Mark of the Alpha (Marking Series #1)

six | the run

six | the run

Copyright © 2014-2017 Jackie Taylor

All Rights Reserved

COLD.

Annie's eyes snapped open. She sat up, looking around the room and hugging her shivering frame. The bed sheets were a mess. The smell of her mate lingered on the pillow next to her. The door to the balcony was open; Annie could hear children laughing as they played with each other.

She ran her fingers over her neck, instantly feeling pain. Jumping from the bed, Annie ran over to the floor length mirror. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

A red bite mark sat on her skin – where her shoulder and neck met. When she touched it, she remembered everything from the night before. The fight. The kiss. The bite.

Annie's eyes glowed with lust. Her wolf was ecstatic to feel so connected to her mate. But Annie was furious.

Tristan appeared behind her. His hair was wet and a towel rested around his waist. His eyes roamed the room, looking for his mate and then settled on her. Annie didn't move as he walked over to her. They stood in front of the mirror.

His hands grazed her skin. Annie sucked in a breath when he touched her mark, sparks immediately erupting. Her eyes closed when his lips pecked her mark.

Her wolf was howling with joy, but Annie was still sizzling with anger. Annie's eyes opened and she pushed him away. "No."

Tristan was caught off guard. His smirk was wiped off his face and his wolf circled in his head. "What do you mean 'no'?"

"You can't just bite me and expect everything to be okay between us," Annie said.

"We're mates," Tristan explained. "It was bound to happen eventually. My wolf was getting to restless and I couldn't allow you to walk the grounds without my claim."

Annie couldn't believe what she was hearing. Every time they would try to talk, they would always end up back at square one. Tristan always felt like he had dominance over Annie and Annie wanted to be equal with him.

"I'm not some object, Tristan," Annie explained. "Yes, you're my mate. I will always feel this bond. But that doesn't mean you have control over me because of what we are. You have to understand that."

Tristan growled. He was trying to understand what Annie wanted, but it was difficult for him. Before Tristan could speak his mind, a knock sounded at the door.

"Yes," Tristan growled.

"Honey, you two need to get ready," Cindy said softly from the other side of the door. "Everyone is almost ready to go."

"Alright, we'll be down in twenty," Tristan replied.

Annie turned and walked into the bathroom, closing the door softly behind her. She took a deep breath before starting the shower. After scrubbing around her mark, Annie stepped out and fixed her hair into a French braid. She opened the door into the room, expecting to see her mate still in the bedroom, only to find it empty.

A yellow dress sat on the bed. Annie put on her clothes and shoes and took a deep breath, pushing the thoughts of her mate aside. She was putting her family to rest today. A tear slid down her cheeks, but she wiped it away as quickly as it appeared.

Exiting the room, she followed the sound of cars to the front of the pack house. Five cars sat outside, only a few more wolves lingering. Annie assumed those were for the Beta and Gamma's families as well as guards.