by Anya Nowlan
In one swift movement, he pulled her top over her head and undid the clasp of her bra with surprising agility. He took her supple breasts in his hands and gently ran his tongue across one, then the other.
“Don’t stop” Jen moaned, “for the love of God, don’t you dare stop.”
And Ethan had no intention to. He chuckled and she almost wanted to smack him for it, but when he bit down on one of her nipples, all she could do was whine with need. Teasing the hardened nipples with his tongue and lips, he moved one hand downwards and gently caressed her heat. Jen could take no more of the anticipation. She wanted him, right then and there, on that couch, looking out to the well-kept yard of her new little home in the middle of nowhere.
“Take me. Oh god, please take me now,” she whispered into his ear, barely in control of her own words, begging.
Once again Ethan complied, growling low, flipping her on her back and unzipping her jeans. He ran his hand under her panties, moving his fingers around her clit. Jen was not wasting time, undoing his belt buckle and zipper. She moaned hungrily, distracted by his touch. She reached her hand into his boxers and grasped his impressive cock, all doubt swept from her mind. She wanted it and was going to have it, and not a force in the world could have stopped her.
Ethan pulled off her jeans and all that she was wearing now were her lacy panties and a lustful smile. She loved the way he looked at her, all hunger and passion. He kissed her, briefly this time, and then moved on downwards, kissing her neck and making her writhe against his touch. He stopped at each breast, giving them ample attention, licking the hardened nubs of her nipples. Before moving onward, he caressed her thighs and placed his hands on her hips, hooking his fingers around the delicate fabric.
“Are you sure you want this?” he asked, but she was already raising her hips so he could slip the garment off.
“Just keep going, cowboy,” she murmured.
A moment later, Jen’s panties fell to the floor and she was completely naked. She was now lying on her back, in full view of Ethan, who was looking at her with lust blazing in his eyes. She’d often felt self-conscious about her curvy body when surrounded by those stick-thin princesses that seemed to permeate any office space, but the look he was giving her swept those thoughts from her mind.
“And what are you doing with those still on?” She asked with a smirk, motioning at his pants.
Ethan plucked a condom from the pocket of his jeans and a swift movement later, the pants were added to the clothes scattered on the floor. He towered over her, his cock hard, huge and in full view of her needy gaze. Wasting no time, Ethan promptly put on the condom in one fell move. She could have watched him do that forever, his fingers around his hard length making her whimper.
He leaned back on top of her, the head of his cock now at her entrance. She wrapped her fingers around his shaft and guided him in, urgent with need.
“Fuck me,” she moaned in his ear.
He started moving slowly, rhythmically, his cock going deeper into her with each thrust. Her fingernails bore into his back as she was taking him in. She reveled in each stroke, feeling every throb of his cock inside her, stretching her thin. He leaned in to kiss her, hungry and wanting, and they drank from each other with insatiable need. His hands were moving up and down her lush body, as if wanting to feel each curve and every inch of her soft skin. She nibbled at his neck and a growl escaped Ethan’s lips as he continued his journey into Jen’s tight, wet heat.
It was like she was having sex for the first time. Or at least having it right for the first time. His body against hers felt like it was made to be there. His hands grabbing her made her feel safe and wanted at the same time. There was no awkwardness, no doubt, no question whether or not this was the right thing to do. Everything was just as it was supposed to be. And it felt so… heavenly.
All of a sudden, he pulled out, his hands spinning her around before putting her down on all fours before him. She dug her nails into the couch as he entered her again, continuing his long strokes into her wanting pussy. He filled her to the brim, sinking in to the hilt without any room to spare. Each thrust knocked the breath from her lungs and every stroke made her wordlessly beg for more, incoherent noises gurgling forth from her throat.
His fingers went for her clit, rubbing it, bringing wild new sensations of pleasure to her pussy, while his other hand was firmly holding her at the arch of her back. The combined feel of his throbbing cock inside her and his rough but nimble fingers stroking her clit was breathtaking. It brought Jen to new, dizzying heights of pleasure and she couldn’t imagine any man matching him, or making her moan harder or want anyone more desperately than she wanted Ethan.
If only this could last forever, Jen thought to herself, her mind blurred. He knows exactly what to do and does it so well. Where the fuck has he been all my life?
She was getting close to her release, flashes of light playing a kaleidoscope show in front of her eyes, and his thrusts were getting deeper with the relentless fervor of a beast in need.
A very audible, growling roar came from Ethan just as Jen’s peak came to claim her. His strokes were now as deep and hard as ever, and the two experienced each other’s pleasure in full force. Jen’s body was shaking as Ethan’s plunges intensified, her pussy milking his cock mercilessly. A marked growl, almost a roar, told her that he had been as desperate for release as she. She gasped for air as she gave in and was carried on wave after wave of bliss, moaning unintelligibly, her brain completely taken over by the animalistic feel of pure pleasure.
When her hands couldn’t hold her up anymore, she fell against the warm cushions. Ethan was still inside her, his throbbing now slowing as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him.
“That was…” Jen said, gasping, looking for words.
“Amazing,” Ethan finished, and Jen couldn’t agree more. “And I think we should do it again,” he said, growling mischievously.
