by Kallie Frost
I started to climb to my feet again and made the mistake of turning my back to him. His hands caught me by the hips, as he pulled me into place. I felt his cock brush up against my ass.
“You're joking,” I said.
“Only if you want me to be.” His voice was so husky and so sexy I couldn't imagine saying no to it. It sent a thrill through me and the fact that I could sense how aroused he was did nothing to extinguish my desire. I didn't exactly imagine our first time as being muddy in the middle of the night, but suddenly it didn't seem like such a terrible idea. I bent down and raised my ass up a little to him. He didn't hesitate to return his original two fingers. It hadn’t been that long since I was penetrated by him, but the sudden intrusion made me gasp. He went slowly at first, letting me get used to it again, before he added another finger. I writhed beneath him, my hands slipping on the muddy bank, the water ice cold around my ankles. I supposed this was just a way to embrace being a wolf.
He wrapped an arm around my chest pulling me up slightly straighter and nipped at my earlobe.
“Are you ready?” he breathed.
“Take me.”
Rion didn't need a second invitation. No sooner were the words out of my mouth when he slipped out his fingers. I felt the head of his cock pressing against my entrance and tensed. I found the idea of his knot a little daunting. But, as he slowly began to slide in I forgot everything else except the sensation. The sound I made was almost a growl as his dick slid into me. I was sure I could actually feel warmth emanating from the spot on my neck where he marked me. The thought had only just crossed my mind when he reached up and brushed his fingers across it.
I pushed back toward him, urging him deeper inside me. At last he pressed against me, quivering as he held still. Rion pulled back a little before easing back in. He repeated the motion, slowly going in and out. Every inch, no matter the direction, seemed to add to the wave of pleasure that was building within me. I dug my fingers into the ground and shuddered as he began to speed up. He leaned forward over me and put one hand on top of mine. Our fingers twined, mud and grass scrunching up between them. His other hand came up between my legs and he stroked my dick.
I forgot everything existed except the feel of his dick in me and his hand around me. I wasn't cold, or wet, or muddy, I just was. My breath quickened and my body started to tremble as the pleasure built. At the same time, I felt pressure. First, I thought it was just the intense way that he was fucking me. I quickly realized that it was his knot swelling. It filled me, stretching me. Every time he pulled back to thrust again I could feel it fighting to stay inside. Given his caution when I was human, I worried that it would be a painful experience, but it was anything but. It was different yes, but the feel of it growing was somehow pleasurable as well.
And then his thrusts grew shorter, harder, and erratic. He was locked into me and about to come. His hand on my cock sped up, but he didn't need to, I was about to have an explosive orgasm anyway. Even as I felt him inside me, I could feel his pleasure so clearly it was as if I was the one doing the penetrating. His pleasure swirled and mounted inside me with every slam of his dick. Coupled with the knowledge that we were physically locked together, it was enough to send me over the edge.
He howled his release behind me, voice more wolf than human. I joined in in eagerly as the most intense orgasm I ever experienced overtook me. I don't think I actually passed out, but the next thing I knew I was looking at the forest sideways, with my cheek in the mud of the streambank. Rion was on top of me, I could feel his heart pounding against my back and each heavy breath he took. Amidst the post orgasm bliss, I could feel every nuance of his emotions. His love for me, his contentment, and his emotional high from mating.
I had never been happier, but the longer we stayed like that the colder I started to realize I was.
“Are you okay?” I asked him.
“Just cold,” Rion said with a chuckle. He gently kissed the back of my neck. As he shifted his weight I felt a tug and some pressure on my ass. His knot was still joining us together.
“How long until we can get up?”
“Depends on if you want to shuffle awkwardly back as humans, with my dick buried in you, or if you are able to wait a few more minutes.”
Exhausted and spent, my cock perked up a little bit at his description of where his was. A content sigh escaped me, and he eased his weight back down onto my back a little more. Soon he tried again and this time I felt his cock easily slide out.
