The wild between us

She felt his lips on hers, they were warm and soft. It was so sudden, but it burned like fire when he pressed against her lips, his mouth was catching her breath before she could even think. Irvine had never felt anything like it before; it was raw, soft, demanding, and pulling her into a wave she didn’t understand. The way his hands gripped her waist, they were strong and sure, and her body?? It betrayed her with the way it leaned closer, hungry for more. And the world around her became blurry. She could not remember how she got here whether she had wandered drunk into this dark street after sunset, or maybe she had slipped into some weird fever dream. But none of that mattered now, the only reality was his mouth moved against hers, the firm affirmation of his lips, and mostly the way every nerve in her body came alive under his touch. Her father’s voice kept rising in the back of her mind, it was sharp and persistent: Never trust the unknown and never surrender to them. But Irvine was already surrendering and she was already giving in to whatever and whoever this was. The stranger kissed her more hungrily this time grabbing one of her breasts whilst at it, he kissed her as though he had been starving and she was the only thing that could fill him up. His lips moved against hers with such urgency, and she let out a sound half gasp, that was sign to him that she had let down her guards so he took the hand grabbing her face down to her behind and did a small grab. He smiled subtly against her mouth when she moaned again, it was a knowing smile, then he deepened the kiss. Her fingers twisted the fabric of his shirt, she was desperate for balance because now her knees felt weak. She moved her hands under his shirt and could feel the broadness of his shoulders and his very well toned packs and hot under her touch, she felt the heat rolling off him not in a way any human had. The way he scented surrounded her, filling her nose, it was strangely like earth and rain, something like wild forest going into her lungs and nose until she thought she might drown in it. She pulled back her head, to catch her breath and as his lips moved lower, they brushed her jaw, grazing the tender skin of her throat. Her knees weakened, her pulse tripping into a wild rhythm. She knew she shouldn’t be here. And she shouldn’t want this. But every nerve in her body sang with reckless desire, her body wanted this and more. “I don’t…” she tried to speak, but his mouth swallowed the words again, harder this time. The kiss grew fiercer, his hands sliding up her spine, anchoring her closer until there was no space left between them. Her body trembled and her head spiraled. This was madness. She didn’t know him. She hadn’t even seen his face in the darkness. Yet her pulse raced as if it had always been waiting for him, as if some buried part of her recognized him before her mind could. The air around them reduced. He groaned into the kiss, a deep sound that rumbled through his chest and into her bones. His breath grew harsher, ragged, as if he was fighting something inside him from coming out. The heat of his skin rose, and it burned against her palms, “I… can’t….” His deep voice broke against her lips. She pulled back slightly, her breath was uneven, and her lips tingled with the ghost of his. “Who are you?” she whispered. And then it happened. His head dropped against her shoulder, his chest heaving. A low, rough sound rolled from his throat, a growl, it was deep and raw. She froze, every muscle locking tight, her heart pounding in panic. That was when his body began to change. She had tried to touch him and his muscles vibrated beneath her touch. His shoulders hunched, and his bones were snapping with a sound that made her stomach twist. His hands twisted in ways she had never seen, and his fingers stretched into claws that tore the air. Irvine stumbled back, her back hitting the cold stone wall behind her, eyes turned wide with horror and disbelief. The man she had been kissing the stranger whose face she still hadn’t seen was no longer fully a man. His skin was covered with fur and mouth contorted, lips pulled back to reveal fangs glinting in the dim light. The silver fire of his eyes burned into hers, it was inhuman and terrifying. He was a werewolf. Her father’s warnings slammed into her like blades: They’re monsters, Irvine. They’ll take what they want and destroy the rest. So you should kill them before they kill you. She had been kissing a werewolf, she knew she should have screamed or better still she should have ran. But she couldn’t. Her chest thrust up with shallow breaths, and her mind screamed at her to move, but her feet stayed rooted on the floor. Because beneath the terror, another feeling twisted deep inside her. She felt something unfamiliar, and something dangerous. She could still feel his kiss on her lips, burning and alive. She could still smell the storm-and-earth scent clinging to her skin. And worse… much worse she wasn’t just afraid of him. She felt drawn to him. Her gaze locked with his, and for a heartbeat, the monster in front of her looked back at her with something almost human. It wasn't rage nor was it hunger. It was recognition, Like he had seen her The silence extended, and his growl softened, his chest beating as if he was fighting himself from doing something stupid. Her hands trembled at her sides. She wanted to run back to her father, to the safety of his walls and the weapons, to run back to the world she was familiar with. But part of her wanted this, wanted to stay here with this creature. Her lips parted, breathless. “What are you?” she whispered, though she already knew the answer. His jaw tightened. His body shuddered. Then, with a violent effort, he staggered backward, half-turned, half-wolf. He didn’t answer her; he couldn't. So instead, a low growl slipped free from his mouth, and he vanished into the shadows with the speed of a predator, leaving her pressed still against the wall, shaken, her lips swollen from his kiss, and her heart racing with confusion and need. The silence after he left was deafening. Irvine slid down the wall, burying her face in her hands. Her body still burned from his touch, her mouth still tingled with the memory of him. And yet her father’s voice thundered inside her head, full of hate. Never trust them and never love them. You should kill them before they kill you. But now she already knew it was too late. Because that one stolen kiss had undone everything.