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A Night of Freedom

The crisp night air struck Lena with a new sharpness as she got off the bus. Because it was her first time in the city, everything seemed bigger than life, including the tall skyscrapers, the neon lights that flashed overhead, and the constant bustle of activity. She had no intention of attending. It was a last-minute choice, a little reprieve from the unrelenting burden of her obligations. Though they seemed far away tonight, she was constantly thinking about her pack, the Shadowfang, and their expectations of her.

Her silver hair, which contrasted sharply with her dark attire, gleamed in the streetlights. In order to avoid being spotted, she kept her head down, but in reality, nobody gave a damn about her identity in a metropolis this size.

A busy bar a few blocks away drew her attention. It seemed to be just what she needed—the laughter, the flashing lights, the unmistakable cry for freedom, and its lively energy. The pack politics and the responsibilities that awaited her at home were the last things she wanted to consider. She wanted to let go for tonight only.

The music's bass thumped inside her chest, causing her pulse to increase in a manner distinct from the strict control of her pack. Reaching toward the bar, she gripped the cool edge of the counter with her fingertips. She was offered a drink by the bartender, a young man with a nice face and disheveled hair, without requesting identification. The whiskey's strong flavor pricked her tongue as she took a sip.

And that is when she saw him.

Kai Blackthorn stood close to the edge of the dance floor, leaning against the wall with an unmistakable quiet assurance. His blue eyes sparkled with a ferocity that mirrored the music playing around them, and his dark hair drifted unkemptly across his forehead. The pull, the undeniable magnetic connection between them, was palpable even from a distance. It seemed as though the world around them vanished, leaving only the two of them at this very moment.

Her gaze would not leave it.

But before she could look away, his eyes locked with hers. There was a flare of familiarity, something unfiltered and unacknowledged. In reaction, the corner of her mouth pulled at the knowing smile that slightly twisted his lips. He seems to have been waiting for her as well.

An unexplainable connection began to stir inside Lena, and her heart began to race. Even though she did not know anything about him, everything else seemed unimportant at that time.

With her drink in one hand and the surroundings hazy, Lena stood motionless at the bar. Now, with his broad shoulders effortlessly slicing through the mob, Kai was heading her way. Given that he was a Blackthorn, the enemy pack, she ought to have been uncomfortable. She was intrigued by him, though, for some reason. Not only was his presence commanding, it was captivating.

With a smooth and deep voice, Kai said, "I did not expect to discover someone like you in a place like this."

Lena turned to look at him, her amber eyes meeting his sharp blue ones. "And what precisely is a person like me?"

With an intensity that made her skin tingle, he laughed and looked over her face. She wondered whether he knew more about her than he revealed when he said, "Someone who does not belong here," in a playful yet serious tone.

She arched an eyebrow in curiosity. "I do not think I understand what you mean."

With an almost overbearing presence, Kai leaned on the bar next to her. He looked into her eyes and murmured, "Lena Stormrider, Shadowfang pack." "You are the last person I would anticipate seeing on their own in the city."

Lena felt her heart pound. She had not anticipated being recognized by anyone, much less a Blackthorn. "You are knowledgeable," she murmured, attempting to hide the uneasiness that was starting to creep up her back.

With a half-smile twisting his lips, he answered, "I strive to be." "I am not here for that, though."

She cocked her head, feeling the underlying significance of what he had spoken. "And why have you come here?"

With his body radiating warmth toward her, Kai took a step closer. "The same question may be posed to you."

The atmosphere between them became electric and charged. The realization that she wanted to learn more about this man—this Blackthorn—who appeared so different from the wolves she had met made Lena's breath catch in her throat.

He gave her another smile, this one slightly challenging, before she could reply. “Want to know?”

Kai did not await her response. Rather, his fingers warmed her chilled skin as he took her hand. Lena hesitated a bit. This was a risky game, and every instinct in her told her that one touch would be enough to drag her into the unknown. She was unable to resist him, though, because of something about him.

It was now pounding music as he guided her to the middle of the dance floor. He was the only thing she could see as the crowd whirled in a blur of flashing lights. His gentle yet firm touch led her with such assurance that she felt compelled to follow in his footsteps.

The beat of the music started to resemble the beat of their hearts as they moved. Kai's body was now near hers, and she could smell his cedar and musk-like scent. He was hot, and Lena could feel the irresistible pull pulling her in.

They were dancing as if they had known each other all along and their bodies had always been designed to move in unison. She could not tell when it occurred. The tight control she had always maintained began to loosen as she felt the tension in her muscles release. For the first time in years, Lena gave herself permission to feel—to let go of the burdens of her family and her obligations and simply live.

Kai muttered, "You are different, Lena," his hands softly resting on her waist and his breath warm against her ear. I feel it.

His words caused her pulse to accelerate. "Different ways?"

His blue eyes searched hers as if seeking the answer in her look, and he drew back a little. You have no place in this world of customs and pack laws. You are different from the others.

The weight of his words settled in Lena's chest as she gulped forcefully. She had never liked being a part of the Shadowfang pack, and that was true. But could she and him belong here?

Before she could react, Kai's lips were inches from hers, and she could feel the excruciating tension between them. Then he withdrew, his smile wry, as swiftly as before. "But I suppose if we do not take the opportunity, we will never know."

As Lena watched Kai take a step back, his hands still softly resting on her waist, she gasped. Between them, there was a heavy tension in the air that none of them seemed willing or able to release. She could not tell if it was the music, the closeness, or her inexplicable attraction to him, but her heart was pounding.

With her voice scarcely audible over the thundering bass, she found herself whispering, "Do not stop."

Kai's eyes narrowed and his stare deepened, his intensity sending a chill down her spine. "You did not seem like the kind to give up,"

As Lena faced his challenge head-on, she experienced an adrenaline surge and let her wolf side come out to the surface. "I am not."

With a dangerously enticing twist to his lips, he smiled. “Well done.”

The world seemed to shrink to the two of them as they locked eyes again, the surrounding crowd seemingly vanishing. Lena felt a thrilling rush of both want and terror as her heartbeat quickened. This incident was not random. This was something more significant, from which neither of them could get away.

She did not know what she was getting into. However, a part of her did not care.

Kai muttered, "There is no going back now, Lena," leaning closer and putting his lips on her ear.

Her body began to heat up at the sound of the words, and before she could stop herself, her lips were on his.

The fierce, instantaneous, and all-consuming kiss was a spark. As Lena's hands ran through his dark hair and she melted into his heat, her heart thudded in her chest. The feel of his lips against hers made her forget everything, even the pack, the rules, and the expectations, as if every part of her body came to life. The way he touched her and sparked something deep within her was all that mattered.

Her body pressed against Kai's with a delightful eagerness as his hands moved to her back and drew her in. With her head reeling from the intensity of it all, Lena's fingers dug into his shirt. She needed—sought—more.

However, as soon as the kiss started, he withdrew, his chest rising and falling with quick gasps. His countenance was enigmatic and his eyes were dark, and Lena briefly questioned whether she had erred. Then he said something.

"You sense it, do not you?" Kai had a low, gruff voice that was full with longing.

Lena nodded while choking on her own words. Everything seemed to be changing, but she had no idea what this meant.

She was unable to stop it.

But as she gazed into his eyes, she became aware of something. And this was just the start.

She was struck by a single thought: What now?

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