Secret to Bear

by Miriam Becker

  We drove to the hills in his car, pulling into a deserted campground. Without a word he clambered out into the dusky quiet and pulled a sagging duffle bag from the trunk.

  “What’s in the bag?” I muttered.

  “Nothing,” he grunted back at me. “It’s for our clothes.”

  I stood in stunned shock as he trudged off along the trail before I hurried to catch up with him. “What do you mean it’s for our clothes?” I blurted out.

  He gave me a grumpy, stifling glare. “Any clothes you’re wearing when you shift completely are going to get shredded,” he explained. “It gets too expensive to keep buying new clothes, and either way you’re naked when you change back. But this way you have something to put on.”

  I had to run to keep up with him. “If you think I’m going to stand out here in the forest and get naked with you, you’re . . .”

  “I’m what?!” he interrupted me with a brutal growl. “I’m realistic? I’m dealing with the way things are? I’m living my life being what I am? Maybe you should try it sometime!”

  He stopped and threw the bag to the ground, glaring at me ferociously. The burning anger in his eyes sent terrifying chills up my spine as I stepped away from him. I wanted to run away and leave him there to stew by himself, or slap him hard in the face. But a glowing tenderness in my lower stomach screamed out for a different resolution as the warmth was strangely enticed by his outburst.

  “This is far enough,” he grunted. “Get undressed.”

  With little hesitation he unbuttoned his shirt, pulled it off, and stuffed it into the bag. I only stood and watched, at first dismayed, then enflamed by the sight of his large, hairy chest.

  He stopped and gave me a stern stare. “I’m not doing a striptease for you, Jo. Now, get your clothes off or get the hell out of here. Either way I’m hunting tonight.”

  The humiliation ripped through me, and I turned away from him as I reached up to unfasten my shirt buttons. As I slowly peeled my clothes off, piece by piece, I could feel his eyes staring at me. At last I slipped my panties down along my legs, my butt cheeks turned to his full view, and reached down to pick my clothes up off the ground.

  As I turned he was watching me, his expression cold and unforgiving. I stood in horror as he looked at me, naked once again. I scanned over his nude body, his powerful legs and arms, his large chest and chiseled body. His penis was slack but long, hanging down heavy over two hefty testicles. As he came up to me I wanted so desperately for him to grab me and hold me close. I wanted to hear that everything was alright, and that he loved me.

  But, instead, he took my clothes from me and stuffed them into the bag with his. Then he turned to glare at me.

  “How can you do this to me?” I whimpered. “Gage, how can you hurt me like this?”

  “I’m not hurting you, Jo,” he grumbled. “I’m teaching you to hunt. It’s best if you’re naked when you shift.”

  My eyes focused on the squared chunks of muscle on his chest and I refused to look away. “I’m not talking about the clothes,” I cried. “I’m talking about us, Gage. For me it’s more than the naked bodies or the sex. Last night you lavished me with kisses and caresses, and …” My eyes dropped to stare in longing at his privates.

  He turned away, and I watched his taut cheeks as he moved.

  “Why would you turn so cold all of the sudden?”

  He didn’t answer, but I could hear him groan angrily.

  “Was it something I did?” I persisted. My nipples were getting chilled in the night air, turning stiffly erect.

  He still didn’t respond. He stood and fiddled absently with the duffle bag.

  “Damn it Gage,” I pleaded, “I think I might be falling…” My throat tightened on the words. “I think I may be falling in love with you.”

  His body stiffened. “I don’t care,” he mumbled.

  The words rolled over me, slowly crushing my insides as I heard them. I clasped my arms over my shivering body and cringed back on the impending tears. I stood and heard those words echoing in my mind over and over again, until the searing pain was unbearable.

  He turned to face me sharply, but his eyes flared with a seething agony. He looked at me, this time really seeing me as I stood in stripped misery. His eyes grazed over my body from top to bottom, then back to my face.

  “You don’t understand,” he groaned. “Jo, I don’t care. I never care; that’s just who I am. I can’t afford to care, can’t afford to be hurt anymore. The only thing love gets you is pain!”

  I stared in shock, watching the terror in his eyes. “You love me?” I gasped.

  With a grumbling groan he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists in frustration. “Yes!” he screamed. “Around you I feel like I’m a scared little kid, terrified of how he feels. Is that what you want to hear, Jo? You want to hear that you make me feel weak and fragile?”

  Sweet warmth flooded through me as I watched his anguish, finally exposed. “Yes,” I sobbed. “Yes, Gage, that is what I want to hear. You can’t fight your feelings. That frightened little boy is still a part of you.”

  I raced to him, throwing my arms around him and holding him tight, my tears rolling down onto his chest. He wrapped his arms around me, releasing a deep moan as I fell into him.

  I laughed aloud as I felt him stiffen from my pressing against him. Burrowing my head into him I reached down and gently massaged his manhood until I heard the pleasured rumbling in his chest. His penis enlarged and hardened, and my womanhood craved the taste of it.

  I kissed at his body as I tickled down his thighs and over his balls. He clung sweetly to me, his breathing growing deeper and more passionate.