Jen couldn’t help but giggle. Hell yes she was going to do that again. She wasn’t even going to think about stopping until she collapsed with exhaustion. Or at least that was the plan.
But then all hell broke loose.
Eleven
Ethan
He was on his feet before the first explosion really sounded. Just a split-second before the deafening sound went off, he had clambered up and off the couch, still naked and covered in sweat. He growled under his breath as the horrific sound shook the house and his senses kicked in, drowning out the happy endorphins that had taken hold of him just moments before.
Ethan pulled off the condom, tossed it into the trash and then grabbed his jeans. He had them on by the time he got to the front door, yelling over his shoulder at Jen.
“Get upstairs. Don’t come down. Whatever you do, keep out of this,” he said, trying to put equal parts care and command into his words.
He didn’t want to scare her more than she already was, but it was obvious this was no time to play nice.
“Ethan, what’s going on!?” Jen screeched, throwing on her clothes and getting away from the windows as fast as she could.
She was just in time, because the next explosion that went off blew the living room windows inward and made them shatter in a million tiny pieces. Ethan’s bear bristled and his eyes flashed from blue to deep brown, the bear showing its presence close to the surface.
“I don’t know. Just get up,” he growled, stepping into the darkness outside.
It was supposed to be pitch black, but the yard was illuminated by the two giant fires created by his truck and Jen’s car, burning with an open flame. Those were the explosions they had heard. The flames were close to the house and he had no doubt that in a bit, they would skip up and onto the shingles and consume the building altogether. He prayed Jen would have the good sense to call the fire brigade, but there were more important matters to attend to.
When he heard the telltale sound of a wolf shifter’s howl, he couldn’t keep the bear at bay any long
er. Running away from the house, he tried to get into the shadows of darkness before his shift took him, but he wasn’t sure if he quite made it. The bear burst forth, making his body expand rapidly in every direction. He could feel the pants being ripped to shreds around his powerful thighs as he changed from man to beast, but that was the least of his worries.
He was on all fours, chasing after the sound of the wolf’s howl before the transformation was complete. His coat was thick and brown and tight around his muscled body. Ethan had turned from a handsome, large man into a ferocious grizzly bear, whose roar shook Jen’s home as easily as the explosions had. Instincts took over and he chased after the scent of the wolf, forgetting all about simple human rationality. It was a trap, obviously, but he didn’t care – it would end there.
The bear was in control, and he would just have to hold on for the ride.
Ethan didn’t check to see if Jen had seen his shift. He thought he heard something behind him at the door of the house, but he knew that if he let himself be consumed by worrying about what he could or could not explain to her, they both might end up paying with their lives. So instead, he hunted.
And the hunt was not long. In the darkness of the forest that surrounded Jen’s cottage, Ethan found what he had been looking for. Four wolves waited for him, teeth bared and their manes bristled with expectation. He could recognize Ryan and some of his lieutenants. He couldn’t even pretend to be surprised. This was exactly the kind of coward move Clearpond wolves would pull. Ethan inhaled deeply, letting their smell permeate his senses so he could recognize every last one of them if any of these fuckers got out of this alive somehow.
Ethan stopped, keeping his back to the thicket. The wolves spread out immediately, choosing their angles of attack as carefully as they could. Four wolves were a powerful force, but if they made a mistake, a lone grizzly would be able to tear through them one by one if given the proper opportunity. He growled as one of them baited him, snapping his jaws at him so close that he could almost count the shiny white teeth. Ethan swatted at him, but he knew the wolf wouldn’t get close enough to let him actually touch him. Not before they were ready.
But he was determined to win this one. He had no doubt that given the chance, these bastards would go straight through him and Jen would be their next victim. It would just be easier to claim the lands if she were dead, after all. The two wolves who had taken the outside corners of their attack diamond, stalked forward as if led by a single thought. They were both matted and gray and Ethan recognized them as Luke and Liam – twins.
When they were younger, Ethan had been friends with them. Back when the peace between the clan and the pack was solid enough to allow for some leeway, at least for children. And now they were bitter enemies, more than ready to kill him if the opportunity arose. A deep growl rose in his throat, turning into a roar as Luke and Liam pounced forward in unison. Ethan couldn’t protect both of his flanks at the same time. He winced as Liam’s teeth bit into the soft skin under his jaw, while his own teeth ripped into Luke.
A satisfying yelp sounded as his teeth crunched down, ripping flesh from bone. Ethan felt the chilling flash of pain rumble through him as Luke tore at him desperately, gnashing and tearing at him as if he could end it right there and then. But Ethan had caught Liam’s front foot and now it was shattered into a million pieces. The slim wolf struggled out of his grasp and Ethan let him go, turning his attention to the brother. Luke danced away quickly, distracting the bear long enough for Liam to drag himself away, whining pitifully, and for Tate to take his place.
Tate was larger and burlier than the twins, and if he had been a stronger leader, Ethan was sure he and Ryan would have been butting heads constantly. But Tate was all muscle and drive, no brain. Unfortunately, one didn’t need a lot of sensibility when going against a grizzly – just blind rage and strength. Tate pounced up and landed on Ethan’s back, pressing his jaws into Ethan’s neck before he could shake him off.
