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The Hungry Wolf Ch. 01

By: wanderingmindgames



Hi! So, I write the same way I read -- more than one tale at a time. Have no fear, I am not done with "Bliss", but this one was just clamoring to get out, too. As well as a couple others.

Credit for the story title and teasers go to X -- it is their song "The Hungry Wolf" which lends itself to the tale

Thank you --

W

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"Dammit!" Charlie said as her car slowly came to a shuddering stop on the shoulder. "Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!" she yelled, pounding the steering wheel, trying to spend some of the adrenaline surging through her. She took deep breaths, letting them out slowly. She watched her hands as they slowly stopped shaking. She hit her hazards, unbuckled and got out of her little car, moving to the front passenger side and squatting to look at her now shredded tire.

"Dammit," she sighed, reaching out and slapping at a flap of rubber. She stood up again, wiping her hands on her cut-offs and walking to the back of her hatchback. She sighed again as she eyed the pile of her belongings in the back of her car. She would have to unload everything to get to the spare tire and jack. She looked around, hoping against hope that she would see a big orange '76' globe or giant yellow shell, but no such luck.

"Of course," she muttered to herself, opening the hatchback. "I'll take the scenic byways on my way to Oregon. And while I'm at it, I'll let my cell phone run out of minutes somewhere between Asscrack, Arizona and BFE, Washington. Brilliant fucking idea, Charlie," she grumbled as she started to unload the boxes and Rubbermaid containers, stacking them neatly on the side of the road.

She finally got the back cleared and pulled out the jack. She moved back to the blown tire, stopping to take off her sweatshirt and toss it on the passenger seat, leaving her in a black a-shirt and her shorts. The chill from that morning had left, and the day was already moving towards hot. She cut a curvy picture, full hips and breasts, proportioned waist, not fat but not skinny, giving the impression of softness. The kind of woman men looked at and wondered how it would feel to possess those curves, to fall into her softness one time.

She paused to put her long brown hair into a loose bun and then lay on the ground to seat the jack properly before lifting her car enough to change the tire. She straightened up, dusted herself off and walked back to get the tire iron. She saw a glint in the distance and shielded her eyes, but couldn't tell if it was a car on the road or just some odd heat-mirage.

She went back to the tire and seated the iron on the first lug nut. It came off without too much effort, and she was beginning to think this wouldn't be too bad. The second lug came off even easier, and Charlie believed her day was beginning to change for the better. The third lug decided that there was just no way Charlie was going to have things that easy. Oh no, it wanted Charlie to work for it. She tried using her legs, pushing down with her foot, but the lug wouldn't budge. She laid on the iron, trying to use her whole 160 pounds to loosen the lug nut, grunting so loudly with effort she didn't register the noise of the truck pulling up behind her, but the iron gave before the lug did, and she found herself on all fours in the gravel, with skinned knees and palms.

"Fucking fuckity fuck fucker!" she yelled, jumping up and shaking her stinging hands. She started pacing in front of her car, limping a little, looking at her hands.

"Need some help?" came an impossibly deep voice.

Charlie stopped and turned towards the speaker, her mouth and eyes wide O's of surprise at the sight of a big guy -- a really big guy -- leaning against a really big truck. "Where did you come from?" she asked.

"My home," he said simply. He still leaned on the truck and Charlie took her time looking him over, her face wary. He was tall -- almost a full foot taller than her than her five and half feet -- and broad in his shoulders and hips. He was big, too. Not fat at all, but not overly muscled -- the word that tantalized Charlie's mind was meaty -- with the look of overall fitness that came with regular physical labor. He was in jeans, a crisp looking button down white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, cowboy boots and what looked a lot to Charlie like a straw cowboy hat. "Did you need some help?"

"I can't get the third lug off," she said, indicating the stubborn nut.

"Blow out?"

"Yeah."

"Get the spare and I'll take care of the rest," he said, walking towards her.

"Um, really, cowboy, it's OK," she said, taking a step back. She was a city girl with that deep ingrained fear of strangers that seems to be second nature to all urban people. The fear radiated off her like radio waves.

"Cowboy?" he said, stopping and looking at her. He could smell her fear clearly, it hit him with its full acrid nastiness.

"Well, yeah," she moved her hands in an up and down motion at him, clearly gesturing to his boots and hat.

"I am not a cowboy," he said, sounding offended.

"No?"

"No."

"So you're...what...part of the Village People?"

"I'm a rancher." Charlie looked at him, liking that he didn't get pissy at her teasing.

"And that's different?" she asked, a small smile playing at her lips, making her look shy and sultry at the same time.

"Yes."

"So you don't ride horses and herd cattle?"

"I do. Of course I do."

"So...that's different from a cowboy because..." she teased, hands on her hips and smile widening on her face.

"It just is," he said. He couldn't keep from smiling back at her, and mirrored her stance, doing some friendly teasing himself.

"Alright, alright. I give." She held up her hands in supplication. She took a step back towards him. She didn't get a crazy vibe from him and his voice was oddly alluring to her. "I didn't get your name so I just kinda chose a nickname that seemed suitable."

"And 'cowboy' was the best you could do?"

"Well, yeah, on short knowledge, yeah," Charlie said a little defensively. "I mean, you are in boots and a big hat. If you'd walked up with a chess set I'd have called you chessboy or something."

He was still and quiet for a moment. "It's Damien," he said at last.

"Damien? Like the kid from the Omen?"

"I guess."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Charlotte -- but please call me Charlie," she said, taking another step towards him and holding out her hand.

He seemed to get startled by her offer and stiffened, his nostrils flaring, trying to scent her fear again and surprised to find it gone. He smiled -- white teeth showing through the shadow thrown by his hat -- his nostrils flaring again as he got his first tease of her true scent. Lavender and chamomile washed over him, and he could feel his wolf pushing to the front of his consciousness in glee, wanting to grab her and claim her instantly. He took her hand briefly before throwing it back at her, shocked at his wolf's reaction. Charlie looked at him, her head cocked a bit, a small smile playing on her lips.

"What?" Damien asked.

"You're an odd one, aren't you."

"No more than you."

Charlie seemed to think on that for a moment and gave a slight nod. "I'll get the spare." She moved past him to the back of her car. "Careful with that lug -- it's a bugger," she called to him, loosening the bolts that held the small tire down. She got it out and hefted it over to him, surprised to see the bad tire off the wheel and leaning against the fender.

"How did you get that done so quickly?" she huffed.

"It was easy," Damien replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Hmph," she said, picking up the flat and moving towards the back of her car. "I totally loosened it for you."

"Of course," he said, standing up and taking his hat off. Charlie got the first good look at his face and was happily stunned. His features were rugged. 100% male. He was what the Marlboro Man and Indiana Jones and GI Joe should look like. Dark hair in thick waves pulled back into a short ponytail, dark brows over dark eyes -- almost black eyes -- and high cheek bones. Nose perfectly proportioned. Lips that were full but not feminine. Beautiful, flawless skin made a healthy gold by being outdoors. He wasn't model material. He was better. He was man, gloriously man. "Did you happen to notice your spare is also flat?"

"What?" Charlie said, snapped out of her cataloguing of his face.

"Flat."

"Shit," she said, quietly. "Don't suppose there's a service station nearby?"

"There's Tony's, in town."

"Town?"

"Buck Creek. About 8 miles down the highway."

"8 miles?" she groaned. She looked at him closely. "Don't suppose you have a cell you could use to call them for a tow?"

"No service out here," he said, shaking his head and spreading his arms wide.

"Of course."

"Come on, let's pack up your stuff and I'll take you to town."

"Excuse me?"

"You don't want to leave your stuff on the side of the road, right?"

"Oh. Right." She watched him as he started to load her car back up, watching his ass for a moment before shaking her head and mentally berating herself. "Listen, I appreciate your help, but you don't have to do this."

"I'm heading that way." He stopped loading her car and looked at her.

"Yeah? Well, you could just stop by and send the wrecker out."

"Impossible," he said. He looked at her funny, as if she offended him by suggesting it. "I could not do so in good conscience."

"You're not like some creepy serial killer psychopath, are you?" she asked, moving the stuff in her car for maximum room.

"Will you believe me if I say no?" he asked her, surprised.

"Maybe. Maybe not. But I'd feel better about getting in a big truck with a big cow...sorry -- rancher."

"Well then, no, I'm not a serial killer." He started gathering the boxes and bins again, bringing them to her.

"Creepy serial killer psychopath," she corrected, working on fitting the stuff back in.

"Not one of those, either." He watched her for a minute, trying not to be too obvious in checking out her ass when she bent at the hips to lean in to her car. "What is all this stuff, anyway?"

"Everything I own." He snorted at that and she looked at him, hurt and embarrassment flashing briefly across her face, making Damien's chest constrict briefly. Then she just gave him a dazzling smile and laughed. "I know, right? Want to hear something funny? I was thinking when I loaded my car up before leaving Santa Fe that this is pretty pathetic for a 40 year old. I mean, to be able to get everything I own in to a Yaris? That's just sad. But when I had to dig through it all to get to the spare I was thinking I had way too much stuff." She laughed again, shaking her head, as he brought over the last of the bins. Damien watched her closely, wanting to pull her into his arms at the pain he heard underneath her laugh.

"It's not sad," he said instead, turning and picking up both flats to toss them in the back of his truck. He watched her close up the back of her car and then go sit in the front seat to get her stuff. She had one leg in and one leg out, and Damien let his eyes roam all over her exposed skin greedily, from her hip to her ankle and back again. He fought down an almost desperate urge to lick the back of her knee. He tore his gaze away from her leg and opened the passenger door of his truck, waiting for her.

"One sec," she said, standing back up again. She put her purse and keys on the top of her car and pulled the elastic out of her hair. She shook her hair out before brushing it quickly, and the smell of lavender and chamomile intensified and washed over Damien. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply as she tossed the brush back in her car and closed the door, using her fob to lock it.

She walked over and climbed up in to his truck and buckled up as he shut the door behind her. She couldn't believe she was doing this, getting in to a truck with a strange man, and she didn't feel at all nervous about it. Charlie watched him climb in, noticing again the difference in size between the two of them -- he didn't even need to use the step-up bar to get in -- and thinking she should feel at the very least uneasy. But she didn't. She looked at his hands on the steering wheel, noting the calluses and rough skin as a testament to his work. She wondered what those hands would feel like sliding down her back or cupping her ass. She laughed a little at her train of thought -- as if! -- and settled back in to the seat, turning her attention back out the window.

"What was funny?" he asked, glancing over at her.

"Hmm? Oh...well, I was just thinking I should feel at least uneasy being in a truck with a total stranger, especially one that is big enough to break me over his knee, but I don't."

"I will never hurt you."

"Um...okay." She blinked a bit at his choice of words. "That's kinda the point I was making. I'm not worried. It's not like me."

"So why aren't you worried?"

She thought for a moment and gave a small shrug of her shoulders. "Dunno. Gut feeling. Instinct. Whatever." She cocked her head and leaned toward the dash, a slow smile spreading over her face. "Are you listening to New Order?" she asked, looking at him with wide eyes.

"Yeah." He reached over and turned the CD off.

"So not what I expected," she laughed.

"What did you expect?"

"I dunno. A little 'Achy Breaky Heart'? Maybe 'All My Exes Live In Texas'?" Damien laughed at that, the sound coming out in a bark that surprised him. "No? What about 'Why Do All the Best Looking Women Have Fat Friends'?"

"I'm not a cowboy," he said, his laugh even lower than his voice. He flashed her with his smile again and she laughed.

"You don't laugh much, do you?"

"Why do you say that?"

"It seemed like it surprised you when you did."

He thought for a moment before answering. "No, I guess I don't really." The idea seemed to bother him, and Charlie felt a little guilty.

"I'm sorry, Damien, I was just kidding. I didn't mean to insult you."

"No. You didn't.." He smiled at her again, signaling to turn off the highway, and she relaxed. She looked out the window as he rolled through the small town. One main drag cut by shady residential streets that stretched off out of sight.

"Full Moon Saloon!" she said, delighted at the name.

"It's a restaurant and a bar, actually. Really good burgers and steaks."

"I just love the name."

"Why?"

"It's mysterious and whimsical at the same time." She looked at him and smiled.

"I guess." He pulled in to a gas station with a full service garage attached to it, and turned off the truck. "This is Tony's."

Charlie looked in to the small office at three big men staring out at her. "They're staring at me."

"Yes, they are."

"Why?"

"Because you're new."

"Yeah, well, just make sure they know you've kept the receipt and are returning me," she said. Damien didn't make her nervous. In fact, she felt oddly safe around him considering she'd known him all of 30 minutes. But these men made her nervous. These men made her feel as if she was being evaluated.

"You're safe," Damien said, reaching over and giving her hand a slight squeeze, surprising them both.

"Thank you, Damien. You're my knight in shining cowboy boots," she said quietly, making him laugh again.

They got out of the truck and walked in to the small office. Charlie kept as close to Damien as she could without crawling in to his clothes with him, feeling three sets of eyes crawling all over her.

"Damien," one of the men came over to them and shook Damien's hand. "What's going on here?" he asked, looking behind him at Charlie.

"Tony, this is Charlie," Damien said, putting his hand on her lower back and gently pushing her forward. "She had a blow out on the highway."

"Hi," Charlie said.

"Charlie? You're the prettiest Charlie I've ever seen, " Tony said smoothly, lifting her hand to his lips and placing a light kiss on the back of it.

"Thank you. It's short for Charlotte." She tried to pull her hand out of his but he held hers firm. He turned her hand over and lowered his head again, rubbing his nose on her wrist. Charlie gave a startled gasp as Damien seemed to growl next to her, grabbing Tony's wrist and squeezing until he let her go. He grabbed her hand and held it, chafing her wrist with his other hand, his calluses tingling on her skin. She had a sudden, clear image in her mind of his large hands on her breasts and she blushed.

"Just messing with you, man," Tony said to Damien, chuckling.

"Her tires are in the bed of my truck," Damien said, wincing as Charlie pulled her hand out of his.

"Tires?"

"Apparently my spare was flat, too," Charlie said.

"Uh huh. I can see where that would be a problem," Tony said, smiling at her.

"You think? Maybe I'm just doing research on the best ways to pick up brooding giants," Charlie said, looking over at Damien. He was still scowling at Tony. She looked back at Tony and smiled. She didn't think he was a bad guy; in fact, she thought he was friendly, playful. He was about six feet tall, and also broad, with long blondish hair and eyes the color of amber. He was really good looking, but -- to Charlie -- lacked the appeal of Damien. And that whole wrist thing was kind of weird.

Tony laughed, admiring her as she stood, hip cocked and looking at Damien. "What kind of car is it?"

"A light blue Yaris," Damien answered. "About eight miles east on the highway." "Leo, get the tires out of Damien's truck and get working on them. Carl, get the wrecker out to the highway and bring her car in," Tony said, talking to the other two men in the office. They jumped up and did as they were told. Charlie turned and watched them for a moment before turning back to Tony with a smile.

"Wow! Whoever said you can't find good help these days never looked for it in Buck Creek," she said, making Tony laugh again.

"Why don't you go wash your hands and knees off, Charlie," Damien said, his hand on her back again guiding her towards the women's restroom in the back of the office.

"Didja get hurt?" Tony asked.

"Just some small scrapes," she said, showing him her hands.

"Nothing deep, but you really should clean them," Damien said.

"Going. Going. Sheesh, I'm 40, not 4, cowboy," Charlie said, making her way in to the bathroom and locking the door behind her.

"Don't say it," Damien said, turning to Tony. "I don't want to hear it."

"Don't say what, my friend? Don't say your mate is interesting?"

"I said not to say it," he growled.

"She's lively, Damien. Good for you," Tony said as he stepped up and patted his friend on the shoulder. "You should call Darian. Use the station phone. Tell him the good news." With that he made his way through the side door in to the service bay.

Damien didn't think there was any reason to tell Darian about Charlie -- not willing to believe what Tony said, regardless what his brain and heart and wolf were screaming at him. But he knew he was going to be back late, and should call to let him know. He sat down behind the desk and picked up the phone, dialing his brother's direct line at the ranch.

"This is Darian."

"It's me. I'm going to be a bit late getting back."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. No more than an hour or two."

There was silence for a moment, then Damien heard his brother laughing.

"Who is she?"

"Who is who?"

"Don't play stupid, Damien."

"I'm not."

"I'm your brother, Damien. I can hear it in your voice."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he mumbled.

Both men were quiet for a moment before Darian spoke again. "What does she smell like?"

"Lavender and chamomile, and it's like smelling moonlight," Damien said dreamily before he knew what he was doing.


The Hungry Wolf Ch. 01



Darian burst out laughing, making his brother cringe. "I knew it!" he said, catching his breath. "Who is she? Which pack?"

"She's not pack," Damien said, cocking his head and listening to make sure she was still in the bathroom. "She's human. Just passing through." He sighed, realizing what a cluster the fates had thrown him in to.

"Oh," Darian said, sobered. "I'm sorry, brother."

"I found her on the side of the road with tire trouble."

"Are you at Tony's?"

"Yeah." He heard her unlock the door to the bathroom. "I have to go, Darian. I'll see you in a bit."

"Alright. Good luck, Damien."

"Thanks," he said, surprised. He hung up the phone and looked up at Charlie as she hovered near him. They didn't speak for a moment. Charlie looked around the office and out the windows at the town. Damien was content to simply watch her.

"All better," she finally said, holding her hands out for his inspection. She looked at the top of his head and wanted to pull out the elastic holding his hair back. "Am I keeping you from something?" she asked, motioning to the phone.

"No. Just running some errands for the ranch. They'll keep."

"Sure?"

"Yes." The phone on the desk rang twice and they could hear Tony pick up the extension out in the service bay.

"Who's Darian?"

"My brother."

"Older?"

"By six minutes," he said with a nod.

"You're a twin? That's so cool." He shrugged. "Hmph."

"What?"

"You don't seem impressed by that," she said, resting her butt against the desk and looking at him with an eyebrow raised. "But you've probably had a while to get used to it, huh? Like your whole life."

"Are you impressed by it?" he asked, leaning forward in the chair.

"I am. I've never met a twin before."

"Never?"

"Well, not knowingly, anyway. I mean, it's not like I know the full lineage of everyone I've ever met." She turned and watched as Carl pulled in to the lot towing her little car. He easily backed it in to the service bay.

"You have any other siblings?" she asked.

"A sister. Darlene."

"Another 'D' name?"

"My parents were David and Diane."

"You're kidding."

"Nope. We're the Dimeos."

"What?"

"David, Diane, Darian, Damien and Darlene Dimeo." He smiled at her shocked expression.

"You're the alliteration family?"

"I guess."

"Are you Italian?"

"Yes. Well, my father's line was."

"It's kind of odd to find an Italian rancher in the Columbia River area, isn't it?" She snapped her fingers before he could say anything. "Although I guess it really isn't that odd to find an Italian rancher. I mean, much of Italy is still pastoral, right?" She cocked her head and looked at him. "I think I would have guessed Italian. You have the gorgeous coloring and lips." She laughed at his expression. "I do tend to ramble a lot, don't I?"

"I like listening to you," he said quietly, surprising both of them. They looked at each other in silence, and Charlie found herself wanting Damien to grab her and kiss her.

"I got some bad news," Tony said, coming back in to the office. Charlie jumped and moved away from Damien to stand on the other side of the desk.

"What is it?" Damien asked, keeping his voice even and resisting the urge to grab Charlie and pull her in to his lap.

"The rim has a crack in it and when you had the blow out you dented the front axle."

"That's really bad, isn't it?" Charlie asked.

"Well, not terrible. It can be fixed. But it's going to take some time," Tony said, glancing at Damien.

"How long?" Damien asked, his face neutral.

"Five days or so. Shouldn't be more than a week." "A week!" She looked at Tony in shock.

"Sorry. We'll get it done as quickly as we can, but you should be prepared to stay a week," Tony said. He gave her an apologetic smile.

"Don't suppose there's a Holiday Inn or Best Western in town?" she asked with a sigh.

"There's a motel one block over," Damien said. "It's small, but clean and safe. Get your stuff out of your car and I'll take you there."

"Really, Damien, it's a block. I can walk. I hate that I've kept you from doing what you need to."

"Let me take you, Charlie. You haven't kept me from anything." She opened her mouth to speak, but he continued. "I'll feel better dropping you there."

"Alright." She looked at him closely. "You know, you keep up all this gallant nonsense and I'll be forced to take you with me when I leave," she said, poking him in his chest. She turned and walked out to the service bay.

"Oh my friend," Tony said. "You should thank Luna for her."

"Shut up, man," Damien growled.

Tony turned and followed Charlie in to the service bay, chuckling. Damien shook his head and followed. He growled a bit, low in his chest, as he watched Tony's hand brush Charlie's when he took her suitcase from her. He stalked over and grabbed the suitcase from him, taking it to his truck and carefully placing it in the bed.

"What's that about?" Charlie asked Tony, her voice low.

"He's kind of protective, you know, with the whole rescuing thing. Just a personality quirk."

"Really?" she looked at Tony and laughed as he nodded. "Huh. Well, as far as quirks go, that one's way better than the 'chopping women up into itty bitty pieces' quirk."

He laughed as they walked over to the truck. "I'll call when I have a better idea how long it will take, alright?" Charlie nodded and climbed in to the truck. Damien smiled at her and closed the door.

"Thank you, Tony." He shook Tony's hand. "Would you mind keeping me apprised of the progress as well?"

"Of course."

Damien nodded and made his way to the driver's side. He climbed in and quickly buckled up, turning to look at Charlie. She had a pensive look on her face and was rubbing a finger across her lower lip.

"Are you alright, Charlie?"

"Yeah."

"Sure?"

She looked at him and gave him another dazzling smile. "I'm fine. Just trying to get my head around this. I wanted to be in Oregon by tomorrow."

"I see." He started the truck and backed up. "Someone waiting for you?" "Huh? Oh...oh, right. No. No one waiting on me." She smiled, for some reason pleased he was asking. "Just need to get a place and a job."

"Why did you leave Santa Fe?"

"I started to feel claustrophobic." It wasn't the whole truth, but it wasn't a lie.

"Really?"

"Yeah. It was too far from the ocean, you know? More than a day's drive. It made me feel cramped."

They pulled in to the lot of the Buck Creek Inn, and Charlie was delighted to find it was quaint and well maintained. It was a long building that consisted of eight rooms, an office at the far end, and behind that a large house. It was surrounded by well kept lawns and gardens. She hopped out of the truck and walked to the office, Damien following her and reaching over her shoulder to open the door for her.

"You don't have to come in, Damien. I can manage from here," she said. She was enjoying his attentions far more than she wanted to. Far more than she considered safe.

"Hush," he said gently, his large hand once again on the small of her back, gently guiding her through the door. "I'll see you settled before I leave."

"You're going to have to leave before I can settle down," she mumbled to herself, her voice below a whisper, but Damien heard it clearly. He could feel himself getting aroused at her words, and had to stop the thoughts of how unsettled he'd like to make her from taking over.

"Hello there!," an older woman came in behind them. She had thick hips and the whitest hair Charlie had ever seen .She didn't really look old to Charlie, but she had the bulky sweater and tiny eyeglasses on a chain around her neck that were the universal symbols for senior citizens. "Damien! I thought that was you!" Her voice seemed to have a trace of a Scottish brogue.

"Aunt Mary," Damien said warmly as she walked up to him and they embraced. Charlie watched, a wistful smile on her face. She didn't have much family, and what she did have was distant. "How have you and Uncle Vincent been?"

"Och, you know us, Damy, we're tough old dogs." She gave him another squeeze and stepped out of his embrace, turning towards Charlie. "And who are you?"

"Charlie Bell." "Charlie Bell," she repeated, looking her up and down. She smiled at Charlie and surprised her by pulling her in to her arms for a fierce hug.

"Oh!" Charlie squeaked, her eyes looking over at Damien. "Okay. You're a hugger. Good to know." She stuck her tongue out at Damien, making him laugh again.

"Any friend of Damy's is a friend to all of us," the woman said, finally releasing her.

"Well then I am glad I am a friend of Damy," Charlie said, smiling mischievously at Damien.

"What brings you two here?"

"I need a place to stay for about a week while my car is being repaired."

"Oh?" she said. She looked at her nephew, her lips pursed.

'Why is she not staying with you? She's your mate,' Mary sent.

'It's complicated, Aunt Mary,' Damien sent back. 'She's human.'

'I know. Doesn't matter.'

"Well, let's see. Let's put you in room 1. It's the biggest and closest to the house in case you need anything." She moved behind the counter and grabbed the key. Charlie stepped up to the counter and handed over her driver's license and credit card. Mary picked them up and put her glasses on her nose. She looked at them closely. "Charlotte? That's a lovely name."

"Thank you, ma'am," Charlie said.

"Och! Call me Aunt Mary," she beamed at Charlie.

"Alright," she said, feeling a bit surreal. Not that she was worried or uneasy about Mary. It was everything. She had this feeling like she was a stray Damien had found at the side of the road, and he was going to make a pet out of her. The idea filled her with both fear and heat, and she was hard pressed to think of the latter as irrational.

"Damy, you take your friend's case to her room and make sure everything is alright." She held out the key to him.

'She's lovely, Damy. Just lovely. You need to take her to meet Darian and Eva.'

'I know. I will.'

'Make sure you scent her room good. I don't want anyone coming within 15 feet of her door and not knowing who she belongs to.'

"Yes, Aunt Mary," he said, taking the key and giving his aunt a peck on the cheek.

"Now, let me get a copy of your card, Charlotte," the older woman said as the door shut behind her nephew. She put Charlie's card in the imprinter and placed a carbon over it. Charlie hadn't seen one of those in years, and she smiled at how fitting it was she saw it here.

"Please, call me Charlie."

"You are too beautiful to be called Charlie. No, no, no. Charlotte does you far more justice." Mary looked at her over the rim of her glasses, making Charlie fidget.

"Okay," she said in a small voice as Mary handed her back her license and credit card. "Think I'll go to my room now." Charlie turned and headed towards the door, feeling oddly shy under the older woman's scrutiny.

"Absolutely. Let us know if you need anything at all. Just dial '0' on the phone and it rings here and in the house," she said, gesturing to the big house behind the little motel. "And Charlotte, would you tell my nephew to stop by before he goes?"

"Certainly." She walked out of the office with a wave and smile, deciding that she did like the older woman, more for her warmth and overly friendliness than in spite of it. She saw Damien standing in the doorway to her room and smiled at him. "Your aunt would like you to stop in before you go," she said, walking up to him and holding out her hand for the key.

"You going to be alright?" he asked, dropping the key in to her palm.

"Yeah, I'm sure I'll be fine. Think I'll have a shower and maybe take a walk. See the sights." She gave him a wink.

"Nothing you need?" he asked again. He had things to do but he was loathe to leave her. He looked in to her light brown eyes, noticing every fleck of gold and black in them.

"I'm good," she said. She cocked her head at him and gave him that smile that he was quickly becoming addicted to. "There is one thing..."

"Name it."

"Let me take you to lunch or dinner while I'm here. As a thank you."

"You don't have to thank me."

"I'd really like to," Charlie said, visions of thanking him on her back with her hands on his ass pulling him harder in to her making her blush. That would never happen, she knew, so lunch or dinner would have to do.

"Alright. I'll let you know when?"

"Sounds good. If I'm not here I'm at the opera or the yacht club," she said, smiling at him as she stepped in to her room.

"Bye, Charlie."

"See you later, Damien. I'm really happy I met you." She watched him turn and walk towards his truck with a smile on his face and called after him, "don't forget to go see your aunt!" He changed direction and lifted his hand in a wave, but didn't look back. Charlie laughed and shut the door, locking it behind her. She turned and looked around the room. It was a pretty standard motel. The furnishings and décor were well kept if a little outdated, and she was happy to find a coffee maker, microwave and small fridge. She picked up her case and put it on the bed, unzipping it and getting out her toiletries bag. She rummaged deeper for clean clothes and found a pair of denim capris and a 'Blondie' t-shirt. She dug again and found clean underwear, groaning when she realized she only had a couple changes of clothes left. She'd have to find someplace to do laundry.

Charlie took off her clothes and stuffed them in an empty plastic bag. She would stop by and ask Mary about laundry facilities after her shower. It would give ample time to ensure Damien was gone. She stopped on her way to the bathroom, thinking. Why didn't she want to see Damien? Because he was sexy, and unnerved her when he was close by. All she wanted was to keep getting closer. "What was that old Groucho joke?, she mumbled to herself. "If I held you any tighter I'd be on the other side of you?" But, if she didn't want to see him again, why would she ask him out? "Because I am a glutton for punishment," she sighed to herself and shook her head, continuing on to the bathroom.

She was happy to see the bathroom was just as clean as the rest of the room, and slightly less outmoded. She turned on the shower and fished out her shampoo, conditioner and various soaps and scrubs, placing them on the built in shelf on the far wall before getting in. She was elated to find that not only did the shower have a hand-held massaging head, but that there was water pressure aplenty. She scrubbed and slathered, turning the head to the pulse massage setting before rinsing off. The pounding of the water felt good on her skin, and she just stood under it for a while.

Damien and Mary could hear the shower start in Charlie's room. They were standing in the office, and Mary was busy giving her nephew her opinion.

"I don't see why you can't take her back to the ranch?" Mary asked.

"Because she's human. And just passing through."

"But she's yours, Damy."

"I know," he said with a sigh. He smiled when he realized the idea of that made him happy.

"You're not going to be able to convince her to stay if you don't spend time with her. She needs to feel the attraction, too."

"I think she does. But she pushes it down."

"You spend enough time with Charlotte and she won't push it down, Damy. Trust me."

"I am going to spend time with her, Aunt Mary. We're going to go to lunch or dinner while she's here."

"No!" Mary said, smacking her hand on the counter. "That is not spending time with her!" She took a deep breath. "You've waited too long for happiness, Damien, too long. She has brought back your smile. Don't let her go."

"I'm trying, Aunt Mary. I am." He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. "But I can't just force her."

"You can be around. Be wherever she is."

"I know." He stood as they heard Charlie turn the water off in her room. "I have to go and take care of some stuff for the ranch. I'll be back as soon as I can," he said, fishing his keys out of his pocket. "I know, Aunt Mary," he said, cutting her off before she could object. "I will do my best. It's all I can do." He turned and walked out, getting in to his truck and driving off.

"Hmph", was all Mary could say at that point.

She sat at the counter for a bit, reading and listening to the radio. She heard the door open and looked up to see Charlie come in. Her hair was still damp and hung down her back in gentle waves, and she had changed in to a t-shirt and capri pants, with sandals on her feet.

"What can I do for you, Charlotte?"

"I was wondering if there was a laundromat in town? Since I am here for a bit I desperately need to get some washing done."

"Oh, well, we have facilities here, down at the far end of the building between rooms 5 and 6."

"Great!" she said, obviously happy, and Mary smiled. "Now, is there a market or mini-mart in town?"

"Och, Charlotte. You don't have to go buy soap. We have plenty here you can use."

"It's okay. Besides, I could use some other stuff, too. Coffee, cream, sugar, some fruit. Since I'm going to be here for a bit."

"Let me call Damy and he can take you to the store," Mary said, reaching for the phone.

"No!" Charlie said, a little more forcefully than she meant to. "I mean, no, please. It isn't necessary. I don't have a lot to get and I could really use the exercise. I've bothered Damien enough for one day."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

"Well...alright." She gave Charlie directions to the market and watched her walk off, hoping she was doing the right thing by not insisting her nephew come and take her. She sat at the counter, looking out the window and scanning the street for Charlie. It was just after 5PM before she finally saw her making her way back. She had a couple of grocery bags in her hands and was swinging them slightly, a far-away look on her face. She watched Charlie disappear into her room and waited, listening to her move about.

She heard Charlie come out about thirty minutes later, a book in one hand and a sweatshirt in another, and walked out to meet her.

"Hello, Charlotte. And where are you off to now?" she said, locking the office.

"Oh, hi. I was just going for another walk and figured I'd go to the Full Moon Saloon for a burger. Damien said they were really tasty."

"Och! You don't need to eat there. You can have dinner with Vincent and me." "No, really. I appreciate the offer, but I couldn't tonight. Another night?" she offered, not wanting to offend the nice woman, but really wanting to enjoy a couple of cocktails along with her burger. Or instead of. She hadn't decided yet if her dinner would be liquid or not. "I'd like to stretch my tired legs a bit and sit and read quietly after the chaos of my day."

"If you're sure?" Mary asked, hoping she would come for dinner. And she would just happen to call her nephew and ask him to bring her something.

"Yeah, Mary, I am." She smiled warmly at the older woman.

"Alright, then. Off with you. And be careful." "Yes, ma'am," Charlie said, laughing as she walked slowly towards the saloon. Mary watched her until she turned the corner, then sprinted up to her house with a speed and agility that would have shocked her young tenant. She raced in to the kitchen and picked up the phone, hitting the speed dial for the Triple D.

"Hello," a silky female voice came down the line.

"Eva! It's Aunt Mary," she said, greeting her nephew Darian's mate.

"Hello Aunt Mary," Eva said, glancing over at her brother as he stiffened in his chair and looked at her.

