Page 4 of Amira

“She’s mine,” he snarled, his gaze raking around the area as he turned in a circle twice, before stopping to glare at her. “I claimed her. She had my cub. She’s mine!”

Amira wrinkled her nose at the stench from the lie that filled the air, shaking her head in disgust. She was done playing. “The only thing you just said that was the truth, was the fact that she had your child. But, you were still wrong there. You see, I have a very sensitive nose and can scent things few others can. Even the animal that is inside Amanda’s baby girl. The little one is an owlet, not a cub.”

When the alpha let out a strangled, high-pitched howl of denial, Amira moved quickly, closing the gap between them and sinking her sai into the base of his neck. His eyes widened, and he reached for her, but he was too late. She removed the weapon, and then slammed it deep into his heart, before yanking it out again, wiping it on his jeans, and taking a step back.

Let’s ash the bastard and get out of here. That girl needs to go home to her family. I don’t care what she thinks, they will accept her.

Yes, Amira agreed, her eyes raking over the dead hyena in front of her. They will accepther and her daughter both. It’s what family does.

Not that she would really know. She didn’t have a family, hadn’t since she was sixteen years old, but from what she remembered, that was what family did. Care, accept, and love the ones in their family circle.

After burning the body and making sure there was no trace of Richard Davis ever being there, Amira made her way back inside the cabin, surprised to find Amanda still in the corner, but now standing, clutching her baby to her chest.

“He’s gone?”

“Yes, sweet owl, you are free.”

“Dead?”

Amira nodded, opening the door wide. “Let’s get you and Haley home to your family.”

“What if they deny us?”

“They won’t.”

“But, if they do?”

“Then we will cross that bridge when we come to it,” Amira said softly.

Hope began to seep into the avian shifter’s eyes, and she swallowed hard before saying, “Thank you, Amira. For saving us. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

“You would have survived,” Amira replied, a gentle smile on her lips. “For your daughter.” Stepping back, she motioned toward the door. “Let’s get you home.”

Amira had just closed the door to her silver Chevy Silverado, shutting Amanda and Haley safely inside, when her phone began to vibrate in her pocket. Her brow furrowing, she fished it out and answered as she rounded the front of the vehicle. There was only one person who had her number, and he never called her after giving her a job to do. He knew she would contact him when it was completed.

“What is it, Colton?”

“I need you in Colorado as soon as possible, Amira.”

“What’s wrong?”

“One of my Enforcer’s pride has been hit. Four were killed, and the beta has been taken.”

Amira stiffened, her hand on the door handle. “Colton, you know I work alone.”

“Please, Amira, we need you.” It was Katia, Colton’s wife. The snowy owl shifter had always been kind to Amira, going out of her way to make her feel welcome at their ranch in Montana when Amira had no choice but to go there. She was gentle and loving, and cared about everyone with her whole heart. “I know you don’t like to be around others. And I know it is because as a female dragon, you feel you need to keep your existence a secret, but that is one of the reasons we need you on this.”

Not once had Colton or Katia brought up the reason Amira stayed away from others. She could hear the nervousness in Katia’s voice, but also the resolve. They wouldn’t have contacted her if they didn’t need her, and they weren’t going to give up until she agreed to go to Colorado.

“Why me?”

“Because,” Colton said quietly, “you aren’t my only female dragon Enforcer, Amira.”

“What?” she asked in shock. As far as she knew, there weren’t many more of her kind left. The ones who were out there stayed hidden as much as possible, to avoid being taken by a male dragon and forced into having babies with them, because only a dragoness could give them dragon children.

“Karma Annesley, her sister Evalena, and her cousin Alayla are all dragons who work for me. Karma is mated to Zev Abernathy. He’s the alpha of the pride in Colorado.” Colton hesitated a moment. “Look, Amira, I know you work alone. I get that. But, these women are family to me. Evalena is mated to my cousin, Draco, and they have a little girl. She is insisting on going to the pride to help her sister, and so is Alayla, who is now three months pregnant. I need you there. They’ll accept you a lot easier than they would anyone else I could send.”

“Not only that,” Katia interjected, “but we trust you to keep them safe, Amira.”

Amira closed her eyes and took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been around more than a handful of people at a time. She’d been alone for so long, she really didn’t know how to play well with others for an extended period of time.

“Please, Amira,” Katia whispered. “I can’t lose any of them.”

Her grip tightening on her cell, Amira caved, just like she knew she would when the call first started. “Text me Karma’s address. I am just finishing up here, and then I will head that way. Let them know I am coming, and I will be there by tomorrow afternoon.”

“Thank you so much, Amira!” Katia said, and Amira could hear the tears in her voice. “You don’t know what this means to us.”

Amira opened the truck door and slid into the seat, giving Amanda a small smile. “Get me the address, and I will be there.” She was getting ready to hang up, when something Colton mentioned before came back to her. “Wait, you said the pride beta was taken?”

“Yes. Rylan Baker. He became the beta when Zev took over the pride last year. Good beta, even better man. Became a single father to his best friend’s children after he and his wife were killed in a car accident, not too long after he took the beta position.”

“The children?” Were they still alive after the attack? She couldn’t voice the question out loud. She’d always had soft spot for children, even though she didn’t think she would ever be blessed with any of her own. Not with the life she led.

“They are with Rylan’s parents right now, but it isn’t good. The boy was hurt when trying to get to Rylan after he went down and was captured. The little girl won’t leave his side.”

“What are their names?”

“Walker and Willow. Walker is nine and Willow just turned seven.”

Amira slid her seatbelt on and then put the truck in drive. “Text me the address.”

“Amira!” Katia cried out.

“Yes?”

“Thanks again for doing this for us. We owe you.”

“You owe me nothing,” Amira said quietly before ending the call. Colton and Katia were the closest thing she had to friends. If they needed her, she would be there. Period.

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