by Aspen Drake
“No. No. It’s just…I’m scared about shifting. What if I hurt the babies?” I placed a protective hand over my stomach.
Anwell tried to hide his laugher but failed miserably. “Honey, the pups are werewolves. It’s genetically in their blood for their mother to shift from time to time. Back before supermarkets, werewolves shifted in order to hunt.”
That certainly made sense. “Um, okay. If you’re sure, let’s do it.”
“Whoa, hold on. I want you to get some rest first. It’s been a long day.” He scooped me up into his arms effortlessly and carried me inside. The place was immaculate. It wasn’t what you’d expect from a cabin deep in the woods. There were granite countertops, leather furniture, and gorgeous artwork along the walls. There were also family photos that I planned to take a closer look.
“Does shifting take a lot of energy?” I asked as I explored the cabin.
“Not really, but it does take focus.” He went back outside and came in carrying a large cooler, which he placed in the kitchen and began to unload. There were tons of yummy food, and my stomach growled. He laughed and set a couple steaks on the counter along with some potatoes. “I’ll head to the truck for the other grocery bags and then start cooking some dinner.”
While he was outside, I looked at the photos hanging on the wall. There were some from many years ago in black and white and there were more recent photos that appeared to only be a few years old. “Are these your parents?” I asked when he walked back in the house.
He glanced at the photo and kept walking. I followed him into the kitchen and helped him unpack the grocery bags.
“Yes, those are my parents.” He continued to put the groceries away, and I waited for more explanation. He sighed. “I know you think this has something to do with you, but it doesn’t. I haven’t spoken to my parents in over a decade. Those photos don’t look old, but I age more slowly than you do. Well, at least I did before I changed you.”
I decided it was time to let the subject drop. Something had happened that had torn the family apart, and I hated that for him, but if he didn’t want to talk about it, I wasn’t going to push him. I picked up the potatoes and scrubbed them down before pricking them with a fork and placing them in the oven to bake. I then pulled some salad fixings from the fridge and got to work on those. I left the steaks to him. I could cook a great steak, but I was tired and needed to sit down.
It seemed strange to not talk to my new husband, but we sat in comfortable silence while the potatoes baked. The smell of the steak made my stomach growl even louder, and as soon as Anwell sat down across from me, we dug in. He’d topped the baked potatoes with sour cream, butter, cheese, green onions, and bacon. Even the steak had been perfectly seasoned with a garlic blue cheese butter to go on top. I sighed in delight as I enjoyed the delicious meal.
It was almost surreal to think about my current life. I was a married woman with kids on the way. Everything was happening so fast.
“What’s it like to shift?” I asked as I took a bite of my steak.
He considered the question for a minute. “I began shifting in high school, and that was almost twenty years ago. The first time was scary. It’s unnerving to hear your muscles and bones shifting as they grow and pop.”
I tried my best not to gag, but he noticed and laughed.
“Probably not the best conversation for dinner.”
“No, I’m fine. Go on.”
He considered his next words carefully. “Shifting soon becomes second nature. There are times it’s hard to control. Getting angry can certainly make it hard not to shift, but so can great sex. You’ll find that you want to shift and bite your mate.”
“That’s something females want to do?” I asked as I took a sip of sweet tea.
“Yes. As your orgasm peaks, you’ll want to bite your mate and have him bite you. It’s a way of showing your loyalty and commitment to each other and claiming one another.”
I could already feel the moisture beginning to pool between my legs, but I tried to ignore it. The idea of claiming him and him claiming me was so hot.
His nose twitched, and his eyes turned dark. We barely finished our meal before heading to the bedroom. I wanted to rip his clothes from his body, but he slowed me down. “I want this to be special.” He kissed the corner of my mouth and worked his way down my neck, nuzzling the skin as he unbuttoned my shirt. He slid the silk blouse off my shoulders and softly kissed the area between my breasts as his hands expertly unhooked my bra. The straps slipped down my arms and my bra dropped to the floor. Anwell’s tongue slowly traced over one nipple and then the next. My nipples instantly pebbled with anticipation. He took one into his mouth and gently bite it. I moaned in pleasure and wound my fingers into his hair, wanting to hold him against me. His tongue trailed down my belly and he pushed my skirt down my hips until it was completely off my feet.
Next, he slowly slid down my panties and kissed the areas where the straps had been. Working his way toward my center, he pressed his nose into the bare flesh and kissed his way down until he was licking my folds. His hot, wet tongue lapped my pussy, and I cried out his name. He was driving me to the point of no return, but at the same time, he was making me feel treasured.
“Anwell,” I cried out as his tongue dove deeper and deeper into my core – working in and out.
I couldn’t help but buck against his face, pressing my clit against his lightly stubbled face. Then, I felt something different. I felt muscles contract inside me and things began to shift.
His tongue worked faster, and he pushed me onto the bed. “Don’t fight it, baby,” he whispered against my opening.
