The next day passed far too slowly for my liking.
"You seem a little distracted," said Tessa, Atticus's wife, as we played with her two cooing twins. "You got big plans for tonight or something?"
"Hmmm, kinda-sorta," I said.
Tessa smiled to herself, tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear.
"And let me guess, a boy?"
"Maybe…" I said, my voice trailing off.
Sure, I wanted to keep exactly who I was meeting with a secret, but that didn't mean I had to totally lie my ass off.
"I remember when I was your age," she said, setting down Alexander, one of the two babies. "All I could think about was boys. Hanging out by myself was just killing time until whatever guy I was obsessed with gave me a call."
"I want to take some time off while I'm here, you know?" I said. "Decompress from school, get the next step of my life planned out, deal with this news about me being a shifter. But I can't stay cooped up in here all the time."
She got that I was talking about Atticus.
"He's just being protective in his own way. The whole clan's just been all out of sorts since the business with the other wolves, and now we've got a new pack just a few towns over…he just doesn't want to see anything bad happen to you."
"I know," I said. "But still…"
Tessa held up a hand, as if to say, "say no more."
"Don't worry about me. You're a grown woman and if you wanna go out on a date, then go for it. Just don't stay out too late; get back here before Atticus and Ian know you're gone. Just take one of the spare cars."
"Will do," I said with a smile.
Done and done, I thought. Tessa didn't need to know all the details, and as long as I got back at a reasonable hour, what's the harm in me going out for a little fun? Sure, I'd be hanging out with wolves, but it wasn't like I was wandering into the party on my own; I had one of them to look out for me.
Tessa eventually put the kids to bed and retired to her bedroom, Atticus still not back. Once the hour rolled around, I took one last look in the mirror. My eyes flicked across my features, starting at my blue eyes I always felt were a little cartoonishly big, my tiny nose, then down to what I felt was my best feature: my big, full lips, now painted a deep, dark red. I tried to offset the message that red lips might send by putting my blonde hair into a simple ponytail. As for the rest of my outfit, I had on a pair of tight, dark jeans, a dark red t-shirt, and some black boots. It wasn't quite the biker look, but I figured it was as close as I was going to get. Once I was happy with my appearance, I headed down to the garage with careful steps, grabbing the keys for the black sedan that no one ever used.
Soon, I was on the road, headed back into town. I drove with anxiety in the pit of my stomach, worried that Atticus or Ian might pass me on the way up, but once I reached Branlen, I let out a long breath of relief; I'd made it.
I drove down the main drag of the town, my eyes on the pharmacy ahead. Checking my phone, I saw it was nearly ten. But as I drove closer, I saw there wasn't anyone waiting in the parking lot. My heart began to race once again; was he going to stand me up? I pulled into an open spot and stepped out of the car, the white and red neon lights of the pharmacy buzzing harshly overhead.
I stood there for fifteen or so minutes, my stomach getting tighter by the second. My mind raced with negative thoughts, like that he might've just been screwing with me, that I was a dumbass to think a guy like him would be interested in someone like me.
But before I could wallow in anxiety for too long, the roar of a motorcycle engine sounded from the distance. Down the main road, I could see the bright white light of a bike coming toward me. Soon, I could make out the driver: it was him. I had to suppress a big smile as he pulled into the spot next to my car.
"Nice ride," he said, looking over the sedan, his hands on the handlebars.
"Thanks, but i-"
I stopped myself as I realized he was fucking with me. He flashed me a wicked smile and I about died; he was gorgeous beyond belief, and seeing him on that motorcycle…I don't know. I'd never been one for guys like Lucas, but he was something else. Part of me wanted to jump his bones right then and there.
"You ready for this thing?" he asked, his eyes moving slowly up and down my body.
"Um, I think so," I said, hesitation slipping into my voice. "But are you sure it's all right that…um, I'm a-"
"That you're a bear?" he asked, getting right to the point, staring hard at me with his gorgeous blue eyes.
"Yeah, that."
"It's fine," he said, his tone crisp and sharp, as though he didn't really want to discuss the issue. "You're with me. Just don't be a troublemaker."
"A troublemaker?" I asked, surprised I'd of the accusation of being something like that; slipping out for this part was probably the most daring thing I'd done in years.
"Yeah, you look the type," he said, with a smirk.
