by Ruby Forrest
"If you want to know what it is really about....it is a war?" He held up a hand to stem any of her questions, "Let me finish,"
"This forest hides secrets that most people will never know of and never understand. It is home to a few different groups of bear shifters." He took a deep breath, "People, humans who can turn into bears when they want to, at will." He swallowed, "Obviously, they need a secluded place to...have some time to indulge that side of themselves. There are other groups nearby. The weird hibernations and migrations, the killings...it is all because of that. There's been a huge feud, everything has blown up." He rubbed his face, "I'm trying to fix it, but I do not think they want to reason. I do not think they want to fix things. I think they want warn and I am all out of ideas, all out of options." He glanced at Maria and she could see genuine stress in his eyes.
But his story... she had promised she would' say anything and made a promise to herself that she would listen to him and give whatever he said a chance. But this, this sounded insane. This sounded like something out of a book, not something that was possible, it sounded like he was mocking her. But why would he do that? Why would he save her life and risk everything just to mock her like this? But if he actually believed his story, then he really was insane.
Maria bit her lip, not sure what to say, not sure what she was supposed to do when faced with a story like this, when faced with something that sounded beyond unbelievable, that sounded impossible and insane in every way.
Chapter 7
Jack- Dean seemed to sense what she was thinking, sense the hesitation in her eyes, in the way she looked at him and considered what he was saying. He sighed and shook his head, "Of course you do not believe me. Who would?" He muttered to himself, "There's a damn reason I haven’t told anyone else." He turned to her, pushing himself to his feet, "Proof. You need proof."
He frowned and shook his head, "Do not run. I do not intend to hurt you but I know plenty people out there who want to hurt you, to hurt anyone that they can. Do not go out there and get in their way. Do not do that."
Maria did not get a chance to ask, to protest, and to argue with him. She only got a moment to draw breath, when she was it for herself, all of it. Something was happening to Jack- Dean, something dark and dangerous, something that was lingering in the dark behind them, something that she had heard about, but never, ever seen in her life, never even knew was something that could happen.
Jack- Dean was changing. He was changing in front of her very eyes. Every part of his body was morning into something else and she held back a scream, held back the panic that threatened her head and her heart. He was changing, his broad chest and shoulders becoming broader, feeling the intensity of the way he looked at her, the way his clothes seemed to fall to nothing at all, the way the hair on his head and his body seemed to move everywhere, seemed to fill him, cover him.
She couldn’t bring herself to even think it, to even believe that it could possibly be real in any way, in any way at all. But he was changing into a bear, turning into a bear, just like he had said he would, just like he had said. He was changing and Maria was watching it happen, watching it with her very eyes.
She did not know what to think. Her mind was blank, her mind was blank in ways that it had never been before. She did not know what to do, if she should stay, or go, run, or scream. She couldn’t move. She could not do a damn thing. Then the change reversed, something happening or turn back the clock. Suddenly, Jack- Dean was just Jack- Dean again, staring at her with eyes that burnt into her very soul, staring at her with eyes that asked for acceptance and help that wanted belief and not fear.
Maria could barely breathe, but she did not run. It was all so strange, so scary, so new. But he was here and he hadn’t hurt her, not even for a moment. He hadn't harmed her, hadn't made her doubt her safety. It would have been nothing at all to kill her, but he had talked to her, been honest with her and shown her proof. Now he was standing silently, waiting for her answer.
She could see it in his eyes- he was waiting for her to run away from him, waiting for her to leave him, leave him here alone. She felt the ache hit her hard, the realization that he had trusted her, but expected her to walk out when things got so insane. She wondered how many other people had walked out on him.
Maria swallowed the panic down, trying to speak, because she would be damned if she did that to him too, "That's insane." Her voice was a whisper, barely more than a murmur, a quiet breath that ghosted across the silence that had passed between them.
