I felt my lips wrap firmly around the opening of the bottle. Pulling back, I sighed with pleasure, as the contents dripped down my throat. “Damn. This whiskey is some strong stuff,” I said, coughing loudly.

He smiled and leaned back against his bed. “It’s made in town,” he said.

Every quick conversation that passed was accompanied by a short silence. It wasn’t a bad silence, though. It was the kind of quiet that pushes you closer to someone. I felt nervous because I wanted him to like me. At the same time, I felt like we had known each other for years.

It had been a long time since I had even spent the night next to an omega like him. He was solidly built and handsome as fuck. I knew I needed him, but despite the urges, I remained cordial.

“What do you do out here, anyway?” I finally asked.

“Now?” He chuckled at the question. I nodded, waiting for the answer. “Do you really want to know?”

“Of course I do,” I said.

The whiskey had already started to loosen me up. My hand was so close to Ryan’s thigh. I just wanted to reach next to me and slide in between him.

“I volunteer at the local fire station,” he said. “It’s not the most glamorous life in the world.”

“No way.” I felt my cock grow inside of my pants. I had never met a real fireman before, but it was a definite turn-on. “So, you’re like a real hero?”

He laughed and glanced down at my hips. He bit his lip playfully and winked. “Not really. I just needed something to do. I figured it was a good enough job for the time being,” he said.

“You sound like a hero to me,” I said.

My heart was beating so fucking fast. The musky scent of Ryan’s slick was strong enough to fill this entire room. I needed him now, and I knew he needed me too.

Slowly, our fingers traced the outlines of our palms. Wrapping our index fingers together, we both smiled. We were both so nervous. I climbed on top of his lap and lowered my brow against his.

“You’re so fucking sexy,” I whispered.

Our lips met with enough passion for lighting a fire in my heart. I felt those unfamiliar goosebumps again, that tickle in my stomach, and that light flurry of emotions that always push me over the edge My cock began to drive against the button of my pants, causing me to squirm on top of him.

He tasted like dark chocolate, and his scent was heartwarming. Running my hands up and down his muscular body, I felt my eagerness get the best of me.

“Shit, sorry.” I pulled away and tried to breathe. “I haven’t met someone like you in a long time.”

“Me neither,” he admitted.

“Seriously? Because I swear, I’m not normally like this. It’s just that we met under these weird circumstances, and there’s that scary black puddle in the woods near your house, and all I want is to hang out with you and—”

“Alpha!” He laughed and stroked my chest. “Don’t worry so much. I’m right there with you. We’re both outsiders. I can tell. You don’t have to feel awkward around me.”

I breathed a sigh of relief and fell back against him. “Okay,” I said. His fingers wrapped around the edges of my pants’ top button. Clicking it through, he found the zipper and slowly moved it down.

“What do you want from me?” he asked.

I gulped and looked down. Ryan slowly reached inside my elastic boxer strap. His warm hand wrapped around my throbbing cock. I could barely get a word out before his head lowered, and he wrapped his thick lips around me.

“Yes. That,” I whispered.

As he lowered his head all the way down, I wondered if he was going to swallow the whole thing in one sitting. When I felt my balls tighten, I pushed him away again.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, with a sly grin.

“If you keep doing that, you’ll make me shoot too fast,” I said.

“Why is that a problem?” he asked me. His smile was so damn cute.

I had to think about the question for a second. “I want to feel you first. Your body is smoking hot, but I want you to take off those jeans. I want us to cum together,” I said.

“Damn! You’re kinky,” he said.

It was the first time I had ever told anyone exactly what I wanted, and it was exhilarating. I slid off Ryan’s body and watched him take off his jeans. Ryan’s eyes were unbearably sexy. They contained definite darkness to them, and I was completely drawn to that.

As his jeans slid down his thighs, he grinned at me. “Is this what you wanted?”

He wasn’t wearing any underwear, and his cock was harder than I expected. “Fuck yes,” I muttered.