Ah, so he's a little bit of a smartass, I thought.
"I'll, um, try not to, um, cause any trouble."
I wanted to slap myself; I was already stumbling over my words.
"So," I went on, "do you want me to follow you…?"
He laughed.
"No, just get on," he said, tilting his head to the open space on the seat behind him.
"Oh, okay," I said, walking toward the bike with careful steps, as though it were a big dog that might snap at me.
I climbed onto the seat, the leather hard between my legs.
"Now grab on, unless you want to get really acquainted with the parking lot," he said over his shoulder.
I glanced up and down his wide back, as though I had to figure out just the right way to grab onto him. I wanted to do it, but something about it just seemed so…intimate for a man I'd barely just met. Taking a breath, I spread my arms and wrapped them around Lucas's torso. Sure enough, he was just as rock solid as I was anticipating.
Before I could become too comfortable, Lucas gunned the engine and peeled out of the parking lot, the wind whipping through my hair as we picked up speed along the main road. I'd never been on a motorcycle before, and it was…way more thrilling than I'd expected. It was like riding a rollercoaster, except on the street. I grabbed onto Lucas for dear life, the feeling of his body against mine, the steady rumbling of the bike between my legs, and the danger all swirling together to form a feeling that I'd never experienced before.
As soon as we pulled out of town and began to pick up speed, I was hooked.
We zipped down the road leading out of Branlen and toward the direction of the bar where I'd met Lucas. Part of me wanted to talk, to get to know this strange, gorgeous man, but the engine was too loud for conversation. I was actually somewhat happy about this–the lack of conversation allowed me to focus on the ride itself.
Soon, we pulled off onto a side road and drove down into a forested area. After a time, I could hear the steady thumping of rock music blaring off in the distance. A little bit later, we arrived at a clearing in the middle of the woods that was just packed with people. There was an old farmhouse in the middle of the place, and it was surrounded by what had to be a hundred bikers. There were motorcycles everywhere, some parked, others being driven around the clearing in a big circle. Looking up, I saw that the moon was full and bright overhead; it was the perfect night for a wolf party.
"There she is!" shouted a giant biker with a dark, braided beard as we approached the party, his voice loud over the rock music.
"Girl of the hour," said Lucas, one side of his luscious lips pulled up in a smirk.
"I'm Smith," said the big man, giving me a look over. "Welcome to one of our MC's famous little soirees."
"Um, your club," I said, "what's its name?"
He let out a loud laugh that boomed over the music.
"You hear that?" he said to Lucas, "She asked that like this was a fuckin' sewing club or some shit. You sure know how to pick ‘em, Lukey."
Lucas shot Smith a harsh glare that shut him up right away.
"Sorry, sorry," said Smith. "Anyway, you two go grab a couple of beers and have fun. It's a fuckin' party!"
With that, he let out a whooping yell and ran off to do God knows what.
"You wanna beer?" asked Lucas.
"Y-" I said, but before I had a chance to finish my answer, he'd already produced a cold, wet bottle of cheap domestic.
He wrapped his shirt around the top of the bottle and twisted off the cap, a hint of his abs showing that my eyes immediately latched onto.
Goddamn, he's sexy, I thought, watching him bring the bottle to his full lips and take a long, slow drink.
"So," he said, after swallowing his beer, "what college you come here from?"
"What?" I asked. "How did you know?"
He smirked and leaned back against the plastic table behind him.
"You've seen one recent college grad, you've seen ‘em all."
I felt my face grow hot with embarrassment. Was it that obvious I had no idea what I was doing out in the real world?
"How could you tell?"
"The look of sheltered naiveté was my first clue," he said, taking another sip of his beer.
One arm crossed over my chest, as if trying to cover myself, I took a small sip of my beer.
"It's cute," he said, giving my upper arm a firm squeeze. "Trust me, after hanging around with some of the girls here, a little innocence doesn't seem so bad."
As if right on cue, a little spat broke out nearby. One of the girls at the party, a skin-tight-jeans-wearing, big-haired, heavily made-up’ed hussy with a loud mouth and ample "assets" screamed at some biker dude about one thing or another, finishing her little outburst by smashing a bottle on the man's head, the liquid inside exploding everywhere. The crowd watching cheered, just like at the bar.
"See what I mean?" he asked with a smirk.