Jack- Dean frowned, like he was not sure what to make of her wo4ds, like he did not want to get his hopes up, Maria swallowed and smiled, "Insane."
Jack- Dean seemed to relax a little at her words and it struck her that her promise meant something to him, they had only just met and she could have been the biggest liar, but something about her made him trust her, something about her inspired confidence. She did not know what it was, did not care. She wasn’t about to let him down, not now, not when he had given everything for her, everything to keep her safe and make sure that she was not hurt, that she was saved from the face of danger. He had risked his life to keep her safe. The least she could do was honor his words and his trust. She hoped that he could see that, that he understood that this was okay.
This was absolutely crazy, this was blowing her mind, this was making it hard to string sentences together, but this was okay. She didn’t hate him. If anything, she found herself all the more drawn to him. No wonder he had pushed her away, pushed everyone away. No wonder he did not trust, no wonder he was so sure that the bears would work it out themselves. He was one of them and she had seen his sharp intelligence first hand. He was not stupid, not at all. He wanted to avoid a war, keep everyone safe, even the people who did not deserve it.
Maria swallowed, trying to think of something to say. Then Jack- Dean smiled, and all of her words left her in a rush. It was worth it for the smile on his face- the first genuine smile that she had seen from him. She had trusted him and it had paid off in a big way.
He moved between her thighs, pressing her back and grabbing her legs gently, so that he could slid against her, press deeply against her body. He kissed her and Maria responded, shuddering as her body hummed with desire, hummed with aching want, with a burning desire. She wanted him inside of her, wanted to feel full again, feel the intensity as he slid within, and pushed inside. She moaned and her head fell back against the wall as she trembled, "Jack- Dean!"
Then he slid within her and she felt the full girth of him, the size of him, and the strength in his touch as he filled her, moving within her and blanking her mind, leaving her shaking and trembling and desperate for more. She needed more. She whimpered, arching and gasping with longing, with need and desire and something sharp and intense and aching- she ached for him. She ached for him. He felt so amazing inside of her, felt so amazing thrusting within, filling her and making her breathless with the force of her desire, with the force of his touch. He was so strong, so unyielding, and so intense.
"You feel amazing." His breathing was short and sharp and strained as he purred against her neck. He kissed and sucked and Maria felt the haze of pleasure rise up more and more inside of her, the cresting pleasure burning and getting stronger and stronger, closer and closer. His every touch was setting her body on fire, his every touch was setting her mind burning and leaving her aching for it, aching and trembling and pleading for more and more and more. She needed this so badly, needed him so badly.
He thrusted within her stronger, pushing inside of her, and Maria cried out his name, arching and moaning. She did not care who heard, did not care of this rung out across the mountain, and did not care if everyone knew. He felt so good and she couldn’t be quiet about it, could not keep it under wraps. Not when he was making her shake like this. Not when he was making her tremble until her whole body hurt, until her head pounded and the heat between her legs felt like a volcano, felt like nothing else she had ever felt.
She wanted him. She needed him. She wasn’t going to let him go.
"Jack- Dean, please, I need you!" She moaned again, only this time, it was stronger, it was louder, it was more intense, feeling the need rise inside of her, deeper and deeper, stronger until she felt dizzy, until she felt like maybe, just maybe, she would pass out from the pleasure alone, from the aching need
Jack- Dean groaned and thrusted strongly within her, slamming against the sensitive spots inside her body, the ache inside her that blanked her mind and left her a trembling, gasping, pleading mess, who wanted him and ached for him and was not too proud to beg him to take her harder and harder.
