by S Bolanos
Michael.
I lifted my nose to the air to confirm my suspicions. The light breeze carried with it the woodsy scent I associated with him and a heavy dose of musk. A shiver rippled through me and I took a step forward. At my movement, a patch of darkness detached itself from the rest and made its way towards me. Despite enhanced vision that defied normal perception, it remained an amorphous shape.
I tensed, a sudden bout of human fear leaking through my confidence. The inky form got closer until it solidified into the wolf I'd seen earlier. As he approached, it occurred to me that this was the first time Michael and I had been wolves together or that I'd seen this side of him. The moon shone on his glossy coat, helping to distinguish him from the shadows.
He walked forward, dipping his head past mine. The heat of his breath slid past my protective coat to caress the shielded skin beneath. I gave a shiver at the peculiar, yet oddly intimate sensation. Michael took a step back and I met his eyes. Impossible as it was, I knew he was smiling his usual grin and I couldn’t help but return it. The night around us filled with sounds and smells I'd never associated with the woods before, yet this moment was still, expectant.
Without warning, he spun around and bounded into the trees with barely a crunch of leaf to betray him. I raced after him. All awkwardness was forgotten as I soared through the foliage, weaving in and out of the dense undergrowth. The wolf knew exactly what to do, so I let her.
My body bunched and stretched as I covered ground at a brisk pace, staying behind Michael. With every pound of my paws on the earth I got closer and closer to the wolf inside. It was through her eyes that I could see this world was not all black and moonlight. Michael’s coat was dark, but not indistinguishable from the night. The trees weren’t dead, they were waiting, their breath held in anticipation of spring. The world wasn’t quiet, it was bursting with activity. And I was part of it all.
Suddenly, the shadow I was chasing disappeared. I skidded to a halt and searched the moonlit night. My ears swiveled in search of my companion and only found tiny creatures going about their evenings. A vise tightened around my chest as fear began to take root. A twig snapped and I jumped to face the source.
Without any other sound to betray him, Michael burst through the undergrowth and barreled into me. I let out a grunt and swung an accusatory glare at him. He huffed a laugh and danced on all four feet, looking for all the world like he was prancing in place. I cocked my head to the side and he dropped his to rest between his paws. I huffed my own laugh. His tail, which was sticking straight up, wagged slightly. When I didn’t respond, he rolled his eyes, then closed them and placed a paw across his face. I yipped a laugh.
He can’t possibly be serious.
He cracked an eye at me, then promptly closed it.
Oh shit, he’s serious.
My gaze swept over the forest surrounding us in search of a decent hiding place. I chose a direction at random and ran as hard as I could until the sight of a hollow amidst some roots got my attention. My pace slowed as I approached to make sure it wasn’t inhabited. Seeing that it was available, I made myself comfortable. It was a tight squeeze and by the time I settled down, the distinct sound of another large animal approaching was thudding through the ground.
My breath slowed and my body tensed. I fought the impulse to peek out and stayed frozen. The thuds got closer and my breath stilled altogether. Then they moved along, leaving me alone and undetected. I barely didn’t bark in triumph.
A moment later, that victory was forgotten as a muzzle shoved into my hiding place. I yelped loud enough to raise the dead and snapped at the intruder. The muzzle vanished and I began the arduous process of removing myself from the cramped space. When I finally emerged, I gave myself a hearty shake.
Michael stood there, tail-wagging, apparently quite proud of himself. I blew air through my nose, making it clear that I didn’t appreciate the rude treatment. He huffed and walked in a circle, then stopped to look at me, tail wagging. I stared back. He gave a short bark and I caved, rolling my eyes as he had done before. He danced excitedly as I laid down. I gave him another eye roll before closing them. In a whisper of air, he was gone.
This is ridiculous. I don’t even know what number to count to. Ugh. One Mississippi, Two Mississippi, Three Mississippi. Right, that’s enough of that. Surely he has enough of a head start.
