White Tiger (Book 1 in the White Tiger Trilogy)

Chapter 3- The Pack

Pic of Willow>>>

"White Tiger"

2012 Copyright © All Rights Reserved.

Stryder Sweetman.

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Chapter 3

      

I had caught my reflection in the car’s windows, and was shocked to notice that the shift had affected my natural appearance. My silver hair now had natural black streaks.

I turned to show my bewildered look to my best friends. They wore matching smirks as Willow winked.

I shifted into a strapless red dress which fit my curves perfectly; it flared out at the waist and ended at my knees. I paired the dress with black heels and smoky eye makeup.

I followed the two of them as they walked across the small, trimmed lawn. A few pack members loitered around, not sparing me a glance as they carried on with their business. Willow pushed open the big wooden door and held it open for us to enter. I followed Ani inside and took in the interior design.

The floor was black marble and the walls were a creamy white. There were two white staircases with golden railings leading off in opposite directions and black doors every few metres, leading off into rooms.

I could smell many different scents, some were human, but most scents were tinged with the scent of a shifter. The scents were overwhelming, I hadn’t been in a public place since my first shift, and it was a shock to smell so many different human scents.

The two of them led me toward a door at the end of the corridor, pushing it open for me to walk through. I followed them outside to see a large backyard with a tall black stage attached to the side of the house. There were about 300 shifters and humans crowded at the bottom of the stage. I heard several wolf whistles and cat calls as I entered the yard.

As I looked around the crowd, I was shocked to see that I recognised some of the people in the crowd.

There were teachers and students from St Maxis High, cashiers from the Wal-Mart, waitresses from local cafes, and hairdressers from the shopping centre.

A middle-aged blonde man stood by the steps next to the stage, a pretty brunette by his side. Willow nudged me and muttered, “That’s Marc and Sher, the current Alphas.”

I nodded and turned to face them with a soft smile on my face. “Welcome to my pack house, Benina!” Marc grinned, walking the few metres toward us, Sher trailing behind.  “I am Alpha Marc, and this is my mate, Luna Sher.” Pride clearly showed in his voice as the gazed lovingly at his mate.

“It’s nice to meet you.” I politely stated, “I am not sure how any of this works, so you will have to explain this all to me, sorry.” I blushed, looking down.

He smiled softly as his mate explained, her soft feminine voice full of kindness. “We will need to introduce you and see your Primary Shift before we initiate you into the pack." She explained.

She smiled at Marc and tugged on his hand as she climbed up the steps and on to the stage. They stood in front of the podium and Marc looked at me expectantly. I quickly climbed on to the stage after them, my head down, a blush forming on my cheeks as the crowd grew silent.

I watched as Willow and Ani disappeared into the crowd to observe the initiation.

Marc took a deep breath and began to speak, "Good evening everybody!" His voice boomed into the crowd, “Today I am initiating a new shifter into the pack. Benina, please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about you.”

He stepped away from the microphone and motioned for me to stand behind the podium to speak. “Ok then...” I mumbled, shuffling toward the microphone. “Hi, I'm Benina May Friscon, but I prefer Ben. I don't know who my parents are because I became an orphan at 11 months. Today I shifted for the first time, and learnt a lot of stuff about how it all works, forgive me if I have no clue what you are talking about half of the time- I didn’t learn everything…”

I blushed and stepped back, waiting for what was next. Alpha Marc stepped forward to the podium so that he was facing me, but speaking into the microphone.

 "Do you, Benina May Friscon, accept this pack, it's members, our way of life and our laws?" He asked in a low voice.

I found Willow and Stephani in the crowd and gave them a nervous smile, "Uh, yes." I answered.

"Do you pledge to join the pack and always be truthful, fair and considerate?"

"Yes."

"Benina May Friscon, change into your primary shift, your true form, and bond yourself with this pack." He commanded.

I felt the command flow through me and I gasped as I felt glowing warmth filling me. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the light I could feel building inside me. Energy filled my veins, and I felt wonderful as I felt the change take over me. A flash of light blinded me as I opened my eyes, the light filling the clearing.

I felt a relaxing sensation on my back, like a warm massage. A purr rippled through my chest as I flexed my muscles under the sensation.

I heard a wave of gasps and shocked cries from the crowd, and I turned to see them staring at me with unbelieving eyes.

I was entirely confused as to why they were staring. I turned to Alpha Marc for help, only to see him with the same dumbfounded expression on his face as the rest of the crowd.

I looked back toward the crowd, searching for my friends. I was upset to see the bewildered expressions on their faces also.

I was starting to get irritated by their lack of movement, confused and frightened by their penetrating stares. It was my turn to be shocked when one by one, the people in the crowd began to bow.

"Welcome, Alpha Benina!" A few pack members called.

Alpha? I don’t get it. I thought.

Ani spoke up, the bewilderment still clear on her face. “Uh, Benina- Alpha Benina, let me explain...”

I nodded my head and sat down, waiting for her explanation as to why I suddenly had a title. I felt a little heavier as I sat, but ignored it because there were more important things going on than my Primary Shift getting fat.

Hey! The voice from earlier hissed.

“Alpha Ben, the reason we are shocked…”  Ani gulped, rubbing the back of her neck as her voice echoed through the silent clearing, “Your Primary Shift… It’s a White Tiger... And it has wings.”

I sat there for a moment, processing what she had just said. My mind was unable to comprehend as I blankly stared at her. I was done with surprises.

I snapped out of it and remembered the relaxing sensation on my back before had to have been the appearance of my wings.

I turned my head to the right, and sure enough, a large, smooth, white wing was stretched out, lightly resting in the air.

Right.

“Alpha, your Primary Shift is the form only Tigenres can have.” Ani continued her explanation and my head snapped up so I could meet her eyes, “Tigenre is the oldest shifter bloodline known. Usually they gain their wings at 18 years old... When a Tigenre gains the wings early, it shows that the shifter is even more powerful than an average Tigenre, and they’re pretty powerful. No Tigenre has ever gained their wings the day they shifted for the first time...” A saddened expression crossed her face, “And all other Tigenres are dead, along with most other original bloodlines. Ben, this makes you the most powerful shifter in existence."

“Great,” I muttered, “just great.”