by Sophie Stern
The trees in this area are large. I think they’re oaks, but I’m not sure. Maybe I’ll ask Wyatt tomorrow. Maybe we’ll have a picnic under one. Before long, I realize I can’t see the cabins anymore and I’m well into the woods. For some reason, I’m not scared.
Then I realize I should be.
I hear a growl. It’s low, but fierce. What the fuck kind of animal growls like that? Instantly, I’m frightened, and I turn to walk back, but the path seems darker going that way.
And suddenly, my tiny little flashlight doesn’t seem like such a bright idea.
My feet move quickly, carrying me up the hill and toward the cabins, but the growl sounds again, only this time, there are two animals. They have very distinct growls and I realize they don’t sound like the same type of animal.
Is that…a bear?
And something else?
Fuck, what if it’s one of the cows?
And a bear?
I stop and listen for a moment. They don’t seem to be moving near me. If anything, I’d guess they’re angry at each other.
Maybe they aren’t angry at all.
Maybe they’re mating.
In the end, I decide to stick with my be-brave-and-cool-and-courageous mantra and instead of going home, like I should, I turn back around and start sneaking stealthily toward the sounds.
Staying close to the fence so I don’t get lost in the woods, I move cautiously, carefully, toward the growls I keep hearing.
Each time I step on a twig or hit a rock, I stop and listen, worried they’ve heard me, worried they’ll come toward me or attack, but my fears are stupid. Irrational. Being afraid has never gotten me anywhere and besides, if there were real dangers in the woods, wouldn’t someone have warned me?
Part of me screams that I’m being irresponsible, but the rest of me craves this freedom. I’m tired of living safely. I’m ready to take risks, to be brave, to be different.
Starting with this.
My flashlight is off and I’m moving slowly, stepping carefully. I’m still at the edge of the forest. The fence separates it from the field, and the growls are coming from within the woods. Soon they’re louder, and I move closer, stepping into the trees.
As I take each step, I allow my eyes to get used to the darkness.
Then I hear a voice.
A growl, then a voice, then a growl, then a voice.
Then I’m standing at the edge of a clearing, and I can’t believe what I’m seeing. I peek into the area from behind one of the trees. The moonlight is shining perfectly into the area, so I can see clearly.
There’s a man.
A super, completely, totally nude man and a giant bear and they’re yelling at each other.
What the fuck kind of dimension did I just walk into? I’m about to step forward and yell at the asshole to get away from the giant motherfucking bear, when he turns toward me.
“Hope?”
I guess I’m not as good at being sneaky as I thought I was.
“Um, hi Carter,” I’m embarrassed to be seeing Wyatt’s brother completely naked. Even though he’s totally ripped, he’s got nothing on Wyatt, even clothed. I glance down, but then I look up at the bear.
It’s just standing there looking at me. Fuck. A giant bear is looking at me and I’m just standing there.
“Um, Carter?”
“Yes, Hope?” He looks amused, not scared.
“Um, why are you naked in the woods with a bear? Are you training it or something?”
The bear growls and Carter bursts out laughing. He doubles over cracking up, and the bear gets up on its hind legs and lets out a roar that has me screaming.
Before I can remind myself to be brave, I turn and run wildly through the woods. Carter calls after me, but I don’t stop to hear what he has to say. If my new boss wants to play with wild animals in the woods, so be it. I have no interest in that.
Seriously, I thought this was a fairly normal ranch. How did Carter catch a bear? Do they raise bears? Do they eat them? A million thoughts race through my head and I’m so busy worrying that I don’t notice the animal ahead of me until I run into it and land on my ass.
When I look up, I’m staring into the eyes of yet another bear. Yes, two bears in one night. I can tell immediately that this one is different. I’m not sure how I can tell. I just can.
And in the darkness of the woods, in front of the giant brown bear, I start to cry.
This is the end.
Chapter 17
Wyatt
This is not how I planned on telling Hope I’m a shifter, but she’s sitting on her sweet ass in the middle of the woods bawling her eyes out and I’m just standing here.
What the hell is she doing in the forest at night? Doesn’t she have a bed to sleep in? A perfectly nice bed? Seriously. Fuck.
When Micah and Carter wanted to shift and play tonight, I was completely up for it. It’s been a long couple of days and an even longer night. I’m horny as hell and all I want is to feel Hope’s body against mine.
Running as a bear seemed like the next best thing.
She wasn’t supposed to come out. She wasn’t supposed to find out like this. We’ve only just met and our connection is so strong, do I really want to risk ruining that by telling her I’m a shifter?
Only, Hope trusted me with her secret.
Maybe I can trust her with mine.
I’ve never told a human that I’m a shifter. I don’t know how it’s supposed to go. No, our existence isn’t a secret any more, but that doesn’t mean she’s guaranteed to accept me. It doesn’t mean she’ll just accept that I’m a bear.
But she’s sitting on the ground, in the mud, and she’s crying. I can smell her fear, her sadness, her pain.
And when I look at Hope, the decision to shift back isn’t so hard. Her eyes are closed when I change, and then I pull her into my arms and hold her against my body.
