Remembrance of Things Past Ch. 02

The Betas trotted in behind the Alpha, dragging their kills. While their leader was a rich chocolate brown, most of the Baxter Pack were solid black or dark gray. A lone blonde male followed closely behind, not sure what was expected of him tonight. His dark brown eyes lingered on his little rabbit, a vision in green, standing just feet away from him.

Colleen watched as her parents met at the edge of the clearing, the elegant blonde wolf with the sky blue eyes approaching her mate, gently licking the blood from his muzzle, telling the pack she was proud of her wonderful Alpha male. They sat together at the edge of the clearing, and the Alpha nodded his big shaggy head at the blonde male.

Tom shifted, his body streaked in dust and blood. He saw only Colleen, her long blonde hair flowing over her shoulders, the green gown hugging every curve, clinging to her like a second skin. He felt his wolf urging him forward, eager to make her theirs. If he saw the pack surrounding them, his five pack-mates standing nearby, he gave no hint. He had eyes only for the female standing before him, waiting for him.

As she watched his approach, Colleen's mind wandered to the last two weeks. She'd not had any time alone with her soon-to-be mate. They had not even touched since the night her father had placed her trembling hands into Tom's steady ones. And now they were to mate in front of the whole pack.

All will be well.

Easy for her wolf to think. She hadn't been with her all this time. She didn't know everyone watching them.

I have always been with you. And now our mate will be with us always.

Colleen didn't have time for her wolf's comment to register before Tom was standing in front of her. She didn't even notice the movement around her when her sisters retreated. She saw only Tom, her mate, and felt a sudden calm wash over her. All was as it was meant to be. Her wolf's words made more sense to her now.

Tom looked into her blue eyes, the color of the sky, and was lost forever. Never would he look upon another female with anything close to the feelings he held for his little rabbit, his Colleen, right now. He felt a shock as his hand gently reached up and touched her face. The scent of her, the feel of her... nothing existed except her.

Colleen leaned into his hand, wanting nothing but to be near him. No one was in her world but Tom. At this moment she couldn't care less about the eyes following their every move. She had never imagined what a kiss would feel like, but when his lips touched hers in a tentative, gentle kiss, she felt her heart leap in her chest. At that very moment, her human half fell in love. This was what it meant to be a Werewolf. Your wolf showed you the way to your one true love.

Tom couldn't stop his hands from moving across her soft skin. He wanted to feel every inch of her, and marveled that she was his. He found the clasps at the back of her dress and slowly undid them, taking his time, but at the same time, impatient to rid her of the clingy fabric. He watched the gown slide off her shoulders and pool at her feet, realizing he hadn't taken a breath as her perfect body was exposed to him for the first time.

So beautiful. And she is ours!

Colleen breathed deeply, trying to keep herself from rushing into his arms, waiting for him to say, to do something, but he just stared. She bit her lip and looked at the ground. Was he displeased?

His hands drew her face up so he could gaze into her amazingly blue eyes. "No, Colleen, never look away from me. You are everything I have ever wanted. I was meant to come here and find you. I'm sure the Ancestors sent me this way for just this purpose. I vow this very night that I will protect you and any cubs we bring into this world, 'til the end of my days on this earth. You are my life, Colleen." He leaned forward and captured her lips in their first torrid kiss, his arms wrapping around her body, holding her close, feeling her heart pounding through her chest.

Once his lips left hers, they never stopped moving across her skin, along her jaw, down her neck, between the valley of her breasts. His hands reverently touched her bare breasts for the first time, marveling at the weight and the soft feel of them. He could not resist and bent down to lap at one stiff nipple, pulling it into his mouth to suck, until the moment was right, and then he bit down just enough until he heard her moans of pleasure. His fingers worked her other nipple, bringing it to a hard point for him to suckle.

Her hands moved to his hair, stroking his head as he showed her what pleasure could come from love. She moaned as he touched her, licked, sucked and bit at her body. He went to his knees in front of her, his hands reaching between her legs and parting her nether lips, opening her body to him.

Tom could smell her arousal and inhaled deeply, letting it fill his mind, inflaming his wolf further, but he did not allow him forward yet.No, she is not one of those little pack sluts that chases after the Alpha's son. She is ours, she is special, and... she is a virgin. So we go slowly!

