by Louisa Bacio
“But that’s not fair,” Silver said.
Her friend’s eyes shifted upward, over Silver’s shoulder. “Here comes your beau now.”
Before she turned, Silver knew who she would see: Viktor headed right for her.
“My lady,” he said, bowing deep.
He slipped his hand into hers. As their hands brushed, a tremor of sensation traveled from her fingertips up through her body. Silver met Viktor’s eyes, and a knowledge of what was to come passed between them. They’d been waltzing around their mutual attraction for so long that acknowledging it felt foreign.
She knew that coming to the ceremony might put her in this exact position. Instead of sitting it out, she jumped in. The fire cast shadows over his face, yet she recognized his hunger. He looked like Nick when he’d gone too long between feedings. Desire coated Viktor’s every action.
Was she ready for this?
Viktor cupped her face with his strong worker’s hands. His fingers were rough from chopping wood, building homes, and overall providing for the Pack. He gazed at her with eyes so green they blended into the brilliance of the forest foliage at springtime. If Nick had become the darkness of winter, then Viktor represented rebirth. Viktor wasn’t simple, mind you, but she didn’t have to work at figuring him out.
He leaned in, brushing his lips against hers, testing out the kissing waters, and boy, did the temperature feel right. At first contact, there was a pang in her consciousness. How could he feel so right, and she keep thinking about Nick? If she was going to move on with her life—and she’d never been as comfortable in a home as with the Pack—she needed to let go of the past.
Easier said than done. Viktor moaned against her mouth, slipping one of his hands onto the small of her back, and he drew up in flush against his body. Nothing gave. He was pure muscle, lean from living off the land. And hot. The sensation seared in her memory, lighting her nerve endings on fire. Have mercy.
The tip of his tongue flicked out, teasing her lips open. She acquiesced, letting him seek the refuge of her mouth they both so desired. He tasted so good, slightly smoky from sitting out by the fire pit.
She realized her arms hung limply at her sides, like if she didn’t touch him, she really wouldn’t be involved in the actions. Fuck that. She reached around, sliding her hands into the back pockets of his jeans, and cleaving to that fine ass she’d been watching for the last month.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said. “Come for a run with me.”
* * * *
Her tight muscles flexed under the moonlight, and Viktor watched the shimmer of her silver fur glide as she ran. Her gait was like that of a well-bred horse, and he marveled at her delicate nature. After being the Pack’s most eligible bachelor for so long, how could he have fallen so hard, so quickly?
His tongue dragged along the soil, and he literally picked it up, spitting out the debris. As if she knew he was lusting after her, Silver stopped and turned back toward him, almost smiling in her wolf form.
She lifted her tail, showing off her pink bottom, and bounced off into the bushes. If she wanted to play chase, he was more than willing to follow her lead. She might have the head start, but he was bigger and faster, and most likely way far hornier than her.
More than six months had passed since his last interlude under the full moon. She’d been from a neighboring pack, a union he wouldn’t have to worry about feeling guilty about later on. Sure, her tribe probably hoped to forge an alliance by sending out one of their most eligible females, but other than a romp in the woods, Viktor hadn’t been interested in more from her. Now he knew why.
Hopefully, he’d be able to capture Silver and convince her of the same. Otherwise, he was a bit afraid that no other she-were would live up to her standard.
With a howl toward the heavens, and a warning to Silver that he was coming, Viktor bounded off in pursuit. The wind tugged at his fur and his paws dug into the moist soil. This time of year, with the colder seasons and fall upon them, was his most favorite of all. His fur grew in thick, and the elements didn’t bother him. In the summertime, it wasn’t like they could shave off all their hair. He stopped, sniffing the ground and seeking the path Silver had taken. She couldn’t have gone far, as unfamiliar with this area as she was. Amazing, though, how at home she seemed in the forest, as if the woods were second nature to her. Perhaps there was something to the genetic linkage to the land. Viktor certainly felt that pull to the area.
A rustle up ahead caught his attention, and he angled his ears toward the sound. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Silver leaped through the air, landing right before him. Her stance spread out, she looked ready to bolt the minute he made the wrong—or right—move.
He stepped toward her and she dashed to the side. He sidestepped, and she flipped around to the left. They danced and shimmied, playing and growing, and his desire built. Did she know all these antics were the equivalent to foreplay in the wolf world? He smelled the desire on her, the scent of her woman’s time, indicating she would be fertile soon.
He needed to mark her as his before that happened. Otherwise, it would be difficult to keep the other members of the Pack from sampling her wares. That and she could possibly lure in other wolves from the surrounding packs in the forest. An unmated female in heat drew much attention. Her pheromones called out to the males across a wide distance. The fall festival and approaching full moon only added to that sexual lust.
Did she know of her own power? Her unassuming nature told him no. In the next moment she tensed, as if to make another run for it, but Viktor anticipated her direction, and pounced upon her, his hind legs rearing up over her haunches and her ass automatically lifting in the air.
He didn’t want to take her in wolf form, especially their first time together, so he shifted over to the side, bringing her with him and morphing into his human form. She came with him.
