One Step at a Time

The soft glow from the TV was the only light in the room, casting muted shadows that danced on the walls as the second Lion King continued to play. Caleb was finally asleep, his steady breathing filling the silence. He had drifted off just as the second movie was picking up again, leaving Cam and me alone in the quiet of the room. We had shifted to the foot of the bed, but it felt like there was hardly any space between us.

The air was thick—heavy with everything that had passed between us moments ago, that conversation with Maddison still echoing in my mind. The tension, the unspoken words... it all hung there in the dark, like it was waiting for something to happen. And it felt like everything was about to shift.

I tried to focus on the movie, but I could feel him next to me, feel the heat of his presence, the weight of everything that had been left unsaid. I could feel my heart speeding up, my body aware of him in a way I wasn't prepared for. The silence between us was thick, but somehow, it felt even louder than the movie playing.

I glanced over at him, and when our eyes met, my breath hitched. His gaze wasn't on my face. No, it was lower. His eyes were fixed on my lips, and for just a brief second, I felt the heat of it. The way he looked at me, it was... intense. I couldn't pull my eyes away.

And then, I caught myself. His lips were so close. That's what he was thinking about. That's what was pulling him in, the same way it was pulling me. My heart beat louder in my chest. I wanted him to kiss me. More than anything, I wanted him to kiss me.

Without thinking, my eyes flickered from his gaze to his lips. I knew the thought wasn't helping. I could feel the pull between us, something undeniable in the way the space between us felt too small. And then, without a word, his hand brushed against mine.

It was barely a touch. Just a whisper of contact, but it felt like a spark. A jolt ran through me, a shockwave of warmth flooding my body. My wolf rumbled in response, content, eager, as if it knew what was happening before I did. Every nerve in my body seemed to come alive at the touch.

I looked back up at him, meeting his gaze. There was something darker there now, something that matched the storm inside me. Slowly, his hand reached up, fingers gently brushing a strand of hair away from my face. The movement was so tender, but it was the kind of tenderness that made my heart race even faster. Every inch between us felt like it was shrinking with each passing second.

He was so close now, and I could feel the heat of his breath on my skin, feel the pull of his presence in a way that made everything else fade away. There was no more movie, no more Caleb sleeping soundly beside us, no more thoughts of anything outside of this moment.

And then, before I could think, before I could question whether this was happening, his lips were on mine.

At first, it was soft. Gentle. Neither of us sure what to do, unsure how to navigate this space between us. But even that gentle kiss was enough to send a spark through me, to make my heart race faster than it already was. Every part of me was awake, alive with the electricity that was building between us.

His lips moved against mine slowly, and I kissed him back, matching the gentle rhythm at first. But then, something shifted. He growled low in his throat, a sound that vibrated through me, and the kiss deepened, became more urgent.

It was as if something inside me, something I had been holding back for so long, finally cracked open. My hands moved, not knowing where to go, until I found the fabric of his shirt, gripping it tightly. The world outside us didn't exist anymore. The kiss grew more passionate, more frantic, as though we both knew we couldn't stop now. I didn't want to stop. I didn't know if I ever could.

His arms wrapped around me, pulling me closer, his body pressing against mine as we became lost in the kiss. The world outside disappeared completely—just me and Cam, tangled in a kiss that felt like it had been a long time coming. It was everything I had been missing. Everything I had been too scared to admit to myself.

And then, as my heart pounded so loudly I could barely hear anything else, not even the quiet hum of the movie still playing in the background. All that existed, all that mattered, was the feel of Cam's lips against mine, the heat of his body pressed so close to me, his hands now roaming over my back, pulling me even tighter against him.

Every touch, every movement sent a ripple of electric energy through me, igniting every inch of my skin. I wanted to say something, anything, but my mind couldn't form words. My body just responded—pulling him closer, hands tangling in his shirt, pulling him to me like I couldn't get enough.

It felt like a dam breaking inside me. The flood of emotions, of desires I'd been keeping at bay, all rushing to the surface, overwhelming me. I didn't care anymore. I didn't care about the risks, the consequences, the things I'd always told myself to be careful of. This felt real. This felt like something I was supposed to have.

His lips moved from mine, trailing down to my jaw, my neck, and I shivered at the sensation, the warmth of his breath sending chills down my spine. My body pressed into his as I tilted my head, giving him more of myself, my breath coming in short bursts as he kissed me with a desperate intensity, as though he too had been holding back for far too long.

I gasped when his hands brushed down my back, fingers slipping beneath the hem of my shirt. I felt exposed in the best way, like I was unravelling, but in the most thrilling, intoxicating way. Every part of me wanted this, needed this, and as his lips found mine again, I let myself go completely, forgetting everything but him.

But, then, a sharp knock at the door sliced through the haze of passion that surrounded us. The sudden sound jolted me back to reality, my chest heaving as I pulled away, gasping for air. My heart was still racing, my thoughts still tangled in the aftermath of what had just happened. I looked at Cam, his eyes wide, lips swollen from our kiss, both of us struggling to catch our breath.

