Lisa's heart was thundering against her chest. Did she hear a voice in her head telling her how the guy in front of her was her mate? She stared at the completely naked male whose intense gaze made her skin break into goosebumps.
Her impulse was to call for help and alert the patrol because these guys were definitely not from the Dark Howlers pack, but then Lisa remembered that they connected borders with the neighboring Spring Leaf pack, and she assumed that these guys were from there. Besides, it's not like anyone would care even if these guys were trespassing because everyone was drunk with happiness about the pack run.
When coming here, Lisa just followed the crowd, and she was not aware of how close to the border she was and that this was far from the Spring Leaf pack.
"Why are you here alone?", he asked.
Lisa swallowed a mouthful of air before responding, "I didn't feel like socializing."
"Isn't your Alpha leading the pack run with his Luna?"
Lisa's insides stiffened at the thought of Talia. "How is that related to me?"
His expression darkened. "Are you jealous that your Alpha is taken?"
Lisa shook her head like a rattle drum. "Jealous? No. Damon is like a brother to me."
"A brother? How much I know, Alpha Damon is a single child, and he has no females who are close to him."
Lisa realized that he thought she was lying.
"It's not like that. I grew up in the packhouse because my father was Beta to Damon's father, but after my father passed, I moved to live with my aunt in the Lightclaw pack."
He regarded her for a moment before saying, "And now you are back."
"I came back a few weeks ago.", she confirmed.
"You wouldn't be lying to me, right?"
"What would I get by making up something like that?"
He chuckled lowly and reached to touch her cheek.
Lisa jolted at the sensation of sparks prickling her skin, but she didn't move away.
"Do you know what this means?", he asked.
"Mates.", she responded in a whisper.
His lips lifted into a devilish smile. "I am Tristan. What's your name, love?"
"Lisa", she responded breathily. She really wanted to touch him, but her instincts told her to stay put because everything about him screamed danger and she didn't dare to move.
"Woah!", one of the guys from the back exclaimed once he processed the scene in front of them. "Fuck me sideways and call me daddy! Our leader found his mate!"
The other one stifled a laugh. "Janine will be pissed."
Lisa's stomach burned with jealousy and her eyes darted from the guys in the back to Tristan who was now so close that she could feel his heat splashing on her skin.
"Who is Janine?", Lisa asked.
"Not important.", he said, and Lisa's brain short-circuited when his lips landed on hers in a possessive kiss that made her toes curl.
She never felt anything like it. Tony's kisses were gentle and soothing, while Tristan's kiss made her feel like she was drowning, and she gripped his shoulders to steady herself.
"You shouldn't do that here.", one of the guys said, making Tristan pull away from Lisa. "We are risking being caught."
"This will take just a minute", Tristan responded.
"What if she notified the patrol?", the other guy asked.
Lisa's eyes widened. "I didn't."
Tristan cupped her cheek with his palm. "I believe you."
His nostrils flared when the scent of Lisa's arousal hit him. "Are you eager to feel me?", he asked with amusement in his voice.
Lisa pressed her legs together. She couldn't believe that just a kiss affected her so much. Lisa was not into hookups and the only man she ever slept with was Tony, but this guy was nothing like Tony. Tristan was wild and unrestrained, and his touch was electric, and she really wanted to get closer to Tristan, much closer than they were.
He didn't break eye contact as his palm landed on her thigh and moved higher, and her legs parted on their own to give him easy access. She was wearing only an oversized t-shirt, so there were no obstacles for him to reach his destination. A shaky breath escaped Lisa's lips when he touched her down there.
He smirked smugly. "You are dripping for me."
Lisa closed her eyes as his thumb found her clit and his index finger sank into her tender flesh. It was all charged up with addictive sparks and she was confident that she will come within a minute.
He stroked her once, twice, and by the time she realized that his breath was on her neck, it was too late to react.
His big hand covered her mouth to muffle a scream as his fangs pierced into her flesh. Tears ran down her cheeks as the scorching sensation spread from her neck through the rest of her body. It was his venom.
He marked her just like that, and the only thing she knew was his name, Tristan.
Lisa whimpered as he licked her neck, to seal the mark that will form there.
"You are coming with me.", he said as he stood up.
She was still processing what happened, and he wanted her to go? "Where to?"
He leaned toward her and pinched her chin with his index finger and his thumb. "The circumstances are not the best, but the moment we are out of here, I will fuck you thoroughly, so you know that you belong to me and that you shouldn't ask too much."
Lisa's eyes involuntarily moved to his cock which was erect and waving at her. Lisa's core throbbed in need of his touch. She was almost there, but then he marked her and didn't let her come!
She should be outraged at the way he treated her, but why couldn't she hate him?
Was this what it meant to find a mate?
The guy was domineering, and her marking was not romantic or majestic as she imagined it to be, but she didn't think her mate will be a handsome stranger that came out of the dark either. He was a total bad boy, and Lisa loved it.
Lisa wondered, should she go with him? Why would she refuse? If she stays in the Dark Howlers pack, she will live as an Omega under her mother's watch while everyone admires Luna Talia. That didn't sound glorious.
On the other hand, Lisa had a handsome mate whose name was Tristan and other guys addressed him as their leader. Was he the leader of the guards? It didn't matter. She didn't want to delude herself with dreams of how she will be a Luna, but it was obvious that Tristan had some authority, and that should be enough.
Besides, wasn't it a custom for a she-wolf to follow her mate once they find each other?
Lisa wondered how long will it take for people to notice her missing. Will they make a fuss about her disappearance? Her mom will probably notice the moment she reaches home, definitely not later than morning. Should she mind-link her mom and tell her that she found her mate?
See Tristan's pic in the comments.
Lisa is on chapter 198.