My thoughts grew fuzzy, and I felt as if I were falling. My teeth began to grow, and I leaned my head back and howled. When I looked down again, I saw that Anwell had shifted as well. He carefully flipped me onto my stomach and pulled my hips up to meet his. He slid into my pussy in one solid thrust, and I felt stronger and more powerful than ever. My nails dug into the covers, and I prayed I wasn’t shredding a family heirloom quilt. Never in my life had sex felt this amazing. I maneuvered and turned to face him, pulling him closer.
Before I could stop myself, I bit into his chest, and he bit into my shoulder. The orgasm that rocked through both our bodies was unlike anything I’d ever experienced.
“Mine,” we said at the same time before collapsing into each other’s arms.
34
Anwell
I hadn’t exactly meant for her first shift to happen that way, but damn! It was an experience I’ll never forget. Finding your mate and shifting with her was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. Lily was still sleeping when I slipped outside and went for a run. I let my wolf run free through the private woods. I felt stronger and more powerful and had never felt so free in my life.
This woman had put my demons to rest.
I finished my run and returned to find Lily cooking breakfast. There was bacon, sausage, pancakes, toast, eggs, and hash browns. I came up behind her and kissed her neck, rubbing my hard cock into her soft backside. My wolf was already begging to come back out even after just running free for the past hour. I wanted her so badly, but it would be rude to not eat the amazing meal she had prepared.
We ate in silence, both looking at each other as if the food was only getting in the way. She wanted me, and I wanted her. We rushed through the meal and had several repeat performances throughout the day.
Spend the day making love to my wife was unbelievable. I was the luckiest man in the world.
The next day, it was time to start teaching her about shifting. To my surprise, she shifted in and out of her human form without any trouble. She seemed to be more of a natural than even I was. “I paid close attention each time I shifted during our love making. I can focus on that feeling when I want to shift.”
I grinned at her and pulled her into my arms. “I’m so proud of you. You’re doing so much better than I expected. It’s not easy being a werewolf, but you make it look s
o easy.” I closed my eyes, dreading the next part of the training. “But there’s something I want to talk to you about.”
She furrowed her brows. “What?”
I took a deep breath and looked her in the eyes. “I’ve decided to stay on at the club. The money is just too good.”
Lily’s jaw dropped and she pulled away from me. “What? How can you continue to do that when you have a wife and kids on the way?”
“I just told you.” I held a stoic expression. “The money is too good to give up. It’s not like I’ll care for those women. I’ll just be there to make a paycheck.” I hated lying to her, but it was necessary to push her to the point of rage. “But, I have an idea. You could work there, too. We could offer threesomes.”
“WHAT?!? You’re seriously asking your wife to be your fuck buddy to earn a living?”
I watched as the shift began to happen. She didn’t even seem to notice it. She threw her head back and let out a guttural growl which echoed off the surrounding mountains just before bursting into her wolf form.
I started running, shifting as I went.
As I expected, Lily chased me for at least an hour before she started to get tired. “You bastard!” She gasped as she collapsed on the porch swing, shifting back into her human form. She lay in the swing, completely naked, and I couldn’t help but step between her legs and rub my hard length against her moist pussy. “You did that just to make me angry.” She began to get wet, spreading her legs farther apart.
Without breaking eye contact, I slid into her and rocked the swing, letting it control the thrusts. She wrapped her legs around my waist, contracting and relaxing her muscles, bringing the swing backward and forward.
I leaned my head back and groaned as she tightened her muscles.
“You had to learn what it felt like to shift when you – oh my fucking God – when you got angry.” I gasped as I felt myself getting closer to the edge. Lily rocked the swing faster, and my fingers dug into her thighs. We both stayed in our human forms as our orgasms got closer and closer.
Lily pulled herself up, and I turned so she was backed against the wall, careful not to press against her belly. I pounded in and out of her as if my life depended on it. “God, Lily. You’re so goddamn amazing.” Without shifting, I growled and bit into her skin.
Her orgasm seemed to come as a surprise as her tight channel quivered around my cock, causing it to start twitching. I let her completely ride out the orgasm with my teeth deep in her flesh before I let loose with my own orgasm.
We lay in each other’s arms on the swing, thankful the rain hadn’t disturbed us. The ozone made the air smell fresh and the temperature dropped. With no one close by, we stayed in the swing, rocking back and forth completely naked.
I could have stayed like that forever, but my babies were hungry. And it was my duty to feed my family.
35
Lily
Our honeymoon was amazing.
We barely spent any time in our clothing. We were either training or making love. Most of the time, the making love part happened in the middle of training. I loved the soft feel of moss on my back as we made love out in the open. Or the feel of the waterfall as it cascaded down my back while we made love in the water. I secretly hoped we’d get to return to that cabin soon.
Right now, it was just another work day for Anwell. He was getting ready to head to the restaurant, and I was getting ready to curl up on the couch. I tired easily and figured it was the accelerated pregnancy. I was due in one week and felt like I was about to burst. Thankfully, my hormones seemed to be more under control. I didn’t want to fuck or cry every few minutes, so that was a relief.
Anwell gave me a kiss on the cheek before heading to the door. “Remember, bring me home a double cheeseburger with extra crispy fries and a slice of cheesecake – wait, make that two slices.”