Colleen felt a warmth flowing through her veins she'd never felt before as her Tom flicked his tongue between her folds. Her knees went weak, and though she didn't know how, he had lowered her to the ground, tenderly placing her on the small patch of grass. He had pulled her legs over his shoulders as his tongue lapped at the fluids that flowed from her at an ever-increasing pace. Her hands grasped at the ground, her head tossing from side to side as she felt something building. What it was she didn't know, but knew there was more to come. Her hips lifted to her mate's mouth, his tongue expertly exploring her depths.

Tom was pleasantly surprised by Colleen's enthusiasm and buried his face in her sex. He felt the tension building in her body as he caressed the well-developed muscles of her thighs. He doubled his efforts, his tongue gliding along her swollen flesh, the taste of her flooding his brain. His wolf fought against the human for control, but Tom held fast, wanting to be the one to bring their mate to her first orgasm. When he heard her cries of pleasure and tasted a fresh rush of her fluids, he slowly backed away, his tongue still flicking along her fair skin, feeling the fading twitches of her spasming muscles. He kissed his way back up her body, taking his time, and was startled by the feral look in his love's blue eyes as she gazed back at him, licking her red lips. He was finally content to let his wolf take control.

Colleen lay back, trying to catch her breath, her pulse jumping in her throat, feeling a new urge within her. She knew what was expected of her, to mate with the wolf that now stood in front of her, his tongue hanging, Tom's dark brown eyes watching her intently. She smiled and sat up, reaching for the wolf to come to her. The blonde wrapped her arms around the wolf's muscular neck and buried her nose in his thick fur. She whispered so only he could hear, "I'm ready for ye, Tom. I want to be yers forever."

The couple was oblivious to the pack that surrounded them. They didn't see the Alpha and his mate as they leaned into each other, basking in the knowledge that their eldest child would be well mated and take her rightful place in a Werewolf pack. She was not destined to life as a human. No one but his mate saw the tears fall from the big chocolate wolf's eyes.

Colleen rolled over onto her hands and knees, spreading her legs and preparing herself for her mate. She glanced over her shoulder at the big blonde wolf watching her intently, smiled, and wiggled her hips in invitation. She wasn't disappointed when he moved forward, his nose probing her weeping sex, licking tenderly, remembering his human half's admonition to be gentle. But she was ready, and so was he, his hard cock a testament to their mutual desire.

The blonde male slid his tongue along her haunches, pulling himself away from her sweet nectar and lifting himself to cover her back with his body. His hard cock felt for her entrance, eventually finding his target and surging forward, feeling her tight sheath like a glove on his throbbing member. But the wolf was puzzled. There was a barrier. He held her hips with his large paws and pushed, hearing a painful squeal from the female beneath him.

She is a virgin. It is our duty and pleasure to open her entrance. And no other shall touch her.

The wolf was pleased that their mate would never know the touch of another male. She was theirs forever tonight. He drove his cock in with a mighty thrust. He felt the barrier give way and his mate scream out in pain, but her pleasure followed closely as she was filled for the first time. His tongue reached out to taste her skin and calm her trembling.

"I am alright, Tom, really." Colleen's voice was tremulous, the slight moment of pain gone and replaced by the urgent need to mate. She pushed back against him, his cock now fully encased inside her body. She could feel the throbbing, hard flesh deep within herself and knew there would be more. She braced herself as the big blonde wolf began to thrust, slowly at first, then faster and stronger until he was pounding into her freshly torn flesh. Her small cries of pain were gone, only her cries of longing and pleasure heard over his loud grunts.

The wolf felt his knot grow and pushed forward steadily, forcing the large knob to stretch his mate's entrance. Colleen gasped at the sudden intrusion, but by the time it was well seated, she felt the pleasure from the added pressure. Tom's thrusts were shorter but more frantic as he neared completion and leaned forward across his beloved's back to grasp her neck in his strong jaws. He could feel the pulse jumping in her throat and as he felt her body jerk and spasm in her second climax, he bit down, feeling his teeth pierce her tender flesh, her blood flowing into his mouth. Colleen's scream cut through the silence surrounding them as she cried out her pleasure. Her body convulsed underneath him and he held tight to her neck until her screams had died down to moans of pure delight and satisfaction. Tom continued to thrust, his seed flooding her womb, his teeth still buried in her delicate throat.

