Run with the Moon

by Bailey Bradford

  “We are if you fight us with honor, one on one.” Aaron didn’t stand a chance that way, either. It was the only thing he could think of to possibly keep from having all five of their opponents pounce on them at once.

  “Is that right?” Rusty laughed. “Damn good thing I don’t care about honor.”

  “You should.” Valen stepped out from behind the barn. His eyes glowed yellow. “But if you had, you wouldn’t have attacked my pack, and not in such a cowardly way, either. You hid, like the shit that you are, low to the ground, looking for something to stick to because you haven’t got the ability to take care of yourself or your own. Where are your children?” As he spoke, Valen had slowly walked closer. “Tell me that, you piece of shit.”

  Rusty didn’t answer. He took a step back, which put him closer to Aaron. The other four people who’d come with Rusty were glancing nervously from Valen to Aaron and Matthew.

  “Don’t have fire with you, hmm?” Valen observed. “Not facing a sleeping pack. In fact—” Valen paused and wolves appeared as if by magic, the darkest ones especially. They came from behind the barn, and kept coming. “You’re facing the families and friends of those you murdered.”

  Rusty turned and ran at Aaron. What his thinking was didn’t matter. It could have been simply that Aaron looked like an easier kill. “Take them out,” Rusty shouted.

  “As he said,” Valen told his pack. “Leave the redheaded one for me.”

  Aaron heard Matthew grunting, felt him moving and knew he was fighting. Aaron’s knee still ached, but not so much that he couldn’t put his weight on it and lean over to avoid being run through.

  “Ow!” Matthew bellowed.

  “Hah,” Rusty laughed. His laughter turned to a gurgle as a wolf leaped onto his back, crunching down on Rusty’s neck. Rusty’s eyes bulged and his tongue flopped out as blood spilled from his lips. He fell forward, and Aaron pivoted sharply. The sword slid between the cords of his necklace, the tip embedded in the leather pouch.

  “Gods,” Aaron said before he twisted around and dislodged the sword. The wolf whipped Rusty back and left him there. Aaron was going to help Matthew. He should have known, with as many wolves as there’d been, his help would be unnecessary.

  Matthew panted and held his left arm against his chest. “I would like to know how I got jabbed in the back.”

  Aaron reached for his arm. “What’s wrong? Did you get hurt? Is it a cut?”

  Matthew snorted. “No. My forearm’s sore from holding the dratted knife up for so long. That’s pathetic.”

  “I’ll say.” Rivvie strolled over dead bodies and looked at Matthew. “You’re cuter this time than when you were being an asshole.”

  Matthew’s shock was clear as he gasped, his mouth hanging open.

  Rivvie pushed on his chin and closed Matthew’s mouth. “My mother always says you’ll catch flies like that. Who’d want those things buzzing around? Could you imagine the sound? It’d make your ears ring. Probably your brain, too.”

  “Aaron.” Valen had his arms wrapped around Aaron a second after he spoke. “I almost got you stabbed when I took Rusty out. I’m sorry. My balance was off. I was too angry.”

  Aaron rested one arm on top of Valen’s and used his other hand to hold up the talisman pouch. “You were right. This saved me, although probably just from another nasty cut. The tip of the sword stuck in it. I wonder what she put in here?”

  Valen rubbed his cheek over Aaron’s. “I wouldn’t open it to check. Where is everyone?”

  “At the silo down by the garden.” Aaron twitched with a new round of fear. “There could be more of them. We need to go.”

  “We’re going.” Valen pointed and several wolves took off at full speed for the silo. “I don’t think anyone is in danger. There’s no sound of fighting.”

  “You’re sure?” Aaron asked.

  Valen kissed his temple. “Positive.”

  Aaron leaned on Valen as they walked. “What do you think happened to their children? Or do they not have any? It seems strange if they didn’t.”

  “I don’t know. There were no children anywhere to be found. I suppose they could be nomadic, or part of another village somewhere. They wouldn’t bring their kids along on raids,” Valen surmised. “You know, I’ve been thinking. This categorization of humans and shifters, it seems bound to keep the two apart. What do you think of just agreeing that we’re all people? Yes, shifters will get fuzzy sometimes. We’re still capable of the same thoughts and feelings we have when we’re like this. We’re all people and maybe, with some persuasion, we can convince your father and the rest of the people here to come live with us on the pack lands.”

