The Alpha Shifter

Chapter 1 - Ari

I was crouched down in my shifted form ready to pounce on my prey. The greens of the forest hid me from view, and only the spots on my fur would give me away. That is, if you looked close enough.

I snuck forward and leapt into the air extending my claws, before my supposed prey turned and grinned at me leaping out of the way.

I huffed as I landed on my padded paws and returned to my human form, "Oh come on Keil! I almost had you that time."

"Not quite little sister." He was grinning from ear to ear and I couldn't help but do the same. His black hair hung over his hazel eyes giving him a childish look. That was to say he looked nothing like a child. His frame was built to rival the best of warriors.

"Come on, it's getting late. I'm sure the others have come back from their hunt, so lunch is bound to be ready by now." He threw some clothes at me and made sure I'd changed before he slung his arm around my shoulders pushing towards the pack house.

"Who went out hunting again?" I couldn't remember whose turn it was to hunt today. I clearly needed to be reminded.

Keil nudged me with his shoulder, "Your bear of a boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend," my lip curled of its own accord, "I just so happen to show him more affection than I do the rest of you." I grinned proud of my comment.

"Oh god, I did not need to hear that." Keil's face said it all, pure disgust was written all over it.

I snickered at the look on his face, he looked horrified as well as disgusted.

Keil had recovered from my earlier comment, "Well you know he's not your mate right?"

I looked at him in disbelief, "Of course I know he's not my mate. I'm sure I would've known, or my instincts would've taken over. But for all I know my mate could be dead, or with another chick..." He looked at me incredulously, "Ari, you're practically with another guy, and I'm sure your mate's not dead. If he was you probably would've felt it."

"Ah ha I'm sure I would have, but for now I'm just gonna play it cool. After all, I am the Alpha aren't I?" I winked at him and entered the pack house.

The pack house was full of shifters, even ones we'd just recently taken in. This place was like a safe-haven for all shifters. Here, everyone was family, and we all looked out for each other.

The dining room was especially packed, with everyone trying to find their place at the long table and taking their seats. As I entered the room, everyone froze and greeted me in unison. "Alpha!" Some bowing their heads and others greeting me with a smile.

There was feast spread out on the table, and I wasn't informed of a special occasion. Well usually there was a feast to feed so many mouths, but today it seemed like there was more.

I gave a questioning look to my older brother Kiel, but he only shrugged his shoulders and bore a wide grin on his face.

My pack showed me the respect an Alpha deserved, they were all standing and would remain to do so until I had taken my seat at the head of the table.

I greeted every shifter I walked past with a smile or a small greeting, with Kiel right behind me doing the same thing. Kiel was my Beta, he could've been Alpha but it seemed he didn't want that position.

I reached the head of the table and stared out at my pack. I felt like a proud mother, well in a way I was a mother. I was the head of this pack, and I'd protect them all with my life.

My smile turned into a grin at the thought of that, and I gestured my hands to indicate they could all sit down and eat.

***

We were all in the middle of eating when a messenger came bursting through the doors. "Alpha! There are wolves near our borders, and it seems they're hunting a shifter. The shifter is young, maybe six or seven years of age."

I burst out of my seat with everyone else doing the same. "NO. I only need a handful of you for this." I looked towards Kiel, "You have to stay here and protect the pack in my absence. No one leaves the premises until I return." They all bowed their heads respectively, but I could see Kiel clenching his jaw, he wanted to help.

I leapt out of the pack house shifting into my jaguar form mind-linking the messenger. Lead the way.

He nodded his foxy head and darted into the woods, I followed in pursuit with four of my best warriors. Two being lionesses, the other being a tiger, and the next a leopard.

It only took us a couple of minutes to reach the borders of my territory in our shifted forms. My ears perked up, listening for any hint of anything in the now darkening forest. The nights were colder than it was in the day. But it didn't matter if it was getting darker, my feline eyes could see just as well in the day as they could at night. That's much more than I can say for the wolves. They deem themselves above us, and yet we were better equiped than they were it seemed, in almost every way.

My ears twitched listening for any sounds of wolves. The night seemed completely silent, that was until I heard the sounds of a cougar. A child. I guttural growl erupted from my throat as I darted further into the forest searching for the young shifter. I was going to tear heads if they so much as laid a scratch on the child.

We stumbled upon a clearing, the cougar child was backed up against a tree growling, surrounded by four wolves, who were all yipping with glee.

Split up and surround them, and on my command we attack. Our small hunting group split up using the cover of the forest to hide from sight. If the stupid mutts used their senses they might be able to smell our scent.

I crouched low in a bush and just when one of the wolves leaped at the small cougar, I leaped from my position and through the mind-link I commanded them to attack. Now!

I landed on the grey wolfs back, extending my claws and digging them into his furry body. I growled a mighty roar which had birds fleeing from the trees above. The wolf below me bucked and gave a small yip and whimpered as my claws slid down its back as I slid off. My form towered over the small wolf. I leaped at the wolf once again, as he tried to dodge, but failed as my teeth caught hold of his rear leg. I clamped my jaws down and snapped the bone between my teeth. The wolf gave a howl of agony before it recovered and tried to use its teeth to snap at my legs. I only growled and sliced at the wolfs face leaving claw marks in its stead.

The grey wolf was now under me baring its neck in submission, whimpering as it did so. I heard the growl of one of my hunters which dragged my attention from the grey wolf to one of my lionesses. The wolf she was battling was larger than she was, towering over her. I growled. A decision needed to be made. I could either go help her and let this wolf go limping back to its pack, or finish him off. I decided to let the mutt go and went to aid the lioness. I circled around the larger wolf so that his back was to me. Using my hind legs I leaped off the ground and onto its back gripping its thick fur between my claws, using momentum to roll the wolf over so that he was pinned beneath my claws. I bared my teeth growling low in my throat. The wolf tried to buck me off him, but I refused to budge. The wolf growled in return refusing to submit. I refused to be disrespected by a mutt, so I dig my claws into his chest and clamped my jaws around his neck ending his life in a one swift movement.

I made my over to the small cub and licked him, showing him we weren't a threat, but also love and protection. He gave a small growl and cuddled up to me.

I was covered in the blood of wolves and growled low in my throat at our small victory. My hunters growled back in response to my own. All the wolves had been killed. The only one left alive was the limping grey wolf. And I was sure that he would go back to tell his Alpha.

Licking the cub once more I moved to carry him between my teeth. Taking the lead, we headed back to the pack house leaving the mangled bodies of the wolves behind.