I stood back up and immediately began sniffing the ground in search of which direction he’d taken. The deep musky scent wrapped in pine sprung out of the backdrop of other scents. With an inward snicker, I took off, but after a few yards, lost it. I yipped in frustration and retraced my steps to find it again.
This time, I didn’t barrel off, but took my time and only lost it twice before it finally got stronger. I warily approached a set of bushes large enough to hide a wolf of Michael’s size. The fact that it was a probable hiding spot made me distrust it all the more, especially after the merry goose chase I’d been led on.
I placed each step carefully, barely shifting the leaves beneath me. My breath shallowed with only the icy fog to betray it. Even my heart seemed to slow so that the solid thump was barely even audible to me. A hush fell over the night as my legs coiled, prepared to spring.
A sharp bark behind me, sent me sprawling. I curled up in a mortified ball as Michael crowed his triumph. He let out a small whine, which I ignored. Then another louder one followed by a snout nosing my side. When I didn’t react, he pushed hard enough to roll me. I snapped at him and he danced out of reach.
He gave a soft bark. I stuck my nose in the air and looked away. He made another low whine deep in his throat. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye to see that his tail had fallen and even covered in fur and not remotely human, he looked discouraged. I barked loud and short. Instantly, his tail came back up. I stood up and he dropped to the ground. My tail wagged and he closed his eyes. Then it was my turn again.
The game continued until we came across a stream to drink. The chill liquid slid over my tongue and quenched my thirst. I lifted my head, enjoying how the cold traveled down my throat to pool in my belly. Michael bumped my side and I looked over to see his muzzle glistening in the white light. His eyes flashed yellow as he turned to gaze off into the underbrush.
I cocked my head and listened intently. My ears strained to pick out one sound among many. Then I heard it. A small scurry followed the muffled thump of two large feet. No sooner did I identify it, than Michael was off. I surged after him. By the time I caught up, there was streak of gray darting haphazardly in front of him. The moment I saw the long-eared creature, something deep inside came to life.
Abruptly the rabbit switched direction and doubled back to race straight at me. Unprepared for such a move, I came to a full stop. The creature darted between my frozen legs and I looked up in time to see Michael almost collide into me. He veered at the last second while I braced for impact. When he almost immediately returned, I knew it was too late, I’d lost it. The belief was further emphasized when he made a noise deep in his throat that was part huff, part growl.
I hung my head in shame. My perfect opportunity, and I'd choked. After a minute, Michael walked up beside me, pressing his weight into me as he passed. I looked up at him hopefully. Now that rabbit was off the menu, and rather than start our game up again, Michael led us on a slow walk through the forest, strangely reminiscent of our human stroll through the park. It was a nice change of pace that let me appreciate the night and the wonders it held.
After a while, I realized we were heading back to our clothes. We reached mine first and Michael continued on to his own. Now came the real test. The moon still flowed hot in my blood, but if I was ever going to have any modicum of control, I had to do this. I focused on how the world looked and felt when I was human, on how I looked and felt.
Like before, nothing happened. I shook my ruff out and thought about what it was like not to have fur. Despair threatened to creep in when the change finally took hold. I took a deep br
eath and did my best to ride out the tide of unadulterated pain that threatened to drown me. Time dragged by while my body twisted into unnatural positions in pursuit of one right one.
When there hadn’t been any pops or cracks for a while, I pushed up to my feet. A faint breeze brushed against my fresh skin, feeling more like water than air. After a night in fur, it felt wrong to be in nothing but skin. I quickly began searching for my clothes. Leaves and twigs scattered at my touch, but no duffel was forthcoming.
They have to be around here somewhere.
Frustrated, I straightened up and spied Michael walking towards me. His duffel hung carelessly in one hand, the contents threatening to spill out, but not a stitch graced his body. My heart hammered against my ribs as a flush burned its way across my bare skin.
