by Savage Rose
“Uh, why don’t I wander into these unfamiliar woods in the middle of the night for a bit and give you two more of that privacy you constantly seem to need,” the big man said, rolling to his feet and giving Cheri’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze as he passed her. He was an odd man, but obviously cared greatly for his friend. As his footsteps faded, Lara bit her lip. She had to say something.
“Cheri, I have to—” she began, but the woman shook her head, new tears in her eyes as she pulled something out of her purse and held out the small, familiar, book-shaped package.
“I didn’t want you to leave this behind. It’s yours.” God, how many times can a heart break? Because I’m seriously surprised I still HAVE one to break after all this. Lara took the book, hugging it to her chest. She could remember in vivid detail the dedication Cheri had written, I will love her forever…
She could remember the feel of the book slipping from her fingers, the taste of Cheri’s lips, the quiet acceptance when she told her the three most terrifying truths she’d ever had to give: she was a virgin, she was a werewolf, she was engaged. And one last terrifying truth: she was in love… did Cheri know that? She had to know. There was no way Lara could say good-bye to the best friend she’d ever had if she didn’t know. She took Cheri’s hand in hers, her shirt falling open once more as she placed the woman’s palm over her frantic, mutinous heart.
“And this is yours,” she said. She knew it was cheesy. She had never been any good at those clever, charming lines. But whether Cheri thought it was cheesy or not, she was certainly touched by it, judging by the sad, sweet smile on her beautiful face, her vibrant purple hair tangled in snarls from the woods… She so badly wanted to kiss her, to run away with her, to forget all of this responsibility and family duty and guilty conscience. She was so caught up in what she so badly wanted she didn’t hear the footsteps behind her, only the startled gasp. She jerked away from Cheri, releasing her hand, turning to see Alexander watching them with wide eyes. OH GOD. As if it isn’t bad enough that I already cheated on him in Seattle…
“Alexander, I—” Her words froze on her tongue as she realized he wasn’t staring at her. He was staring at Cheri. And Cheri’s eyes were locked on him with the same stunned disbelief.
“Cheri?” he asked, his voice suddenly high, almost boyish… NO WAY… The realization hit her like a semi-truck going downhill.
“Alexander!” Cheri cried, the tears pouring down her face at odds with the sudden, brilliant grin that had taken up residence there. Without another word, they ran to each other, arms entwining in a desperate embrace. Both shook with sobs, clinging together. There was no mistaking that kind of heartfelt affection. HE’s Cheri’s childhood friend. The little werewolf boy she’d tried to keep safe. Lara frowned. The little… GAY… Oh my God.
“How did you find me?” Alexander asked. Cheri laughed, drawing back to place her hands on his cheeks and look at him, her dark eyes shining in wonder.
“I didn’t! I found Lara! She found you! We’ve been friends online for a year, but only just met a few days ago… She had to get back home, and… Well, to be honest, I couldn’t bear the thought of never seeing her again, so I followed her here.” What? Oh Cheri… Alexander furrowed his brow, handsome face showing his confusion clearly as he worked through her words, making Lara certain of the exact moment realization hit home.
“You two are… oh my God, Lara!” Alexander turned to her, his arms never relinquishing their hold on Cheri.
“Yes?” she responded warily.
“You don’t have to marry me!” The unabashed joy in his voice seemed rather at odds with his choice of words, but a surge of hope flooded her regardless.
“Well, good thing too, because apparently you’re gay?” she replied with bewildered snark. Alexander blinked.
“I… I thought you knew,” he said. Cheri cocked an eyebrow at her friend.
“No, she most certainly did not. That’s why she’s felt so guilty for…” the woman trailed off, shooting Lara a quick apologetic look. Alexander looked outright guilty.
“Oh God, Lara, I’m so sorry. I never would have… Everyone in my pack knows. I was certain they told your parents. I thought that’s why they paired us up. Two gay wolves, protecting each other.” Lara could only stare and try to convince herself that the words coming out of the man’s mouth were in fact still English. He knew I was a lesbian? I didn’t even know! Well, okay, not for SURE… Was it really that obvious?
“So you’re not upset about Cheri and I being—” Alexander shook his head, a genuine smile on his face.
