Hell Hounds

lan was out in the cold. Night fell. He could see the shadowed forms of the three wolves just ahead of him. They're headed towards the front property. They'd turn around at the main entrance and then circle around back towards the packhouse. The moon showed through the scattered winter clouds, giving him light. He doubted that he'd catch sight of trouble before the wolves ahead of him within this lighting. The instructions he received were correct. He'd be the ace in the hole if anything happened.

The small group stopped and returned to human form before they approached the guardhouse. No one wanted to answer the hard questions about wolves. Never mind three of them. He did marvel at the ease they possessed concerning those backpacks. Everything contained and at the ready. It was a miracle there weren't photographs of wolves with these packs. Ian figured paranoia helped these shifters avoid messes like that.

A quick check-in at the guardhouse told them. That several bear shifters arrived an hour before. It was a surprise to lan, but he figured it wasn't for the wolves. Scents and all that. He needed to remember things like that.

After getting warm, lan and his team left the guardhouse and continued towards the packhouse. Thankfully, not accepted yet, they ignored him. Meaning he could study the situation better. The wolves moved fast, but with his training and fitness level lan kept up. Rounding the bend in the drive, they're greeted by several vehicles in front of the packhouse. The people milling around in the dark appeared to comprise women and children.

That's when it hit lan. This wasn't another weird investigation. These people fled here for safety. If they were human. The world would consider it a humanitarian catastrophe. These people were seeking safety. Safety the RCMP or any other agency were unprepared for.

He could hear kids crying and a soft grumble of adults talking. Ian wondered if that's how they spoke or if they feared their voices would attract the Faes attention. From everything he'd learnt so far about these creatures. He'd not put it past them to hear things they shouldn't. Or attracted by sound.

His partners shifted again, with a few grunts and groans this time. Ian thought he heard Al's gravelly voice complain about the cold.

Mario stepped up beside lan and gave him some sage advice. "lan, watch yourself around the visitors. Some older shifters don't accept humans in their communities. These are bears, not wolves. If someone gives you a hard time. Speak up and make it clear you are a pack member as a shifter mate. It's a law put into place to protect mates. Mind what you do, though. You also make the pack responsible for your actions once you've said that."

"Good to know. Do I need to worry about getting mauled by a toddler? Dumb human here, remember?" lan felt like a fool. He'd not asked anything about wolf shifters. Their lifestyle, customs, or lifespan. He didn't remember seeing any wolf pups. But he'd not been there long.

"Na. They look like human babies. They start shifting at about eight or nine years old. Then all hell breaks loose. So you see a ten-year-old or tween with an attitude. That's the one you will need to watch." Even in the dark lan could tell Mario wasn't joking. He'd love to have a beer with Mario and hear the story behind his long-suffering expression.

"Teen hormones and shifting. The thought scares me, and I've never encountered it."

"You're a mate, that means sooner or later, you will. Okay, let's get in there and make sure none get lost. After that, back to patrol. Jay's team is taking up where we left off for the time being." Ian would admit later that Yolanda thought of everything in that plan. She'd included extra patrol groups in case of injury or need for back up. Because they were here first it would be their job to get the Bears where they needed to be. Others would meet with them and help them settle into their temporary home.

John stepped forwards and they followed him as he waded into the crowd. Standing on the stairs of the packhouse was Gregory and Aricka. Stories always speak of the aura an Alpha gave off. What lan was expecting was a dominate man, who threw their weight around. He found before him two Alpha's sizing each other up. The large stranger appeared taller than Gregory by several inches. He possessed a physique lan would describe as bearish. A thick beard covered his face. Both men seemed in protective stances. Gregory, protecting his land and people. The Bear Alpha, struggling to accept help and protection for his people.

"Leland, you made it. Any trouble?"

"We've made do. No sightings of Fae within our area. I've left people there to watch over things. With instructions to leave at the first sign things are going south." Ian could only describe Leland's voice as gravelly and bearish. How could any human not sense, or see the differences in shifters? lan watched the confrontation.

"We'll keep a mage ready if they need a portal to hasten their evacuation." Leland nodded at Gregory's response.

"I've brought our ambassadors here." A knowing look passed between the two men.

"You mean your father insisted on stepping up? I'm sure my mother would love the assistance. There's a lot on the to-do list right now. I'm sure they know the way to her office. She's barricaded in there without enough hands. She'll be grateful for more hands. Aricka, you know Leland. This is Emily, his mate. Their cubs, Marianne, and Quin. Why don't take them in and get them settled?

lan realized now Emily was pregnant with two cubs who must be twins by the looks of them. The faces now around lan appeared drawn, and not from the upheaval caused by the Fae threat. He could feel sadness too. This was not a pleasant situation.

As he stood there, watching a man come forwards request that he take what medical supplies they'd to the medical centre and he would offer his support there. Ian figured this must be their community's medical doctor.

The light overhead flickered right then. Like something transparent crossed between the moon and lan. He looked up in time to see the dragons' transformation from nothingness. He wasn't sure how to describe the sight of dragons in flight. But phasing into view one by one and then numbers. There must be twenty or more landing. How they organized their landing lan would never understand. No in air crashes or bumps. Silent except for a slight whoosh as they landed. Each one dropped something before they landed. As their feet touched down their form shimmered like the wolf shifters. When they finished there were men and women in the place of the dragons. Now lan knew why they didn't find dragon bones. Each dragon snatched up their package and ran off the landing area for the next to come in. Twenty plus dragons landed within minutes.

"I'll assume it's your first time seeing a dragon come in for a landing. Impressive, isn't it?"

"Newly mated. I've seen an eagle shifter once. But I only found out a few hours ago that dragons existed. I'm a little overwhelmed trying to catch up on what's real and what's not." The stranger beside him laughed heartily. Even their laughter sounded bearish.

"Well, mind your manners around the dragons. Most of them are older than all our ages added together. So, bear with them as they can be a little formal. I'm Berret, and this is Janine, my mate. We're Leland's parents and the Bear Ambassadors. You are?"

"Oh, sorry. I'm a little distracted. Ian. Ian Bennet. I'm mate to Yolanda Redgrave. I think it's time we help your people find a safe place to settle in for the time." Ian became distracted by so many things. We're all these Alphas rich, powerful people? Was influence something they used to keep their existence hidden? Janine gave off the feel of a rich man's first wife.

"Hmm. You're the mate of the Luna's head bodyguard?"

"And head of the armoury. Don't worry once I'm done catching up on the magic end of things. I'll work along side of her there. I've got more than enough training and experience." lan wasn't sure if Yolanda's positions impressed him or told him that lan wasn't important.

"If all Bear shifters will follow my men here. We'll get you settled into your temporary location." Gregory pointed to lan's team including himself. "Have a good evening everyone. If you need food the packhouse will have ready made food available at all hours. When you get to your site there will be a team of people there to help you with anything you need." Gregory didn't appear phased at his need to shift his attention from one group to another.

The first dragons began to approach as lan helped move the Bears on with the others. Ian nodded to Berret. "Good evening then Sir. They've given me my marching orders. I hope we'll see more of each other later." Berret nodded to him solemnly, and moved off into the packhouse.☐☐☐☐☐☐☐