Rion climbed to his feet and extended his hands to me. A shy smile spread across my face as he helped me up. I always felt a measure of shyness after my first time with someone and this was certainly going to be a first time I would never forget. Nor would I forget our return home. We changed and suddenly the cool night air wasn't a problem. I was still muddy, but it clung to my fur instead of my skin, and didn't bother me at all. With renewed energy, our wolves ran together.
This time I paid more attention to our surroundings. It was as if I had been deaf and unable to smell for my entire life. The forest was alive with scents and sounds. I never knew how dogs can follow scents, but sure enough I could smell where Rion and I had already been. We followed our trail and before I knew it we were back in the clearing, with two piles of clothes. We transformed and got dressed, and walked back to our apartment together, holding hands.
Chapter Seven
Rion
As the days went by life turned into a strange mix of old routines and new ones. We got up for breakfast, Elliott went to work, I went to class, we had dinner together, we watched TV… same old, same old. And yet, so wonderfully different. We woke up in bed together. We kissed during breakfast, we flirted while we made dinner. Sometimes we even fooled around in the shower before beginning our day. And we watched TV snuggled happily on the couch, followed by great sex, and then sleep.
For the first time, my only dread about the upcoming full moon was Elliott’s reaction to his first. I knew he was nervous about it and sensing my concern didn’t help him.
The full moon was foremost in my mind, so when I heard him retching in the bathroom, his nerves were my first thought.
“You okay in there, Elliott?” I asked, rapping my knuckles on the door.
“Fine.”
He did not sound fine. I opened the door to find him bent over the toilet, resting his cheek on the seat.
“That’s gross,” I told him. “Try to relax and take deep breaths.”
“I feel gross. We’re the only ones who use it. And it’s cold. I think I’m getting sick.” Elliott sat up with a groan and put a hand on his forehead. “Do I feel hot?”
“You’re a shifter now, we don’t really get sick,” I told him. “I might have forgotten that perk.”
“We don’t?”
“It’s not impossible, but it’s unlikely. I can’t remember the last time anyone in my family was sick. In fact, the last time anyone even threw up was when…” I froze.
“When?”
I couldn’t stop the grin from spreading. “When my mother was pregnant.”
“Are you saying you think I’m pregnant?!” he cried.
“It’s possible.”
“It’s only been a few days since we had sex for the first time! Would I already be sick? I had a coworker who had awful morning sickness, but it didn’t start until she was a good six weeks in.”
“Our gestation period is only twelve weeks, that’s halfway through for a shifter,” I reminded him. “We essentially do a human trimester a month. Omegas are extremely fertile, as are alphas. And pregnancy is hard and fast. You could easily be pregnant already.”
“Oh my god, I’m not ready!” He lurched over the toilet and threw up. “What do we even do?” he moaned when he was done. “I obviously can’t go to a doctor.”
“Don’t worry, we have our own doctors. In fact, one lives on Half Moon near me. He’s one of the best, I’ll give him a call after I take care of you.”
And take c
are of my mate, I did. I got him a nice glass of ice water, and one of juice in case he wanted it instead, then helped him to the couch. Elliott insisted I stop fussing, but I overruled him and got him all settled in with a movie he had mentioned wanting to see. I brought him his phone so he could call out of work, and then a bowl of crackers.
“My mother and sister loved crackers when they were pregnant. Eat them slowly.”
“I’m fine, Rion. We don’t even know if I’m pregnant or not. But, thank you.” A small smile crossed Elliott’s face. “I’m feeling a bit spoiled.”
“Get used to it.” I kissed his forehead, then fetched my own phone and pulled up the doctor’s number. A familiar voice answered.
“Dr. Craik’s Office, this is Avery, may I help you?”
“Avery! It’s Rion. Rion Silvanus.”
“Rion? Hey! What’s up?”
“Nothing much, I didn’t know you got a gig with Craik!”