“I’m so glad you found each other… and now I’ve found you again,” he said, pressing a kiss to Cheri’s plump cheek.
“What is all this?” came a stern voice, and Lara cringed. Oh great, Mom’s pissed. This was already the worst night of my life, do we really need the overkill? Nolee’s arms were crossed, her fierce face set in an authoritative frown, regarding the stranger in the arms of the wolf who was supposed to marry her daughter.
“My sister!” Alexander choked out, the exclamation just as broken by tears as it was by laughter. Nolee took a few cautious steps forward, looking Cheri over.
“She’s not your sister.”
“It’s okay, Mom,” Lara said, her heart in her throat. She hated putting herself in a position to make her mother angry. “Yes, she’s human. She knows, Mom.” Nolee’s jaw flexed, dark eyes blazing briefly over her pronounced cheek bones.
“Mrs. Hunt,” Alexander said, his voice finally steady. Immediately, her expression softened. “This is Cheri Bouchard, my oldest and dearest friend. Until tonight I thought I had lost her.” He released Cheri from his embrace, stepping toward Nolee but keeping a respectful distance. “I cannot marry your daughter.” Lara held her breath, guilt pressing on her as her mother’s furious glare turned her direction. “It would not be fair to her. But our packs can still unite.” Now Nolee’s fury veered off into frustrated confusion.
“And what will keep our packs together, then?” Alexander turned to Lara, giving her an encouraging smile. Oh dear God, I’m coming out to my mother the day before my wedding. Even if this DOESN’T result in my imminent death, I may commit seppuku with my own book just on principle.
“Mom?” she started, her voice shaking. Her mother’s gaze softened again, her arms dropping to hang gently at her side. “It’s taken me a long time to figure myself out, and I know you’ve been very patient with me. Can I ask you to be patient just a little longer?”
“Lara… What is going on?” Nolee asked, looking more lost than she had ever seen the strong, opinionated woman.
“I’m gay, Mom. I’ve thought maybe I was for… well, for a really long time. But when I first met Cheri, I knew it. Then, the past few days with her… I love her, Mom. And I know this is scary and upsetting—”
“Lara, honey, no. It’s not any of that. But the packs—”
“Cheri is part of my pack,” Alexander said, and Nolee cocked her head. “Officially. She has been since we grew up taking care of each other. She’s my sister. And she loves your daughter. How can I stand in the way of that? Let Lara and Cheri be what unites our packs.” Nolee took a long, steadying breath, her eyes closed. When they opened again, they regarded Cheri quietly.
“Well, this is a rather dramatic means for an introduction, but I’m Lara’s mother, Nolee Hunt. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cheri.” She extended her long, thin hand. Cheri came forward and shook it with a smile and a graceful bow of her head.
“The pleasure is mine, Mrs. Hunt.” Nolee returned Cheri’s smile, obviously charmed by the woman’s genteel accent.
“‘Nolee’ will do.” With that, she pulled Lara in for an uncharacteristic hug.
“Never be afraid to be yourself around me, Lara,” she whispered, sounding close to tears. “We’ll make this work.”
“Thank you, Mom,” Lara choked, squeezing tighter, relishing this rare affection.
“She’s adorable,” Nolee add
ed with a soft laugh.
“Isn’t she?” Nolee waved to the trio and set off through the woods toward home. Lara sighed and turned to Cheri, smiling big enough to make her face hurt. “Come here!” she said, pulling the woman in for a kiss. A rustle in the woods caught Lara’s attention just before their lips could meet.
“Well, I came back just in time,” Darrek jibed.
“Ooh! Darrek, darling, you’ve got to meet Alexander!” Cheri cooed, grabbing his hand and pulling him to the young man who stared with unabashed appreciation at the hot, bearded rogue.
“The Alexander?” the big man inquired with a smirk, his blue eyes doing their own appreciating, Lara noted.
“The Alexander,” Cheri confirmed with a giggle.
“I’m a The, huh?” Alexander seemed pleased by the odd exchange.
“I’m actually a The myself, though only in certain circles of dubious morality,” Darrek quipped back.
“Really?” Alexander challenged. They are totally flirting. Oh my God, I was going to marry that gay man, and now he’s flirting with a porn star. “The Darrek?”
