Collared By The Warrior

by Daniella Wright

  "We should head back." I murmur, quickly getting dressed. It's obvious that we're thinking the same thing, and we step out of his secret area, hoping the scent of our activities isn't painfully obvious. We make the trek back to the farm, and he guides me up the hill. I feel his eyes upon me, and though a fire is growing within me, I can't ignore the feelings I still hold for Lucky. As we wander through the pastures, I can make out Lucky's familiar figure tending to some of the horses towards the outer edge of the pasture. I glance towards Chester, gesturing for him to walk in the opposite direction while I continue towards Lucky. He seems reluctant, but obliges me, and I can only hope I don't reek of sex as I approach my childhood friend. He doesn't seem to notice me at first, and I wrap my arms around him from behind as I approach.

  “Well if it isn’t the queen of sass, herself.” Lucky drawls, turning to face me. He considers me for a moment, and I’m certain he’ll know what I’ve been doing. He draws his lip between his teeth, and my eyes are drawn to his mouth. I know I shouldn’t be looking at another man, scarce moments after I had made love to his best friend. But I can’t help myself, as awful as it is. “I was hoping we could talk.” He says softly, reaching out to brush his palm to my cheek. I should say no. I should tell him that I’m with Chester, and that I can’t… do whatever it is he wants to do. But I can’t deny those big brown eyes, and I find myself taking him by the hand. Where Chester’s hands had been soft, his were rough and calloused. I can’t deny that I’m reveling somewhat in the contrast. Lucky takes a moment to let me out of the pasture before closing it behind him. He offers me his arm, and I loop my own around it. He grins warmly, and I feel my heart pounding in my chest. I thought these feelings would abate after my time with Chester, but inexplicably, I only feel more excited after our bout together.

  “So, what did you wanna talk about?” I inquire gently, allowing him to guide me away from the pasture. This time, we move towards the woods on the edge of the property. I pause briefly, offering him an uncertain look. “Aren’t there cougars in these woods?” I ask uncertainly. He smiles as if he knows something I do not, continuing to guide me into the woods.

  “They don’t ever get this close to the farm. They’re further out.” He explains. I take the explanation at face value, trailing just behind him but remaining close to his side.

  “Well, that still leaves my first question.” I riposte, and he rumbles a laugh. He simply guides me deeper into the woods, examining each tree as we go. He seems to be looking for something, and I have no idea what he could be looking for in these woods. He pauses in front of a seemingly random tree, reaching his hand out to touch the bark. He smiles faintly, glancing to me from the corner of his eye. I meet his gaze curiously, looking to where his hand rests on the tree. He drops his hand away, and I see a jagged heart carved into the tree. I feel my heart pounding in my chest as I recognize my own initials within it, along with Lucky’s. “How old is this?” I ask, giddiness rising up within me. He chuckles, leaning against the tree and crossing his arms over his chest.

  “I carved this when we were… about ten years old, I reckon. I almost cut my finger off, I’m sure you remember that time I had to get stitches.” He says with a quirk of his lips. I grin, laughing warmly and throwing my arms around him. I nestle my face against the side of his neck, listening to the soft sounds of his breathing.

  “Do you know how many times you and I had to get stitches when I was a kid?” I breathe against his skin, and he shivers before chuckling softly.

