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*Adira*

S ix Weeks Later

Six weeks has passed already, but it’s been a good six weeks too.

I have settled into the job and love working with Troy, Robbie, Stella and Leo.

They are all so good to me, like a family without the same blood running through our veins.

It doesn’t even matter that Robbie isn’t a shifter either.

He’s one of us and we’d protect him if needed.

I have been running with Leo on Sunday of every week. The first week when he offered to show me the places to run safely, I was nervous, but the more I know about Leo, the more I love him. He’s the brother I never had, and he has grown into being my ‘go-to’ if I’m worried or need advice.

“Come on, slowpoke, let’s be moving or we’ll never get this run over and meet Robbie for something to eat at the Tavern,” Leo says, and I see Stella, who is with us this week, giggles and eggs him on to give me hassle.

“I’m coming. I was helping Joyce.”

I do a lot of things for Joyce because she is having trouble with one of her legs.

It’s giving her a lot of pain, and I’ve not mentioned it because she gets touchy if anyone thinks she’s weak.

I try to help without her realizing by taking the trash out, cleaning the stove, and things she would have to bend down to.

‘We best run and leave them behind.’

Blue is snickering in the back of my mind. I know she is faster than most wolves, but I’m not sure about Leo as we’ve not tested that fact yet.

“Shall we test today, and see if Leo can keep up?” I ask Blue and she jumps to her feet, giddy with excitement.

Stella steps behind a tree and shifts into her wolf. Now I’ve seen this done all the time in my old pack, but I’ve never had to, yet I’ve shown no one either. Should I let them see?

‘If they are family, they can see.’

“What do you see me as?” I ask Leo, looking him right in the eye.

“You are my family now, Adira, and although we are different, we are the same. I’m a lion and you are a wolf, but we are alone, rejected and yet found each other.

You are my sister regardless that you are a wolf, the same as Stella and Troy.

Robbie is human. Family.” Leo wraps an arm around my shoulders and pulls me to his massive body and hugs me, before messing up my hair and laughing.

“I will show you something, you too Stella, but I’ve shown no one before because I don’t know how I do it.” I don’t wait for a response. I shift, maintaining my clothing, and it takes only a few seconds to complete the transformation.

Stella gasps, and Leo chuckles, which is deep and rich, something we don’t hear very often from him. “That is amazing, and there are only two packs that can do that. The Mass Mountain Pack, and The Strongbow Pack, which is no more. Are you Mass Mountain Pack?”

I shift back as we cannot mind link, but I may need to speak after this revelation.

“No. I am from The Strongbow Pack. I was saved by the Alpha of the pack I left and he farmed me out with a couple who took me to gain the monthly income they would receive. I knew nothing of this until I left the pack.”

“The Strongbow Pack is the last of the packs that hold royal blood. It was one of the reasons that jealousy and greed caused their downfall. We need to hide the fact that you are from that pack or some Alpha will want to pick you up as Luna and drag you off by your hair. Use my surname, Adira, to help keep you safe.” Leo nods to show how serious he is, and I take a sharp breath, thinking once again I’m losing who I am.

‘No. We will never lose who we are. We are protecting ourselves. We need to find out all we can before we can make plans for the future.’

“Okay, Blue. We’ll visit the library after work and find out all we can.

” I turn to Leo and give him a small smile, “Okay, Leo, I’ll use your last name of De Stormroar.

You know it’s a heck of a surname? You know Lion, roar!

” I giggle, shift and bolt into the woods, but don’t run too fast so that they both can catch up with us. Well, nearly catch up to us.

Running fast through the trees, jumping any fallen tree trunks, large branches, and latching on to the scent of a rabbit. Leo and Stella are behind, not quite able to catch us. But, over a long period, a wolf can outrun a lion, but both can reach the same speeds over a shorter distance.

Snapping up the rabbit we kill it quickly, never wanting an animal to suffer, but they are food to us, the same as other animals. The same as shifters are to the hunters who want to exterminate us.

Leo and Stella catch up and throw themselves to the ground. I pick up the rabbit and drop it at Leo’s feet, showing him how much I care by feeding him first.

Scenting another rabbit, I take off fast, leaving Stella in my wake. I get on top of my prey fast, taking it down before it must realize it’s dead. Back with Leo, I rip the rabbit apart and grab one piece for myself and leave the rest for Stella.

‘This is good fresh meat.’

I know Blue loves a fresh kill, and she earns it on a weekend after she’s been kept from shifting and running all week.

Kazi, Leo’s lion, stretches and ambles away while Stella’s wolf, Iris and Blue relax in the sun.

It’s not long before Kazi returns, dragging a wild boar along with him.

Blue chortles and Iris jumps to her feet, licks Kazi’s face before grabbing a chunk of the boar and ripping a piece free to take to one side, laying down to eat.

Kazi tears off a portion and drops it at Blue’s feet before licking her face and purring. Blue growls lovingly, which is her way of thanking him for the offering.