“Yeah, just started a few months ago. It’s been great. How are you? Don’t tell me you’re calling about a pregnant omega!”
“Actually…”
Avery gasped. “No way! Did you meet your true mate?!”
“I did and I think he’s a few days pregnant. I was hoping Dr. Craik could check him out.”
“Wow, congratulations. Will you be coming in for your appointment?”
“I’m actually on my year away…”
“How far from Half Moon?”
“About a four hour drive…”
“Shit, that’s usually out of Nolan’s range… But let me check with him, okay? You’re a buddy and a Silvanus after all.”
Elliott arched an eyebrow curiously. “What does that have to do with anything?” he asked. I wished I hadn’t put the phone on speaker.
“We’re sort of a… prominent island family,” I said. “I’ll explain later.” I drummed my fingers on the back of the couch in time to the holding music.
“Rye?” came Avery’s voice.
“Ave,” I replied.
“Good news, Nolan said he’s happy to come out your way. He doesn’t want you to risk being back here and ruining your year away, and would never dream of making your omega drive out alone. Just let me get out my calendar and we can set something up.”
“Fantastic, thank you so much.” I scrambled for a pen and paper while we worked out the details. When I hung up, I realized my heart was pounding with excitement.
~~~***~~~
Dr. Craik was able to make it the night before the full moon. I had a feeling that Elliott still wasn't entirely convinced that he was actually pregnant, not that I could blame him. I hardly believed it myself. Then again, I had a feeling that his disbelief stemmed a bit more from his upbringing outside the shifter world.
When the doorbell rang we both turned toward it and stared for a moment. It was almost as bad as when Chandler had arrived. At last, I gathered up my nerves and opened the door.
“Rion, lovely to see you,” said Dr. Craik. We didn't know each other very well, but we saw each other around quite often.
“I can't thank you enough for coming, Dr. Craik,” I said.
“It's my pleasure. Anything for a Silvanus. Please, call me Nolan, there's no need to be formal just because this is a medical visit.”
He bustled into the room with a bunch of equipment in tow and introduced himself to Elliott. All too soon, my mate was settled in on the couch with his shirt pulled up. Nolan perched next to him on the coffee table, setting up his laptop. When he was ready he squirted a thick goo onto Elliott's stomach.
We both watched in fascination as Nolan rubbed a device across Elliott's skin. At first, the screen of his laptop was nothing but a blend of gray blobs. Suddenly it came into focus and I could swear I saw the shape of a child.
“Is that…”
“That's Junior,” Nolan said with a chuckle. “It's a little too early to tell the gender, but I should be able to at the next visit. Let me just to do a quick exam…”
I wanted to get up and move. Maybe pace or something. The longer Nolan spent examining the baby, the more nervous I got. But I couldn't get up, because it would mean letting go of Elliott's hand. He needed me more than I needed to walk around.
I breathed a sigh of relief when Nolan sat back and declared that everything looked great. He worked out a schedule and got our next appointment on the calendar. And just as quickly as he had swept in, the bear shifter was gone.
“That was surreal,” said Elliott, putting both hands on his stomach. He looked down and pressed his fingers against his skin, as if he could feel the child. “I'm pregnant.” He looked up at me with a growing smile. “I can't believe this!”
“Are you excited now?”
“I've always been excited, I guess I just needed to see it to really accept it. I'm still nervous and adjusting to the idea, but I'm really excited.” He stood and embraced me. “And I'm happy, this is amazing. And a little fast…” Suddenly, his eyes widened in fear. “What about the full moon tomorrow? The baby!” He clutched his stomach, this time protectively.
“The baby will be perfectly fine,” I assured him. “You're far from the first shifter to give birth or to transform during the full moon.”
“Yeah, I guess that's true.”
I pulled him close and put my own hands to his stomach. Any day now we would start to feel the kicking and I'd watch as my mate’s belly grew with our child. I pressed a kiss to his forehead, silently promising both my mate and my unborn baby that I would always protect them.