  “Yeah, and I know most of the time we gave each other those stitches. You were a wild one. I always liked that about you.” He murmurs, brushing a hand through my hair. He pauses, and I wait for him to speak again, sensing that he has something important to say. “I always swore I was in love with you, from the day we met, til the day I was sure I’d never see you again.” He chuckles, and I draw back to consider him. He meets my gaze, and all at once I’m struck by just how much of that little boy remains in my childhood friend. Though I had never seen him as anything more than a buddy when we were kids, I’m certain that what I’m feeling now goes beyond standard friendship feelings. His eyes lower to my lips, and I flick my tongue out to moisten them. Before I can stop it, even if I wanted to, his lips are upon mine. His kiss is tender, filled with a passion I’m not quite sure I felt even with Chester. Of course, it was a passion I couldn’t have felt with Chester. It was a passion that resulted from years of puppy love. I tangle my hands in his hair, pressing him against the tree that has our initials scrawled on it. He nudges a knee between my thighs, and I gasp against his lips, deepening the kiss. He rests a hand on my rear, pulling my hips closer to his own and allowing me to rock in a steady rhythm on his knee. I can feel his erection pressing against my belly with each press forward, and I bury my face in his shoulder, overwhelmed by the rollercoaster of emotion I had experienced through the day. He kisses my ear, muttering dirty little promises that I dare not repeat. He murmurs about how much he wants to take me, in what positions, all over the barn.

  “I saw you in your window this morning. I know you saw me, too.” He murmurs, and I whimper out his name, helpless to stop the sensations he was causing me. He tightens his grip on my rear, much firmer than before, and pulls me firmly against his clothed length. I shudder out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. I reach down, deftly unbuttoning Lucky’s jeans and freeing his length, palming it in my hand. He swallows a moan of pleasure, and I slowly stroke along the length of it, wondering how it would feel to be with Lucky instead of Chester. All at once, I pull away, meeting his gaze. Guilt surges through me, and as much as I would like to explain myself, I know that I can’t. If I were to tell him what I had done with Chester, any feelings he may have for me would disappear, I’m certain. At the same time, I care very deeply about Chester as well, and know he would be wounded to see me locked in such a passionate embrace with Lucky. When I had never intended to betray either of them, I had somehow managed to betray both. All in the span of a day.

  “You feeling okay?” He inquires softly, pressing a hand to my forehead as if to check for a fever. I swallow my despair, smiling uncertainly.

  “I’ll be alright. But we should probably head back. Daddy’s probably going to have dinner ready soon.” I offer. He smiles and nods, pressing a final, chaste kiss to my lips before pulling away. He smiles awkwardly at his still stiff member, managing to somehow stuff it into his pants in a manner I’m sure is uncomfortable.

  “Are you gonna be okay?” I inquire awkwardly. He smiles in spite of himself, managing to button and zip his jeans. His manhood presses against the fabric, straining so much it seems the button will pop.

  “I’ll take care of it later,” he murmurs with a blush. I feel myself reddening as well, cursing myself for just how much I want to help him take care of his little problem. He offers his arm once more, and I loop ours together. I can’t help but wonder where on earth Chester has disappeared to as we make our way back to the house. The sun is beginning to set in the sky, and in spite of the guilt that brews within me, I can’t help but picture a perfect night with both men. I imagine the tree of us dancing through the fields, catching those lightning bugs that ever eluded me as a child.

  As we step into the house, I’m immediately struck by how tense Chester seems. He considers us briefly as we step inside, but quickly turns his attention back to preparing dinner. He clatters and clangs with significantly more agitation as he cooks, and Lucky watches him with narrowed eyes. My father steps down the stairs, leveling a glare at Chester as he falls into step beside the sandy haired man.

  “Is all that noise really necessary?” Daddy inquires, and Chester stares at him for a moment, looking as if he will apologize. Then, his eyes fall upon Lucky and immediately narrow in anger.

  “Is all this disgusting puppy love drivel really necessary? We get it Lucky. You have a crush on your little gal pal. Get over it and keep your junk in your drawers.” Chester says snidely. Lucky jolts to at
tention, eyes widening in disbelief. It’s becoming increasingly apparent that the private moment Lucky and I had shared in the forest hadn’t been so private after all, though I suppose it must have been obvious with how… uncomfortable Lucky was as we walked in together. It no longer seems to be a problem now, as the sheer shock of the situation dissolved any arousal any of us may have felt.. I bury my face in my hands, quietly praying that this will blow over and Lucky will let the comment slide.

