Chapter 4
Angel walked back into the apartment she’d left so many months before and noticed the door had been replaced but that her belongings were still in place. Walking throughout the dark apartment she saw that everything was as she’d left it, except the clothes she’d worn that last evening; they were now washed and neatly folded on the bed. Angel still had quite a few months left on her lease and decided to come back when she’d learned she was pregnant. It had taken a little doing and arranging medical care had taken even longer but she was here finally.
Her memories of the place were more good than bad and she had hoped Felix might still be here. Looking at the apartment next to hers she saw that the windows were dark and the curtains had been drawn. Felix’s truck wasn’t in the drive either and nobody had been in the driveway for a while, if the lack of tracks was any indication.
Rubbing her belly, very round and full as she was only a month away from giving birth, she wondered how she was going to find him. She’d tried to remember the complicated email he’d given to her but couldn’t find the right combination. All of her emails were returned with errors. Walking up the stairs to the patio at the top of the apartment she remembered that night when she’d thought Felix was a shapeshifting creature. How very silly she’d been, she thought as she leaned over the ledge there. She enjoyed the scented breeze that lifted her much longer hair and wondered how she’d find Felix in this mess. She couldn’t even find him under his name in social media.
She walked down to her studio, smiling as she saw the last painting she’d started still resting in the easel. Felix leaning against a palm tree in the darkness, an inviting smile on his full lips greeted her from the canvas, making her heart ache. She’d dreamed of those lips many times since she’d left him, of his body moving beneath hers with urgency and need. She pressed a hand to her forehead and fanned her face, the sudden flush that came over her was something familiar now. Thinking too much about Felix caused her body to react in ways she’d never known it could, only a year ago.
Angel looked around each room, hoping for some indication of how to get in touch with the man she now missed deeply. It had taken her a while to process the scene in her apartment but she’d finally come to the conclusion that Felix had not acted out of character for most men; attempting to protect someone they cared about. Yes, he’d been violent, but only to protect Angel, nothing more. She suspected that the violence, the fierceness of his protection was only an indication of his feelings for her. She hoped so anyway.
“We have to find your Daddy, baby. Where can he be?” Sitting down at the table in the kitchen she pondered places she could look next.
Eight months had passed since she’d left him without a word. She had to consider that Felix, perhaps, no longer wanted to be a part of her life. Of course, she had to somehow notify him of the child, but she wasn’t expecting anything else from him. Sighing she went into her bedroom to have a nap. It was getting late and she’d been travelling for two days now. She needed a rest.
Waking up the next morning she could swear she smelled pancakes and eggs cooking. She was even certain she could hear the eggs cooking. She dismissed the sound and smell as pregnancy hormones messing with her and went to the bathroom. Angel felt huge now and ungainly, her balance thrown off by all the weight in the front of her body now, not the back. She was also easily tired now and despite the fact that she’d just woken up, Angel was already exhausted. Standing up she waddled down the hallway, wondering what she could prepare for breakfast. Maybe there was something edible left in the cabinets. Otherwise she’d have to make her way back to town in the car she’d rented for the next two months.
Angel’s steps halted as she came into the kitchen to discover that her hormones might be out of whack but she hadn’t been hallucinating, food was cooking in her kitchen and Felix was the one doing the cooking! She wasn’t sure what to do, or say, and she finally looked down at her belly, knowing she wasn’t going to have to explain about being pregnant, that much was obvious.
“Well then, do I get a hug or not?” Felix said, holding his arms out to her with a smile. He pulled her gently into his arms, pulling her as tightly as he could to his body, as he leaned his head down to kiss her on the top of her head. “You seem to be struggling there, little momma, get your feet up on one of those chairs over there and I’ll bring you some breakfast. We need you strong for the coming weeks.”
“How did you know how to find me?” Angel finally formed a thought cohesive enough to ask.
“I’ve been following you since you left, my love. I’m a computer genius remember? And I’m tied to those babies, I’ve known about them since you conceived them.”
“Them? What do you mean them? I know I’m huge but there’s only one.” Angel replied.
“No, there are two, a boy and a girl. And I’ll explain how I know that after breakfast. Now eat.” Felix said as he slipped a plate in front of her, filled with food.
“Okay, so you’ve been cyber-stalking me. How come I couldn’t find you then?” She asked.
“I’ve been hiding from you. I wanted you to make the decision for yourself and to give you time to settle your affairs back home. I knew you were trying to get your divorce finalized and trying to settle things with the legal system there so I’ve been keeping track of you from a distance.” Felix set a plate down across from her and started eating, ending the conversation for the moment.