“Hope, Hope, look at me,” I whisper, but she just shakes her head and keeps crying.
“Hope!” I say her name louder, almost a yell, and she finally meets my gaze.
“Wyatt?” She asks, looking around, and then she looks at me. Her eyes go wide and she looks past me once more, then her eyes meet mine.
“It’s me, Hope.”
She gulps, and her eyes are still wide, but her heart rate begins to slow. I should know: I can hear it.
“You’re the bear,” she whispers. “That was you.”
I nod, waiting to see what she’s going to say next. Already, her response is promising. She didn’t completely freak out and she seems to know that shifters exist, which is important. It means I don’t have to explain everything. At least, I won’t have to spend a lot of time trying to convince her I’m not certifiably insane.
“What…what about the others?” She says, but again, I wait for her to realize what’s going on. “Was that…they were…your brothers?”
“We came out to play. It’s been a long week and we wanted to unwind. I didn’t know you’d be out here.”
She snorts at that. “You mean, you didn’t think a random human was going to be walking through the woods in the middle of the night.”
I shoot her a questioning look. “Why were you walking through the woods in the middle of the night?”
“I was bored.”
“Bored? Why didn’t you just go to bed?”
“And…I was thinking about you,” she says, sneaking a look at my cock. Oh yeah, I was wondering when she was going to lose control. She’s been a perfect saint up until now, keeping her eyes straight forward without looking around, but now?
Now she’s eyeing me like I’m fucking candy.
“What were you thinking about me, Hope?” I grab her and pull her to her feet. Yanking her close, I keep my hands on her back. Her breasts heave as her breathing becomes heavy and she’s flush against my body.
“Tell me, Hope. What were you thinking?”
“I…”
“Tell me,” I whisper in her ea
r, and she lets out a soft moan. Her sound echoes throughout the woods, and I realize my brothers are probably close by. Those fuckers had better get lost if they know what’s good for them. Hope will undoubtedly see them naked at some point. It’s natural when you’re around shifters all the time. Nudity becomes second nature. She better not see them tonight, though. Tonight is all about her and me. I don’t need to be worrying about anyone else or even thinking about anyone else.
Just her and me.
Just us.
“I was thinking that…that I was glad you didn’t freak out when I told you.”
“Told me what, Hope? Say it, baby girl. I wanna hear the words.” What I really want is for her sweet mouth to be wrapped around my dick, but I can be patient. I can be patient. Hope has just met her first, real-life shifter and she’s handling it surprisingly well.
Too well.
Most humans would freak out, from what I’ve seen. Most would try to rationalize what they were seeing and come up with excuses, but not Hope.
She takes it all in stride.
“I’m glad you didn’t freak out when I said I’m a virgin,” she blushes, and it’s all I can do to keep myself from taking her right then. She’s so fucking beautiful and she has no idea. Part of me is thrilled with the idea that I might get to be her first. There’s another part of me that is pained, though.
Who was this guy she dated that didn’t make her feel beautiful?
Who was she with that didn’t make her feel completely worthy? Like she wasn’t important?
I’ve only known Hope for a few days and already, I can’t imagine life without her. She’s funny and sweet and curious: everything a little human should be. I’m a freaking shifter and I know she’s amazing.
What is the human’s excuse?
“Of course I didn’t freak out.” I reach out and stroke her cheek. To my delight, she leans into my touch instead of pulling away. I’m still very aware of the fact that I’m naked and she’s not. No, she’s completely clothed: a sweet little package of sexiness I’ll get to unwrap sometime.
Not tonight, though.
I think she’s had more than enough surprises for one day. Without another word, I sweep Hope into my arms and stand up, carrying her through the darkness. She snuggles against my body with a contented sigh and I take her back to her cabin.
Cabin number three is now my favorite place in the world, I realize. When I step through the door, I’m not just standing on my ranch anymore. I’m not just some guy outside of Honeypot’s town limits. I’m not just a random rancher trying to get by.
When I step through the door, I’m in Hope’s wonderful, beautiful world, and I just want to stay there.
“What did you do?” I ask. Hope looks at me quickly.
“I hope it’s okay,” she whispers.
“Baby, it’s beautiful.” She’s got pictures hanging on all the walls and the little bed is covered in a quilt and way too many pillows to count. I can see the dresser bursting at the seams with her clothes: little bits and pieces are hanging out where she didn’t quite push them in all the way.
It’s a little bit messy, but it feels like home.
I kick the door closed with my foot and carry Hope to the bed. Laying her on it, I just look down at her for a second, until I realize she’s not looking at me.
She’s staring at my dick.
Oh, and it’s super hard.
“You’re naked,” she says.
“You’re very observant, baby.” I can’t help but chuckle at her innocence. “You know I’ve been naked this whole time, right?”
“I know,” she whispers. “But now you’re in my room. You’re so close I could touch you…or lick you,” she adds wistfully.
“Fuck, baby, you can’t just say you want to lick me,” I growl. Taking a step back, I start stroking my dick. Her eyes go wide, but I can smell her arousal. She wants this just as much as I do, and I can’t hold back anymore.
Not tonight.
