“I uh…was wondering if you had a second to chat?” I asked.
Cameron’s eyes flickered slightly skeptically, but he stood up and nodded politely. “Sure. No problem.” He pointed to the weight bench. “I was just finishing up here anyway.”
I smiled. Just as I had suspected, I had inadvertently planned this encounter right on time.
I clasped my hands together and gave him an empathetic smile. “I just wanted you to know that I would never judge you for something you can’t control.”
I waited for him to respond, but he just stared at me blankly as if he wasn’t sure what I was talking about.
“I mean, you know…” I trailed off and leaned in closer to him. I could smell his masculinity and sweat. “last night?”
Cameron’s eyes shone with a mixture of guilt and humiliation, which hadn’t been my intention whatsoever.
“I am a black swan,” I blurted out attempting to turn this conversation around as quickly as possible. “I know what it’s like to feel like an outcast.”
Cameron’s features visibly relaxed. “I’m so sorry for yelling at you in the woods last night. I just didn’t want you to get hurt.”
I gave him a warm smile. “I know, and I appreciate that.”
He seemed to be relieved about having this discussion with me to clear the air and start from a clean slate.
“I never would have roared at you like that if I didn’t think you were in danger,” he added apologetically.
“I understand,” I nodded.
“I just did it to protect you. I was getting ready to…turn.”
“Yeah.” I flicked my gaze to the ground. “James told me about what happened to you.” I lifted my chin and met his gaze. I saw pain reflecting there. “I think it’s absolutely monstrous what your prior Master did to you.”
Cameron sat down on the edge of the weight bench and ran a hand through his hair. He looked chagrinned. “He was atrocious and vile on every level possible.” He stared straight ahead.
I felt compelled to take his hand. I reached out for him and he didn’t jerk away. I felt an instant surge of attraction flood through my veins at his touch.
“I’m grateful to be here with you all in the bunker. My Master was pure evil too,” I confessed.
Cameron smiled as if my admittance made his own dark past seem easier to cope with. “I just have to warn you about one thing,” he said.
“What?” I frowned.
“My tribe has a notorious reputation for being wild and unruly and going against the Master’s laws.”
I was intrigued by him. “Isn’t that what the world needs right now?”
It must have been the right answer because Cameron grinned. “Maybe.”
“So,” I said with a sigh and glanced around the workout room. “Where do you go when you shift into a werewolf for the night?”
Cameron stood up again. “I wander the woods.”
“Do you venture far away from the bunker?”
Cameron shrugged. He seemed shy again. “Not really. I know that everyone here feels safer knowing that I’m out there on the prowl, so to speak.”
“It’s very noble of you to be the lookout,” I said gently.
Cameron chuckled. “The thing is, I still have my human mind. I’m still myself underneath. But I can’t control my physical actions. So I have to stay away because I might attack anyone who crosses my path, including those I care about.”
He met my gaze then and I trembled with desire. Then his eyes widened and brightened in excitement.
“Hey, do you want to see something?”
“Sure,” I said. My heart raced in anticipation.
“Follow me.” He beckoned me with a wave of his hand.
I willingly went with him, happy to see that the reserved Cameron was finally opening up to me and shedding a layer of his toughened exterior. We walked outside. There was a cool breeze and the sound of birds chirping and singing to one another filled the air. Beams of white and yellow shimmering light reflected off the trees and bounced to the bed of leaves that crunched under our feet.
“Here we are,” he said with a smile as we stopped in front of a wooden hut.
I could hear the swooshing sound of the river, although I couldn’t see it from this location. A shiver of angst crawled up and down my spine at the memory of being submerged and helpless in that icy water.
“Where are we?” I peered at him curiously.
“I hide out here sometimes,” he admitted, leading me inside the small structure. “Especially if the weather conditions deteriorate. I’ll come in here during a thrashing thunderstorm. You wouldn’t believe it, but it can actually be cozy in here listening to the tree branches whip around the hut in the howling wind.”
“It sounds scary to me,” I said with a chuckle.
“No storms last forever,” Cameron whispered and approached me. He was tall and muscular.
He placed his hands on my shoulders and we just stared at each other for several moments as if we were captivated by one another. It was a sensual moment. It was incredible the way that two people could connect through the magical intimacy of gazing into each other’s eyes. I was thrilled to be getting to know Cameron. I didn’t have to be frightened of him if I knew the true man behind the werewolf mask.
“Do you mind if I kiss you?” he asked. “I’m sorry if that’s too forward. It’s just…you are so breathtaking. I’m in awe of you. You seem like you have a kind heart too. You see people for who they truly are, not just what is displayed on the surface.”
How could I deny him a kiss after he spoke about me in such complimentary way?
I gave him a zesty nod. He was appealing in every sense of the word. I closed my eyes and relaxed, gently parting my lips and allowing myself to yield to the pleasure of his kiss.
His tongue massaged my mouth. I felt the sparkle of chemistry between us. He was hungry with desire. I could tell by the frantic way he touched and kissed me all over that he was desperately lonely.