They rolled in the soft grass, laughing and tumbling. When the inertia stopped, Silver lay on the bottom, with Viktor above her. She slightly opened her legs, and he pushed one knee between her thighs. His cock rested heavily on her thigh, and he gazed at her lush breasts and glistening eyes.
“Why did you do that?” she asked.
“Because a man or a wolf can only take so much teasing, especially from a vixen the likes of you.”
“So what do you win?”
“I think you’re the only prize I need.”
He’d already tasted her mouth, and since then he couldn’t get the feel of her out of his mind. After only a short amount of time, his body craved her. She infuriated him with her headstrong nature. The other women in the Pack followed the rules, and didn’t even think of asking questions.
Silver, on the other hand, must have been raised to think for herself, and if she didn’t like something, she let the person know about it. If not that, then she was hotheaded and the not-listening-to-anybody-else simply ran through her blood, a genetic stubbornness inherited through her father.
The last alternative would be lack of intelligence, and that scenario definitely wasn’t the case.
The warmth of her body beneath his seeped up into his skin, causing all sorts of sensation. No more thinking. No more talking. He leaned down, running his tongue over her bottom lip, teasing it open. She sighed into his mouth, letting him in, and meeting his long, slow strokes with more of her own.
“Delicious. Do you always taste so good?” he asked. “Tonight, it’s green apples and honey.”
“That was dessert.”
“No, right now, with you … this is dessert.”
With each kiss, he lost a bit more control. He’d meant to keep the physical between them at a slow pace, but he wanted to feel her, explore her body. He definitely didn’t just want to paw at her naked form. His hands were probably rougher than she was used to after being with the pretty city boys. He labored in the woods, and his hands took
most of that abuse.
He leaned over on one elbow, freeing the other hand to caress her side, gliding it up over her hip, over her belly, and around her full breasts. She arched into each touch, letting him know how much she wanted him, and how he could make her feel.
Her rosy nipples peaked into tight stars at the tip, and he sucked on one, causing the center point to elongate and pull out even more. With his knee, he pressed upward against her sex and her abundant wetness told him everything she hadn’t said.
He scooted further between her legs, propping her apart and inhaling her glorious scent. She squirmed, and the moment his mouth came down on her clit she bucked beneath him.
“Oh, Viktor.”
What he wouldn’t do to hear her scream his name more often. He savored her pussy, nipping, licking, and making her dig her hands into the dirt for leverage. One hand he slid under her ass, holding her firm, and with the other hand he slipped two fingers inside her. The muscles of her sheath grasped him tight, and his cock throbbed in his pants, aching for release. He ground himself against the forest floor, and concentrated on making Silver feel good.
With a curled tongue, he teased the tip of her clit, starting below and strumming upward, stroking her inner fires, as she raised her hips in unison to his movements. Her thighs held him tightly, and soon she drenched him in cream.
The orgasm rocked her body, and she swore Viktor hummed against her clit, making the special spot vibrate even more. Light aftershocks trembled through her, and Silver lay on the ground sated. She was going to have so much dirt caked under her nails.
Viktor rose up, lying next to her, his generous cock pressed into her side. She reached between them, stroking his soft manhood.
“You’d better watch how much you tease me,” he said. “A man can only take so much, and I’d rather not have you out here for our first time.”
She laughed, releasing him. “So many stars out in the universe. So much we don’t know.” Arms spread wide, she gazed at the heavens, seeing it all anew, and taking it all in.
She lay on a bed of leaves—golden, burnt umber, orange—nature’s softness. From this loss, the forest would re-grow, and she wanted to be there to see it, and experience that rebirth of life.
Could she make a leaf angel? Similar to a snow angel, but an outline of her body via the leaves, an imprint indicating they had been there, and somehow capturing the magic they’d shared.
An unusual crackle in the bushes made them both freeze and glance in that direction. Friend or foe? Either way, Silver didn’t much feel like being caught naked and unaware. Viktor moved in front of her, blocking her from view. With a tremendous leap, a deer bounded out of the brush and into the glen.
“Shhhh!” Viktor said. “Stay still.”
As if she’d go running wild, raising her arms to and fro and scaring off the creature. The animal cocked its head to the side, tracking them out of the corner of its eye. If they had remained in wolf form, no way in hell it would get this close. But they were stretched out on the ground, covered in all the debris that most likely littered their bodies, and it saw no harm.
Its long, thin legs stepped gracefully toward the water’s edge, and with one last look in their direction, it drank.
“So magical,” Silver said. “Like a gift to us.”
“Or a good dinner-omen.”
“Don’t you dare.” She punched him. “You’re not going to take that beautiful creature who blessed us with its presence and eat it.”
“Well, why not?”
“It’s going against all the trust that we’ve built up.”
“Trust? Between us and the deer? What trust?”
“It’s an agreement, after sharing what we did. We’re not going to hurt it.”