"Did you hear Damien finally met his mate?"

"Yes, it would seem he has," Eva said, eyes on Damien. He rolled his eyes at her and looked embarrassed.




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 01



"Did you know he dropped her off and left her?"

"He had errands to take care of, Aunt Mary." Darian laughed behind his hand at the conversation.

"Of course, my dear. But I still think it's a bit careless of him to leave her to wander the town and hang out at the Moon, don't you?"

"Careless, Aunt Mary? How could he have kept her from it?"

"He couldn't keep her from going. But he could keep her from being there alone."

"Yes, he could," Eva said with a smile as Damien put his head in his hands. "Well, Aunt Mary, I will certainly let him know and I am sure he will act on the information. Love to Uncle Victor." She hung up the phone and went to sit in her husband's lap.

"So, my brother, what are you going to do?" Darian asked, wrapping his arms around Eva and looking at his brooding twin across the library. He shrugged but didn't answer, and he didn't look at the couple watching him so closely. Damien sat back and closed his eyes, stretching his long legs in front of him. The trio seemed frozen for a while, a tableau of a family evening, if it wasn't for the teasing whispers and looks directed towards Damien from Darian and Eva, and his subsequent restless shifting and sighing.

Finally, Damien stood and trudged towards his rooms in the south wing. The ranch house was three stories, built with a central entry/foyer giving off to the north and south wings. The main floor housed a library, large conference room, dining room and industrial kitchen. It also held the main offices for the ranch and all outlying businesses. The second and third floor of the north wing was his brother and Eva's rooms, and his were on the second and third floor of the south wing. Behind the main house was a large barn, medical center, gymnasium and a huge dormitory; further in to the land were a couple dozen smaller houses, with a large commons area in the middle. Another large dormitory sat behind the houses and butted right up to the forest and mountains.

Damien paced in his sitting room, telling himself he wanted to just go to bed and forget Charlotte Bell. But he couldn't. He saw her smile when he closed his eyes, heard her laugh in every breeze. He groaned at himself, giving in to what his wolf wanted. He took a quick shower and dressed, making sure to leave the cowboy boots off this time.

Eva and Darian sat in the foyer, talking quietly with some of their pack members, as Damien came down about an hour later. He had showered and changed in to a t-shirt and jeans, a pair of Nike sneakers on his feet.

"Where are you going?" Darian called as his brother walked to the door.

"Out," he said simply.

"Anywhere in particular?" Darian smirked, knowing full well where his twin was heading.

"Yes," he said, turning to look at the couple and giving them a smile. "If you need me, I'll be at the yacht club or the opera." He chuckled as he made his way out the door, leaving Darian and Eva to wonder.

Charlie was sitting at the bar of the Full Moon Saloon when he walked in, a drink in her hand and a book open on her lap. She was reading and trying to avoid conversation with the blonde next to her.

'Leave her, Marc. She is mine,' Damien sent to the big man.

'I don't see no mark on her.' The man snorted.

'Are you challenging me?' Damien asked. Marc looked down at the bar and gave a slight shake of his head. 'Then leave her be.'

Damien walked up to the bar and sat on the opposite side of Charlie.

"Howdy, cowboy," she said, smiling at her book.

"Howdy?"

"Traditional cowboy greeting."

"I see." He watched her for a minute; she still hadn't looked up at him. "How'd you know it was me?" he asked.

"I don't know," she said with a shrug, finally lifting her eyes to him. Her breath caught for a moment. Holy shit, she thought, did I think he was good looking? He's a Roman god sent to earth. She smiled at him. "I just knew."

"What are you reading?"

"It's 'Bloodsucking Fiends' by Christopher Moore." She held up the book for him to see. "Have you read it?"

"No, I haven't."

"It's good. Funny. He's a fun one to read."

"I'm not familiar with him." He looked around, noticing most of the patrons were watching them. "What brings you to the Full Moon? I thought Aunt Mary would have invited you for dinner."

"Oh! She did. 'Och, you should have dinner with us' she said." Charlie did a good impression of the motel proprietress, making him laugh. "But I declined. I have to eat something, I know," she said, patting her stomach, "but wasn't sure if I wanted a cocktail or ten."

"Or ten?" He leaned in and looked at her closely. "How many have you had?"

"Actually...this is only my first. It's very strong and I'm not much of a drinker."

"Have you eaten?"

"Not yet. I can't seem to get the bartender to take my order."

"Really?" Damien asked. He glanced over at the bartender and raised an eyebrow, bringing the man to them immediately.

"What can I get for you, Mr. Dimeo?" he asked, wiping his hands on a rag.

"A Heineken, please, Henry. And two Full Moon burgers with the works."

"Two?"

"One for me and one for my friend here," Damien said, nodding his head towards Charlie.

"Of course," Henry said. He turned and looked at Charlie. "Would you like another drink?"

"No, thank you. Just some water, please."

"What are you drinking?" Damien asked after Henry left to drop their order to the kitchen.

"Rum and ginger ale."

"Ginger ale? They don't have ginger ale here."

"They don't?"

"No." He scowled a bit, drawing his brows together.

"What?"

"May I?" he asked, picking up her glass.

"Of course." Charlie watched him closely as he took a sip, not sure what was going on. He made a face and looked at Henry as if he wanted to punch him. "What is it?"

"That's just rum."

"Oh." Charlie took the glass and sniffed at it. "Why would he do that?"

"Because you're a newcomer."

"Hmmm..." Charlie said. "Wait -- how did you know they don't carry ginger ale here?"

"Because we own it." Charlie gasped at that. "Why are you surprised?" he asked, smiling at her expression.

"You're a rancher."

"Yes, I am. And the Triple D provides all the beef for this restaurant, and a few more."

"The 'Triple D'?"

"The ranch."

"I see. But you're a rancher," she said, a puzzled look on her face. "And...this is a bar."

"Saloon, actually." Damien was enjoying having her unsettled.

"Don't argue semantics, cowboy," Charlie said, recovering quickly and poking him in the arm. She cocked her head at him. "So is it normal for the locals to try and get non-locals 'faced? Is it a sport?"

"Not at all, I assure you."

"So it's just me?"

"I don't know. Would you like me to ask him?"

"Please."

Damien looked at Henry and cocked his head to call him over. Henry made his way slowly, wiping his hands on a rag.

"Mr. Dimeo?" he asked.

"Would you explain why my friend has a glass of pure rum, when she ordered...?" he turned to Charlie as if he didn't know what she ordered.

"Rum and ginger ale," Charlie said.

"We don't carry ginger ale, do we Henry?"

"No, sir."

"So why wouldn't you tell my friend we don't carry ginger ale and ask her to choose something else?"

'Mr. Dimeo?' Henry sent to Damien.

'Answer out loud, Henry.'

"I don't know," Henry said with a shrug. "It was just a joke."

"Do you think it's funny, Charlie?" Damien asked her. She looked at Damien, suddenly uneasy at the subservience he was commanding from Henry.

"It was a joke, Damien. In poor taste, but...no harm, no foul?" she said quietly, looking down at the book in her lap and hiding her face behind the fall of her hair.

"What would you like to drink, dolcezza?" he asked softly, tucking her hair behind her ear. She shivered at the endearment and touch, fighting the urge to climb in to his lap and wrap herself around him.

"Just a coke would be fine," Charlie said, looking at Henry and giving him a smile.

"Coming right up, ma'am." Henry quickly had a large glass of Coke in front of her and moved away.

"What the hell?" Charlie whispered, turning to Damien.

"What?"

"What the hell was all that, Damien? The poor guy looked like he thought you were going to kill him."

"He's worried about losing his job. He should be worried." He looked at Henry at the far end of the bar.

"He didn't mean any harm."

"So he should be left to do it again to someone else?"

"No...no." She sighed, looking at him. "Of course not. It was just...why did he cower so much before you? Are you some kind of hardass?"

"Yes and no." Charlie laid her forearms on the bar and leaned towards him, cocking an eyebrow in a nonverbal request for him to continue. "I don't consider myself a particularly harsh man. But I'm not a pushover, either. My brother and I have a lot of responsibilities, and we take them very seriously." He took a swig of his beer and sat back, casually putting his arm across the back of her bar stool. "Sometimes you need to be a bit hard to keep things running smoothly."

"Yeah, but - "

"Even if there was no harm done tonight, if his behavior went unchecked it could cause serious harm the next time, or the next. Best to stop it immediately," he said, cutting off her protest. "He's cowering because I can fire him, he knows I can fire him, and he's nervous."

She looked at him for a moment before sighing. "You're right."

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I'm sorry, Charlie."

"Apology accepted." She shot that smile at him and his breath caught. He moved the conversation on to other, safer topics, shifting his arm so he could make lazy circles on her back with his thumb. Charlie was acutely aware of the contact, each caress sending delicious sparks through her.

Henry came over with two huge plates piled high with food, and Damien finally removed his arm from her stool. A giant sandwich on a burger bun sat in the middle of each plate, surrounded by sweet potato fries, seasoned waffle fries and onion rings. Charlie picked up the sandwich and laughed, looking at Damien and shaking her head.

"What's wrong?" Damien asked, picking up his own burger and taking a bite.

"Um, just wondering if it would be possible to get any more kinds of meat with my meat sandwich?" She put her sandwich down and removed the top bun, peeling off layers of meat. "Let's see...ham, bacon, fried egg, meat patty...what's this? A chicken breast?" Charlie picked up the bottom of the bun. "And not a tomato or pickle in sight!" She laughed loudly, putting her hand over her mouth to stifle it a bit and looking at Damien.

"It's the Full Moon burger. The house specialty. Have to feed the beast," he said, patting his stomach.

"Maybe you should change the name to the Full Carnivore?"

"Would you like some tomato or pickle, dolcezza?" he asked.

"Yes, please," she said, smiling at him gratefully. "And another plate?"

"Be right back," he said, getting up and moving behind the bar. He walked through the swing door in to the kitchen. Charlie sat, once again feeling the eyes of the other patrons on her and feeling a bit uncomfortable. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Henry's head turned towards the kitchen and he sighed, throwing his rag under the bar and heading back through the same door Damien went through. She sat and picked at her sweet potato fries, not wanting to look around, knowing if she did she would see everyone looking back at her. She heard what had to be a small group of people laughing in the kitchen, she listened closely to see if she could place Damien's laugh out of the group but they quieted too quickly.

She was smiling at her plate when she sensed someone come stand to her right. She took a sip of her Coke and turned to look at the man. He was tall, and huge, absolutely massive, a planet on two legs. That stopped her thoughts for a moment, as she considered that all the people she had seen so far in Buck Creek were tall, and she wondered vaguely if there was some kind of radiation fallout from Hanford or maybe some fracking going on releasing an odd toxin in the area. She shook herself out of her thoughts and looked up at the giant next to her.

"Hi," he said, smiling at her.

"Hi." Charlie looked at him closely and thought he might be a bit slower than the average town resident. His face, while friendly and open, had a vacancy about it that indicated a mild mental handicap.

"I'm Lewis," he said, picking up her hand and pumping it up and down a few times.

"I'm Charlie." She said, trying to pull her hand away but not able to.

"I saw you and said I was gonna come and say hi and I did."

"Yes, you did." His face suddenly erupted in a big smile, and Charlie beamed at the 'I did good' expression in it. "It is wonderful to meet you, Lewis," she said.

"Yes, it is." He pulled on her hand a bit and bent down towards her. Charlie had a panicked moment when she thought he was going to try and kiss her, but he simply put his nose to her cheek and seemed to sniff her.

"Lewis?" she heard Damien's voice from her left.

"Mr. Dimeo," Lewis said, moving to sniff her other cheek. "She don't smell like you."

"Thank you, Lewis," Damien said, taking her hand out of his. "I think your friends are waiting for you." He nodded his head towards one of the booths behind Charlie.

"Yeah." He smiled down at Charlie and patted the top of her head as if she were a child. "Nice Charlie," he said before turning around and going back to his friends.

Charlie turned and looked at Damien, eyes wide. He still had hold of her hand.

"Wow," she said under her breath.

"He didn't mean any harm," he said just as quietly, his eyes flicking to a point behind her.

"No, I didn't think he did." She gave a laugh that sounded shaky, making the conscious decision not to look behind her. "It was just a bit...bizarre to be sniffed like that."

"Lewis is a bit..."

"Unique?"

"Exactly. For some reason his sense of smell is dominant, and he can recognize a person by how they smell better than by look or voice." Damien winced inwardly at this; while not an outright lie, it was close enough to make him feel guilty.

"Really?"

"Yes." He let go of her hand and resumed his seat next to her. She looked at the bar and saw the small plate piled high with tomato slices and pickle chips and started laughing. "What?"

"So my choices are extreme meat or extreme condiments?"

"Too much?"

"A bit, maybe." She grinned at him and started to rebuild her burger. She placed pickles and tomato slices underneath and on top of the burger patty, then replaced the top bun. She took the extra meats and egg and put them on the plate. Satisfied, she took a bite of the burger and chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "Mmmm. That is delicious beef."

"Triple D." Charlie glanced at Damien to find him looking at her with pride.

They finished their meals -- as much as Charlie could, anyway -- and sat talking, oblivious to everyone else, until nearly midnight, Damien touching Charlie, little touches here and there, nothing too forward, almost as if he was making sure she was real.

. They talked about everything -- politics, religion, current events, history, movies -- no topic was taboo. Charlie told him about being a cook, how much she actually enjoyed it. Damien told her about ranching, the hard work and the satisfaction from it. They laughed a lot, too. Damien forgot his normal reticence in her presence and she forgot her normal cold sarcasm in his. She was delighted when he offered to teach her how to ride a horse, even as she realized it was an offer made of politeness more than anything else. Damien asked about her travels from Santa Fe and she talked about the different byways and small towns, as well as the wonderful places she'd seen, places that would have been overrun with tourists had they been located on main highways.

"Come on, I want to show you something," he said, standing up and tossing some bills on the counter before grabbing her hand.

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise," he said, flashing a smile that seemed alluringly dangerous to Charlie.

"Alright," she grabbed her sweatshirt and book and followed him out, her hand still in his. He led her to his truck and opened the passenger door for her, stepping close, making her brush against him as she climbed in. She had a brief flicker of panic, instinctual from keeping herself religiously separate from everyone for the past fifteen years, but it passed before she really registered it. Instead, she was shaken by the heat and smell of him so close to her. She buckled up and watched him climb in to the truck beside her.

He started the truck and the CD player came on, making Charlie sigh.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he pulled out of the gravel parking lot.

"Nothing."

"Sure?"

"Roxy Music. It's just very...sexy." She closed her eyes and sighed, smiling as they drove slowly through the sleepy streets. She looked at him, a laughing smile on her face. "Are you trying to seduce me, Damien?"

"With everything I am," he said, his voice serious. Charlie turned her face to look out her window, not sure how to take his serious response to her teasing. He turned down a side street and stopped to switch to four wheel drive when they reached the end of the road.

"Where are we going?" Charlie asked as he head in to the woods.

"It's not far."

"That's not what I asked." She looked at him, his profile lit by the lights of the dash and the moonlight coming in through the window. He was incredibly sexy.

"Do you want to stop? I can take you back if you're nervous." He had stopped the truck and turned to look at her.

"No. I'm not nervous." She smiled at him, feeling shy, as he continued deeper in to the woods. She wasn't nervous, she wasn't afraid. Not in the least. And that bothered her a little. She should be. She should be demanding he take her back to the motel and never see him again. She should get the fuck out of dodge as soon as her car was ready and never look back. She knew this.

But her heart...her heart was calm. Her instinct was to just go with it, relax and let what happens happen. She felt, deep down where reason had no place, that she was safe with Damien, that as long as she was near him, nothing bad would happen to her, nothing would hurt her. She was content to follow those instincts.

"Almost there," he said, parking the truck in a small clearing. "It's just a short walk, okay?"

"Okay." She opened her door and hopped out, putting her sweatshirt on. She walked over to where he was standing and looked up at him. "What is it?"

He put a finger to her lips, making them tingle, and smiled before taking her hand and leading her through the trees. She could hear the sound of rushing water, churning water, and smiled at his back. Charlie could tell he was excited to show her this, and she started to feel his excitement, too.

They stepped past some incredibly tall cedars and her breath caught in her throat. A waterfall, no more than fifteen feet high, fell in to a swift stream of rapids. She could see the rocks in the water, the way they forced the current to change and froth. It looked like it was untouched. It was beautiful.

"Damien...it's beautiful." She was whispering, afraid to spoil the feeling of peace.

"Wait," he said, moving behind her and putting his hands on her shoulders. "It gets better."

"Impossible," Charlie breathed. She was hyper-aware of the man -- the warm, sexy, enticing man -- behind her.

"When the moon clears the trees, she kisses the water, turning it to liquid silver," he whispered. He'd lowered his mouth to her ear, and she could feel the humidity of his breath against her skin. He breathed deeply, shifting to slip his arms around her and hold her against him. Her scent made him feel intoxicated, hypnotized, and he never wanted the feeling to end.




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 01



Charlie clenched her fists at her side, fighting her urge to turn around and kiss him. She leaned back, letting her head rest against his chest, getting lost in the utter feeling of male that he exuded. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so easy, so relaxed, and she saddened to think about it. She knew that this, this level of intimacy they were sharing right now, was as far as she should allow it to go, and that made her heart ache for what could have been, for what had been taken from her. She was so lost in her thoughts she hadn't realized Damien had slid his arms around her waist and laid his cheek next to hers until she was overcome with the smell of him.

"Look," he whispered.

The moon had cleared the trees and shone fully on the water, turning it to liquid silver. Charlie looked in wonder at the falls. The spray had been changed from water to diamonds by the moon, diamonds tossed in a frothing bath of the purest silver. The rocks glowed like precious gems, and the mist that clung to the trees shimmered like platinum dust.

"Oh my god, Damien. It's magic." She put her hands over his arms, leaning more in to him without even realizing.

"I knew you'd like it," he whispered.

She felt his lips against her neck, kissing lightly from her ear down to the collar of her t-shirt. Her brain screamed at her to step away from him, to order him to stop and take her back. Her reason was fervently telling her that if she didn't stop this now she wouldn't be able to. And she saw herself doing just that. Stepping out of the warm circle of his arms, politely but firmly telling him that while she appreciated his friendship and assistance, she was not at all interested in anything more. Telling him, in no uncertain terms, that she was unavailable. She could hear herself telling him all those things.

But what she did was tilt her head, giving him more access to her skin, sighing at the sensations flooding her. He moved his mouth back up her neck, using his lips and teeth to sample her skin, until he reached her ear.

"Charlotte," he breathed, sucking her lobe in to his mouth briefly. She shivered at his use of her full name. "Kiss me." Charlie turned in his arms without even thinking about it. She tilted her head up to his, placing her hands on his shoulders as she raised up to her toes. He held her at her waist as he brought his mouth down to hers in soft, little kisses. She felt the slight chapping of his lips against hers and it aroused her, emboldened her. She pulled at the elastic in his hair, gently sliding it down his ponytail until his hair spilled free. She ran her fingers through his slightly damp locks as he slid his hands down her sides to her ass, squeezing it sensually as he pushed his tongue past her lips.

She gasped a bit around his tongue before relaxing and allowing it full and free access to her mouth. Damien groaned as she opened up to him, pulling her closer as her tongue played with his. Her scent and taste washed through him, claiming his being, killing who he was at the same time she created him anew.

"Oh god, Damien, why do you taste so good?" she panted as he moved his lips along her jaw before trailing his tongue down her neck. He groaned against her skin at her words. She ran her hands down his back, finding the edge of his t-shirt and sliding them underneath, resting her hands against his bare skin. "Please, Damien. Kiss me."

"Gods, yes," he whispered, sliding a hand to her head and pulling her lips to his. He captured her tongue, sucking it in to his mouth as she moaned. She could feel his cock, hard, against her abdomen and she rubbed herself against it slightly, shivering at Damien's answering moan. He slid his hands on her body, moving them both to meet at her waist and sliding them beneath her shirt. He caressed up and down her back, his rough hands making her sigh. He moved his mouth to her neck again, chasing the goosebumps he brought up with his lips, as he moved his hands along her waist, slowly moving up her abdomen towards her breasts. Damien's thumbs were stroking over her skin and felt her stiffen up at the same time he felt the scars.

"Stop," she gasped, pushing away from him and bringing her hands up to her mouth. She looked down at the ground between them, panting.

"Charlotte," he said, stepping up to her, desperate to have her back in his arms.

"No!" she said, stepping back again and lifting one hand towards him, palm out. "I can't." She turned away from him and took several shaky breaths. "I'm so sorry, Damien. So, so sorry. I just...we...this has to stop."

"Why?"

"Please, just take me back to the motel."

"Charlie - "

"Please," she repeated, turning around and looking at him. He could see the pain in her eyes and his wolf howled at him for not being able to stop it. "I just...please, take me back to my room," she said quietly, dropping her eyes.

He looked at her, feeling helpless and hating it. "Okay, Charlie. Let's go," he said quietly. He went to take her hand again, feeling like his heart was being wrenched out of his chest when she winced away from him. He turned and head back towards his truck, hearing her walk behind him. He opened the door for her, giving her plenty of room to get in and closing it after her.

He climbed in and sat for a moment, hands on his thighs, head back and eyes closed. Charlie watched him out of the corner of her eye, praying silently to whatever gods would listen to make him start the truck, no questions asked, and take her back.

"What's wrong, Charlie? What did I do that was wrong?" he asked quietly.

"Nothing."

"Then why?"

"I just can't, Damien."

"Why?" She could see him turn to look at her, and she turned her face away. "I want you so much, Charlie, and I could feel your want. You want me, too."

"Please don't." She looked out the window, blinking rapidly against the tears that were threatening. "I just can't. You have to accept that."

"No, I don't," he said. He started the truck and began the short drive back to the motel. They didn't speak until he reached the parking lot. She opened her door and hopped out, finally turning to look at him, shocking him with the regret he saw on her face.

"Thank you, Damien," she whispered. She closed the door and went to her room.

He watched her go inside, backing up once her door was closed. He turned towards his Aunt's driveway, not willing to go back to the den.

Charlie kept the lights off, the little bit of illumination coming in through the window from the light pole in the parking lot enough to let her see her way. Stepping to the bed, she slipped off her sandals and pants, leaving them in a pile. She shrugged out of her sweatshirt and tossed it on to the chair by the window. She unhooked her bra and shimmied out of it, pulling it out of her right sleeve and dropping it on top of her pants. She crawled in to bed, curling up on her side, hands tracing the scars on her upper abdomen, silent tears soaking in to the pillow. She fell asleep quickly, waking once just before dawn from a dream of wolves howling. She rolled over and went right back to sleep.



The Hungry Wolf Ch. 02



I want to thank everyone for their support and encouragement. It is appreciated and invaluable

And once again, I have to give credit for the title and teasers to the great song by X --

Thank you --

W

**************************

"So what do you intend to do now?" Darian asked his brother.

"I don't know." Damien was in his aunt's kitchen, leaning against the counter with a cup of coffee in his hand. He had spent a restless night on his aunt's sofa and had decided to call his brother to talk about what had happened with Charlie. "I need to find out what went wrong last night."

"What do you think went wrong?" his brother asked.

"Nothing," Damien said with a sigh. He could hear Eva in the background.

"Eva says you should gently force her to open up to you, demand she tells you about the scars you felt."

"Oh?" Damien asked. He was thankful for advice from his brother and his mate, feeling totally out of his depth.

"Yeah. She thinks they're the root of the obstacle."

"Huh." He took another drink of coffee. "And how does she recommend I gently force her to open up?"

"She says be kind. Let her know your love for her is unconditional. That nothing she can say will change how you feel for her. But, you have to be persistent, keep after her until she tells you. She may get angry at first, but she'll feel better when she's done."

"I don't think anger will be an issue," Damien said, smiling. "But...my love for her? Won't that freak her out more?"

"Good point. Don't use those words. Just allow the sentiment."

"You know, brother, while I'm sure the advice you two are giving is spot on, I am no clearer on a course of action."

"We know," Darian laughed and paused, listening to Eva. "She says trust your instincts and you'll be fine."

"I hope so."

"Go. Go woo your mate."

"I'm going."

"Good luck." With that Darian hung up the phone.

Damien dumped the rest of his coffee down the sink and washed his cup, placing it in the drain. He turned around to see his aunt in the kitchen doorway, smiling at him. He raised his eyebrows at her expectantly.

"Where are you off to this morning, Damy?" she asked.

"Charlie." He stepped past his aunt, nodding a good morning to his uncle behind her and heading out to the covered porch. He knelt down to put on his shoes, tying them quickly before bounding down the steps to his truck. He glanced at his reflection in the side-view mirror and ran his hands through his hair, smoothing it some before he climbed in. He backed down the driveway, turning to back in to a space in front of Charlie's room. He jumped out, striding to her door and pausing just before knocking when he heard her.

She was singing.

She was, in fact, singing her heart out. His heart swelled as he listened to her beautiful, sultry voice ring with such passion. He smiled, amazed that someone that seemed so frail and small to him could have a voice that big, and he closed his eyes, laying his forehead on her door, imagining her singing to him as he danced with her under the moon.

And I found a dream that I could speak to

A dream that I could call my own

I found a thrill to press my cheek to

A thrill that I have never known

Oh yeah yeah and you smile, you smile

Oh then the spell was cast

And here we are in heaven

For you are mine at last

He waited a moment, wanting to see if she started singing another song, but she didn't. He stepped back and listened to her moving about, unable to decipher what she was doing, and raised his hand to knock. Just as he was about to rap on her door, she opened it. She jumped back with a yelp and tripped over her own feet, falling hard on her butt and mumbling curses under her breath.

Damien looked at her and smiled, feeling a bit lightheaded as lavender and chamomile washed over him again. His mouth watered, remembering her taste, and he clenched his jaw. She was wearing well fitted cargo shorts in tan that stopped mid-thigh and a snug black t-shirt. Her dark brown hair hung loose around her shoulders.

"Holy fuck, Damien! You scared the shit out of me," she glared at him as she accepted his outstretched hand and let him pull her up.

"Sorry," he said, trying not to laugh.

"Right. I can tell you are." She pulled her hand out of his and stood in front of him, hip cocked, hands on her waist. Damien thought she looked adorable.

"Are you alright?" he asked, brushing his hand across her cheek.

"Yeah," she shrugged and brushed her hands over her ass. "Just standard Charlie Bell clumsiness."

"I didn't mean to startle you."

"Mmmhmmm." She smiled at him, shaking her head. "It's okay, I was just going to ask your aunt to call you, so to have you just show up was a bit disconcerting." She looked at him closely. "You're in the same clothes you had on last night."

"Yes." He smiled as he realized what she had said. "Why were you going to have my aunt call me?"

"You didn't go home last night?"

"I stayed at my aunt and uncles' house," he said, nodding his head towards the house behind the motel. "And stop trying to evade the question. Why were you going to have my aunt call me?" he repeated.

"Oh. Right," she looked down, crossing her arms over her abdomen in a move Damien didn't think she was aware of. "I wanted to apologize for last night."

"What happened?" he asked softly, but she just shook her head. He watched her for a minute, thinking about his sister's advice. He put his finger under her chin and raised her face. "Alright. We'll let it go. For now." He bent down and kissed her softly, nuzzling his nose to hers briefly. "We should go."

"Where are we going?"

"To teach you to ride a horse."

"Today? I can't today."

"Why not? You have a date?"

"Yeah, with a washing machine." She cocked her head back towards the bed behind her.

"Leave it," he said, grabbing her hand and looking over her shoulder at the bag of dirty clothes and laundry soap on the bed. "We can do it tomorrow." He sent a message to his aunt to ask her if she would take care of Charlie's laundry for him. He heard her laughing at him, saying she would gladly take care of it.

"But-"

"No buts. Come on." He pulled her over to his truck and opened the door for her, practically pushing her in and closing it behind her before sprinting around to the driver's side. He got in and started the engine, turning off the CD player as he backed out.

"No music today?" she teased, smiling at him. "That's too bad. I was so happy to find a fellow stuck-in-the-eighties-ite."

"Stuck-in-the-eighties-ite?"

"Yeah. New Order. Roxy Music. I bet you even have a little Depeche Mode or Culture Club lurking about somewhere. You know, the eighties," she said with a shrug.

"That pretty much sums up my music collection," he teased, poking her in her ribs.

"Oh, ha ha. That's not what I was saying."

"I know. I just thought you could sing instead."

"Me?"

"I heard you singing when I pulled up, Charlie." "You did?"

"Yeah." He took her hand and entwined his fingers through hers. "You're amazing."

"That's a bit overboard, but thanks."

"No it's not. Why don't you sing professionally?"

"I did, sort of. A long time ago," she said quietly. She pulled her hand out of his and placed it in her lap. He didn't push her on it, figuring it was another piece to the puzzle she was turning out to be, and biding his time until he could get the whole story.

"So tell me about the 'standard Charlie Bell clumsiness'?" he asked, wanting to lighten her mood.

"Oh, that," she smiled, relaxing and shifting in her seat to look at him. "It's just...me. I'm a total klutz. If an accident can happen, if there is any possible way for me to injure myself within a 20 foot radius of where I am, I will do it."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. I trip over subatomic particles." She laughed, talking animatedly and happily. Damien glanced at her, the light and life in her face taking his breath away, and he thanked fate for her as he laid his heart at her feet, his wolf grinning at him in agreement, anxious to mate with her. "I've broken my arms, my legs, dislocated both shoulders and managed to break my own nose with my elbow." She laughed again, and Damien looked at her in wonder over her glee.

"I can see how that's funny," he teased.

"It is a little bit from this point of view," she giggled. "I mean, if there is a wall or chair or stair within 20 feet of me, I am more likely than not to walk into, trip over or fall down it."

"But...I mean.." he looked at her, a teasing smile on his face.

"What?"

"You said you're a cook?" He reached over and took her hand again, smiling when she laced her fingers through his.

"I am. Why? Oh. I get it."

"Who the hell would put you around open flames and sharp things?"

"Hey!" she said, trying to pretend to be offended. "I'm just pointing out the obvious here."

"For some reason, the kitchen is the one room where I don't have accidents. I am more graceful than Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers combined. Just, you know, don't ask me to serve the food."

"Right," he teased with a snort, giving her hand a squeeze.

"Seriously. I've never even had a grease burn." "Really?"

"See," she said, dropping his hand and holding her arms out towards him. "No burns or cuts."

"I think I'll have to inspect you fully later, dolcezza," he said, grabbing her hand again and placing a humid kiss on her palm. She sucked in her breath but didn't speak.

They were silent for the rest of the drive to the ranch. She looked up at the wrought iron arch with the Triple D logo in it -- three intertwined Ds in a pyramid -- as the truck bounced along the hardpan drive. She looked around, eyes wide at the sheer size of the main ranch house when Damien pulled in to the garage.

"This place is huge," she said quietly as they got out of the truck.

"Second largest ranch in the state," he said proudly. He walked over to her and took her hand again, keeping her close. "Let me show you the main house," he said, walking her over to the front porch. She gasped when she saw the huge oak doors with three wolves carved in to them. "Everything alright?" he asked.

"That's beautiful," she said, tracing a hand along one of the wooden animals, making him smile. He pushed the doors open and herded her inside.

"This is the main house," he explained. "The bottom floor here has the main offices, communal kitchen and gathering rooms, security center and hall. The top two floors are where Damien and I live; he and his wife have the north wing and I have the south."

"Really? It's huge."

"Come meet my brother." He started leading her up the stairs to the second floor. He knew his brother and Eva were waiting for them in their sitting room.

"Damien?" she asked, stopping on the stairs.

"What is it?" He turned to look at her, smiling at seeing her there, in his home.

"I don't think...I mean..." she trailed off, embarrassed. She was secretly pleased -- elated, really -- that he wanted to introduce her to his brother. But it was that satisfaction that made her hesitate. It was that secret happiness that made her not want to look at him, that made her want to turn around and run as far away from Damien as possible.

"Come, dolcezza," he said softly, stepping down to her. He cupped her cheek with his other hand. "Don't be nervous. You have nothing to fear."

"But fear itself?" She squeezed his hand for a moment. "You make me feel unsteady, Damien. As if I don't know myself anymore."

"I'm glad I'm not the only one." He caressed her cheekbone with his thumb before turning back towards the second floor. "Come on. The sooner the introduction is made the sooner you can get on a horse."

"And that's supposed to be an inducement?" Charlie asked with a laugh, once again following him up the stairs.

They reached the second floor landing and Damien turned to the right, heading through tall double doors to a somewhat shorter hallway. He led Charlie to a large archway on the right, walking in with a loud "Hello." He let go of her hand and she watched as he embraced his brother, getting a good look at him. It never occurred to Charlie that they wouldn't be identical twins. That they were related was obvious, but Darian was slightly larger than Damien, slightly taller, and had a more rounded chin below thinner lips. He was incredibly handsome, but still nothing in her eyes compared to his twin.

