him to not feel he is part of this pack or family.
“Okay, I’ll be the Omega. Does this mean I get to cook, clean and do the laundry?”
Why is Robbie looking hopeful? Tentatively, I reply, “Yes.”
“Okay, well, if I’m doing all that, I don’t have time to go to work as well. But I’m going to sell my chutney, pickles, and get a garden going so we can create an income that will more than cover my wages.”
Leo sighs, but nods he agrees, followed by Stella, then me. “Okay, but we will need to be more careful if we are losing a wage to start with. How about we put all our money in one place so we can all use it for the pack?”
“That’s perfect,” Stella smiles.
“What do you want to call our pack?” I ask and see everyone struggling to think of a name. “No ideas?” Still no response.
“I don’t know, Adira. I’m not good at this sort of thing,” Leo mumbles while rubbing the bridge of his nose.
“Okay, what about The Hunters Bow Pack? That is Hunters for Huntsville, which, after all, is where we live, and Bow, which is the end of my name.” I wait while they all think about it, and seeing Stella smile, followed by Robbie, I think we are going to have this name.
“I like it. Let’s vote on it,” Robbie exclaims with excitement.
“Okay, hands up if you agree we become the Hunters Bow Pack.” All four of us raise our hands and we have our name. I walk over to the cabinet and take out a bowl. Open a drawer and take out a knife, then return to the table.
Placing the bowl in the center of the table, I slice my hand and allow a small pool of blood to form in the bowl before the cut starts to close.
“I, Adira Strongbow, hereby promise to protect, provide, and always put the pack first. I will be the best Alpha I can be, and if I fail, I will stand down allowing a better Alpha to ascend.”
Leo quickly slashes his palm and allows blood to flow into the bowl, “I, Leo De Stormroar, herby promise to be a united pack member, support and provide for my pack and Alpha.”
Stella slashes her hand, “I, Stella, no last name, do promise to be a united pack member. I will support and provide for my pack and Alpha.”
Robbie screws up his face as he cuts, “Ouch, that hurts.” Squeezing a small amount of blood from the tiny cut he has made on the palm of his hand. “I, Robbie Black, swear to be a pack member, and support and provide for my pack and Alpha.”
Now, it’s very difficult, but I manage not to laugh when Robbie looks up with such pride in his face. But I swallow the laughter and continue. “I, Adira Strongbow, do hereby bring together Leo, Robbie and Stella as pack members into the Hunters Bow Pack with the blessing of the Moon Goddess.”
Before anyone can say or do anything, a surge of heat rushes through us all, and I feel Blue howl in the back of my mind. But, thankfully, it’s not a howl of pain, it’s a howl of pleasure. The bond of the pack snaps into place and I feel my pack members and hear ‘Alpha’ in my mind. The pack is formed, and the link is alive.
Robbie laughs and holds his arms out before crushing me in a hug. “I can feel you and hear you. Your Moon Goddess blessed me, although I’m human.”
A tear runs from my eye corner and down my cheek, because I have never heard or read in the books that the Moon Goddesswould bless a human. But if anyone should be blessed, it should be Robbie.
I finish our ceremony by officially giving the titles Beta, Gamma, and Omega, which has Robbie laughing again. Leo keeps shaking his head at Robbie, but I can see he is just as happy as I am. Who heard of a pack have a human and a lion shifter in it? But that’s what we are, a pack, and now we just have to inform the town council.
Chapter 5
*Adira*
We have settled into the farmhouse and Robbie gave his job notice at the school, which has led us to train a new man named Thorn Legend, who is a Leopard shifter. He doesn’t speak much to me or Stella, but he works hard and he has learned quickly.