It made my heart ache to know that he probably hadn’t felt a woman’s touch in a long time, if ever. I craved him, drawn to him like a magnet. His calloused fingertips grazed across the softness of my skin, a perfect balance of animal and tender swan.
We began to undress each other with primal urgency, both of us panting.
“You don’t know how gorgeous you are,” he groaned into my neck.
He tugged on my hair a little as he fumbled in his pocket. “I don’t have a condom,” he said apologetically.
“It’s okay,” I said.
“I can just cum on your tiny tummy,” he suggested.
I was already knee-deep in desire. My cheeks burned. My clitoris throbbed. I nodded and compulsively snaked my arms around his neck, pulling his body closer to mine.
He pressed his bare chest to me, and I felt the rapid beating of his heart next to mine. It was an extremely erotic moment.
I slid my hands up and down his rock-hard biceps. I could tell that Cameron was trying to be gentle with me, but he didn’t know how to dial down the animalistic side of himself.
I would try to do my best to soften him, to help him relax so that he could enjoy himself and get lost in the energy of the moment.
Cameron took his pulsing cock and pushed it inside of me. We moved on impulse together. Inhibitions were cast to the wind. I gasped in response to his girth filling me. With a grunt, Cameron pushed me against the wooden wall of his hut. I wondered if he had built it himself, or if he had stumbled upon it one day in a happy accident. I would have to ask him about it later.
For now, I was ready to surrender to the pleasure of being here alone with him. There was a new thunderstorm brewing inside of me, but it was the glorious kind that ended with a rainbow on the other side.
Cameron plunged in and out of me, grunting and groaning as he pushed himself farther inside of me. He was several inches deep, burying himself inside of my inviting, glistening wetness.
His
eyes rolled back in his head. He pounded into me. It was raw, it was passionate, it was animalistic. A mixture of pleasure and pain. Cameron was holding back, even though the sex was rough. I didn’t mind it. As long as it was consensual, I was happy.
I lost myself in the moment, wrapping my legs around his torso and digging my heels into his back. I squeezed my inner thighs against his waist and raked my fingernails across his back.
Cameron groaned passionately. I saw the ecstasy swimming in his eyes as he continued to pump harder and faster.
In the moment, we were one. There was no one else on the planet that existed. It was just me and him, and that was all we needed. We were fuel to each other, and we were feeding each other’s pleasure. It was a natural therapeutic remedy to forget our struggles for the time being.
Cameron grabbed my arms and tugged on my hair. We were sweaty and intertwined, a naked blur against each other. I loved the way his shaft was rubbing up against my clitoris at just the right angle.
I cried out with a wild moan as an orgasm built up and exploded inside of me. It was an eruption of pleasure so intense I couldn’t see straight. The world disappeared. I was numb and tingly all over.
I barely had time to recover before Cameron yanked his cock out of me with a suctioning pop. He groaned and spilled his cum all over my stomach and bare breasts. He was shaking. I held him tightly.
His body went limp on top of me. I rocked him gently and stroked his hair, whispering to him gently.
“That was wonderful,” I said.
Cameron was still breathing heavily. “Yes, it was,” he said when he was finally able to speak again.
We stood beside each other, trying to recover from our climaxes. It was in that moment that I realized that I had an everlasting bond with not only Cameron, but James, Ayden, and Blaze too. I could feel it in the depths of my soul, with every heartbeat. They all had unique qualities to bring to a relationship. I was torn because I deeply cared about all of them. They were all heroes in my mind.
It was more than just superficial chemistry and attraction. I gazed up at Cameron and brushed away a strand of his hair.
“Do you ever feel like life can change in a blink of an eye and you should never take happiness for granted?” I asked.
Cameron’s face glowed with agreement. “In this life, you have to embrace every moment.”
I saw a twinge of melancholy in his features and I knew that he was thinking the same thing that I was. In the world we lived in, happiness could be destroyed like a bug crushed beneath a boot.
I had no regrets. I was going to live my life to the fullest. It had been a long time since I’d experienced such ample amounts of pleasure.
I wasn’t going to let my freedom and joy go without a fight.
28
Ayden
I walked into the bar of the swankiest hotel in the village I grew up in, Crescent Falls. It was a thirty-minute hike from where the bunker was nestled in the woods, but I didn’t mind the jog.
I had shifted into my lion body and patrolled the area on my way into town, combing the vicinity while venturing closer into the town limits.
As soon as I made it to the tree line, I shifted back to my human form under the seclusion of the tree canopies.
I needed to talk to my friend, Leo. He had been a family friend, someone I grew up knowing. He had been an old pal of my father’s, more like an uncle to me. I trusted him with my life. He had been loyal to my family for a long time and I had no reason to doubt that his intentions had changed since I saw him last.
I had witnessed my parents being killed directly in front of me right before I had been stolen away by my former Master. Now Leo was a father figure for me. I knew that I could count on him for anything.
I was damaged on the inside, but I always attempted to keep that veneer of confidence on the surface. I wanted people to assume that I was holding my life together, even though sometimes it was only by a thread.
Leo had lived in the village of Crescent Falls for his entire life, just like me. He wasn’t a shifter. He was fully human, which meant that he would never have to be subjected to the torture of a Master.
