Page 2

*Adira*

W alking away from the house, and the pack itself is hard, but I know that nothing would be gained by staying. I would never have bowed down to Joliee. She would have expected it and made my life miserable.

It now shows why I wasn’t treated as well as my so-called sister, who it turns out isn’t my sister at all, but a spoiled brat who, sadly, is going to be the Luna of the pack. I pity the pack I really do.

‘We will be together. We will always have each other, here and beyond.’

“Yes, we will, Blue, and I love you more than any other. We will survive together.”

Reaching the gates of the pack lands, the two warriors on guard watch as I near. Grant, who I’ve known since we were small children, walks over and places his arms around my shoulders, drawing me to his chest.

His voice rumbles as he kisses the top of my head. “Adira, I felt you leave the pack. What is going on?”

“It appears I am not and never have been wanted here. I was nothing more than a baby, but I was a paying job for the people that called themselves my parents. A job, Grant. They had a monthly income to look after me. But my mate took Joliee as his chosen while I was away at Luna camp, and I only found out because I came back today while the ceremony was happening.”

“We were told that you were the chosen mate, and that Travis had found his true mate. The pack did not know Adira. We all celebrated that he had found the one that made him whole, so when he became Alpha he would be strong.” Grant is scowling but holding me to him.

I glance at the other warrior who I’ve had no interaction with previously, and he is not looking happy at the information he’s hearing either.

Looking me in the eye, he speaks, taking me by surprise with what he says.

“If you ever need anything, contact either Grant or myself.” Taking out a card from his back pocket, he writes Grant’s phone number next to his own.

“I’m Warden and I can’t stand that prick, Travis, and even more despise Joliee.

She has always been a spoiled brat and all the pack can see that.

She will be the worst Luna we could have had, and that’s why I didn’t want to be at the ceremony and volunteered to be on gate duty. ”

“Thank you for caring.” I take the card and give Grant a last hug, and turn to Warden, giving him one as well.

I take hold of my suitcase handle, but before I can continue on my way, I notice Alpha Benedict rushing towards us. Now, I need to get the hell out of here before he reaches us.

“I’ve gotta go. Thank you.” I rush out of the packlands, and now the Alpha has no control or authority. He didn’t once I rejected the pack, but for some reason he now wants me to stay.

“Come back, Adira. I will welcome you home to the pack. You don’t need to leave and become a rogue,” Alpha Benedict says, and I see Beta Paul and Gamma Ray rushing up behind him.

“I will never come back to this pack. You have all shown me what sort of people you are. I understand now why I was treated differently, not only by my family, but by many of the pack members.” Turning, I pull the suitcase and feeling it wobble, I know I’m going to lose a wheel from it before I get to town, which is six miles from here.

‘We will carry it, Adira, if we need to. We are strong, fit, and resourceful. We excelled at Luna camp, leaving camp as the top Luna candidate. We can do this.’

“Yes, we can, Blue.”

I don’t give the pack a backward look. I face forward and start the long walk to town. I can make plans as I walk. We will need an idea of where to go and what to do.

Later, thanks to having to stop every now and again to put the suitcase down because once that wheel came off, it wasn’t a matter of pulling it along anymore.

I’d sat on the side of the road, opening the suitcase and taking out anything I didn’t need to survive. Keeping only enough clothing to last a few days, an extra pair of shoes and toiletries.

My purse thankfully has a shoulder strap. I slipped that over my head, put an arm through and felt secure knowing it wasn’t going to get dropped and left by accident.

Once the case was lighter to carry I had made much better time walking to town. Three hours it’s taken because of my having to keep stopping, but I’m walking into the bus depot and study the destinations, finding where I’m going to go.

‘What about that place where the Elder Council allows good rogues to live? You could get a job and we’ll use the library to find out about our real pack, and the one that destroyed it.’

“Huntsville? Yes, we could go there and regroup. Find out about our history, and forget about what we are leaving behind.”

Buying a ticket, I get onto the bus and take a seat halfway down. I place my broken case on the seat next to me, because no way am I allowing it out of my sight. It’s all I have in the world.

Luckily, I’ve saved from the small allowance I was given, and the job waitressing at the pack diner. Bella won’t be happy that I’ve basically been run out of the pack, and she’ll not remain quiet about it. I just hope she won’t get herself into trouble with Alpha Benedict.

It’s going to be a long ride to Huntsville, but we will have two stops for a stretch of the legs, restroom, and food. While we are traveling I take out my phone and ignore the six text messages I’ve received, three from Travis, one from Papa and two from Joliee.

I log into my bank and see I have $14,039.21 and it’s going to have to last me a long time.

“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 be soon.

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 I see Dottie giving a small nod to Mrs. Sprandle, and she opens the 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.

“You can tell me why you are here another time. But what grade did you achieve?”

“I left as the top Luna candidate, best grades in all subjects, but excelled at hunting.” Yes, I am proud of what I achieved. They may have taken my mate, but they cannot take my achievements.

“Shit. Now, don’t you be telling no passing Alpha that, or they’ll have you hogtied and gone before we can spit.”

“Troy,” he’d given me his name at the start of the interview, “I want nothing to do with mates, or the Moon Goddess, because as I see it she isn’t all she could be.”

“Yeah, I understand that sentiment, but not sure I agree with it. But, let’s not get bogged down with goddess stuff. We have to get into the kitchen or the others will give us the cold shoulder for the next week.”

The others, it turns out, are Robbie, a human man, Stella who is a wolf shifter, and Leo, who yeah surprise, is a lion shifter.

I’ve never met a lion shifter before and he is large, has golden eyes and sandy/gold flecked hair.

He is quiet, but you can see he misses nothing; he has welcomed me and helped me when needed to find my bearings around the kitchen.

My first day in my new life I think went well.

I’ve made new acquaintances, which I hope will turn into genuine friendships.

I have a room to sleep in, and will have money to come at the end of the week.

From then on I will be paid on the first of every month, which is why I get paid end of this week, as it’s the end of this month.

‘Things are looking up, Adira.’

“Don’t speak too soon, Blue. You don’t want to jinx us.” But I have to admit we both have a good feeling about the town and our future. “We’ll go for a run on the weekend, let you stretch your legs and enjoy the freedom.”

‘Thank you, I’ll look forward to that. But we will both make sacrifices to make sure our new lives are good ones.’

“Yes, we probably will, Blue. Good night.”

‘Good night, Adira.’