His finger curled in the air. “Come here, alpha.”

Instinctually, I walked toward him. I felt his arms wrap around my body. As we kissed again, our cocks brushed together, warm and rigid like the mountains that surrounded us.

“I knew you were the real deal,” he whispered.

I couldn’t help but smile and catch his lip with the edge of my teeth.

“That’s right.” I nibbled gently. “Do you feel how hard I am for you?”

He nodded slowly, catching his breath. Falling back onto his bed, I felt infinite. I crawled on top of his muscular body, leaning over him. He cupped his palm around both of our cocks, thrusting upward.

“Fuck,” I whispered. “That feels so good.”

My fingers began tracing the outlines of his entire abdomen. I wanted to fuck him so badly. Teasing myself was just making it harder on me. So while he was stroking our cocks together, I reached down and felt his warm slick hole. I slid one finger inside him with minimal effort.

“Yes, slide it in. Work that hole,” Ryan whispered.

I found his spot, and he nearly roared with pleasure. I slid back out, teasing him some more. “Alpha, don’t stop!” His voice was rushed and intense.

I wagged my finger in front of him, placing it in his mouth. His lips slid past my knuckle. As my finger grazed his tongue, I had to drop to my knees and taste him. His scent was getting to me at this point. I couldn’t keep holding back.

I slid my tongue up and down his warm slick, spreading his legs to the side. “Mmm,” I moaned, tasting his sweet nectar. Loosening him up, I inserted two more fingers, alongside my tongue.

He began panting like a wild animal. “Can you handle this?” I grinned.

He quickly nodded. “You have no idea. Just keep doing whatever it is you’re doing. I like it rough,” he said.

Rough. Ryan was my kind of a man. Everything was lining up for me. I slid a third finger inside of him and twisted slowly, in circular motions. His slick dripped onto the bed sheets. His moaning rose with a passion. He was ready for me now.

And then I said something uninhibited. “I want to breed your hole so bad.”

“Yeah? Do you? You want to fill my heated slick hole with your thick cum?”

We were in the heat of the moment, and sometimes you can get carried away with what you say or do. I nodded. I was in a sexual trance. My emotions were so fucking high.

“I want to feel you so badly. I want to make you my mate,” I admitted, gulping.

“Then slide your knot inside of me, alpha. And don’t worry. I’m on the pill. Nothing will happen,” he said.

I grabbed his legs and pressed them together. Sliding him closer to me, I pushed the head of my cock against the rim of his hole. Slowly, the edges wrapped around my shaft. It closed over me with a heavenly, dripping warmth.

“You… feel… so good.” Tears of joy nearly come down my eyes. I’ve never felt something so incredible before. Ryan was so sexy. I couldn’t believe we hadn’t met until this week.

“Deeper,” he grunted.

I slid in deeper, anxiously holding onto his ankles. Every nerve of mine was on edge. I felt like I was going to blow inside of him at any second. I was somehow holding myself back.

“Faster,” he moaned.

I grinned and kissed him, breathing in his rich chocolaty scent. “Oh yeah? You want it faster now?”

“Mmhm. And harder too,” Ryan said. “Don’t be shy.”

He liked it rough. I wasn’t used to this type of intensity. I was used to solitude and silence. I have always dreamt of finding someone who wanted it like this, but it seemed like everyone was pretty “vanilla” around these parts.

I thrust harder and hold onto his cock like a joystick, pumping away. “Oh, goddess. That’s it. You’re going to make me explode,” he said.

“You’re going to cum. Aren’t you?” I whispered. I leaned forward and kissed his neck, gently dragging the edges of my tongue across his flesh.

“Stop, alpha. Seriously. I’m going to cum so much. You have no idea,” he grunted, in between my hard thrusts.

“I’m not stopping. You’re just going to have to cum,” I whispered.

My tongue curled around his earlobe. His deep breathing was a weak attempt at holding himself back, but I knew he couldn’t last now.

