In This Life And The Next ✔️

Chapter 29: Mother Of All Mates

I looked at my mother to see she was holding Zander's hand, her face full of fear.

Something warm touched my hand and I realized it was Alex squeezing my hand in reassurance. And sure enough, my heart calmed down and I didn't seem to scared that a wolf was standing a few inches in front of me.

I knew I shouldn't be afraid but I felt a difference with Alex's wolf and a difference with Jen's wolf. I felt safer with Alex. I squeezed his hand back, I always felt safer with him.

Jen looked at me before running behind a tree. I heard a few bones popping and cracking, then some shuffling and then Jen came back out with a new t-shirt and a pair of shorts.

"Did you see how I did it?" She asked me with curiosity.

"Uh, kind of? How did you do it so painlessly?! I asked amazed. "Every time I shift it's always like I'm shifting for the first time." I scratched my head when I heard a couple of gasps around the field.

"What?" I asked Alex, frowning.

"When's the last time you shifted?" Jen asked me.

"Um, two months ago?" I asked like it was question.

"Okay, how often?" She asked me, her eyes looking at me with concern.

"What do you mean? I've shifted maybe seven times." I told her shrugging.

"Seven times this year?!" She squeaked.

"Uh, no." She looked relieved after I said that, until I continued. "Seven times since I turned thirteen years old." I couldn't be more confused and a little embarrassed by the way everyone was looking at me.

Except for my mom, who was currently looking at Zander.

"How?" Was the only question Alex asked and I could already feel my cheeks tinged in red with embarrassment.

"What do you mean? I try to control it but the beast always wins and I end being forced into turning into one."

I then realized something that I should have realized when I noticed how comfortable Alex was in his wolf form.

They don't fight their nature. They don't think they're monsters.

Even though I knew the answer, I still had to ask. "Is it not normal to fight it?"

"It's just it's not normal to-" Alex started before I scoffed.

"So you're telling me that I turn into a giant furry beast but I'm still not normal to other giant furry beasts?" I threw my hands up in exasperation.

Everyone became silent while I huffed and puffed about my abnormality. When no one spoke for another minute, I threw my hands in the air again. "Well! What's wrong with me!"

"It's not that something is wrong with you it's just that you're different-" I opened my mouth to protest but Nathan continued. "-in the sense that you are slow...er."

I blinked, then laughed, my mother joining me. "No, she's not! She's very fast and very strong. I've seen it, hell I've trained it." She said proudly.

Did my mother just call me an IT?

I shook it off and listened to Matt when he started to explain. "Don't get us wrong Ariana, you're stronger and faster than the average human. But against a werewolf, you wouldn't last a minute."

"And how would you know that?" I asked, challenging.

Jen interjected with her opinion or fact or, whatever. "One, you were raised by a human, no offense Helen, and two, YOU WERE RAISED BY A HUMAN."

My mother rolled her eyes but didn't seem offended.

I on the other hand, growled lowly surprising myself.

All their questioning was pissing me off but then throwing in an insult towards my mother seemed to push me over the top.

"Listen, My mother was the only one I had and she did a hell of a job considering what I transformed into every time I lost control so don't insult her just because she's a human." I didn't realize I stepped up to Jen almost nose to nose.

Jen growled and looked at me threateningly but I didn't back down.

I could see surprise flitting across her eyes when I stepped even closer, my anger getting the best of me.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Ari, it's okay." I looked at my mother with the same glare I was showing Jen. She flinched and I immediately felt bad.

"Sorry." I told her before stepping away from Jen.

"She has an Alpha." Alex whispered under his breath.

"What?" I have an Alpha? What does that mean?

"You have an Alpha in you. How is this possible? You were born to both human parents? How did you come out as an Alpha werewolf?" He studied me making me blush.

"I think it has to do with her past life. Jennifer Gray was the next in line Alpha before she lost her wolf and died as a human. It seems as if she was born as how Jen was born. An Alpha werewolf." Aimee explained to everyone.

I had so many questions but decided I didn't want to open my mouth and create further confusion for myself.

I didn't like the way everyone was staring at me. I mean I get it, I'm some weird werewolf who doesn't know how to be a werewolf.

Wiping my face in exhaustion, I turned to everyone. "Look, I know you have a lot of questions and you want to poke and prod me because apparently I'm not normal but I am tired and would just like to be left alone." I walked into the parking lot and waited by my mother's car, pouting at the fact that I'm not normal in any species.

"Helen." I heard someone say my mother's name. They were all still in the clearing. I was glad I was hidden away from them.

"You know we can't let you go home, someone is out there trying to kill your daughter possibly you. We can't put you in danger when we can so clearly help you." Matt told her his voice sounding sincere.

Zander growled protectively. "If anyone even thinks about touching her, I'll have their head!" He threatened.

I imagined my mother blushing.

Stay here? It didn't seem like a bad idea. Besides, I was kind of scared to go home after finding out someone had been in our house.

"Maybe it will be for the best." My mother sighed. "And I know Ari seems a little hotheaded but try to understand from her perspective. I never lost hope that their were people out there like her but she never believed it. She always thought she was all alone in this world." My mother's voice broke and my eyes filled with tears.

"I never told her but she's beautiful. I was scared at first because I didn't know what was happening to my babygirl but after a year, she was the most majestic creature I knew and the way she controlled herself was incredible. I'm so proud of her." She said crying.

I wiped my eyes and took a shaky breath. I'm not alone. I told myself, thinking about Alex and his dad and a whole group of people, I mean pack, that were just like me. I knew I needed training and who's better do that then a whole pack of werewolves.

I sighed and leaned my head up against the car. I'm acting like a baby. Of course they're going to be shocked that I haven't been acting like a proper werewolf. They've been taught from the start.

I listened as my mother spoke to Alex. My mom was explaining how she understood what a mate was and what Alex was to me but that didn't mean Alex could do whatever he pleased and if he hurt me then she would cut off his balls and feed them to him. I cracked a smile because she sounded so threatening.

A branch cracked to my left and I snapped my head towards it.

I narrowed my eyes and watched as a pair of human eyes stared right back at me, looking menacing.

Then they disappeared.

I stood frozen in my spot, scared to move, until I felt a hand clamp down on my shoulder making me scream.