Dominant Species Ch. 12-16

"Twilight is a story, this is real, my love. Derek and I were born werewolves, we've been shifting between wolf and human form since we were babies."

"Bullshit." She looked around. "You guys are hiding something."

Josi looked at Marcus. "You mind showing her?" He nodded and stood up, pulling off his shirt. He stayed in the light but turned around as he dropped his shorts.

"What the..." Britney covered her eyes.

"No, watch." Josi pulled her hands down from her face. "It's nothing to be afraid of. These men saved us, they won't hurt you. Just relax and watch."

Marcus bent forward at the waist as he let the change overtake him. His bones popped and shifted, fur sprouted all over his body, and he dropped onto what were now paws. She watched as his artificial leg fell off when his leg lengthened and changed, finally his jaw and face shifted into wolf form and a huge three-legged wolf turned to greet her. Britney was catching flies again, so Josi called him over and he licked her face before she hugged his neck.

"See? Nobody would lie about this. They really are werewolves, they showed up last night while the two of you were out. You rode on Eric's back here, and I got to ride on Doc. It's so cool..."

Britney still wasn't reacting, so Eric got up and sat behind her on the cot, his back leaning against the wall. He pulled her back until she was leaning against his chest, and he held her until she relaxed into him. "Maybe we need to back up a little. Some of the stuff you read about werewolves is based in fact. We do shift back and forth to wolf form, but it doesn't matter what the moon phase is, we can do it when we want. We aren't bloodthirsty beasts, we're just like you- except we have another form. Another difference is that we mate for life."

Derek picked it up. "The Moon Goddess provides each werewolf with a soul mate, someone who is meant to be theirs and to complete them. We find them by smell, as we hit puberty the smell of our mate is imprinted in our minds. Finding our mate is the most important thing in our lives, for only with our mate can we be whole, can we be truly happy, and only our mate can have our children."

Josi perked up. "So you can only impregnate your mate?"

"Actually, we can only have sex with our mate." The girls looked shocked. "The smell of our mate is linked in our minds with sexual arousal. No mate smell, no erection, no sex."

"So you're still..." Britney shifted nervously, the hot bar pressing into her lower back was distracting.

"Yes, I'm a virgin. My mate will be the one and only person I am with."

Britney sat up and turned on him. "LIAR! If what you say is true, why do you have this?" She pointed to his obvious arousal that was tenting his basketball shorts.

He blushed. "I didn't lie, I'd never lie to you. This... this is because of you. Because of your scent, as soon as I caught it my wolf was going nuts for you, demanding I find you. Because you, Britney, are my mate and I love you already and I'll do anything to keep you safe and happy."

She was catching flies again, her mouth slowly opening and closing as her brain tried to catch up. "And Derek?"

"I'm Bethany's mate." She looked down to see he was holding her hand tenderly.

"This is so weird." She looked closer at the man who was gazing upon her with such love. "I don't even know you, what if I don't like you?" In her mind there was an answer. "He's our mate, we will love him." She covered her mouth. "What the hell was that? Why am I hearing a voice in my head?"

Marcus smiled. "It's your wolf. She's part of you now, she will be your constant companion and help. What did she say?"

"That he's my mate and we will love him." She closed her eyes. "Don't I get a choice in any of this?"

"Of course, my love, you always have a choice. You can accept me and become my mate, or you can reject me and move on. As painful as that would be, I would have to respect your choice."

"Painful?"

"Yes, you see, the mate bond started when we first sensed each other, and when I bit you it became stronger. Breaking the bond is painful for both, and after the bond is fully... consummated by making love and biting each other during the act... after that, breaking the bond may result in death. It's that strong."

"Wait, so if we're not fully bonded yet, why did you bite me?"

Eric gave her a hug as Marcus picked it up. "You were dying. The damage was so extensive that you wouldn't have made it to morning. Their wolves knew this instinctively, and by biting you, they gave you a chance. The bite of a werewolf brings a transformation to the human, it changes your DNA and causes a number of physical changes, but the most important for you was it accelerated the healing process and helped your body repair the damage much faster than a human could. Last night, Britney, your internal organs were so damaged by the radiation you were bleeding into your stomach and your heart stopped. They got to you just in time." He looked around the area. "Do you see all these people? They were also humans, townspeople here in North Fork. These are all the survivors from yesterday, a town of two hundred now down to the Pack and a baker's dozen of human survivors. The only way they would survive was to be bitten, so they are going to change as well if they survive."