  “I can’t just…” he began to object.

  I pulled back and gripped tight at his arms, feeling the hard muscle in my hands. “Shut up,” I breathed. I turned and leaned over a rock. “Just screw me already.”

  His hands grabbed tight to my hips, and he eagerly thrust inside. I gasped to catch my breath with the exhilarating feel of him stroking inside of me, his masculinity forcing its way into my most private softness. I moaned in velvety desire and felt his stalk stiffen harder from the sound of it.

  He grabbed firmer at my hips and ground deeper within me. With a heaving shudder his penis jerked hard several times in orgasm before he started to relax.

  Slowly I stood upright, reaching behind me to fondle his testicles as his penis slipped from inside. He clasped an arm around my abdomen, pressing a caressing hand over my breast. With the other hand he greedily explored my softness, his fingers delving deep inside with tender, probing lust. His touch casually glistened over my clitoris over and over again, filling my body with titillating sensations each time. His embrace, his yearning interest as he caressed my nipple and breast, his fingers reaching into my soul and stimulating my little button, aroused waves of dizzying enchantment inside of me.

  The world began to swirl, lost in the fluttering ecstasy that tumbled over me. Breathless, I clutched at his powerful thigh and my body tensed in hard elation as hot rapture poured from my pussy, through my body, and out my fingers and toes. Quivering, trembling, I soared into mindless orgasms as he clasped me upright against his body. A treble moan vibrated in my throat, and I felt a gush of hot liquid spray from me and dribble down along my legs.

  My heart swelled and swooped as I plummeted down from the ecstasy, my mind slowly drifting lower, drenched in sex and gratification. His touch over my clit and suddenly tickled my stomach and I laughed, reaching sharply down to stop his hand.

  His breath was hot in my ear and we stood in the cold moonlight, the steam rising from our naked bodies, and basked in the contentment— together.

  He shivered at the sharp crack, and I squeezed tighter to his thigh. “What was that?” I asked, still struggling to catch my breath. He didn’t answer, didn’t move. I grinned at how engrossed he was in the rapture, and turned around to kiss him.

  A trickle of blood escaped his lips, dribbling down over
his chin. He stood stiffly, his eyes wide in terror, before collapsing in a heap to the ground.

  I stared in horror, a scream catching in my throat. The shocking panic was paralyzing and I stood in helpless, useless confusion.

  The breeze shifted, and the scent of dog filled my nostrils. My blood turned cold.

  “I got him, first shot!” One of the young men burst out from the bushes and onto the trail, a handgun grasped in one hand. He raised it as he eyed me, pointing it directly at my heart. I froze, staring dumbly back at him, listening in dread to Gage’s gurgling breath.

  “No Garret,” Todd commanded. “Don’t shoot her—not yet. I’ve got other ideas first.”

  His sinister tone clenched my heart with icy fingers. The fear screamed at me to run, but my legs refused to leave Gage there to die alone. I watched Todd as he trotted down along the trail and into view, his thin body naked, his member wriggling back and forth like a dead snake. He was followed closely by another man, still fully clothed, who stopped to eye me with a lecherous grin.

  “Grab her,” Todd ordered, his voice quiet.

  I gave him a puzzled glare until I heard the two wolves creeping up from behind. I turned in time to watch them shift from their crouching position on all fours to standing upright, naked, as men, their gangly human genitals now swaging grotesquely from their skinny crotches. They each grabbed one of my arms, their fingers digging in harshly.

  The monster on my right grabbed my butt cheek and snickered, gripping it hard as I squirmed and whimpered in pain. Todd walked calmly up to me, his eyes scanning lustily up and down the length of my body, and grinned.

  “We only shot your lover there with a lead bullet,” he snorted. “That won’t kill him; it will only hurt like hell. Your kind recovers from wounds like that just fine. Of course, they usually get pissed off about it.”

  He turned and knelt over Gage, poking at him as he lay helpless. Then Todd reached up and motioned to Garrett. “The knife please?”

  My eyes grew wide as Garret pulled a long blade from his belt and handed it, hilt first, to Todd.

  “No!” I screamed, squirming desperately, but I was unable to break free.

  Todd looked up at me, held the knife high for me to see, and grinned. “That’s why we brought the knife,” he mused casually. “See, the blade is silver. You know this is gonna hurt! You bears don’t recover from silver wounds very easily.”

  He grasped the hilt in both hands, his arms tensing.

  “Wait!” I pleaded.

  Todd hesitated, offering a quizzical glance.

  “I’ll give you whatever you want,” I begged. “I swear it! Please, just leave him alone. He can’t hurt you now; you can see he’s helpless!”

  Todd stopped, his eyes narrowing as he looked me over. “Anything?” he grinned. “And you’ll do it willingly?”

  I gulped back on the hard lump in my throat, feeling the last of my dignity being eaten away. I nodded, unable to say anything at all, and refusing to acknowledge what I was agreeing to.

  He pointed at my vagina. “Let me see,” he muttered coarsely.

  I cringed at the burning tears, and looked away as I spread my legs. I felt the cool breeze bustling among the short hairs, and his eyes burning into my tenderness.

