A Winter Moon

by S. J. Smith

  “I have to say I’m not that used to giggly Nora, more like intense, sexy without trying Nora,” Weston said and Safir snorted.

  “The sexy part is all the time, yeah, but she’s normally fun-loving,” Safir told him.

  “You know guys I’m right here,” she said lazily.

  “We know…” Weston said, he moved behind her, pulling her against his chest just as Safir simultaneously pressed against her from the front. Nora’s breath caught in her throat when she felt Weston’s lips on her nape. She tilted her head so he could have more access and met Safir’s kiss in the process. He licked almost hungrily into her mouth and pressed his hips flush against hers. She felt his erection and squirmed against him. Weston pressed tighter against her as well and she gasped when she felt his hardness against her back.

  Safir pulled away from her slightly and Weston scooped her up into his arms. Before she knew it they all were in her bedroom and Weston was lowering her onto the bed. He climbed up next to her and bent down to kiss her while Safir pulled off her pants and trailed kisses along her calves. Nora felt all hot and wrapped up in lust, she wanted both of them with an odd fierceness that took her by surprise.

  Weston pulled off her shirt and unhooked her bra with ease while Safir slid her panties off. She felt as if she would combust with their lips on her. Weston slid down to her breasts while he kneaded them in his hands, and Safir’s lips inched closer to her inner thighs. By the time Weston pulled one of her nipples into his mouth, Safir’s lips reached her sensitive folds, his tongue delved in to slide against her clitoris.

  “Oh my god…” Nora gasped, out of breath from panting so much. She couldn’t lie still, pleasure was coursing through her with every beat of her heart and it was racing. It wasn’t long before she was shooting off into a mind-shattering orgasm. She swore she saw colors explode around her as her body was rocked with wave after wave of intense pleasure. She hadn’t even come down from her orgasm yet before Safir was nudging her legs farther apart and sliding into her. She cried out as he filled her up, her back arching to meet his thrusts. She was only a little distracted by Weston then, he had taken off his clothes and was beautifully naked next to her on the bed. He kissed her once before offering her his impressive erection. She took it into her hand and soon had him in her mouth. When another orgasm hit her Weston and Safir switched positions. They went at it until Nora was little more than a puddle on the mattress, passed out and completely sated.

  *****

  Nora woke to the sounds of Safir and Weston talking. They were speaking in low voices and on either side of her. She stretched, feeling like her body had the best internal massage ever, and opened her eyes. Tan and golden eyes met hers and both had tender expressions, though Safir smiled and Weston simply caressed her jaw.

  “Good morning sleepyhead,” Safir said, his smile growing.

  “Morning…” she said, feeling all of a sudden shy. Though she really shouldn’t after the night they had before.

  “How do you feel?” Weston asked her, humor in his voice.

  “Really good,” she said with a chuckle.

  “No hangover?” he asked, seeming impressed.

  “No…I think the orgasms kept me from having one maybe…if that’s possible,” she joked.

  “So Weston and I were just talking…” Safir said and she glanced at him curiously.

  “We came up with a way to successfully merge the prides. It’s kind of a necessity now…I’m like Safir, not letting you go,” Weston told her. Nora’s chest filled with warmth and hope as she smiled at him. She really did have feelings for Weston and wouldn’t want him out of her life either.

  “So what are you going to do to merge the prides,” she asked.

  “First we’re going to talk to the neighboring wolves to get them to agree to extend the duration of our sanctuary here. Then slowly, but steadily integrate my guys into Lion’s Bay. They’d move into town just like any human, then only when everyone is settled will we merge the shifters into one pride…Safir staying its leader and me taking position as his second,” Weston explained.

  “That sounds perfect,” Nora said happily. “Have you told the other lions yet?” she asked them and they shook their heads.

  “First we’ll get our sanctuary here extended then get everyone together to tell them what’s going on…” Safir said.

  “…but?” Nora heard the slight waver without him voicing it.

  “But I just want to make sure you’re okay with our both wanting you as mate…we wouldn’t be able to have a human marriage. And…we’d essentially be sharing you,” he pointed out. Nora smirked and shrugged a little.