Maria thought that she was going to lose her mind, moaning and twisting beneath him, arching her back and panting as the sweet pleasure rose in waves. She felt so close to him, felt like there was nothing between them, nothing between them at all. They felt so close and suddenly, all the hurt, all the secrets, all the pain that had been lying dormant in her chest, it all seemed to just fall away, leaving her feeling so much lighter, so much happier, so much brighter and more settled and more comfortable. It was okay, it was all okay. She felt like herself, felt like she was finally in a place that she could breathe. She thought of the forest and the way that she had felt like she could finally breathe, finally take a breath. It was like that, only so much better, and so much more intense. It was like that, only it was perfect in a way that she had never seen or understood before now. She did not even know she was craving it until she felt it for the first time. Now she knew that she could never get enough of a feeling like this, never get enough of a feeling like this. She shuddered and shut her eyes as she rocked to the motion, to the sensation of him thrusting within her and blowing her mind, thrusting within her and leaving her breathless. It was everything and it was nothing and it was perfection on a grand scale, perfection in a way that she had only dreamt of in the past, only ever considered in a fleeting daydream.
She remembered the dream that had filled her until now, the panic and the pain and the betrayal. She remembered the whispered words, the murmurs of reassurance, that he was not going to hurt her and that she just needed to trust him, that she just needed to give into the sensations and let him take control, just give in and make sure that she took his words for it, so that he could save her and keep her safe. That felt so accurate, while she moaned and twisted in his arms. It felt so right. She had felt betrayed, felt like he didn’t care and wasn’t really who he said he was, wasn’t to be trusted. But now, now she had been proved wrong, so very wrong. Now, she had been proved that he was truly there for her, that he cared and that he would never hurt her. He was only trying to save her, only there to help her, and the forest and everyone in it. She was lucky. She was so lucky and she was so happy to be in his arms, to feel him against her skin, to know that he was here for her, that he wasn’t going anywhere. That he was the good guy, not a guy who was walking out on her and all his beliefs. That it would all be okay.
Maria moaned, feeling the pleasure build inside of her like a light, like fireworks that were about to explode, about to go off, and about to overwhelm her with the blissful light and passion that rose inside of her. It was perfection. It was everything that she had ever craved and wanted and more, so much more. Maria threw her head back, moaning and rocking her hips, desperate for more of the sweet friction, to feel more of him inside of her, to feel the pressure building between her hips, feel the pleasure blinding her and sending shudders through her body. Maria moaned and held onto him tight, feeling the joy build inside her, the happiness that maybe, just maybe, despite all of the strife and challenges, things would be okay, that maybe just maybe, they would finally be able to move forward, move past this and fix everything that was wrong with the Forrest. Maybe, just maybe, she was here with the right man and they were going to make a difference. And right then, twisted in Jack- Dean's arms and holding him tight, Maria couldn’t help but think that she was right, couldn’t help but think that yes, yes they were going to make a difference and it was going to be okay, it was going to be everything that they dreamed of, everything that both of them had wanted for so long.
Peace, peace and safety and a reason for being. Because she sensed that Jack- Dean wanted that too, Jack- Dean, with his arms wrapped around her and his hair against her skin, with his breath on her neck and the feel of his hands on her skin, curving around to hold her tight, to hold her near, and to feel her against him. She moaned and shuddered, feeling the climax build inside of her, build and build and build until there was nothing left but the feeling of Jack- Dean, nothing left but the relief and the passion and the sweet blinding pleasure that was too much to handle. She shut her eyes and rode it, rode the waves of the please, the waves of ecstasy, the need that was crawling up her skin. She was so close, so, so close. She moaned and bit her lip, whispering Jack- Dean’s name over and over and over again, feeling the need and desperation for him rise to a fever pitch. Her climax hit her hard and fast and unyielding, rising up inside of her like a wave, like a breath of fresh air, like something strong and forceful inside of her.
She screamed, feeling his name tumble off her lips, feeling his name gasp out of her over and over and over. She didn’t give a damn who heard them. She didn’t give a damn where they were or what was happening or the problem that were overwhelming the both of them. Right now, she did not give a damn about the war, the fighting, and the pain. Right now, there was only Jack- Dean and that was more than enough that was more than enough to get her through the night, get her through the challenges that they were both facing, get them through it all.
