THE KISS

MIA’S POV

“Why is it so dark in here?” I mused quietly to myself, adjusting the ridiculous mask I had on my face properly. After the Alpha's rejection, all I wanted to do was change my mask and dress and drink away my sorrow. I am doing both now.

My relationship with alcohol was a black-and-white kind of thing, it kept me satisfied as much as it destroyed me.

"I hate them all, especially that fucking Alpha," I wasn't sure if I was whispering or thinking out loud. "This alcohol," I mumbled.

I sighed, my hands running through my long hair, pushing it into a ponytail before walking around trying to find a spot to relax, away from the crowd.

"I need to rest before I fall to my death,"

The more alcohol I consumed the worse my head felt and I couldn’t afford to get sick now that I had been humiliated, all eyes would be on me and that was why I was even here in the first place. Pretending to be one of these goddamn people.

"Fuck them all," I muttered and the lady who stood at my side glared at me and I gave her a polite smile.

"Oops,"

I pushed my hair away from my face and closed my eyes, allowing the night breeze to wash over me. I wasn’t sure how long I stood in that spot, eyes closed, wine glass in hand, swaying softly with the breeze but it felt like a long time. And then I felt it, a slow tap on my shoulder. The cool fingers of the person caused goosebumps to form on my exposed skin.

"What the fuck!" I exclaimed, as I was startled.

I hissed lowly at the interruption, turning to cut sharp eyes at the intruder. I faltered in my steps though, when her eyes fell upon the stranger’s face. He was slightly taller than I was and I noticed how impeccably dressed he was, it was a simple suede black suit, complete with a necktie, but he looked absolutely delicious in it.

He wore a simple black mask that complimented his suit but covered most of his face. He looked simple enough but his stance sent out so much power it almost made her cower. Almost.

"What do you want," I asked in irritation.

“You’re standing too close to the pool.” He said, and that voice sent heat straight from my face down to between my legs.

‘Fuck’ I thought. I moved and sat by the pool bench, a table and chair set aside with more alcohol.

Who was this stranger? He didn't seem to be from the creekstone pack, he seemed a bit lost, and his eyes had this darkness in them.

"Can I join you?" he asked rather politely, I tried to speak but no words came out of my mouth, his voice was soothing and had this gentleness in it. I nodded.

He sat down opposite me, his gaze still piercing into mine, he smiled gently.

"I am your knight and shining armor I presume," he muttered, I tried to open my mouth again to speak, yet no word left it, it was almost like an evil spell was being cast on me, I was made mute.

A second attempt to speak was rather abortive, I let out an exasperated gasp and tried again.

"Mia__ Mia," I spoke, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Mia," he repeated, gleaming at me.

"Yes," I whispered, this man's presence obviously had an effect on me, and the more I tried to push that effect away the more I felt a pull, a pull that gravitated me toward him.

This stranger I knew nothing about, could he possibly be my mate? I turned twenty today and I held off to see if my mate belonged to my pack, but I didn't feel that connection with anyone. Not even the Alpha of the pack, Alpha Leo.

I felt heartbroken because I loved him.

"You are not from around here?" I asked, overcoming my temporary muteness.

"Yes, I am a traveler, I move around a lot," he replied.

Was he a rogue wolf? It would be a shame that my mate has no pack, I would be an object of mockery.

"You have no pack?" I asked curiously.

"I do, I just___" he paused for a moment, he was calculating his words, " I was in search of you,"

His words came flying out and stung me instantly, did he just say he was looking for me? I glanced at him, to see if that was any hint that could indicate that he was joking, but there was none, he was dead serious.

"For me," I asked and lowered my gaze to the floor to stare at the tiled floor of this diner, being outside a little past midnight wasn't unusual for me, this was my happy hour, it was the time the calm of the night sweep over me and I get washed over by the gentle breeze.

It was also the time, I think of my parent the most, of that horrible event that led to their murder, how a rival pack of wolves called the Shadowhunters pack attacked our pack, killing a lot of wolves, it wasn't an attack, it was a genocide. Only a few of us made it out alive. It was that moment that changed my life.

"Yes for you, I have searched for years, seen you in my dreams, and became miserable at the arms of fate which never seemed to be on my side, not up until today, when I finally found you,"

he placed his arms on the table and stretched it forth to me, he took my hands and placed my palms on his.

It felt so real, so natural, this was right, he didn't feel like a stranger, he felt like a part of me.

"How do you know? How are you sure I am the one you have been looking for?" I asked, my eyes still gazing at his, my palms, placed gently on his, it felt electrifying.

"Those eyes, I have seen it so many times, not to recognize it, your touch, I have felt it in my dreams, my body has yearned so much for your touch," he whispered and tilted his head forward.

I fidgeted with my fingers, trying to suppress the butterflies that were dancing in my stomach, it was unlike anything I had felt before, whatever this was, that existed between us, felt so real, so natural.

As our conversation lulled into a comfortable silence, our eyes locked, and I could see a hint of nervousness in his gaze. I mirrored the feeling, my heart pounding loudly in my chest. I knew he could hear it, too. I reminded myself, this was possible mate, since Alpha Leo rejected me, maybe he knew, maybe he didn't, but there was something that existed between us that transcended the words we spoke.

"Gosh, I want to kiss you, Mia," he growled as if he were fighting back the urge. I knew this was the time I made it known that I wanted him as much as he did.

"I want to kiss you, Stranger," I whispered, and he smiled.

With a shy smile, he reached across the table, his hand gently brushing against mine. My breath caught, and my cheeks flushed, this wasn't my first kiss, but it was our first kiss.

He leaned in, closing the distance between us, and my heart skipped a beat. Time seemed to slow down as I could feel his warm breath on my lips. I could see the anticipation in his eyes, mirroring my own. All my life, I always felt like something was missing, but right now, it makes a whole lot of sense.

I leaned forward, meeting him halfway. Our lips softly touched, and it was as if a spark ignited between us. The world around us faded away, and all that mattered was the sensation of his lips against mine.

The kiss was slow and tender as if we were savoring every moment. My hand instinctively found its way to his cheek, and I held him gently, deepening the kiss ever so slightly. It felt like a gentle rush of adrenaline being flushed in my stomach.

Pulling his head closely I slammed my lips onto his, moaning at the softness of them, the feeling of our lips molding together and tingling through my entire body. The sound of the wine glass hitting the concrete and shattering was completely irrelevant to us.

The kiss started soft and unsure, like they were trying to test the waters, but in no time it was hard and bruising, the stranger licked his way into my mouth, his tongue dancing with mine as it took everything that he gave. He dominated the kiss so well and I let out another little moan, arching into him, my toes curling as felt tingles shoot through me.

"Fuck," he groaned and that felt like he had just stripped me naked before him.

My body felt hot and I wanted to get more of the hot man. As they pulled away for air the stranger trailed kisses down my neck, sucking above it, pressing my body against his. Shivers ran through my spine as he sucked, nipped, and bit my neck, leaving his mark behind.

“You look a little lost.” His low baritone voice rang through my head. “Let me be your guide.” He let his hands slip from my waist slowly, giving me a chance to protest, but I remained silent, nodding my head instead.

“Alright.” I managed to squeak out before following him deeper inside the house, I allowed him to guide me through the crowd, all that ran through my mind was the juice slowly seeping through my thong.