Page 16 of Shifters Unifying

Only a handful of alpha shifters remained at the new gathering place, including the snipping squirrel shifter. The sun slanted in the sky, casting bright red over the landscape. I led our small group into the clearing, taking my human form without breaking stride. The others did also.

The squirrel woman met us at the entrance to the conclave as we approached, a mass of fabric in her arms. “There you are,” she said, offering the wad to me, her midnight hair hanging nearly to her waist. The dark brown of her eyes hid her pupils. “I intended to introduce myself properly before we returned to our home.”

“Oh, thanks,” I said, finally recognizing the clothes I’d left behind. I didn’t bother redressing.

She offered her hand, and I shook it. “My name is Salali,” she said. “It means squirrel in Cherokee. My people are from Northeastern Oklahoma. We come from a long line of warriors.”

“I’m Emma Carter, rainbow vet and formerly of Willow Creek. I don’t know where my people are from,” I said, leaning back on my heels. “I was adopted as a child. To human parents.”

“That explains much.”

“More than I should have to explain to you,” I snapped with more irritation than I intended.I need a snack and a nap.More softly, I asked, “What can I help you with?”

“I would like to offer our territory as your first training grounds.”

“Impossible.”

Her jaw slacked, and she gaped at me. “I beg your pardon.”

At her words, I quirked an eyebrow. “Have you selected your five warriors?”

“We are in-process,” she stammered. “They will be selected within the week.”

“The same is true for most clans. Once you have them, send them to Six-Mile. If you’re first, I’ll train with your clan first, if not…” I shrugged. “It makes no difference to me who is first to complete my command. Obedience is the only way to curry favor with the multimorph.”

Behind me, Olivia sneezed, or maybe she was trying to cover a wheezing laugh. No doubt Jasper had gone red in the face to keep his reaction to himself. Logan made no sound at all, but the back of my head burned as though he was shooting daggers through me.

“Yes, multimorph.” Salali almost curtsied, and she rushed away, calling to her beta to hurry. “We have clan business to complete.”

“Ye handled that well, lass,” Jasper whispered.

“I’ve seen enough alphahole behavior now that I know how to replicate it. Strength is appreciated by most clans.” I turned to a red-faced Olivia. “Who’s next?”

She gestured toward the woman who had been dipping her snacks in her water during the meeting. “The raccoon shifter request?—”

A shout from outside the edge of the clearing cut her off. Logan stepped between me and the possible threat, but Phil, a wolf shifter and bodyguard from Six-Mile, crashed through the tree line.

“Alpha,” he called, waving. “I need to speak with you.”

“What is it?” Logan asked as Phil came close.

“There’s a border skirmish between the big cats and the foxes.”

“Which ones?” he asked.

“The usual. Ville Platt and Red Tail.”

Logan frowned. “I thought we’d moved passed that. Which shifters?”

Phil shook his head. “It’s Giselda and one of Marcus’s lesser shifters.”

“See? Toddlers,” I said, pinching the bridge of my nose before dropping my hands and shaking it off. “What’s the gripe between them?”

“Giselda wants to build a new home on the edge of Red Tail, and the corner of her new home juts into Ville Platte.”

“She’s old and prone to eccentrics. Who’s the Ville Platte shifter?”

“Tossle.”