  Aaron stopped walking. “You mean that?”

  Valen canted his head to the side. “Why wouldn’t I? It’d benefit all of us to band together. Food would be more plentiful, though it’d be more meat than anything else until we get the gardens planted again.”

  “I don’t know if my father will agree,” Aaron said, thinking out loud. “He wouldn’t be the leader.”

  “We could work something out. I hope.” Valen got them to walking again. “I can’t not be an alpha. It’s a part of me just as my heart and soul are. That doesn’t mean I’ll be an unreasonable dictator. I’d even welcome your father’s counsel on some matters.”

  “He’d certainly be glad to give his opinion,” Aaron offered. “He’s not afraid to speak up. Or out. Loudly.”

  Valen smiled. “Good. That’s not a bad thing at all.”

  “He might say no.” Aaron hoped not. “It’s been tough here the past few years. Longer even. It’s like little things started going wrong, and they just kept going and going. We were barely surviving.”

  “And that’s not living, or at least not living well.” Valen pointed toward the silo. “Listen.”

  Aaron heard yips, playful sounding noises, and voices, though he couldn’t make out words.

  “Hey,” Matthew said from behind them. “You do know I was listening to everything you two said, and I think leaving this place behind would be the best thing to do.”

  “Because I’m irresistible,” Rivvie chimed in. “You want me.”

  “I do not,” Matthew scoffed. “I like women and all their interesting parts. I like their minds, too. I just haven’t found a woman with the right combination of the two.”

  “And you never will because they aren’t me,” Rivvie sang.

  Literally sang. Aaron was amused. Rivvie was wasting his time, though. “Matthew does like women. He has his pick of them, too.”

  “Oh, that weird reproduce two kids and have fun after thing, huh?” Rivvie huffed. “So where are your kids?”

  Matthew didn’t answer.

  Aaron couldn’t blame him.

  An awkward silence stretched out. Valen glanced at Aaron questioningly. Aaron gave the tiniest shake of his head. Now wasn’t the time to discuss Matthew’s inability to impregnate either of the two women who’d agreed to reproduce with him. It was a very sensitive topic for him, and Aaron would apologize in private for having brought it up even in a roundabout way.

  As they neared the silo, Aaron could see many people gathered outside it. He heard laughter, and was surprised. “They seem to be getting along well.”

  “Yes,” Valen agreed. “My mother is talking with yours. That could be scary.”

  Aaron mock-shuddered. “We should possibly reconsider merging our people. There are some secrets mothers know that no one else should.”

  Valen surprised him by laughing heartily at that. “Like why a boy wants to be left alone several times a day when he reaches a certain point in his life.”

  “And why he wants to wash his own sheets,” Aaron said.

  Rivvie chortled and skipped around them. “You two are perfectly matched pervs. Mattie seems to be a prude.”

  “I am not,” Matthew snapped. “And stop calling me Mattie.”

  “No. Say asshole, Mattie, and say it like you want it,” Rivvie teased.


  “Gods! Shut up.” Matthew groaned. “You’re not going to shut up until I say it, are you?”

  “Like you want it,” Rivvie reminded him.

  Matthew threw something at Rivvie. “I don’t, and you’d better watch that filthy mouth of yours around my mother.”

  “Touchy, isn’t he?” Rivvie asked as Matthew stomped off, dust puffing up every time his heels hit the ground. “He wants me, right?”

  Aaron watched his brother. “I don’t think so, Rivvie. Mattie—ugh, I mean, Matthew is… He’s like everyone else in the village. He’s always done what was expected, and likes it that way.”

  Rivvie winced. “You don’t know your own brother very well. I’m shocked.”

  “Leave Matthew and Aaron alone or your brother will thump you between the eyes,” Valen warned Rivvie.

  Rivvie sniffed and left them to join a group of people by the silo.

  “There’s Walter.” Valen pointed. “I’d like to speak to him first.”

  “Okay.” Aaron and Valen walked over to where Walter was leaning against the side of the silo. “No one was hurt?”

  Walter patted Aaron’s arm. “No. Everyone’s okay.”

