by Elle Boon
Her ankles locked around his back, her hips arched against him, her scream echoing around them.
Chapter Eleven
Joni bucked against Atlas; her orgasm continuing long after he bit her. His mine had her wolf rising, the need to claim him greater than anything she’d ever felt in her entire twenty-five years. “Yes, yours,” she agreed. Her wolf howled, teeth she hadn’t felt burst through her gums, almost painfully. “Mine,” she snarled and lunged forward, biting down on the muscle between his shoulder and neck.
Atlas jerked, his cock surging inside her, his hand fisted in her hair holding her to him. “Fuck yes, claim me,” he roared.
Joni was sure everyone within a hundred miles could hear her bossy bear as he yelled, but she was helpless to do anything, but do as he said, and then her body took over, orgasming again. She screamed his name around his shoulder, releasing him as she fell back, then leaned up to lick the wound.
Atlas shifted onto his knees, bringing her up to straddle him, keeping them connected, surging deeper, their chests rose and fell together. “You’re mine, and I’m yours, forever,” he growled, his blue eyes lighter.
Joni nodded, feeling her wolf prowling the surface. “Forever,” she agreed, her voice deeper.
“Your wolf wants to shift. Tell her after I finish making love to you.”
He began lifting and pulling her back down, his arms doing most of the work as he jackhammered in and out of her. Joni not wanting to stay still, leaned forward, taking his lower lip into her mouth, biting down. Goddess, she had no idea what her action would do to her bossy bear, having him lose all control wasn’t it, but she’d be damned if she didn’t love it as he began slamming in and out. One hand gripped her hair, the other her ass as he fucked her hard and fast, until they were both coming together, yelling each other’s names. There was no doubt she was going to be sore, or that everyone would know what happened, but Joni couldn’t help the happy sigh that left her lips.
“Thank you for coming for me,” she whispered against his neck by the spot she’d bitten. Her eyes widened at the claiming mark.
His dick twitched. “Always.” He lay her backward, slowly pulling out with a groan.
Joni opened her mouth to respond, but agony ripped along her joints. “Atlas, something is wrong.” She reached for him.
Atlas sat up. “What is it?”
She shook her head, her body spasming. “I...I don’t know. My wolf is howling like she’s hurting inside me.” She folded her arms around her stomach. “I need to go outside. This doesn’t feel right.”
The fact her mate was on his feet and had her in his arms before the last word left her mouth showed he was as worried as she was. He had her out the door and down the stairs before she felt a spasm hit her. “What’s happening?” she cried.
“Fuck, I don’t know.” He held her tighter, looking toward the farmhouse, wondering if he should call for the coyote and his mate.
“Put me down, Atlas. I’m...I’m going to shift, but my wolf is scared.” She could hear the fear in her voice.
Atlas put her on her feet just as the first pop of bones began, Joni couldn’t remember her first shift as a child, could only remember it wasn’t all that pleasant. “This isn’t—like before.” Her teeth ached. Hell, everything hurt. Every bone and muscle felt on fire, her mind scrambled to keep up, then she tried to retreat inside her wolf only to realize even her beast wasn’t the same.
Just as she was sure she would rather die than endure any more, the cool feel of grass was beneath her panting wolven body. She felt a warm hand running over her spine, familiar, yet her wolf snarled.
“Easy, Achwahnaja, it’s me, Atlas.” A deep voice called.
Joni lifted her head off one paw, turning to look up at the human male, alarmed to see tears flowing from him. She whined, realizing in her wolf form she couldn’t talk.
“It’s going to be fine, baby. Just rest. We’ll figure it out,” he promised.
She didn’t understand what he was talking about. It had been so long since she’d shifted it had taken a lot out of her, which was why it had hurt and why she was so exhausted. She looked down at the ground. A large white paw crossed over another had her scrambling backward. In her haste to get away, she knocked Atlas on his ass. Hearing him curse, she twisted to check on him, her head looming over him. Holy shit, what the hell is going on?
“Joni, I need you to stay calm. My bear is a dire white bear, remember?” Atlas spoke inside her mind.