  “That’s alright with me, as long as you’re both in my life as in more than friends. As long as we have some kind of commitment bonding us together,” she said.

  “Of course, we can make vows in front of the pride once it’s merged,” Weston suggested.

  “It’d be the perfect way to start our union officially,” Safir said thoughtfully.

  “I like it,” Nora said with a smile.

  “Great, now let’s shower and get something to eat,” Safir suggested. Nora held her arms out then.

  “I think you’ll have to carry me, I doubt my legs are still working,” she said and Weston laughed almost dangerously.

  “Oh Nora, Nora, Nora…are you going to be in for a treat,” he chuckled, making her crack up. He kissed her on the cheek and Safir gave her a light peck on the lips.

  “Come on, we need our Nora up and running,” he said and Weston pulled her up.

  “So technically…are you guys my concubines?” she asked curiously, only mostly joking.

  “Depends on your definition, sure we’ll draw baths for you and feed you, no problem. But in bed you’re being dominated, no doubt about it,” Safir said, grinning at her.

  Nora thought getting ready the morning after marathon sex with just Safir was a process, but getting ready the morning after with both Weston and Safir…that was an entirely different deal. But strange as it was Nora couldn’t be happier, literally. Weston and Safir oddly balanced each other out and fit two sides of her like puzzle pieces.

  “So…your summer is turning out to be pretty eventful huh?” Safir asked her while they ae a quick breakfast.

  “Yeah actually…I don’t think I can share with my class what I did this summer though. I might have to make something up…say I went to Seattle or something,” she said.

  “This is going to be a little weird at first, but I think it’ll work,” he said and Nora glanced over at Weston who was grabbing orange juice from the fridge.

  “Well you were a little weird when we first met, but it worked out,” she said and heard Weston chuckle. Safir smiled ruefully at her, but pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Same with Weston…” she added and he simply laughed.

  “Our shifters will be fine, as long as they’re with their own…and you know we’d be the largest lion pride in the north,” West pointed out.

  “We’re stronger unified,” Safir said, stating the obvious though it was so true. Nora smiled to herself, she was excited about the rest of the summer, only a little scared, but so looking forward to what was ahead.

  THE END

  Bonus Story 40 of 40

  Mistress of the Wolves

  Mia took a deep breath, taking in the rich pine smell of the Jacksonville National Forest. The sky was painted orange and purple with the coming sunset. It was the bridesmaids’ weekend and Mia had convinced the three other bridesmaids to pack up their scrubs, briefcases, and diaper bags, to put on hiking boots and backpacks. Mia was the only outdoorsy one in the group and though the bride could not make it, as the maid of honor, Mia wanted to show the girls that nature could be just as fun as a strip club. The four women had not even known each other until they drove up to north Florida. The car ride which was basically everyone on her cell phone unless she was driving, made Mia want to push the hike to today. She had to get the women talking.

  “So
ooo, how’s everyone doing?” Mia asked, pulling her long red hair into a messy bun.

  They had walked about a mile uphill, chasing the sunset.

  “A mosquito just bit my ass, Mia,” Tatianna said, heaving her backpack on to the campsite ground. Her thin braids were sticking to her sweaty neck and her voluptuous figure was marred with enormous sweat stains.

  “I don’t have service, guys,” Linda said, holding up her cellphone to the sky. Linda had two kids and this was the first time her husband, Jeff, had the children all by himself. Most of the seven-hour car ride was Linda explaining to Jeff where things were in the house. Mia could not understand how a couple could be married for five years and only one of them knew where things were in the house.

  Carissa, who was usually quiet the entire time, was bringing up the rear, flush faced and angrily wiping her black wispy hair behind her ears.

  “We’re here, though,” Mia said, “yay?”

  “Where is here? I only see trees,” Tatianna said, spinning around.

  “That’s why we have sleeping bags in our packs,” Mia said, shrugging nervously.