She then looked at the stunningly beautiful woman Damien hugged. She had the smoothest skin Charlie had ever seen, almost golden in color, with high cheekbones and full lips. Straight hair that was black as coal hung down to her waist, giving her the appearance of a sensual Native American goddess. She had to be close to six feet tall. Charlie looked her up and down and felt downright frumpy in comparison.

"Good morning to you, too," she says smoothly, stepping back next to Damien's brother. She turns her head to see Charlie hovering behind him. "Are you going to introduce your friend?"

"Darian, Eva, this is Charlie Bell." He leaned back and put his arm over her shoulders, pulling her forward.

"Hi. Nice to meet you," Charlie said, holding out her hand first to Darian and then to Eva. "I don't know why, but I just assumed you and Damien were identical twins."

"Ah, no, sorry. I should have explained," Damien said, squeezing her to him.

"No, it's okay." She smiled at the couple. "It was my assumption, my blame."

"So, Charlie Bell, please, sit down," Eva said warmly, gesturing to a large wingchair as she and Darian resumed their seats on the couch. Damien moved them over to it, seating himself before pulling her on to his lap. Charlie stiffened a bit at the intimacy, but Damien ignored it. He moved his hand to run lazily up and down her back. "Is your name short for anything?" Eva asked, noting the woman's reaction to her brother.

'She's lovely, if a little skittish,' she sent to him. Damien gave her a slight nod.

"Charlotte." "That's a beautiful name."

"Thank you," Charlie said, relaxing a bit on Damien's lap.

"That's the name of my favorite author," Eva said with a smile.

"Really? My mother named me after Charlotte Bronte. She was one of her favorites. Well, her and her sister. My middle name is Emily."

"Charlotte Bronte is my favorite!" said Eva, leaning forward. "My favorite book is 'Jane Eyre'."

"That was mine and my mom's favorite, too. She used to read it to me when I was a little girl." Charlie said, smiling and leaning back against Damien, unconsciously nestling her body to his. "It's such a beautiful story."

"It is. So full of passion and romance," Eva said with a sigh, catching Darian as he rolled his eyes at his brother. She ignored the look, getting caught up in the conversation with Damien's mate. She liked the woman instantly. Her balance of playfulness and groundedness was the perfect match for her brother. She glanced at the smile on Damien's face and mirrored it; if Luna herself asked her to design a mate for him she couldn't have done any better.

'Well, brother, look at you mooning. Even I can see you are in love,' Darian sent.

'Is it that obvious?'

'Yes!' Damien had no response to his brother's teasing tone other than a feeling of dismay at this insight. 'She is a lively little thing, isn't she?' he asked, watching her talk animatedly to his Eva.

'You have no idea,' Damien sent, thinking on the night before.

'You're excused from pack duties this week to help get things settled between you.'

'Thank you.'

"We will leave you to your horseback riding," Darian suddenly said, standing up and pulling Eva with him. "We have a meeting and lunch engagement." He turned and held his hand out to Charlie, shaking it again. "It was wonderful to meet you. I am sure we will see you again soon."

"Thank you, it was nice meeting you both." She gave a little start when Eva bent down to give her a quick hug.

"Come to dinner tomorrow night, Charlie. We'd love to have you."

"Um, sure. Alright," she said glancing somewhat shyly at Damien. He smiled and nodded, putting his arms around Charlie's waist.

"Great! See you both then." The couple left, and Charlie was struck by how perfect and beautiful they were together.

They sat in silence for a moment before Charlie spoke. "Why did you seat me on your lap?"

"Because I like to be close to you." He ran his hands down her thighs to her knees, letting his fingers trail on the inside on the way back before sliding his arms around her waist again. "Because I like to touch you." He nuzzled her neck, running his nose from behind her ear to her shoulder. "Because I like to smell you." He ran his tongue up the side of her neck to her ear, lightly licking along the outer rim. "Because I like to taste you."

"Damien," Charlie said with a shiver. She was getting aroused under his assault.

"I want you, Charlie," he said simply. "I want you naked, bathed in moonlight and crying my name." He turned her face to his and kissed her softly, taking her lower lip in to his mouth and sucking it gently.

"I can't, Damien," Charlie said, her voice unsteady.

"Are you married?" he asked, tugging the skin of her neck with his teeth.

"No." "Boyfriend?"

"No."

"Pre-op transsexual?"

"No!" she said with a sound that was half laugh and half moan as he nipped at her lobe.

"Then why?"

"It's a long story."

"Tell me," he whispered. Instead, she cupped his face and kissed him, sliding her tongue in to his mouth and moaning at his taste. She knew she shouldn't, but she couldn't stop herself. She broke the kiss and put her forehead against his shoulder.

"Take me riding. Please." She wanted him. Oh how she wanted to be naked with him. To feel him inside her, to taste him, to moan his name. She sighed, knowing that before that could happen she would have to be honest with him. And once she was, his desire for her would be fully extinguished. Desire couldn't hold up against her life. It never did. "Please."

"Alright, Charlie. Let's go." He gently pushed her off his lap and stood, taking her hand and leading her back down the main stairs.

They wove through the halls and out a side door. A massive barn, the biggest Charlie had ever seen, stood about 30 yards away. As they walked towards it she noticed what looked like modified silos at the corners of the building. They were wide cylinders that ended in covered platforms just above the roof line. They reminded Charlie of guard towers, and she was just about to ask Damien about them when a gorgeous willowy blonde came sauntering up to them.

"Damien!" she called, stepping up to him and staring at him, a look of adoration on her face.

Charlie looked at the two of them together, both tall and both gorgeous, amazed at what a picture-perfect couple they would make. Two well matched beautiful people. If it wasn't for the coldness emanating from her, that is, Charlie thought. She looked at Damien, noting the moue of distaste on his face, and smiled, looking down at her shoes. She may not be a gorgeous, willowy blonde, but she hadn't made that look cross his face. Well, not yet, anyway, she amended to herself.

"I missed you last night," she practically purred, placing her left hand on his abdomen. Charlie smiled at the obvious ploy.

After all, it was her hand he was holding tight.

"Don't," he said, pushing her away with his free hand.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't see you're busy," she said, feigning innocence. She turned and looked at Charlie, giving her the obvious once-over and dismissing her with a sneer. "I can show the new hand around for you, lover. No need to lower yourself."




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 02



"This is my guest, my particular friend. If you disrespect Ms Bell, you disrespect me." He pulled Charlie to him, putting his arm around her shoulders. He was angry, even Charlie could tell. "Now, leave us be, Mira. I will not ask you again," he said, looking at her and seething. It should have made Charlie nervous, seeing that anger so plainly written, but it didn't. She was certain, for some reason, that Damien would never do anything to hurt her.

'Do not push me,' Damien sent to her.

'Oh please,' she shot back. 'She's a human. Barely a step up from food.'

'MIRABELL!' Darian sent. He'd "heard" the entire exchange through his twin.

'Yes, Alpha.'

'Come to my office IMMEDIATELY.'

'Thank you, brother,' Damien sent.

'Don't thank me yet,' he warned.

"Sorry. My mistake," Mira said, her face suddenly a bit pale. "I believe I am needed elsewhere. It was...nice to meet you, Ms Bell."

"Nice for whom?" Charlie asked, eyebrow cocked. Mira declined to answer, and instead hurried off towards the main house. Charlie watched her go, a small smile on her lips.

Charlie glanced at Damien to find him looking back at her. She thought he would look embarrassed or still angry, but he only looked concerned for her. She tried not to smile at the worry in his eyes.

"Do you have a spouse, Damien?" she asked, looking at him closely.

"No." He gave one of those short, surprised, barking laughs again, and her smile broke free. She liked surprising him into laughing like that.

"Girlfriend?"

"No."

"You sure?"

"She's one of our staff here. We dated off and on, but it was never serious."

"Does she know that?" She gave him a small smile, her eyebrows raised. She was obviously familiar with Damien -- intimately familiar. A woman doesn't behave like that if she doesn't feel she has some claim to. It made her feel envious, and she silently chastised herself for thinking she had any kind of right or claim to Damien's affections, telling herself it was better he had someone else.

"Are you jealous, dolcezza?"

"What? No. Don't be ridiculous. Of course not," she said, blushing, chagrined he picked up on it so easily. Reminding herself she was passing through, and even if being around Damien made her ache to think about it, she knew she would be leaving as soon as her car was fixed.

He pulled his arm back, grabbing her hand and giving it a squeeze. He led her in to the barn, walking through the open doors, stopping over the threshold to give her time to adjust. The warm smells of horse and leather and hay hit her instantly. It wasn't unpleasant, just strong and, to Charlie, new. Her nose wrinkled a bit and she glanced up at Damien, seeing his do the same.

"You get used to it quickly," he said, leading her down a central passageway with stalls on either side. The floor was bare ground, hard packed and strewn here and there with hay. She could see a second row of stalls behind the ones lining the main passageway on either side. He stopped in front of the doors on the other end of the barn and finally released her hand.

"How many horses do you have?" she asked, looking around in amazement. Between the main ranch house and the barn, she was beginning to think Damien and his brother were much more than just 'ranchers'. While not showy or opulent, it was clear they enjoyed a certain level of luxury she had never known.

"Sixteen total. Have you ever ridden?"

"No, not really."

"Not really?" he prompted, grinning at her and moving towards a stall.

"Well, I am assuming the ponies going in a circle at the county fair don't actually constitute horseback riding experience, right?"

"Really?" he looked at her with frank disbelief as he went in to a stall with a beautiful brown and white horse.

"Yeah," she said with a shrug. "It wasn't like there were a lot of people with horses in Los Angeles. Not in my neighborhood, at least."

"I couldn't imagine living in a city like that," he said, leading the horse out and over towards Charlie. She stiffened up, nervous at the sheer size of the animal. "So crowded."

"It was and it wasn't."

"Oh?" he stood in front of the horse, holding it's gaze and stroking down its nose.

"Sometimes you have to make your own oasis."

"Yes, I guess you do." The horse bobbed his head, as if in agreement, and Damien chuckled softly. "Hamlet agrees with you."

"Hamlet?" She looked at him closely to see if he was having her on. "You named your horse after Shakespeare's Danish Prince?"

"I went through a phase," he shrugged.

"Uh huh. So, a horse named Hamlet..."

"Well, there's Hamlet, Desdemona, Othello, King Lear and Goneril."

"Goneril? You chose her over Cordelia?"

"She was a bit ill-tempered, so it fit." He beckoned to her. "Come here," he said, holding a rope out to her. "Hold him while I get his gear."

"Hold him?" she asked, going pale. "Hold him how?"

"Just hold the rope." He smelled her fear and looked at her closely. "Don't be afraid, dolcezza," he said, his voice low and soothing. "He will not hurt you. But he can sense your fear, and it will make him nervous." He reached out and grabbed Charlie's wrist, tugging her until she stood next to him. He put the lead into her right hand and lifted her left, making her pet Hamlet near his mane, moving her hand with the lay of his hair down his neck. "Just stay calm, and he will, too."

Charlie stood next to the horse, Damien's voice lulling her fears, the rope loosely held in her right hand, her left stroking the animal. The horse, for all her fear, seemed unconcerned with her, giving his attention instead to a bag hanging on the outside of another stall. He took a step forward to nudge it with his nose, and Charlie thought she could see disappointment in his eyes when he found the bag empty. "I know exactly how you feel," she whispered to the horse, smiling.

"Better, dolcezza?" Damien asked, walking over with a saddle in his hands and leather strips with metal pieces at the ends around his neck.

"What does that mean?"

"I mean are you more relaxed?" He grinned at her.

"Funny," she shook her head. "You keep calling me 'dolcezza'. What does that mean?"

"Ah. It's an Italian term of endearment."

"Which means?"

"Sweetness." He dropped the gear on a tall table and walked over to her, bending to brush a light kiss on her temple. "It fits." She looked away from him, a slight blush tinting her cheeks.

"What is all that?" she asked, pointing to the pile of equipment sitting on top of the saddle.

Damien smiled at her diversion tactics and took the rope out of her hand, pulling her over to the table. He picked up the brush and started brushing Hamlet, making the coat shiny and smooth. He put the brush back and began showing her the different gear, explaining in great detail as he readied Hamlet. Charlie watched, enrapt, as he quickly and easily moved about the horse. She didn't really pay attention to what he was saying or doing, focusing instead on him, the way he moved, the sound of his voice. He got the saddle situated and snugged down, turning towards Charlie, realizing she was staring at him.

"You are so beautiful, Charlie."

"I'm...," she shook her head, as if to clear it. "I'm not going to be tested on this, am I?" she asked, changing the subject.

"No, you're not," he said with another bark of laughter, "Come on," he motioned for her to follow him as he moved them outside the barn and onto a wide path with large corrals on either side. He stopped them and motioned for her to stand with him. "To mount your horse, hold the reins with your left hand, laying your hand on the withers," he put the reins in her hand and placed it on the horse, noticing they were shaking a bit. "You'll be fine, dolcezza. I will be with you the whole time," he whispered in her ear, his voice low and soothing.

"Promise?" she whispered back.

"I'll be right behind you."

"Okay." Charlie took a deep breath and nodded, more to herself than Damien. "What's next?"

"Next, place your left foot firmly in the stirrup," he paused to help her set her foot, "and hold the saddle at the waist with your right hand."

"The waist?"

"Here," he said, guiding her hand to the area below the pommel. "Don't pull on it. Just use it as a platform to leverage yourself up."

"Right," she said, her voice shaky.

"Push yourself up off your right leg, using your left leg to lift you up, and then swing your right leg over the horse, being careful not to plop in to the saddle."

"Excuse me?" she said incredulously, looking back at Damien over her shoulder, her nerves forgotten momentarily.

"Just try, Charlie." He smiled reassuringly at her. "I'm right here to catch you."

"Catch me?" she said with a squeak.

"You won't fall. Trust me."

Charlie took a deep breath and pushed off with her right foot, forcing her right hand across the saddle and making her lose her balance. "Dammit," she said under her breath. She tried again, getting a little higher this time before falling back, pulling her left foot out of the stirrup in the process. She seated it back in and tried a third time, almost raising her self up completely before her left hand slid down and she leaned forward, smacking her head on the saddle and making Hamlet take a step to the side. "Oh, for fuck's sake," she muttered, stopping to collect herself.

"You really are clumsy," Damien said, smiling at her frustration.

"This isn't funny, cowboy," she said, trying to glare at him but fighting a smile of her own.

"It is a little bit from this point of view," he teased, mimicking her words from earlier. He stepped up to her, pressing against her back and giving her a kiss on the top of her head. "Let me help you."

"No." She took a deep breath and nudged him away from her with her shoulders. "Let me do this on my own. Just...stay close, okay?"

"Of course."

She turned her attention back to Hamlet, positioning herself as Damien had instructed her. She closed her eyes, taking deep, even breaths as she ran over what he said in her head. She opened her eyes, bouncing a bit on the ball of her right foot before pushing up again. She almost made it, but hesitated at the last moment before swinging her right leg over, causing her to fall back. She stood for another moment, bouncing again before pushing off. Finally, she was able to lift up and swing her leg over. She landed softly but gracelessly in the saddle, her hips askew on it, making her right leg dangle lower than her left.

"I did it!" she said with a gleeful smile.

"You did!" Damien laughed up at her. "Now slide your bottom forward and into the center of the saddle." He watched as she positioned herself. "Take the reins in both hands and leave them slack. This will keep Hamlet still."

"Like this?" she asked, following his directions to the letter.

"Perfect," he said. He placed his left hand on the withers and the next thing Charlie knew he had lifted himself up to sit behind her.

"What are you doing?"

"I told you I'd be right behind you."

"Yeah, but..."

"But what?"

"I thought you meant on a different horse."

"No." He pressed against her, sliding his hands from her hips to her thighs. "Do you want me to get down?" he whispered in her ear, making her shiver.

"Huh? Ah...no," she said after a moment. "You just surprised me is all."

"Good. Because I wasn't going to anyway." He kissed her cheek as she laughed. "Now, to steer, you can use your legs or the reins, but don't use both, as that will confuse him."

"Okay." "In either case, Hamlet will respond to pressure, and move to the opposite side of it, from the reins or your leg. Understand?"

"I think so. To move left I press with my right leg or use the right rein, to move right I use the left."

"Perfect. To stop, you can squeeze gently with both legs or pull with the reins as you are now. But that can be tricky. Too much pressure can cause the horse to rear. Hamlet won't," he hurriedly added at her slight whimper. "He's the gentlest horse we have, and the easiest to ride. But different horses have different temperaments, so you should know how to act safely."

"Alright."

"Are you ready to start riding?"

"Not really," Charlie said with a laugh. "But it's not like that's going to change, so we might as well get it over with."

"Nice enthusiasm, Charlie. Glad to see you're enjoying yourself."

"Nice of you to show a girl such a good time," she retorted, surprising another laugh out of him.

"Okay, to get your horse to move, sit up straight and tilt your hips forward." She did, her movement causing her ass to brush against his cock, and he closed his eyes against the sensation. "Relax the reins and give them a slight flick, like this," he said, putting his hands over hers. "Just barely flex your wrists." He moved their hands together and Hamlet started forward. "Relax a bit, dolcezza," he said, nuzzling her neck.

"I'm trying, Damien."

They walked at an easy pace, the gentle swaying of the horse translating to their bodies, keeping them in constant contact. The day was warm and quiet, and Damien guided Charlie through the ranch, showing her his favorite places on the grounds. Eventually, he let her decide their direction and relaxed against her.

"Tell me about growing up here, Damien."

"What do you want to know?"

"What was it like to grow up with so much space?"

"It was wonderful," he sighed. Charlie smiled at the happiness so evident in his voice. "We all ran and rode to our hearts' content. Swimming in the creeks. Fishing. Hunting. Sleeping outside."

"Sounds like a very Twain childhood."

"Twain?"

"Yeah. Very Huck Finn or Tom Sawyer. Adventurous."

"It was. It was charmed."

"What happened to your parents?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing. After Darlene mat- uh, married Grant Copley, they kind of retired and moved to Italy."

"Oh? They're still alive?"

"Very much so." He wrapped his arms around her waist. "I wish they were closer. I would love for you to meet them."

"So they left the ranch to you and your brother?" His wish for her to meet his parents made her feel apprehensive at the same time it made her heart swell, and she was hard pressed to decide which it did more, so she changed the subject.

"Yes. Well, Darlene has a small stake in it, too. As do all our family members and hands."

"All of them?"

"Yep. The ranch is more a communal concern than capitalist."

"Ah. Veddy goot, comrade," Charlie laughed softly, doing her best Soviet imitation.

"Nothing that Marxist, I assure you," Damien said, laughing with her. "We just all share in the success -- and failure -- and that makes it stronger." He sighed slightly; again, he wasn't lying to her, but he was glossing over a lot. "It's always been this way, ever since my grandfather moved the family here."

"One big extended family?"

"Somewhat."

"You're right. Your life is charmed." She sighed and leaned back against him.

"More so now that you're in it," he whispered in her ear, tightening his arms around her waist slightly.

They wandered in silence for bit after that, moving into the woods of the foothills to escape the sun. Damien had his chin on her shoulder, just breathing her in. She seemed so relaxed with him, he decided to try and get her talking.

"What are the scars on your stomach, Charlie?" Damien asked as they meandered along a creek. Charlie just shut her eyes and shook her head. She knew she had to tell Damien, but she didn't want to yet. It was totally selfish, she knew it was, to keep getting them both riled up and then running away, but she still wasn't ready to tell him, she wanted to keep the fantasy alive for a little while longer. "Tell me." She shook her head again. "Are you not going to talk to me at all anymore?" She smiled and shrugged at his teasing. Damien tightened his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her left shoulder. "Well, then I'll just have to find a way to make you talk." Charlie smiled and shook her head. "That seems like a challenge to me. I accept."

Damien moved her hair to lay over her right shoulder and began kissing her neck. He subtly scooted forward in the saddle, pushing her forward so her crotch was pressed against the rise in front of the pommel and rubbed with each sway of the horse. He sucked at her earlobe and smiled as he felt her shiver. He could smell her getting aroused, and moved his hands to gently cup her breasts, squeezing one then the other, making her gasp. He moved his mouth back to her neck, sucking and biting at her skin.

"Damien," Charlie moaned, tilting her head.

"Hmmm?"

"You have to stop," she whimpered.

"Don't I make you feel good?" he whispered, squeezing her breasts more firmly. He pressed himself against her, letting his cock rub on her as he pushed her pussy more firmly against the saddle. "Doesn't this feel good?"

"Yes." Charlie arched her back, pressing her breasts more firmly against his hands.

"I want you, Charlotte. And you want me."

"Damien." Another whimper.

"You don't want me to stop, do you dolcezza?"

"Please..."

"Please?"

"Please stop," she said, dropping the reins and grabbing his wrists.

"Let me make you feel good."

"Please. Please stop." She took a deep breath and pulled at his wrists, lifting her head off his shoulder.

"Why?"

"It's a long story." "I'm not going anywhere." He reached in front of her and took the reins, stopping the horse. "Let's sit for a while." He got down and helped Charlie off the horse, taking her hand with one of his and the reins with his other. He led them towards the creek, loosely tying Hamlet to a low branch close enough for him to drink. He moved himself and Charlie towards a tree, seating them both in its shade so they faced each other.

"Talk."

She looked at him for a moment and then looked away. "I don't know what to tell you."

"Why are you fighting this?"

"Does it matter? I'm leaving in a few days, anyway."

Damien's wolf bristled at her statement, but he forced himself to answer rationally. "You're going to Oregon, Charlie. Not another country."

"Long distance doesn't work."

"It's a few hours' drive. Hardly long distance." He cupped her cheek, lifting her face until she was looking at him. "I'd be willing to try, doclezza. I'd be willing to make that drive every weekend."

The certainty of his words pierced her heart. She somehow knew he was sincere, and he would, in fact, be willing to travel much farther for her. Charlie knew she needed to be honest with him, to open up wholly about her past before he staked any further feelings on her. She felt drawn to him, like he soothed a chronic physical ache she didn't know she had. When she looked inside herself she realized she couldn't bear to hurt him, and no matter how badly she wanted to wrap herself up in his comfort, he deserved to know why it wouldn't, couldn't happen between them. It scared her and broke her heart to have to tell him, but she knew she had no choice. She took his hand and kissed his palm, giving him a small, sad smile. "Hear me out, okay? Completely. Before you make such reckless promises."

"Okay."

She let go of his hand and took another deep breath, letting it out with a shaky sigh. Giving him a small smile, she began talking. "I suppose I should start at the beginning. That's usually the best place:

"There was a young woman named Joan. She was quite pretty. Petite. Fair skin and dark brown hair. She had two very striking features: her eyes -- which were a deep golden color -- and her voice. She had a wonderful singing voice. She had quite a successful career. Not fame, but steady studio and jingle work, as well as a regular gig singing in a very popular nightclub.

"One night, a tall, dark stranger came in to the nightclub and fell in love with Joan. David was suave. He was handsome. He swept Joan off her feet. Bought her a diamond necklace. Bought her a diamond bracelet. Promised her the moon and stars, and a life away from the smoky night club. Promised her a home. A family. Vowed his eternal love for her. Seduced her. Got her pregnant.




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 02



"And went back to his wife.

"Joan decided, after much soul searching, not to get an abortion. She could have, you know, this was after Roe V Wade had been decided. She talked to her mother and they decided together they would give that baby the greatest family in the world." She smiled at Damien. "And they did.

"When Charlotte Emily Miller was born, she was born into a family that loved her. That wanted her. That would do whatever they could for her happiness. It was a small family -- herself, her mother and her grandma -- but it was enough. She grew up with only happy memories. Her grandma taught her how to cook, and her mom taught her how to sing. They had a warm home, filled with love and laughter.

"One day, when Charlotte was 13, she came home from school to find her mother and grandma in the living room. She could tell they had been crying. They sat her down and had a long talk with her. Her mother was dying -- pancreatic cancer, totally inoperable -- and they weren't sure how long she had." She sighed, hands idly plucking at the grass between her crossed legs, looking off towards the mountains behind Damien.

His heart was aching. He wanted to hold her, to pull her in to his lap and soothe her. He hated listening to her talk about herself in the third person, her voice so dispassionate.

"Turns out it was about two years. She died the summer before Charlotte's sophomore year. At the end, it really was a mercy when she died. And she still had her grandma. So life, though quite sad for a while, went on. They both eventually learned to live again.

"Charlotte met a boy in her sophomore year of high school, just after the Christmas break. His family had just moved to Los Angeles from Chicago. His name was Keith. He was dreamy to her, a cross between Bono and David Bowie." Damien chuckled at that and Charlie smiled at him. "I know.

"He was a year ahead of her, and she didn't think he even knew her name. But one day after school, he waited for her and walked her home. They started dating. He was in a band, a guitarist and singer, and she used to go watch them play. She never told him she could sing. Not because she wanted to hide it from him, but she just didn't think of it. After her mother died, she just stopped thinking of singing as anything special.

"One day he came over unexpectedly, and heard her in the backyard singing Patsy Cline while she weeded. He got upset at first, demanding she explain why she never told him she could sing. She did, and he immediately felt bad. He held her while she cried, kneeling with her in the dirt of her grandma's vegetable garden. She fell in love with him that day."

Charlie stopped and shifted, putting her legs out in front of her and wincing at the imprint of the grasses and dirt in her flesh. She stretched and cracked her back before continuing.

"Keith convinced Charlotte to sing with the band. At first just at practice. Then slowly at gigs. It was fun. She loved being up on stage with Keith. They were a cover band, but they were a good cover band. And just before she started her senior year, Keith took her virginity." She paused again, wrinkling her nose. "Although that sounds so...off, doesn't it. It wasn't taken from her. She gave it to him. Maybe that doesn't matter. The important thing is that I may have lost my virginity but I still have the box it came in." Damien barked a laugh at the old joke, even as his wolf seethed at the thought of anyone else -- even 20 years ago -- having touched her.

"Anyway. They became lovers. And a couple months after she graduated high school, to the happiness of all that knew them, they became husband and wife. They were best friends as well as lovers. He was her rock. When her grandma died, she leaned on him with the security of someone who knew what it meant to be loved.

"And they still sang together. They had regular jobs, too. She worked as a cook and he was a mechanic for CalTrans, but 'The Be-Sides', their cover band, had steady bookings of weddings, bar mitzvahs, corporate events. They enjoyed performing together and were loathe to give it up. It wasn't easy, but he was determined to give his wife a slice of heaven. In Whittier of all places." She chuckled at that, shaking her head. "Whittier.

"The only thing was, the long hours of commuting and working and practicing and gigging were starting to take their toll on her husband. She grew quite worried about Keith. He seemed to walk around zombie-like much of the time, and she was concerned for his health -- both physical and mental. She was going to talk to him about quitting the band and having more time together, when all of a sudden, he seemed to bounce back, better than before.

"Unbeknownst to Charlotte, he had gotten started down a very dark path. A couple of his coworkers introduced him to something called crystal meth. And he quickly went from a casual user to an addict. He became erratic, paranoid, started picking fights -- never with his wife -- but she was always there to clean it up. She didn't know what was going on, why her sweet and gentle husband was behaving oddly.

"One day Greg, the drummer of 'The Be-Sides', came in to the diner where Charlotte worked and sat her down. He talked to her about crystal meth, about Keith, and about addiction, but she didn't listen." Charlie paused and shook her head. "She refused to listen. Instead she went home that night and told Keith what had happened, effectively ending the band.

"A couple weeks later, he was fired after failing a urinalysis. But she still didn't want to believe anything was wrong. Even after their money started disappearing. Even after their car was repossessed. Even after their home was foreclosed. Even after Charlotte discovered he had sold her mother's diamond necklace and bracelet from her father as well as her grandma's bridal jewelry.

"Had basically sold her past."

Charlie shifted again, pulling her knees up and wrapping her arms around them. Damien watched her closely, fighting the increasing urge to wrap her up in himself. He could sense her pain, smell her anger and fear in her sweat, and it was making his wolf insane with wanting to hold and soothe her.

"One day, Charlotte came home from work to find Keith sitting at their little dinner table, his head in his hands. There were three rather large Hispanic men in the apartment with him, two sitting on their couch and one standing by the door. They made her nervous. The one standing by the door -- he must have been their leader, because he was the only one that ever talked -- closed the door behind Charlotte and locked it.

"He looked her over, rather lasciviously, and told Keith that he had a deal. Charlotte turned to her husband and asked what was going on. He took her hands and explained to her that the men had agreed to give him a large supply of drugs in exchange for sex with her. She didn't want to believe it. Her husband wouldn't do that to her. She cried, she screamed at him, called him names, told him to get out; but he grabbed her and held her through it, begging her, promising her that as soon as it was done he was going to get help and get clean. She relented.

"For her husband."

"Charlie...you don't...you can stop. You don't have to tell me..." Damien's words trailed off. He didn't want to hear anymore. He didn't think he could stand to hear anymore. He knew what was coming, and he couldn't bear the thought of it. He didn't think he could hear about her rape and keep his wolf at bay; already he was howling and pacing, demanding to be let out as Charlie's story lanced both their souls. Charlie suddenly stood up, shaking her head and wrapping her arms around herself. She refused to look at Damien.

"I do, though," she said sadly. She gave a sudden cruel laugh.

"You know, I thought that if I told this in the third person, I could pretend it happened to someone else. And it should make it easier." She turned her face to Damien and he saw the tears running down her cheeks. "But it doesn't. I can't pretend it wasn't me." He stood and moved to put his arms around her but she stopped him. "Don't, please. I need to finish," she said, holding up her hand. He leaned against the tree, arms at his sides and nodded.

She took a few deep breaths and nodded to herself before continuing. "I can remember -- so clearly -- the look of gratitude on Keith's face as he thanked me, told me how amazing I was and how much he appreciated it. But he didn't tell me he loved me.

"Still, I agreed.

"I was made to strip in front of them, right there in the living room. I remember thinking that I would just shut down, you know? I was 24. 24! I honestly believed that I could refuse, that I could stop my responses, just go through the motions but not give them anything. Let them take turns fucking a corpse. But that wasn't the plan. They weren't taking turns, oh no. Not at all." She gave a snort of derisive laughter, shaking her head.

"They made me sit on the couch and held me down, one man sucking on each breast and one man licking my cunt. I kept looking over at my husband, trying not to moan, not to pant, thinking that if I focused on him it would help me stop -- it would keep me from...from...." She gave another snort and wiped at the tears falling freely. "He was watching, enrapt.

"I couldn't fight it. I wanted to, but I couldn't." She looked at Damien, her eyes wide, her voice desperate. "Do you believe me?"

"I do." His voice was muted, as if he was talking through a mouth full of sand. He could feel the tears on his own cheeks.

"They fucked me for hours. They put these little leather bands on the base of their penises and were able to just fuck and fuck and fuck. I had no idea what they were. I was so stupid." She took another shaky breath. "For hours.

"They made me moan, and scream. And...and come. A lot. And...and with every moan, every gasp, every fucking orgasm I died. I died a thousand deaths that day. How could I not? I was a willing participant in my own prostitution."

"Charlie...please," Damien said quietly, his wolf howling at her pain. He moved towards her, desperate to put his arms around her, but she evaded him.

"No. Let me finish," she said, giving him a sad smile. "You have a right to know." She took another deep breath, shuddering a bit and hugging herself tightly.

"Still, through it all, I kept thinking that my marriage, my husband, would be my savior. That was my hope, that was my grace. I was doing this for him, and he would bring me back to life and this would fade to a bad dream. Until..." she paused, taking a few deep breaths, "until they finally took off their little bands. I was being fucked by three men at the same time and I looked to my husband, my savior, to find him eating cold pizza and drinking a soda.

"When they were finally done, they dressed and walked out, tossing a bag of white powder on the table. I sat on the couch, a mess, sore, crying, and my husband -- my love, my life, my hope -- couldn't even touch me, comfort me, hold me.

"Hell, he barely even looked at me. Instead, he picked up the bag and ran into the bathroom, tossing a 'thanks babe' back over his shoulder.

"Like I'd just bought him a burger or something."

She looked at Damien, a cruel smile on her lips. "Do you know how much drugs selling your wife to three men will get you? Hmm?" He shook his head, his hands clenching into fists and unclenching.

She turned and looked towards the horse. " Four days' worth. I know because four days later Keith went crazy. I came home from work and he just sort of...detonated. He started beating me, throwing me in to the walls and kicking me. At one point he broke a chair over me.

"He kept...screaming at me...accusing me of being with those three guys and fucking them when I was supposed to be at work. He kept saying over and over that I wanted it, that I wanted to have a cock in my ass and my cunt and my mouth, that it was my idea. He kept calling me a slut and a whore. Telling me over and over that only a whore would come from three guys in front of her husband. And even though I'd tried to fight it --I tried to fight my own biology with everything I had -- I started to believe him. I started to think he was right." She stopped for a moment, catching her breath between her sobs.

"He pushed me over the table then. Grabbed my hair in his fist and slammed my head in to it, gashing it open." She turned her head towards him, pointing to the scar running down from her hairline. "He ripped down my pants and...and...and then he raped me. I didn't know husbands could rape their wives. But they can." She stopped again, breathing harshly and grimacing, putting the back of her hand to her mouth waiting for a wave of nausea to pass before picking up the narrative again.

