Too Close
675 Words
The next morning, the entire pack was staring at her.
Kira felt it the moment she stepped outside the mansion.
Whispers followed her across the courtyard. Wolves stopped talking when she passed. Some looked nervous. Others looked afraid.
Good.
Let them.
Kira lifted her chin and continued walking, pretending the attention didn’t bother her even though every stare burned against her skin.
Something inside her had changed after the shift.
She could hear better now.
Smell better.
Feel everything more intensely.
Including him.
Even before Kieran appeared, Kira sensed him approaching.
Her wolf reacted instantly.
A strange warmth spread through her chest while her pulse quickened for no reason she wanted to admit.
Annoying.
Very annoying.
“Kira.”
His deep voice slid through her thoughts effortlessly.
She turned reluctantly.
Kieran stood a few feet away dressed in black training clothes, his sharp gray eyes already fixed on her. Several pack members immediately lowered their heads when they noticed him.
But Kira only crossed her arms.
“What now?”
A faint smirk touched his lips. “You’re coming with me.”
“Sounds threatening.”
“It probably is.”
Without waiting for agreement, Kieran started walking toward the forest.
Kira stared at his back in disbelief before following him.
The deeper they walked into the woods, the quieter everything became. Sunlight filtered through the trees while cool wind brushed against Kira’s skin.
Finally, Kieran stopped in a secluded clearing.
“What is this?”
“Training.”
Kira blinked. “Training for what?”
His expression darkened slightly.
“For whatever you turned into.”
The words settled heavily between them.
Kira looked away first.
She hated not knowing what she was.
Hated feeling different.
Dangerous.
Kieran seemed to notice the shift in her mood immediately.
“You’re stronger now,” he said quietly. “Your senses are heightened. Your wolf is active.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I can smell it.”
Kira’s breath caught slightly.
The way he said it felt too intimate.
Kieran stepped closer slowly.
“And your emotions affect your control.”
She frowned. “Meaning?”
“Meaning if you lose control—”
“I won’t.”
“You already did once.”
Kira stiffened.
That hurt more than she expected.
Kieran instantly regretted it the moment he saw the expression on her face.
His voice softened slightly. “Kira—”
“Just train me.”
For a moment, he simply watched her.
Then he nodded.
“Fine. Show me your strength.”
The next hour was frustrating.
Every emotion made her wolf react unpredictably. Her hearing sharpened randomly. Her eyes flashed strangely whenever she became irritated. And every time Kieran touched her to correct her stance—
Her body completely betrayed her.
“Focus,” he warned from behind her.
Easy for him to say.
He stood close enough for his chest to brush lightly against her back while adjusting her arms. Heat radiated from his body, distracting her completely.
Kira tried to step away.
Kieran’s hand caught her wrist instantly.
The contact sent a dangerous spark through both of them.
Silence.
Kira slowly looked up.
Big mistake.
Kieran was already staring at her.
Not coldly.
Not like an Alpha watching a pack member.
This was something else entirely.
Something hotter.
His grip on her wrist tightened slightly before his eyes dropped to her lips.
Kira’s breathing became uneven.
The tension between them turned unbearable.
“Kieran…”
Her voice came out softer than intended.
That seemed to snap the last thread of control inside him.
Kieran pulled her against him suddenly.
Kira gasped quietly as his hand slid to her waist, holding her firmly against his chest. The look in his eyes was dark enough to make her entire body heat instantly.
“You drive me insane,” he murmured.
Kira’s heart slammed against her ribs.
Then his forehead rested lightly against hers
So tell me to stop.”
But the problem was—
She didn’t want him to.
- Writer
