The Outcast

The Perfect Match

After the attack,  Mona's life has somehow changed. No one dared to touch her even Paula Madison, her number one bully. Her wolf's power has frightened everyone in town and no one dared to cross her.   Somehow, the results of the events are all in favor with her,  given that Burris and Paula had never ceased to get in her way eversince she came back ten years ago until present. They are distancing from her with wary eyes and she's liking the peace from not dealing with them.

At home, she's undergoing adjustments now that Josephine's gone. She run for groceries and do some household chores well except cooking.  It does not seem to be her strongest suit. Her produce are inedible no matter how many times she tried, meanwhile Troy shakes her off with his ever- excellent meals. So,  Troy has become the chef at home. Her father proves to be doing his best to make up to her.  Spending more time and teaching her some battle strategies and fighting techniques.  Her father,  Bill is the second-in-command in the Black Moon pack and a major strategist, an excellent commander  and a wise adviser. Everyone in the pack respects and looks up to him except when he's drunk and fools around with sluts. That is the only taint in his reputation.  However, Bill has been sober for months now and still going strong. 

"Tristan,  darling. What do you want for your birthday?" his mother,  Luna Miranda asked him as they were having tea. 
"Don't bother,  Mom." he said uninterestingly. His mother always prepares a fabulous birthday party for him and he plainly hates it.  But because, he is the Alpha's son and the future ruler of their pack,  he has no choice but to oblige. 
"No,  no, never!  It is also the day that we will be announcing your engagement!" Miranda said excitedly and she started blabbering about  the preparations.

A wolf has a destined mate, chosen by the moon goddess especially for them, or so they say.  When the right time comes, they will be revealed to each other and will be automatically bonded by the so called "mate bond". It is an irresistible bond and only few (even none) had rejected a mate before. If ever rejected,  both parties will suffer a destructible heartbreak (although,  the suffering is more intense to the one receiving the rejection)  that is why,  rejecting a mate is very uncommon to all wolf kind. 

Tristan found his mate two years ago back when he was twenty and she's just sixteen.  And because sixteen is too young for marriage then, they  waited until she turns eighteen. After it, their marriage will follow rightafter.  Maybe  a couple of weeks or on a few months? He can't wait for that day to come. The moment he laid his eyes on her,  he knows she's the one. He instantly fell in love with her.

She came from a prominent family and her father, Mr. Peter James,  is one of the Alpha's most prized assembly member and political ally. Leizel James is a perfect match for him. 

He just shrugged and said "whatever" as his eyes rolled. 
"I need to go Mom.  I have to meet Leizel in town. She said she wants some supplies." He quickly said as he gave his Mom a peck on the cheek . 
"Oh sure, darling!  Send my regards to Leizel!!" she said brightly and return to her event planning.  This time,  she's making important calls.

The entire town knows that Leizel James is his mate, and soon will be the future Luna. Although he has not marked her yet because their pack has conservative laws.  Marking their mate will only happen when they are at the right age and that is eighteen, and with the proper ceremonies on top of that.  In that case,  he's waited too long and he can't wait to mark her so that no one else can claim her. He excitedly went out of the manor and sped to the town, driving his car. 

Leizel James was standing outside Books and Bunnies.  An old bookshop near the intersection.  She's wearing a floral sundress in yellow, complementing her rosy skin,  her long chocolate brown curls were in a ponytail. Leizel is a little short but for Tristan, it made her look cuter.  She has bright little green eyes and cute pointed nose.  Her smile is most mesmerizing,  it takes Tristan's breath away. 
"Hi!" he greeted her and kissed her cheeks
"Hey there!" she hugged him. She stands just below Tristan's armpits. 
"Have you waited too long?" he asked
"No.  Papa just dropped me off a moment ago. Let's go!" she said brightly.  They spend time going from one shop to the next until they reached the grocery store. "I think, I'll stop by here for some basic lady's necessities..." she speaks slowly,  her voice music to his ears.
"As you wish my lady." he said. "I'll follow you around."

