Over the following days, Aria found herself wandering back to their secret meetings. They shared laughter and stories, each encounter igniting a fire within her that she had never experienced before. Kael was enigmatic; he belonged to a rival pack, the Shadow Claws, long standing foes of the Silver Wolves. Yet, the bond forming between them felt undeniable, electric.
Underneath the veil of night, the tension between them grew thicker. Their shared glances lingered longer, and the heat of their proximity ignited a hunger neither could ignore. One fateful night, driven by passion and desperation, they found themselves confessing the depth of their feelings.
"Aria, I've never met anyone like you," Kael whispered, brushing his fingers against her cheek. "There's something about you that calls to me."
"I feel it too," she replied, breathless. "But we can't… our packs are enemies."
His gaze burned into hers, filled with longing and determination. "I don't care. You're my mate. I know it."