The night passed in a strange kind of peace, though neither of us slept much. I lay there, listening to the trees' rustle and the wolves' distant howls deep in the forest. My body was still buzzing from the feel of Kieran’s lips on mine and his hands' warmth, but my mind kept racing, stuck on the looming threat of Selene and her vampires.
The calm was deceptive. It was the kind that came before a storm.
Kieran had stayed close, his presence comforting even when we weren’t touching. The unspoken tension between us grew with each passing minute, as if we were both afraid to acknowledge the feelings simmering beneath the surface. It was easier to focus on the danger outside than the turmoil inside.
Dawn crept up slowly, the first rays of sunlight breaking through the thick canopy of trees