"At the end, he grabbed one of our kitchen knives -- and it's weird, but I remember noticing he'd grabbed one of the ones he had bought me for our first anniversary, a Wusthoff -- and carved up my abdomen. To make sure no one would ever get tricked by me the way he did." Charlie was barely keeping herself together at this point. Her body so tight with tension that Damien was afraid she'd physically snap in two. She turned and walked towards him, a slight snarl on her face.

"My scars, Damien, are a warning. A warning to any man who might ever be interested in someone like me." She put her hands on the hem of her t-shirt. "You really want to see what they are?" He nodded at her and she lifted her shirt off, dropping it at her feet as she stood up straight in front of him. "Get a good, long look.," her voice was toneless, dead, but Damien could smell her fear plainly.

On her stomach, just below her bra was the word WHORE. It had been carved into her flesh in shaky letters about two inches high, the word easily discernible in the shiny skin of the resulting scars.

"It's my label. My title. My badge." She gave him an apologetic smile as she fought back the sobs that threatened to tear her apart. "I'm a whore. I fucked three men and liked it."

"No," Damien growled, unable to stop himself from stepping to her and putting his arms around her.

Charlie broke then, sobbing loudly and fighting to get away, but he held her tightly. He didn't talk, he didn't caress, he just stood there under the tree, his arms around her as she sobbed and struggled. He held her in silence, giving her his strength as her struggles to get away ceased. He held her fast until she put her arms around him and grabbed on to him tightly as she wept against his chest. His own tears fell down his cheeks unchecked, his wolf howling in pain.

She slowly quieted as they stood in the shade with their arms around each other. When her sobs tapered down to the occasional shaky breaths and sniffle, Damien pulled his arms from around her to step back and cup her face. He looked down at the pain so evident in her eyes and felt his heart physically ache over what she had been through.

"You are not a whore, Charlie." His voice was adamant, vehement.

"I willingly - "

"No." Damien cut her off. "You were raped, Charlie. You were not willing. You were coerced, forced to agree." He ran his thumbs on her cheeks, refusing to break eye contact. "You consented to nothing. Nothing. You were coerced into an act due to your naïveté and unconditional love for your husband."

Charlie tried to pull Damien's hands from her face but they wouldn't budge. She closed her eyes against the look in his.

"Look at me, Charlie." His voice was low but firm. She opened her eyes and kept them on his. "You did nothing wrong, Charlie."

"But I - "

"You did nothing wrong, Charlie," he repeated, cutting her off again. "You have no fault, no blame. You did nothing wrong." He held her gaze, and search as she might, she saw no derision, no repulsion, none of the disgust that was so clear when he was looking at Mira. Just...warmth, compassion, tenderness. She took a deep breath and opened her mouth to speak, but astonished herself when she began crying again.

"C'mere," he murmured, taking her in his arms again and pressing her head to his chest. He gently ran a hand up and down her back, letting her cry.

"I'm sorry," she said after she had settled down again. Her voice was hoarse and her cheeks were hot. He could feel them through his tear dampened t-shirt.

"Don't be."

"I can't believe I told you. God, Damien, it's like I'm compelled to. For whatever reason it just feels right, everything does, when I'm around you," she said after a long while. "Do you mind if...I mean, can we stay like this while I finish?"

"Of course." He hugged her to him tightly, wanting to laugh at her question. It would be alright with him if she stayed where she was for eternity. He bent down and kissed her on top of her head. "Take your time."

She took a deep breath and let it out in a whoosh before continuing. "He ran out after he finished, and I laid on the floor where he left me. I remember praying -- seriously praying -- to God to let me die. It wasn't long after that the police and paramedics arrived. One of my neighbors heard the ruckus and called them. I was taken to the hospital and Keith was caught and taken to jail.

"I didn't want to press charges. How sick is that, huh? I kept thinking to myself that he was right, you know." She unconsciously tightened her arms around Damien. "I had a dislocated jaw, a broken nose, two broken ribs, stitches in my head, abdomen, legs and arms, a concussion and sprained wrist.

"Still, it was easier to accept I was what he said, to blame myself, than to blame him. To think that I meant so little...well, it was just easier to think of myself as the cause." She paused for a moment, thinking. "It still is, in a way. I haven't been out on more than one date with anyone since then."

"Except me." He kissed the top of her head again, glad to find the scent of her anger and fear receding.

"Is that what this is?" she asked with a shaky laugh, squeezing him briefly. "Then yeah. I guess so. Except you.

"Anyway, on my second or third day in the hospital, a woman I'd never met before came in to see me. She came and sat on the edge of my bed as if we were great friends, looked me square in the eye and said 'Fuck him'. That was all. No introduction. No polite 'how are you'. Just those two words.

"My shock must have shown because she just repeated them again.

"'Fuck him'. God, she must have said that a hundred times. At first I thought it was funny. Then I started to get pissed.

"Eventually I just cried, realizing she was right.

"Fuck him.

"Whatever my marriage had been, whatever my husband had been -- that was long gone when he even considered asking me to do...that." She paused, taking a few deep breaths. "Her name was Regina. She was a 'victim advocate'. She worked with the police and hospitals to help victims of domestic abuse. And help she did," Charlie sighed.

"I did end up pressing charges and he was found guilty. I had to testify. To everything. And even though he had no prior criminal record, he got a 25 year sentence. The DA said it was because of my testimony. Whatever.

"I filed for divorce and he actually had the nerve to try and contest it. From prison. It took two years but I was finally granted a divorce."

"Is he still in prison?"

"For now, yes. But he will be out on parole by September. Seems he's behaved himself and found Jesus."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Jesus must be the worst repeat offender considering how often he's found in prison." Her voice sounded at once wounded, bitter and tired. "It's amazing, isn't it? He finds Jesus and all is forgiven, his conscience clear, yet I am condemned to live my life disfigured and disgusting."

He put his hands on her shoulders and moved her to arms' length to look at her. He made it obvious to Charlie he was looking her up and down, and she could feel herself start to blush, acutely aware she was in shorts and a bra.




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 03



Okay – a few quick notes and apologies. First off, my apologies to the town of Buck Creek, WA. I have taken shameless liberties with you – geographically and demographically. I am sure you are a fine town in your own right. I really just liked the name.

Secondly – I have to apologize for any perceived slur in Chapter 2. When I indicated the drug dealers were Hispanic, it was not meant as a perpetuation of a stereotype, or an indication of any form of bigotry. It was merely texture, and it pains me to think it might have been viewed as offensive. Not my intention. I owe Max a huge thank you for the gentle reminder that the reader's perception can differ so greatly from my own, and I will try to be more sensitive to that. 

Lastly – but not leastly – I appreciate the emails and comments wanting me to go faster, to post more of Damien and Charlie's story. I do apologize if the wait is too long, but I would rather have a quality end product than push something out that was garbage.

And again – thank you to X for the excellent inspiration. 

-W





The Hungry Wolf Ch. 03



The glass wall was forgotten when Charlie stepped in to the shower with all four heads going. She stood letting the water hit her, wallowing in the decadence of it, until she started to feel a bit guilty about overindulging. She washed up, lathering herself with the Rainbath she found in the shower twice, cleaning herself until she felt she squeaked. She got out and dried herself off with the fluffiest towel she'd ever felt before wrapping it around herself and heading out to the bedroom. Still ignorant to the location of her clothes, Charlie sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for Damien to return. She heard footsteps approaching and briefly considered dropping the towel and sprawling herself out for him, but rejected it. She'd never been much of a seductress. She opted instead to lean back on her hands, trying for a 'come hither' look, but settled for a friendly smile when she realized she felt ridiculous. 

She barely had time to register the fact the footsteps sounded like pumps when a sultry voice cooed, "There you are, baby, I hope you didn't start without me."

The door opened and in walked the willowy blond from yesterday. "Ah, sorry, I'm not into chicks," Charlie said, trying to keep her anger in check with humor, resolutely refusing to acknowledge she was jealous. She stood up at the foot of the bed, hyper-aware she was in a towel while the goddess in front of her was wearing what had to be a $500 Armani slip dress.

"You're still here? I thought for sure he would have gotten bored with you already," Mira said, striding up to Charlie with a sneer. "I mean, you can't really hope to keep his interest for long, can you?" She made an obvious show of looking Charlie up and down. "You should just be happy you managed to snag his interest at all. Cut your losses and run."

"Hmmm...you know, if it wasn't for all the glorious fucking we've been doing, I might think you had a point."

"You think that'll last? You can't give him what he needs."

"Maybe not. But I'm giving him what he wants. Which apparently isn't you."

"You don't really expect him to settle for chuck when he could be having prime rib, do you?" Charlie's eyes got wide as Mira's words sank in. As much as she didn't want to, Charlie saw the truth in them, and she felt herself awash with insecurity when compared to the leggy blonde. Where Mira was glamorous, Charlie was plain; where she was beautiful, Charlie was average. Charlie worried Mira was right, it would just be a matter of time before Damien became bored with her, and went back to more exotic fare. "He'll be back in my bed soon enough."

"MIRA!" Damien's voice boomed. He was standing in the doorway glaring at the beauty, his anger almost palpable in the air. Charlie watched, confused, as Mira paled and dropped her eyes, tilting her head to bare her neck to him. 

"Please, Damien - " Mira began.

"Silence," he hissed, shutting Mira up instantly. Charlie looked at Damien to find him watching her, his worry written clearly on his face. "Are you alright, Charlie?" he asked her quietly.

"Fine." She smiled at him, trying to be light. "Chalk it up to just a scheduling conflict. Someone didn't get the memo is all." The last thing she wanted was for either of them to see how upset she really was. 

Damien came over to Charlie and cupped her face, forcing her to look at him. He gazed at her, his eyes searching hers as his thumbs caressed her cheeks, his back to Mira, his body language unmistakable. 

"Get the fuck out, Mira. If you come near Charlie again I will personally cast you out and off the ranch." He didn't turn to look at her, he remained absorbed in Charlie. His voice was low, deadly, and even though he looked at her tenderly, Charlie could hear the rage in it. 

"Da-..." Mira began.

"Get. Out." Damien said, clenching his teeth and closing his eyes. Charlie lifted her hands to his forearms and started to stroke them softly. He opened his eyes to stare into hers again as they heard Mira stomp out of the room. 

"I'm so sorry, my love," he said at last. 

"It's alright," Charlie said, dropping her eyes.

"Look at me." 

"Where are my clothes?" she asked, pulling her head out of his hands and looking around the room.

"Please don't let her upset you," Damien said, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her to him. He pressed her to his chest and put his arms around her. 

"She didn't," she lied, slipping her arms around his waist and splaying her hands on his back.

"You're lying, dolcezza." He stroked her hair. "Please don't lie to me, my love."

"She walked right in here, Damien. Like she had every right to. Almost as if this were her place, too," she said after a moment. "There's something you're not telling me, Damien. Why is she so persistent?"

"I don't know."

"Now who's lying?"

"You have to believe me, Charlie," he pulled away from her to look her fully in the face. "I was never with Mira in any real sense." Charlie snorted at that, rolling her eyes. "No, I'm serious, Charlie. We were lovers, sexual partners, that was it. There was never any relationship. It was...stress relief. Scratching an itch. Nothing more than that. And it was never here, never in my bed." Damien was being as honest with her as he could.

"Then why has she tried to insinuate – twice now – that it was something more?"

"She must have wanted it to be." He sighed, running his hand through his hair. "She never came right out and admitted that, but that could be the only reason."

"Damien." Charlie looked at him, hands on her hips, doing her best to look stern. It wasn't her fault she was standing there in a towel, looking absolutely edible. 

"Believe me, had I known she was going to behave this way I never would have had anything to do with her." He trailed his fingers up and down her neck, watching as her skin pebbled in goosebumps. Charlie looked at him closely, forcing herself to ignore the teasing way his fingers tickled her skin. 

"Crazy thing is, I do believe you," she said after a long moment.

"It's not crazy," Damien said as he reached down and gently tugged at her towel. It fell off and pooled at her feet. 

"Damien!" she gasped, crossing her arms over her torso as he sank to his knees in front of her and grabbed her ass in one smooth movement, stunning her as much with his grace as his action.

"You looked too tempting in that towel, my love." He nuzzled her mound with his nose, breathing deeply. The scent of lavender and chamomile was strong here, and was just starting to mix with the musk of her arousal. He pushed his tongue between her labia and lapped at her clit.

"Damie-e-en," she moaned, unconsciously opening her legs to give him freer access. "Oh god, you have to stop."

"No," he said. He moved his hands to her thighs, using his thumbs to spread open her pussy. He bent down and sucked her clit into his mouth, flicking his tongue on it rapidly, doing away with finesse in favor of a hard and fast climax, smiling into her pussy at the way her hips jerked. He sucked and nibbled at her relentlessly, greedy for her orgasm.

"Oh god, oh god," she moaned, grabbing his hair in her fist and trying to steady herself as she quickly came. He lapped at her, wanting as much of her pussy juices as he could get, eventually tongue-fucking her while his thumb stroked her clit. Her legs were shaking so badly as she came again she started to fall back, but Damien quickly caught her and lowered her onto his lap, seating her so she straddled him. She put her arms around his neck and rested her forehead on his shoulder.

"This doesn't change anything, cowboy. We are going to finish that conversation," she breathed.

"What conversation?" he teased, his hands traveling up and down her back.

"Whatever we were talking about, we are going to talk about some more. Just as soon as I remember what it was." 

"Of course, dolcezza," he said, chuckling softly and kissing her shoulder. "Maybe you'll remember on the way to Aunt Mary and Uncle Vincent's."

"Wazzatnow?" she mumbled.

"We were going to get your stuff, remember? From the motel?"

"I don't wanna move," she said with a sigh. She sat up and looked at him, running her fingers through his hair, smoothing it back. 

"Come on," he said with a laugh. "The sooner we go the sooner we get back." He wagged his eyebrows at her, making her giggle. 

"Nice," she laughed. "Although, if you're in such a hurry to leave, it might be a good thing to let me know where my clothes are." 

"I like you better like this, my Charlotte."

She watched his eyes as they traveled up and down her body and crossed her arms over her abdomen, only minimally aware of her actions. She turned her head and looked towards the sliding door to the terrace. "Be that as it may, I cannot go gallivanting around naked." 

"Don't hide yourself from me."

"I'm not."

"Look at me." She turned her head back and met his eyes, her breath catching at his expression. "I love you, Charlotte," he said softly, kissing her gently.

"Right," she said, scoffing and trying to disentangle herself. "You've fallen in love with me after one day. Of course."

"No...it was more like after one minute." She snorted at that and rolled her eyes. "Okay, maybe it was more like five minutes," he smiled. He slipped his arms around her waist and held her fast.

"Please." She leaned back as much as possible and turned her head back towards the terrace, unwilling to look at him. "Look, you know you're gonna get laid again. No need to blow sunshine up my skirt."

"You don't believe me?" he asked. He could feel his wolf pacing, angry he didn't mate with her already, knowing if they had she would know he was telling the truth.

"Does it matter?" she said. She could hear the hurt in his voice and it made her own heart hurt in response. 

"I said I will never hurt you, Charlie, and I won't. Not in any way." He cupped her face with his hands and forced her to look at him. "I wish you would believe me, dolcezza. My Charlotte." He kissed her softly, nibbling her lips until he felt her start to relax. "I will never do anything to hurt you, my love, and that includes lying to you. I love you." He looked at her again, capturing her eyes with his, his gaze widening in surprise when she burst in to tears. He pulled her to him, pressing her head on his shoulder with one hand and rubbing her back gently with the other.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Damien could feel the heat of her breath against his neck. 

"Shhh," he soothed. He sensed her tears were more from feeling overwhelmed than sadness.

"I don't know why I cried," she said after a while. The tears had stopped and she was left with just an occasional sniffle. She was still sitting on his lap, her head on his shoulder.

"It's alright." Damien's voice was gentle, soothing her. 

"We should get going." She sat up straight and gave him a small smile. 

"Alright, dolcezza." He held her hips as she stood. "Your clothes are folded on top of the high-boy." 

"You trying to play keep-away?" she asked. He watched her walk over to the chest and go up on her toes to get her clothes down. He was starting to get hard again watching the way the muscles in her legs and ass flexed as she moved.

"Nope," he said, trying not to stare at her as she dressed and thinking of anything to keep his cock from growing beyond half-staff.

"Ew. Dirty panties," she sighed, turning them inside out and putting them on. 

"Just leave them off," Damien laughed, standing up and moving to the chest. He opened a drawer and pulled out a plain navy t-shirt.

"Go commando like you?" she looked up at him and smiled shyly.

"Hmmm...good point. I don't know how much we'd get done if I knew there was one less barrier." He looked at her and wagged his eyebrows again, and Charlie rewarded him with a big smile and another laugh. He moved to his closet and slipped on a pair of sandals before turning to Charlie with her Keds in his hands.

"Hey! There are my kicks."

"Kicks?"

"Yeah. It was what my grandma used to call sneakers." She slipped her feet into them and tied them quickly.

"Kicks. That's pretty cute," he said, taking her hand and leading her back downstairs. He grabbed his wallet and keys from the bowl on the table by the door to his apartment and led Charlie out. They walked down the stairs, talking quietly, and Damien was happy to see her former playfulness return. As they reached the landing he received a summons from Darian and stopped.

"I just remembered...I need to check something with my brother real quick. Would you mind waiting here for a moment?" 

"Not at all." She reassured him with a smile.

"I will be right back," he said, giving her a quick kiss before heading down the hall. Charlie watched him walk, taking in the broadness of his physique and how nice his ass looked in his shorts with a contented sigh.

"You must be Charlie," a soft voice said behind her.

Charlie spun around quickly. A tall woman with long, curly brown hair stood there. She was dressed in slacks, a blouse and what looked like a lab coat. She was absolutely stunning. She smiled at Charlie from a rather cherubic face with real friendliness, and Charlie warmed to her instantly. 

"Well, I am Charlie, whether or not I must be." She smiled back at the woman.

"I'm Anna." She held out her hand and Charlie shook it. "I'm an old friend of Damien's."

"Oh?" She was suddenly on guard, wondering if this seemingly nice person was going to go all bitchy on her the way Mira had. 

"Yeah. We go way back." She smiled at Charlie and looked her up and down frankly, putting Charlie even more on edge. She braced herself for another pissing contest with yet another ex-girlfriend, wondering if Damien had ever heard the old adage against shitting where one ate. "I had to come and meet the girl that got old Mr. Grump to smile. I should have known it would be someone as lovely as yourself." 

"Mr. Grump?" Charlie asked, slowly letting go of her apprehension. Anna certainly seemed friendly – and genuinely pleased to meet her.

"Yeah," Anna said with a laugh. "Some of the younger wol – uh, ranch hands call him Forrest Grump. He's not known for his joviality."

"Really?" Charlie said, feeling more at ease. "I can see that." She dropped her voice, speaking almost conspiratorially to Anna. "Seems like he's always so surprised when he laughs. He makes this sound that's half-bark and then gets this look on his face like he's thinking 'holy shit – who laughed – oh wait – was that me?'. It's so damn cute," Charlie said, giggling.

"Yes!" Anna said, laughing with her. 

Damien could hear Charlie laughing and stuck his head out the door to take a quick peek. He saw her talking with Anna and tensed a bit, worried about what she might think meeting yet another of his former lovers.

"She'll be fine. Anna is happy for you," Darian said, shaking his head at his brother. He didn't envy the uphill battle he had before him. Having a human as a mate was always more difficult. 

Damien turned his attention back to his brother and nodded. "You were saying?"

"Mira has been sent to the Copely pack in Canon Beach for about a week. So you need to get off your ass and make this happen. You don't want her challenging Charlie before she fully understands what is going on, do you?"

"No," he sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "I just don't know how to proceed."

"Maybe you should talk to Eric? He was the last one to mate a human."

"Yeah. I hadn't thought of that," he said. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." They heard the women in the hallway laughing again, and Darian could see his brother's anxiety. "Go. We'll see you in a few hours."

"Okay," Damien said as he head out the door. He walked down the hallway slowly, listening to Anna tell Charlie about the time he found a nest of bumblebees and how they chased him.

"The look on his face..." Anna gasped. "Oh my gods...it was priceless."

"Telling tales, Anna?" Damien asked, walking up next to Charlie and putting his arm around her shoulders. She looked up at him laughing and he smiled.

"You bet I am," Anna said, catching her breath. "Sorry my friend, but I had to meet the woman that got the big curmudgeon to smile." 

"Congratulations my friend. I see I will have to wait to congratulate her," she sent to Damien.

"Thank you, Anna."

"I look forward to running and hunting with her."

"As do I."

"Well, I must get back to work. It was wonderful to meet you, Charlie," Anna said, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. "I look forward to seeing you again."

"Here, too," Charlie said, smiling. "I'm sure we have loads to talk about."

"Hey now..."Damien growled playfully.

"Come on, Forrest Grump. Daylight's a waistin'," Charlie giggled, poking Damien in the ribs.

"Why did she have to tell you the nickname?" he groaned, taking her hand and leading her out towards the garage.

"Because it's so perfect?" Charlie snorted, following Damien outside. She stopped when they entered the garage, her attention caught by a beautiful black and chrome machine. "Is that a Rocket III?" she asked, her voice low. She'd been too nervous to notice it the day before.

"Yes, it is." She pulled her hand out of his and walked over towards the motorcycle slowly. "What?"

"Triumph Rocket III – the most powerful production bike made. Almost 150 foot-pounds of torque." She walked around it, her eyes wide. "It's beautiful. A work of art." She ran a finger along the seat. "Is it yours?"

"Yes." He smiled at her look of awe. "I didn't know you were such a gear-head."

"I got into motorcycles in Santa Fe. Becky – my best friend – taught me how to ride and I became fascinated with them."

"Oh? All motorcycles or just the Rocket?" He walked over to stand next to her, smiling at the look on her face – a cross between wide-eyed wonder and covetousness. 

"British motorcycles mostly. Royal Enfields, Scotts, Broughs. And Triumphs, of course." She sighed, caressing the leather of the seat lovingly. "I had a '92 Daytona 750, bought as junk but I got it in decent shape, got it running really well, but I sold it before I moved."

"Why?" 

"Easier to. I can always look for another one to get and fix up a bit."

"True." He smiled. "Would you like to go for a ride later?"

"Are you kidding? I'd love to." She chewed on her lip and sighed. "But my boots and jacket are in my car."

"We can stop by Tony's and get them, dolcezza."

"Really?"

"Of course," he laughed. "We'll go for a ride tonight, after dinner."

"Thank you!" she squealed, jumping in to his arms and planting kisses all over his face.

"You are very welcome, my love." He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and gently pulled out of her arms. "Now, let's go so we can get back."

"Alright." She let him lead her to his truck and help her in. "Damien..." Charlie began as he got in the truck. He shut the door and looked at her, his eyebrow raised. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry about...you know...before," she finished lamely.

"You don't have to apologize."

"Yeah. I think I do." She leaned across the seat and kissed his cheek before sitting back and buckling her seatbelt. "I feel awfully lucky I met you."

"You just want me for my Rocket," he teased, backing out of the garage and turning towards the gate.

"Uh-huh. Both of them," she teased back, giggling at the leer on his face. 

As they drove he asked her about what her life was like in Santa Fe, and particularly about Becky. It was obvious she meant a lot to Charlie, and Damien wanted to know more about her. Charlie told him about how nervous she was when she moved, and how Becky was the first person she met. She talked about her tenacity – how she practically forced their friendship – and about how close they quickly became. She told him about feeling safe with Becky, and how that was the first time she'd felt safe with another person in years, and the huge role she'd played in her healing. 




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 03



"I sometimes think, if I didn't find her, I would have gone crazy."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Then I am in her debt," he said, smiling at her. "Does she have a husband or boyfriend?"

"No," Charlie laughed "Why? You interested?"

"Only in you," he smiled, taking her hand and placing a wet kiss on her palm. 

"Good," she laughed again. "Because you're not exactly her type."

"I was actually thinking of Tony."

"Were you?" she winked at him. "Well, he's not exactly her type either."

"How can you be so sure?"

"He has a penis, right? Eliminates him immediately."

"Oh?" His brow furrowed for a moment before he grinned and chuckled. "Oh."

"Now Mira – Mira is exactly her type."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Cold, calculating and drop-dead gorgeous."

"Should we introduce them?"

"Really?" she looked at him, incredulous, one eyebrow cocked.

"Just teasing, my love."

Charlie changed the subject, asking him questions about the ranch on their way back to the motel. She was impressed by the sheer size of it, and shocked at the number of people it employed. She listened closely as Damien told her about how the ranch operated, smiling at the pride evident in his voice.

"It's a big responsibility, isn't it?" she asked him.

"Yes, it is." He glanced at her to find her watching him closely. "What's with the scrutiny?"

"I had no idea it was that involved, that there was so much to it." She shrugged and sighed before continuing. "And I think I know why you bristled at being called cowboy." She smiled at him. "Doesn't mean I'm going to stop, though."

"I hope not." He took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her palm again. 

They pulled up to the motel just as Damien's aunt was coming out of the office.

"Well hello there!" she called as they got out of the truck. "I was wondering what happened to you two."

"Aunt Mary," Damien said, giving the woman a hug. "Charlie is going to be staying with me at the ranch."

"I figured as much," she said, giving her nephew a look Charlie couldn't quite understand. 

"How about if I go grab my stuff real quick and get it in the truck, and then I'll come to the office and check out?" Charlie asked.

"Take your time, Charlotte. No rush here," Mary said with a warm smile. "I'll keep Damy out of your hair for you." She grabbed her nephew's elbow and pulled him back towards the office as Charlie made her way to her room. 

"What is it, Aunt Mary?" Damien asked as he closed the office door behind him.

"You're still not mated?"

"She's human. It will take a little more time."

"Stop dragging your feet, m'boy. You want her, she wants you. What's there to dawdle over?"

"I can't force her."

"Who said anything about force? She's yours, Damy. She won't refuse you."

"I appreciate your support Aunt Mary, but you have to let me do this the way I see fit." Mary just snorted and shrugged her shoulders at that, but didn't press the issue.

When Charlie unlocked the door to her room and found her laundry, washed and folded, placed on top of the bed waiting for her. She laughed softly, shaking her head. Her first instinct was to be upset at invasion of her privacy, but realized Damien's aunt was only trying to be kind. She gathered her stuff and packed it back up quickly, even putting the little bit of groceries she'd bought back in the shopping bag to take with her, walking through the room twice just to make sure she had everything. 

She walked out and gently closed the door behind her, pausing for a minute to think. She leaned on the door, eyes closed, mind racing. Did she really want to do this? To stay with Damien for the next...however many days? It would make it more difficult when she left, and she had an idea that would be hard enough as it was. She didn't know why, but she was drawn to Damien. As if he was a magnet and she was pure iron. She opened her eyes, wanting to get the mental image of him between her legs out of her head. 

She turned around and went to unlock the door, changing her mind about staying at the ranch with him. She liked him – too much – and she knew that would not lead anywhere good. She heard him laugh, the sound washing over her and giving her chills, and she groaned, resting her head on the door. 

"Fucking stupid," she muttered under her breath, banging her forehead softly against the door before turning around and heading back to his truck. She put her stuff in the back seat with a sigh. "Bad decision number 8 billion coming up," she said to herself as she shut the door. She head to the office, smiling at Damien and his aunt as she walked in.

"Did you get everything?" Mary asked, smiling warmly as Charlie walked in. She turned to face the younger woman and her eyes widened in surprise momentarily. "Och! What's wrong with your head?"

"My head?" Charlie asked, turning to glance at Damien. He looked at her closely and reached out, plucking whatever it was off her forehead and showing it to her. A paint chip.

"How'd that get there?" Mary asked, concerned.

"I stumbled and my head kind of brushed against the door," she fibbed.

"Are you alright?" Mary asked, looking at her closely.

"Oh yes, I'm fine."

"You sure?" Charlie nodded "Alright. And do you have everything?"

"Yes ma'am, I do." She turned to Damien and put her arms around his waist, laying her head on his chest and smiling at his aunt. As she relaxed against him she wondered how she even thought of not staying with him. "Thank you for doing my laundry. That wasn't necessary."

"It's no bother. We were washing linens anyway. What was a few items of clothing?"

"Are you all set?" Damien asked, looking down at Charlie.

"Just need to sign the bill and I'm done." She stepped out of his arms and approached the counter.

"All taken care of, Charlotte," Mary beamed at her. "The bill is being picked up by the Triple D."

"What?" Charlie said, turning to Damien, more than a little upset. 

"This is the first I've heard of it," Damien said, holding his hands up to Charlie in supplication. "I swear." He turned to his aunt and raised his eyebrows at her. "Care to explain?"

"Eva and Darian called earlier, and they said they wanted her room charged back to the ranch."

"Why?" Damien demanded. He watched Charlie out of the corner of his eye.

"Seems everyone is in awe of the little lassie that got you to laugh," she said, her eyes mischievous. 

"What?" Charlie says, her attention back on the older woman.

"Enough, Aunt Mary. I am sure Charlie is capable of paying for her own room. Please, let her settle up and we'll explain everything to Darian and Eva tonight."

"Och, Damy. You're so hard-headed." She smiled at Charlie and moved behind the counter. "Alright, dear. Let's see, two nights at $69.00 a night, plus taxes, that's $148.35." She filled out the credit card blank that she'd taken when Charlie had checked in, and slid it over the counter to her.

"That seems low?" Charlie said, signing the charge slip.

"You're getting the friends and family discount, dear." She smiled, holding up her hand. "No arguing on that point."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Charlie sighed, sliding the slip and pen back. Mary picked it up and pulled out the middle copy, handing it back to Charlie.

"There you go."

"Thank you, Aunt Mary," Damien said as she came out from behind the counter to walk them to the door.

"You two go on and have fun. I hope to be seeing you again soon, Charlotte," Mary said, grabbing the younger woman and giving her a big hug. "It's awfully nice to see this big guy smiling and laughing."

"Yes. So I've heard." Charlie looked at Damien, a funny smile on her face. 

"We will see you soon," Damien said, giving his aunt a hug. They head out the door, Mary watching them climb in to his truck and pull out before tearing up the charge slip.

Charlie watched the little motel out of sight in the truck's side-view mirror and turned to look at Damien. "So, I take it you laughing and smiling is a huge deal?"

"No."

"Oh really?" They pulled in to Tony's. "Should I take a poll here?" she teased.

"Charlie –" he began.

"I'm teasing, Damien." She leaned over again and gave him another little kiss on the corner of his mouth. "I kind of like that I'm the one who's caused this change in you." She got out of the truck and head in to the office, not noticing the goofy grin on Damien's face. 

"Charlie! Sorry, but your car isn't ready yet," Tony said, stepping in to the office to greet her. "We haven't even gotten the parts yet. But they should be here tomorrow."

"I know. I was hoping to get some stuff out of my car. Will that be possible?" 

"Sure thing," Tony said. "Come on in." He held open the door to the service bays for her. "What's up with your friend?" he asked, cocking his head back towards the truck.

"You mean Forrest Grump? I have no idea," Charlie said, speaking in a conspiratorial voice.

"Oh man, who squealed?" Tony laughed, opening up the hatchback for her.

"Anna told me. I can't resist, it's just so fitting," she said. She pulled out the bins until she spotted the one marked 'cycle and junk', and pulled off the top. She took out her tri-tex jacket, considered a moment and decided to pull out her pants, too. She continued to dig to the bottom of the bin for her boots.

"Anna's great."
"Yeah, she was nice. Really friendly. So was Eva and Darian. Almost everyone I met has been friendly."
"Only almost, huh?"

"Only almost," she smiled at him, pulling her boots out from the bottom of the bin.

"Explain."

"Tall, dark and surly has an ex that doesn't exactly want to be an ex."

"Who?"

"Mira." She smiled at Tony's eye roll and nod. "Would you hold these for me?" she said, handing Tony the jacket and pants. She started moving the bins back in her car. "Can I ask you something?" she said, glancing back over her shoulder at Damien. He had gotten out of the car and was talking to Carl.

"Shoot." He was watching her closely.

"Everyone keeps talking about how amazing it is that Damien is smiling and laughing, like it's a big deal."
"It is." He glanced over her shoulder to see Damien walking towards them. "It's a huge deal." He gave Charlie a pointed look before smiling at Damien.

"Charlie, why don't you just bring the bin with us?" Damien asked, walking up and taking her clothes from Tony, shooting him a look that was half grimace, half menace. 

"Why? It would just be more to pack up when I go," she said, getting everything back in her little car and missing the looks passed between the two men behind her. She closed the hatchback and picked up her boots, turning towards Damien with a big smile. "Ready when you are."
"Let's go," he said, taking her free hand with his. "Tony, Charlie will be staying with me at the ranch, so please contact her there when her car is ready."

"Alright," he said, nodding to Damien. "It was nice seeing you again, Charlie."
"You too, Tony," she called over her shoulder as Damien led her back to his truck. 

They talked a lot on the way back to the ranch. Well, Charlie talked a lot while Damien listened contently, asking questions here and there to keep her talking. She was telling him more about her mom and grandma, growing up in Los Angeles, how she came to find herself in Santa Fe and how surprised she was to find she loved the desert.

