The Alphas Fated Mate

The Doctor Knows

Liam couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the man in front of him. He just stared, not moving for what felt like forever. Then, he finally let himself change. His furry shifter skin went back to normal, and the man didn't seem surprised at all. It was like seeing a shifter turn into a human was no big deal for him, maybe because of the strange things happening lately.

Liam's voice was rough from being quiet so long, but he managed to grumble, "How do you know?"

The man uncrossed his arms and brought a small doctor's stool closer, ready to explain. "We used to have a shifter living here a long time ago. She taught me a bit about your kindness. So, why are you here?"

Liam paused, sizing up the man's honesty. He didn't have to share everything just yet. He walked to the tiny sink, snatched a cup, filled it with cold water, and gulped it down before saying, "I just needed a break from my wolf pack. It's like something drew me here."

"How are your pack members handling things without their Alpha?"

It seemed the lady Wolf had told an outsider too much. Liam replied, "Yeah, I'm the Alpha. I haven't been in charge for long, but last I heard, they're doing alright. Why did that she-wolf spill so much about us?"

The man picked his words carefully and said, "I can't share that story, but we used to be friends." It meant they weren't friends anymore.

Liam's curiosity grew, and he asked, "Who can share the story then?"

The man asked back, "Why do you want to know?"

Liam thought for a moment and admitted, "I'm not sure, but it feels important."

The man looked at him closely, then agreed, "Maybe Brian can tell you the story if he thinks it's necessary. But first, we need to understand why you want to know about Aria." Liam wondered why people in this town weren't afraid to question him, the Alpha.

Respectfully, Liam said, "Sir, I think she should know what I want to say before I tell you."

The man looked worried about Aria but didn't want to give up. "You believe she's the one for you!" he stated angrily, even though he seemed kind.

Liam stared back at him firmly, saying, "I'm not just thinking it. I'm sure she's the one for me. Your friend probably explained how a mating works."

The man admitted, "She explained a bit."

Liam, using his authority as the Alpha, stressed the importance of the situation, saying, "You must understand, you can't come between a wolf and his mate!"

The man moved his stool closer to the door, as if to show he wasn't causing trouble. "Hey, don't worry. I'm not here to mess with your relationship. I just want to make sure Aria stays safe."

Liam nodded, showing he understood. "I get it. I'd do anything to protect her."

Curious, the man asked, "When are you planning to tell her?"

Liam sighed, his voice losing its authoritative tone. "I don't know. Any advice?"

The man offered some advice, "Well, maybe spill the beans before Brian spills them for you. He's not great at keeping secrets, especially when they're this good." His expression softened as he talked about Aria. "Aria's like a daughter to me, Liam. I just want to see her happy. I hope she takes the truth well coming from you."

Liam thought about it. He realized that Aria and him had a special connection through something called the Bond, even if she didn't know it yet. He hoped that once she found out the truth about shifters like him, she would understand that they were meant to be together.

The man gave Liam some advice, saying, "You should turn back into your regular self so I can take you to Aria, unless you want to tell her the truth right now."

Liam considered it, but he decided, "I think Aria needs to see me transform with her own eyes, and I'm not sure if she's ready for that. So, I'll wait."

The man agreed, saying, "You're probably right. But don't underestimate her; she's been through a lot in her life, and I believe she can handle this just fine."

Liam gave a little nod, showing he understood, and then he changed back into his wolf shape. Mr. Harris guided him out of the room and into the lobby. Luckily, the girls had gone out for lunch, and Mr. Harris said they were likely eating at the park nearby. With Mr. Harris beside him, Liam headed to their favorite spot in the park, a sunny stone picnic table by a little stream.

Aria was sitting on the table, her back to them, enjoying the sunlight. Bon talked about a party by the lake, but Aria didn't seem very interested, even though she tried to be polite. Liam could tell she didn't want to go back to the lake, where she had memories of her dad. Even though she liked hanging out with Bon and other friends, she was unsure about going back to that place.

Liam stopped for a moment to watch her from a distance. Meanwhile, Mr. Harris went over and sat down with Aria. Aria noticed Liam and ran over to give him a warm hug. She looked at his paw, which had already healed, and asked Mr. Harris, "Is his paw all better now?"

Mr. Harris munched on a french fry and said, "You did great helping last night."

Aria looked unsure, "I thought he might need stitches."

Mr. Harris tried to explain, "It was late, and you were tired. It can make things seem worse."

Aria glanced at Mr. Harris and Liam, feeling like something was wrong but deciding not to ask more questions.

****************************************************************************

Aria did her best to pay attention to Bon's excited talk about the upcoming lake party. While she made lunch for Liam, her mind was busy with questions about how Liam's injured paw had healed so fast and why Mr. Harris acted like it wasn't a big deal. Even though she had been feeling emotionally numb for the past year, she hadn't lost her ability to think things through. Her suspicions grew when Mr. Harris, who had been like a second dad to her, kept looking back and forth between Liam and her, as if he was waiting for something unexpected.

"Blu, are you coming to the party?" Bon asked, interrupting Aria's thoughts.

Aria returned to the present, putting her doubts aside for a moment. "Yes, I'll be there. What day is it again?"

"It's this Thursday, and don't forget to bring a couple of fishing rods. We can try to catch some fish at the lake," Bon said with excitement in her voice.

Aria nodded with a smile, "I can definitely do that."

Bon seemed really excited, "Everyone's gonna be thrilled to see you! Some of the guys might even organize a bonfire like in the old days. You'll love it, Blu!"

Aria didn't mention the past when they used to sneak out to avoid her dad's curfew, mostly because her dad was no longer around to catch them. She didn't want to dampen Bon's joy. Today had been a pretty good day, despite the lingering sadness. It was like a wound in her heart, slowly healing just the way her dad would've wished.

Aria realized she was zoning out again, so Bon started cleaning up their lunch. Mr. Harris had left already, probably tired of their secret planning. Liam, full and content, lay at Aria's feet. She got up, gave Bon a hug, and promised to meet her on Thursday before heading home with Liam.

As they parked in the driveway, Brian came out of the house with some boxes in his arms. Aria got out of the truck and held the door open for Liam. "Want some help with those boxes?" she asked.

Brian, looking from behind one of the boxes, said, "I've got it covered. I'm just moving stuff to the shed."

Aria watched him go down the porch steps and said, "Sure thing. If you need a hand, just give me a shout."

"I will," Aria said.

As Aria headed inside, she saw Liam still by the stairs, looking at Brian. Brian noticed Liam's curiosity and said, "He probably wants to stretch his legs after the ride from town. How about you let him stay with me for a bit?"

Aria agreed, saying, "Sure, but if he's in the way, just bring him back to me. I'll start doing some laundry."

"Alright, Blu," Brian replied. He then turned to Liam and said, "Come on, little guy, before I accidentally drop these boxes." Aria watched them as they disappeared around the corner of the house before going inside.