A One-Night Stand

Lena's heartbeat accelerated as Kai's dark blue eyes met hers, their tension so intense that it seemed like it could break the atmosphere. It had never been this way, but they had always been close. Not this near. Years had passed since their last encounter, but each time their exchanges were tense with unspoken words and unresolved matters. This evening, however, there was no going back.

Lena's heart thundered, yet the surrounding woodland seemed silent, like though it were holding its breath. In the magnetic pull between them, her thoughts were blown up like leaves in the wind. Deep inside, she sensed a raw, urgent stirring, and as she moved toward him, it seemed as though everything vanished, leaving just the two of them in this moment of suspension.

What do you think about this? It sounded as if the words were struggling to escape Kai's scratchy, harsh, and low voice.

Lena's throat tightened with breath. She understood him. He was the heir to her pack's leadership, and she was its leader. They could not be married since that would be a betrayal that would destroy their universes. All her rationality, however, vanished when he extended his hand and ran his fingertips over her jaw.

With a trembling voice, Lena muttered, "I have never been more sure of anything in my life," despite the conviction in her chest. The urgency with which her body craved him was both thrilling and scary, and it deceived her.

In an instant, as though they had been waiting for this moment for ages, Kai's lips met hers, ravenous and urgent. Something ignited inside her by their intense kiss caused her to forget everything but him. She was drawn closer by his hands that slid around her waist till she could feel his body heat against hers. Without hesitation, she moved. She let the intensity of the moment to carry her away as she melted into him.

They were completely speechless. Their use was unnecessary. There they were, two souls together in a dance as old as time itself, in that moment. And all they had resisted—their positions, their packs, their devotion to duty—seemed to disappear as their bodies finally crossed in the throes of passion. The only things left were the hunger, the burning, and the uncontrolled, wild tie that sparkled between them.

They owned the night.

Lena woke up startled, her skin still flushed from the intensity of the night, her body entangled in warm sheets. Long shadows swept the room as the faint light of morning seeped through the blinds' gaps. For a while, it all seemed like a dream. A dream, a beautiful, euphoric one, from which she was too terrified to awaken.

However, reality struck her like a tidal wave when she turned to see Kai laying beside her, his chest rising and falling in the calm beat of sleep.

It was impossible for her to go back from the line she had passed.

Recollections of the night before flooded back, and her heart sunk. Her skin had been caressed by his hands, and their bodies had fitted together so effortlessly and flawlessly. Now she realized it had been an error. an affair that lasts only one night. Just that.

Nevertheless, she secretly wondered if it was true. Or had something changed between them that they could not deny, or was it really just an error?

While trying not to wake him, she stealthily got out of bed, but as she stood there staring down at him, she knew she could not give up. Right now, no. After all that had transpired, no.

With his eyes fluttering open, Kai stirred. He sat up when he noticed her standing at the side of the bed, his eyes gentle but curious.

His voice still heavy with sleep, he whispered, "Morning."

Although it did not reach her eyes, Lena gave a slight smile. "Good morning."

A period of tension-filled stillness passed before any of them spoke. Between them was the weight of the night and the repercussions of their deeds. They were not prepared to deal with it yet. But they would have to. Later on.

With a somewhat too steady voice, Lena remarked, "I should go." She started to walk away, but Kai's hand suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist.

A quiet "Wait," he said. "Let us have a conversation."

Even though her stomach was in knots, she nodded slowly. A conversation was necessary. When they did, though, she was afraid of what would happen.

The only sound in the silent kitchen where they sat was the gentle hum of the refrigerator. Although they had not talked since Lena had come back, the air was heavy with all of their unspoken words.

Looking as though he had not slept at all, Kai rubbed a palm over his face. "Dude, what are we doing?" He spoke in a strained tone, as if he were being burdened by his own words.

Lena was in agreement. She was uncertain of what to say, so she opened her mouth to begin but then closed it again. What was she capable of saying? A boundary had been crossed. She had overreached herself. At this point, the devastation was too much to handle.

Her voice hardly raised above a whisper, she finally confessed, "I do not know." "I assumed... I assumed it would be a single evening. However, I am unsure of my feelings at the moment.

The fire in Kai's eyes returned, and his stare tightened. "Lena, this cannot be disregarded. Do you realize that? There was something in his tone that she could not quite identify, but it was not accusatory. Did you feel afraid? Feeling regret?

A lump started to grow in Lena's throat as she swallowed. "I realize. But we must exercise caution. "If anyone finds out... if our packs find out, it would ruin everything," Kai declared in an angry voice. "I do not care about the packs." I do, however, care about you. Tell me where you stand on this, please. We need to determine what to do next if this is more than a one-night fling for you."

Lena could feel the weight of the words hanging in the air, like a big stone stuck in her chest. She was at a loss for words and a way to describe the internal conflict she was experiencing. She was certain of one thing, though: everything had changed.

Lena was powerless against her pack's attraction. The obligation of her ancestry and her duty to her people lingered in the background, unseen no matter how hard she tried to dismiss it or convince herself that she owed them nothing.

With her mind in a jumble, she stood at the edge of the trees, gazing out at the starry clearing. Hours before, Kai had departed, and she could still hear his words. As she considered it further, she came to the realization that nothing could ever be the same again because their tension had just increased. Things were different after the one-night stand. But for them, what did that mean? How was her pack affected by that?

"Lena." Turning, she saw Selene standing there with a worried expression on her face after hearing a quiet voice behind her.

What is it? Lena inquired, attempting to conceal her internal conflict.

Understanding entered Selene's eyes as her stare grew softer. "This is difficult for you, is not it?"

Lena took some time to respond. But she couldn't. She did not want to acknowledge how deeply this was breaking her.

"Do you love him?"  Selene inquired in a soft tone.

When Lena heard the question, her heart skipped a beat. Never had she thought about it. She had never let herself experience that emotion. But now that all had occurred, the reality could not be denied.

"I… I don’t know," Lena said, slightly trembling. "I have forgotten what this is."

Selene put her hand on her shoulder in consolation. "I am here for you no matter what. Lena, however, you must choose. An option that has the power to alter everything.

Slowly, Lena nodded, her heart heaving from the decision she had to make.

Lena staggered into her little, remote cabin's threshold, her heart heaving after the events of the previous evening. Long shadows swept the room as the moonlight poured through the windows. Days had passed while she was away, searching for herself and finding meaning in everything—of Kai, the forbidden tie that had sparked between them, and the fire that had grown into something far more complicated than she had ever imagined.

Lena's heartbeat increased as she stood by herself in her house's quiet. She felt a knot in her gut, but it was not from the emotional strain of meeting Kai or the fatigue of traveling. This was a change. individualistic.