Ethan roared in anger and pain, thrashing and attempting to tear the wolf off of his back, but the strong shifter merely met each of Ethan’s tries with blood curdling growls. He seemed to hold on tighter and his teeth seemed to shred deeper the more Ethan tried and a second later, the other two wolves were on him as well. Luke charged back in, trying to snap at Ethan’s vulnerable belly, while Ryan taunted him by jumping back and forth in front of him. Ethan snarled and a desperate voice in his head urged him for caution.
But there was no time for it. He could feel himself weakening. His coat was matted with blood that he knew was mostly his own. His vision blurred and he could imagine the wolves going for Jen next, their ruthless maws tearing into her soft, lovely body. He couldn’t let that happen. Luke was already hanging onto his stomach when Ethan reared up and then charged forward, going straight for Ryan.
He put all of his strength into that movement, going like an angry bull towards red. With his full power concentrated on the sprint, Ethan caught Ryan off guard. Ryan was a fraction of a second too late with his dodge and Ethan caught him by the tail, yanking him back with him as he kept going. He broke his speed by slamming into a thick tree trunk, shaking off Tate in the process. A dull thud sounded as the wolf’s body hit the branches and then tumbled to the ground, knocked out cold.
But Ryan was at his neck already and Luke attacked once more, the wolves doggedly determined. Ethan grabbed Ryan with his paws, letting his long nails sink into the much smaller shifter and rip at his sides. He wouldn’t let go until Ryan howled in pain, a pitiful sound of a hurt puppy. Only when Ethan felt like he was moments from passing out, teetering like a drunk on his feet, did he let go of Ryan. He had little more strength left. Luke had torn deep gashes into his stomach and the blood was spewing in an ever-increasing trickle.
Ethan practically collapsed on top of Luke, the wailing screams of Ryan still in his ears, rattling through him. He managed to catch Luke by the neck, dragging him to the ground along with him and burying the wolf under his mass. He wouldn’t let go, and the last thing he remembered before darkness claimed him was how his entire body ached and how Luke twisted in agony beneath him. And how Jen’s sweet face had looked just before the explosions went off.
Twelve
Jennifer
“I didn’t know who else to call,” Jen said, trying to keep the sobs at bay.
“That’s okay, sweetie. You called the right person,” Maisy said, putting her arm around Jen’s shoulders and trying to walk her away from the scene unfurling before them on the field near her house.
“No, I can’t leave him!” Jen protested, yanking herself free and running back to Ethan’s side.
Jen could hear Maisy cluck her tongue behind her, but it wasn’t a derisive sound. The older, shorter woman came to stand next to Jen and took her hand as Jameson and one of Ethan’s brothers, Everett, crouched over him, checking his pulse and murmuring amongst themselves. The first rays of the sun were spreading light and warmth over the forest, but Jen had never felt quite so cold. She could smell the stench of gasoline and burnt plastic in the air, tickling her nose.
“Is he going to be okay?” she asked, feeling a little bit foolish for being so useless.
She’d seen Ethan shift when he ran out of the house and for the longest moment, she thought she was seeing things. Like maybe the fire had cast odd shadows and she was being hysterical, thinking there were things outside that couldn’t possibly be there. But when she stepped into the darkness and heard the frantic howls of wolves and the enraged growl of a bear with the exact same rumble to its voice as Ethan’s, she knew she hadn’t been imagining it.
She’d just spent one of the best nights of her life with a werebear. And then he’d almost gotten killed – for her.
“How long has he been here?” Jameson asked, a deep scowl lining his face as he looked up expectantly at Jen.
“And where the fuck are the cowards who did this to him?” Everett demanded, looking like he was ready to rip right through any wolf that
was foolish enough to cross his path.
“Maybe half an hour. Not more,” Jen said, trembling like a leaf. “I followed the noises until the edge of the clearing. I saw as he charged into three of the wolves and fought them, all of them hanging off of him like… I can’t even find the words to describe it. He slammed one of them into a tree and mauled the other two pretty badly. When he went down, the wolves were no longer in any state to fight,” she explained, her voice trembling.
“I ran to him as soon as the wolves… men… shifters scraped the last of them out from underneath him and disappeared into the forest. When I felt that he had a pulse, I got on a phone and called Maisy.”
Jen was pale in the face, slumping to her knees next to Ethan. She put her hand on his arm and felt he was burning up with heat. There were deep wounds on his stomach and chest and several cuts on his neck and face. She could see some of his cheekbone through the wounds and to her, it seemed like no man could really come through injuries like that unscathed.
“Those fucking Clearponds. We should get the clan together and –“ Everett started, his face twisted in anger.
“Focus. Help me get him inside,” Jameson said, grabbing Ethan’s legs.
Complying wordlessly, Everett helped Jameson carry Ethan into Jen’s house. They put him down on the same couch where she had just made love to him no more than an hour ago. The cars in front of the house were still burning with a low flame, spreading black smoke.
“I’ll go take care of that,” Everett said, stomping past Jen and Maisy and slamming the door behind him.