The couple lay together on their sides in the grass, the large wolf still filling the slender human form of his mate. Her body still trembled; with the occasional spasm of a muscle. The wolf's long tongue lazily stroked his beloved's back, waiting for her to recover and for his knot to recede. He knew her pack was waiting to see if her wolf would come forward tonight. Whether she did or not didn't matter. She was his now. He felt his knot shrink and his cock slide out of her stretched hole. His forelegs tightened around her body, not willing to let her slip away just yet.

Sleep now. It is my turn to be with our mate. I have waited patiently to awaken. I will be patient no more.

Colleen could almost see herself inside her head, passing the blonde wolf who trotted to the front of their shared soul. She gave her body over fully to her lupine half, willingly giving up control for the first time in her twenty-eight years. For years she had watched with fascination as the cubs learned to share their bodies with their other halves. It seemed something they needed to practice, to learn. But now, she was going to shift for the first time. Would she be able to?

Of course.

Colleen could feel Tom's soft fur against her back and begrudgingly rolled away from him, lifting herself to her hands and knees. Suddenly the world looked different. The ground seemed so much closer, and she felt it with all four feet, not just two. She looked to her parents, and instead of having to look down towards the two wolves, she saw them straight ahead of her. The pride on their faces was obvious to her. She moved her head to look at her new mate. The look of love in his dark eyes was unmistakable.

You are so beautiful, little rabbit.

The female wolf moved forward slowly, stretching her neck out and flicking her tongue across the wet nose of her male, her mate. She took a few steps, trying out her new limbs. She felt an incredible energy!I need to run.

The two wolves ran through the clearing, the female so much smaller than her new mate. But they made a striking pair as the two blonde wolves ran side by side into the desert.

Colleen's heart sang as she ran beside Tom and heard her parents' words in her head.

We're so proud of ye, Colleen. So proud!

This was a good omen for the Baxter pack. The Alpha's eldest had found her wolf.

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2025 - Elko, Nevada

"C'mon, Hope. I don't have all day ya know!" Jason waited impatiently for his cousin to get a move on. The doctors had been poking and prodding him all week, taking samples, doing their tests. He was ready to get away, and he really wanted some time alone with Hope. They hadn't had any time alone to talk yet, and she was the only person he felt he could tell everything to. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, his head laid back and eyes closed. He didn't notice the pack members who walked by, smiling at him. He didn't know they commented among themselves how much Zsigmond's grandson looked like him.

Hope was skipping as she left her father's office. She loved sitting there while he did whatever it was an alpha did. She just liked being around him, surrounded by his scent. He always made her giggle when he'd stare at her across the desk and ask her if she didn't really want to be out playing instead of hanging out with her ancient father. She'd shake her head, her long red pigtails flying. Maybe it was the knowledge he had never known her older sister, Mariska, that made her want to spend every possible moment with him she could. Hope's mother frequently commented that she thought Hope was Mariska reincarnated. Orsolya would call Hope an old soul, shake her head, and walk away. But right now Hope knew her cousin was waiting for her, and she couldn't wait to find out what it was he was so anxious to talk about.

She found her cousin standing against the wall near the front door, his eyes still closed. Hope grabbed his hand as she skipped by, dragging him through the doorway. The passing Betas got a good laugh as the tall gangly boy tripped while he trailed along behind the little redhead.

Hope ran, giggling, as Jason struggled to stay up with her. She figured that the sooner she tired him out, the sooner he'd say what it was that was bothering him. She finally stopped underneath a tree, looking up at the tree house the Baxter boys were so proud of. They didn't let girls in their tree house. But she had plans about that. She waited patiently for Jason to catch up.

Jason gasped for breath. No way was he going to let his little cousin leave him that far behind. One thing he loved about Hope was that she didn't coddle him the way the adults did, and didn't act like nothing was different about him, like the boys. She was just Hope, straightforward and truthful, always, even when it hurt. He kind of liked that.

