chapter 9: kissing a stranger

I stood there, lost in my thoughts, feeling like I was teetering on the edge of something I couldn't quite name. My life had changed so drastically, and I wasn't sure if I was ready for it—if I was even happy with the direction things were taking. Everything was so new, so unfamiliar. I felt like I was walking through a fog, unsure whether I was moving toward something better or simply drifting aimlessly.

"Hey, let's make some new friends," Emily said, a soft, reassuring smile tugging at her lips as she turned to face me. Her voice was warm, a slight sparkle in her eyes, as though she was trying to lift my spirits, even if she didn't fully understand the turmoil I was feeling inside.

Just as I was about to reply, a voice interrupted from behind her.

"Hi."

I turned around, slightly startled, and saw a young man standing there with an easy smile that seemed to brighten his entire face.

"Oh, hi," I said, returning his smile with an awkward, shy one of my own.

"I'm Eli, Elijah" he said, extending his hand toward me with a friendly, open gesture.

"Gift," I responded, taking his hand in mine, surprised by how firm and warm his grip was. There was something unspoken in the way his eyes lingered on mine, but it wasn't uncomfortable—just curious.

"Oh, so you're new here?" he asked, his expression shifting slightly with interest.

"Yeah, I am," I replied, giving him a shy smile, suddenly feeling a bit more self-conscious. I wasn't sure how to navigate this new life, and I wasn't entirely sure if I was ready for the world that was opening up around me.

"Well, let me show you around," Eli offered, his hand gesturing toward the surroundings. "I'll give you the grand tour."

"A... yeah, sure," I said, smiling a bit more, feeling a flicker of excitement in my chest. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.

Eli led me through the winding hallways, pointing out the various rooms and explaining what they were used for. It all felt so grand—so different from the world I had known. But, with each new corner we turned, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was… off. There was a heavy, almost palpable energy in the air, as if the walls themselves were alive with history, secrets waiting to be uncovered.

Finally, as we approached a quiet, dimly lit corridor, Eli asked, his voice casual but curious, "So, what wolf are you?"

The question caught me off guard, and I felt a surge of unease rise in my chest. "Ah... I'm... I'm not sure yet," I stammered, unsure how to answer. My heart thudded in my chest, and I wasn't sure why the question felt so important, so heavy.

Before I could continue, a low, commanding voice interrupted us from the shadows.

"MINE."

The word sliced through the air like a blade, and I froze. My breath caught in my throat as I turned toward the sound. A figure emerged from the darkness, tall and imposing, his presence filling the space. Even though I couldn't see his face clearly yet, there was an undeniable aura of authority around him, something that made my heart race without explanation.

The man stepped forward, a smile playing at the corner of his lips, though there was an edge to it—something almost primal in his gaze.

"Move away from my mate," he said, his voice deep and filled with an unspoken command. The words were clear, but there was something in them that felt... possessive.

Eli took a small step back, clearly taken aback. "Mate?" he echoed, his voice tinged with confusion and disbelief.

"What?" I whispered, my mind racing. A mate? What was he talking about? This stranger... was he... claiming me?

As the man fully emerged from the shadows, the light revealed his features—a chiseled jawline, a strong nose, and eyes that shimmered with an unusual blend of grey and blue. There was something ethereal about them, like storm clouds caught in the light. His black hair framed his face perfectly, and the intensity of his gaze made it feel like he could see right through me.

There was something about him, something magnetic. As his eyes locked onto mine, I felt a strange pull—like a magnetic force drawing us together. My heart pounded in my chest, and a dizzying mix of emotions swirled within me.

"I said, move away from her," the man said again, this time with more urgency, his voice laced with a power that made my body tremble slightly.

"Yes, Alpha Taylor," Eli said, his voice suddenly small and respectful as he stepped back, clearly understanding who this man was.

"Alpha?" I repeated, my confusion deepening. "What's... what's going on?"

The man—Taylor—didn't respond immediately. Instead, he took a step closer to me, his eyes softening ever so slightly. And then, before I could process anything else, I felt a firm hand on my arm, his grip steady but gentle. Taylor's touch sent an unexpected wave of warmth through my body, and I felt myself instinctively lean into it, as though his presence was the only thing that made sense in that moment.

"Ah, Taylor... I... I don't know you," I stammered, my voice shaking with uncertainty. My heart was racing, and I didn't understand what was happening. All I knew was that his touch felt... right, in a way I couldn't explain.

"You don't have to, my love," he said, his voice softer now, tinged with something that was both tender and sad. The sadness in his eyes tugged at my heart, but there was something else there too—something deep, like a promise.

I could feel the weight of his gaze, the way it seemed to search me, to seek something buried deep within me. His eyes held a kind of love, but also a hunger—a deep, undeniable pull that made my chest ache.

Without another word, his lips found mine, and it was as though time stopped. The kiss was gentle, but it held a passion that left me breathless. My heart hammered in my chest, and I felt a warmth spread through me like nothing I had ever experienced. Every doubt, every fear I had melted away in that moment, as if nothing else in the world mattered except for him.

His arms wrapped around me, holding me close, and in that embrace, I felt a sense of peace I hadn't known in so long. It was like my heart, once broken and unsure, was finally beginning to piece itself back together.

Just as I closed my eyes, lost in the moment, I heard footsteps approaching. My father's voice broke through the silence, sharp and commanding.

"Gift, go to your room. Now."

The magic of the moment shattered instantly. Taylor pulled away, his expression unreadable as he stepped back, though his hand remained lingering on mine for a heartbeat longer. I wanted to protest, to stay, to understand what was happening. But my father's voice left no room for argument.

Reluctantly, I pulled away from Taylor, feeling an ache in my chest as I turned to face my father. As I walked toward the door, I couldn't shake the feeling that everything had just changed—more than I had ever expected. And that, somehow, my life was now tangled with Taylor's in ways I couldn't even begin to understand.