by Gayle Keo
Something was amiss.
We moved onto coffee, relaxing in front of the hearth, which he coaxed into life with a handful of well-placed logs. We chatted about my home, my family, and then about his former life as a doctor, before he gave it all up, he said, to live in the unspoiled wilderness.
*****
I woke with a sudden start. Ashley was standing by the door, frowning. He was dressed for outdoors, complete with boots. A small backpack with long, looping straps hung from one hand. His other hand was pulling the door open. The windows sent gray light into the room, from a sky heavy with cloud.
“What? Where?” I muttered, stretching so hard, my joints clicked.
“Hush,” he said. “You should rest.”
“I’m done resting. Where are you going?”
“Ah…I need to cut more wood.”
I glanced at the well-stocked hearth and the stack of logs beside it. “Really?”
“A storm is coming.” He nodded toward the window. “Can you not see?”
“And this is relevant because?”
“Because if it persists, I cannot cut wood in a blizzard. This is not the city, April Depardieu. Out here, we must prepare.”
“Okay, okay. I was only asking.”
“The fire is low. You should retire to bed.”
“Or I could put some more wood on?”
“Are you an expert in this matter?”
“No, but—” How hard could it be?
“Then please…” He glanced out the door. “You should retire to bed. Healing is exhausting.”
He was right about that. Something was taking its toll on me. Unless I’d developed narcolepsy. Somehow I’d slept most of the day away, and my eyes were drooping again. Had he drugged my coffee?
“I will return shortly.”
“All right.” I yawned furiously. “I won’t wait up.” I stood, oriented myself, and then headed for the bedroom. Behind me, the door closed and the faint sound of crunching snow faded away to nothing. I didn’t know how long Ashley might be, but he was dressed for a good spell outdoors. Time to investigate what was going on beneath my bandages.
My leg was surprisingly pain-free, which was inconsistent for a broken tibia, or fibula. Once inside the bedroom, I sat on the bed, and unfastened the surgical tape holding the bandage in place. I wanted to see what was happening under there. Although I was splinted, no plaster covered my leg, only bandages, which seemed strange. I lifted my leg and spun off the bandage, yards of it, until it lay in an untidy heap on the floor. A thick surgical stocking enclosed my leg, protecting it from irritation by the bandages. Gingerly, I pushed down the stocking to reveal pale, puffy skin. Bruises and scratches, still scabbing, appeared. Then, below the knee, a mess of black and blue spread down my leg, evidence of recent trauma. Aches and pains jabbed at my nerves. And then, something I never expected to see. A cold chill crept up my spine as I finally uncovered my leg.
Bite marks. Several sets of them.
My leg hadn’t been broken, it had been bitten.
Ashley had a lot of explaining to do.
*****
I stayed awake for as long as I could, watching the front door keenly, prepared to confront Ashley the moment he stepped inside. But fatigue overwhelmed me, and I drifted into a deep sleep. Memories of my accident rushed at me. I was enveloped in cold, crushing snow. Darkness cocooned me, depriving me of all sensation except a deep, biting cold.
And then a narrow point of light appeared overhead, growing larger by the second. A dark muzzle pushed through and pointed directly at me. A search dog, I presumed, one of the many who were trained to seek out buried climbers in the treacherous mountains.
Without warning, I was turned upside down and dragged into the bright, dazzling air. After the relative shelter of my snow-hole, the air was biting and sharp. I turned to look at the search dog, but it had vanished. Instead, an unashamedly naked Ashley crouched at my side. I was startled to see I was naked too.
“What…where?” I tried to cover myself but I didn’t have enough hands. Something was always on show.
“Relax,” he said with a smile. “You are no longer in danger.”
“But my leg…” My injured limb was missing completely, all the way to my naked hip.
“I have it in my chalet. We should go there.”
“Okay,” I said, not thinking his suggestion was strange. In this place, it seemed perfectly normal. He scooped me up as if I weighed nothing, then walked easily across the crust of the deep snow.
