by Megan Brooks
Between Robin’s hands, Orson shifted back. His return to human form was a faster process, though his face retained some of its bestial nature? “Boyfriend?” he repeated, still sporting a mouthful of fangs.
Robin thought back. Had she said that? She supposed she had. “Sorry, I-”
“No,” Orson interrupted. “If you want to call me boyfriend, by all means… It’s just… I’m afraid you’re more than that to me.”
Now it was, again, Robin’s turn for no small degree of surprise. “What does that mean?” she asked, warily.
Orson averted his eyes. “Our pack used to be bigger than this. That was when I was younger. The core of it was family, but we would take in outsiders when…” He trailed off and took a moment to consider how best to phrase what he wanted to say. “They died when I was young, so I don’t know as many details as I should… But I know the pack only grew because mates were drawn to it.”
“Mates?” Robin tried to laugh the word off and failed. She wished they’d go back to her initial slip of ‘boyfriend.’
“I don’t know what it involves,” Orson added, quickly. “I only know that when a member of their pack found their mate, they just… knew.” Orson’s eyes searched her own. “When I look at you, I know. I apologize if that sounds crazy.”
“No crazier than you turning into a freaking bear!” Robin took a deep breath, trying to steady her pounding heart. “I feel it, too,” she admitted. She looked at him, laughed, and kissed him. It felt good to admit it. She tried the word out loud. “I’m your mate.” Like so many things about the two of them, it fit. She liked it. It scared her, but she liked it. “What now?”
“We do what, I guess, human couples do,” said Orson. “We learn more about each other and decide where to go from here.”
“Will I… Be what you are? Is that even possible?” Robin was almost afraid to ask. She wasn’t sure which answer she wanted.
“If you want,” said Orson. “Eventually. The transition is difficult. I’ll have to guide you through it - make sure you don’t become a mindless creature.”
Robin thought of herself as a bear. She thought of herself large and powerful… and unable to stop herself from hurting innocents. “I’m not sure I want that,” she admitted.
Orson nodded. “It’s not a choice to made lightly.” He stood and offered a hand down to her.
Robin took his hand and let him hoist her up, effortlessly. He was right. There was a lot they needed to learn and find out about each other. Robin bit her bottom lip. “In the meantime, we should take advantage of this time alone your brothers have left us with.” She gave a sudden shriek as Orson slung her over one shoulder, clearly agreeing enthusiastically with her.
They went into the cabin and straight for the bedroom. Robin giggled and bounced when Orson flung her to the mattress. She looked up at him when the mattress grew still again.
Robin had never had much in life. She had no family she was close to. The closest thing she had to friends in the last five years were a series of acquaintances. She had had no idea it was possible to feel this way about a person… But she did. The words, ‘I love you,’ died on her lips. It felt too fast to say them and, simultaneously, not like enough.
Orson was already undressed. Robin let him do the same for her. She let him put his hands beneath her shirt and ease it up over her head. She let him unclasp her bra and wiggle her pants down past her hips.
“You’re incredible,” said Orson, looking down at her. That was quite the compliment coming from a man who could physically shift into a bear. “I never imagined anyone like you.”
Robin reached up and put her hands around his neck. She pulled him down to kiss her. Like the bathtub, things were slower this time. His hands roamed her stomach and her sides. His hands cupped her breasts as he kissed her neck.
Robin wrapped her legs around his waist. Orson leaned back, picking her up and lowering her to his lap. Even now, she could sense the bear in him. Every movement he made was powerful. Robin could see through the control and was impressed by it. Deep down, he just wanted to ravage her again. Honestly, Robin wouldn’t have minded. This was nice too, though.
In his lap, Robin situated herself above his erection. She eased herself down, slowly. He was big. Bigger than anyone she had ever been with. She hadn’t really appreciated until right at this moment, when everything had slowed down.
Orson let Robin lead this time. His teeth and mouth worked at her neck and shoulders and breasts as she rose up and down. She went slowly at first, then faster. Riding a beast like Orson and being in charge was a thrill. Several times, she slowed, trying to make it last as long as she could.
It was dark out by the time they both climaxed. They collapsed to the bed, out of breath and shiny in a sheen of sweat. “That was good,” Orson gasped, at last.
“Just good?” Robin laughed, teasing him even though she knew he hadn’t meant it that way.
“Very, very, good,” Orson rephrased. “Great.”
“That’s a little more like it.”
They didn’t move from the bed after that. They fell asleep in each others arms, to the sound of the forest outside. For the next few hours, everything was perfect.
Chapter 13
Robin woke to the mattress shifting. She opened her eyes sleepily and with a yawn. Orson’s back was to her. He was standing. At first, she imagined he must be getting up for some innocuous reason. Maybe he was going to the bathroom. Maybe he just needed a glass of water.
Orson went to the window, though. He was looking out of it, like he was searching for something. Robin was about to sit up and ask what it was when glass shattered.
Robin screamed. Orson fell. Gunfire sounded outside. Robin didn’t have a chance to react before Orson yanked her off the mattress and onto the floor. He pinned her down until the shooting subsided.