  “Matthew is going to need Lanaka.” Valen called for her and she joined them. “Can you help Aaron’s brother Matthew?” He pointed Matthew out. “He is a little miffed at Rivvie right now, so he might be grumpy.”

  “I can handle grumpy.” Lanaka looked at Walter. “You are Aaron Olsen’s father.”

  “Walter Olsen.” He shook Lanaka’s hand.

  “I am Lanaka, the shaman for Valen’s pack. And I will tend to your son Matthew now.” She went off to find Matthew.

  “She’s very powerful, isn’t she?” Walter asked. He stretched his arms up and arched his back. “Gods, I’m tired.”

  Valen answered. “Yes, she is, and I wanted to talk to you. What would you think of combining our people and moving to our pack lands? We have plenty of meat. Our garden was destroyed in the attack. We can plant another one. I am the alpha there. I can’t change that, but I’d be willing to listen and try to compromise if there were issues needing to be resolved.”

  “Why would you want us?” Walter ran a hand over his own ribs. “We’re not doing well here. What have we got to offer you?”

  “Peace,” Valen said bluntly. “Companionship. Bridging the gap between our worlds, and learning from each other. We’ve always been separate, and there is no cause for it. Maybe if we band together, great things will come of it.”

  Walter took a moment to reply. “You offer convincing arguments. I’ll talk to everyone and see what they think. There’s over a hundred of us, you know?”

  Valen smiled at him. “Then we should be matched well.”

  “We’ll discuss it,” Walter repeated. “The offer of food will probably sway everyone, or at least the majority, in your favor.”

  “I’m counting on it.” Valen and Walter talked for a few more minutes.

  Aaron wandered over to his mother, who was still speaking with Beal.

  Anita put her hand over Aaron’s on the cane. “Beal, you’ve met my son Aaron. He’s a good man. You can’t say he isn’t, not if you’re telling the truth.”

  “Don’t push her, Mother, please,” Aaron pleaded quietly. If it helped Beal, she could hate him. “It’s fine.”

  Beal didn’t say anything. Aaron gave his mother a hug. “I’m going back to Valen.”

  Anita smiled sadly. “You and Valen belong together.”

  They did. Aaron hoped his family and friends could agree to move, and all of them could then belong to something more than what they’d had. “Where can Valen and I sleep tonight?”

  “We only have your room. The bed is small, but you are both welcome to it,” Anita said. “Go home and rest. Take your man with you.”

  It sounded like the best idea in the world to Aaron.

  * * * *

  “It’s a really small bed.” Valen sat on it. He sniffed. “I need to bathe.”

  “We have an actual shower with running water. It comes from the stream, and it’s cold,” Aaron warned.

  “I can handle cold.” He reeked of blood and death along with the usual body odor one got from fighting for one’s life.

  “I can, too.” Aaron stripped off his clothes. “I don’t think I need the cane. Will you catch me if I fall?”

  “Every time.” Valen stayed behind him as Aaron led them to a small bathroom. It was attached to his bedroom.

  Aaron started the water. “Okay, I just get right in when it’s cold. Get it all done with at once.” He stepped over the rise of the stall. “Oh, man. It’s really cold.”

  Valen got in and felt his balls try to crawl up in his body for warmth. “Soap?”

  “I’ll wash you.” Aaron sudsed up a cloth and began scrubbing Valen clean.

  “Feels good,” Valen said after he groaned. “Mm, yes. There on my calf.”

  Aaron took his time and once he’d finished, Valen wasn’t as tired as he had been, and his cock was erect from all the touching.

  “Your turn,” he murmured, encouraging Aaron to face the wall. “It this lotion?” He picked up a small container. “Why would you have lotion in the shower?”

  “You know why,” Aaron said with a hint of ire. “Mother put it in there. It’s for her dry skin.”

  “I bet.” Valen licked Aaron from his ear to his shoulder. “Tonight it’s so I can fuck you.”

  Aaron shivered and parted his legs. “Will it hurt?”

  “Do you want it to?” Valen countered.

  “I don’t… I don’t know,” Aaron managed to say after a long pause. “Maybe.”

  “I can make it burn, but I won’t hurt you, not here.” Valen slid his fingers into Aaron’s crease and down to his hole. “Never here.” He pushed the tip of one digit in.