~~~***~~~
Elliott stared down at the menu with a groan. “I'm starving, but I have no idea what I want to eat.”
“It's often like that after a full moon,” I said quietly, making sure that no one at the restaurant could hear me.
“I'm pretty sure I'm like this all the time now.” He furrowed his brow at the menu, looking adorably frustrated. He started to grin, and it turned right back into a frown. “I have to limit my seafood intake, don't I?” he said dryly.
“I'm sure one night won't hurt, and I don't think we have to follow all the same dietary restrictions that humans do.”
“I should've asked Nolan,” he muttered. “Well, I can't go wrong with the chicken basket. And it'll be decent leftover if I can't eat any.”
“How do you feel?” I asked.
“Nauseated, hungry, tired.” He put his hands on a stomach that already seemed bigger than yesterday. “Fat,” he added with a chuckle.
“I actually meant moon-wise.”
“Great, it really wasn't that bad. I don't think. How about you, was it as easy as last time?”
“It was better. I feel amazing.” It had been a long time since I felt this good after a full moon.
Of course, neither of us actually remembered the night itself. We went to the bunker, early so that he could get a chance to familiarize himself with it. We were both nervous leading up to the moon rise, and the next thing we knew we were waking up in the morning. I usually remembered the pain of the transformation, but this time I had no recollection of it. I wondered if maybe just the presence of my mate kept it from hurting. Getting up in the morning had been downright pleasant, for once. We woke up cuddling together, so I assumed our wolves snuggled during the night. I was exhausted, no doubt from running and playing, even though there wasn't very much room in the bunker.
I didn't even feel stiff or sore, like I usually did. It was no wonder that alphas without company usually didn't live long. It was also clear why alphas who lost a true mate often didn't outlive them by much. Only one moon, two if you counted when he was human, and I already couldn't imagine having to go back to the way it was.
“It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be,” Elliott said.
“It's easier for omegas anyway, but not nearly as hard as it is alone.”
I think he was about to say something, but he excused himself and ran quickly for the bathroom. He told me to stay put, but I followed him. Luckily, it was one of
those family-style bathrooms, so we closed the door and locked ourselves in. I rubbed his back as he bent over the toilet, breathing hard.
“False alarm,” he said after a couple of minutes. “Sorry.”
“Never be sorry, my mate. You are carrying our child, there is nothing you need to apologize for.”
I kissed him and helped him wash his face, hoping it would make him feel a little better. Then, we returned to our table, just in time for the food to arrive.
Elliott picked at his food for most of dinner. I gave him some time after I finished mine, before suggesting we take it home. While waiting for the box his appetite appeared and he devoured his chicken and fries, then ordered another side of fries.
"Save some for the other diners," I joked. Elliott frowned and put down his fry without taking a bite. "I was just joking!" My chest tightened at the thought of insulting my mate.
"I know." He dismissed my panic with a wave. "Sorry, I just..."
"Are you feeling sick again?"
“No.” Elliott's eyes flicked over my shoulder and then a huge smile spread across his face. I could tell it was a fake smile, a forced one. He ate another french fry, followed by several more. While his mouth was full he spoke, “Don't look, but there is some guy behind you giving me a really strange glare. I can't tell if he is angry at me or what, but it’s really weird. Don't look,” he scolded as I started to turn. Fake smile plastered in place, he added, “I'll tell you when it's safe to look. I don't want him to see you turn.”
“He looks angry? Do you know him?” My fingernails dug into my palm, as I forced myself not to turn. Every fiber of my being wanted to stand and face the man who was being aggressive toward my mate.
“I don't think I’ve ever seen him before,” said Elliott. “Maybe he isn’t looking at me?” I couldn't tell if he was trying to placate me or convince himself of it, but I knew his heart wasn't in the question. “Okay, turn slowly.” I obeyed. “It's the guy with brown hair at the end of the bar, third seat in.”