She stared down at her mate, his voice easing some of her fears. She’d never had a connection as clear as what she felt with Atlas, not even when her old alpha had tortured her. The last had Atlas growling in her head. “What does that mean?” she asked trying to distract Atlas.
“I’m putting a pin in that little tidbit of info for later. As for what a dire means for you and me...I suspect it means you as my truemate, have now become a dire white wolf. At least by the looks of you. Fuck, you’re gorgeous, Achwahnaja.” He placed both hands behind her ears and rubbed.
“I’ve never heard of a dire anything before except in a situation which means really bad. Can I shift back? I don’t feel like I’m in control, here.” True worry engulfed her. Unlike her wolf before, this one seemed more in control of her.
Atlas kissed the tip of her nose, making Joni growl. “I can alpha order you both to shift, but I think she needs to run. You’ve both gone a long time without shifting. The only problem is, I’m not sure what there is for prey around here. I don’t want you or I eating something that’s not...on the approved menu.”
“Can you reach out to Hollis and ask him? I’d hate to do anything that would hurt him or his crew.” Goddess, she sounded like a little whiner ass baby, and her wolf didn’t like it. Too bad, I’m the alpha here, she thought, taking back a little control.
“Good girl, you need to assert yourself with your beast from the very beginning, or she’ll be harder to control.” Atlas closed his eyes.
Atlas kept a hand on Joni’s huge ass white wolf, loving the softness of her fur. Damn, he had no clue mating with him would change her from a regular wolf to a white wolf, let alone dire wolf. Using his alpha powers, he called out to Hollis. “Hollis, is there any parameters you have for us hunting?”
“I’m assuming you’re not talking on two legs?” Hollis answered back.
“Ah no, and there’s not just a wolf and bear, but two dires gonna be hunting,” he said, waiting with bated breath.
“How the hell did that happen?” Hollis growled through their link.
“Oh, what do we have here?”
Atlas growled at the sound of Lula’s voice. “Female, don’t you have any self-preservation inside that pink head of yours?”
Lula tilted her head to the side. “My head is not pink, big bear. Now, let me see this pretty girl. Aren’t you a pretty girl? Oh yes you are. Yes, you are. Come here, let Lula pet you,” Lula cooed.
Joni growled; the sound sent shivers down Atlas’s spine. “That female is getting on my nerves.”
Atlas kept his hand firmly on the top of her head. “Don’t, she’s a dragon, I think she out sizes us.”
“Very wise, big bear. I’m much larger than both of you combined, but she’s very impressive. Look how the moon shines on her coat. Now, who wants to go play fetch on Fey, hmm?” Lula clapped.
Joni tilted her head to the side. “Is she crazy?”
“It’s rude to talk inside your head to him and think I can’t hear, big wolf,” Lula chastised.
“Hey, that’s not nice either.” Joni swatted at Lula, making the other female jump backward but Lula laughed.
“Oh, I forgot she’s got that whole human thing going on and hates to be called big,” Lula huffed. “Silly females. Now, come along, there’s hunting to be done. Big bear, you coming or what?”
Atlas gripped Joni by the fur near her nape. “You sure we’ll be safe in Fey?” His first and last duty was to protect his mate.
Purple eye
s met his over Joni’s head. “While my Queen is busy with her mates and babies, my duty is to take care of her people. She,” Lula pointed at Joni before continuing, “is her people and since you are her mate, you are now my people to take care of. Now, shift before we go, since I’m not sure how you’ll do on Fey. Word of warning, big bear,” Lula waited a beat. “I tell you what you can and can’t eat. You both will listen to me as your leader, alpha or no.” The last was said with more authority than Atlas had ever uttered.
He nodded. “Joni, I’m going to change, but I wanted to warn you and your wolf to be prepared...I’m not a regular grizzly.”
“We’re aware and ready to see our mate,” Joni rumbled. Their link was getting stronger with each passing second.