  “What are you—? Oh, I liked that part before,” Aaron murmured. “When you used your tongue then your fingers. Mmm, it was nice.”

  “Nice?” Valen thrust the digit in fully, pressing most of the other knuckles from that hand against Aaron’s pucker.

  “Ungh,” was Aaron’s answer.

  Valen pumped his finger in and out of that tight hole until he knew Aaron was ready for two. He had to go slower so as not to hurt Aaron. “You are so hot and tight here. Just like before.” Valen curled his fingers.

  “Oh gods!” Aaron’s inner walls gripped down fiercely.

  “Ah, that’s the spot.” Valen rubbed over it repeatedly.

  “Please, please, please,” Aaron begged.

  “A third finger?” Valen worked it in slowly instead of waiting for an answer. “Even these aren’t as thick as my cock. I’m going to stretch your ass so wide when I’m fucking you. Going to make sure you feel me in you all night.”

  Aaron rolled his forehead against the wall.

  Valen reached around him and gave one nipple a harsh yank.

  “Yes!” Aaron arched his back. “More, please. Valen, please.”

  “I’ve got you.” He twisted his fingers around inside Aaron while at the same time he twisted Aaron’s nipple. Then he let go of the little nub and raked blunt fingernails over Aaron’s chest.

  Aaron whimpered and wiggled his butt, trying to fuck himself on Valen’s fingers.

  Valen liked watching him, even though his own cock was ready for some action. He could wait. “You want these?” He pushed his fingers in deep. “Take them. Fuck yourself on them.”

  “Uh-uh-uh,” Aaron panted as he drove his butt back repeatedly.

  Valen kept working on his tit and nipple, then he couldn’t resist the temptation of that taut little butt. He brought his hand around and popped one cheek.

  Aaron’s head shot up and he looked over his shoulder, a stunned expression on his face. “V-Valen?”

  “I’ll stop if you want me to,” Valen said. “You like a little pain. Maybe more than a little. You’ll like this.” He kneaded the spot he’d spanked. “If you don’t, I’ll stop.”


  “Okay.” Aaron resumed his position. It wasn’t ideal for a hard spanking, but it would do for a little light play.

  Valen rubbed Aaron’s cheek, then slapped it again.

  Aaron moaned and ground his hole against Valen’s fingers.

  “Sweet,” Valen said. He smacked Aaron’s butt a third time, and a fourth. The more he did it, the stronger the scent of Aaron’s arousal. Valen began to put more strength behind it, with some spanks catching Aaron just so. When that happened, he’d rise up on his toes and mewl.

  Valen had to stop before he hurt Aaron in a way that neither of them enjoyed. He didn’t want to over-spank Aaron. Valen also didn’t want to stop completely, so he swapped hands, rinsing the one he’d had inside Aaron off then putting lotion on the other.

  He finger-fucked Aaron and slapped his ass, turning the other cheek dark pink and red. “You need to come, honey?” He swatted Aaron again.

  “So bad.” Aaron panted. “I need to come so bad.”

  “On my dick. You’ll come with me so deep inside you, you’ll never be free of me.”

  Aaron wiggled his butt. “Never want to be.”

  “That works out great, because you won’t be.” Valen turned the shower off then slicked up his cock. “Turn around.”

  Aaron shuffled around. “I thought you were going to fuck me?”

  “I am.” A benefit of Aaron being slightly built, and Valen not, was that Valen could do what he wanted to just then. “I’m going to pin you to the wall and fuck you so hard you can’t sit tomorrow. Not without feeling me.”

  Aaron was bobbing his head. “Yes please.”

  “Such a good boy,” Valen told him before taking a kiss. Valen loved to kiss Aaron. He needed to be inside him now, though. “Up you go.” He hitched Aaron up. “Legs around my hips. Arms above your head.”

  Valen got his dick lined up, then pinned Aaron’s arms by pressing one of his across them. “Now. Look at me.”

  Aaron blinked open eyes so warm and full of affection, Valen could almost feel it.

  “I love you,” he confessed as he thrust, pushing past the gripping muscle guarding Aaron’s entrance.

  “Val.” Aaron bucked, sinking down even more on Valen’s shaft. “Oh!”