  “Well, gosh, Chester. I didn’t know such a playboy would be threatened by the idea of anything deeper than a physical connection.” Lucky retorts snidely, and Chester’s eyes meet my own. His eyes widen incredulously, and he tosses his head back in a laugh.

  “What has come over you two? You’ve been bickering and at each other’s throats since…” My dad trails off, considering me through sympathetic eyes. “Well, you boys need to stop thinking with what’s in your pants, and start thinking with your brains. I can’t have the farm running smoothly if you two are at each other’s throats over a girl.” He pauses, drawing his gaze back to me. “And as for you, young lady… you need to deal with this. Ignoring it and hoping it will go away is obviously doing little good. So, since you three are acting too childish to deal with this properly, I have any idea.” He announces. The two younger men exchange glares before looking to my father. I swallow thickly, uncertain of what direction this will go in.

  “I’m all ears.” I offer weakly. Daddy smiles before clapping his hands together.

  “You three are gonna go on a camping trip in the woods. A sort of… trust building exercise. You’ll pitch a tent out in the middle of nowhere, and you can’t come back until you’ve talked out your feelings and have come to a resolution.” He says decidedly. Lucky’s eyes bulge, and Chester makes no attempt to swallow his groan of irritation. I feel as if I’ve been handed a death sentence, as dramatic as that may seem.

  “Can we at least eat first?” Chester implores. That seems to be the only thing the two younger men agree upon, and Lucky nods, trying to grab a plate for himself.

  “Nope!” My father announces, swatting Lucky’s hand away. “Consider this a bit of incentive. The sooner you three resolve your issues, the sooner you can come back and enjoy this delicious dinner.” He grins. Even I struggle to see the sense in what he’s suggesting, but it’s not as if I’ve got many options.

  "Alright," I say defeatedly, and both of the men I care for fix me with unhappy expressions. "It's not like we have any better ideas. I'll get the tent, you two get the rifles." I offer wearily, standing from the table and slipping away to the upstairs storage area. Once I am alone, it takes all that I have not to collapse to the floor, sobbing. I gather the bag that holds the tent in my arms. I don't know if either of the men have sleeping bags, and for the moment I don't care. I simply snatch mine up in my other arm before descending the stairs once more. I slip outside, waiting by the porch light until the men warring for my attention emerge from the house as well. Lucky is the only one with a rifle shouldered, and I quirk a brow at Chester. "Aren't you going to grab a gun?" I inquire, trying to keep the bite out of my tone. He simply rolls his eyes, gesturing towards Lucky.

  “I think he has it covered.” He said, snideness dripping from his words. I consider snapping back at him, but swallow my words, instead trekking ahead of the two. As we make our way to the forest, all is silent for some time. The only sound is that of crickets chirping, and for a moment I have some hope that this thing will resolve itself, as my father has intended.

  “So, how’s it feel knowing you’re second choice? You know what they say about sloppy seconds.” Chester says snidely, and an icy sensation crawls up my spine. Lucky glances towards him, quirking an uncertain brow.

  “I think you have this whole situation mixed up. I know you saw Cassie and I uh… kissing and such, in the forest, so I don’t see how you figure I’m the second choice.” Lucky bites back. The icy feeling seems to spread throughout my body, into my chest.

  "Oh, so she didn't tell you what we did, what… twenty minutes prior?" Chester grins, and Lucky pauses in the middle of his stride. He considers me, eyes wide with betrayal before he turns to consider Chester. I simply continue walking ahead, hearing their arguing growing in volume, and I know that they must both hate me at this point. I had betrayed both of them, and even worse, I had more or less taken advantage of their ignorance of my feelings twice on the same day.

  “Just stop!” I scream, bolting ahead. I need to get away. I can’t bear to see the looks of hatred in their eyes, not when I care so much about the two of them. They had been like brothers before I arrived, and I not only ruined their relationship with each other, but any chance of a relationship I may have had with either.