Angel watched him as Felix ate; a joyous smile taking over as he got through more pancakes than she’d ever seen one person eat. He hadn’t changed at all but his hair was a little longer and curled at the edges now. She liked his mop of curls better than the short hair he’d had before. His lips were still as sultry as ever, his face the same handsome face she now knew she loved dearly.
Her love for Felix far transcended anything she’d ever felt for Michael. She’d only been infatuated with Michael, the presents and his attention blinding her to who he really was. Felix, on the other hand, was genuinely kind and giving, sharing his free time with others who valued the precious commodity he gave so freely. Generous and sweet Felix was a man she admired, not just for his looks, but for the person he was.
Reaching across the table to him, Angel wanted to take his hand. He reached out to her, his hand swallowing hers as they clasped their hands together.
“I know why you left, Angel,” Felix spoke. “You don’t have to explain, but I do. Do you want to get in the pool while we talk? It might be more relaxing for you?”
She agreed and went to the bedroom to strip off. It was only them there and she was just going to go in naked. He might as well see the whole load of her now; he was going to be seeing far more of it if he stuck around, as she hoped he would. His presence now reassured her that he was here for the long-term, not a short reunion. She slipped on a robe she pulled out of the closet, then waddled out to the pool with him. Felix helped her onto a float, and they held hands as they floated across the pool.
“You were right, this is probably the most comfortable I’ve been in months. Thank you, Felix. Now, care to tell me why you think we’re having twins? And how you know they’re yours?” Angel asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Well, do you remember that first day we met when I growled at you?” He stopped to see if she remembered. “Well, I saw you the night before, on the patio, and knew you’d seen me come out of the woods and shift.” He said with a sheepish smile.
Angel would have fallen off of her float if she wasn’t so cumbersome. She stared at Felix, her mouth gaping wide. “That was real? I didn’t dream it?”
“Yes, it was real. I can shift into a bear at will. I was born into it, as were my parents. Our children might be as well. In fact, they likely are because I can sense them already. At the first spark of life I knew about them. I can’t read their thoughts or anything but I know where they are, how they are doing. Right now they’re happy to be floating with you. Apparently being on hard ground puts strain on your body. Floating here is much better for you and them.”
“So you’re what, a werebear? What the hell? I know I saw it but I’m having a hard time believing it. I know it’s real, but still, wow!” Angel looked away from him, trying to take it all in, then looked back at him. “How old are you?”
“I’m 32 but I may live to be much older. I don’t know yet. My parents were 268 and 152 when they died. It’s really hard to tell. Also, um, I’m rich. Very, very rich. Some of it is inheritance; some of it is what I’ve earned. We’re talking billions, babe. Our children will never want for anything.”
“Does that mean I’m going to turn into this thing too?” Angel asked.
“There’s a chance that as you give birth you may be changed but it’s rare. We can change you, of course, if you want, but that’s up to you. It’s a long life, just remember that.”
“If I get to see my children growing up far past the age most people do, I want it. You know I do. I love this baby, these babies rather. They’re mine and I’ll always love them.”
“I will love them, and you, for the rest of our lives. When do you want to get married?” Felix asked as he pulled her float closer to his.
“Married? I’m not sure about married but I love you too, Felix. Now and forever. I didn’t know what that meant but I do now. I really do. Thank you.” Angel said, tears filling her eyes as he kissed her hand, accepting that marriage might be too much for now. She didn’t need a piece of paper to love him, only his love in return.
“Well, that’s fine love, but I’d like to be your husband one day, just to prove to you what a real husband is, if nothing else, to wipe away the terrible memories you must live with. I read about what Michael did to you and while I’m glad you were helped, I hate that he did all of that to you. I’ve made a large donation to the foundation that helped you, by the way. I’m sure you’re grateful to them.”
“Oh I am, without their help I don’t think I’d have survived that ordeal. Organizations such as ROSE need all of the help they can get so they can continue to help the victims of domestic violence. I’m eternally grateful to them.” Angel responded.
Pulling her off the float gently Felix pulled Angel to the shallow end of the pool and pulled her to him.
Angel giggled and pushed away from him. “Oh, I’m too huge to be sexy right now, Felix. Stop teasing me.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sexier woman, Angel. You have our babies inside of you. You’re glowing, you’re beautiful, and the most desirable woman I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t ask for more.” Felix said as he ran his hands down her body, loving the fullness of her body and how her breasts floated in the water, their color slightly changed by the hormones raging through her body now.
Felix kissed her then, his tongue invading her mouth and sucking at her lips. His desire flared higher as her tongue tentatively reached out to his and then she sucked his tongue into her own mouth, letting him know what she wanted from him with her motions. He smiled against her lips and pulled her around so that he could lean down and take a nipple into his mouth. Angel held onto the rail on the edge of the steps, holding on as her body floated in the water and Felix loved her with his mouth and hands.