"Shit!" Charlie groaned, slapping her forehead. "I forgot I was supposed to call Becky!"

"So call her," Damien said mildly as he pulled on to the ranch road. 

"Now why didn't I think of that? Oh, right, I'm out of minutes." She poked him in the ribs and smiled.

"That would make it awfully hard to call her."

"No shit, Sherlock," she said with a giggle. "Don't suppose you'd mind turning around and going back to town, would you?"

"Why?"

"So I can call Becky."

"Why can't you call her from the ranch?"

"Well...I didn't...I mean, it's long distance."

"I'll add it to your bill," he said dryly.

"Are you teasing me, cowboy?"

"You bet I am." He smiled at her as he pulled in to the garage. "Stop being silly and call your friend. I'm sure she's worried about you."

"Damien." She gave a big sigh and looked at him, that funny little smile on her face again. "I'm going to have to find some way to thank you for everything you've done." She opened the door and hopped down from the truck. Damien scented the air, easily picking up on her arousal and smiling to himself as he got out of the truck.

"I'll get back to you on that," he said, winking at her and grabbing her bags out of the back seat. "Groceries? I have food?"

"I bought it for the motel. You know, before you and I..."she gave a shrug and laughed, her cheeks pinking slightly. "I thought it would be a shame to waste it." She grabbed her boots, jacket and pants and shut the door. "You don't have to carry all that, Damien."

"I know. I want to." He kissed her lightly and led her back to the main house and up to his apartment suite. 

The house was buzzing with people, the first floor crowded with what Charlie assumed were ranch hands and other assorted staff. Her eyes were wide as she took in all the people – at least 100 – while hurrying to follow Damien. He just smiled and nodded at those he passed, ignoring the stunned looks they gave him and each other before turning their shocked faces towards the small woman following him.

"Charlie! Hey Charlie!" a voice boomed from the bottom of the stairs, causing Charlie and Damien to pause halfway up to see who was calling to her. Charlie laughed when she saw Lewis waving at her, his hand flapping like a flag in a high wind. 

"Hi Lewis!" Charlie called back, oblivious to the stares of the people around them.

"I thought that was you and it was!" he called, bounding up the steps towards them. 

"It certainly was," she laughed as he reached them.

"I told everyone I knew Charlie, but they didn't believe me." He looked over her shoulder at Damien as if realizing for the first time he was there. "Hiya Mr. Dimeo."

"Hello, Lewis," Damien said, stepping down one riser to stand next to Charlie. 

"Are you guys coming to dinner tonight? It's going to be roast boar," Lewis said. His chest seemed to puff out at that, making Charlie look at Damien with a puzzled shrug.

"Is this the boar you caught?" Damien asked.

"Speak out loud, Lewis. Charlie is not like us," Damien gently chided.

"Sorry about that, Mr Dimeo." He looked at Charlie kind of sadly and patted her head, as if he was offering comfort. Charlie simply smiled at him, shooting questioning looks at Damien. "Yeah, this was the boar I caught. He's big," Lewis said with obvious pride.

"We would love to be able to join you, but we do have other plans. Next time we will be there." Damien smiled at Lewis.

"Great!" Lewis beamed, turning around and bouncing back down the stairs. "Bye Mr. Dimeo, Charlie!" he waved again and head off.

"Shall we?" Damien asked, holding out the hand with the grocery bags in it, signaling for Charlie to precede him.

"Thank you," she said, giving him a little mock curtsy and heading up the stairs as quickly as possible. She paused as she reached the doors, looking back at him over her shoulder when he laughed. "What?"

"It's not locked, my love. Go on in."

"Oh!" She opened the door and stepped aside to let him in. She followed him to the kitchen and watched as he dropped the groceries on the counter before motioning her to follow him upstairs. She followed him to his bedroom, smiling at the flexing ass in front of her. He put her case on the bed and turned around, surprised to find her immediately behind him. She looked at the surprise on his face, that funny little smile back.

"What?" he asked, picking up the scent of her increased arousal and getting hard in response. 

"I just realized what a sexy ass you have, cowboy." She put her hand in the middle of his chest and pushed against him. Damien allowed himself to be guided by her, sitting on the edge of the bed as she stood in front of him. "All of you, really." She grabbed the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it up. He helped her when she got it up to his shoulders, taking it from her and pulling it off completely. 

"All of me what?" he asked, shivering a bit as she trailed her fingertips over his chest. 

"So very, very sexy," she whispered, climbing on to his lap and giving him that small smile again. She ran her fingers through his hair, pulling it back from his face, and began to plant soft kisses all over his face, starting at the center of his forehead.

"Dolcezza," he breathed, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Uh uh," she whispered, sliding her lips to his ear. "You don't get to touch me yet. Hands to your sides." She moved down the right side of his neck, her lips alternating between kissing and nipping along the way.

"This is torture, my love," Damien groaned, putting his hands to his sides as she said. 

"Not at all, I assure you," she sighed. She kissed along his shoulder to his throat, pausing to run the tip of her tongue around his Adam's Apple before continuing on to his left shoulder. "You are delicious."

"I want to touch you."

"Not yet." She slid her hands to his cheeks and raised her head, looking in to his eyes for a moment before bending and kissing him deeply, pressing her tongue between his lips and caressing his. She broke the kiss and put her hands on his shoulders, pressing him back until he was laying on the bed. "You are magnificent," she said, her voice low. She ran her hands from his shoulders to his waist, dragging her nails over his skin. "I look at you and think of doing bad things with you, cowboy."

"Bad things?" he croaked, watching her eyes greedily crawl over him.

"Very bad things." She bent down and swirled her tongue around his right nipple before flicking her tongue over it rapidly. "Dirty things," she whispered, moving her hips in a shallow circle and grinding herself into him. 

"Tell me," he hissed as she sucked and bit at his nipple. 

"Mmmm." She trailed her mouth across his chest to his other nipple slowly. "I want to know what your cock tastes like," she whispered, making Damien moan. "If the head taste different than your balls. And I want to know how sweet your come is." She ran the flat of her tongue against his nipple several times, lapping at it roughly. "Would your cock be as delicious as the rest of you?" she breathed. She bit around his nipple, tugging at his skin gently. "I want to fuck you like this. I want to be on top, to impale myself on you, grind my pussy into you with your cock all the way inside me." She ground herself in to him a little more firmly.

"Please, Charlotte," Damien moaned, moving his hips with hers. Her hot mouth and hotter words were quickly driving him to the edge. 

"God that feels good," she said, placing a hand in the center of his chest and raising herself up. She looked down at his face, her hair falling about her shoulders in messy waves. "Oh god, I think I could come from this." She threw her head back, her body bowing as she rubbed herself against him. Charlie reached to his side and grabbed his hand, bringing it to her breast. 

"Yes my love." He could feel the heat of her through their clothes and smell her pussy plainly. Damien squeezed her breast, pinching her nipple through her clothes, pressing himself against her as fully as he could. He was torn between wanting to rip both their clothes off and plunge in to her and not wanting this delicious friction and heat to ever end. 

"Oh Damien," she moaned, dropping her head to look at him. "Do you know how wet you make me?" She smiled when he groaned at her words. "Oh jeeeeezusssss, that feels so fucking good." She leaned down, rubbing her clit fully against him, her hair tickling his shoulder. 

"Charlotte," Damien growled, unable to form coherent thought through the need she created in him. He watched, mesmerized, as she brought herself to orgasm, shuddering and gasping above him, her eyes shut tight. He had never witnessed anything as erotic, her small moans and tremors pushed him over the edge, and he grabbed her hips to hold her steady. He rubbed himself fully against her pussy, her legs twitching against his hips, until he came in his shorts.




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 04



Sorry, everyone, for the 'cliffhanger' in the last chapter. It was not my intention when I submitted it, it was just a natural stopping point in an already long chapter, and created a natural starting point for the next. But I digress...

As it wasn't my intention to tease with the ending, I am pushing up the submission of the next chapter. Be warned, though, that this may make the wait for any subsequent chapter a bit longer. And it may not be as well edited as the previous three. For any glaring mistakes or typos or incongruous plot points I apologize. I do believe I caught at least the majority, but without a fourth and fifth comb-thru...more may have slipped through than I like.

Let me say again thank you to everyone for their support and encouragement. This has been a lot of fun to write, almost as much fun as reading your emails and comments.

And of course -- thank you to X.





The Hungry Wolf Ch. 04



"As am I." He sighed and resumed pacing. "I explained to her about needing to mate, to change her, and she kind of threw it back at me."

"How so?" Eva asked.

"She asked if there was a way I could change. If there was a way I could stop being a werewolf and just be human."

"Did she?" Eva smiled. "Interesting. And how did you respond to that?"

"I went to my wolf."

"You didn't correct her?" Darian asked, incredulous.

"How could he?" Eva asked, turning to her mate with a smile. "She made an excellent point. Her wanting him to change is no different than him wanting her to. If it is unacceptable to one, why is it assumed to be acceptable to the other?" She turned back to Damien and shook her head. "My admiration for her grows and grows, Damien. But you should not have behaved so cowardly."

"I know." He smiled at Eva. "And she knew what I was about, too."

"I'm sure she did." There was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it." Damien answered the door and led Eric and Lisa to the sitting room. They bowed respectfully to Darian and Eva, and took the offered chairs on the other side of the coffee table.

"You know why you've been called here?" Darian asked.

"Not exactly, Alpha," Eric said.

"I've found my mate," Damien said. He came over and sat on the arm of the couch with the alpha pair. "My human mate. She didn't take finding out what we are -- what she will need to become -- too well."

"Well, yeah, I can imagine," Lisa mumbled.

"What was that, Lisa?" Eva asked. "Please, speak up."

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. I didn't mean any disrespect."

"None taken, we assure you," Darian said, giving her his most winning and soothing smile. "As the last human taken into the pack and turned, your opinion is most valuable."

"Mr. Dimeo -- sir -- I only meant -- well, we can be overwhelming. When I first found out about Eric I pissed myself. Then I got pissed."

"Lisa -- please," Eric groaned.

"She's fine, Eric." Eva said, smiling warmly at Lisa. "Please, continue. Why did you react that way?"

"Humans grow up hearing tales of scary wolfmen who run around under the full moon and murder and rape. We watch movies of them eating people. We love it, too. We love to scare ourselves with old myths and fairytales because we know it's not real. To find out they are real, well, it's a bit of a shock."

"Why did that make you angry?" Damien asked. He never really thought about the culture in which Charlie was raised. Werewolf lore and movies always seemed funny to weres.

"That's not what made me angry." She smiled and looked at Eric. "I felt I was played. I had this incredible desire to be with Eric, this need to be close to him from the moment we met. And he knew what was happening but didn't tell me." She paused, twirling a finger in her hair for a moment. Eric reached over and took her hand. "I felt like he took advantage of me, because he knew I was to be his, and he knew I would be drawn to him. That's...that's not a nice feeling."

"Why?" Damien asked.

"Well...it made me feel manipulated. I had no say in it."

"But neither did Eric? Neither do I?" he pressed.

"Yes, but you're born with that knowledge. You know your mate is fated for you, and you don't have to seek them out, you will just know them. Humans...they don't have that. They do things differently. They date, and get to know the people they mate with. So when something like this happened to me -- no matter how right it felt from the beginning -- it still made me feel powerless."

"Thank you, Lisa. Eric. Your insight has been most useful," Darian said, recognizing the 'a-ha' look on Damien's face.

"Thank you, Alpha, Madam, Mr. Dimeo," Eric said, standing and giving another slight bow.

"Hope that helped, Mr. Dimeo," Lisa said. She had been with the pack since 1968, and even as tense as he was, she had never seen him so open and easy to talk to. She could see his happiness, and was sincere in her wanting to have helped.

"Yes. Thank you, Lisa." He smiled at her and they left.

"Well, Damien, what do you plan to do?" Eva asked after the door closed behind them.

"Give her back her power."

"How do you propose to do that?" Darian asked, eyeing his brother skeptically.

"I will agree to be with her on her terms."

"Damien!" Eva exclaimed. "You can't!"

"Think about what you are saying," Darian cautioned.

"If she leaves, I have no chance, no hope," Damien said.

"But you can't leave the pack, brother. You can't live as a human without it destroying you," Darian countered.

"I know it will -- eventually -- but it will give me her lifetime with her."

"If you're lucky," Eva said. "We don't know how long you would last." She shook her head. "And what about babies? You won't be able to have any pups, Damien." "I know. But I'd have her."

"No. You can't do this." Eva stood and shook her head again. "Please, Damien." She put her hands on his arms and looked at him earnestly.

"I have to, Eva."

"No, you don't," Darian said, stepping up to his mate and putting his arms around her. "I would urge you to think that through before you act. It is reckless and I fear it could have consequences beyond our comprehension."

"Will you stop me?" Damien asked quietly.

Darian thought for a moment before answering. "No. I won't."

"Thank you." He looked at them both, envying their surety in each other. "I hope it won't happen. I really do. But I have to try everything I can."

"We understand," Darian said.

"I have to go." He smiled at them. "I want to get back in case she wakes and wants to find me."

"Of course," Darian said, nodding at his brother as he turned and head back towards his apartment. He went straight to the door of the room Charlie took, laying his head against it and smiling at her even breathing. He desperately wanted to go in there and lay with her, taking her in his arms and burying himself in her scent, but knew he couldn't do that. He sighed and settled for the next best thing, taking off his clothes and shifting to his wolf before curling up outside her door and going to sleep.

Her stirring woke him up a couple hours later, and he quickly shifted, grabbing his clothes and heading to the kitchen. The clock on the microwave read 6:30, and Damien dressed as coffee brewed, taking a cup on the deck to watch the brightening sky of the new day. He thought over what Lisa had said to him. He'd never thought of Charlie's feelings in the context of the culture she was raised in, only in light of her ex-husband.

He sighed as he looked out over the ranch. He was worried. Much more than he let his brother and Eva know. He didn't think Charlie would want him to give up his family, his pack, but it was a risk. And he wasn't even sure how to proceed to approach this on human terms.

He was brooding, deep in thought, when he heard Charlie leave the bedroom and go to the bathroom. He listened as she came back out, fighting the urge to go to her and grab her. He heard her bare feet make their way to the living room and stop. He knew she was staring at him, and he grabbed on to the railing to keep from turning around. She was still for a moment before he heard her head back to the bedroom and the quiet snick of the door shutting.

He sighed again, heading back in to refresh his cup of coffee. He took it to his office and turned on his computer, bringing up a browser window and going to Google. He sat there for a moment, wondering what to type in.

He tried:

'how to mate a human', but got nothing but porn sites, so he typed in:

'how to get a woman to mate', but that only added websites on fertile sex positions to the myriad porn sites, so he tried:

'how to make a woman want to mate', but that just brought up disturbing websites about stalking and kidnapping. He rubbed his eyes and thought for a moment, and typed in:

'what do women find romantic', and finally found what he was looking for. He clicked through several sites on relationship advice, rom-com movie synopsis and dating advice. He zeroed in on the dating advice and spent a good forty minutes reading and clicking, a smile slowly spreading across his face. He ran upstairs and changed his clothes, anxious to go and get back.

He came downstairs and paused at Charlie's door, listening. He could hear her shifting on the bed, and knew she was awake.

"Charlie?" he said softly. She stilled but didn't come to the door. "I have an errand to run. I should be back-" he glanced at his watch, it was shortly after 8AM, "by 1 or so." He stopped and listened, hearing nothing but her breathing. "I wish you would talk to me, dolcezza," he breathed, laying his hand flat against the door. He heard her breath catch and waited, but she still didn't open the door. Damien opened his mouth to say something else, but couldn't think of what it should be, so he shut it again and left.

'I have an errand I need to do this morning, but I should be back around lunchtime,' he sent to Darian. 'I am not holding Charlie captive in my rooms. If she wants to wander about, please let her, and please be sure she is unmolested.'

'Absolutely. Drive safely,' Darian replied.

He didn't press Damien on what he was doing, and for that he was grateful. Damien head down to the garage and got in to his truck, pausing as he backed out to look at the Triumph. He smiled, hoping tonight he would be able to take Charlie on the ride he promised her, and head towards Portland.

Charlie sat on the bed, listening as Damien left, and slowly forced her hands to let go of the blanket. At first she was angry at his words -- he wished she would talk to him? Last she knew, she wasn't the one that changed species to avoid confrontation. But his tone...he sounded so worried, so guarded. Like he did when she first saw him. It nearly broke her heart to hear it. And she'd wanted to go to the door and fling it open, leap in to his arms and wrap herself around him for the rest of her life. She'd grabbed on to the bedclothes as an anchor, concentrating on clutching the blanket with all her might until he left.

She got up and shuffled to the door, opening it as quietly as she could and peering out. She didn't see him, and figured he really had left. She sighed, disturbed at feeling so at a loss without him around.

"Jeez. Get a hold of yourself," she muttered, making her way to the kitchen. She saw the fresh pot of coffee, an empty cup placed beside it, and smiled. She poked around a bit for some sugar and got the half & half she'd bought out of the fridge. She doctored her cup to her liking and took a sip, leaning against the counter.

She had a lot to think about, and was kind of relieved she would have some time to herself to do so. She knew she could have told Damien she wanted time to think, time alone, and he would have obliged her, she just wasn't sure she would have had the nerve to ask for it face to face.

Charlie laughed at herself, making her way to the deck where she saw Damien earlier. She'd wanted to come out and put her arms around him. Soak up his heat and his feel and...him. She knew he had heard her behind him, he seemed to tense a bit, but when he didn't turn around she figured he was not yet ready to talk. Good thing, she acknowledged to herself, as she wasn't ready yet, either.

She sat in one of the deck chairs and drank her coffee, thinking about the night before. She tried to tell herself she didn't see what she saw last night. She tried to tell herself a huge black wolf didn't turn in to Damien and Damien didn't turn in to a huge black wolf. She put the cup on the deck and closed her eyes, rubbing her temples.

She thought about her mom and grandma. About what they would say to all of this. She could picture the three of them sitting around the kitchen table, drinking lemonade. She could see her mom gently reassuring her that whatever decision she made, she would have their full support. Charlie laughed softly as tears rolled unheeded down her cheeks, picturing her grandma waving a hand dismissively at her mom as she asked what did it matter if he was different, regardless of what that difference was? She would tell her that any difference only made him that much more special, and she would have scolded Charlie, telling her to turn off her reason and follow her heart.

"If only it was that easy," she sighed to herself at long last. She gathered her cup and went to the kitchen, washing up hers and Damien's dishes and wiping down the counters. She turned and froze, looking at the cooktop, a smile just lifting the corners of her mouth as a shiver ran down her back remembering the previous morning. Shaking herself out of her reverie, she made her way upstairs to shower, feeling especially grubby after sleeping in her clothes.

Charlie stopped when she entered Damien's room. Everything was exactly as they had left it the night before and the bed hadn't been slept in. Her brow creased as she wondered where he slept. Unless...

She snapped her fingers and ran back downstairs, slowing as she approached the door to the room she'd used, looking at the floor closely as she went. Aha! There it was -- hair. Long black wolf hair along the baseboards on both sides of the hallway. Charlie knelt down and ran her right hand along the baseboard, picking up some of the hair and looking at it in her hand.

Her shoulders shook as she started to laugh, at first just a quiet chuckle, but soon she sat hard on her butt, rocking to and fro and hugging herself as she neared hysteria.

"Oh my god! My boyfriend sheds!" she gasped out to herself, making her laugh harder. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she lay herself down in the hallway, laughter changing over to sobs. Her entire body clenched as she lay on her side, curled up and weeping uncontrollably. Part of her mind seemed detached, looking on her from afar and telling her she was hysterical. The rest of her mind, however, didn't give fuck-all about whether or not she was hysterical. All it cared about was the crying and laughing felt good, really good, and it was the first time she'd felt good since last night.

She lay in the fetal position in the hallway, crying and laughing, for a long while. When she finally calmed down she turned and lay on her back, and even though the knowledge she was laying on her back in the middle of the hallway made her giggle even more, she still felt incredibly calm.

"No," she whispered to herself. "This is...this is peace." She put her hands behind her head and laid for a moment, stunned by the realization. She slowly stood, feeling a bit drained from her fit, and brushed herself off before heading back upstairs.

She grabbed underwear, cut-offs and a t-shirt out of her suitcase and made her way to the bathroom. She quickly got in the shower and just stood under the spray for a while thinking. Meeting Damien has been...good. Great. Iincredible. I don't feel awkward or uncomfortable at all, she thought, reaching for her scrubbie and the Rainbath. Even after finding out he turns in to a big wolf. She stopped scrubbing for a moment, realizing that of all the things she felt over the last 12 hours, she never felt discomfort or unease. Hell, she thought, I haven't felt uneasy around him since I learned his name. And even then there was something...his voice, his smile, his laugh, Something. Something that made my heart go YES. She finished scrubbing herself up as another realization hit.

"Was he...was he protecting me last night?" she asked, unaware she was speaking aloud. Damien had lunged at the other wolf, the tan wolf, not her. "He was. He was protecting me." She smiled, rinsing off before reaching for the shampoo. The thought, the idea that his reaction was for her protection only made her happy. Made her feel warm inside.

He said he would give his life for mine, didn't he? she mused as she scrubbed her hair. A frown crossed her face as she rinsed the shampoo out. But he also said there was only one partner for him, there was only one person in the world he could ever be with, and that was me; so how did he get hurt before? If he only has one true partner, how could anyone have ever hurt him before?

She grabbed her conditioner and worked it through her hair. I need to talk to Eva, I need to get some answers. If what Damien said was true, then he should not have gotten hurt. If not...well, then he's lying. And I don't want to think about what that means.

Charlie quickly rinsed and got out of the shower, drying herself haphazardly and throwing her clothes on. She dashed to her suitcase and grabbed her flipflops, heading downstairs and out the door to talk to Eva.

She quickly crossed the landing and knocked on the double doors to Darian and Eva's apartment. When she got no response after a couple minutes, she knocked again, louder, and contemplated seeing if the door was unlocked.

"Can I help you?" a voice called from behind her. Charlie gave a gasp and spun around to find a young woman -- Charlie guessed no older than 23 or so -- behind her.

"I was looking for Eva," Charlie said, eyeing the girl closely. She wasn't as tall as the others, but she was still a couple inches taller than Charlie.

"Oh. Madam is downstairs in the office with the Alpha." She looked at Charlie and gave her a shy smile. "I can take you to her if you like?"

"Please. And thank you...." Charlie answered, hoping the girl would volunteer her name. When the girl simply turned and head downstairs, gesturing for Charlie to follow, she decided to try another tactic. "I'm Charlie Bell."

"Yes, I know, Ms Bell." The girl glanced at her sideways and giggled. As they reached the main floor they were nearly run down by two wolves racing past them. Their sudden appearance startled Charlie and she jumped before giving a shaky laugh. The girl looked at her and smiled. "Sorry about that, Ms Bell. They're young. And excited they can let their wolf out again."

"They couldn't before?"

"The Alpha asked that we did not until Mr. Dimeo had an opportunity to introduce you to his wolf. We were told today the restriction has been lifted." She gave Charlie a brilliant smile.

"I see," Charlie said as she was led down a hallway. "I'm sorry -- I didn't catch your name."

"My name is Mimi, Ms Bell."

"Please, call me Charlie." The girl gave her an odd look at that, but didn't speak. "It's nice to meet you, Mimi."

They came to a door and Mimi signaled to Charlie that this was the office. Charlie thanked the young woman and knocked, opening the door when she heard Darian call her to enter. She walked in to find Darian seated with his feet up on a large wood desk, and Eva perched on the side of it. Charlie's eyebrows raised when she took in the obviously staged scene.

"How'd you know it was me?" she asked the couple, closing the door behind her and leaning against it.

"What do you mean?" Darian asked while Eva snickered.

"I hardly think this is how you carry out your day-to-day operations," Charlie said, moving into the office.

"What?"

"Come on, my heart, she's not stupid." Eva stood, turning to Charlie. "We heard you talking with Mimi on your way here."

"Really?"

"Our hearing is exceptional," Darian said, putting his feet down and leaning on the desk. "What can we do for you?" "Actually, I was hoping I could talk with you for a bit. If you're free," she said, looking at Eva.

"Of course," she said, walking towards Charlie and putting a hand on her shoulder. "Let's go upstairs and have some tea."

"Sounds good, thank you."

"I will be back in a bit," Eva said to her mate as they turned to go.

'Careful what you say,' Darian sent as they left the office and turned towards the stairs.




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 04



'She's confused, love. She needs someone to talk to about this.'

'I know, mate, but we don't want to tell her something that is not our place to disclose.'

'I will stay open to you, warn me if I seem to be crossing a line.'

"What's on your mind, Charlie?" Eva prompted as they made their way upstairs.

"You know I know," Charlie said, following Eva into the alpha pair's apartment and towards the kitchen.

"Yes. Everyone knows you know." She gave Charlie a sympathetic smile. "We are sorry it didn't go too well for you two." She motioned for Charlie to take a seat at the breakfast bar and busied herself with making tea.

Charlie looked hard at Eva, trying to will her to turn around again. "What all does 'everyone' know?"

Eva did turn around at the tone in Charlie's voice, and the two women eyed each other closely. "What are you asking?"

"How much does everyone know?"

"That Damien has stated you're his, you're his mate, and that you know what we are."

"And that's all he's said?"

"That is all the pack knows." She paused and smiled warmly at the woman in her kitchen. "What do you want to know, Charlie?"

She sighed and sat back in her seat. "I just-" she stopped and shook her head. "Never mind. It's not important."

"The only people who know about your past are Damien, Darian and myself." Eva tried to give Charlie a reassuring smile, but she could see the tension and anger in her posture.

"He told you? I can't believe he would do that." Her face was bright red, and she looked close to tears. "He had no right..."

"He had an obligation to, Charlie. As the alpha pair we are responsible for everyone in the pack. Everyone. We need to know who is being introduced to it."

"And that entitles you to know intimate details of my past?"

"Yes. Damien wants you -- all that you are and all that you were and all that you will be -- to become part of this family, part of this pack."

"But why...what difference does my past make?"

"Please understand, Charlie, our society is different, quite different, than what you are used to. He couldn't not tell us. It does not single you out, it does not ostracize you. It does tell us how strong you are, how resilient, and how special. Not a lot of people would have made it through what you did and not ended up bitter." The kettle whistled and Eva turned to steep the tea. "Actually, I think that might have been part of why he told us -- pride that his mate is so strong in her heart, mind and soul."

Charlie snorted at that. "Right. Pride."

"Milk? Sugar?" Eva asked. Charlie shook her head and Eva slid a cup of tea to her. "What did Damien tell you about us?" she asked, changing the subject.

Charlie took a sip of her tea before answering. "Other than you exist?" Eva gave a soft chuckle at that and nodded. "Not much. Just something about being his 'one', whatever that is, and that he could change me." She paused and chewed on her lip for a minute. "And something about mating? And if I didn't he might go crazy?"

"That's it?" Eva asked, incredulous.

"Well, to be honest...he might have said more. I was too busy trying to wrap my head around the fact my new boyfriend had turned in to a wolf in front of me to pay close attention."

"I see," Eva sipped her tea and smiled at Charlie. "Well, let me see if I can clear some things up for you." Charlie nodded at her to continue. "I'll start with what Damien meant when he said you're his 'one'.

"We -- weres -- are born as one half to a whole. Our beings are not complete, our lives are not complete, until we find our other half. Our 'one', the one who completes us, the one we mate with, we have a family with, the one we stay with for the rest of our lives. While we tend to be rather open sexually up until we find them, once we do, once we mate, we are wholly monogamous."

"Mate?"

"Mating is what you would call getting married. Except when we do, it is for life."

"Really? There's no...cheating? No breaking up or divorce?"

"No," Eva said. "Not a chance."

"Even if you chose the wrong person?"

"We don't choose. Our mate is pre-destined for us, and it is never the wrong mate."

"By whom?"

She took another sip of her tea and smiled. "Does it matter?"

"Yeah, it does. I mean, yeah, it's like being sent to prison without being charged with a crime, isn't it?"

"Why would you think of being mated as a sentence? It's a cause for celebration."

"Being forced to mate with someone? What if you don't want them?"

"Is that an issue here, Charlie? Do you not want Damien?" she looked at her closely, and Charlie dropped her eyes.

"I don't know what I want," she said with a shrug.

"Yes you do. You're scared of it, but you know what you want." She leaned over and put her hand on Charlie's arm. "You're scared. I think..." she sighed and sat back, letting go of Charlie's arm, "I think that's why you hide behind your scars, isn't it?" She could feel her mate getting tense at what she was saying but pressed on anyway.

"What do you mean?" Charlie asked, lifting her head to meet Eva's gaze.

"You use your scars as a barrier, don't you? To keep people away. This way you won't get hurt again."

"No," Charlie said, but her voice was shaky and she dropped her eyes.

"You do. You know you do." Eva was silent for a moment, watching the woman next to her. "I think I can understand it, Charlie. I can't imagine the pain you must have gone through. To be frank, I don't want to. But while hiding like that keeps you from being hurt, it also keeps you alone." Eva's voice was gentle. She didn't want to make Charlie upset, she just wanted her to see what she had within her grasp.

"How did he know?" Charlie asked, changing the subject.

"It was his wolf that recognized you."

"His...but...I didn't see his wolf until last night."

"Don't think of the wolf as separate from him. Our wolves are always with us, and we are always with them. When he met you, his wolf knew immediately that you were his."

"And Damien just went along with it?"

"Yes, gladly." Eva laughed at the look on Charlie's face. "Think of it as love at first sight."

"Another fairy tale," Charlie laughed softly. "What tipped him off? What about me made his wolf go 'oh yeah, gotta get me some of that'?"

"Your scent." "My scent," Charlie repeated. She thought about when she first met Damien. "I was a sweaty, bloody mess when we met, Eva."

"Which probably made it easier for him to recognize you."

"Eau de sweat? Really?"

"Eau de Charlie." Charlie laughed at that. "He knew the minute he caught your scent."

"And you think I'm his mate? You think he's right?"

"I know he is, Charlie. I can see the happiness you brought back to him." Eva sighed, a far away look on her face. "He is not naturally cold. It was never in his nature to be so. But for a long time, he was, he was so severe. A very long time. To see him smile again so easily, to hear him laugh again, would be proof enough you're his mate."

"About that..." Charlie began tentatively. She knew she was walking a delicate line. "You have one mate, right? Only one person meant for you?"

"Right."

"But you said last night Damien had been hurt, hurt badly, before."

"Right."

"Well, if I am the love of his life...how could he have been hurt? How could anyone have hurt him?"

"It was a long time ago, before I mated with Darian."

"What happened?" Charlie pressed.

"There was a girl -- a female wolf -- named Stacie. She had suddenly decided that Damien was to be her mate."

"Because of his scent?"

"No. Not that that is uncommon."

"What is?"

"For two wolves who have known each other for a long time, maybe even grown up together, to suddenly find their mates with each other."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It happened with Darian and myself."

"But not with Damien and Stacie?"

"No." Eva sighed and gave Charlie a small smile. "Stacie was all over Damien. I mean, wherever he was she was, hanging on his arm, sitting on his lap, fu...doing other things."

"Other things?" Charlie raised her eyebrows at Eva.

"We're a bit more open with nudity and sex than you're probably used to, Charlie."

"How so?"

"Well, often times celebrations end with -- uh -- sex."

"Orgies?" Charlie asked, her eyes wide and voice cracking on the word.

"No! Not at all!" Eva corrected quickly. She could hear Darian laughing at her blunder. "Mated pairs will, of course, rut,-"

"Rut?"

"Make love. It's just very...heated. Very aggressive. And often one or both mates will be in their wolf form. Rut is just another word for it."

"I see."

"And unmated wolves, those that have matured, will often pair up for the occasion."

"Ah." Charlie thought for a moment. "And this is done in the open? In front of everyone?"

"Yes, it is...but it's not what you're thinking. No one is really paying any attention to what is happening to others."

Charlie grimaced, the image of a room filled with people having sex leaving her queasy. She looked at Eva watching her closely and gave her a small smile.

"When you're a wolf, Charlie, it's easier to accept it as natural."

"I'll have to take your word on that," Charlie said. It was Eva's turn to wince. "But...how did all this free-love tie in to Damien's mate?"

"That's just it, Stacie was not Damien's mate. She just said she was."

"But...so she knew she wasn't."

"Oh, yes. She knew." Eva gave a bitter laugh, surprising Charlie. "She knew Damien wouldn't claim her as his mate because she wasn't his mate. But she swore up and down that he was. She watched other females that would find their mates and emulate them. She hung on to Damien, always at his side, always hanging on him, always spending the night with him." She paused as Charlie's eyes got wide at that. "What?"

Charlie considered telling Eva that Damien had sworn to her no other woman had stayed in his apartment with him before her, but didn't. Eva was not the one to answer for any lies he'd told. "It's nothing. Please, continue."

"Are you sure?" Eva knew it was something, but didn't push her, continuing the tale when Charlie nodded. "Well, as you can imagine, to have someone fawning over you, sexually attaching themselves to you and swearing to you that they know you're their mate for more than a year-"

"More than a year?!"

