Madisyn nodded. “Yep. She and her aunt came here six months ago.”
Jaime cocked her head. “Why?”
Madisyn smiled wanly. “That’s really their story to tell. All I’ll say is that her aunt discovered the pack wasn’t safe for Cady and so she took her away. They’re in hiding at the moment. But Makenna’s in the process of rehoming them.”
Dawn stopped at a door, pulled out a set of keys, and unlocked it. “This is one of the private family rooms. It’s not being used right now.”
She opened the door, revealing a very basic room that contained two sets of bunk beds, a cot, and a lockable wardrobe. Although it was clean and bright, Ryan still found it to be a sad sight. Maybe it was the cot. The idea that a baby would be without a pack or home . . . It wasn’t right.
As Dawn shut and locked the door, Taryn spoke. “Are all the loners here in hiding?”
“No.” Dawn led them farther down the hallway, passing more doors Ryan guessed were also private rooms. “Many are homeless. Some are runaways. Some have been cast out after losing a duel or something similar. And others feel lost after their mate died and just can’t function. It’s possible to find some lone children wandering the streets, sad to say. Social Services often brings lone children here, just as they brought Makenna and Madisyn.”
That almost brought Ryan up short. It hadn’t occurred to him that she would have grown up here. What pack would cast out a pup? Just the very idea made his blood boil. It was practically a death sentence. He couldn’t imagine that a pup could have committed a crime that led to a banishment. Maybe she hadn’t been banished; maybe she’d run away from some sort of abuse. His wolf growled at the thought. The animal’s protective streak had shot to life at the sight of Remy threatening her, and it wasn’t easing.
“The girls became friends quickly,” added Dawn.
Makenna nodded. “Madisyn taught me how to make fire without matches or a lighter.”
The feline smiled brightly. “And she taught me empathy.”
Chuckling, Dawn rounded the corner. “You were both thick as thieves. Always sneaking out to the local hangouts for teenage shifters.” She smiled at Taryn. “They’re so good at sneaking, I wouldn’t have even known they’d left the building if they didn’t always come back covered in bruises after scrapping with the other teens.”
“We went there in peace,” claimed Madisyn. “There wouldn’t have been any fighting if they hadn’t targeted us for being loners.”
“Yes, well, you both quickly earned a reputation for being crazy. Of course, the teens couldn’t complain to their Alphas about you because these hangouts were secret. Their Alphas would have tanned their hides if they knew the juveniles were sneaking out.” Dawn stopped and pushed open a door on their left. “This is the cafeteria.”
To Ryan, it looked like a typical school cafeteria with all the plastic tables and chairs. People sat around, talking and drinking coffee. They nodded at Dawn, Madisyn, and Makenna, but the sight of Ryan and his pack mates made them stiffen. Ryan realized that Makenna had been correct in what she’d said to Remy: loners would never go to a shelter for sanctuary if it were ruled by a pack. They didn’t trust strangers one bit.
As they continued walking down another hallway, Taryn sidled up to Dawn. “Are there any other shelters for loners?”
“Not many, which is unfortunate because the lone shifter lifestyle is a growing problem. There’s only one other shelter in California.”
Dante abruptly stopped, his gaze on something outside. “There are tents out there.”
Ryan looked out of the window, and, sure enough, dome-shaped tents were scattered around the land. Only the children’s outdoor play area was clear of them. More children played out there, supervised by a number of adults.
“Some prefer to sleep outside,” Dawn informed the Beta male. “Sleeping outside allows mated couples to stay together at night. And there are some people who feel safer sleeping in their animal form, so they choose to stay in a tent or sleep on the surrounding land.”
“Do you ever have to turn people away?” Jaime asked as they began walking again.
“Rarely. In emergency situations, we accommodate more by folding up the tables and chairs in the cafeteria at night and setting out some mats and blankets. It’s not ideal, but the alternative is sleeping outside in a box or under a bridge. They’re just grateful to be warm and safe. Especially the little ones.”
Jaime threaded her fingers through her mate’s, as if needing his touch for comfort at the idea of children in such need. “What’s the average length of stay for residents?”
“Most don’t stay long,” replied Dawn. “Makenna does her best to get them a place somewhere. If they have relatives they trust, she tracks them down and the relatives then often take them in. There are some Alphas that are willing to foster or adopt loners, even if they’re unrelated, so that helps.
“However, some want to remain loners. In those cases, I do my best to get them whatever education, therapy, or support they need to find a home of their own and fit into the human community. In the meantime, I ensure they have a bed, showers, meals, a place to do their laundry, and somewhere to store their belongings. When you’re homeless, the simple matter of toilet paper is a luxury.”
“I’ll bet some don’t want to leave,” wagered Dante.