I smiled and spoke. "Um, well, I'm here from Missouri. But I'm from this area; my whole family's from here."
Lucas nodded. "I recognized that guy who came to get you. Seen him around town a few times."
"Yeah, that's my cousin, Atticus. He's a nice guy, though a little overprotective."
"Hmm," he said, taking another sip of his beer. "I could see that. He doesn't get that a girl like you needs her independence."
"Yeah, exactly!" I said, enthusiasm filling my voice. "I mean, I know I'm new to the real world, but I don't need someone watching out for me every minute of the day, you know? Even though he's got my best interests in mind…"
A little voice in my head spoke, saying "Don't blab so much about your damn problems," but it was already too late.
"…and it doesn't help that we're all the way up in the woods by Branlen, up in some compound."
"Oh?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Compound?"
"Yeah, it's this giant place further up Bear Mountain. And it's just the five of us now; the rest of the clan is all over the country with other bear clans."
"Really?" he asked. "So, it's just you, Atticus, and a few others?"
"Yeah. Well, and the babies."
Lucas took another sip of his beer, letting the information settle in his mind. I opened my mouth to speak again, but a sharp snarl sounded out from somewhere nearby, and startled, I dropped my beer.
I turned in the direction of the snarls, and witnessed a pair of wolves facing one another, their teeth bared, both moving around in a slow, circle; a crowd of partygoers gathered around them, cheering, and carrying on, the full moon bright and high above them.
"What's going on?" I asked.
Lucas smirked and turned his attention to the wolves.
"Usually, this shit doesn't happen until later in the night," he said, shaking his head. "Couple ‘a wolves get a little too much whiskey in them and want to show off for the girls."
Right at that moment, one of the wolves, a large wolf with gray fur and black paws, leaped at the other, smaller wolf. The fight didn't last any longer than thirty seconds. The two animals changed into a wild blur, ripping roars and snarls sounding out amid the cheers of the crowd. Before I could even get a sense of what was happening, the fight was over, and the larger wolf was on top of the other. He shifted back into his human form, that being a large, burly biker with gray hair and a burly, hairy torso. He raised his hands in triumph and ran back into the crowd, the other bikers whooping and cheering as they congratulated him on his win.
And I felt a presence at my side as I watched. Lucas was standing next to me close−very close. Close enough I could feel the heat from his body.
As much as I didn't want to admit it, the whole scene was thrilling.
"You wanna dance?" he asked, looking down at me.
"Um, sure," I said.
With that, he pulled me over close to the speakers, where a large crowd of bikers and their women made up a seething mass of dancers, all moving in grinding shifts to the rock music. Once we found a place in the middle, Lucas put his hand on the small of my back and pulled me close, a sinful little smile on his face as he pressed my body against his, working his body against mine. I finished my beer and another soon found its way into my hands, and soon, I was halfway through that one, too.
The next hour or so passed in a blur. Lucas and I danced, with him keeping me close the whole time. Soon, he moved his face close, his lips grazing against my neck. I was totally caught up in Lucas, in his beauty, in his strange, animal magnetism. I realized this must be why wolves and bears are such a dangerous mix: after all, what chance could a naïve little cub like me have against a wolf like this?
Taking me by the wrist, he pulled me out of the dancing masses and into the farmhouse, which was dimly lit inside. His hand now on my ass, I felt a sensual thrill as he guided me up the stairs and into a bedroom at the end of a long hallway.
He seemed to know exactly what it was I wanted. Flicking on a small light in the bedroom, he set upon me right away, kissing my neck, the feeling of his lips against my skin heavenly. His hands were firm on my hips, as though keeping me still as he kissed me.
"Mmm," I moaned, the sound slipping out of my lips as he continued to kiss me along my neck.
Then, he pulled his mouth away, looking down at me with his gorgeous blue eyes, an expression one of erotic hunger.
"How is this even happening?" I asked, my eyes closed and a smile on my face.
"Just go with it," he said, moving in for another kiss.
I was more than happy to do just that.
Lucas kissed me again, on the mouth this time, his lips soft and warm against mine. I fell into his kiss instantly, the magnetism between us a force of nature. We kissed more, the steady bass of the music outside the only sound other than the noise of our lips against each other. I sighed as his large, strong hands moving up and over my body, then down once again, settling at the hem of my shirt. He slipped his fingers underneath it and pulled it up and over my body, exposing the lacy black bra beneath. A tinge of modesty hit me for a moment before I was back under his spell, now wanting nothing more than for Lucas to strip the rest of the clothing from my body.