“Would it have killed you to wait a minute?” The words came out hoarse, but gained strength.
His only response was to rake his eyes over me hungrily. It may have been dark, but I didn’t need enhanced vision to see that he liked what he saw.
“Sara,” he said at last, his voice deep and husky.
I swallowed hard and shifted my weight from one foot to the other. He mirrored the movement, using it to bring him closer. The breeze shifted and I found myself downwind. The smell of earth, pine and what could only be described as desire swirled around me. The wolf inside crashed against the logic that this was a bad idea with enough force to frighten me. She wanted what she wanted.
He took another step closer and I took a nervous one backward.
“Michael, I…I…”
I don’t know, I wanted to say. I’m scared. We’ve been down this road before and it only ends in catastrophe. This is the moon, it isn’t real. But it was too late, he was already in front of me. I flinched when he moved a sweat-soaked strand of hair away from my face. The haze cleared slightly from his eyes, though the nearness of him wrought havoc on my senses. The wolf continued to fight against my doubts, pushing relentlessly to get her way.
“You’re not likely to change again so soon. I doubt you have the energy for it, especially since you're so new.” His words were soft and calm, but they also held a promise.
I searched his face. I wanted him so much it hurt. It wasn’t just the wolf. I did. But there were still so many doubts. What if this is an effect of the change? What if this is a one time, heat-of-the-moment? What if someone finds us? What if he changes his mind?
Of all the insecurities racing through my mind, only one made it out. “Is it safe?”
“I’ll never let anything happen to you,” he said and his mouth closed over mine.
Every sensitized fiber of me reacted. Any reservations or doubts that had accumulated were washed away by an undeniable wave of desire. I reached out for him, hungry for more. The instant our bodies touched I became fire. My skin was still hypersensitive from the change and everywhere his hands glided a new inferno leapt to life. He pulled me in tight, his groan bordering on a growl. For a split second, my human mind and my new wolf heart were at odds.
I pushed him and the indecision away. “I trust you.”
His eyes seemed to simultaneously burn and soften as he caressed the side of my face. I licked my lips, tasting him there. He stole a sweeter kiss that stroked its way through me, warming everything in its path. I moaned into him and the night took the sound.
As he lowered me to the ground, I didn’t care that we were out in the middle of the woods. If he wasn’t worried, then neither was I. When I looked up at him from my new position, he seemed to be soaking in the sight of me laid bare beneath him. Instead of the warm blush that I would have normally had at being so appraised, all I could feel was the moonlight on my skin and humming in my veins.
I reached up and pulled him down, snaring him with a kiss the moment he was within reach. My lips healed as fast as they bruised while my fingers traced every inch of him I could reach.
Need burned in my veins, blinding me to anything but him and this moment. He rolled us and leveraged his new position to run his hands down the length of my back and cup my ass. I threaded my fingers through the downy hair on his chest as I shifted to kiss along the side of his neck. He let out a choked groan when I sucked a hickey into his collar.
He snatched a hungry kiss that seemed to echo my desperation then nudged me into a seated position where I straddled his waist. I flattened my hand on his chest and lifted my hips so I could guide his hard length where I wanted it most.
“Wait,” he said as his fingers delicately wrapped around my wrist.
“What’s wrong?”
“We don’t exactly have protection.”
I floundered for a way to get what my body ached for and still be smart. “What about the pill?”
“Not really sure how well that would hold up to werewolf genetics.” His crooked smile somehow banished the hiccup of uncertainty and set every butterfly known to man fluttering in my stomach, maybe even a few moths.
“Then what?”
“Like this.” Michael placed his hands on my hips and gently brought me back down so that his erection nested between my thighs, then encouraged me to move.
I put my hands on his chest and gave an experimental roll of my hips. The ache turned to sparks as I rubbed myself along the length of him, shocked at how much stimulation the move created without him entering me.