"So I'm becoming a wolf?"

"Yes, my love, you will live to be a wolf. A beautiful wolf, and we will run through the woods side by side and howl with joy to the moon."

--

Josi moved back to her cot, her loneliness hitting her hard. Looking back, Britney was now resting on Eric's chest. He had showed her how to communicate mentally and they were now having a very private and intimate conversation as they got to know each other. Meanwhile, Bethany was starting to shift in her sleep so Derek was holding her hand and stroking her face. She'd never felt like such a third wheel; they were all completely lost in each other.

She would have tried to go back to sleep, but Marcus sat on the edge of her cot while he put his artificial leg back on. "New mates... they are like this. They don't mean to ignore you, it just ends up that way."

Josi snorted. "How long does this last?"

"Weeks." Marcus finished with his prosthetic and straightened his leg out. "Your friends will be fine. The twins are good men, and will be great mates for them. And you know, it will only get more syrupy after they make the change. The good part is that with the mental bond between them, you don't have to listen to them."

"That's good." She looked over to the cot where the two lovers were tenderly kissing. Looking back, she changed the subject. "You were changed by your mate." He nodded. "What will happen as they turn?"

"Right now the infection is coursing through them and changing their DNA makeup. The advantage is that it has resulted in the rapid healing, in another twelve hours they should be completely healed. Then the fevers and the body aches will start."

"How bad are they?"

"They are really bad. The wolf nature is pushing forward, and the entire body is preparing for the first shift. That part lasts about two days, they will be delirious, in and out of consciousness. You think you are going to die, but you don't. Then on the third day the shift begins. It's incredible pain, the worst I've ever had, and you're all alone. You can't take drugs for it, you can't stand for anyone to touch you. The sound of your bones breaking and your body reforming is something you never forget, it's like gunfire in the back of your brain. They will be coached through it, encouraged by their mate and their new Pack. Eventually you complete the shift and the pain ends, but then the fun really starts."

"What fun?"

"Well, you now have a powerful wolf body, coursing with energy, but your wolf nature is forward and if you aren't grounded it can go bad. The horror stories about werewolves have a basis in fact; newly turned wolves can go feral and attack. The human part of the brain gets pushed aside, leaving only base instinct- and when you are hurt and frightened, the instinct is to lash out. That is why it is so important to have your mate or your Alpha around when you turn. It gives your wolf an anchor, something to hold onto through the pain and the change. With that help your wolf and human natures can merge, and you become a stable member. Your wolf is happy being in a structured environment; a mate helps but the wolf needs an Alpha too. It's how their brains are wired."

"So... the twins will be staying here then."

Marcus nodded. "Their place is here now, their mates and their Alpha are here. Are you all right with that?"

She looked at her hands. "They can make their own decisions, but when I look at Britney, she's never been this into a guy. Ever." Looking back up at him, she felt tears forming in her eyes. "Am I stuck her now too?"

"No, you aren't, but it isn't safe out there either. We will keep you safe if you let us, you are important to us. Same thing for Willow and Cheyenne. You can stay here if you want."

She shook her head side to side. "No, my mom... she dropped us off then went to visit a friend in Idaho Falls. She's probably worried sick about me. I know our families back in Pocatello will be going nuts as well. We need to get back to them."

"I'll talk to the Alpha later today. I need to get back to my family in Salmon, and my two escorts are no longer in play. Get some rest, all right?" He pulled the blanket over her and let her settle down again. Leaning down, he kissed her forehead. "See you in a few hours, partner." She smiled and soon her breathing evened out and she returned to sleep.

Marcus turned over the Bethany watch to Willow, as Eric had his mate ensconced in his arms. Returning to his cot, he removed his leg and tucked himself under the thin blanket. In combat, you learned quickly to get your sleep when you could so he was fast asleep in moments, dropping quickly into dream space. As always, his Rachel figured prominently in his dream.

