Chapter 8

I trailed behind Alisha, my eyes scanning the rows of stores in the park's shopping district. We'd been shopping for hours, and I was starting to feel like I was going to lose my mind.

Alisha chattered on, pointing out dresses and tops that she thought I'd like. I nodded and smiled, pretending to be interested. But my mind was elsewhere. Tristan's cynical comment and his temper this morning bothers me a lot and I knew I have to find a way to escape this madness soon.

Don't get me wrong, I have an undeniable attraction towards Tristan but I can't compromise my freedom because of that. I've had enough of men controlling my life from my dad, I don't need another one.

As we walked into a trendy boutique, I spotted a group of women trying on clothes in the dressing room.And there it was, an idea that popped into my head....

"Alisha, can I try on that one?" I asked, pointing to a bright yellow dress on the rack.

Alisha nodded, preparing to follow me but I held a finger up, giving her a playful look " You aren't gonna follow me into the dressing room, are you?". I raised an eyebrow but she shrugged her shoulder, giving me a cheeky smile

" I believe I've seen a fair share of boobs and ass, considering I have them myself". my mouth opened at her crude statement, finding myself speechless for a while.

"Tristan put you put to this, didn't he". I knew I hit the spot when her eyes shifted away at my accusation. " You've been with me for hours and I don't think I've showed you any reason not to trust me. It's just a dressing room, let me have a moment to myself". I could literally feel the mental battle she was having with herself before she finally nod.

Yassss!!!

I grabbed the dress and headed into the dressing room. As I changed, I made a show of admiring myself in the mirror, asking the other women for their opinions.

Meanwhile, I was sneaking glances at Alisha through the window. She was now distracted by her phone, oblivious to what I was planning and I almost felt guilty for doing this to her.

Keyword. Almost

I made my move, slipping out of the dressing room and making a beeline for the door, Luckily, I was quickly mixed with a group of ladies.

I sprinted out of the mall, my heart pounding in my chest. I didn't dare look back, fearing I might see her or worse still, Tristan, closing upon on me.

Finally, I reached the park entrance and hailed a taxi. I jumped in, gasping for breath.

"Take me out of town or city...or whatever this place is," I told the driver, my voice shaking. I can't believe I'm doing this

The driver raised an eyebrow. "You mean, like, to the next town over?"

I nodded, feeling a sense of desperation. "Yes, just get me out of here."

The driver shrugged and hit the gas.

We sped through the streets, leaving the large building behind.

But as we drove, the scenery outside my window began to look familiar. Trees and hills gave way to dense forest, and I felt a sense of unease creeping over me.

"Where are we?" I asked the driver, my voice tight with anxiety.

The driver glanced in the rearview mirror. "We're just entering the woods, ma'am."

My heart sank. Woods? What woods?

The car stopped by in a secluded area, the driver turning to me " This is where I can reach ma'am. The boundary of our pack stops here".

I got off the car, a bit skeptical as I examine the woody area but I breathed a sigh of relief once I saw the big buildings towering on the right side of where I was...a city. I thanked the driver, paying him with the cash I was able to smuggle from Tristan.

I didn't bother asking for change as I sprinted towards the city, my heart pounding in my chest. I could feel the weight of the woods behind me, the eerie silence making my skin crawl.

As I ran, I stumbled, my feet catching on a hidden root. I fell hard, skinning my knee on the rough ground.

I scrambled to my feet, but an aggressive force knocked me back down. What left me petrified were the huge wolves that were towering over me, growling menacingly. I scrambled onto my feet, sacred for my life. These wolves seems nothing like Tristan wolf.

One of the wolves lunged at me, its teeth sinking into my arm. I screamed, feeling a searing pain pierce through my body. I fell to the floor, clutching to my bleeding arm.

The wolf approached me with a steady but slow pace like the predator it is

But just as suddenly, the wolf stopped, its ears perked up. It sniffed the air, and then looked at me with a curious expression before withdrawing back

The other wolves stopped too, their eyes fixed on me. As the largest wolf stepped closer, his eyes never leaving mine, I could sense a subtle shift in his demeanor. He took another deep sniff, his nostrils flaring, before his body began to contort and shift. His limbs shortened, his fur receding, and his facial features morphed into a chiseled, angular face.

In a matter of seconds, the wolf transformed into a young man, probably around 28, with piercing blue eyes and jet-black hair that fell messy across his forehead. He stood tall, his broad shoulders and chest evident even under his worn jeans and faded T-shirt, and regarded me with a curious, almost amused expression. " Well, this is surprising...."... " Alpha Tristan's mate in our territory".

The second young man, who had shifted when I wasn't looking, 's eyes widened in surprise, and he let out a low whistle. "Alpha Tristan's mate, you say?" he repeated, his gaze flicking to me with newfound interest.

"Yeah. I hadn't heard that Alpha Tristan had found his mate, let alone a human one." " But the mark on her neck says it all". He took a step closer, his movements fluid and confident. "I am Ryder, by the way, the beta of the pack," he said, his voice dripping with curiosity. "And you are...?

""Of course I'd love an introduction right now but should I remind you of a minor problem here? You fucking dogs bit my arm". I deadpan. I think loosing a lot of blood had made me loose my sense too. I mean these guys were about to kill me just seconds ago!!!

Ryder's expression changed from curiosity to surprise, and he let out a low chuckle. "Ah, yes, the minor problem of us trying to kill you," he said, his voice laced with amusement. "I suppose that does take priority over introductions." He nodded, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "Allow me to apologize for the... enthusiastic welcome. We didn't expect Tristan's mate to show up in our territory, and we reacted rather... poorly." He took a step closer, his movements cautious. "But since you're still standing...or lying on the floor" he eyed my position "I assume you're not going to die on us just yet."