Masters didn’t want humans. They only wanted shifters. Not to mention, Leo was getting up there in age. He had to be in his late forties, maybe even early fifties by now. His profile would never reasonably attract the interest of a Master.
He owned a hotel called The Lion’s Den, an homage to my late mother and father who were lion shifters just like me.
The bar area wasn’t crowded on this particular night. The lights were dimmed for ambiance. There was music playing softly through speakers on the wall that could still be heard over the hum of chatter floating around the room.
I heard the occasional tinkle and scrape of silverware across plates. I walked straight up to the bar and found Leo behind it, drying shot glasses with a towel.
“Hey, man.” I propped my elbows up on the counter and took a seat at one of the bar stools.
“Ayden!” Leo’s face immediately brightened, and he had the most animated smile on his face.
The dude wore his emotions on his sleeves. I was addicted to the attention he gave me when I walked into his hotel or his bar. He always treated me like I was a beloved member of his family.
“It’s good to see you.” I raised myself off the seat and stretched around to embrace him with a bear hug and a fond slap on the back.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Leo asked and then lifted a shot glass from the shelf. “Can I get you a round of bourbon on the house?”
“Who could say no to that?” I chuckled. “Thanks, man. I really appreciate the hospitality.”
Leo winked. “You know I’ll always take care of you.” He tousled my hair. “You know your old man would have wanted me to keep a watchful eye.”
“I appreciate it,” I said with a nod and sat back down.
The truth of the matter was, I needed Leo from time to time. He gave me food supplies and drinks to bring back to the bunker. Not to mention, he gave me the town gossip so I could stay in tune with current events.
He was my safety net, he was my back up. He was my source for everything. Leo knew how much he meant to me, and the feeling was mutual.
“I actually have a request for you,” I said with a chuckle.
“A request?” Leo continued to wipe down the shot glasses and pitched his eyebrow curiously.
“Yeah.” I cleared my throat and adjusted myself on the swiveling bar stool. “It’s a funny story, actually.”
Leo glanced at the watch on his wrist and looked up at me with a smile. “Well, it’s a good thing I have all the time in the world.”
“Sure,” I laughed. “You only run a hotel and a bar, one of the most high-end places in the entire village. You have loads of time to kill.”
“Very funny.” Leo chuckled and then his face turned serious. When Leo was all business, that was it. “Now tell me what’s on your mind, kid. What can I help you with? Because I know you didn’t trek down the mountain for nothing.”
I smiled. Leo was one of the only people in the village who knew where I lived. Even then, he only knew I lived up in the mountains, not the exact location of the bunker itself.
He focused his attention on me. When Leo engaged you, it felt like you were the only person in the world and deserved his undivided attention.
That’s probably why he was so successful in the first place. The guy had tons of motivation and his work ethic was off the charts. It was no surprise to anyone that he had gone so far in the hospitality industry.
“Right.” I nodded and glanced at my interlocked hands on the bar top. “There’s this girl…”
“Oh, boy.” Leo whistled and threw the was rag he was holding into the air. “I should have known.”
“Quiet,” I hissed. “I don’t think the guy in the restaurant down the street heard you.”
Leo placed his hands by his sides. “I don’t mean any offense, partner.”
I rolled my eyes. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to get so wound up. I’m just a little on edge lately.”
“I know.” There was a flicker of empathy that briefly flashed through Leo’s eyes.
“Anyway,” I started again slowly. “She’s a shifter too. She just came to the bunker.”
“Interesting.” Leo nodded. “And you like this woman?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “There’s something special about her.”
I didn’t want to divulge her name or what kind of shifter she was. You never knew who might be within earshot.
“So, let me guess, you want to show her a good time?” The edges of Leo’s lips curled with mischief.
“In a sense, yes,” I said. “She’s been through a lot. She deserves some rest and relaxation.”
Leo leaned across the bar and whispered to prevent anyone else from overhearing. “And you think it’s a wise idea to bring her into the village?”
“Only at night,” I said. “And in a car.”
“You want to bring her here?” Leo asked.
“Well, that was my next question,” I said.
“You know that you’ll always have a place here, Ayden. All you need to do is ask and you shall receive.”
“Thanks, man.” I shook his hand. “I am here to ask just that. I want to do something romantic for her. I would like to rent a room in your hotel.”
Leo held up his hand to stop me from talking any further. “Say no more, son. It’s a done deal.”
“Really?” I asked. I was relieved I didn’t even have to plead my case. Leo truly was a man of his word.
“Absolutely.” Leo nodded. “And I can offer you a room with all the bells and whistles on the top floor if you want, with the best views in the entire hotel. Free of charge.”
I exhaled deeply and glanced at the ceiling. “Leo, you are a lifesaver.”
Leo grinned. “Anything I can do to make your life easier.”
Leo was like a father bear looking after cubs. He knew I had lost everything and was seeking refuge deep in the mountains.
I knew he wanted better for me, just as I did for myself and all my fellow bunker mates. In a perfect world, that would be the case, but for now we had to get by on the bare essentials. That’s why it was so nice to be offered a treat every now and then. I knew that Sophia was going to love the surprise.
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