Marked by a stranger

Ariana POV

The ruffling of my hair as the cool breeze brushed over my face made me flutter my eyes open. I blinked, slowly taking in the dimly lit supermarket around me. It suddenly dawned on me that I had fallen asleep and was still inside the store.

"Have I overslept?" I murmured to myself, a surge of panic coursing through me. I reached into my bag, searching for my phone. As I glanced at the screen, a shock of disbelief shot through me—it was 00:32.

"It's already midnight," I muttered, my heart pounding with the fear of what would happen when I arrived home.

I was the only one left in this big supermarket.

"Why didn't anyone wake me up? Or didn't they see me because of where I stayed?" I facepalmed as I remembered that I had hidden myself in-between goods so that I could sleep.

I hastily stood up, slinging my bag over my shoulder, and began making my way towards the exit.

As I walked through the dark aisles illuminated by dim bulbs, surrounded by towering shelves filled with goods, regret washed over me.

How could I have been so careless? I had hidden myself among the merchandise to find a place to sleep.

Though fatigue still clung to my body, I continued walking, determined to leave the vast supermarket behind.

But just as I reached the entrance, a strong force yanked me into a corner, pressing my back against the wall.

Before I could react, a hand covered my mouth, muffling any sound I could make.

Fear engulfed me as I raised my gaze, trembling, only to meet the piercing eyes of a man concealed in a black hoodie. His dark hair fell over his face, obscuring his identity. With one hand firmly holding mine above my head, the other firmly clamped over my mouth, he prevented me from screaming or escaping.

I was frozen, paralyzed by fear and unable to catch my breath. Who was this man? And how did I end up in this terrifying situation? He wasn't a member of my pack, and his presence felt different—dangerous, even.

In the pack I belonged to, our community was like a city, mirroring human society, making it difficult to distinguish us from regular humans. But we had the safety of the surrounding woods if trouble arose.

The aura he emitted commanded respect, sending shivers down my spine and raising goosebumps on my skin. He leaned closer, narrowing the gap between us, and my heart raced with a mix of trepidation and an unexplainable sensation.

Before I could comprehend what was happening, his soft lips met mine in a gentle kiss. I gasped, taken aback by the unexpected intimacy.

Confusion swirled within me—this man was not my mate, and I had no idea who he was or what he wanted. I felt a whirlwind of emotions, uncertain of how to respond in this precarious situation.

I was taken aback and wanted to pull off, but he stopped me from pulling away from the kiss as he deepened it.

He slowly began moving his hands down my ass, and I could only shiver in fear. Who was he and what was he doing to me?

He eventually pulled away from the kiss, his gaze hidden behind his hair, leaving me unable to discern his emotions. My voice quivered as I finally found the courage to speak. "What... are you doing?" I managed to stammer, my heart pounding in my chest. His lips brushed against my neck, his breath sending shivers down my spine, and I couldn't suppress the fear coursing through me.

"Let me go!" I cried out, my voice shaking, as I desperately struggled against his grip, attempting to free my hands from his hold.

"Go… away from me, Let me go!" I was about yelling, but however, he silenced my pleas by covering my mouth with his gloved hand, his gaze fixated on me, his chiseled jaw clenching with an intensity I couldn't decipher. I realized he was not going to let me go easily.

I didn't know who he was, so what does he want from me? I haven't offended anyone lately, so who could it be?

Summoning all my strength, I mustered a burst of adrenaline and sunk my teeth into his hand, biting down with precision and force. He immediately recoiled, his grip loosening as he stared at me with a hint of amazement laced in his gaze.

"Who are you and what do you want from me?" I yelled at him as I tried catching my breath.

I would have ran away if I had the chance to, but he suddenly pulled me to himself, taking me off guard as I gave out a yelp, but it was accompanied by a rush of pain I felt in my neck.

He was marking me.

"Stop…. please," I cried out in pain. The sudden pain was already too much.

I could see his sharp canines buried into the crook of my neck, and I was scared to shit.

I had caught a glimpse of how his canines had elongated before he pierced it into my neck, and I was freaking out with pain.

I cried while trying to free myself from his strong grip, but my pleas fell on deaf ears, and he continued biting me as he imprinted his mark on my neck.

"What are you doing to me?" I cried, and was lucky enough to remove my hands from his grasp.

In that brief moment of respite, I pushed him away from me, creating some distance. I clutched my neck, feeling the warm blood trickling from the wound he had inflicted upon me. Fear coursed through my veins as I stared at him, my voice trembling, "What have you done to me?"

His elongated fangs returned to their normal state, and a sinister smirk curved upon his lips. With a casual flick of his tongue, he licked away the blood that stained his lips, relishing in the taste. The sight sent chills down my spine, amplifying my terror.

My legs weakened beneath me, and I stumbled backward, losing my balance. I crashed to the floor, my head hitting the wall with a resounding thud that echoed through the supermarket.

Gasping for air, pain radiated through my body. I winced, holding my head in my hands as the room spun around me. Each breath felt like a struggle, as if the very air had been sucked out of the room.

Inhaling sharply, I forced myself to crawl away from him, my hands leaving smears of blood on the floor. His presence sent a surge of adrenaline through my veins, urging me to find an escape. I was battered, weak, and in unimaginable pain, but I refused to surrender.

His footsteps echoed behind me as he closed in, taunting me with his proximity. Fear fueled my determination as I continued to crawl, desperation pushing me forward.

I have received too much pain already from this strange man in front of me, and I was literally weak.