The Alpha Shifter

Chapter 7 - Ari

My heart was pounding in my chest, my breathing uneven. What was happening to me? My jaguar was ready to leap out and chase after that man in the street. Something was wrong, I shouldn't be feeling this way. My heart constricted, like it too knew I was missing something I didn't even have.

I had finished shopping for supplies, but my mind kept wandering off, thinking of the man with the softest brown eyes I'd ever seen. I was walking out with my trolly full of supplies, but what I hadn't realised sooner was that I couldn't shift and carry them back. There was too much, and I didn't have a vehicle.

I decided to mind-link Keil, knowing he'd probably laugh at me. Keeeeil, I'm an idiot.

How so little sister? What've you done this time?

I might've forgotten to bring the car with me. Please be an angel and bring it round will you?

Ari my dear little sister, I am a panther not an angel.

I'm not an idiot Keil, just bring it round will you?

Of course, anything for my little sister. I could picture him smiling in my mind, looking all mischievous with his black hair hanging over his hazel eyes.

I rolled my eyes knowing he wouldn't see it, and sat down on the nearest bench holding onto the trolley to make sure it didn't roll away.

It probably hadn't even been five minutes since I'd mind-linked Keil when I saw the same man from before walking out of a clothing store with a bag in tow.

I couldn't help but stare at him, he was pretty toned, his brown hair not too short, but not too long either. Like the the perfect amount to run your fingers through.

I slapped my hand against my forehead. What the hell was I thinking about? This man was complete stranger to me, and I was thinning about running my fingers through his soft looking brown hair.

He hadn't noticed me yet and I decided not to risk it. The jaguar within me was ready to pounce on the man, to claim him.

I had a sudden urge to go over to him and introduce myself, but I refused. I made my way with the trolley in tow to the parking lot where I waited for Keil to arrive with the car.

No sooner had I made my way to the parking lot had Keil made an appearance in the pack house jeep.

I loaded everything onto the jeep while Keil waited patiently in the drivers seat. Sitting in the passenger seat, Keil could tell something was bothering me. "Ari? Are you okay? What's wrong? What's happened?" I took a minute before I could talk. My heart felt heavy, the weight of it astounded me. I didn't know what was happening to me. "Keil, please... Just drive will you?" He asked no further question until we made our way onto the main road that lead to the pack house.

"Ari? Are you gonna tell me what's wrong?" I didn't know how to answer him. How could one man make me feel like I'd lost something that was never mine to begin with?

I composed myself, looking straight ahead at our surroundings taking in all the greenery. I knew if I looked at Keil he would definitely know then that something was wrong. That something was bothering me. That something had happened in the short time I was gone. I felt like I couldn't breathe, like the interior of the car was closing in on me. I closed my eyes, taking in deep steady breaths.

My jaguar was clawing from within me, raging at the decision I'd made to turn away from the man.

Keil glanced at me with worried eyes. He knew. He definitely knew something was wrong now.

"What happened Ari?" The happiness I'd seen when I'd entered the jeep had left his eyes.

His grip on the steering wheel had tightened, he was clearly angry, I could see it in his eyes. I wasn't telling him what had happened, but I wasn't ready. I didn't know what had exactly happened myself. I needed to talk to the pack doctor, see what was wrong with me. I wouldn't be fit to lead if I couldn't even look after myself.

I reached over to ruffle his hair, but he purposely moved his head to the side and out of my reach, staring on at the road ahead. My arm was in mid air, and I let if slowly drop to my lap. It felt like a slap to the face, and I couldn't remember for the life of me the last time he'd been this upset at me. If I was hurting, I knew he must be hurting too, we'd always been close. Shared things with each other that we shared with no one else. That's what siblings did, they looked after each other, made sure the other was alright.

"Please don't be upset at me." I didn't want Keil to be mad at me, I loved him too much for him to be upset at me. He was my big brother, but there were some things that I couldn't tell him, or at least not yet.

He glanced at me for a second, his hazel eyes softening just a fraction, but I knew it was enough. "I'm not upset at you Ari. I'm upset at my self. I mean, how am I supposed to help you if you don't tell me what's wrong? Ari, you're like family to me, and I swear if anything ever happened to you... I wouldn't know what to do."

I didn't really know what to say, he looked torn. "Keil..."

"Ari I want to help you, you're my little sister. I can't do that if you won't tell me what's wrong."

We were almost home, back to our pack, my family.

"I know, and I'm sorry. I just need to sort some things out, and we'll talk okay?" He nodded solemnly.

The rest of the drive was quiet, and I was grateful he was giving me some space.

We had finally arrive at the pack house, and before the jeep had even stopped I hopped out walking briskly to the infirmary.

I knocked on the door waiting patiently outside when I heard the muffled voice of the pack doctor say, "Come in."

I entered the infirmary and seated myself on one of the beds. "What brings you here Alpha?" Luke smiled warmly at me and made his way over to the bed I was seated on.

"Hey Luke," I couldn't help but return his smile. "This isn't just a friendly visit... There's something wrong with me, and I'd be most grateful if you could help me figure out what it was." He nodded in understanding, his eyes scanning to check for any visible injuries. "Don't worry, I'm not physically hurt Luke." He nodded again, listening.

"Then what seems to be the problem Alpha? From my quick inspection you look perfectly healthy."

I clenched my hands together in my lap. "It's more of something that happened to me on my outing..." Luke busied himself doing a basic checkup on me anyway, and nodded every now and then to indicate he was still listening.

"Continue please." He smiled warmly at me while shining a small torch light in both of my eyes.

"It was the strangest thing Luke. At first my jaguar was all jittery, and I had no idea why. Then lost in deep thought, I happened to stumble upon a man. The jaguar within me was practically leaping and prowling at the contact his hands had on my shoulders. It was rather odd." He nodded again in understanding, his eyes glittering with some form of knowledge he had yet to share with me. "It was strange Luke. Where his hands had met my shoulders, it was like a rupture of tingles had appeared across my skin, igniting something foreign within me." I placed my head in my hands for a moment before I looked up to Luke. "I walked away from him without saying anything or turning back, but my jaguar was furious with me, wanting to shift and run back to the man." I searched the pack doctors face for any clues, but he wasn't giving anything away apart from the warm smile on his face, and the small glint in his eye. "What's wrong with me?" I looked pleadingly at him hoping he'd know how to cure me of this.

Luke sat down beside me, still smiling warmly at me, "There is nothing wrong with you Alpha, nothing at all. I'm rather surprised you haven't figured out why you're feeling the way you are."

I stared questioningly at him. There was nothing wrong with me? Then why was I feeling like this? It wasn't normal, was it?

The smile on Luke's face had grown, the words pouring out of his mouth next shocking me. "Alpha, you have simply found your mate."