Fulfillment 17

Dear Readers,

Another installment for your perusal. The end is coming although it looks like another 4 chapters.

KemMyst

***

Stephanie woke the next morning in Calvin's bed, with him behind her. His arm was over her chest, his skin warm against her.. naked.. tits. She froze.

She felt him, behind her. All of him. Both of them, naked in the bed.

And she thought of the night before. And what he had done. And what he would want now.

And she sighed, loudly.

He woke, and moved, and nuzzled her hair, with a sleepy, "Morning, little one."

She lay rigid as he rolled and scratched, yawning. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes." The tone is tight, clipped. He turns to her. "What's wrong?"

She got up on hands and knees, dropping her head. "Go ahead."

He sits up and blinks. "Excuse me?"

"Just do it."

He closes his eyes and counts to ten. "Do what?"

She sits back on her heels. "Oh. You want me to suck your dick." She reaches out for his morning stiffened length.

Calvin grabs her hand before she touches him and counts to ten again. "Answer me truthfully, Stephanie. At this moment, do you wish to to any of those things?"

She glares at him. "No, but.."

"No buts. If you aren't willing, I don't want it."

"I'll do it."

"This is not a duty. I am not your Alpha nor your mate."

She looked at him. "They all do it."

"Talk to them. Others do these things because they enjoy the activity or because they get satisfaction from pleasing their partner. Your less-than-enthusiastic offer has me disinclined to accept anything from you." He swings his legs off the side of the bed and stands, distancing himself from her.

"Would you have breakfast or do you need to return?"

She looked at his back. He was rejecting her.

"I want to go home."

He closes his eyes and shakes his head slightly. "Of course you do."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Everything. I'll have a car take you home."

She sits in the back seat, arms crossed, a low rumble emanating from her throat for the whole drive.

***

Erich and Madeline were found humping in various places out of doors. They actually ended up on the small stone patio near the bench where he had first seen her.

Simon had Hannah prepare a tray to leave for them. She stared briefly, mouth open, as Madeline sat on her mate's thighs, facing away from him. He had one hand on one of her breasts and the other between her legs.

The platter held rare slices of meat, cheeses, protein shakes, milk, water, breads slathered with butter, sweet pastries. It was a basic starter platter.

Couples, and especially the females, developed some fairly specific preferences during a mating cycle. They would be testing things to see what Madeline needed. Some females, like Anna, favored things on the sweet side, others, like May, favored salty. With a standard estrus of 3-5 days, they had time to test several things.

Simone had files, checked periodically by Natalie and Wade, on all the mated females. Their health was paramount as they sustained the next generation.

First estrus could come any time within the first year of mating. The average was 3-6 months. Madeline was well within the average range.

Emmett and Lyssa picked up some of their duties in the meantime, as the others did when they were unable.

As part of Mercy's training, Lyssa left a trail for her to follow, rounding one of the large rocks several times, then leaping up onto it. After a couple of circuits and a moment of confusion, Mercy reasoned out where Lyssa was.

Expecting her to come from the direction she had, Lyssa was startled when someone leapt up behind her and nipped her tail before racing off. As Lyssa yipped, Emmett's send came through. [Good, Mercy. Very good.]

Lyssa leapt back down and flicked her tail. [Ow. That hurt.]

[You need to be aware when someone's stalking you. She shouldn't have been able to surprise you like that.]

[Well, sure, she's only been a wolf like twelve years more than me.]

Emmett stopped and licked her forehead. [We've been concentrating on your fighting. You've picked up the nose and ears with the change but you still could stand to learn more about evasive tactics, running and hiding, and some basic tracking. You're right, we learn most of this as pups. We should work on those things.] He gives her a wolfish grin. [Especially if we start taking females on the full moon hunts.]

She skitters a little. [Really?]

[Randall's considering it.]

Lyssa flicks her tail again. [I gotta go meet with Thomas.]

It comes out as a growl. [Why?]

Lyssa barks a laugh. [You silly, jealous, lump. He's smitten with a female. A woman. Human. We're working on a way to have him meet her and ask her out. I'm tutoring human dating rituals.]

Emmett wuffles in her ear, then snorts. [Serves him right.]

She turns, nips him on the rump, and takes off.

***

Stephanie was cranky, snarling at everyone, talking to no one.

She didn't go to the Ross den that night, nor the next. Most of the others gave her a wide berth.

Ariel found her in the weight room viciously pummeling the punching bag. Emmaline had begun shadowing her and was sitting and watching, occasionally yapping at a more solid punch.