Atlas took a deep breath, then moved away from both females. His bear was as familiar to him as the man. With a thought, he shifted, becoming the white dire bear. Instead of needing to hunt, his bear walked up to its mate, nudging her side. Joni tilted her neck, showing him the mating mark even her shift couldn’t hide. A growl escaped his huge mouth as he licked the spot, then he met the amused smirk of the pink haired pixie.
“You two ready, or you need a minute to boink?” Lula asked.
Atlas lifted a lip to snarl. “We’re ready, female,” he said through the link she’d opened earlier.
Lula clapped, then placed a hand on Joni first before calling to Atlas. “Come here, big bear. By the way, I’m told the trip through realms can be a little sickening to some of those not used to traveling in such a way. However, I’ve never had a problem with any of my passengers. I hope you both are like my others.” With those words, she gave a tug.
Atlas reached out to Joni, needing to be connected to her as well. The ground beneath them disappeared at a rate he was sure had his stomach turning inside out. “I’m with you,” he assured his mate through their link, fighting to not be Lula’s first upchucker.
Joni blinked the world into focus, trying to orient herself once Lula sat them on their feet, or rather paws. She still couldn’t believe she was a huge white wolf. No, a dire wolf. She’d been outcast from her friends and family before for what she couldn’t do, now she truly wouldn’t be welcomed back. The thought had her snarling.
“Oh, look, our puppy has huge fangs,” Lula said.
“Yes, what better to eat you with,” Joni snarled, shocking herself when the words came out of her wolf. “What the hell?”
Lula skipped around. “Here on Fey, many things are possible, like you being able to talk in whatever form you take. Now, what should we do, and please don’t say boink your mate? My sensitive dragon ears and eyes can’t handle things of that nature. Besides, those who do the boinking here, tend to get pregnant with entire baseball teams. You ready to batter up, big bear?”
Looking over at her mate she took in his slightly off color and feared something was wrong. “Atlas, are you okay?” Shoot, had traveling wherever they had damaged him like Lula said?
“Baseball teams? Like, several cubs?” he asked.
Joni pounced, knocking the big bear over until they were rolling down a grassy hill unlike any she’d seen on Earth. “Seriously? You had me scared your organs were outside your body, or your brain was left on...some other world.” She bit his shoulder where her mark was.
His happy laughter lifted his huge bear belly, knocking her off of him. “If my organs were on the outside, wouldn’t you see them?”
Lula made a gagging sound. “First off, that would be totally gross unless I was hungry, then pass me the yum yum sauce. Second, are you two done rolling around like children? I brought you here to hunt, not do that?”
By that, Joni assumed she meant not bat paws at each other, but damn, her mate was truly magnificent with his shiny white coat and light blue eyes.
“I’m glad you think I’m perfect.” Atlas stood on his hind legs, turning in a full circle.
“Oh, lord love a duckling, palease. I will turn you into a monkey if you don’t go chase a cat or something.”
“I think the saying is love a duck, but let’s not split hairs. I feel the urge to run and hunt. Not sure about actually eating anything, though.” Even when Keith had been in charge, she’d not wanted to partake in the taking down of a live animal. Goddess, was she a vegan wolf?
“Your inner thoughts are quite fascinating, big wolf. However, I don’t want you trying to split my hairs. You really do think and say weird things.” Lula plopped down on the grass, which appeared to look more turquoise than green. “Now, here’s your only real rules. One,” Lula took a breath, squinting up at the sky. “Don’t eat anything that looks like a person. Two, don’t talk to strangers, so basically only talk to each other or me or Jenna. Three, you best get going, the clock is tick tocking.” Lula lay on her back. “Oh, and four, if I holler, come a runnin’ ‘cause shits going down.”
Joni looked at the female lying as if she hadn’t a care in the world. “We do have permission to be here, yes?”
Lula waved a hand in the air, her feet pointing towards the dual suns. “Of course, I mean, we’re here, duh.”
“Lula, are we going to be eaten by a huge ass dragon, or no?” Atlas growled, coming to stand over Lula, his white bear on all fours.