The afternoon is lazy and peaceful. We all lie around snoozing, enjoying each other’s company. Hearing a low guttural growl, my eyes open and flick around, but seeing nothing, I turn my head to look at Kazi.

Kazi is on his feet and looking anything but calm. He is fully alert and ready to do battle. Iris slowly stands and so does Blue. We see nothing, but Kazi isn’t happy, and shooting forward, he tears through the trees directly in front of us.

Blue takes off after him and maintains a small distance behind him. But when another lion is seen running in front of us, Kazi doubles his speed and tears into it. Blue and I stay back, watching the area so nothing can join in the fight.

The snarls and roars are deafening, and I’m not sure why Kazi reacted as he did, but I’m going with whatever reason. He’s my brother and I’ll stand firmly by his side.

‘Lion has a slight scent of Kazi.’

“Do you think he’s family, Blue?”

‘Could be, or could be old pride.’

The fight stops, and the lion is dead. Kazi stands over the corpse, throwing his head back and roars. Shifting back, I turn now. Leo is standing naked; I don’t want to see his tackle, that’s for sure.

Stella giggles, “You’re such a prude.”

Now, she’s standing naked. “For goodness’ sake, I don’t want to see his manly bit or your bits.”

Leo walks away and a few minutes later returns wearing a pair of shorts and a tee shirt, with another set which he hands to Stella. I’m not even going to bother asking where he got it from, as I’m too busy looking at this lion shifter, who has shifted back to his human form.

“Who was it?” I ask, kneeling on one knee while I feel for a pulse.

“An old enemy from the pride. I’ve scented him a few times lately, but I wasn’t going to let him go back to the pride and report where I am.”

“Okay, shall we bury him? Leave no evidence?” I ask, and again Stella giggles.

“Adira, I thought you were so sweet, but you’re a body snatcher.”

“Shut up, shift and get digging.” I can’t stop the smile that crosses my face, mind you. Stella throws the clothes onto the ground and shifts once more.

Blue, Kazi and Iris all dig until we have a hole large enough to roll the body into, then throw the earth back on top. We are all hot, sticky, and very dirty.

“Shall we stop at the river and get rid of his stench? We don’t want anyone in Huntsville getting a whiff of that shifter,” Stella asks, and we can’t help but agree.

After splashing each other, and cleaning up in the river, we make our way back into Huntsville, making sure we show no sign that anything was off.

I get to the Tavern with Leo and Robbie, for a meal and a drink, something we’ve been doing once a week.

Usually Saturday as we work Monday through to Friday, and on every Sunday I try to rest ready for the new week starting.

I have been spending four evenings a week researching packs, laws, and the evolution of the Elder Council.

There is nothing much about the bloodlines of any royals, and I’m not bothered about it because I’m happy where I am, and with the people I have around me.

I will keep looking at any disputes and wars, because I want to know why my pack was decimated, and was I the only one who survived.

Walking to The Tavern I hear my name and turning I see Robbie running to catch up to me. I stop walking and wait for him, and we quickly make our way to eat because it turns out we are both more than a little hungry.

Leo is quickly inside and orders a jug of brew. Robbie pulls out a seat for me and I take my place at the table, giving Leo a long look. “You okay, Leo?” I ask.

“Yeah, I think I need a good night's rest. It’s been a long week, and I’ve worked hard. You lot only work half as hard as I do.” Grinning, Leo sets the tone of joking for the evening, and I can see he is still somewhat upset with what happened, but he’s not allowing it to surface.

Robbie heads to the restroom, and I grab Leo’s hand, leaning close and whispering, “Are you okay? Can I do anything?”

“I’m okay. I’ll tell you all about it one day. Maybe the day you tell me all about your reason for being here.”

I lean my head on his shoulder and whisper again. “I will do that, Leo, but it will have to be while we are in the woods, where it’s quiet and we won’t be overheard.”

Robbie rushes back to us and looks serious. “I just overheard a bit of gossip. Seems the Elder Council is looking for a she-wolf, one that has left her pack and disappeared. The Alpha of that pack is saying he does not know why she left, but gossip says different.”

My stomach rolls and I give Leo a side-eye and he gives the slightest of head shakes, letting me know to remain quiet. He changes the subject too, so nobody overhears us even speaking on the topic.

“I’m looking for a house to rent. Do either of you know of one?”

Leo looks at me and grins. “How do you fancy renting something big enough for you, me, Robbie here, and maybe Stella?”

“Well, I don’t know because I don’t earn that much. I can’t afford a mansion.”

“Silly little wolf, we would all pay for the rent and utilities, but we would be under one roof. Make a proper family, watch over each other. Protect each other.” Leo is giving me another serious look, and it seems he has the idea it’s me the council is looking for.

“Okay, let’s see about it next week.”

That is how I see myself leaving Joyce’s B&B and living in a rambling farmhouse, with six bedrooms, four bathrooms, and too many other rooms to mention, including a library, which happens to be stocked.