The chalet appeared in no time at all. Just as quickly, Ashley was laying me down on the sofa. My leg had reappeared, although the remains of bandages fluttered from my calf.
And I was no longer naked. I wore a bra and t-shirt, plus panties. When I blinked, Ashley had vanished, and the front door had closed. I glanced around the cold room, then down at my own body. The bite marks were still apparent beneath the pressure marks of the absent bandages. Was I awake, then? Or was I still dreaming?
A shuffling sound from beyond the door alerted me to a presence. Ashley was back! I scrambled to my feet, dragging the blanket with me. I flung open the door, ready to demand answers from my rescuer.
A large gray wolf stared back at me, its eyes wide. His haunches dropped, as if he was preparing to run, or leap at me.
But I reacted faster than I believed was possible. The door slammed shut and I pressed my back against it, breathing quickly.
“Shit, shit, shit!” My fingers fumbled at the ice-cold shoot bolt, pushing it into place and securing the door against the creature. But now I was trapped.
I laughed at my own foolish thinking. I wasn’t trapped, I was safe. I hadn’t planned to venture out any time soon, although the nature of my injury had changed, which meant I was probably able to walk to Chamonix. The anger returned. Why had Ashley lied to me about my leg? Why had he said it was broken, and not that I’d been attacked by a wolf?
What if this was the same wolf, returning to complete the job? Could it have tracked me to the chalet? It was possible, I supposed.
Despite the secure bolt, I remained pressed against the door for a long moment, considering my situation. It occurred to me that I was not the one who was trapped. I was safe. Ashley was the one who was trapped, outside. He wouldn’t be able to return until the way was clear.
My anger shifted into worry, both for him and myself. Perhaps it was selfish of me to be concerned for my own future, but it was natural, wasn’t it? I tried to console myself with the knowledge that he’d lived in the wild for years, and had most likely dealt with the situation before. But still…
I moved away from the door and peered out, pressing my cheek against the cold glass so I could see the door. I wanted to see if I was still in danger.
I wasn’t.
The wolf had gone.
In his place, a naked Ashley was struggling to pull on a pair of pants. Beside him, his backpack lay open, and various items of clothing spilled out onto the snow. I noted a checked shirt, socks and a woollen hat.
When he saw me looking, his eyes widened, and his frantic attempts to dress ceased. He sagged in defeat, obviously disappointed he’d been caught in the act. When I cocked my head, he indicated the locked door with his hand.
For a brief moment, I considered leaving him out there. But whatever his reasons for walking naked in the snow, there was still a wolf out there. The danger remained. I hurried across and released the bolt. The door swung open and he hurried inside, clutching his untidy backpack against his naked body. I noted the socks which he’d left on the step, and wondered if it was safe enough to retrieve them.
That was when I noticed the prints…or the lack of them. Wolf-prints led up to the door, but none led away. Neither was there any sign of naked human footprints leading through the snow to the door.
“It’s not possible.” I moved out beyond the doorway and looked closer. The evidence was clear. The only thing was, it didn’t make any sense.
Unl
ess Ashley was a lycanthrope.
“No, no, no,” I muttered. “There has to be another explanation.”
“The only explanation,” Ashley said quietly, “is the obvious one.”
“But it’s not possible.”
“It’s not only possible, it’s true.”
I stared, knowing the facts supported the idea. If Ashley was able to turn into a wolf, it would explain the disjointed footprints, his ability to withstand the cold, and his peculiar naked trips into the wild.
“But…”
Ashley pressed a hand to his bare chest. “Listen to your heart, April. What does it tell you?”
“That I’m standing in the alps, in sub-zero conditions, with a naked man?”
He moved closer. I trembled with a mixture of excitement and fear. When he reached past me, I tensed, uncertain of my own feelings. His hand touched the door, then pushed it closed. When it banged into the frame, I jumped with fright.
“There are some things which cannot be explained by normal means.”
“It’s too…incredible to believe.”
“You wish me to demonstrate?”