With her eyes squinting up at him, which didn’t make Joni happy, the dragon waved again. “The only dragons here are me and my mama. If you see a big angry dragon, you best shift to human and cry for Jenna, or me. Now, bye, I’m trying to nap.” Lula closed her eyes, letting out a loud snore.
“Come on, she wouldn’t have brought us here if we weren’t allowed. Let’s just let our beasts run. I feel the need to let off some steam,” Atlas said nudging Joni in the side.
Joni gave one last look toward the weird female, then turned away, the strangeness of their surroundings forgotten as she gave herself over to the wolf.
Chapter Twelve
Atlas let Joni lead, watching her back while they ran. The species of animals on the realm Lula had taken them to a lot different than what he’d encountered on Earth. His bear scented prey within minutes of their run, but he didn’t track it, instead kept pace with Joni, allowing her to lead.
“Are you hungry, bossy bear?” she asked through their link. The voice of her wolf was slightly different than her human one, which had his bear going still.
“I am, but I’m content to give you space until you find your footing.” He nudged her side when he felt a predator growing ever closer. Not that he didn’t think he couldn’t take it, but he didn’t want to spoil his time with his mate.
Her laughter floated into his mind. “Ah, I think I am ready to leap with you. Which way?”
The sound of rushing water gave him an idea as well as the perfect direction to take them. His bear moved in front of the huge wolf, rubbing against her as he passed. He was running so fast, he nearly jumped off the edge of the hill, falling into what was probably a deep lake.
“Holy shit, that was close.” Joni skidded to a halt next to him, dirt and grass flying up as her paws dug into the ground to halt her momentum.
“You ain’t kidding.” He looked down at the drop and then back at the wolf. “Can you swim, Konese’?” The sound of the rushing water came from a huge waterfall, which Atlas was sure would be an easy trek in their shifted form, but would be a lot more fun in their human ones. He still couldn’t wrap his head around their ability to talk and understand one another while they were in their animal forms. Hell, it would be their luck they’d be unable to communicate as humans.
“Yes, what do you have in mind?”
He showed her through their link, feeling her trepidation at what could be below the surface. “How do we know the loch ness monster ain’t down there ready to eat our tasty asses?”
Atlas huffed. “You taste amazing, but my big hairy ass would cause it indigestion. Besides, I don’t sense a predator.” His animal would sense a threat.
Her wolf nudged his shoulder. “Fine, but if I get eaten, I’m coming back to
haunt you.”
Atlas huffed, his form of a laugh as a bear, then turned to lead the way down toward the falling water. The closer they got, the louder the water became.
“The only thing that’ll be eating you will be me,” he promised.
Sweet arousal filled the air, making Atlas wish they were in their human forms. Lula’s warning about fucking and creating multiple little Joni’s had his bear hurrying forward.
“I can totally see where your mind just went, crazy bear, and the answer is hell naw. I am not having one, let alone a slew of little pupperbears, or direwolbears. Heck, what would we have, anyhow?” She tried to picture what their combination would be but came up completely blank.
“Trust me, the Goddess wouldn’t give us anything we couldn’t handle,” Atlas assured her.
“Yeah, but we’re dealing with two different Goddesses here. Yours and mine. How do we know they play nice together?” Joni brushed against his side.
Atlas ducked under the rushing water, finding what he had been sure he’d find, a hidden little alcove just big enough for him and Joni, or a dragon. He opened his senses, searching for any form of life. “Nothing has been back here for some time. I think we’re safe to shift if we want.”
Joni shook her head. “I thought you needed to shift. Hell, usually after a shift I’d...or rather my wolf would, but something about being here has calmed us.” She lay on her stomach, her head resting on her front paws.
He stared down at the miracle that was his mate. “I’m glad Lula brought us here. Being a dire has been different than a normal grizzly. I have never had anyone to share my world with.” He turned away from Joni, walking closer to the edge to peer out at the water below.
“Do you want to go for a swim?” Joni asked.
Atlas turned to stare down at her, surprised she’d been able to move without him hearing her. Of course, he’d been busy thinking or so relaxed he’d not been paying attention.