Slowly, laboriously, I stroke myself as I watch Hope splayed out on her bed.
“Wyatt,” she murmurs, but her eyes are glued to my cock.
“Tell me what you’re thinking,” I command.
“I…wow. I just…you look so hot, Wyatt. I’m thinking about what it would be like to taste you, to feel you inside of me.” She blushes, and that gets me even harder. I’m not supposed to want her as much as I do. I’m not supposed to be doing this, but I need to, need her.
Then she moves. Hope stays on the bed, but she starts to wiggle out of her shirt. She tosses it on the floor before adding her shorts. She looks up at me.
“You’re gorgeous,” I tell her. She’s got big, heavy breasts and even though I can’t see her pussy, her thin panties don’t hide her arousal. Oh, no, my little darling is wet for me and I’m going to give her a damn good show.
When I finally take Hope, when we actually come together, it’s going to be good. She’s going to be wanting it, begging for it.
She’s going to crave my every touch and I’m going to give it to her.
“You’re beautiful. So sexy. You look so gorgeous, spread out for me like a feast. I want to taste your breasts.”
She sucks on her finger, much too seductively for someone who doesn’t have experience, and then traces her wet finger down her neck and chest. She stops right at her breasts.
Hope keeps watching me as she pops her breasts out of her bra. Her eyes never leave mine, and I’m scared to look down because I know I’m going to come all over my and if I do.
“Look at me,” Hope whispers. “Look at these sweet nipples, Wyatt. I want you to mark me.”
“Say it again.”
“I want you to mark me, baby. I want you to come on my breasts, Wyatt. I want the whole world to know who these tits belong to. I want to be yours.”
That’s all it takes. I manage to move one step forward, then I groan as I climax. My seed spurts over her two sweet pink nipples, over my hand, and a little on her belly.
My mind finally clears, that hazy lust fades as I look down at what I’ve done. Hope has never looked so gorgeous. She’s perched up on her elbows, and she’s just looking at me.
Just when I think the moment can’t get any dirtier, she runs her finger through my come and slips it between her lips.
My inner bear lets out a growl.
I was Hope to be mine for always.
Chapter 18
Hope
Just when I think my night can’t get any more intense, Wyatt proves me wrong.
I’m caught between rational thought and wanting to go with my instincts. My whole week has been about trying to be different, though, trying to be brave, so I decide to go with my instincts.
I might be a virgin, but I’ve seen enough porn and read enough books to know what happens when a man loves a woman very, very much. So as Wyatt looks at me, I slowly slip off the bed and onto my knees in front of him. He sucks in a gasp and I lean forward to take his length in my mouth.
Slowly I suck and tease the remaining come off of his skin. He stands perfectly still, almost like he’s afraid he’ll scare me away, until I reach for his hand and lick it, too. Slow, sweet licks and his hand is cleaned off.
“Hope,” he whispers, but then I suck his finger into my mouth and just hold it there, twisting my tongue around it, seeing how he feels.
I like the way Wyatt is looking at me, like I hold all the power in the world. I like that he’s looking at me like he’s never see anything so beautiful before. I like that he’s looking at me like I’m the most important person to him in this moment.
I like that he’s looking at me like nothing exists beyond this moment.
“Let’s get cleaned up,” I say, and stand, pulling him with me into the bathroom. I turn on the shower and wait for the water to warm. Wyatt comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my stomach, feeling me against him for the first time.
This feels so good and it’s not even sex yet.
It’s
just touching.
Wyatt and I climb into the shower, but don’t talk beneath the water. Instead, he kisses me as the water sprays us. He’s gentle and sweet and for a little while, I think I might just be able to get lost in Wyatt Blair.
For years I thought something was wrong with me because I didn’t respond to Jake like this. I didn’t react to his touch like I was on fire, like I was burning. When Jake touched me, it was just an ordinary touch, but Wyatt?
Wyatt touches me like I’m his, like he’s claimed me somehow.
I realize I don’t know a lot about shifters, so I choose that moment to ask something I might regret later, but I have to know.
“Do shifters have soul mates, Wyatt?”
Luckily, he doesn’t respond with fear the way many human males would. After all, no one wants to hook up with a girl and have her turn into Carla Clings-a-Lot. Instead, Wyatt chuckles and tightens his hold around my waist. He pulls me into him and my breasts press against his hard chest. My nipples are tight and hard, and at this moment, all I want is to feel his mouth against them.
“Why, baby? Do you wanna be my mate?” He asks, but he doesn’t sound like he’s joking. Not completely.
“I don’t know about that. You were kind of mean at my interview,” I say playfully, but the truth is that even though we have this connection, I don’t know Wyatt all that well yet. I’m sure I’ll get to know him over time, but it’s only been a few days.
I don’t need to rush into anything.
“I’m sorry I was mean,” he says quickly, and I’m reminded that Wyatt isn’t afraid to apologize when he’s wrong.
“It’s okay,” I say, kissing his neck. Then I look up at him. He’s been honest with me. I can be honest, too. “It’s just that I got out of a long relationship, so I’m worried about jumping into something new, especially with-“