She clung onto him, feeling the waves and waves of pleasure drown her, crash over her and leave her gasping as she held him so damn tight, held him with all of her might and then some, she shuddered and moaned and gasped as she clutched him.
When Jack- Dean climaxed it was with all the force that she wondered if he had been holding back. It was with the shuddering waves of pleasure that drowned her and then some, it was with the roar of an almighty bear, the bear that he was so closely connected tp.
And it set fire to Maria's mind, her body, her soul and everything in between. It set fire to her skin, to hear him cry out, to feel his body shuddering against hers, to feel him gasping and hear the way that he moaned, hear the way that his breathing caught in his chest, in his throat. She gripped onto him right and they rocked together in pleasure, in bliss. She held on with everything she had and prayed that it was enough.
When the pleasure finally eased, it left behind a blissful glow that seemed trap around them both. Maria collapsed back, feeling the stress and tension and perfection of the moment rise and ebb in her body, rise and fall and rise and fall. She shut her eyes tightly and shook her head, swallowing and trying to speak. But it was useless. In that moment, there was nothing to say, nothing to do but revel in the moment, in the perfection that had flooded both of them until that moment that was perfectly breathtaking.
Jack- Dean held her tight and he sagged against the wall, pulling her softly on top of him. Maria was more than happy to. She tumbled gently on top of him, shutting her eyes and breathing, burying her head into the curve of his shoulder and breathing in his scent. He smelt like the forest and Maria could understand now why he was so attached to it. It truly was his home, in more ways than one and she couldn’t believe that she had ever doubted him, that she had ever wondered about his loyalties.
He was loyal to the forest. He was loyal to the forest in ways that most people couldn't even begin got imagine, couldn’t even begin to understand or to realize, or to feel. He was perfect and she was realizing more and more how damn lucky she was to have him here, in her arms.
Jack- Dean did not say much either, just held her tight as they both basked in the afterglow, as they both wrapped each other up and held onto the pleasure that rose and fell within them, hat followed them both whenever they were together.
Maria never wanted to let Jack- Dean go, not in a millio
n years.
Maria was sure that they would have to move eventually, but right now, she did not want to think of it. It was only when Jack- Dean shifted, that she signed, realizing that the inevitable was here. She lazily rolled off him and fumbled for her things. She was still smiling, despite her reluctance, because Jack- Dean was beside her, Jack- Dean was here, moving with her and getting ready to tackle the problem at hand. They stayed like that for a moment, dressing in silence, feeling each other beside them, feeling the companionship that both of them had longed for so long.
Maria smiled as she grabbed the last of her things and pulled on her shoes. It was lovely, knowing that he was there for her, that he had her back. It was comforting and it was something that she hadn’t realized she wanted or needed, until she no longer had it. She smiled to herself, humming quietly as she pulled on her clothing and shoes and stood up.
Jack- Dean stood too, already dressed. He smiled at her and it seemed to light up the whole cave, far more than the lantern did. He shrugged, "Time to go?"
She nodded, 'I guess so." She smiled at him and shrugged in return, "So where to?"
"Well, I guess it is best if we retrace our steps. The bear will be long gone by now. I do not know him, but no one stays in place after an attack like that, no matter how cocky. He doesn’t know if I am bringing backup or not, so it might be a good place to start."
"And what if we do find him? What if we find the one doing all of this?"
Jack- Dean sighed and she could see the real conflict in his eyes, "Then we end him, but I am not sure if that will happen."
Maria nodded, feeling tension and stress build inside of her again, the last of the pleasant glow burning away into nothing as reality hit hard and fast, "But it is okay." His voice was soft and reassuring, "You won't have to hurt anyone, I promise." There was something in the way he spoke that was full of determination and conviction that believed in her, in himself, in what he was saying. He did not like violence and he wasn’t about to make her endure any more than she had to. The thought was comforting. Maria had enough of death and violence already and she did not want to be part of anymore.