  “Wait, are we actually sleeping on the ground?” Linda asked, pinning her phone to her ear, “Hang on, girls—Jeff can you hear me? What do you mean you’re looking for the girls? Where are they? Where are you?”

  Linda’s voice trailed off as she walked away from the group. Mia shook her head and looked back to Tatianna and Carissa who were looking at Mia like they could stab her. Mia offered a nervous laugh and dropped her pack on the ground in the clearing.

  “Mia, what the actual fuck? Are we really sleeping under a tree?” Carissa asked, throwing her pack down.

  “I thought you wanted to actually see nature?” Mia asked, shrugging her shoulders, “You know, adventure, fun—girl bonding?”

  “We could bond with half-naked, muscular men giving us lap dances, Mia. Like normal a bridesmaids’ weekend. Is this why the bride didn’t come?” Tatianna asked, stepping towards Mia.

  “Um, no? I mean yes. I mean no. She had to meet with the caterer over a shrimp cocktail emergency. She just happened to be busy,” Mia said, biting her bottom lip.

  Tatianna buried her face in her hands, took a deep breath and looked at Mia. Mia was sure fire and smoke were about to come out of Tatianna and Carissa’s faces.

  “Come on, it will be fun,” Mia said, whining and pleading with the women to understand.

  Tatianna was a city girl from Miami and was a director at Miami General Hospital. She did not ever leave the city. She moved to Miami from New York for the promotion. And to draw Tatianna to the woods, Mia may have lied and said that they were staying in fancy cabins, and that the sleeping bags were a formality.

  “Mia—” Tatianna said, pausing and rubbing her temple, “are we really sleeping outside on the ground for three days?”

  Mia pursed her lips, trying to think of a lie, but she was a terrible liar.

  “We’re going to die,” Carissa said, throwing her head backward.

  “Nooo,” Mia said, trying to ignore the sounds of wolves in the background.

  “There are wolves out here?” Carissa asked, shuffling into Tatianna’s shadow.

  “No,” Mia said, but the sound of howling sounded like wolves.

  “Whatever, can we make a fire or something?” Carissa asked, looking over her shoulders.

  “Hey, sorry girls. I’m back. What did I miss?” asked Linda, shoving her phone into the pocket of her cargo shorts.

  “We’re sleeping on the ground,” Tatianna said.

  “I’m sorry, what?” Linda said, pulling out her phone again.

  Mia shook her head, and walked over to a patch of scorched earth and started gathering dry branches for the fire. The other three women were arguing and Tatianna and Carissa were filling in Linda. They sounded like chatty hens. Mia hoped after she got the fire going and they had marshmallows on sticks they would be over it. Mia lit a match, threw it on the dry branches and watched them lap up the fire. The sound of the crackles drew the women and thankfully silenced the cackling hens.

  The sun was fully up, but north Florida was not sunny south Florida. It was fifty degrees even with the sun fully up. Mia felt relieved when they all sat around the fire, but her heart sank because she knew it was going to drop into the thirties. By the time the sun went down, it would be freezing and apparently there were wolves.

  *****

  “I think Jeff lost my kids. I actually think the man I married has no idea where precisely on earth our children are located” Linda said, biting down on a s’more.

  Mia stifled a giggle and put more marshmallows on her stick.

  “This trip is about us getting to know each other and not worrying about what’s going on at home. No kids or husband talk,” Tatianna said, leaning into the fire.

  “I don’t think I know a topic that doesn’t revolve around my ex-husband being an idiot. We’re divorced but his mom is sick so somehow I’m still helping,” Carissa said, plopping a graham cracker in her mouth.

  “It’s why I never got married. Tatianna Smith is a free bird,” Tatianna said, smirking at Carissa, “Sex is better when you are not obligated to see them again.”

  “Jeff and I have sex!” Linda said, looking affronted.

  “Doesn’t sound like it,” Mia said with a sheepish smile.

  “We just have to be quiet with the twins,” Linda said, her face looking flushed.