I was thrusting as deep as I could go. My balls were loudly slapping against the back of his firm ass. The sound echoed off of his narrow walls.

“Cum for me, omega,” I whispered, soothingly. It was enough to send the man over the edge.

Gripping my hips and forcing me forward, he started having orgasmic contractions. “Oh, yes!” he cried out.

His mouth hung open, slack-jawed. He looked so cute like that. He was like a dazed puppy.

His hole pumped around my cock. Watching his muscles twitch and seize up spurred something deep inside of me. My knot swelled up. It had been a long time since I felt that orgasmic caress of another man.

I leaned forward and tugged against his nipple. “I’m cumming, Tristan!”

The hairs on the back of his neck furrowed up. His whole body lurched forward with a ferocious drive. Streams of cum flowed from his cock onto his abdomen. He was stroking as fast as he could, shooting out every last drop.

His eyes suddenly relaxed with pleasure. “Oh fuck,” he moaned.

He was short of breath and taking in everything that I had. “Your turn,” he whispered. “Shoot that load inside of me.”

I rocked my hips forward one time before I couldn’t take it anymore. I was all knotted up inside Ryan, catching on his walls. My balls hiked up and tightened. Ecstasy is the only way to describe how he felt as I came. Pump, after pump, after pump, I let myself go.

It was like a dream that happened too fast. Suddenly, we were all knotted up, and I snuggled up close to him.

“So, that just happened,” I whispered.

“You’re not going to get all weird on me now, right?” he asked.

“No way,” I said.

“That’s good because I like you. I think you could be a lot of fun,” Ryan said. I kissed his back, and then his stomach. A large scar ran across the center.

“What happened here? Shark bite?” I asked.

“Gunshot.” Ryan laughed and pulled me in closer. “A complete fluke. Someone up north got me. I almost died, actually.”

“No way!” I exclaimed, way too excited.

“You think it’s cool?” He smiled and held onto me tight. He smelled so fucking good.

“Heck yeah! You’re so manly,” I said.

“Most alphas don’t like that kind of thing. They expect us omegas to act a certain way,” he said.

I could tell that this was a subject that made him nervous, but I wasn’t like most alphas. I was my own person, and I set my own rules.

“We’re like the dream team,” I said. “Honestly, I’m not that kind of guy you need to be scared of pleasing. I don’t care how you act, as long as it’s a reflection of yourself.”

“Damn, I like you,” he whispered.

Seeing that strange, black liquid in his backyard made me think about my time in England. I hated it there, but it was nice feeling like I belonged to something bigger. Lately, I hadn’t felt that, but maybe things were starting to change.

Was this the omega I had been waiting for to snatch me off my feet? Did fate bring us together?

“I like you enough,” I joked.

Laughing, he slid and turned to face me, tracing his fingers down my chest. Everything felt so intimate already. And the way he gazed into my eyes made my chest flutter.

“Look, I want to tell you something,” he said.

Immediately, my heart stopped. My stomach sank. But I kept my cool, regardless. “Uh, sure. Go ahead.”

“Well, I don’t want you to get mad or anything,” he said.

I hesitated, before laughing. “Come on, Ryan. We barely know each other. Why would I get mad? I couldn’t, even if I wanted to.”

It was a lie, but I had to say it. I didn’t want to look like I was coming on too strong. I was an alpha. I was supposed to be levelheaded and never faltering. Here I was, though. I was feeling weak over someone I had just met.

“Alright, cool. Because it’s not like I was trying to hide this from you. I just put it together in my head, actually,” he said, searching my eyes before continuing. “You’re the guy that was in all the papers six months ago, right? The real hero?”

I tried not to be too conspicuous as I rolled my eyes, but I think he caught me. “Sorry, Tristan. I didn’t mean to pry.”