Another knock.

"Alpha, Avery" Luke's voice called from outside the door —his usual check-in.

I froze, not knowing what to say, what to do. I barely registered the sound of my own voice as I whispered, "We're fine." My voice sounded so small, so breathless, it was almost a dead giveaway.

Cam stared at me for a second longer before quickly straightening up, pulling away just enough to create some space between us, though the tension in the room remained thick. He looked like he was trying to figure out whether he should speak, but the words seemed to fail him too.

Another beat of silence passed before Cam finally cleared his throat his voice a little rough as he spoke, "Yeah... we're good."

I could still feel the heat of his touch on me, the memory of our kiss lingering like an ache in my chest, but the moment had passed. The spell had been broken.

I didn't know what to say. What did I even feel? My body ached for him, but the questions remained, swirling in my mind.

What was this? Where did it leave us now? Was it just a moment of weakness, a slip that we would forget in the morning?

Cam, though, wasn't one to let things go that easily. I could feel the pull between us, even if I wasn't sure how to respond.

"Are you okay?" I asked, my voice soft as I reached out for him, even though my hands felt unsteady.

Cam met my eyes, his expression gentle. "I'm more than okay, Avery." He stepped closer to me, the distance between us closing as his hand found mine. "I want this. I want you."

A warmth spread in my chest at his words, and for the first time, the uncertainty that had held me back was starting to slip away. I wanted to believe him, wanted to feel the certainty he was offering.

He took a step closer, his hand gently cupping my cheek, his touch tender and sure. "We can take this slow. One step at a time. But I'm not going anywhere, Avery. I want to be with you......All the way. "

His words were so full of promise, but there was a part of me that still hesitated. "I'm not asking you to forget everything , Avery. I'm asking you to give me a chance........give us a chance."

"I don't know if I'm ready for this," I admitted pulling back, my voice barely above a whisper, the vulnerability in me more raw than I wanted to admit.

Cam nodded slowly, understanding, but his hand reached out for mine again, his grip firm but gentle, as if trying to ground me.

Before I could stop myself, the tears began to fall, hot and relentless. I wiped at my eyes, but they kept coming, each one a reminder of the weight I'd carried for so long. "You hurt me, Cam," I whispered, my voice trembling. "You hurt me in ways you'll never understand... more than I ever thought I could hurt."

I took a shaky breath, trying to steady myself, but the ache in my chest only deepened. "I spent so many years convincing myself that I had to hate you... that it was the only way to survive what you did. I thought I was better off without you. But now..." I swallowed hard, the weight of my words sinking in. "Now, I'm scared. I'm scared because I don't know how to let go of this... of you."

Cam's voice was filled with regret, soft but unwavering. "I was an idiot before," he said quietly. "I let my anger and my fears control me. I let lies cloud everything...and I hurt you. I see that now, and I regret it every single day. But I'm here, Avery. I'm here now, and I'll do whatever it takes to make things right. I won't leave you again."

His words were like a balm, soothing the raw, aching parts of my soul. But still, doubt lingered in my chest, twisting and turning like a weight I couldn't shake. Could I really let him back in after all the pain? Would it be enough?

"I don't want to hurt you again," he said, his voice low and steady. "I don't want you to go through this alone, not anymore. I've hurt you enough already, but I swear to you I'll spend the rest of my life proving that I can make it right. I will make up all the time I've wasted. All the years you suffered alone."

The way he was looking at me, the sincerity in his eyes, made it harder to keep my guard up. I could feel the walls around my heart slowly starting to crumble, piece by piece.

"Just one step at a time?" I echoed, trying to wrap my head around it, trying to make sure I wasn't just giving in to the heat of the moment.

He smiled softly, his thumb brushing gently across my cheek. "One step"

There was no hesitation in his voice. No doubt.

The words were simple, but they carried so much weight. I felt a warmth spread through my chest, the first real spark of hope I'd allowed myself to feel in a long time. Could I do this? Could I let myself be happy again?

For the first time in a long time, I wanted to say yes.

I stepped closer to him, closing the distance between us, my hand reaching up to rest on his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath my fingertips.

"I'm willing to try," I whispered, my voice barely above a breath.

And then, as if all the unspoken words between us had led to this moment, I leaned in.

Cam met me halfway, his lips soft and warm against mine, the kiss slow, tender. It wasn't desperate like the one we'd shared earlier—it was something else entirely. It was a promise, a quiet declaration that we would figure this out. Together.

His hands rested gently on my back, pulling me closer, and I let myself fall into him. There was no doubt this time. No fear. Just the quiet certainty that we were both ready for whatever came next.

The kiss deepened, but it wasn't about passion this time. It was about healing, about moving forward. And when we pulled away, just enough to breathe, there was a smile on his face, one I hadn't seen in years.

"One step at a time," he repeated, like a promise.

I nodded, my heart racing but in a different way this time. "One step at a time."