“We’re not? Are you somehow privy into some information I might not have? Because from what I know, we’re wolves, and that’s a deer, and back at the camp, you just ate deer. I saw you. And it’s been deer that I’ve hunted, so I don’t see the difference between that cooked meat and that live version drinking over there.”
She socked him in the arm again.
“Owww. Will you stop that?”
“That’s some other deer. This one is our deer. There’s a difference.”
“Really?” He glanced back at the animal, which had finished drinking and now grazed in the meadow, uncaring of their presence. “I don’t get it, but I respect it. Whatever you say. If you don’t want me to kill that deer and come back the hero of the camp, then so be it.”
“Thank you.” She sat up, wrapping her arms around her chest and stifling a chill.
“Cold?”
She mumbled a yes. Cold, and suddenly, she’d lost all her energy.
“Let’s get you home. We’ve had quite the adventure tonight.”
He slipped his arm around her waist, and lifted her into a standing position. From head to toe, she shivered. “Wow, what’s going on all of a sudden?”
“I don’t know,” Silver said. “I don’t feel all that great.”
“Can you walk?” Concern for her flickered in his eyes.
“I think so, but no more playing chase like we had on the way out here.”
“That was fun, wasn’t it?”
“Mm-hm.” A sudden nausea overtook her, and she was afraid to say another word, or else she’d lose the entire contents of the meal she’d eaten. At the mere thought of food, her stomach roiled.
“So tell me one thing about this deer,” Viktor said. “If we ever see it again, how will I know it’s our special deer and not kill it by accident?”
“Oh, you’ll know,” she replied. She dashed over to a bush, and lost her lunch.
Viktor moved behind her, holding back her hair until the heaving ceased.
“Whoa, what happened there?”
“I must have eaten something bad,” she said, mentally going through a list of everything that was included in her meal. Did she eat anything that Viktor had not? Would everyone in the Pack get sick?
“I’d say so. I haven’t had any problems yet.”
“Yeah, but maybe you ate something different than me. I–oh boy, no more talking.”
She yacked it up again, thinking about how sexy she must look at this exact moment. Naked and sick in the foliage. He could have any woman at the tribe, even from a few surrounding territories, yet here he was with her. They’d lain together—well, not the full nasty since both of them wanted to be in a real bed for their first time, but close enough.
One foot in front of the other. They took the walk back slowly. Well, if Viktor had any doubts about her, right now probably would be enough to reinforce them. He’d say goodnight, and boot her to the curb.
“Let’s get you warmed up, and I’ll get you something to drink.”
The thought brought tears to her eyes. On the outskirts of the encampment, the night turned even blacker and she felt herself falling. Viktor lifted her in his strong arms, carrying her the rest of the way.
Back at the commons area, the loudness of the Pack sitting around the campfire assaulted her senses while the warmth of the fire seeped into her skin, bringing her body core temperature up again.
She shivered, drawing the blanket closer around her body. She was surprised to see her father’s mate Sheba back with the others already. How long had they been gone?
“Is she all right?” Sheba said, running up to them. “Silver, honey, you look awful.”
“Don’t feel well,” she said, before blah-ing all over the other woman’s feet.
Chapter Ten
By the following evening, Silver felt refreshed and put the episode behind her. She’d eaten way too many new foods the night before, and it caused way too much excitement for her digestive system.
Viktor had left her alone for most of the day, understanding she didn’t want him to see her in
this condition. After washing up, she went into the Pack’s herb garden to gather some mint to help soothe her stomach.
“Haven’t I asked you to not wander off by yourself?” Viktor asked. Leaning against the gate, his body language appeared as if he wanted to look relaxed, but it wasn’t working.
“Hey, good to see you, too. What? Oh, yes, I’m feeling better, thanks for asking,” she said.
“I’m serious, Silver. I don’t want anything to happen to you. You scared me last night.”
She smelled the freshness of the herbs in her fingers, and drew closer to him. “I’m all right. Something didn’t agree with my stomach, that’s all.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t the thought of being with me that made you sick?” He looked away.
“Where did that come from? Did you hear me complaining at all when you were between my legs?”
She arched up on her tiptoes, slipping her arms around his neck and placing her mouth on his. She caressed his bottom lip with her tongue, teasing the sensitive flesh. She shifted his weight, coming full body against her, and cupping her ass. His kiss grew more passionate, laying his claim to her.
“Get your fucking hands off her.”
* * * *
“Nick?”
He didn’t know what was more priceless, the innocence reflected in Silver’s eyes, or the surprised tone of her voice.
Nick sized up the brute next to her. He looked to have at least fifty pounds, if not more, on Nick. If it came down to it, could he take him? How about if the hulker shifted into wolf form? Trevor was pretty damn strong once he shifted and he was a wiry bloke. This guy would be a monster.
She went to move away from him, and the guy placed his arm in front of her. “It’s all right, Viktor,” she said. “It’s all right. It’s Nick, from New Orleans.”
Then she asked Nick, “What are you doing here?”
Although she was so close he could reach out and touch her, a chasm had developed between them.
“I came looking for you, not knowing what to expect, and well, I found you …” he said. “It looks like you’re doing fine after all.”