  “Bob and I have sex. At first it was an accident. His mom had a bad night and Bob lives with her so I stayed the night. Several glasses of wine later his dick was just out. I fell for it and now it’s nonstop. It’s too hard to find a new man when we’re still in each other’s life. Ugh, being in your thirties is so weird. I would never put up with this shit in my twenties,” Carissa said, cupping her face.

  “Speaking of twenties, what about you?” Tatianna asked, jutting her chin at Mia.

  “Me? God, I’m twenty-seven so I count myself as a thirty-something too,” Mia said, feeling all of the eyes on her.

  “Ooooh, twenty-seven so you should know what you like by now. Indulge us, what are the kids doing today?” Carissa said, raising an eyebrow at Mia.

  Mia did not know how to answer that. She had not had sex in months, not since she and her ex broke up, and even when they were together it was not that exciting.

  “Nothing at the moment, but my ex went through a weird spanking phase. He was watching some sort of weird porn and just sprung it on me,” Mia said, shuddering at the memory.

  “I like a good spank,” Tatianna said, grinning wickedly.

  “Ew, I’ll pass on that imagery,” Linda said.

  “What about…more than one? Isn’t that a thing now?” Carissa asked.

  “More than one what?” Mia asked, stoking the fire.

  “She means more than one penis,” Tatianna said, “I did it. It was confusing at first. Just arms everywhere, but when you get a groove, it’s fucking amazing.”

  Mia’s cheeks felt like they were on fire. She had always been bashful about sex. It was something she did in her relationships because it was expected. It was rarely the mind-shattering experiences she read about and usually after sex, she was just waiting for the guy to go to the bathroom so she could discreetly finish herself.

  “I don’t think that would be for me. I’m a big girl and so is Jeff. A big man I mean. We only have a queen bed. It would be madness,” Linda said, shaking her head.

  “I’d do it. As weird as it sounds I’d want Bob there because I would need someone whose body I knew. God, this sounds so sad. Even my fantasies involve Bob,” Carissa said, reloading her stick with marshmallows.

  Mia did not add in. Not because she had a strong opinion one way or the other, but because she could hear the wolves again. She and her father had gone camping all around the United States and Mia felt well-versed in the American woods. Even though they were sleeping on the ground, this was a campsite and animals rarely came this close to people. T
o make it worse there was not just one or two wolves calling to each other as before. Mia strained her ears and her stomach tightened. She could hear a whole pack.

  “You okay, Mia?” Carissa asked, touching her shoulder.

  Mia jumped, snapping back to the conversation.

  “Yea…no…I don’t know if it’s a good idea to sleep here,” Mia said, rising from the log she was sitting on.

  The other women looked to each other and then over to Mia.

  “I mean it, girls. I think we should run,” Mia said, grabbing her pack.

  Before the women could react, Mia heard rustling leaves. Someone or something was coming closer. The sounds of crunching leaves were all around them. Then a series of low menacing growls.

  “What the hell is that?” Carissa asked, rising to her feet.

  Mia pressed her index finger over her lips, shushing Carissa.

  “I will not shush! What the fuck is happening?” Carissa asked, her voice quivering with fear.

  Carissa huddled around Linda and Tatianna, whimpering and mewling. Mia was on the other side of the fire, gripping the straps of her pack. She was trying to think. The car was a mile down the road and the sounds of the wolves were drawing in faster and faster. There was only one option.

  “Run! Run now!” Mia yelled, backing away.

  The women were frozen, absolutely paralyzed by fear. Mia kept yelling, urging them to follow her but it was no use.

  “Behind you!” Mia yelled, jogging backward.

  Where there was once a dark blanket of trees, there were now yellow eyes peppering the woods. Mia was looking in the face of not one but ten, maybe more, of the largest wolves she had ever seen in her life. One of them, a large black wolf with a round spot on his forehead, rose to his hind legs and roared a loud growl in Mia’s direction. The other wolves rose to their hind legs and seemed to be over eight feet tall. They were grabbing the other bridesmaids.

  The wolf stared at her and laughed in a low demonic voice. Licking its lips, it fell forward on all fours and stalked towards Mia.