  “Cassie, wait!” One of them calls after me, but it only spurs me into moving faster, deeper into the forest. I drop the tent, abandon my sleeping bag, sprinting as fast as my legs will take me. I hear one of them stumble over the supplies I’ve dropped, and the other seems to fall to the ground soon after. I can’t tell who is begging me to stay, but truth be told, I don’t care.

  It is only when their voices have faded into the distance that I stop, gasping for breath. I rest my hands on my knees, struggling not to heave up my lunch. Tears spill down my cheeks, and it is all I can do not to scream in frustration. I hear a rustling to the left of me, and I turn to face my intruder head on. I don’t care which of the two it is, I simply can’t deal with the screaming anymore, and I plan to tell them as such.

  What I don’t expect, however, is the large and slinking form of a cougar to emerge from the bushes, golden eyes fixed upon my every move. I stumble back, inhaling a sharp gasp of breath. For every step away I try to take, it seems to move ever closer, and I turn from it, sprinting deeper into the forest. I scream, hearing it’s feet pounding the ground behind me. I can hear it gaining distance on me, and I realize despairingly that there is no way that I can outrun the massive feline. I scream again, and the sound of galloping soon begins to echo all around me.

  “Cassie!” Lucky screams, and Chester lunges towards the cougar in his stallion form. The cougar draws back at first, but soon lurches back towards Chester, who bucks up out of instinct alone. Lucky goes tumbling off Chester’s back, hitting the ground with a solid thud. His gun lands beside Chester’s feet, and the horse shifter inadvertently kicks it away while trying to draw closer to me. I try to rush towards Lucky but the cougar steps between us, fixing it’s gaze upon me. “Chester! Take her and go!” Lucky screams, reaching out to grab the cougar by the tail. The large feline yowls angrily, and before I can stop him, Chester has swept me upon his back. He lingers for a moment longer, watching as the cougar rounds on Lucky.

  “Chester, we can’t leave him.” I say pleadingly, and Chester seems to almost agree. Almost, however, isn’t enough, and the stallion shifter bolts away from the scene, in the direction of the barn. I can hear the sound of yowls and screams behind us, and I grab Chester’s mane, trying to get him to turn back. As we make it to the outskirts of the forest, Chester seems to lose his hold on his horse form. He tumbles to the ground, and I fall on top of him, both of us rolling several feet before we manage to come to our sense. “Chester!” I scream, but he ignores me, rushing towards his sleeping quarters. He emerges a few moments later, gun gripped in hand,

  “You stay here! I have to go back! I have to see if… dear God…” Chester blurts, tears pricking the corners of his eyes.

  “I’m coming with you. I have to see if he’s okay.” I argue, though I know there is no time for arguments. Instead of allowing Chester to dispute the point, I rush back towards the forest. Chester sprints after me, calling for me to stop. I know I should stop, I know that I’ll only be in the way, but I have to know. I have to know if Lucky is still alive, if there’s anything I can do to help him. Chester falls into step beside me, and together we break into the clearing where we had all but abandoned Lucky.

  My childhood friend, one of the men I love
, is nowhere to be seen. Instead, in the middle of the clearing, two large cougars clash in a vicious brawl. Chester watches in confusion, but as I'm watching the scene, comprehension dawns on his face. The larger of the cougars sinks its teeth into the shoulder of its opponent, yanking its head back and pulling small chunks of flesh along with it. The smaller cougar shakes on its feet, and Chester fires a warning shot in the air. The apparent victory between the cougars jolted at the sound, before darting into the forest. Chester steps past me, towards the fallen cougar. I call after him, wondering why on earth he would approach an injured and likely to attack cougar. However, as the smaller cougar sags to the ground, it begins to shimmer in much the same way that Chester had the first time I saw him shift. Some snapping of bones and shifting of skin later, Lucky lays wounded on the ground where the cougar had been. Chester gathers the other man in his arms, careful not to aggravate his wounds. Lucky is nearly unconscious, but his eyes meet my own as I rush towards him. As if satisfied enough by the fact that I survived, he sags seemingly lifelessly in Chester's arms.