He chuckled. “I won’t forget, babe. I put some grilled chicken in the fridge and made a salad for your lunch. I also cut up some fruit and cheese for you to nibble on. It’s that extra-extra sharp cheddar you like so much.”
“Awe. Thanks, baby.” I hugged him and then cozied into my favorite spot on the couch. I’d set the temperature nice and low and had a big blanket to keep me warm. “Be careful and hurry home.”
“You know I will.”
It felt odd to not have anything to do. The author I wrote for had given me a few months off to focus on the babies’ arrival. For the first time in forever, I was bored. Even flipping through the channels and trying to find something to watch on TV didn’t work. And exercise was out of the question. I was like a beached whale and got out of breath going to the bathroom.
After lunch, I curled back up on the couch with the cheese and some crackers. I should’ve eaten some fruit too, but I had a salad and figured that was enough fiber for the day.
Then the guilt set in, and I began to wonder if I would be a good mother or not. I didn’t care much for fruits and vegetables, and my health concerns were even less so now that I was a werewolf. I mostly craved meat and lots of it. Anwell told me werewolves required a balanced diet, and I was already screwing it up. It wasn’t an all meat, all the time kinda deal.
I was soon fast asleep with the empty plate sitting on the coffee table. A storm rolled in, and I began to have nightmares of the babies inside me clawing through me and pooping out like the scene from Alien. I woke with a start as a rumble of thunder shook the house. The clock on the mantle showed it was only nine at night, and Anwell wouldn’t be home for another few hours.
I was attempting to get up to use the bathroom when I noticed my blanket was wet. Did I seriously pee on myself? The nightmare did startle me, and I probably had at least one kid sitting on my bladder, but still. I got up to clean everything when I felt a horrible pain in my back. “Shit.” This couldn’t be happening. Not now. I still needed another week to get ready.
I grabbed the phone and tried to dial the restaurant, but the line was busy. I tried calling Anwell directly but got no answer. What the hell? Shouldn’t he have his phone on him in case I needed anything – or went into labor? I called Willow next, but she must have been waiting tables because she didn’t answer either. The pains kept coming in waves, and I frantically tried to think of people to call. I was losing focus as each spike of pain shot me.
Duh, Lily. I chastised myself as I dialed 911.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. The storm has caused a lot of downed trees and powerlines. In fact, it looks like your road is currently blocked.”
“Blocked? But I’m in labor!” I practically screamed into the phone.
“We’ll have someone to your house as quickly—” The call disconnected, and I wanted to cry.
Instead, I pulled up my contacts and started working my way down the list, but no one was answering. How was this even possible? I was going to have these pups in my livingroom with no one to help me. I began to sob uncontrollably.
I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t—
36
Anwell
I had no idea what Lily was dreaming about, but I was having a hard time waking her.
“Hey, hey.” I gently shook her, and when she finally came to with a scream, it almost knocked me off my feet where I had been squatting in the floor.
“I can’t have these babies here.” She panted. “I have to get to the hospital.”
“Whoa. Calm down, Lily.” I placed a soothing hand on her shoulder. “No one said you had to have the babies here.”
She looked at me frantically before relaxing into the couch. “Just a dream. It was just a dream,” she repeated to herself.
I pulled her close and helped her work through the emotions of being scared and relieved. “It’s okay. I’m here.” I continued rubbing her back. “Tell me about the dream.”
“There was a storm, and I went into labor. But I couldn’t get ahold of anyone, and the emergency vehicles couldn’t get here because the road was blocked by a tree or powerlines or something.” She began
to sob again. “I was going to have the babies without anyone to help me.”
I felt like such an ass for leaving her alone. Obviously, her fears were manifesting into nightmares. “That won’t happen, babe.” I didn’t want that to happen. I couldn’t let that happen. I picked up the phone and stepped out of the room to make the call. “Logan, look, we need to promote someone to handle my position for the next month.” I explained the dream and my own fears in just a few simple words.
“Done.” Logan chuckled into the phone. “It’ll be much easier to promote someone than deal with your whiney, worried ass.”
“Oh, ha ha,” I replied sarcastically before hanging up.
I went back and found that Lily had already devoured half the cheeseburger and fries. “I spoke with Logan. I’m taking the next month off. I want to be here for you and the pups.”
Her eyes teared up. “Oh, baby, that’s so sweet of you,” she said around a large bite of burger.
I got her a glass of sweet tea before she choked on her food.
“Thank you.” She drank some sweet tea and patted the couch beside her. “Didn’t you want anything for dinner?”
I tried my damnedest not to look at her like she was my dinner and dessert too. “I had something at the restaurant a couple hours ago.”
She continued to eat the meal I brought while I found something for us to watch on TV. It was good to be home and even better knowing I would be there if she needed me. I didn’t plan to let her out of my sight until the pups were born and she was fully recovered.
“Seriously, Anwell.” She slammed the door in my face. “I appreciate you wanting to keep an eye on me, but this is where I draw the line,” she yelled through the bathroom door.
I tried the handle, and the door was locked. “I’m sorry. I’ll give you your privacy, but please unlock the door.”