"Stephanie, I wish to have a sparring session. Assist me."

Stephanie turns, dropping her arms and huffing out a breath. "As you wish, Madam Alpha."

As Emmaline starts to tag along, Ariel says, "Emmy, go to your mother."

A little whine and she walks away.

As they approach the circle, Justin and Jamie are circling each other, tense, growling. Justin leaps at his twin and they roll. Coming apart, they notice Ariel approaching and, harrying each other, relinquish the circle to their Madam Alpha.

Stephanie enters the circle, rolling her shoulders. Ariel enters and immediately goes on the offensive, attacking Stephanie, quickly taking her off balance. Bowled over, Stephanie recovers quickly and the fight begins in earnest. Snapping, separating, feinting.

Stephanie is good but Ariel is better and Stephanie's mind isn't exactly on the fight. After a relatively short bout, she pins Stephanie to the ground, jaws around her throat. [I submit.]

[Stephanie, why are you here?]

[You asked me to spar with you.]

[Too literal, Stephanie. Why are you here?]

[I live here.]

[Try again. What happened with Calvin?] Stephanie fidgets, still on the ground. Ariel releases her and steps back. [Why are you upset? What did he do?]

Ariel had a good idea but couldn't understand why she was acting as she was. [Did it feel good?]

[I don't know.]

Ariel turns human, gesturing to Stephanie to do the same. "Intercourse?" Stephanie shakes her head. "Fingers?"

"No."

Ah, the tongue then. "Did he bring you to completion?" Stephanie looks confused. "I'm assuming he gave you an orgasm."

"He said so."

"And then what?"

"I was tired. We slept."

"And, so, something happened the next morning."

"He rejected me."

Ariel sputters. "I find that hard to believe." She looks at the other female. "Provide me with some detail with respect to what happened in the morning."

"He had done me the night before. So I was going to let him.."

"Let him? What, how did you offer?"

Stephanie ground her teeth. She didn't want to talk about this. She was pretty sure none of the others had this kind of examination of their activities. But, her Madam Alpha had asked. "I got on my hands and knees and told him to go ahead. When he didn't seem to want that I turned around so I could suck his dick. And he stopped me before I got to him."

Stymied, Ariel is at a loss for words. Stephanie exhales, "May I go, Madam Alpha?"

[No.] The send is firm, commanding. Stephanie plants her feet, looking at the redheaded wolf.

Eyes blazing with anger look back at her. [You selfish female...] Ariel starts as a growl rises in Stephanie's chest. [He gives you a gift, a treasure, and that was your response?]

[I don't understand. I was going to let him..]

[Quiet!] The growl continues at Ariel's reprimand and Stephanie drops back to wolven form. [You saw it as a chore, a duty. He did not. He wanted to bring you pleasure, to make you feel good and felt pride and joy in that. Would you have been happy if he had taken what you offered?]

[No.]

[And there is the difference, Stephanie. He gave willingly, you offered from a sense of obligation. Would you take that which was not freely given?]

[If I wanted it bad enough.]

[Go. Think. Reflect on his motives, and yours. Truthfully.] "You are relieved of your duties for the next 24 hours. Go to the male's retreat and remain there until tomorrow's dinner." Stephanie stands there, not understanding. "Go. Now."

Stephanie huffs, turns, and begins walking away.

[Lyssa, please inform the pack members to avoid the male's retreat for the next 24 hours.]

[Of course, Madam Alpha.]

Ariel consulted with her mate and Randall debates calling Calvin. But, as he had not called to ask after Stephanie, he refrains. Had he broken off, given up, after so many weeks?

She then leaves to talk to Simon. Joanna and Nathan were coming for a visit.

***

Stephanie had arrived at the male's retreat. It was a smallish cabin of three rooms, two bedrooms with bunks and a living room/kitchen. A porch wrapped around two sides. It was tucked into the edge of some trees, oaks, maple, beech. A small rivulet ran nearby.

She sat and looked around. While all the pack knew where it was, it was really only the males who came here. It was for bachelor outings whose frequency was dependent upon the mood of the males.

She was uncomfortable here and had no idea of what she should be doing. She paced around, the area thick with scent. Trees marked with scent. Tufts of fur caught in branches and bark.

What was she supposed to do here? Think. Think about what Calvin had done. She didn't want to do that.

She didn't have sweep to run. There was no exercise room, no one to spar with. She could go for a run, try hunting down dinner.