  He didn’t speak, didn’t move. I looked back over at him. He was grinning up at me, relishing my degradation. He shook his head.

  I screamed as he plunged the blade into Gage’s stomach, twisting it with wicked glee. Squirming and writhing I fought to break free, but the animals on either arm only stretched me harder and laughed.

  The beast within me cried out, writhing with rage and anguish. I struggled to subdue it, to keep it contained, terrified of losing control right when I needed it most. I groaned loudly as I forced the creature inside deeper into the darkness.

  It stirred helplessly and I gasped as I felt it, like a child, pleading for mercy. I sensed it, crouching in a dark cage, locked up and abandoned. Her heartfelt cry to be set free echoed through me, and I heard myself in her pleas, reminiscent of the little girl in the orphanage. I could feel her power, my power, looming useless and eager as she longed to protect Gage. She loved him, and she knew what she could do.

  I stared in startled amazement at Todd. Judging from his expression, he misunderstood my look as fear or remorse, or possibly surrender, because his grin widened and he raised the blade to stab again. But it was the sudden, stark realization that he was about to die that caused me to pause, briefly, and absorb the moment. Things were suddenly very different.

  The immense strength flooded through me, and I rose to tower over the wolves. As I watched their faces turn sickly and their bodies freeze in fear I felt a new sensation pulse through my veins, something new and unfamiliar, but exhilarating. Was it freedom, or possibly just a certainty that I would prevail? I couldn’t quite put a name to it, but it felt as though I was finally me.

  I snarled, my glare fixed on Todd and the silver blade he precariously clasped inches above Gage’s heart. Rage and instinct swept through me, and my muscles tensed.

  The crack of the shots pierced the night air, and I felt the burn of the lead beneath my skin. The ferocity exploded.

  I pulled in behind my apartment building, the dark drizzle forming puddles in the broken asphalt. It had been raining since that night in the woods, and the streets were starting to flood.

  I didn’t bother adjusting my rain jacket as I clambered from the front seat of the car and pulled the grocery bags from the back. The cold rain felt somehow fitting on my neck, and I let it run down over my red tresses. I lugged the heavy bags into the lobby and waited for the elevator. The front doors opened behind me, and I could smell the wet stench of Stan as he stepped up next to me.

  “Hey Jo,” he said, his voice muffled in the damp air. “You look different today. Must be the clothes.”

  I sighed heavily, and tried to ignore him.

  “Did you hear about what happened up along the Quinton National Forest Trail?” he persisted. “They say it was some large animal that attacked those men. It sounds like whatever it was ripped them to pieces. It even decapitated a couple of them.”

  My skin shivered, but I gave him a polite, albeit insincere smile. My wounds were aching, and all I wanted was a drink to dull the pain. “I heard something about that,” I mumbled.

  His face brightened when I smiled, and I felt the tinge of remorse.

  “They say,” his voice dropped even lower, “that the men may have been performing some kind of weird satanic ritual or something. Some of them were naked, and one of the naked men was actually killed with a silver knife in his chest, and not by the beast that slaughtered the others.”

  I cringed, agonizing over the slow elevator carriage. At last the doors opened and I reluctantly stepped inside with him.

  “I think they released a demon,” Stan continued incessantly. “And they regretted it afterwards. If it were an animal, I would have thought it would have eaten them.”

  I retched a little at the thought of wolf in my mouth.

  “Whatever the creature was…” Stan raised a hand for dramatic emphasis. “I’d hate to be stuck in a cage with it.”

  “It may not like being trapped somewhere with you, either,” I grumbled bitterly.

  He gave me a startled glance and fell silent, but only for a moment. Then he motioned with his head to my grocery bags. “Doin’ some shopping, huh?”

  I gritted my teeth and nodded.

  “What’d you get?”

  “Berries,” I grunted as the elevator doors opened on my floor and I hurried out. “I like berries.”

  I fumbled with the keys, and felt a wave of relief as I finally rushed into the apartment and locked the door behind me. Shaking the wet off I dropped the bags on the table and took a moment to stare outside at the misery that was pouring down. I took my jacket off and hung it up before stepping lightly, quietly, over to the bedroom door.

  I leaned against the doorframe,
and stared down at him. He was grinning like a schoolboy as he watched me walk in.

  “You’re awake,” I noted.

  “And I’m frisky,” Gage growled mischievously. “I don’t suppose I could get a naughty nurse type to change my bandages, could I?”

  I laughed, tugging teasingly at my hair. “Maybe a bit later, sexy. My gut’s been aching this afternoon, though. I think I need to take it easy for a bit.”

  “I can’t believe that dumbass shot you!” Gage chuckled. “You just don’t shoot a bear that size at close range and live to tell about it.”

  I couldn’t conceal my beaming face as I recalled the moment. “I took his head off for it though. Literally.”

  “You left a horrid carnage behind,” Gage agreed, still grinning. “And hey, what was that bit with stabbing Todd with his own knife, anyway? Wouldn’t it have been easier to simply gut him with your claws?”