He had awoken from the pain of his first shift, and the first thing he noticed was that his eyesight was far better than before. The room was dark, but it didn't matter as his wolf vision in his remaining eye worked well, the grays of his night vision clearly showing the furniture. He took in a deep breath, and the smells were overwhelming. It was like listening to an old AM radio, then suddenly being in a theater with surround sound. The layers and depths, he could make out every scent, his mind picking through them until he found the one that pulled him in. Fresh rain, Scotch pine and mint, his wolf rushed forward in recognition. "MATE!"

Rachel moved into his field of view, her hand stroking the brown fur on his shoulder. "You're beautiful, my love." Her left hand moved to the back of his head, scratching his ears as his mouth hung open and he started to wag his tail. The pain from the shift was now gone, and his body pulsed with new energy.

He looked down at his back legs, and his face fell as he saw that the left leg ended in a stump. He whined, causing her to move her face down closer. "The change can heal, but it can't create from nothing. You won't get your eye or your foot back, but that is all right. A three legged wolf can get around better than a two legged man."

"I was hoping," he thought to her. "I don't want you to feel like you got the wolf who can't run with you."

She pulled off her shirt, exposing her pert young breasts to him, then stood and removed her shorts. In their initial lovemaking he had caught her smell, but nothing like it was now. The room filled with the scent of her arousal. He sat up and stretched his nose towards her sex, his wolf tongue reaching out to lap the dew from the dark hairs that covered it. If he thought she smelled amazing, her taste was positively addicting.

He crept closer, causing her to jump slightly when his cold nose brushed her clit. He took a long lick, curling his tongue around her lips as she shivered in pleasure. He continued his assault, causing her knees to buckle as the sensations built rapidly. She grabbed the headboard with her left hand for strength as her right hand fisted in the short hairs on the back of his neck. When she leaned back, he curled his tongue, making it rigid, and pushed forward into her tight canal.

"FUUUUCK!" The first orgasm blindsided her, causing her muscles to lock up and her tunnel to grab on to his questing tongue. He didn't let up, in between spasms he pushed it even farther in then curled the top up to brush her g-spot.

She reached for the bed, lowering herself onto the pillow as his tongue continued to ravage her in the best possible way. She opened her legs wide as her hands on his neck urged him forward. He pulled his tongue out, lapping the free flowing juices from her until she relaxed, then he pushed his tongue back in.

Over and over he did this, his wolf and his human side both loving how much pleasure their mate was taking in his touch. He looked up, she was massaging her breasts and pinching her dark brown nipples as she moaned and told him not to stop.

He didn't. He dived back into her with gusto, his tongue flinging her juices in all directions as he built her up to a finish. "Oh god... so close... please..." He pulled out, then pushed his tongue into the dark star. She screamed as it went past her anal ring, and that was enough to light her rocket and send her into orbit. He had trouble staying in place as her hips bucked up, collapsed and bucked again while she screamed his name in pleasure. Finally, she pushed him away, begging him to stop because it was all becoming too much. He watched as she relaxed into the bed, quickly falling into a sated sleep.

He looked around his apartment, he could tell she had cleaned up while he was out for the change. He stood on the bed, learning quickly how to stand in wolf form. He walked up to her, licking her face she just moaned and went back to sleep so he jumped off. Working with three legs took some practice, and he fell a few times on the soft carpet until he figured out how to coordinate everything. He moved out to the kitchen and used his teeth to pull the refrigerator open.

She must have gone shopping, because there were packs of steak in the place he normally kept his beer and takeout leftovers. He sniffed the lot before selecting a large sirloin, grabbing it with his teeth he set it on the ground before nosing the fridge closed. He ripped the plastic wrap off with a paw, then held part down with it while his teeth ripped off a chunk. Steak had never tasted this good.

Once he was full, he went back to the bedroom and curled up with Rachel for a nap. She woke him an hour later, in wolf form. The gleam in her eye and her posture, butt up and front legs flat to the bed, told him she was ready to play. "Catch me if you can, Marcus." She leaped off the bed and nosed open the sliding door to the back deck, racing through the night towards the woods in back.