As if reading my mind, he moved his hands down to the button of my jeans, unfastening it and yanking my pants down. I stepped out of them along with my shoes, and now I was in nothing but my matching set of black underwear. Lucas stepped back for a moment and took in the sight; my modesty was now gone totally, replaced with a hot feeling of eroticism that my body could be such a turn on to him.
"Not fair," I said with a sly grin, pointing limply at his still-clothed body.
He matched my smirk before pulling his shirt off along with his leather vest, revealing his shredded, perfect chest and abs. I felt myself heat with arousal as I looked upon his perfect body, my eyes flicking across the tapestry of tattoos that adorned his god-like physique. I drank in the sight of him, paying special attention to the flaring cut of his sides, his broad, hard shoulders, and the immaculate outlines of his abs.
"You all right?" he asked.
My mouth must've slacked open. But with a body like this in front of me, how could I be expected to think straight?
"Um, I'm…very, very good."
Lucas then pulled off his jeans, leaving him in nothing but a pair of skin-tight boxer briefs that outlined his massive package, his prick already halfway to rock-hard. I swallowed as I looked at it, trying to figure out how big it would be fully erect if that's the size of it now.
But before I could consider the matter for too long, he was on me again, this time leading me toward the bed. I fell onto it, Lucas standing over me like a man bigger than life itself. In his hungry, sensual eyes, I could now see the wolf that lived within him. And I wanted to be pounced on by this ravenous beast.
Lucas pulled my panties off while I worked on my bra, and soon, I was completely nude. He gazed at me again, now taking in every bit of the sight of my body. Then, something like a snarl sounding from deep in his throat, he moved on top of me with incredible speed. He covered my face and neck in kisses as he moved his hands down along my body, his right hand coming to a rest on my inner thigh. I felt my pussy grow hotter and hotter by the second, and all I could think about was having his cock, that long, hard prick that was now pressed against me, deep inside my body.
I yanked off his underwear, exposing his cock. I felt my tongue drag over my lips as I took in the sight of its long thickness; I was salivating as though it were a thick, juicy steak and I hadn't eaten for days. Then, as though possessed by some strange force, I reached down and grabbed it, sighing at the feeling of its firm form in my hand.
"What do you want me to do with that?" he asked, his voice a low purr.
"I want…I want you to put it inside me…right now," I said through my moans.
Normally, I would need a little foreplay to be ready, especially for a cock like that, but right now, as turned on as I was, I was certain I'd be able to take it without any trouble at all. Lucas spread my legs apart, looking down at my sex with narrowed eyes. He moved closer, positioning himself on top of me, bringing his prick so close to me I could barely stand it.
Then, with a perfectly smooth, fluid motion, he entered me, burying his cock deep in me instantly. I let out a long moan as he penetrated me, the pleasure running through my body instantly, the sensual warmth flooding to the tips of my fingers and toes. Lucas held still for a moment, looking down at me as I savored the feeling of his cock being fully inside me. Soon, he began rocking his hips back and forth, sliding in and out of my pussy, the feeling of all his inches gliding against me.
Cuming was typically a process for me, but this time was different; I knew, right away, it wouldn't take much more fucking for me to explode.
And sure enough, as Lucas continued to pound at me, moans and shrieks now escaping my lips at a frantic pace, I felt my orgasm swell and grow within me, just on the verge of breaking loose.
"Don't stop," I moaned. "Don't stop.
And he didn't. With an animalistic intensity, Lucas drove himself into me again and again, the pleasure almost too much to bare. Then, in the middle of his unrelenting plunges, I came hard, harder than I'd ever came in my life. I grabbed hard onto his bank, my nails digging into his skin, my legs a vice-grip around his hips, leading him into me over and over.
Lucas came as my orgasm began to fade, emptying himself into me with a heave and a grunt. His pace slowed, and after a little while more, he came to a stop, his spent cock still buried inside me.
"Goddamn," he said, "that was something else."
My body worn from the dancing and the fucking, I could only nod in blissful agreement as I drifted off to a deep sleep.