He took a shuddering breath that edged on a moan as I ground myself against his erection. The cords of his neck stood out as he fought to keep from thrusting up and finishing claiming me. His hands flexed on my hips until his right hand drifted between my legs. The pad of his thumb teased at my already sensitive bud and my movements became more erratic as I approached the precipice of release.
Moonlight seemed to pour out of me as I tripped over the edge and fell into ecstasy. I continued to chase my fading bliss as Michael finally moved with me. His hands returned to my hips and I quickened my pace, eager to see him lose himself as much as I had. When his hands shook, I knew he was close.
I lifted off of him slightly, leaned down, and kissed him. Our tongues tangled together while my hand wrapped around his length. I used the moisture trapped between us and stroked him, keeping my grip firm. A few slow strokes later, his breath caught and he released into my hand with a groan.
“Fuck,” he growled as he continued to come undone.
“That was the idea,” I said with a cheeky grin.
His head fell back to the earth as he let out a full body laugh that shook me and threatened my precarious perch. I couldn’t help but join him, feeling lighter than I had in years. Half-imagined dreams paled in comparison to the reality of this moment. The things that had held me back vanished and we laughed in our bliss with only the full moon as our witness.
16
The Twisted Truth
Exhilaration and contentment hummed through me as I lay on the forest floor. A heavy mist hung in the air, obscuring the canopy above, punctuated by spears of golden light. Even without a stitch on, the chill didn’t touch me. The dense foliage beneath us made a pillow softer than any bed and the sweet chorus of birds was all that broke the hush of the morning.
“Amazing, isn’t it?” Michael’s soft whisper drifted beneath the melody. He squinted up at the canopy. “We should probably gather our things and start making our way back.” He trailed his fingers lightly along my side and a wave of goose pimples rose in response.
I let out a small gasp and his gaze flicked up to mine. A smile played on his lips while his hand caressed the exposed flesh. He leaned down to steal a kiss that had me arching into him for more. My soft sigh of disappointment chased after him when he released me and cast another quick glance at the distant canopy.
I followed his gaze and squinted. “How do you know how late it is?” The most I could discern was that it was morning, but that had more to do with the mist and logic than any supernatural indication of time.
“Years of practice,” he said as he stood. Cold rushed in to take his place
and I shivered. He held out his hand to help me up then gave it a not-so-subtle shake when I didn’t immediately take it. “Come on, day’s a wasting.” I frowned and accepted the assist.
“You surprise me,” I said as he passed me my things.
“Oh? Why's that?” he asked, reaching back into the leafy pile.
I shrugged and removed the fresh set of clothes. “I would’ve figured you for a morning snuggler.”
He pulled me in close, hampering my ability to right my shirt. “And normally I am, but we slept later than I'd planned.” He nuzzled my ear and a shiver that had nothing to do with the cold swept through me. In its wake, heat sprung to life. “I guess we had a harder night than I thought,” he added with a playful nip.
I giggled and worked my hands free from between us. My fingers twisted in his hair as I brought his mouth down to mine, eager to feed the hunger he’d awakened. Apparently, that was yet another aspect of being a werewolf that Michael had failed to mention, not that I was really sure how one brought up supernatural stamina in casual conversation. I kissed him deeper and pressed my body against his.
Michael’s arm tightened around my waist, crushing me against his chest. My pulse raced in anticipation even as a twisted note of logic weaseled its way through the fog.
He’s right, we should get going.
Then again… It is the weekend.
I smiled against his mouth and pulled on his bottom lip. He groaned softly in response. “We should really go,” he repeated.
“I don’t see the rush,” I countered and kept his head captive.
“Don’t get me wrong, I love that you feel at home out here—I really do—but someone lost dinner last night.”
It was my turn to groan. Now that he mentioned it, ravenous hunger clawed at my insides. I frowned and stole another kiss, determined despite the hollow pit in my stomach. The warmth of his hand spread across the small of my back and I melted into the sensation.