"You can run, but you can't hide, Rachel." He moved outside and howled to the quarter moon. "And when I find you, I'm going to pound you hard, then fill you with my knot until you pass out from pleasure."

"Promise?"

Five minutes later, his wolf had her trapped under his chest. His jaws gripped her neck, pushing her down until she stopped struggling. He gripped her rear legs with his front legs, pulling her backwards until the red head of his wolf cock aligned with her swollen sex.

He plunged forward, causing her to yip as bottomed out. He howled in triumph as he started to pound away at her. Soon, his knot formed at the base of his cock, and he held her tight as he slowly pushed it in. She whined in pain as he stretched her even wider, then she collapsed back down as it finally seated. His thrusts were shorter now, and the knot was doing its magic inside her. Every time it moved in she felt it massage her, and with each partial withdrawal it stimulated her G-spot. The sensations caused her to bounce from one orgasm to the next, until with a final thrust he pushed even farther before he started to fill her up. He lost control of his rear leg, and his knot pulled her to the ground with him.

--

Abigail's eyes remained wide open as her mind tried to process what she had just seen. That friendly dog wasn't really a dog. A dog wouldn't use a toilet and flush, couldn't wash her hands. The young girl had looked right at her before transforming into a wolf and going back to bed.

She was lying next to Autumn. Her daughter had a werewolf by her neck. Probably two, the brown one was probably a werewolf too.

She looked around, trying not to move her head or make noise. Rachel was asleep in her bunk, and in the other Tom was gently snoring, his head resting on the neck of the huge wolf. That must be the mother werewolf; she wondered if the two humans sleeping were really that or not. She had traded the horrors of human for the horrors of the inhuman. She was trapped, locked in a room with demon creatures that probably lost their humanity.

She had to get them out. As quietly as she could, she pushed the blanket back and sat up. She wanted her knife, anything for protection, but her backpack had been taken from her on the road. She looked around in the dim light of the oil lamp, until she saw it on the shelf. The butt of a pistol, left near the ladder. She moved slowly and quietly out of bed, padding across the room until she was able to pick it up.

She looked at it, a Colt 1911 Government .45 with tritium night sights. She held the pistol out, the three dots glowing in the darkness as she held it with practiced hands. Her husband had owned one and had taught her to shoot, she didn't like the recoil or the weight compared to his others but she was a good shot with it. She could tell it had been customized, the trigger was drilled to reduce weight and the handgrips were custom engraved.

She held the pistol with her right hand by her hip as she moved over to the bed her daughter was on. She debated what to do; she could probably get her out of bed without waking everyone up, but there was no way she would get across the room and up the ladder. She couldn't work the hatch and protect herself and her daughter at the same time.

She squeezed her hand on the pistol grips as she worked through the possibilities, and finally decided on a strategy to get out.

She put the cocked and locked pistol behind her back and pushed the slide between her jeans and her belt to hold it. Carefully moving the blanket aside, she got her hands under her daughter's shoulders and pulled her clear of the two werewolves. The black one growled and moved, but didn't wake up as Autumn's arm dragged across her neck. When she was clear of them, Abigail picked her up and set her on the floor next to the ladder.

She woke up as her mom put her hand over her mouth. "Quiet, Autumn. We are leaving now. I need you to keep your eyes closed and stay still until I come to get you. Can you do that?" She nodded and closed her eyes.

Abigail moved over to the bed where the big wolf slept with Tom. Her right hand went behind her back and brought out the pistol, while the left hand reached for the oil lamp. She positioned herself so all the humans and wolves in the room before turning the lamp up so she could see clearly. Then she knocked a few cans of food off the shelf and let the noise wake them up.

Tom sat up as his wife Mary rolled onto her stomach, growling as she looked around for the danger. Rachel also sat up, while the two youngsters moved under the covers but didn't look out. It only took a second for them to focus on Abigail holding the .45, both hands steadying her aim as her right thumb snapped the safety off.

Life and death now rode on a few ounces of pressure on the stainless steel trigger.