They entered and picked a basket. Leizel was walking in front of him, she head straight to the toiletries section.  Leizel kept examining two bottles of lotion,  comparing them perhaps?  And in terms of shopping,  girls will be girls!
"Tristan!   Hey buddy! What a coincidence!!" Henry Madison spoke behind him. He tapped his shoulders.  Henry is his best buddy.  He is tall and has a strong build, bronze skin and thick mouse brown hair which is cut neatly.  He has prominent jaws making him look destructive and her eyes a deep blue calming his sharp features. He is Paula's older brother and unlike him,  he has not found his mate yet. At age sixteen, their kind can already sense their mate, however if the other pair is not yet of age or in a rare case,  the pair's wolf is dormant, they will not be able to recognize each other as mates even if they kept on crossing paths a thousand times before.  Henry just laughs about it and jokes that maybe his mate is still a fetus or worst,  was not yet conceived. Amd somehow,  it is okay with him because it gives him the freedom to date girls he wanted.
"Shopping for party needs perhaps?" he joked
"No,  I'm with Leizel." Tristan pointed to her, Leizel paused for a moment then smiled.
"Hi,  Henry!" she chirped.
"Hi,  Leiz..." he give her a wink. Leizel blushed. Sometimes,  Tristan is jealous with Henry. But he blames it with the obsessive mate bond. Once she is marked,  no one will ever touch her but him. For sure, Henry is just teasing him, and he is the greatest prankster among his peers. Anyway,  he is a resident playboy and is dating girls according to his mood. 

"What are you doing here?" Tristan asked.
"Oooh. Me?  Paula asked me to grab these things. " he showed his basket and there lay bottles of liquor.
"Paula? " he raised his eyebrows, Henry laughed out loud. 
"No, not these! But this!" he picked a lipbalm at the bottom of the bottles and held it in his face. 
He laughed with him.
"Well, I need to check this out. See you at the party?" he said still laughing
"See you, man." Tristan replied and they did their secret handshake.
He was about to leave when he bumped into someone else's cart so hard,  some of it's contents fell to the tiled floor. But instead of picking the fallen apples,  Henry stood frozen while his eyes were transfixed to a girl picking the fallen items on the floor.

Mona make it to the grocery for some pantry supplies,  she did not realize she had a cart full of supplies for she had forgotten the list Troy made for her. She just stuff the cart with anything she likes. She was about to check out her groceries when someone bumped to her cart.  And just like a domino,  her groceries fell to the tiled floor. She immediately picked the fallen groceries.  She wants to yell to whoever was so dumb to barge in her cart like that when she was arrested with a smell so intoxicating she can't have enough. Like strawberry syrup in hot pancakes. He immediately looks up and see Henry Madison,  off all people.

Henry couldn't  believe his eyes.  His wolf is howling and jumping with glee while screaming "mate,  mate,  mate!!!" in his mind.  Her fragrance is so invigorating like honeysuckle and peonies, he inhaled it all at once. He has found his mate and of all people,  it was Mona Mayfield, the resident freak.  She looked at him and he knows right away that she's feeling the same pull of attraction.

Mona is the first to wake up in the trance.  It took a lot of her courage to look away. She scampered, leaving the mess of groceries on the tiled floor and out of the store.  She run as fast as she could and never looked back. 

She arrived home panting, she just run a kilometer from the town center to their house.  Her heart beating wild.  She placed her hand in her chest to still her thundering heartbeat and breathes slowly,  her sweat dripping.  

Troy emerged from the kitchen,  wearing an apron.
"Something the matter Mona?  What's wrong?  You looked like an army of rogues chased you?" he asked casually,  his eyebrows arching as he starts to remove his apron.
"And where are the groceries?!" his arms are on his waist now.
"I found him.  I..  I ..I met him, Troy... " she said in between breaths.
"Who did you meet?" he asked as he pours a glass of water and brings it to her.  Mona just stares down at the glass of water, gazing at her reflection in the crystal glass.
"My mate..."