"Yeah. Closer to two actually. And after such a long time, Damien reluctantly agreed to a monogamous relationship with her, believing her claims that he would feel the pull once she claimed him."

"Would he have?"

"Not a chance," Eva said, and Charlie could swear she heard anger in her voice. "But once she claimed him he would have been unable to mate with anyone else. He would have been condemned."

"Condemned?"

"Yeah. See, she wanted to claim him, but wanted him to wait until he felt the pull to her for him to claim her, so she would have been free to mate with anyone else."

"But once she did, wouldn't that have been like divorcing him?"

"No. It doesn't work that way. It is part of our biology, our DNA."

"And that would have meant...?"

"He could never have a real mate. Never have offspring. And he would have gone rogue."

"Rogue?"

"Rogue...like feral. Or crazy."

"I see." Charlie shivered, thinking about what Damien had told her the night before. "Why would Stacie have done that if she wanted to be with him?"

'Because she didn't. She wanted to be with Darian."

"What?"

"She would be with Damien and as soon as he fell asleep she would go and hang out with Darian. At first just talking, then flirting, then complaining about Damien, and finally trying to get in to Darian's bed." Eva smiled ruefully at Charlie's expression of disgust. "Yeah, I know. And this was in the old house, where their rooms were across the hall from each other and their parents' were just above them."

Charlie tried her hardest not to smile at finding out Damien didn't lie to her. "Why did she make a play for Damien if she wanted Darian?"

"She wanted to be alpha female. Darian was more serious, and slightly less gullible than Damien. She thought that was her best shot.

"Geez. Didn't Darian tell Damien what happened?"

"Once he realized what was happening, he did. But by that time..." Eva trailed off and shrugged.

"By that time what?"

"The damage had been done. Damien was convinced Stacie was right, and wanted to go through with allowing her to claim him. He didn't want to believe Darian. Accused him of trying to steal her from him. They fought -- viciously -- over it, over her," Eva sneered, "and it was likely one of them would have died if their father didn't step in."

"Wow."

"David was going to send Stacie away, but Damien begged him not to. He begged his father to spare his mate. And even when David -- his father and alpha -- told him she wasn't his mate, he refused to listen."

"What happened?"

"About three months after the brothers' last big fight, a couple of wolves were visiting, one from Texas and two from Maine, and the one from Texas ended up being her mate." Eva had a pained look on her face and her eyes were far-away. "Damien was devastated. Absolutely crushed. He went to his wolf and stayed that way for more than a month. But he wouldn't participate in pack activities or anything. He would sit off to the side and just be. And howl. The most heart-breaking sounds would come out of him. We were worried he wouldn't ever come back."

"But he did."

"He did. Slowly. And he was different. He no longer laughed. He no longer smiled. For years the only social contact, the only affection he received was from his family. It was still touch and go with him for a long time. It was only over the past ten years that he'd come out of it at all. And while he started taking lovers, he seldom smiled and never really laughed."

"Until me," Charlie said quietly.

"Yes." Eva reached over and gave her hand a squeeze. "And it is like having him back, the real Damien. You know, about a week ago we were sitting outside when Damien told us he believed he was destined to never mate."

"He did?"

""Said he'd resigned himself to it, and would have to learn to be happy somehow," Eva said, nodding.

"And then I came along."

"Yes."

"But...what if he's wrong."

"He's not. They're not. Everyone can see it in his smile. Hear it in his laugh. It is you, Charlie, that has finally completed him."

"That's a bit of pressure there, isn't it?"

"Maybe."

Charlie rubbed her temples. She was starting to get a headache. She wasn't sure if it was from all the information, her crazy emotions, or not having eaten anything -- most likely all three.

"Are you alright?" Eva asked.

"Yeah. Just getting a bit of a headache. I haven't eaten anything today."

"Oh, that's no good. I'll have lunch brought up."

"Okay. Sounds great." She waited a moment for Eva to go call for lunch, but she didn't move. "Don't you need to call someone?" she finally asked.

"For what?"

"Lunch?"

"Oh. No. You don't know?"

"Know what?"

'This is information she should get from Damien, mate,' Darian sent.

'I know, my heart, but he is not here. And when he had the chance, he cut off communication with her,' Eva huffed back.

'Just tread lightly,' Darian pleaded.

"Well, we all have the ability to communicate with each other without talking," Eva explained.

"You mean you're all telepathic?"

"Not exactly. We can't pick up on thoughts. We have to want to say something, to tell someone something, and we can send it to them." She gave Charlie a smile. "When we're our wolves, we can't speak at all, so that is the only way we can all communicate. When we're our humans, the ability is limited somewhat for some of the pack."

"How so?"

"Well, Darian, Damien and I can communicate with everyone at all times. And they can communicate with us. For the others, they can only communicate when it's their mates or the others are close by and receptive to it."

"Why are you three different?"

"Darian and I are the alpha pair, and Damien is his second. We have to be able to communicate with everyone at all times."

There was a knock on the door and after a moment a young man walked in to the kitchen carrying a tray piled with sandwiches and fruit. He put the tray down on the counter and gave a slight bow.

"Thank you, Billy," Eva said.

"You're welcome Madam, Ms Bell." He turned and left.

"Does everyone know my name?" Charlie asked as Eva gathered the coffee cups and took them to the sink.

"Yes, they do." She took plates out of the cupboard and placed them on the counter. She gave Charlie a funny look and then smiled.

"What?"

"Damien is back."

"He is? What time is it?"

"Almost 1:30. He's on his way up."

"Oh." Charlie looked down at her hands twisting a bit in her lap. She wasn't sure if she was nervous or excited to see him.

"Charlie?" Eva gently prompted.

"Hmm?"

"What's wrong?"

"A bit nervous." She looked up and gave Eva a crooked smile.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

Eva smiled as she heard Damien enter the apartment. He made his way to the kitchen and stood in the entry, eyes on Charlie. She was looking back down at her hands again.

"Hi Damien," Eva said, eyes traveling back and forth between the two.

"Hi." "Would you like to join us for lunch?"

"Yes. Very much."

"Have a seat and I'll get us all something to drink. Coke okay Charlie?" Charlie nodded, but didn't look up as Damien came and took the seat next to her.

'Do NOT change to your wolf again,' Eva sent.

'I won't.'

'You need to talk to her.'

'I know, Eva.'

"Hi Charlie," he said softly.

"Hi." She glanced at him to find him staring at her. "Did you get your errands taken care of?"

"I did." He reached over and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"That's good." She gave him another glance and smiled. Seeing him there, next to her, calmed her a bit. She knew she should be wary of him, angry with him -- at the very least -- and run away, but being near him made her feel good.

"What have you been up to?" Damien asked. He knew, he had spoken to Darian before he came up, but he wanted to hear her voice. And while he hated the formality of their exchange, he realized he had only himself to blame for it, and was anxious to get back to the easy familiarity they had from almost the first moment they met.

"You don't know already?" Charlie said, giving him a funny look.

"Huh?"

"Didn't Eva or Darian tell you via telepathic telegram?" she said, turning to face him with an eyebrow raised. Eva busied herself putting food on plates for everyone, being careful to be as quiet as possible. She put the plates in front of Charlie and Damien and then stood still, watching the interaction between them.

"Ah." He looked at her closely, unsure if she was angry. He breathed deeply, and didn't scent any anger from her. "You know about that, huh?" She nodded. "I should have told you."

"Yeah, you should have." She looked at him closely, noting the look of remorse across his face. "I think there's a lot you should tell me, isn't there?"

Damien rested his elbow on the back of her chair and put his hand on her back, emboldened by the gentleness of her voice. "Yes. We have a lot to talk about."

Charlie turned back to her plate and picked up her sandwich, taking a huge bite. She really was hungry. "Darian's not joining us?" she asked, reaching for her Coke.

"There's a problem with the fencing along the southeast border again," Damien said. "He's going to ride out and see what the issue is."

"You don't need to do that?" Charlie said before taking another bite. She knew that Damien liked to be involved in as much of the hands-on upkeep and repairs around the ranch as possible.




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 05



Hello again! I realize it has been a while, but I did warn you it would be. I think this should actually get me back on the normal schedule for posting this story. And I am not done with Bliss, I assure you, but Malcolm and Melody haven't been as open with me lately as they used to be, so it is taking a bit longer. (And to the anonymous emailer with the bondage bunny – you are an artist! But it won't make the words come any faster, sorry!)

Anyway – here is the fifth chapter. I hope you enjoy it and I hope it was worth the wait. 

My thanks again to John Doe, Exene Cervenka, Billy Zoom and DJ Bonebrake for their unintended inspiration.

-W





The Hungry Wolf Ch. 05



"I'm sorry, lesser wolves?"

"Didn't Mr. Dimeo tell you?" Charlie shook her head and motioned for Lisa to continue. "Well, the pack is a hierarchy. There's the Alpha pair,-"

"Darian and Eva?" Charlie asked, smiling when Lisa nodded.

"-the Lead Beta – that's Mr. Dimeo – the rest of the Beta's, then the rest of the pack."

"Let me guess, Gammas?"

"No. Omegas actually."

"Why'd they pick that letter?"

"Because it's the last letter in the Greek alphabet. We're the lowest ranking pack members."

"What does that mean?"

"Mean?"

"Yeah. What does that mean, the 'lowest ranking pack members'?"

"Just that."

"So you don't get the same rights? Privileges? Freedoms?"

"Oh, no. Nothing like that." Lisa gave Charlie a big smile. "We have the less glamorous jobs. And you know, last to join celebrations because we have to work them from set up to clean up. That sort of thing. But we have the same rights as any other members – excepting the Alpha pair and Lead Beta – as well as privileges and freedoms. When the pack votes, our vote counts as much as any other member."

"I see." Charlie said, her brow furrowed. "It doesn't seem unfair to you at all?"

"Not at all." She looked at Charlie and smiled again. "We're not sitting in the back of the bus, you know. The hierarchy is set up this way to the benefit of all pack members – including the Omegas."

"Back of the bus, huh? How old are you?" 

"Let's see, I joined the pack when I was 19; I met Eric at a concert in Portland during the summer of 1968 and I never looked back." She laughed at Charlie's shocked expression. "I know. We don't age like humans do."

"So it's the same when you're not born a...a werewolf?"

"Yes, it is."

Charlie was quiet for a moment, sizing up her guest. "Would you like something to drink?"

"What do you have?"

"Let's see, there's coffee, tea, juice, lemonade."

"Some lemonade would be great." She watched Charlie move with ease and familiarity around the lead Beta's kitchen, how very at home she looked. She wondered to herself if she even knew she was doing it. 

"Here you go," Charlie said, putting a tall glass in front of her.

"Thanks."

"Do you like it?" Charlie asked, her elbows on the counter in front of Lisa and her head in her hands. She was watching the blonde closely.

"It's very tasty."

"No. Sorry. I meant, the pack. Being changed, becoming a werewolf. Do you like it?"

"It's...it's hard for me to answer that." She sighed and took another sip of her lemonade. "I didn't have anything, didn't have anyone, before I met Eric."

"Oh?"

"My home life growing up was...rough. When I turned 18 I left my home in Utah, hitchhiked out west and wandered a lot. Spent the summer of love in San Francisco, then head up north with a boyfriend to Portland. Stayed there through the winter and met Eric the following summer."

"I see."

"So for me, this is heaven. I have a family. An almighty big and protective one, too. We all look out for each other. We all care for each other."

"Sounds perfect."

"It's not. You give up some things, too. You give up some individuality. You give up some privacy. And you have to start thinking about the whole, not just the self anymore."

Charlie was quiet, thinking on that for a moment. "Is it worth it?"

"Oh yes," Lisa answered instantly. "It's worth that and more."

"Did it...was it hard to go through the ceremony? In front of everyone?"

"Not at all." She looked at Charlie closely. "But when I was living in the Haight, public and group sex was commonplace, so it didn't faze me."

"Group sex?"

"Not that they do that here. They don't," Lisa rushed out, realizing her blunder. "It's just that, with the mating ceremony, the rest of the pack will end up rutting, too."

"Eva mentioned that." Charlie chewed her lip a minute before asking her next question. "Didn't that kinda weird you out?"

"To be honest, I didn't even notice it."

"Really?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, the whole thing starts off with the Alpha giving Luna's blessing to the couple, kind of like a wedding ceremony, you know?" Charlie nodded. "And then it's just the two mates-to-be, with the rest of the pack surrounding them. The existing pack member then says some vows to the pack-"

"To the pack?"

"-yeah, to the pack, about how they will teach the newest member in their ways, and guide them through the changes and make them a strong member to fortify the pack."

"Ah."

"Then the human vows to the pack as well, and then the mating happens."

"You mean the sex?" Lisa nodded. "So the couple don't exchange vows with each other, but with the pack? Isn't that a bit odd?"

"Not really. I mean, everyone knows they're committed to each other, right? They're mates, and that's for life, so why do they have to stand up and talk about it. The vows to the pack reinforce the bond we all share with each other, and lets the pack know the bond will only be stronger with the new member." Lisa sipped her lemonade and smiled. "Believe me, by the time the Alpha was done talking I would have vowed to eat Jupiter and pee rainbows if it meant I could mate Eric." She giggled a bit and blushed as she remembered her own mating. 

"And you weren't embarrassed at all?"

"No. Once Eric took my hands and looked at me, nothing else mattered, really. We made our vows, and as soon as I was done he was kissing me, and I forgot we were in the center of a circle of werewolves. It all faded until it was just me and him."

"Did it hurt?"

"It was...odd...when he shifted. Not unpleasant, but not exactly pleasant, either. Not at first. But after a few moments, once I got used to it, it was wonderful. He is bigger as his ibrido."

"Yeah, I know."

"You do?"

"Damien showed my his ibrido."

"Oh." She looked at her glass, avoiding Charlie's eyes. "Did he...did he tell you about the knot?"

"The knot?"

"Um, yeah," she blushed again, still not raising her eyes. She wasn't comfortable being the one to give Charlie all this information, but the lead Beta's instructions were crystal clear: 'Tell her everything and answer all her questions.' Who was she to disobey? "When the males have sex with their mates – as either their ibrido or wolf – they get a knot at the base of their cock that keeps them locked inside their mates."

"Oh, yeah. Damien explained that to me," Charlie said, relieved. "He didn't call it a 'knot', but he told me all about it."

"Okay, good. Wow. I was getting nervous, thinking maybe I was going to end up scaring you." Both women laughed at that.

"Did it hurt when Eric bit you?"

"Not at all. And I really thought it would, you know. But it actually felt really good."

"It did?"

"Uh huh," she said, nodding. "And the mark becomes a major turn on, too."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Eric will sometimes come up and bite or rub at his mark, and it gets me instantly ready for him."

"Does it really?" Lisa nodded. "Does it do that if you touch it?" In her fascination Charlie forgot about being embarrassed to be talking so intimately about sex with someone she just met.

"Not really. I mean, it feels good. But not nearly as good as when Eric touches it."

"Can I see it?" Lisa pulled her shirt collar down and Charlie could see the faint scar of a bite. "I thought it would be more pronounced."

"It is to other werewolves. Human eyes don't see it that easily, though." Lisa righted her shirt. "Besides, it's the scent that really shows the mating."

"The scent?"

"Yeah. When he bites you, Mr. Dimeo will bind his scent to yours."

"Right. Damien did mention that."

"After you're done, the pack will all shift and scent you."

"They'll what?"

"They'll scent you."

"Scent me how?"

"Um. Did you ever have a dog?" Charlie shook her head. "Ever been around one? A big one?"

"Yeah." Lisa nodded at her and Charlie's eyes went wide in understanding. "No fucking way," she whispered.

"It's not as bad as it seems. You'll be sitting with your mate, and they'll scent both of you together."

"And how is that not as bad as it seems?"

"It just isn't." She shrugged. "Remember, you'll be sitting on Mr. Dimeo's lap, and you'll already be feeling some changes from the bite. You really won't be bothered by it at all."

Charlie just looked at her incredulously for a moment before shaking her head. "No wonder Damien asked you to tell me about this."

"Oh no – don't think like that. I'm sure he just didn't think of it is all. When it's natural and normal for you, you don't think about how weird it might be to others."

"I guess."

"Think about it – did you tell Damien about your periods?"

"What? No! Why would I?"

"Because we're wolves. We don't have periods. If you're staying here with him for a while, don't you think it would freak him out when you have your period?"

"Yeah, but..." she trailed off, looking at Lisa. A smile of admiration spreading across her face. "Okay. I see your point." She sighed and stretched her back, looking at the clock. A little spark of excitement lit in her abdomen when she saw it was just before noon and realized Damien would be back soon. "Do you want some lunch?" she asked Lisa.

"Um. Okay."

"I'm not keeping you from anything, am I?"

"No, it's not that." She smiled shyly at Charlie. "I could go get us lunch and bring it back up."

"Nah. I can whip up a couple sandwiches in no time."

"I don't want to be a bother."

"You're not." Charlie smiled, going to the fridge and opening it. "Let's see. We've got some leftover chicken, apples, grapes...hmm, I wonder if there's any walnuts. I could make a nice chicken Waldorf?"

"What's that?"

"A salad."

"For a meal?" Lisa looked at Charlie doubtfully. 

"Oh. Right. Sorry," Charlie giggled. "I forgot you're not really salad people."

"I'm sorry. I'm sure whatever you make will be fine."

"It's okay. I'll make chicken salad sandwiches. They'll be just as good."

"It's no bother for me to get lunch and bring it up."

"Please don't. I insist on making lunch." Charlie pulled out the chicken, green onion, celery, carrots, pickles, mustard, tomato, lettuce and sour cream from the fridge, placing them on the counter in front of Lisa. She rummaged about and found a mixing bowl, cutting board, knife and spoon. She began making the salad, chopping up the chicken, onion and celery.

"So wolves don't have periods?" Charlie asked, grating the carrots.

"Nope."

"So...you don't ovulate?"

"We have a heat cycle."

"A heat cycle?" Charlie asked, adding the mustard and sour cream to the chopped chicken and vegetables in the bowl.

"Yeah. Generally every 11 to 13 months or so. Some are more frequent."

"And that's the only time you can get pregnant?"

"Yep."

"And no periods." She tossed in some spices seemingly at random and stirred them in to the salad in the bowl. Lisa had to admit it smelled delicious, even if it was called a 'salad'.

"No periods."

"Interesting." Charlie was quiet for a moment, slicing the tomato. "Lisa...do you ever wish you could just leave? Maybe go with Eric and live somewhere alone?"

"No! I mean, I've never wanted to. But...but I don't think we could."

"What do you mean?"

"We can't leave the pack. We need the bond and the closeness of the family here. I don't think we'd survive for very long."

"Really?"

"No one's ever willingly left since I've been here. But those who have been forced to leave...they don't make it long at all."

Charlie stood looking at Lisa, wondering about what Damien had offered the night before. He knew it would kill him, yet he still offered. She didn't know whether to scream at him for being so stupid or kiss him all over to thank him for being so selfless. She shook off her thoughts and gave Lisa a smile. "Do you want cheese on your sandwich? I think there's some jack cheese in the fridge." She moved to get the bread and a couple plates.

"No, thank you." She took a sip of her lemonade and almost dropped her glass as the plates and bread dropped out of Charlie's hands. "Charlie? Are you okay?"

"Oh my god," Charlie moaned. She was grasping at her right shoulder, tears pouring down her pale face. "I feel like my skin has been ripped off. It burns so bad!"

'Madam Alpha! Something is wrong with Mr. Dimeo's mate,' Lisa sent.

'What is it, Lisa?' Eva sent back, she and Darian left the office immediately and started up to Damien's apartment.

'I don't know. She's crying and saying her skin is peeling off and burning, but it isn't!'

'Calm down, Lisa. We're on our way. Try to get her to calm down if you can.'

As they moved upstairs they were both urgently called over to the medical center by Anna. They paused and looked at each other, torn.

"Crap. I'll go see what Anna needs, you go see what's wrong with Charlie, since she's already comfortable with you," Darian said.

"Alright. That would be for the best."

They parted, Darian heading down to the center next to the barn, Eva continuing up to Damien's quarters. She walked in and heard Lisa trying to console a sobbing Charlie. She was on the floor, rubbing her right shoulder and shaking. Eva saw the bread and broken plates on the floor.

"Charlie?" Eva called, kneeling next to her. "What's wrong?" Charlie either wouldn't or couldn't tell her. "What happened Lisa?" Eva asked, turning to the blonde who was standing now and wringing her hands.

"I don't know. One minute she was fine. Making lunch. We were having a great time, talking and stuff. The next minute she's dropped the plates, and started crying and talking about her burning skin."

"I see." Eva looked Charlie over carefully but could neither see nor smell an injury. "Thank you, Lisa. I will take it from here."

"Alright, Madam Alpha." Lisa nodded and head towards the door. "I hope she's going to be okay."

"I'm sure she'll be fine." Eva gave the blonde a smile and turned her attention back to the woman on the floor in front of her. 

"Charlie," she said gently, placing her hand on Charlie's forehead. "What's wrong?"

"Eva? Oh god! I don't know. I don't know!"

"What's happened?"

"I just – ah fuck! – it feels like half my skin has been ripped off." She sobbed, grimacing in obvious pain. "It burns, Eva," she gasped. "And...I feel ...I don't know, Eva...." She sat up suddenly, her already pale face turning ashen. "I think it's Damien. I think something's wrong with him."

"Damien's fine, Charlie." Eva put her hand on Charlie's arm. "He's just out working."

"No. He's...there's something wrong with him."

'Charlie thinks there's something wrong with Damien. Where is he working and I will take her out to him?' Eva sent to Darian. 

It took a few moments for Darian to respond. 'She senses something wrong with Damien? Is there a mating mark?'

She looked over Charlie's neck closely. 'No. Why?'

It again took Darian a few moments to answer. 'Damien is here. He was attacked and is hurt.'

Charlie was watching Eva closely and saw her gasp. "What? What happened? It's Damien isn't it?"

"Yes. He's had a minor accident, but he will be fine."

"Where is he?" Charlie asked, standing up on shaky legs. "Take me to him."

"I don't think that's wise, Charlie. Just wait here and we'll let you know-"

"No! Would you 'just wait' if it was Darian?"

"He's being taken care of Charlie."

"Take me to him, Eva, or I will wander all over this fucking place until I find him myself." Eva looked at her and knew she was right. She sighed, joy in her heart that Damien's mate was so passionate, and nodded at her to follow.

'We're coming to you, my heart.'

'Are you sure it's wise to bring her here? He is bloodied from the cougar and is in his ibrido. Anna has him sedated to clean and dress the wounds.'

'She refuses to wait. And since she knew this happened before you and I did...' Eva trailed off, not needing to explain further to Darian as she led Charlie down the stairs. She glanced over to find her still rubbing her shoulder as if in pain. 'Was it his right side that was injured?'

'Yes. You saw that?'

'No. She felt it.'

Eva led Charlie across the gravel path past the barn, reassuring her that Damien would be fine, reminding her that they healed much faster than humans. In her haste to leave Charlie forgot to put on any shoes, and cut the bottom of her right foot on a sharp rock. She didn't even feel it, although Eva noticed, her nose twitching as she scented blood. Charlie could only think about Damien, about getting to him and seeing him. She was crying still, berating herself for not admitting to him that she loved him, petrified she wouldn't get another chance and resolved to tell him now. They came upon a building set just off the mated houses and looking like a small, one story office building. Eva opened the door for Charlie and followed her in before directing her down a corridor.

"Charlie," Darian said as she rounded a corner and almost ran into him. He stood in front of a door and they could hear the commotion from the other side.

"Where is he?"

"He's fine. Anna is taking care of him, and...are you hurt?" he asked, picking up the scent of her blood.

'Her right foot,' Eva sent, seeing the trail of bloody footprints she left behind.

"Let me in, Darian," Charlie said, ignoring the question.

"Now is not a good time, Charlie. They're busy and...and the way he's injured...looks worse than it is."

"I don't care." She put her hands on her hips and stared up at him. "Let me in."

'Perhaps you should let her in,' Eva sent. 'After all, she did sense something happened to him before we knew of it.'

"It's gruesome looking, Charlie." Darian said, glancing at his mate. 

"I think I've seen gruesome before. I can handle it. Now let me see him," she said through gritted teeth.

A young man came up carrying four bottles of saline and Darian stepped aside to let him in, catching Charlie as she tried to dart past him.

"No Charlie. Let them do their work."

'A little help here, my love?' he sent to Eva, but she just shook her head.

'Let her in, my heart.' 

As the door swung shut a mournful howling noise came from the room behind Darian. Charlie's eyes went wide and a small smile flashed across her features. "The sedation has worn off, hasn't it Darian? He's awake now."

"Why do you say that?" Eva asked, stepping up to stand by her.

"I don't know." Charlie's brow creased as she thought on it. "I had this weird kind of...lonely feeling? Just after you showed up. But now...now I don't have that feeling anymore?" She didn't catch the look Darian and Eva shared.

'Let her in, Darian. She is his mate.'

'I don't think he'd want her to see him like this.'

'Would you wait if it were me? I certainly wouldn't if it were you,' Eva prompted, earning her a frustrated growl from her mate.

The door opened and Anna poked her head out. She had on a green scrub top that was streaked with blood. She looked up at Darian blocking the doorway and nudged him with her elbow before turning her attention to Charlie. 

"Come in, Charlie. We need him to calm down and he won't until he can see you."

"Anna!" Darian warned.

"I'm sorry, my alpha, but he must've caught her scent or something, because he came right up out of anesthesia and started that howling. I just need him calm so I can finish cleaning and dressing his side."

"Can't you give him more sedation?" Darian asked, exasperated that all the women around him seemed determined to help Charlie get her way.

"Not without risking his life. He's already had as much as we know is safe."

"Let me in, Darian. I won't freak out or scream or puke. I won't stop Anna from doing her job. I just need to see him. As much as he needs to see me. If not more," Charlie said softly. 

He looked at her closely for a moment, acknowledging – to himself, anyway – that Eva was right; if it were Eva in there he wouldn't allow anyone to keep him out. "Alright, Charlie." He stepped aside and was rewarded for his acquiescence with his mate's warm body stepping into his arms and nuzzling his neck. 




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 05



Charlie stepped into the treatment room and Anna closed the door behind her. She saw Damien, his ibrido, laid out on a long exam table. Hoarse howls were coming from his throat, the sound breaking Charlie's heart.

"Hey cowboy," she said softly, smiling at him when he turned his head to look at her. She stepped up next to the table and winced when she saw the deep lacerations that went from his right shoulder to his abdomen, the wounds flayed open deep enough to see the muscle underneath, the surrounding fur matted down with his blood. "Oh, Damien," she said, turning her gaze back to his face. She reached forward to stroke him, her hand repeatedly caressing him from his muzzle to his ear as he hooked his left arm around her. She looked into his eyes – those warm dark pools that she trusted – and smiled, feeling him relax beneath her.

"That's great, Charlie. Just keep him calm like that while we finish, okay?" Anna said, grabbing a bottle of saline. "He may growl at what I'm doing but he won't hurt you."

"I know," Charlie said, keeping her eyes locked on his. He whimpered a bit as Anna started cleaning the wounds at his abdomen. One of the orderlies brought a stool over for Charlie, but Damien wouldn't let go of her. "I'm fine, Damien. Fine." He whimpered again, pulling her closer and straining forward.

"He wants to scent you, Charlie. Lean over and let him so he stays laying back, please" Anna directed from his right side.

"Alright." Charlie leaned over and let Damien nuzzle her neck for a moment before pulling back a bit and looking at him again. She could see he was fighting the effects of the sedation. "Let Anna finish. I'm fine." He gave a whimper and pulled her tighter to him again. "I'm not going anywhere, cowboy. You can't get rid of me this easily." He chuffed at that, and she smiled at him, stroking his cheek. She could feel him start to give up the fight against the anesthesia. "Go ahead and sleep, cowboy. I promise I will be right here when you wake up." He struggled to stay awake a little longer, but finally his eyes closed and his grip around her waist loosened. "Can I get that stool now?" she asked.

"Right behind you, Ms.Bell," the orderly said, pushing the stool gently against the back of her legs.

"Thanks." She pulled it closer and hopped on it, holding Damien's left hand in her lap. She watched Anna working on his wounds, which already seemed to be knitting together. "Why is he like this and not, uh, human?"

"He shifted to this shape when the cougar attacked, and this is the easiest one to work with."

"It is?"

"Uh huh. I mean, we all heal quickly in all our shapes, but the ibrido is the easiest one to work with."

"Why?"

"Well, we are most unstable when injured in our human shape. If we need to be restrained and we change, which happens a lot when we're injured due to the unpredictable way sedation can affect us, we have a good chance of injuring ourselves further as well as anyone around us. And in our wolf shape there is entirely too much fur." She was finished cleaning the wounds and had started dressing them lightly.
Charlie giggled at that, the sound making Damien stir a little. "Shhh," she whispered, leaning over and stroking his head.

"Nearly done," Anna said, lightly pressing gauze against the wounds on his abdomen.

"This was done by one cougar?"

"Yep. She must have caught him completely off guard to have gotten such a good swipe at him."

"Is that common?"

"Not really, no. Every once in a while some cattle will get attacked. It's rare. Even more rare for one of us to be attacked." She sighed, done tending to Damien and looked over at Charlie. "But it does happen." She walked around the table and stood in front of her. "Now, let me see your foot."

"What? Why?"

"You have a cut on it."

"I do?"

"You do. A pretty good one judging by the fact it is still bleeding a bit." 

Charlie looked down and gave a small gasp at the blood beneath her stool. "I don't feel a thing. Isn't that odd?"

"Not really. It's adrenaline." Anna squat down in front of Charlie and picked up her foot, looking at the bottom. "It's not too deep, so I don't think you'll need stitches." 

"That's a relief," Charlie said as an orderly brought a basin, some saline, gauze and butterfly bandages over to Anna. "So...are you an MD or a, uh..."

"I'm an MD and a vet, actually," she said, smiling at Charlie's hesitancy. 

"I didn't want to insult you or anything," Charlie said, feeling a bit ridiculous.

"You didn't. And it's a valid question." She smiled at the woman sitting on the stool. Being next to her mate's ibrido made her look even smaller, and Anna wondered just how the mating was going to go between such a big wolf and a small human. 

"So you went to medical school and vet school?"

"I did."

"That must have taken a long time," Charlie said as Anna put on some fresh gloves. 

"Not in relation to how long we live, no." She knelt in front of Charlie, picking up her foot and moving it over the basin. "I'm just going to clean it and put some butterfly closures on it, okay?" Charlie nodded and braced herself against the sting. "So tell me, why do you call him cowboy?" she asked as she sprayed saline into the cut. 

"The first time I met him, I called him cowboy, and he got all uppity over it." 

"Uppity?"

"Yeah. Offended. Said he's a rancher, not a cowboy." She paused, hissing a bit and watching the bloodied and dirty water fall into the basin under her foot. "I teased him about it and he was so damn cute that the nickname just kind of stuck – ow ow ow – and I think he actually likes it. Crap that stung, Anna."

"That was the worst of it, Charlie. I'm going to bandage it now." 

"Alright." She watched as Anna dried off and then applied the closures to her now throbbing foot. 

"Stay off it as much as you can until it heals." She handed the basin and remaining supplies to the orderly and stood up. "You can ask Damien to help you with the healing."

"How?"

"He can lick the cut when he is his wolf. It won't make it go away but it will accelerate the healing process."

"What?" Charlie asked with a shell-shocked look on her face.

"All wolves can do that. This way we can all help with the young when they get injured, since they don't heal as quickly as mature wolves." She looked at Charlie's face and laughed. "It gets to feel more normal the more you're around it." She walked over to the sink and washed her hands.

"Good gravy I hope so," Charlie said, smiling at Anna. 

"We'll leave you two be. He should be waking up again in the next hour or so. Just poke your head out the door and give a holler if you need anything."

"Okay. Thanks, Anna."

"Thank you, Charlie," Anna said she as walked out. 

The orderlies followed her out, leaving Charlie alone with a sleeping Damien. She smoothed back the fur of his face and watched him sleep. The adrenaline that had brought her this far left as suddenly as it had arrived, and she was exhausted. She laid his left arm across her lap, crossed her arms on the table next to him and put her head down on top of them, turning to the side so she could watch him sleep. His deep, even breathing lulled her and she was soon dozing at his side.

She woke with a start at the feel of fingers combing through her hair and sat up quickly. "Damien," she sighed as her eyes fell on the man sitting up on the table in front of her. "You're awake."

"Yes." He watched her closely, feeling decidedly nervous as her eyes traced the pink and puckered skin where his wounds were. The gauze pads Anna had put in place had fallen away, but dried blood remained caked on the healthy skin surrounding the new scars. 

"You're alright." She looked up at his face as he nodded and burst into tears, hurling herself onto the table to straddle his lap and throw her arms around his neck. "I thought I lost you before I had a chance to tell you I love you. Don't you ever fucking do that to me again, Damien. Ever," she sobbed into his neck as he put his arms around her and pressed her closer to him. 