I pressed both hands to my mouth. “I…don’t know.” If Ashley was capable of proving his ability to transform, I’d have no choice but to believe. Until then, I could still dismiss the idea as nonsense. But the opportunity to witness the truth might never present itself again. I would spend the rest of my life wondering. For my own sanity, I needed to take a final step into the unknown, into the incredible.
Or prove he was deluded.
“Show me,” I said, then moved back.
*****
I wasn’t exactly sure what I expected to see. So many badly-made movies had tried to portray shifting, and so many had failed abysmally; from awkward stop-motion, to rubber-skinned animatronics, they’d all been ghastly.
Ashley’s transformation from naked male, to furry gray wolf was astonishing…and beautiful. The moment I spoke, a warm glow surrounded him; subtle, shifting streaks of silver skittered across his skin from head to toe, turning him into a kinetic sculpture. His muscular limbs thinned, and his chest expanded. He smiled one last time, and I caught sight of his lengthening canines. The lower part of Ashley’s face pushed forward, forming a muzzle. His ears slid up the sides of his head and gained pointed tips. The silver streaks continued to dance around him, almost completely hiding the thick fur which sprang from his skin.
Finally, he dropped forward onto all fours, and I caught sight of his generous tail, which swung from side to side in a lazy manner. The silver lightning faded away, to reveal a handsome gray wolf. He dropped his shoulders, stretched out his front paws and yawned deeply, then leaned forward to stretch his back legs.
“Ashley?” I dared to ask. He barked once, and left his jaw hanging open His teeth were exposed in what I hoped was a smile. I hoped he would remember that I was someone he’d been taking care of, and not something to eat. I tensed when he padded closer. His cold, black nose twitched as he sniffed my injured leg. Before I could wonder what he was doing, he began to lick the swollen limb, glancing up at me as he did so. Pieces of a puzzle fell into place.
“Did you bite my leg, Ashley?” He whimpered quietly, but continued to lick my skin.
“But why? Did you plan to eat me?” Immediately, he dropped his head. He opened his mouth and gently grasped my ankle, barely brushing the skin with his teeth. When he tugged, it was enough to compromise my balance. I staggered, but managed to remain upright. He tugged again, pulling me toward the sofa. Another piece of the puzzle clicked home.
“Did you pull me out of the snow?” I asked. He glanced up at me, his tongue lolling from the side of his mouth. I guessed again. “You had such a firm grip on my leg, you bit into me, didn’t you?” Ashley offered me a paw, then sniffed my leg again.
“You didn’t mean to hurt me at all, did you?” I asked. Ashley pressed his head to my thigh and whimpered quietly. I smiled and stroked the soft fur on the top of his neck.
“I forgive you, Ashley. You pulled me out from under the snow. You probably saved my life.” Ashley looked up at me and made a sound which sound oddly like ‘huh?’ I laughed. “Okay, you did save my life. Thank you.” I dropped into a crouch and slid my arms around him. He pressed his head against my neck, and we snuggled; me in my t-shirt and panties, him naked but for a luxuriant fur coat.
As lovely as it was, within a minute I wanted more. It was true that I was hugging the creature who had saved my life, but more than a hug was needed here. I wanted to kiss him, and I couldn’t kiss a wolf.
“Change back, Ashley,” I said softly. “I want to thank you properly.”
The wolf wriggled his way out of my grasp, then backed away. I straightened up and drank in the glorious sight of a large gray wolf surrounded by a cloud of swirling silver threads. Ashley rose to stand upright as his human form adjusted itself, gaining muscle and stature. Even before the transformation was complete, I moved toward him, taking hold of his hands and pressing my lips to his. A delicious buzz sent tingles through my body as the last of the changes reshaped him. It was akin to holding a human-sized vibrator.
His powerful arms enfolded me and he returned the kiss eagerly. I sighed and molded my body against his, even lifting a foot so I could press closer. His arousal pressed against my tummy, swelling with each second. I reached down and curled my fingers around it, and was rewarded with a long groan. His hands slid down onto my butt, squeezing the cheeks firmly and sending a flush of warmth through my lower body. My mouth opened and our tongues danced. His skin was hot against mine, unusually hot. I put it down to his wolf genes. I’d expected the heat and the buzz of transformation to fade once he’d regained his human form, but something remained, something exciting. Subtle vibrations sent thrills through my nipples, my hands and through my pelvis.