And then what?

She supposed she could go inside and find out what was there.

Shifting, she unlatched the door and stepped inside. And was hit with the smell of food. Meat cooked long ago. Onions, mushrooms, roasted potatoes. There would be food here; the cabin was regularly stocked. And she suddenly realized, she had not made her own meal, except for the occasional rabbit or small deer, in years.

As she searched the cupboards, the smell of pack males was there.

Canned foods, dried foods, frozen meats. Hmm.

And, so, she gathered things together and began to create a once-favored meal.

***

Joanna and Nathan were sitting in a smaller room, eating and visiting with her parents, Roland, and Lyssa and Emmett.

The males lightly teasing Nathan and the females noting Jo's glow.

[Mating suits you, Jo.]

[Nathan suits me, Lyssa. Where's Madeline and Erich?]

[She's in her first heat.]

Joanna smiles, looking just a little scared. First heats could be tricky, but especially so for a mated couple who were apart as often as they were. Nathan's job had him gone up to 10 hours a day.

They talked about Nathan's family, the few new things at Wyeth.

[Has anyone seen Emmaline?] The question is worried, starting toward frantic.

That got everyone's attention. Ariel waited 3 seconds and, hearing no response, calls out [Who last saw her?]

Randall said, "So, Erich is indisposed. Who's our best tracker?"

"At this point between Justin and Mercy, I'd say Mercy."

[Mercy, to the back deck, please.] Emmett, please organize a search of the den and outbuildings. We'll see if she's gone outside somewhere."

"Of course, Alpha."

As Cassie, Samuel, Randall, Ariel, and Roland approached the back deck, Mercy was pacing and twitching with nervousness. Cassie and Samuel are also twitching with nervousness, as well as fear for their daughter.

"Mercy, I want you to find Emmaline." The small, brindled wolf barks and puts her nose down. She starts rounding the den. The others follow closely. A yelp from Mercy indicates a fresh trail and she casts about slightly before heading out into the range.

[Who's with her?] Samuel asks, wanting to know what's happening.

Mercy pauses. [No one.]

Cassie asks, [She's gone off by herself?]

Mercy stops again. [I think she's following Stephanie.]

Ariel says, [Everyone stop.]. The six wolves halt. [We're headed straight for the males' retreat. Emmaline has been following her around lately and has followed her to the retreat.] She turns to the parents. [I beg your indulgence.] The two wolves blink at her. [Cassie, I will not override a mother's wish for her little one's safety but your daughter has followed and is with one of our better warriors. I would like to see how Stephanie responds. If you feel you cannot stand to have her away from you for a few hours, go, and fetch her now. But, as I said, I would like to see what Stephanie does.]

Cassie whines and skitters. [She's not a mother. She won't know what to do.]

[Then, Cassie, go collect your daughter.] Cassie and Samuel take off and Mercy starts after them. [Mercy. You're done. Back to the den.]

Mercy hangs her head and trots back to the house, followed by the Alpha pair and Alpha heir.

***

Stephanie is startled by scratching at the door and a small yip, asking to be let in.

She opens the door to the small dark fluffball that is Samuel and Cassie's firstborn. "Emmaline, what are you doing here? Your parents will be worried."

Emmaline whines and prances a bit. Stephanie picks her up and carries her inside. As small as she was, it would have taken her a long time to walk this far. Young pups generally barely made it a few hundred yards from the den. Emmaline was quickly turning out to be an independent, inquisitive pup and had developed a fascination for Stephanie.

Stephanie looked at her dinner, meatballs, big ones, with a mound of spaghetti, and at the pup in her arms. Dinner that was cooling as she tried to figure out what to do next.

Well, she could eat while she thought about what to do. So, she sat, with Emmaline in her lap and dug into the food, groaning around the first mouthful. She hadn't had spaghetti and meatballs in forever.

Emmaline was obviously tired but interested in the food. While she sniffed and took a small, delicate lick of the sauce, it didn't suit her. She ate a little of the meatball but, only having milk teeth, had trouble chewing and swallowing it.

Stephanie rose, pup in her arms, and looked through the cabinets again. In the back of the pantry, she found a can of evaporated milk. While not wholly suitable for young wolf pup, it would serve until Stephanie could get her back to her mother. So, she sat, dipping a finger in the evaporated milk so Emmaline could suck it off her finger and clumsily eating her own meal with her non-dominant hand.