“The Darrek O’Marley. Former star of many fine adult entertainment films, and soon to be star of our Cheri’s television series. Just signed the contract today. It seems the fans roared louder than the prudes. I’ll be playing a werewolf.”
“You don’t say,” Alexander said, shooting Cheri a mischievous grin.
“Gentlemen,” Cheri began, clearing her throat, “Lara and I could use a little—”
“Privacy, I know,” Darrek interrupted with a smirk. He tilted his head to mutter in Alexander’s ear, “It’s a thing with them. Silly lesbians.” The young wolf laughed harder than he probably meant to, obviously smitten. “Hey, I’ve got a well-stocked bar in my private jet, because that is how I roll. Wanna roll with me?” The way the man had delivered that last line made the innuendo beyond obvious, but while the only thing it made Lara want to roll was her eyes, Alexander was quick to show his interest in the idea, nodding and grinning like the charming boy-next-door. He gave Lara and Cheri a hug, one arm around each of them.
“Don’t go too far. We have some intense catching up to do, and I’m not losing track of any more friends,” he promised, and Cheri laughed as he bounded off, following Darrek through the woods out to the road.
For a long moment, all Lara could do was stare at Cheri, realizing every barrier between her and what she wanted most had been taken down. Now it was just her. She grabbed Cheri’s hand, pulling her along with the same confident pride the woman had always shown when that table was turned. The forest opened up to a small clearing with a narrow creek running through it, a grassy hill overlooking the water. Lara led Cheri up the hill, and stood there, just holding her hand, taking in this newfound feeling of freedom.
“This place is so beautiful, sugar,” Cheri intoned softly. Lara smiled.
“Look up.” Cheri followed her gaze past the tops of the towering evergreens surrounding the little clearing, and gasped, a hand flying to cover her awe-struck mouth. The sky was lit with ribbons of color, mostly green, as the Northern Lights played amongst the stars. When Cheri was finally able to tear her eyes from the sight, she took Lara’s face in her hands and kissed her, deeply and without mercy. Now it was Lara’s turn to gasp as her lips parted and the woman’s tongue slid into her mouth, stroking her, making her ache with want.
“You’re really mine?” Cheri asked breathlessly between kisses.
“More than I’ve ever been anything, I’m yours,” Lara replied, her hands cupping and squeezing the woman’s big, beautiful breasts.
“Oh sugar, I’m glad to hear you say that!” Lara laughed, marveling at how different this felt, sharing joy for the sake of joy with someone. And there was so much more she wanted to share. Her hands were steady as she unfastened her jeans, sliding them down past her narrow hips and letting them drop to her ankles, stepping out of them. She gave Cheri a grin, knowing how ridiculous she must look wearing nothing but an unbuttoned plaid shirt, a pair of boyshorts, and beat-up brown XtraTufs. This is how we do sexy in Juneau, she thought to herself and laughed again. Cheri joined her, stripping off her jeans and jacket, pulling her top over her head and tossing it behind her with reckless abandon. Even now, she maintained that pin-up poise in her matching sky blue lace bra and panties. What a pair we make. For the first time, the thought wasn’t a disparaging one.
She nodded to herself, making up her mind. Kicking off her boots, she shimmied out of her panties and let her shirt slide off her shoulders. Standing naked under the Northern Lights, she took a bracing breath and let herself shift. Cheri watched, fascinated as the young wolf transformed before her eyes, until she was looking at the same form she had shared a day at the comic convention with. She smiled as if she was seeing an old friend again, which Lara reminded herself, she had. For all that it had always seemed so large and overwhelming to her, it really was a surprisingly small world.
Lara stretched herself out on the grass, looking up at the stars, patting the soft grass beside her until Cheri removed her bra and panties to join her and cuddled close, stroking the cream-colored fur of her belly. It was so strikingly like the dream she’d once had that Lara had to remind herself that she was awake. This was real. And it was incredible.
They turned toward each other, legs entwining as their lips met in passionate kisses that quickly turned the heat between Lara’s furred legs to an excited wetness. She could feel Cheri’s own excitement making her thigh slick. Careful of her claws, Lara brought her hand back to the woman’s breast, stroking and teasing her nipple until Cheri arched her back, crying out at the pleasure. Lara took the opportunity to drag her long, hot tongue along the woman’s neck, earning another moan.