"I'm sorry, dolcezza." He kissed her hair as relief flooded him and her sobs tapered off to sniffles and hiccups. "Wait. Wait – did you just tell me you love me?" She sat up and looked at him, nodding. A small smile lifted the corners of his mouth as his arms relaxed. He slid his hands down to hold her ass. "Tell me again."

"I love you," she whispered, running her hands through his hair. 

"Again." He squeezed her bottom.

"I love you," she breathed, her eyes shining.

"Again."

"Damien!" she laughed.

"I have waited more than a century to hear those words. Tell me again."

She gave him a soft kiss before whispering against his lips. "I love you." He groaned and kissed her, hard, his tongue demanding entry into her mouth as his arms wrapped around her again. She laughed, opening her mouth to him, recoiling a bit at the bitter aftertaste of the sedative in his mouth before ignoring it and letting him plunder. "I love you. I love you. I love you," Charlie giggled as he kissed and nuzzled up and down her neck. She could feel his hard cock pressed against her thigh and dropped a hand down to caress him. 

"Charlotte," he moaned into her skin. He raised his head to look at her. She gave him a wicked smile as she wiped the drops of come from the tip of his cock with her finger and brought it to her mouth, deliberately licking it off. She felt his cock twitch against her.

"Lay back, cowboy."

"But-" he began.

"Lay back," she repeated, pressing her palm against his chest. "Please." 

He smiled and laid back down, dangling his legs on either side of the table at her nudging. She knelt between his thighs, one hand wrapped securely around his sex, tightening and loosening her fist as she pumped up and down. She propped herself up with her other hand to bite, lick and suck at his nipples. 

"Charlotte," he moaned again. His hips began moving in tandem rhythm with her fist. 

"Hmmm?" she said against his skin as she began kissing her way down his torso. She came to the shiny scar tissue that ran across his abdomen and she kissed it gently. He jumped at the contact and gave a shaky laugh. She smiled against his skin as she continued kissing down his body, swirling her tongue around his belly button before trailing it through the hair that led from his naval to his sex. 

Charlie raised her head and scooted herself down the table a bit, smiling shyly at Damien. She stroked him a few more times, watching the head of his cock pop in and out of his foreskin. Having never seen an uncircumcised penis before, she was self-conscious. "Damien," she whispered, her cheeks starting to turn pink, "what do I-" 

"Just gently pull it back," he said, lifting his head to watch her. He put his right hand behind his head as she lowered her mouth towards his cock, easing the foreskin down with her hand and then swirling her tongue around the tip, her eyes on his to make sure she didn't hurt him. He groaned as she sucked the head into her mouth, her tongue flicking at the tip as her fist pulsed around the base, seeming a little tentative about what she was doing at first. Not that Damien found anything lacking in her execution.

"Dolcezza," he groaned, laying his head back and closing his eyes. If he watched her take him into her mouth it would be over too quickly. 

Charlie began to suck his cock in earnest, her head bobbing up and down, each time taking in a little more, while her hand stroked what her mouth couldn't take. She was worried, having not given a blow job in years, that she would not be very good at it, but his moans and the gentle thrusts of his hips encouraged her. She pulled her mouth off his cock and moved to his balls, running her tongue over them while her fist kept up the hand job. She sucked his left testicle into her mouth, thoroughly worshipping it with her lips and tongue before letting it go and giving his right one its due. 

"Fuck! Charlie...please," Damien groaned, and she could feel his balls draw up against his body. She licked the seam of his sac before dancing her tongue along the underside of his cock to the tip. She licked up the come that had leaked there and flicked her tongue at his opening. "Please," he groaned again, lifting his head and fisting his left hand in her hair. She smiled, holding his gaze as she sucked him into her mouth. He moved his right hand to lift the rest of her hair, keeping it off her face so he could watch. She took him down her throat, swallowing past the gag reflex, her throat spasming against the head and he started to move his hips more forcefully. "Oh gods, yes. That's it. That's it. Suck me hard, dolcezza..." he moaned as his cock twitched and swelled in her mouth, dancing on that razor's edge between tension and release. She moaned in response to his words, the vibrations of her throat around him pushing him to his climax and he came into her mouth, spurting down her throat as she sucked and swallowed it down, relishing the lemony-salty tang of him. She kept him in her mouth as he softened, sucking and tonguing him until he pulled her off.

He sat up and wrapped his arms around her, pressing her to him and keeping her immobile as he kissed her all over her face and neck. "I love you, Charlotte. I love you," he kept murmuring, making her giggle under the onslaught. 

"I love you, Damien," she managed to squeak out. He relaxed his arms and she sat back on her heels, fingers lightly tracing over the new scar tissue on his chest. "You're really alright?" she asked quietly, smiling when he nodded. "Never again, cowboy. Okay?" she whispered.

"I will do my best, my love." He kissed her deeply, groaning at the faint taste of himself. "Let's go home."

"Can you? You don't need to stay overnight or anything?" she asked, surprised.

"I'm fine, my love," he said, caressing her cheek. "Besides, nothing could keep me from taking my beautiful mate home and ravishing every inch of her." He let go of her, scooting himself up and off the head of the table. He came around to where she still knelt and held his hand out to her.

"Um...you're naked."

"Yes I am. Clothes don't make it through our changing." His brow creased thoughtfully for a moment. "Those were my favorite boots, too," he added with a sigh.

"I know, but...so you're just going to walk back naked?" she asked, her cheeks getting pink.

"Nudity is accepted here," he said with a gentle laugh. "We often find ourselves nude after we change shapes unexpectedly, Charlie. No one pays any attention to it or thinks it odd. In fact, often times people will opt to attend ceremonies and parties nude because they don't want to be bothered with worrying about their clothes."

"Really?" 

"Really." He smiled at her blush. "Come on. All this talk about being naked has made me desperate to have you that way and at my mercy." He stepped up to her and grabbed her head, kissing her roughly. 

"Yeah. I could go for that," she said breathily when he let go of her, making him laugh. She slid off the table and winced when her right foot hit the ground. "Ow. Shit."

"What is it?" 

"I cut my foot is all. I'll be okay in a few days." She took his hand and pulled him towards the door, limping a bit. "Come on."

"No. That won't do at all." He smiled at her as he picked her up, making her wrap her legs around his waist and link her arms behind his neck. His hands cradled her bottom as he started out of the medical center. 

"Really? I mean, I can walk. Don't you think this is overkill?" she asked, squealing when he pinched her butt.

"Hush, my love." He kissed her forehead.

"Thank you, Anna," he said, walking past her and giving her a nod.

"Any time, my friend. Although I do request you don't make a habit out of it." Charlie laughed at that, burying her face in Damien's neck. "Bye, Charlie," Anna called as Damien carried her out of the building. Charlie waved, blushing furiously against Damien.

"You know, it's all I can do to not throw you down and fuck you right here," Damien said as they crossed the gravel path towards the main house. "The more you nuzzle my neck and writhe against me, the harder it is to wait until I get you home." 

"Damien!" Charlie laughed, raising her head to look at him. "There is another option, you know."

"Oh really?" he asked, walking through the front door of the main house. "And what would that be?"

"You could let me walk instead of carrying me like a child or some kind of prize."

'We will be occupied for the next few days. Please see to it we are not disturbed,' Damien sent to his brother and Eva as he started up the stairs.

"Hmmm," he said, stopping their ascent and giving her a sultry smile. "You are my prize, aren't you? My prize catch. Maybe I should throw you over my shoulder."

"Don't you da- hey!" Charlie squealed as Damien effortlessly shifted her, lifting her over his left shoulder. He clamped his arm down across her hips to anchor her to him. 

"Yes. I think I like this much better, my love," he laughed, resuming their climb.

'You got it,' Darian sent back, sensing his brother's happiness and relief.

Charlie laughed, looking down at Damien's ass as he carried her. Her hair hung down and bounced against it as they moved. "You know, I think I could get used to this, too," she teased, moving her head a bit to make her hair brush across his butt as he carried her into the apartment and closed the door behind them. He considered locking it, but thought better of it. They would likely need food brought to them as he didn't plan on letting her leave any time soon. 

Hell, he didn't plan on letting her get dressed any time soon.

He had every intention of taking her upstairs – he really did – and slowly making love to every inch of her, but veered to the brown sectional in the great room when she dragged her nails up his ass to his back. He carefully dropped her onto the sofa and stood next to her, looking down. The laughter that had begun when she landed on the cushions died in her throat when she saw the way his cock stood out, hard again, and the look in his eyes. She brought her knees up and together in an instinctual defensive posture.

He looked at her as if he were a hunter and she his prey.

"Take off your clothes." It wasn't a request, it was a command, his gentle teasing tone from just minutes ago long gone. He climbed on the couch, kneeling at her feet and stroking his cock. Charlie blushed, her eyes riveted to the movement of his hand, and Damien wondered at her ability to be both experienced and naive, tough and soft. She quickly pulled her t-shirt over her head and dropped it on the floor next to her. Her bra followed in short order and she glanced up at his face, shivering a bit at the look in his eyes. "Cold?" he asked with a smirk, catching her body's reaction.

She arched her eyebrow at his arrogant tone and smirked right back. "Why? Do you think you could warm me up?" 

Damien reached his free hand around her legs and unbuttoned her shorts, tugging them down just a bit, exposing the top of her plain white cotton panties. "I think I can do better than just warm, my love. I think I can make you hot," he whispered, running his fingertips on top of the waistband of her panties. "Take these off." Charlie raised her hips and slipped her shorts and panties off in one motion, dropping them on the floor next to her t-shirt and bra. 

"I can smell your arousal, my love," Damien said, leaning forward and grabbing her feet, moving them to either side of his thighs. She pressed her knees together and he laughed, parting them easily with his hands. He inhaled deeply, his brow furrowing as his nostrils flared. "And blood. Why do I smell your blood?"

"You can smell that?" Charlie gasped, propping herself up on her elbows.




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 05



"Part of being a wolf, dolcezza."

"It must be my foot." She lifted her leg, trying to swing it over his shoulder so she could look at her foot, but somehow managed to kick him in the head instead. "Ow! Shit! Sorry about that," she said, laughing at the look on his face even as the pain lanced through her foot. "Just call me 'grace'."

"Nice kick," he said, chuckling as he grabbed her ankle and lifted her foot up to his gaze. There was a little blood seeping, most likely from when tried to stand on it earlier. He carefully peeled off the butterfly closures, dropping them onto the coffee table before he laid her foot in his lap gently, caressing her calf. "Will you let me help you?" he asked softly.

She considered playing dumb to see how he would explain what he meant by help her, but decided not to. "You mean help heal it as your wolf?"

He nodded. "Anna told you?"

"She said you could lick it and it would help it heal faster." Her voice was small, slightly unsteady.

"Don't be afraid, my Charlotte."

"I'm not," she smiled at him. "But...it's something new. I think nerves are allowed." 

He smiled at that, laying her foot on the back of the couch before scooting himself back a bit. "It won't hurt." She smiled and nodded, watching him closely. His muscles seemed to shimmer again, his skin at first appearing loose around him as his body shrank back on itself, then growing taut as he thickened. She could feel the couch sagging a bit under his weight as his face changed, his ears growing, his nose and jaw pushing forward as his skull appeared to both elongate and square a bit. Thick, glossy black fur sprouted all over him and he shook his head, sneezing.

"Gezundheit," Charlie said a little breathlessly. She didn't know which was more beautiful, his wolf or his transformation. Damien stood on all fours, and she looked into his eyes, relieved to see that even as his wolf, his eyes were the same deep brown that bared everything to her. She laid back, hands at her side and grabbing the cushion, waiting for him to move. He sat back on his haunches, turning his head towards the foot propped on the couch and slowly licked the bottom of it from her heel to her toes. Charlie gasped, unprepared for the erotic feel of his hot, muscular tongue against the bottom of her foot. He licked her foot again, slowly, and Charlie bit back a moan, closing her eyes and turning her head. "This is so wrong," she said under her breath.

Damien snorted softly and wagged his tail at her words and Charlie chuckled, not looking at him. He licked the cut, slowly dragging his tongue along its length, and it began to tingle, as if a really low level electric current was running across it. He kept licking at it slowly, not pausing between licks and slightly increasing the pressure with each pass. That tingling hum was increasing and – to Charlie's mortification – traveling from her foot straight to her sex. Damien could smell her getting aroused and increased his ministrations to her foot, his eyes on her face as she bit her bottom lip. 

The sensations generated by his tongue increased, and she started gyrating her hips slightly in time, unaware of moving at all. Even though there was no need for him to continue – there was no further benefit at this point – Damien did anyway, tormenting Charlie by slowing his tongue down to glacial speed. A low moan came from her throat and he wagged his tail, giving her foot one final, thorough lick from heel to toe. He could see how wet she was and he shifted slightly, the couch groaning beneath him.

Charlie felt him move and exhaled a long, shaky breath. "Dear lord, cowboy, you could have warned me about the side effects," she said, her voice unsteady. "I'm not complai – Damien!" she shrieked as she felt his tongue – his long, wide, muscular tongue – lick her from her ass to her clit. She opened her eyes to see his tongue snaking out from his muzzle as he lowered his head for another lick. "Damien....please...this is...oh god," she breathed as his tongue made another pass, this time probing inside her pussy a little before continuing up and flicking her clit. "This has to be illegal," she moaned as he licked her again, his tongue entering her a little more then continuing up to her clit. "Or against the Humane Society or something." She heard him give a snort at that before another long lick of his tongue across her pussy had her panting. "But fuck...it feels so good," she said, giving up her protests and opening her legs wider for him as his tongue began its travels again, dipping even further into her with each pass before flicking her clit a few times, reducing Charlie to a writhing, moaning mess within minutes.

"Oh god, please, Damien," Charlie moaned, her orgasm close. "Make me come, Damien. Please." He concentrated on her clit, flicking his tongue over it rapidly. "Yes! Oh fuck yes! There! Right there! Please!" she cried, but he stopped before she could come, raising his head and making Charlie cry out in frustration. She opened her eyes to see him change back to his human and lunge on top of her, hooking his arms in the bend in her legs and sinking into her in one graceful movement, filling her completely and sending her into an orgasm so intense it blotted out anything and everything else. She went rigid, her back arched off the couch and wrapping her arms around his neck, her breath caught in her throat. 

Damien felt her pussy clamp down on him and started to jerk his hips, pushing them both higher as he started to come inside her. Charlie sucked back a big breath and cried out incoherently as her body shook from head to foot. Damien pressed his mouth to hers, capturing her sounds as his cock began to relax inside her, twitching in response to the flutters and spasms of her cunt. 

He released her legs and propped him self up on his elbows above her as their kissing gentled. She wrapped her legs around his, resting her ankles on the back of his thighs. They lay that way for a while, kissing and whispering words of affection and praise softly to each other as their bodies cooled. 

"Say it again, Charlotte," Damien whispered against her lips, making her giggle.

"I love you, Damien." He raised his head and smiled at her. Her hair was plastered to her head, there was a smear of dried blood on her cheek, her lips were swollen and there was black fur stuck to her skin by her own sweat. 

He didn't think she could get any more beautiful than she was at that moment. 

He kissed her again, deeply, stroking her tongue with his, as he pulled out of her. She whimpered a bit before breaking the kiss and looking at him seriously. "What's the matter?"

"Lisa told me what would happen if you left here, Damien. She told me how bad it would be for you, how it would kill you." 

"Charlie-" he began, but she cut him off with a shake of her head.

"No. I'm not mad. Or not really, anyway. I was so deeply humbled by what you would be willing to give up for me, by the offer you made me last night. It showed me just how important I am to you. And now, knowing what it really means..." She cupped his face, smiling at him, her eyes shining. "I never knew what it was to be so loved." She kissed him softly. "But you have to stop doing shit like that."

"Shit like what?" he asked.

"Giving me half the information only."

"I wanted to make the offer to you without any further strings attached to it, Charlie. I didn't want anything affecting your decision," he explained, raising himself up and sitting back on his heels. 

She sat up, scooting her hips back and crossing her legs. "I would have felt awful if I had asked you to leave not knowing what that would mean for you, what it would do to you." She sighed, smiling to herself at the way Damien's eyes fixated on her breasts when she did. "You have to trust me enough to tell me everything."

"I really just didn't want it to influence your decision."

"I understand that. I really do. And I appreciate why you did it. But don't do it again. It's not fair, and if you love me like you say you do, you have to trust me, too."

He looked at her closely for a minute before answering. "You're right. And I do trust you, my love." He turned to sit back, propping his feet up on the coffee table. "I have just been so afraid of losing you. Everything was so uncertain, and I didn't know what would scare you off or hurt you."

"Fair enough," she said, smiling at him. "But there's no more reason for uncertainty, okay?"

"You're staying," he said quietly, almost reverently.

"I...yes, Damien. I'm staying." She took a deep breath and blew it out, pursing her lips. "I decided to stay when I woke up next to you and it made me happy." She smiled at him. "Before I learned what making you leave would mean, so you don't have to worry about it having undue influence on my decision." He gave a soft chuckle at that. "Promise me, Damien, that you will tell me everything from now on, that you won't withhold stuff from me again."

"I promise." He watched as Charlie studied his face in the fading light, her eyes tracing his contours and valleys. She had a far-away look in her eyes and a tiny smile on her lips. "What were you thinking just now?"

"Oh, I was...it...it's hard to explain, Damien." The golden light coming in through the windows from the setting sun hit all the natural highlights in her hair, infusing the dark brown with rivers of copper and gold. 

"Try." 

"I'll tell you over dinner," she said. 

"Charlie," he whined. 

"I'm hungry."

"Alright," he said with a sigh. "I'll have dinner brought to us. No cooking tonight." He stood up, stretching, and turned to help her up.

"I'm going to run upstairs and clean up a bit," she said, going up on her toes and kissing the corner of his mouth. "I'll be right back down."

"I'll call for dinner and get something to drink. Wine?"

"Iced tea for me?"

"You got it," he smiled and watched as she turned towards the stairs. 

"Hey," she said, turning back around. "I think someone promised to let me ride their Rocket III. Hmmm...who was that again?" she said, one hand on her hip and the other one tapping her temple. "I think it was some guy...let's see...tall, dark, kinda brooding...what was his name?"

"Clever, my love." He walked towards her, chuckling, until he was standing toe-to-toe with her. "We'll go tomorrow, alright? A nice long ride. Maybe have a picnic."

"I'll hold you to that," she said, looking up at him and poking him in the chest. She turned back towards the stairs but Damien grabbed her arm and turned her back towards him.

"It'll cost you, you know," he said, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her flush against him.

"Oh?" She batted her eyelashes at him. "What would you be willing to accept as trade for such a privilege?"

"I don't know...I mean, it's not as if I let just anyone ride my Rocket." She snorted at that. "But I think one deep, soulful kiss for every cc of the engine would be fair barter."

"It's 2200 cc, isn't it?"

"2300, actually." He smiled at her.

"That's a lot of kisses." She looked at him slyly and traced random patterns with her fingertips through the hair on his chest.. "How about if I owe you? I can give you one before you let me ride, and work off the other 2299?"

"Interesting proposal." He slid his hands down to her sides. "But I don't know. I mean, it would take you days to work it off."

"Yes it would."

"I don't know if I like the idea of being kissed by you for days."

"Oh really?" Charlie asked, looking up at Damien. His face was serious, but his eyes were teasing. "Maybe you could come up with something less distaste-" She was cut off when Damien suddenly kissed her. 

"I don't think that would be long enough," he whispered against her mouth, making her giggle. 

There was a knock at the door and a female voice called out, "Mr. Dimeo?"

"In here," Damien called, smiling at Charlie's gasp. She quickly grabbed her clothes from the floor and sprinted into the bathroom, barely limping at all now and slipping her tank top over her head as she went. "You don't have to hide, my love," he called after her as a thin young man brought in a huge tray of food. "Thank you, Cindy. That will be all."
"Mr. Dimeo," she said, bowing slightly. "Congratulations, sir."

"Thank you," he smiled at the slight young woman as she left. He picked up the tray and called out to her. "She's gone, Charlie, you can come out now and have dinner."

"It's here already? How did you – oh, right." He heard her sigh. "I'll be out in a minute," she called. He could hear the water running.

"I'll be in the kitchen," he said, walking through the entryway and stopping just inside the kitchen. He was looking at the stuff left on the counter and the remains of the plates and loaf of bread on the floor. 

"Dinner smells good," Charlie said, coming up behind him. 

"What happened?" he asked, carefully making his way into the kitchen and putting the tray on the counter.

"Huh?" She looked where he was gesturing to and saw the mess she had left earlier. "Oh. Sorry about that." She gingerly stepped into the kitchen and knelt down to clean up the shards of ceramic from the dropped plates.

"What happened?" he repeated, moving to the pantry to get a broom. 

"I dropped the plates when I...uh..." she trailed off, looking at him with wide eyes.

"When you what?" he asked, kneeling next to her and putting his hands on her shoulders. 

"I knew you were hurt. I think before...before anyone else here did." She scrunched her face up, concentrating on her thoughts. 

"You knew I was hurt?"

"I knew something. I felt a burning pain here" she ran her hand from her right shoulder to her abdomen, stopping just to the side of her navel, the same place and pattern as the now faint scars on him, "and then suddenly I felt this sense of loneliness." She thought again for a moment. "No not loneliness, really. I guess aloneness would be better – is that even a word? It was like I wasn't really there, or the people around me weren't really there. And somehow, I knew it was you that was gone. That something had happened to you." Charlie looked at the mess on the floor and counter. "That feeling went away when you came out of sedation. Which was good. I...I didn't like that alone feeling," she shrugged, turning back to the broken plates and picking up the larger pieces carefully. Damien watched her, feeling swollen with pride and possessiveness. "Oh no," she said after another moment. "Lisa was here when it happened. I was making us lunch and..." She looked at Damien.

"And what, dolcezza?"

"Well, I think I freaked her out, Damien. One minute I was fine and the next I was on the floor in pain, and-"

"She's fine."

"I should go explain-"

"It's already done."

"It is? How did...oh, that's right." She looked at him closely. "Can I just say how much I dislike being the only person capable of not doing that? I feel excluded."

"No one's excluding you."

"Oh, I know." She rose and carefully made her way to the sink, opening the cabinet beneath it and throwing the large pieces of plate in the small garbage can. "It's just that I am the odd man out here, cowboy." She brought the can over to Damien where he swept up, holding it for him as he dumped the rest of the ceramic and bread debris into the can. "The fact that I'm the only one not on the telepathic party line is just another way to bring that fact home."

"Telepathic party line?" he laughed, putting the broom and dustpan back in the pantry.

"You know what I mean," she said, smiling as she dumped the chicken salad into the garbage. 

"I do, Charlie. But that's...well, that is going to change, isn't it?" 

She looked at him, noting the sudden tension in his stance and the almost scared expression on his face. "You mean I'm going to change?" She cocked her head, raising a brow at him and nearly laughed aloud at the way he seemed to thrum with agitation as he nodded. "Well, yeah, Damien. Of course it is going to change," she said quietly, squealing in delight as he rushed to her and picked her up in a hug, kissing her hard. "Let me go," she laughed squirming to get out of his arms. 

"Never," he growled, kissing her again before gently putting her back on her feet. She gave him a playful punch in the arm before grabbing the dishes off the counter and carrying them to the sink. 

"Are you going to get dressed?" she asked, leaning against the sink and looking at his cock – mostly flaccid but still so large – and blushing a bit.

"Tomorrow."

"Not till tomorrow?"

"Why put on clothes? I'm only going to take them off again, take you upstairs and make you come until your eyes cross and your voice is hoarse from screaming my name in ecstasy." He caught the scent of her arousal and watched her eyes go wide as she turned back to the sink. He smiled to himself.

"I see." 

He thought about teasing her more, arousing her to the point of distraction, but wasn't sure he could resist forgoing dinner and spending the night between her thighs. While the idea of that was alluring, he knew he needed to eat to complete his healing process, and placated his desire with the knowledge it was a temporary delay.

"What'd you think of Lisa?" Damien asked, changing the subject and getting out a couple of glasses for iced tea.

"She was great. Really...forthcoming." Charlie filled the sink with hot water and added some dish soap, stirring it with her hand to bring up the lather.

"Oh?" he said, curious about her tone.

"Yeah." She carefully put the lunch dishes in the water to soak before getting silverware and moving to the breakfast bar. 

"About anything in particular?" he asked, putting ice in the glasses and grabbing the pitcher of tea out of the fridge.

"Scenting."

"Scenting?" he asked as he poured. "Oh, right. The ceremony."

"Damien," she began but paused, chewing her lip.

"What is it?" he asked, putting the glasses on the counter before taking the seat beside her.

"I just...I'm worried about my scars. What will they say?"

"No one will say anything, my love," he said softly, tucking her hair behind her ear. 

"But they'll see them. And what will they think of me?" she asked, watching as Damien put a plate piled high with food in front of her.

"Who?" She looked at him and opened her mouth to speak but changed her mind and just shook her head instead. "Talk to me, my love. We can face any fears, any trouble, any obstacle together, but you need to trust me, too, Charlie."

"You're right," she said quietly, turning to her plate and picking at the ridiculous amount of food on it.

"Is it Mira?" he asked gently, cutting into the steak on his own plate.

"No," she said with a rueful laugh. "I could be perfect and someone like Mira would find fault with something about me." 

"You are perfect," he said, nudging her with her elbow. "Eat before you lose those perfect curves of yours."

"Right," she snikcered, picking up her fork and taking a bite of roasted carrot.

"Who are you worried about, Charlie?"

"Your family." 

"Don't be."

"What if they see me, see how damaged I am, and don't accept me? What if they want you to be with someone better?" 

"Better than what?"

"Better than me."

"No," he said, his voice firm. He turned to look at her and shook his head. "You are perfect. You would be perfect if you had three arms. You would be perfect if you were purple with big black spots. You would be perfect if you were nothing more than a head on a tray – because you are perfect for me, for us."

"What if...what if you're wrong?" she asked, taking a bite of steak and avoiding his gaze. "What if your wolf is wrong?"

"I'm not. We're not."

"What if you are?" 

"Impossible," he said, putting down his fork and knife and pulling her into his lap. "My wolf found you and knew you instantly. You called to his soul as surely as you did to mine, and we're never wrong." He kissed her forehead.




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 05



"Never?"

"Never."

"You're sure?" she put her hands on his cheeks and looked into his eyes.

"Aren't you?" he asked softly. "You know what I am thinking when I am my wolf. You felt it when I was hurt. You knew when I was sedated. You faced my ibrido unflinchingly." He watched her face as she thought over all he had said, her expressions moving from concern to disbelief to acceptance to happiness. 

"Does your family...will they support your decision?"

"Absolutely and without hesitation." He kissed her softly before moving her back to her seat. "Eat. I don't want you getting any skinnier."

"Right. About to waste away to nothing," she laughed, shaking her head. They ate in silence for a few moments before Damien spoke again. 

"Anything else?"

Charlie laughed at that. "Um, yeah. Tons of questions." 

"Fire away." He carved off another hunk of steak and ate it, watching her.

"Why did you sleep outside my door last night?"

"I needed to be close to you."

"Really?"

"Mates rarely sleep apart. I couldn't sleep with you in my arms, so I did the next best thing."

"Sleeping on the floor as a wolf?"

"It was the only way I could sleep on the floor," he said, shrugging at her giggles. "What else?"

"Lisa explained a bit about the pack. The way it's structured." He nodded for her to continue. "What does being 'Lead Beta' mean?"

"It helps to think of the ranch as a business. Darian would be the president, and I would be the vice president. The other betas would be the executives and the omegas would be the work force."

"And can you move up?" She turned her plate, picking at it. It was less than half eaten, but she was quickly becoming full.

"Move up?"

"You know, get promoted? Can the omegas become betas and the betas become alphas?"

"Well, technically...yes, they can move up in ranks. But it's not as easy as getting a promotion."

"A- you obviously never worked for someone else, because getting promoted isn't easy," she said, spearing a bite of steak. "And 2 – how do they move up?" She ate the steak off her fork and looked at Damien.

"A wolf can challenge for the right to move up, but it doesn't often happen. Challenges are...brutal. Sometimes deadly." His tone was wary, and Charlie understood he was nervous about scaring her.

"What happens?" She was careful to keep her eyes on her plate.

"They fight. Usually as their wolves. Until one submits or dies." She looked at him, not wanting to believe him.

"And that's acceptable to everyone?" He nodded, watching her expressions closely. "But – but what happens to the family of the wolf that submits or dies?"

"They continue on," he said quietly.

"As if nothing happened? Isn't that barbaric?"

"No." He caressed her cheek and gave her a sad smile. "No one goes on as if nothing happened. The whole pack adjusts, the whole pack mourns. It is never a happy day."

"You all feel it," she said quietly, watching as he nodded. "You're that connected to each other. Lisa talked about the familial life here, but...I guess I didn't really understand."

"We are. As I said before, we all share in the successes and failures together." He turned back to his plate, pushing his veggies around with his fork.

She looked at him closely. "You're worried about me, aren't you."

"Yes."

"I can be challenged?" 

"Yes." He sighed as she watched him appraisingly. "When we mate, you would be put in a position of power in the pack. You would, essentially, be over all the females barring Eva. You could be challenged on that merit." 

"And you?"

"Not likely. Unless the female challenging you is mated and her mate wants my position. Doesn't happen often – and it's never happened here – but it does happen."

"No. I mean...would I be challenged for you?"

"You're thinking of my family?" It was his turn to study her. She blushed but held his gaze steadily. "No. You can't be challenged for your mate – by anyone. Ever. And I promise you no one in my family will have any objections to you, dolcezza."

"Alright," she said, spearing another hunk of steak and looking at it on her fork. She couldn't bring herself to eat anymore and dropped her fork on her plate. "But if I am challenged, I would have to fight." He nodded. "How likely is it?"

"Like I said, not very." He smiled at her. "And it wouldn't be until after the ceremony and your first shift."

"Why?"

"We're a lot stronger than humans, my love. It would be unfair."

"I see." 

"And I'll make sure you get some training."

"Training?" she looked at him with a slight sneer on her face.

"What is that look for?"

"You think I can't fight?"

"We're bigger than you, my love. And stronger."

"Oh really? Did you never hear the story of David and Goliath?"

"We fight rough, Charlie. Rough and dirty. You're no match for a wolf."

"Wanna bet?"

He turned to her, incredulous. "Excuse me?"

"Come on. Show me what you got."

"No."

"Afraid of the poor widdle human wady?" she teased, pouting.

"Very funny."

"Then try me."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"You can't, right? Isn't that what you said? You could never hurt me because I'm your mate?"

"I could do so accidentally."

"I'm not afraid." She got off her stool and pushed her way between his legs, running her hands up and down his thighs.

"You should be."

"Should I be?" she asked, leaning into him and nuzzling his neck. "Should I be afraid of the big, bad wolf?" She planted humid kisses along his collarbone, her hands making circles on his hips. 

"Dolcezza," he sighed, running his hands down her back to her ass.

"Damien," she said as she kissed her way up his neck to his mouth, her voice as sultry as she could manage. She kissed him deeply, using her tongue to play with his tongue and lips, rubbing herself against his thickening cock. "Do you want me, Damien?" she asked, looking him in the eye.

"Yes," he said, squeezing her ass.

"Now?"

"Yes." Another squeeze.

She cocked her head at him and grinned. "Well, if you want to fuck me, you have to fight me." 

"No."

"Your choice, cowboy." She broke free of his arms and turned to walk away, pausing to look at the bottom of her right foot. "Wow. This is almost completely healed," she said, running a finger along the thick scab. "Thanks."

"Where are you going?" he asked, getting off his stool and turning towards her. His cock hard again and jutting out from his body. 

"I dunno," she said, swaying her hips exaggeratedly as she walked away. "What's it to ya?"

"Charlie," he growled, his wolf wanting to chase her down. "Don't do that."

She turned to look back at him over her shoulder. "Or what?" She continued on towards the great room, aware of the tense man behind her. She heard his stool slide back and turned around quickly to see him stalking to her as she backed away. She smiled at him and he stopped at the threshold of the room. 

"It is never wise to walk away from an agitated wolf."

"Oh?" She put her hands on her hips and batted her eyes at him, making him laugh in spite of himself. She took a giant step backwards.

"Charlie..." he warned, taking a step towards her. 

"I triple-wolf dare you to try," she said, cocking her head and smirking. 

He came at her quickly, his intent to throw her over his shoulder and take her upstairs. Charlie planted her right foot, sticking out her left leg and twisting her upper body away from him, pushing him over her outstretched leg and twisting them around as he tripped. He fell flat on his back and Charlie gently dropped to her right knee on top of his abdomen, her right hand grabbing his balls and squeezing. 

"Well," he said, blinking up at her. "This is interesting."

"I think so."

"You know I could get up."

"Yes, I do. You know I knelt on you instead of jumping on your solar plexus." She gave him a smug smile.

"No, I didn't." He smiled at her broadly, and Charlie would have sworn she saw pride flashing in his expression. "Why are you holding my balls?"

"It's an incentive for you to cooperate." She squeezed them again.