My heart thumped with excitement, my breathing quickened. I was a trembling, over-excited mess, and there was but a single cure for such a condition.
“Make love to me, Ashley,” I whispered. Immediately, I was lifted into the air and carried to his bedroom, where his big bed awaited me. I trembled as he sat me down, then carefully pulled off my t-shirt. I reached back to unhook my bra, but his hands were already there. In a moment I was topless. A single large hand eased me onto my back, then joined its partner to pull off my panties. As cool air touched my moist lips, the sight of his rising erection made me shiver with trepidation. I hadn’t had sex for a long time so I was out of practice. And he was big.
But I was wet, and aching for him. Something would work out, I was sure. And it did. Very quickly. Ashley must have been desperately eager for me, because without preamble, he lowered his body onto mine, and immediately began stroking between my lips with his swollen cock-head. I threw back my head and moaned quietly.
“Too soon?” He asked quietly.
“No, no. Please…take me. I need you.” My entire body was tensed and aching for his touch. He eased into me, a small noise like a whimper escaped my throat.
“More…please…ohhh.” He slid carefully into me, eased by my plentiful wetness. But he felt so damn big, and it took a long moment of groaning and writhing to accommodate him. I clutched his upper arms tightly, alternately throwing back my head, then looking him in the eye as he pushed deeper, withdrawing a little before moving in a little further. He told me later that my expression was pleading, as if I was begging him not to hurt me. Maybe I was, but it was worth it to feel him push fully into me. His body pressed against mine and we lay there, smiling at our achievement.
And then we fucked, gently at first, but with a rising tempo as I begged him for more speed and a firmer thrust. His plunging cock drove the air from my chest, which emerged as loud cries; we filled the room with slapping sounds as our bodies collided. I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him even deeper into me, and then used my fingers to claw at my breasts, driving me over the edge into a breathless, muscle-tensing orgasm.
“Fuck…amazing
…holy…fuck…love it!” I managed. Ashley smiled as he continued to stroke my passage with his cock, but at a much slower pace. It was heavenly, but I needed him hard and fast again. When I begged, he obliged, fucking me as hard as I could take until I came again. I pressed my lips hard together and squealed through my nose for a moment, before my breath exploded from my mouth as a deep, primal growl of satisfaction.
“Oh, fuck, yes. Fuck…yes…”
“You’re amazing, April,” he said softly. I love the way you feel around me.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I love the way you feel inside me.”
“I want to help you come again.”
“Mmm…” I kissed him. “And I want you to come for me just not inside me, okay?”
“You’re not taking anything for protection?”
“Uh-uh.”
“Then I might make a mess on your beautiful soft skin.”
I grinned. “Let me worry about that. Make love to me some more.”
My third orgasm gave me cramps in my toes, they curled up so tightly, but I managed not to slow Ashley down. He was fucking eagerly now, having found his perfect rhythm. His breathing was loud in my ear and against my shoulder as he clung to me, thrusting hard as aftershocks rippled through my body. His arms had slid beneath my shoulders and he held tight as his rising groan signalled his approaching orgasm.
“Come for me, baby,” I urged. I gripped his hard buttocks tightly, stinging him with my nails as he hammered against me.
“So close…” he whispered. “So damn close.”
“I want to see you come, baby. I want to watch you come all over me.”
“Oh, fuck…”
“Fuck me until you come. Fuck me then show me how you come onto my body.”
He pulled out an instant later, scrambling to lift himself off me as the critical moment arrived. I looked down to see his erection, slippery with my wetness appear above my intimate patch of hair. The first spurt exploded at me, hitting my chin and neck. I squealed at the unexpected force of the hot liquid. The second jet splattered across my breasts. I laughed with delight and reached up to stroke Ashley’s tense face as he groaned deeply. His entire body convulsed as he came again, spreading the thick liquid across my tummy.