She felt his hands finally slide into her center, the part where she ached the most for his touch. She couldn’t bring herself to use the dirty words for that part of her, though she could use the ones for Felix’s anatomy. Her ex-husband had used those words as hurtful nasty ways of humiliating her. But she loved how Felix distracted her from those thoughts, erasing them as his fingers slid deep into her, stirring her passion easily.
Angel knew release was close, her body overly sensitized now, the pleasure of even a simple brush of a finger over her outer lips somehow doubled in intensity. Felix licked her neck as he pulled her legs to him, moving between them as he looked into her eyes, eager to let her know how much she stirred him. Changing his mind he moved before he entered her, pulling her on top of him, thinking it would be an easier position for her to take him in.
Angel smiled, remembering their first time together, and knew her life was now going to be filled with love and consideration. She moved onto Felix’s lap, letting his hard cock slide into her body. She couldn’t hold back the sigh that came out as she felt him slide home, every inch of him inside of her now. She stirred after a moment, sliding on his cock as he lifted her easily in the water, then let her slide back down. She found a rhythm and he stopped guiding her to give her clit and nipples the attention they so very much deserved.
His fingers moved nimbly, pushing Angel higher and higher as her passion grew. Moving over him, Angel again felt that power she’d felt the first time, growing. The smile across her face now was alluring and as sexual as anything Felix had ever seen. That smile revealed every ounce of power Angel had, both mentally and sexually. She may be tiny physically, but her mental strength had grown and she had more power over Felix than she’d ever know. Not that she’d ever use that power in a bad way, he thought, but he would lay waste to the world if that’s what she desired. She was too good for that, though, and he lost his train of thought as he felt her first spasm beginning.
Felix pushed into her, pushed her body with his fingers on her lusciously wet skin as the spasms strengthened. Her eyes flew open as she came, filled with wonder and joy and he soon followed, the sweetness of her own release too much for him to fight against. His own shout of joy let her know he was with her, always.
As she came back to earth Angel thought of the old song she’d heard him singing to her so long ago. Yes, she thought, I would rather go blind too, than ever be without him or see him walking away from me. Hugging him close, Angel knew that Felix would only leave if he was forced to, something she’d never do.
Two months later Angel woke from her nap to the sweet sound of Felix’s voice as he sang a song of happiness and love to his children. Arabella and Adam slept peacefully in bassinets at the side of their parents’ bed, tiny smiles on their little faces sweetly tempting Angel to wake them just so she could kiss their precious little faces.
Felix saw his wife was awake and moved to her side. “How are you feeling, my darling?”
“I’m better than perfect, Felix, but my hip does itch. It’s just to the back there, have I got a bug bite or something? Can you see it?” Angel turned over, pulling her nightgown up to let Felix look at the spot.
“Oh.” Felix let slip before he could stop himself.
“OH? What does oh mean?” Angel asked.
“Stay calm now. Breathe deep, yes, like that, now close your eyes. What do you notice?” Felix asked her. He watched as she looked confused at first but then wonder filled her face.
“What is that, Felix? It’s like two little sparks of light and a weird feeling, like an afterglow, of happiness.”
“That’s our babies, Angel. You’re seeing our babies and feeling their emotions. That emotion part will fade as they age but you’ll always be able to find that spark. If you’re looking for them you’ll even see lines sometimes. I remember hearing were-mothers talking about it, colored lines will guide you to both babies, no matter where they are.”
“Oh my, that is very cool! What a wonderful gift! Wait! The oh! Does that mean something then, this seeing my babies like this?”
“Yes, darling it does. That itchy feeling is the mark of the bear coming out on your hip. You must have been changed when you had the babies. This is wonderful! I can teach all three of you now! Are you alright with this darling? I guess it’s a little too late to ask now, but it is a big step.”
“Dearest husband of mine, it’s more than I could have ever asked. I have you, our babies, and a long life ahead of all of us. There was a time when I hoped a short life awaited me but not anymore. I’ll greedily take every single day I’m given. And I do mean greedily. Every day with you is a gift and I hope we have many more to come.”
Each parent took a baby then, both eager to hold their creations, and showed them the mark in the shape of a bear paw on their hips, a mark both of their parents wore.
“We’ll have plenty of days my darling, I promise. You’ve grown so much; you’ve become so confident, fierce, and brave. You’ve been brave your whole life but now, now you’re something different. I’m glad I’m the one you chose to share that with. A new life for us all, and I couldn’t be prouder of you. I love you babe.”
“I love you too, Felix. Now and always.”
The End