Alright, the Alpha female had told her to remain here and think, but she had not thought that the pup would follow her. Cassie and Samuel would be searching for her. And, so, in defiance of her Alpha's order, she would bring the pup back to her mother. And then return.

Emmaline fell asleep in her lap as Stephanie finished eating. Stroking the softness of the pup's fur, Stephanie smiles a bit and says, "OK, sweetling, let's get you home."

Two racing wolves yelp and skid to a stop as they encounter a brown wolfwoman striding toward the den.

[Stephanie. Emmaline...]

Stephanie loosens her arms, to show the little one she had been tightly holding, to keep her warm. [Fine. Tired. She took a little milk and fell asleep.]

Cassie quickly shifts to take her daughter from Stephanie's arms. "Thank you, Stephanie. I've never been so scared. Oh, sweetie..."

Emmaline whimpers and fusses at the transfer, then yawns as she settles into her mother's arms.

Samuel looks over his daughter, then Stephanie. "Thank you for seeing our daughter safe."

"Of course."

Stephanie watches the new family head back to the den. She stood for a few moments, took a deep breath, and returned to the retreat.

The visit with Nathan and Joanna continues happily after the news of Emmaline's safety arrives at the den. Randall asks after Severn pack and about Aaron's schedule, expressing an interest in meeting with him.

Stephanie sat in the cabin, staring at the wall, thinking of not thinking.

She smiled as she thought of Emmaline and the handful she was going to be. The sight of her, with her parents, on the way back to the den.

Then, a flash of Calvin between her legs. And the feeling. The feeling of his tongue. The wetness between her legs. Her tits, her nipples.

She had moaned, she had. And, and, pushed her hips toward him. And something gushed from her.

She had felt relief, overwhelmed. And she didn't know what to think.

And he had smiled at her, triumphant. She knew triumphant. He had been pleased. And she had felt, had felt what?

She blinked. She came back to the present feeling something weird low down in her belly. Concentrating on the strange feeling, she reaches down. Wet. Sticky. Between her legs. Like when he had touched her.

But why now?

Because she was thinking of him? About what he'd done?

She had meant to give him something back, something all males seemed to want. But he was right, her offer had been halfhearted. She didn't like the idea but felt she owed him. And he had rejected her.

So she thought, about the mated pairs, even those who were only courting. Sex loomed large in the process. And it was true, the females seemed to enjoy it as much as the males.

Did she enjoy what Calvin had done?

She didn't not enjoy it. Some parts felt good. But the orgasm itself. It was the strangest feeling and she wasn't sure how she felt about it.

Would she do it again?

And she realized - yes.

Stephanie had not slept well since. Even worse, Calvin had not called, not sent a car, not come to visit.

Nothing. No word of any kind. Not a flower, not a note.

He was apparently done with her and she found that made her sad.

What should she do? What could she do?

Should she do anything at all?

She yawns and wanders into one of the two bunkrooms and is greeted by the sight of tits and pussies.

Tacked to the walls were some pages from some pornographic magazines.

Pictures of a female bent over, showing off her cunt. A set of boobs, with hoops in the nipples. A dick in her mouth, milky white drooling from her lips. A male fucking a female hanging from some straps. The male smell was intense here.

Sick.

She went to the other room. Another couple of pictures of naked females but not so bad as the other room.

She crawled into a lower bunk, rolled up into a blanket, and promptly fell asleep.

***

Morning came and Madeline's heat ended.

Madeline looked mildly embarrassed at breakfast as Simon brought heaping platters of meats and pancakes. Both she and Erich looked a little worse for wear, but dug in.

Natalie came over to check on them. "After breakfast, bed for both of you. A minimum of eight hours."

Erich nods, bleary-eyed. Most of the mated males smile knowingly.

***

Calvin was in his office when Sampson tells him Erica wanted to speak to him. Calvin looked to his Beta and nodded.

Erica came in and closed the door. Calvin looked up when he heard the latch click home. "What can I do for you, Erica?"

"She's gone," Erica says as she glides closer.

He narrows his eyes at her as she gets closer. "Excuse me?"

She trails her fingers over the edge of the desk as she rounds it. "That cold bitch is gone." She runs those fingers down to his thigh.

He sits, flabbergasted. That is, until she drops into his lap. "Erica. Get out."

She wiggles in his lap, wraps her arms around his neck and nuzzles along the edge of his chin. "Erica, I've got Alpha candidates coming in, this won't get you anywhere." He tries untangling her arms in a prelude to removing her from his lap. "Stop."