Once he'd caught up to her, he saw the glint in her eyes and her glances up into the top of the tree. "Don't you dare! The guys don't want girls up there. It's their tree house!" Jason knew where the boys hid the ladder that led to the rungs nailed in midway up the tree trunk. But he wasn't going to talk, no matter what. He'd made a promise.

Hope pursed her lips and crossed her arms, the usual Hope way of saying she didn't care. She kept looking up, her brow furrowed as she thought things out.

Jason studied his cousin's face and knew he was in for trouble. "What are you planning? Please, don't do anything that's gonna get the guys mad at me. They don't even want any of you girls to know where the tree house is."

Hope burst out in laughter. "Well, they're out of luck then. We've known since they built the silly thing." Hope thought back to how secretive the boys had been while they planned their tree house, hoarding supplies and trying to sneak them out here. All of the girls knew exactly what they were doing and where. They'd even spied on them a few times. But none had ventured into the trees, yet.

"I can do what I want. I'm an alpha's daughter, aren't I? What are they going to do? Spank me? Send me to bed without supper?" She grinned ear to ear and shook off her sweats, shifting quickly into a small, lithe panther. Her red coat glistened in the sunlight, and her pale green eyes sparkled with mischief. Out of all the cubs born to the Vlkolak females, she was the only panther. Even Jenna's cub was a wolf. The doctors had said it was just genetic chance.

"Please, Hope, don't do it. For me?" Jason pleaded with her until he watched with amazement as she leapt into the air, her claws digging into the bark of the tree about six feet up. She carefully made her way up the tree one clawhold at a time, until she reached the wooden slats they had attached to the trunk.

Jason gave up. What difference did it make now if he got the ladder? She was already up. He grabbed it from its hiding place and scurried up the tree in time to see the panther's tail switching back and forth as she climbed even higher than the tree house.

"Hope, please, come back down here. Don't go to the top of the tree!" All he could see were two glowing pale green orbs looking down at him through the needle-like leaves. He imagined he could see the smile on her face and her whiskers twitching with excitement.

Jason strained to see her red coat in the dense foliage, but saw only the swaying of the uppermost branches. "Hope, you're going too high. The branches can't hold your weight! Please, come back down." He could barely make out the tip of her tail as it flicked from side to side.

Hope gazed at the valley floor with amazement. The view from up here was spectacular! Oh she wished she could share it with Jason. The breeze felt so good ruffling her coat. Her head jerked up when the blackbirds starting dive-bombing her.I must be too close to their nests.She snarled, trying to scare them away but there seemed to be even more of them swarming around her. She snapped her jaws at them, not trying to hurt them, just to get them to scatter, but it was no use.

Jason heard the growls coming from his cousin high up in the branches of the tree. And he could see the accumulated birds swarming around something. Were they attacking Hope the same way they had the red-tail hawk? "Hope, come down!" What was that sound? Cracking wood? Jason watched in horror as the little panther tumbled forty-five feet to the ground, her body contorting in a panic, trying to right herself to land on her feet. "HOPE!!!" He heard his voice echoing like he was in some bizarre dream. It almost was like time slowed down as her body landed with a loud thud.

Jason scrambled as quickly as he could down the ladder to the base of the tree where his cousin lay, so still. He knelt next to her head, his hand gently touching the top of her head. "Hope? Hope, can you hear me?" He watched for some kind of movement, but could barely make out the rise and fall of her chest. Small drops of water fell onto the red fur, but he didn't realize they were his tears until he looked up at the clear sky. "Hope!" His voice cracked as he gently shook her. "Hope, please wake up!" He suddenly noticed a spreading pool of dark red, coming from underneath the still form of his little cousin. He lifted her shoulders just a bit and gasped when he saw the tree branch that had pierced her chest. His hands shook as he let her back down.I shouldn't move her.

He leaned back, the tears streaming down his cheeks. He could never make it the two miles back to the compound in time. And he couldn't just leave her here alone to die! His head fell back and he screamed into the sunlit sky. "HELP!" Jason prayed to the Ancestors that someone, anyone was nearby and could hear him.