“No, it’s fine.” I kissed him to put him at ease. “I don’t care. It’s just weird back then. The town treated me like a celebrity. You know? We came back, and everything was different. Sorry. I won’t say anything more about it.”

I could already feel the weight of what had happened push against my shoulders. “Hey, there’s no need to be sorry. I’m a great listener. Here, let me help you.”

Kneeling over me, he grabbed a bottle of oil. As he dripped the contents onto his palms, he whispered, “Just relax.” The rich aromas wafted into my nostrils. I closed my eyes and happily obeyed him.

His fingers pressed into my troubled knots. Soon, my pain started to ease. As he kneaded deep into my tissue, he said, “That blackness in the woods is something important. I know because I first saw it in a dream.”

“What? What’re you talking about?” I couldn’t comprehend what he was telling me, but then I remembered his voice in my dreams.

“The fires that happened forever ago in the Pines. I was one of the last to be called. It spread throughout half the country. It was remarkable. The fires were stronger than any we had ever seen before,” he said.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

His eyes lit up with gold embers as he spoke. Somehow, the whole room illuminated with the images of flames.

“After we lost many of our guys, it was clear that the fires weren’t any human-made thing. The flames were sustained by some strange magic. Of course, we now know that the goddesses lost control of their own habitat. The Great Rift happened and sent our towns back at least a decade in advancement. The bears went to their caves. The Jaguars declared their tribal grounds. The wolves split for good. And the foxes…” He lowered his head.

“The foxes disappeared,” I whispered.

“Yeah. You guys vanished without a trace.” He pushed his fingertips down, harder now. The tension in my back was going away.

So many memories were trapped in my head from that time. The fire and the fury. My people were defeated. All of this was bottled up inside of me. I never allowed myself to let it go.

“I came back home to my cabin here. The fires were squashed out. It was time to rebuild my life. Then, every single night, I had the same exact dream. It was a nightmare. I’d see someone in my hallway, just peering in at me. The dark figure would laugh and run away. He ran all the way to the outside fence and jumped into the forest. At the end of this dream, I stumbled into the black puddle. I’m telling you. It was vivid, man. I just… disappeared.”

“Gorbins,” I whispered.

“Who? Grob, what?” He scratched his chin and laughed.

“Gorbins. It’s a guy I know from the past. Don’t mess up the name. It could get us into trouble.” Ryan looked at me like I was crazy. “It’s a long story. Keep going.”

“Months ago, I felt your presence here. I’d see you running through the grass. Mostly, I admired your agility. It was fun seeing someone run so fast, and scale up the trees,” Ryan said, smiling.

“I can’t believe it. So you saw me this whole time,” I muttered.

“Well, yeah. You’re not as inconspicuous as you think. After a few weeks, it finally hit me. All of the memories from the fire hit me like a ton of bricks. You were the last fox left in this forest. I knew you were connected to my dreams. And in a way, I knew we were connected,” he said.

I nodded my head slowly. “I don’t want to say anything that’ll get me into any more trouble than I’ve already been in. I feel it too, Ryan. I heard your voice in my dreams for so long. There were no words that stood up. It was just you. And last night, I stayed up wondering if you were my fated mate. Is that weird to say?”

He laughed, and I pressed my back against his chest. We kissed one more time, and the passion was almost too much to handle. “This whole world is weird. I’m cool with being weird with someone if you are,” he said.

I quickly shifted into my fox form and licked his cheek. “Hey! Come here, you cute rascal!” I playfully squirmed away from him. Laughing uncontrollably, he called me back over.

I shifted back, jumped into bed, and smiled big. I was happy. Maybe I was falling for someone special. It felt too soon to tell.

I knew I wanted to get to know him. And I wanted to see how our paths connected. Regardless of what happened in the end, I wanted to be here now.

“I can stay the night, right?” I asked.

He smiled and nodded his head. “Of course you can, darling.”

Darling. I closed my eyes, and drifted off to sleep, head against his chest. Things were going to be good. I just knew it.