Taking her cue, Lara straddled Cheri and set her tongue to work, lashing at those large, full breasts and hard nipples, that soft, warm belly, those thick, juicy thighs, all the while denying herself what she wanted most, the sweet torment making her drip with excitement. Cheri’s hands stroked her face, toyed with her ears, wordlessly guiding her down between her thighs, and Lara paused, her breath the only thing touching Cheri’s wetness.
“Oh sugar! Please!” she gasped, and Lara’s tongue darted out, giving her slit a soft lick. The woman’s breath hitched at the contact. After another teasing lick that made Cheri’s fingers dig into the thick fur of her cheeks, desperate to feel more, she relented, lapping hungrily at the slick, swollen folds. Cheri spread herself open, eager for more. With every stroke, Lara flicked the hardening nub of the woman’s clit. Cheri arched back again, her body moving to the rhythm Lara controlled with her tongue as she stroked over and over again. She couldn’t get enough of the taste. God, but Cheri was delicious.
Burying her cold, wet nose between the slick lips, Lara thrust her tongue into the woman’s tightness, and Cheri cried out, her thighs clenching. It was such a thrill, hearing the sounds she could pull from this gorgeous woman, even like this. She gave another slow lick along the length of her wetness and plunged her tongue deep again, relishing the satiny feel, wolf nose bumping against her clit, and Cheri seized, her tightness contracting against Lara’s tongue as she panted and moaned. Lara lapped at the slick arousal until the woman let out a satisfied sigh, her thighs spreading in a gesture that struck her as adorably carefree.
That peaceful contentedness lasted all of ten seconds, because the next thing Lara knew, Cheri had pinned her to the ground, and was kissing the ever-loving hell out of her. As she pulled back, her gloriously messy hair making a soft halo of purple, Cheri locked those dark, sexy bedroom eyes on her, raking her manicured nails across the wolf’s chest, making her whimper as they drug across her nipples. Suddenly, one thought eclipsed all others, and Lara glanced at the woman’s purse, abandoned on the grass just a few feet away.
“Did you bring it?” she asked, and Cheri cocked her head.
“It?” She blinked, an adorable look of concentration on her beautiful, round face. In answer, Lara smile
d and gestured daintily to her groin. Cheri inhaled sharply, eyes going wide as her meaning sunk in. Then her dark cheeks lit with a rosy blush, and she nodded.
“There’s a first time for everything, sugar,” Lara murmured, and the woman laughed, grabbing her purse and rifling through it. With great care, she pulled out a long purple shaft, ridged but still smooth, black leather straps hanging from it. Lara squirmed in anticipation, her tail wagging between her legs and thumping against her thighs. She had never been particularly turned on by penises, but this… this was something else entirely. This was her beautiful woman’s, and that made all the difference.
“I’ll be gentle, sugar, I promise,” Cheri intoned softly. “Just because it’s your first time being penetrated doesn’t mean it should hurt. I know how to be gentle.” The comfort in her voice was touching, and Lara nodded, feeling safer than she could ever remember feeling.
Cheri spread the wolf’s legs with a gentle hand, fingers barely touching her as they made little circles over her skin. She kissed Lara with a softness, but also an insistence, making her breath come heavy and hard. As Cheri’s fingers finally stroked along her slick folds, she let out a low moan. The woman moved between Lara’s legs, nudging them apart further, her breasts pressing against Lara’s tail, her lips and tongue taking over for her fingers, giving her light strokes and soft kisses. Slowly, her licks and kisses melded, becoming one ecstasy-building sensation, bringing her closer and closer to the edge.
Something cold, but very pleasant, was sliding between her wet, desperately aroused folds. Opening her eyes, Lara realized Cheri was ever-so-gently teasing her with the tip of the purple strap-on in her hand. The visual of the beautiful woman with wild purple hair and that smooth purple length between her legs made her throb with want. Cheri’s mouth continued its relentless strokes and the new hardness easing into her made her hips buck, her claws digging into the soft earth. With one well-timed suck on her clit, Cheri sent her orgasm crashing into her, making her moans rise in pitch as she writhed, her body— this body— experiencing its very first climax.