“Send out the girl!” shouted a voice from outside. “We’d rather not kill her, but we will if we have to!”
“It’s them,” gasped Robin. How could she have gotten so carried away in her infatuation with Orson that she had forgotten. “What do we do?” she asked, looking to Orson, only to realize- “You’re shot!” There was blood on the floor and Robin’s palms. It was coming from Orson, flowing steadily from his chest and shoulder. Robin’s hands hovered over the Ares. She had never seen someone get shot before. She knew she needed to do something, but she wasn’t sure what.
“I heal faster than most people,” Orson assured her. He closed his eyes. For a moment, his body seemed to be shifting again. He stopped with a grunt of pain. “It’ll still take time, though.”
Robin glanced to the window. “Do we have time?”
“No,” said Orson, his expression grim. “And if I can’t transform, I can’t protect you.”
“Then turn me! Let me protect you!” It occurred to Robin all at once. That was the only way out of this if they both wanted to survive. “Make me like you.”
Orson gave her a critical look. “No,” he said, at once. “That’s out of the question.”
“Why?” she demanded, frustrated he was choosing now to be argumentative with her.
“It takes time. It takes training. It’s dangerous to just turn a person without letting them get acclimated to it.” Orson’s tone was almost angry, like he was mad she had even suggested such a thing. “Besides, you’re not even sure you want it.”
Robin felt tears hot on her cheeks. “I’m sure I want you to live,” she said, looking at the wounds that still weren’t healing. “Please.”
“No,” said Orson, firmly. “That’s final.”
Chapter 14
The Skinner watched the house. The girl would leave soon or they would storm the place. It didn’t matter that much. He’d like to find out what the girl knew before they killed her, but it wasn’t a necessity. There was always the chance she saw the beasts for what they were. Maybe she would see reason. They wouldn’t have to kill her then. They could turn her to their cause.
The Tracker had done well leaving the GPS here. It was doubtful they would have found the place otherwise. It was hidden away pretty well, with all sorts of false trails leading away anyone searching for it.
The Tracker had been missing for a while. The Skinner figured he was dead. It wouldn’t surprise him. His brother always had been careless. Still, he would make these monster pay for it.
The door to the cabin opened. “Don’t shoot!” cried a woman’s voice.
There she was. The Skinner motioned for his men to lower their weapons. He motioned the woman toward them, keeping one eye on the house just in case they hadn’t gotten the beast inside like he thought they had. The other two that lived there were gone. They’d seen them leave.
The woman approached, raised hands shaking. Her head was low. The Skinner imagined she was crying. “It’s okay!” he called, saying anything that might speed her along. “Come this way, sweetheart.” From what he could see, she was cute. He really did hope they didn’t have to kill her.
The woman stopped walking half way. Useless. The Skinner moved to intercept her. He reached out, grabbed her forearm, and then started to recoil. There was thick, dark hair on it. Before his eyes, the woman grew, shifting, changing. She went down on all fours. An angry, black bare rose up on two legs. Skinner saw nothing after she had descended on him.
Chapter 15
Orson watched from the window. With his wounds, he could do little else. In the end, he had had to trust her. He hoped he had made the right call. She was more breathtaking than ever transformed - beautiful and terrifying. She ripped through the Hunters with unbridled ferocity. They shot at her, but this was her first transformation. Her adrenaline would be pumping. Her accelerated healing would be faster than ever.
Before long, it became clear she was going to win the fight. Orson only hoped he could bring her back from the rush of it.
Orson’s wounds healed enough to stand as Robin latched onto the last armed man. He staggered from the house as soon as he was able. “Robin!” he called.
Robin turned and faced him. He stopped moving toward her and instead held out his arms, inviting her closer. She sniffed the air. She growled. In the end, she finally moved closer.
“You were amazing,” said Orson, placing a hand to her muzzle. Much to his relief, her eyes softened at his touch, becoming more human. Her hulking form melted away, leaving behind the woman he loved.
Robin looked down at her naked, bloodied body. She looked back at the devastation she had caused and then at Orson’s healing wounds. They were both alive. They had both survived the impossible. There were tears in her eyes as she smiled up at him. She couldn’t verbally communicate the emotions she was feeling, but Orson knew. He took her in her arms. For a long time, they just stood there together - and that was the important part. They were together.
Chapter 16
The Hunters moved through the woods, silently. It was dark out. The moon and the stars were hidden almost entirely by the clouds. It was dreary but provided decent cover for the men to move by since they knew exactly where it was they were going. They hadn’t heard from the other team in a while. That worried them. Even so, they couldn’t back out of their mission. If something had happened to the other team, they owed it to them to see this through.
The cave appeared over the next hill. They raised their guns and readied their flashlights. They had tracked the two other shifters this far. They were just inside, likely sleeping. Taking them now would be simple. Even if the other team really was gone, even if they had lost the day, they were still going to win the war.
The End.
About the Author
Born and raised in the West Coast, U.S.A. and this book is my self published book. When I’m not writing, I usually can be found doing one of the following passions of mine: long distance running, mountain climbing or watching reruns of The Twilight Zone.