"I see." He couldn't stop smiling at her, smiling at the skill she had just demonstrated. "I take it you've taken a class or two?"

"8 years," she said, letting go of his balls and shifting to straddle his thighs. 

"What?"

"Krav Maga." 

"You studied Krav Maga for 8 years?" He sat up, leaning back on his hands and eyeing her levelly. 

"I was afraid of everything for a bit, jumping at shadows and nearly having panic attacks when someone would knock on my door." 

"I can see that," he said, tucking her hair behind her ear. 

"I took the self-defense courses offered by the sheriff's office, but that seemed kind of lame," she shrugged, looking sheepish. "There was a class starting around the corner from my apartment. It was convenient so I enrolled, figured if it was garbage I'd just stop. But it wasn't. It was empowering. Liberating. I stuck with it." She smiled at him. "This was the first time I used it outside of the gym."

"It seems I underestimated you." She smiled at him. "And while you still wouldn't likely be the victor against a wolf before you change, you would certainly make them work for their victory."

"Why do I get the feeling this makes you proud?"

"'er'. It makes me proud'er'."

"Why?"

"It just does. Everything about you makes me proud to call you mine." 

She looked down at her legs, embarrassed and pleased at the praise. "You shed all over me," she said, glancing back up at him. 

"Yes I did." He placed a finger under her chin and tilted her head up to look at him. "What if I make it up to you with a nice, warm bath?"

"I think I could forgive a lot for a nice warm bath," she said, leaning forward to give him a quick kiss before standing up. He stood and scooped her up, throwing her over his shoulder again and carrying her upstairs as she laughed. He set her down on the bathroom counter and started filling the tub.

"Get undressed," he said, sitting on the edge of the tub and watching her. His tone and his look – so full of desire – gave her goosebumps. She slid off the counter and took off her shorts and panties in one quick motion, stopping to look at him. "Completely." 

Charlie twisted her torso away from him and quickly took her tank top and bra off, dropping them on the floor and crossing her arms over her abdomen. 

"Don't cover yourself. Don't hide yourself from me," he admonished. 

"I can't help it," she said, her voice barely a whisper. 

"You weren't hiding yourself earlier,' he said, reaching out and pulling her to him.

"That was different," she shrugged, not meeting his gaze. 

"I don't want you to ever hide yourself Charlie. Not from me." He scooped her up and stood, looking down at her seriously. "Every inch of you is precious to me. Every freckle. Every scar. Every inch. Don't ever forget that." He gently lowered her into the tub and climbed in behind her, settling her between his knees and turning off the water before reaching for the washcloth and soaping it up.

"Do you think it'll be visible if I change into a wolf?" she asked quietly as he washed her back. She'd drawn her knees up, resting her chin between them and wrapping her arms around her thighs.

"I don't know." He pulled her closer to him and began washing down her arms, untangling them from her legs to wash them completely. "We can ask Anna. She may know." He added more soap to the washcloth and lathered it up. "Turn around." He leaned back to give her room to move and pulled her closer again when she was done, moving her legs to drape over his. He washed her neck, making slow circles over her skin with the cloth, smiling as she sighed. "You like this?" he said softly.

"Yes." He moved his hand down her chest, washing around her breasts, but not touching them, before moving to her abdomen and hips. She became pliant in his hands, allowing him to manipulate her limbs as he saw fit. "Feels wonderful," she sighed, closing her eyes and tensing slightly as he neared her sex. But he avoided that, too, moving instead to her left foot and lifting it out of the water. She opened her eyes and looked at him questioningly, but he just gave her a sly smile as he washed her foot and slowly made his way up her leg with the cloth. She leaned back on her hands and closed her eyes again as he reached the juncture of her thigh and hip, biting her tongue against a plea when he withdrew his hand and lowered her leg. 

"Did you like it when my wolf licked your foot?" he asked, lifting her right leg and washing her foot gently. She nodded at him, her breathing getting heavier. "I didn't hear you, Charlie." He scooped some water from the tub and rinsed her foot before running his tongue along the cut, making her gasp.

"Yes." She was aching, his teasing avoidance making her sex throb with need.

"Yes." He began washing up her right leg, watching her chest rise and fall rapidly as her breathing increased. Her nipples were hard, peeking out just above the water and seeming to beg for his mouth. "It made you wet." He lowered her right leg and dropped the cloth in the water, easing himself closer to her and lathering up his hands. 

"Yes." Barely a breath.

He reached out and fondled her breasts, squeezing and lathering them up. She opened her eyes and looked down, watching his hands as they plumped her soapy breasts. Damien slid his hands to her nipples and pulled at them, causing Charlie to tilt her head back again and arch into his reach. "Did you like it when my wolf licked your pussy?" he asked, his voice low. 

"Please," she whimpered as he pinched her left then right nipple, repeating over and over, an erotic cadence he played on her breasts. She could feel herself getting wet in spite of the bath.

"That's not an answer." He slid closer to her again, rubbing his cock against her slit and moving his hands to cup her breasts. "Tell me." He squeezed her left breast as he sucked her nipple into his mouth, gently biting it. 

"Damien. Please." Her head was back, her hair floating in the water behind her. He let her nipple pop out of his mouth as he raised his head.

"Tell me, Charlotte. Did you like it?" He rubbed his thumbs over her nipples, watching the blush spread from her cheeks down to her breasts.

"Yes," she moaned. "I liked it." Damien slid his right hand down her body to cup her sex, pressing gently. "Oh god, Damien. I loved it. I didn't want it to stop." He slid two fingers inside her and she moaned, raising her hips against his hand.

"Then I will pick up where my wolf left off," he whispered, snaking his left arm around her waist and pulling her to him. He lifted her out of the tub and carried her to the bed, not bothering to dry either of them off before dropping her on it and climbing on top of her. 

"Damien," she breathed as he took her nipple between his teeth and began gnawing it gently.

"Didn't I promise you I would give you so much pleasure tonight you wouldn't be able to see straight?" He raised his head, looking at her with an impish smile. She nodded, unable to speak past the knot of excitement growing in her chest. He spread her legs and lowered himself between them, kissing her thighs and running his tongue along the juncture of her legs and hips.

"Damien. Please," she moaned.

"That's a start, my love." He dipped his head down, flicking his tongue on the very tip of her clit, making her shudder and gasp. "But I will have you screaming my name in ecstasy before I stop again." 

It took almost the whole night, but he made good on his promise.



The Hungry Wolf Ch. 06



Hi everyone ß(waves cheekily)

A bit of warning -- this chapter does NOT have the mating. It did, but it was huge (over 80 pages of a word document), and I realized something:

I had rushed through the lead-up to it, which was obvious. And if it was obvious to me, it would have been even more so to you. And, quite frankly, I think that would have been rude. And as this is a relationship of sorts (my writing for your enjoyment, your reading and responding for mine), I don't want to cheapen that at all, and rushing would most definitely do that.

Also, I have heard it said that it is not the destination, but the journey that matters; however, I feel that if one is bad, it ruins the other. And to be quite frank, the mating as written was...bland at best. It shouldn't be. It COULDN'T be, if I were to be honest with the story and let it do what it does. It wasn't fair to Charlie and Damien to make it thus. And it wouldn't be fair to you, either. With ALL your comments and ALL your emails, I cannot sell the story short like that.

So there you have it. Many thanks to X for their inspiration. May they have another 30+ years to inspire others.

-W

*************************

Damien stood at the side of the bed, watching Charlie sleep. She was on her stomach, arms tucked beneath her, the top sheet draping across her lower back and covering her legs. His eyes traveled along her spine from her waist to her shoulders, partially covered by her hair, and he remembered dragging his tongue along that same route the night before. He closed his eyes, remembering the taste of her skin as she writhed beneath him, and felt himself get hard. He grabbed the edge of the sheet covering her and began slowly pulling it down.

Charlie gave a small sound that was half-sigh and half-snore and shifted slightly, bringing her left knee up and bending it. Damien finished pulling the sheet off of her and just stared for a moment, arguing with himself. He'd asked his brother to give them a few days, but that wasn't going to be possible. He sighed, thinking he would have to put off their seclusion until after the ceremony.

They had a lot to do today and it was already just past noon. He should wake her up so they can get started on their day, he knew that, but all he wanted to do as he looked at her was slide inside her again, make her moan his name in that shivery way she did when he filled her. He tried to reason with himself, thinking of all they needed to do to plan and prepare for the ceremony. She needed to spend time with Grayson and Zeke learning about pack history. She needed to spend time learning about fighting as a werewolf in case she is challenged. She needed to spend time with Eva learning what her job would be. And she needed to spend time with him learning how to be mated. He smiled to himself at that, she seems to have a pretty decent grasp of at least one aspect of being mated, he thought. The memory, created last night, of her sucking his cock to the back of her throat while he fingered her flashed in his mind, and he couldn't fight it anymore.

"Preparation is overrated," he mumbled to himself, taking off his clothes. He gently spread her legs open before climbing on to the bed and kneeling between her ankles. He leaned down and ran his tongue along the back of her left knee, thinking back to the first day he met her and how he wanted to do that right there on the side of the road. It pays to be patient, he chuckled to himself as he began nibbling his way up her left thigh.

He ran his tongue along the crease where her left leg and ass met, starting on the outside and moving down to the inside of her thigh. She sighed and shifted, straddling the line between sleeping and awake, and Damien smiled. He shifted slowly, trying not to jostle her too much, and licked the crease of her right leg, his tongue traveling from her hip down to her inner thigh. He buried his nose in the shadows at the 'V' of her legs and breathed deeply, the smells of their lovemaking the night before mixing with the scent of her wetness to create a perfume that was thick and intoxicatingly heady. He dropped his head lower and dipped his tongue inside her, wriggling it about.

"Mmmm," she moaned, tilting her hips. She was closer to wakefulness but not quite there. Damien removed his tongue and smiled, slipping his right hand underneath her and lightly playing with her clit. She started to jerk her hips a bit as he moved his fingers, and he watched as her ass flexed. He propped himself up on his right elbow and used his left hand to probe inside her pussy, his right hand still teasing her clit. Charlie gave a breathy little yawn, and he knew she was about to wake up. Smiling, he started dragging his now slick fingers from her pussy upward through the trough of her ass, circling her tight little asshole before dragging them back to her pussy.

Charlie whimpered and stiffened up, the muscles in her legs and ass tensing as Damien continued the teasing path with his left hand and the torturous massage with his right. She turned her head and began mumbling into her pillow, her words completely unintelligible to him. She began to shake and Damien smiled, moving his middle finger to her ass and pressing for entry.

"You like this, Charlie?" he asked, his voice low. Shocked when an acrid, ozone-like scent hit him.

"No!" she screamed, jumping away from him.

Before he knew what was happening he was on his back, her knees pinning his shoulders as her right hand gripped his throat. Damien's eyes were wide looking up at her as she stared at him unseeing, tears streaming down her cheeks. He could feel them dropping on his face.

"Dolcezza? My love?" he said quietly, caressing her forearm. He could easily flip her, and knew there was little she could do to actually hurt him, but he didn't want to startle her any more. He could still smell her fear clearly, and his heart ached to think that she would be afraid of him.

"Damien?" she whispered, blinking at him. "Oh my god, Damien. I'm so sorry." She scrambled off him and sat at the edge of the bed, her arms wrapped around herself as she rocked back and forth, weeping.

He moved to sit next to her, pulling her onto his lap and holding her against him. He tucked her head on his shoulder and rubbed her back, trying to soothe her. Her crying slowly stopped and they sat in silence for a while.

"You know, I haven't cried in years. Years. Then I meet you and turn in to Weepy Mc Weeperson," she sighed.

"I don't mind," he said, wrapping her tightly in his arms and resting his chin on top of her head. "I'm sorry I scared you, Charlie."

"I'm sorry, Damien. I didn't mean to be so...so...psychotic."

"Hush," he whispered, kissing the top of her head. They were quiet for a few more moments. "I'm so sorry, my love. I wasn't...I didn't think about..." Damien stammered, unwilling to bring up anything that would cause her more pain.

"It was...it was Keith. When he...that last time...he...he," she stammered, closing her eyes and burying her face against his neck. He could feel the heat from her cheeks against his skin.

"Shhh," he said, rubbing her back gently. They sat that way, taking silent comfort from each other, for a while. "I'm so sorry."

"You didn't know, Damien." She sat up to look at him. "I thought I was totally over it, too. I really did. I thought I was having a...a sexy dream," she said, her cheeks pink, "and it was about you, but then it wasn't." She shuddered, nestling herself back into his chest. "It changed and I was bleeding again in a shitty apartment in Whittier."

"I wish I could take all those bad memories away for you, my love."

"You can't," she sighed. "You can only help me make good memories to replace them." She twisted in his lap and slipped her arms around him. "And didn't that sound like the cheesiest line ever?"

"Yes. But it's true." She chuckled at that and kissed his chest. "We should get going, my love," Damien said, glancing at the clock.

"Get going?"

"As much as I wanted to lay about here with you for months, it can't be. We have a lot to do today."

She sat up and arched her back in a stretch. Damien wasn't sure it did anything for her muscles, but he wasn't going to complain at the way it pushed her breasts out. "More than just sitting around naked?" she asked, noting where his attention was locked to.

"Unfortunately, yes," he set her on her feet. "And it's almost 1."

"Ugh. I can't believe it's so late."

"Go ahead and get ready and come down for a quick bite."

"Alright," she said, padding to her suitcase and grabbing some clothes before heading to the bathroom.

"I'll be in the kitchen," he said, grabbing socks and sneakers and heading out of the bedroom. He made his way to the kitchen and put a cup of coffee, glass of juice, and a plate with a buttered bagel on it on the breakfast bar. He took the stool next to hers and sat to put on his socks and shoes. He cocked his head at hearing her light footsteps above him stop for a moment before starting up again a little louder after she put on her shoes. He bent over to put on his socks and shoes, smiling at her as she came into the kitchen and took the seat next to him.

"What's on the agenda?" she asked, picking up the juice and taking a sip. "Mmmm...mango pineapple."

"Your favorite."

"It is." She looked at him and flashed a smile. "I'm impressed you remembered something so trivial."

"There is nothing trivial where you are concerned," he said reproachfully.

"So what are we doing today?" she said, dropping her eyes and blushing a bit.

"Well, first we need to get your car from Tony's. He's meeting us there at two so we can pick it up."

"Oh. Right." She took a bite of her bagel and nodded for him to continue.

"Then I figure we can get your stuff unpacked here," he smiled at that, and Charlie was touched by the utter happiness she saw in his smile. "We'll need to meet with Darian and Eva to plan the ceremony. I've already called my parents to let them know and they'll be here in a few days-"

"Wha-what?" she asked, her throat suddenly dry.

"For the ceremony. My parents are coming early to spend some time here with us and the pack. And my sister Darlene and her mate Garrett are coming, but they won't be here until a few days prior to. I figure we can have the ceremony on the next new moon."

"Your parents? Here?"

"I told you they would be coming."

"Yeah. I know." She sighed and took a long drink of her juice. "I guess I just kind of made myself forget about that bit."

"Don't worry, my love. They will accept you as my mate."

"I know. Sorry." She smiled at him and he gave her a quick kiss on her cheek. "Anything else for today?"

"I thought we could take that ride tonight. Pack a picnic dinner and find someplace secluded."

"That sounds wonderful," she said quietly, finishing her bagel.

"Then we should get our move on, dolcezza," he said, standing up and clearing her plate and glass.

"Alright." She picked up her coffee cup and followed him to the sink. She started slowly washing the dishes by hand, suddenly loathe to leave his apartment.

"Charlie?"

"Hmmm?" she said, swirling the soap and water in the sink to bring up the lather.

"You can leave that. It will be taken care of."

"What? Oh." She looked at him and shrugged. "I don't mind."

"I know, but we have stuff to do."

"You're right," she said with a heavy sigh.

"What is it, dolcezza?" Damien asked, pulling her to him and wrapping his arms around her, pressing her head to his chest.

"It's just...a lot, you know? The ceremony. Your parents. And it all seems to be happening so fast." She took a deep breath, wrapping her arms around his waist and nuzzling his chest.

"Do you not want to?" he asked quietly.

"No. I do. I want to be with you, Damien, with everything that entails" She squeezed him. "Can I just reserve the right to a slight moment of panic every now and then?"

"Of course." He kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back.

"Thank you." They stood like that for another moment before Charlie leaned her head back. "Kiss me, cowboy."

"Gladly," he smiled, bending down to acquiesce and kissing her slowly. The kiss was sweet, full of the promise of affection more than passion, and he felt her relax into it. "Better?" he asked when he broke the kiss.

"Much," she sighed. "Sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for." He squeezed her briefly before putting his hands on her shoulders and forcing space between them. "Okay?" She nodded and he grabbed her hand, leading her out.

Charlie noticed the other people milling about turning or bowing their heads slightly to them before turning back to sniff the air as they passed. She glanced at Damien as they made their way, but he didn't seem to notice. He tugged her hand as they reached the bottom floor, pulling her a little closer to him. He let her hand go to put his arm around her shoulders, squeezing her to him.

"Good to see you've made such a complete recovery," a familiar voice called out from behind them.

"Anna," Damien said, turning them around to greet her. She was in scrubs again, and a lab coat. A stethoscope hung around her neck. "How could I not with such a devoted caretaker?"

"Hi Anna," Charlie said, her cheeks warming for some reason.

"Hi Charlie. He's not giving you any trouble, is he?"

"Nothing I can't handle." She smiled warmly. She liked Anna a lot, and wanted them to become friends.

"And your foot? He took care of that for you?"

"Huh? Oh. Right. Yes. Yes it's fine," she said, blushing furiously and dropping her eyes.

'Oh my. What else did you heal?' Anna teased.

'Anna...'

'Sorry. I couldn't help it.'

"I'm glad. You'll probably be good as new by tomorrow."

"Thanks," Charlie said, briefly able to look at her again.

"We should be going, dolcezza," Damien said, smiling a bit at Charlie's blush in spite of himself. He slid his hand down her back and took her hand again, turning back towards the door.

"One sec," Charlie said, dropping Damien's hand and stepping over to Anna.

"What's going on?" Anna asked, surprised.

"I was wondering of you might have a minute later to see me?"

"Are you not feeling well?" Anna asked as Damien walked up behind Charlie.

"No. No, I'm fine," Charlie said, giving her a smile. "I just have a few questions that I was hoping you might be able to answer for me?"

"Of course." Anna glanced at Damien. "Do you want to come by the medical center this afternoon?"

"That would be great. Do I need an appointment or...?"

"No," Anna said with a soft chuckle. "Whenever you have time is fine. I'm usually there until seven or so."

"Ok. Great. Thanks so much." Charlie beamed at her as she turned to go and ran right into Damien. She bounced back and would have tripped if he hadn't caught her shoulders and steadied her. "Oof! Damien!" she said, putting her hand to her chest.

"Sorry, love." He smiled and released her shoulders before taking her hand, leading her towards the door.

"You can be freakishly quiet when you want to be, you know that?"

"Freakishly quiet, huh?"

"Mmmhmmm." She smiled at him as they stepped outside. "I might think you enjoyed scaring me."

"I don't." He stopped abruptly and pulled her to him -- hard -- pushing the air out of her in a gentle sigh. "But I do like making you jump," he whispered, his lips to her ear. He pushed his right leg between hers, pressing up and flexing his thigh against her mound. He moved his hands to her hips and pulled her more firmly against him, leaning back to watch her face.

"Oh god," she said, her voice shivery as her hips twitched. She had her hands on his biceps, and they looked -- for all intents and purposes -- like two long lost friends running in to each other unexpectedly.

"I can feel how hot you are, my love." He flexed his leg again, pulling on her hips, and her hands clenched at his arms. He bent down to whisper to her. "And I can smell your sweet, juicy pussy, Charlie." She heard him take a deep breath. "You smell delicious." He pushed and pulled on her hips, subtly making her grind herself on his thigh.

"Damien," she moaned, her voice barely audible. She pushed her hips forward, wanting more contact, whining in frustration when he pulled his leg away and started towards the garage.

"The sooner we are done, the sooner we can pick up where we left off," he said, giving her a wicked smile.

"You are a cruel, cruel tease," she huffed, catching up to him and taking his outstretched hand.

"Yes, I suppose I am," he said, giving her a wicked smile as he held open the passenger door to his truck for her. He quickly moved around the truck and climbed in to the driver's side. "But you have to realize, every moment I am with you and have to refrain from throwing you down and making love to you until you beg me to stop to save your sanity is a torture beyond reason."

"Every moment?" she asked as he backed out and turned the truck towards the highway.

"Every moment."

"So this is a misery loves company kind of thing, then?" She smiled at him, shifting in her seat. "And you feel I deserve retribution for circumstances beyond my control, huh?"

"Yes and yes." He flashed her a smile.

"Interesting." She cocked her head and looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. "So what would happen if I did something to deliberately tease you?"

"You'll have to just try it and see, dolcezza," he said, his voice husky. "I guarantee you'll like it."

"I'll have to remember that." She looked down at her lap, her cheeks slightly pink, as they rode along in silence for a few minutes. "Hey Damien -- back at the ranch, when we were leaving just now, it looked like people were kind of bowing to you a bit and then sniffing us as we went past. What was that?"

"Us, Charlie. They were bowing to show deference to us."

"Why?"

"I am the lead Beta, you are my mate. It is a form of respect."

"About that..." she glanced at him, unsure.

"Hmmm?"

"Does the pack ever have a boxing day for the lower ranked members?"

"A boxing day?"

"Yeah. You know, like the British custom?"

"I'm not sure what that is?"

"It's swapping places. So the...um...omegas..." she said hesitantly, smiling when he nodded, "...so the omegas can have a day to relax and have fun and have the rest of the pack take care of everything. You know? Like have a cookout or something, and they don't have to cook or clean or anything?"

He was quiet for a minute, thinking. "No. I don't think that's ever been done."

"Really?"

"The omegas have always just done what they do." He glanced at her to find her brow furrowed a bit. "They're not mistreated or unhappy."

"No. I know that." She smiled at him. "I didn't mean to imply anything. I was just, you know, wondering."

"That's all?" he asked, smiling back at her.

"Well, yeah. I mean, I know they're not abused or anything. I was just thinking it would be a nice treat, you know?"

"It's an interesting idea." He reached over and grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers together as he gave a her a rather condescending look. Charlie was going to give chase -- she thought it was a fantastic idea and would be a lot of fun for everyone -- but decided against it. She had far more urgent issues on her mind.

"Why did everyone seem to sniff us as we passed them?" she asked, changing the subject.

"They were catching our combined scent."

"Our combined scent?" She thought about that for a moment before understanding hit her, making her blush. "I thought they did that as part of the ceremony."




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 06



"Well, yes, they do. But until then, the pack will scent you -- scent us -- as they did today."

She thought on this for a moment. "So is that why Lewis said that I didn't smell like you when I met him?" she asked as they pulled in to Tony's. Her little blue car was sitting out front.

"Yes."

"And why Tony sniffed my wrist when I met him?"

"Ah...no, actually." He smiled at her. "He was trying to get a reaction out of me."

"Trying?" Charlie teased as they got out of the truck.

"He might have succeeded a little bit."

"Right, just a bit," she said, taking his hand again with a laugh as they walked into the office.

"Just a bit of what?" Tony asked, coming in from the service bay.

"Nothing important," Damien said, giving Charlie a pointed look as she opened her mouth.

"Uh huh," Tony said, looking at Charlie as she rolled her eyes. "Why don't I believe you?"

"Because he's not tell-" Charlie was stopped by Damien's finger on her lips. He crossed his eyes at her, making her laugh.

"We've come to pick up her car, my friend," Damien said, turning to Tony.

"She's good to go." He moved behind the desk and opened the drawer, fishing out her keys and tossing them to her. "Gave her an oil change and a tune-up, too, so you should be set for the next 3,500 miles or so."

"Great," Charlie said, stepping around Damien to approach the desk. "What do I owe you?" she asked, fishing her wallet out of her purse.

"Nothing," Tony said, giving her a funny look.

"What do you mean, nothing?"

"Well...we don't charge the pack. Never have." Tony glanced at Damien before continuing. "This business has my name, but it's owned by the pack."

"But I'm not part of the pack."

Tony looked surprised at that. "Yes you are. At least, you soon will be. Right?" She looked at him closely, assessing the sincerity in his expression, and nodded. She looked back at Damien, who was tensed up and watching her, as if he was afraid she would run away or something, and smiled. She turned and put her arms around his waist, wanting to reassure him. "Breathe, cowboy."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he said, stroking her cheek with his.

"It's alright." She squeezed him and went up on her toes to brush her lips across his. "As far as recent surprises go, this one was relatively mundane." He barked a laugh at that and she beamed at him as she stepped out of his arms. "So is there anything else you need from me, Tony?" she asked.

"Nope. You're good here."

"Thanks." She surprised both men when she took Tony into her arms and gave him a hug. "Thanks for everything," she said as she heard Damien growl low behind her. "Really?" she said, releasing Tony and turning back towards Damien, her hands on her hips. "After everything we've been through and everything we've discussed over the past couple days...really?"

"You're mine," he said, grabbing her arm and pulling her to him. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed her head against his chest.

"Yours? Why don't you just hit me over the head and drag me back to your cave by my hair?"

"He can't help it, Charlie," Tony laughed behind her. "I mean, who wouldn't be afraid someone as handsome and charismatic as me would come and steal their girl away?"

"You're not helping, Tony," Charlie laughed as Damien's growl deepened. His arms tightened around her a bit and she leaned back to catch his eye. "You know, the sooner we get back and unload my car, the sooner I can give you a really good reason to growl." She cocked a brow at him and gave him what she hoped was a seductive smile. His eyes widened at her tone and a smile spread slowly across his face.

"Why are we still here?" he said, pressing his groin against her.

"We're leaving," she said, breaking out of his arms and rushing towards the door. "See you back at your place," she teased as she ducked Damien's reach and ran out the door.

"Our place," he ground out, chasing her as Tony sat and watched them, a big smile on his face.

"Whatever," she said, running across the lot to her car. "Race you!" She hopped in and started up her little car, throwing it in reverse and backing out before Damien was able to close the door of his truck behind him. She bent her head to look out the passenger window at Damien, buckling her seat belt with her right hand and tapping her horn with her left. She waved at him when he looked and put her car in drive, laughing as she tore out of Tony's and turned towards the highway.

She was about half way to the turn off for the ranch when she glanced in her rear-view mirror and saw Damien's truck coming up fast. She laughed, flooring the gas pedal, knowing she could never outrun his truck with her little four cylinder car. She glanced down to see her speedometer hovering between 85 and 90 and let off the gas, letting out an exhilarated squeal as she thought she heard a howl from behind her.

Damien easily caught up to her and paced her, staying on her tail. He could see her throw her head back and laugh, surprising him into laughing right along with her. His wolf pushed to the forefront of his consciousness, loving the chase even if he couldn't run, and Damien let out a wild sounding howl before he could push it back. They swung on to the ranch road, Charlie's little car hugging the corner far better than the truck did -- Damien fishtailed, leaving a plume of dust and grit hanging in the still air behind him like a contrail -- forcing him to speed up to catch up to her again.

Charlie glanced in her rear-view again, smiling at Damien through the mirror as she drove onto the ranch and slowed down. She pulled up in front of the garage and stopped as Damien drove in and parked. He hopped out of his truck and pointed her to the spot next to his, standing aside as she parked her car and got out. She gave a breathless shriek when she found herself suddenly pressed against her car and felt Damien behind her.

"I warned you about running from an agitated wolf," he growled into her ear before giving her lobe a hard bite. "Half of me wants to make you run again, the other half just wants to rip your pants off right here and fuck you into submission," he said, grinding his pelvis into her. Charlie could feel his hard cock against her ass and she gave a slight moan, pressing herself back against him.

"Is that what you want, my Charlotte?" Damien asked, rubbing the bulge of his cock against the cleft of her ass. "You want me to rip off your jeans and fuck you right here?"

"No," she lied, rubbing herself against him. The thought of him doing that to her where anyone could walk by and see them was a surprising turn on to her, but she didn't want to admit that to him.

"No? So that isn't your arousal I smell?" he laughed softly. "If I touched your pussy right now it wouldn't be wet?"

"No." She shook her head, smiling, knowing he wouldn't believe her.

"I think you are a liar, and I am aching to prove you one" he said, nipping at her neck as she gave a breathless moan. He stilled behind her, keeping her immobile against her car as he slid his left hand across her hip to her sex, squeezing it hard through her jeans and smiling at her gasping moan. He gave her earlobe another fierce nip before stepping away from her and turning her to face him. "However, that will have to wait a bit. We should go see Anna while the car is unloaded, then we can unpack before we meet with Darian and Eva." He gave her a wicked looking leer. "But don't worry, I'll have you naked and sated soon enough."

Her impending pout at his getting her turned on and not following through again evaporated. "You're going to have someone unload my car for me?"

"Of course," he said, taking her hand and giving her a funny look.

"Why?" she asked as he led her out of the garage and toward the medical center. "I can do it myself."

"I know."

"Then why?"

"It's just how it works here, my love. Everyone has a job to do, a responsibility to the pack to uphold."

"I see," she said, squinting up at him as he was silhouetted against the afternoon sun. "And one of those jobs happens to be unloading the car of the lead Beta's intended mate?"

"Not exactly," he laughed. "But general custodial duties, yes."

"I see. I appreciate it, Damien. I really do. But I would much rather do for myself -- for us -- than be waited on."

"It's not like that, my love."

"So you do your own laundry?"

"Well, no, but-"

"You scrub your own floors?"

"No. Of course not. But-"

"You wash your own dishes?"

"No."

"So how is that not being waited on?" she asked, tugging his hand until he stopped to look at her.

"It's the way of the pack, Charlie. It is what they were meant to do. Just as Darian does what he was meant to do, and Anna does what she was meant to do. And once we mate, you will be given a responsibility, a job, too."

She was quiet for a bit, chewing on what he said. "I hadn't thought of it like that," she said, cocking her head. "What will I do?"

"I don't know. We will have to see where you best fit in." They started walking towards the medical center again.

"Cooking? Can I still cook?" she asked, not seeing the funny look he gave her.

"We'll see, my love." He held open the door to the small lobby and followed her inside, putting his hand on the small of her back and leading her past the reception area.

"Don't we need to check in?" she asked as they made their way down the hall.

"She knows we're here," he said, opening a door to an exam room. Anna was there waiting for them along with a tall and skinny woman with short brown hair.

"Hello again," Anna said as they came into the room.

"Anna. Meredith," Damien said, nodding to the woman in the room with them.

"Hello Damien," she said, a bit coldly. She turned towards Charlie and gave her a smile that seemed warm at first glance, but never quite reached her eyes. "This must be your intended."

"Charlie Bell," she said, extending her hand. She was a bit surprised to see she looked so much older than anyone else she had met thus far.

"Yes, I know," she said with a slightly derisive laugh, ignoring Charlie's hand. "I will leave you now, Anna, so you may attend to the hu- Charlie." She turned at that and left, walking briskly out of the room.

"Another ex-girlfriend?" she asked, turning to Damien. Making him and Anna laugh.

"Hardly," he said. "That was Mirabelle's mother." Charlie looked at him confused for a moment before realization dawned.

"Oooohhh. Well that makes a bit more sense then, doesn't it."

"Indeed," Anna said, grinning at Charlie. "Now, what did you want to see me about?" she asked, leaning against the exam table.

"Well, uh..." Charlie began, glancing at Damien. "Hey cowboy -- you think you could step out for a bit? Maybe go see to the unloading or something?"

"Charlie?" He cupped her chin, tilting her head up to look at him. "Is there something bothering you?"

"No," she smiled at him. "I just would like to talk to Anna privately. Girl things, you know."

"Sure?" he asked, hesitant to leave her.

"Go, Damien. She'll be fine." Anna moved to the door, holding it open for him.

"Alright." He bent and kissed the tip of her nose. "I'll see you back in the apartment."

"Okay." He moved to the door, pausing and turning towards Charlie again. "You're really sure?"

"Damien! Go!" Charlie laughed, shaking her head as he left with a small wave. She hopped up on the exam table and crossed her legs.

"So Charlie, how can I help you?" Anna asked as the door swung slowly closed behind him.

"Well, I have a lot of questions."

"I can imagine," Anna said with a warm smile.

"I'm not even sure where to start."

"Start wherever and I'm sure we'll eventually get everything covered."

"Alright," Charlie said, looking down at her lap. "Um, well, okay...so Damien says I'm his mate." She glanced at Anna, who nodded and smiled. "And he wants me to become like him, to become a werewolf. Which I want to do, except...well, I'm a little wary of the ceremony, but nothing I can't get over, I guess." She could feel her cheeks getting red but couldn't stop it.

"The ceremony? Why?"

"I have...I was abused by my ex-husband," she began.

"Oh, Charlie -- I'm sorry," Anna said, putting her hand on her arm and giving her a gentle squeeze.

"It's alright. I mean, it's not, but it was a long time ago," she paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. "I have some pretty bad scars, pretty embarrassing scars, actually. And I understand, what with the sex and all, everyone will see them if we go through with the ceremony. Which is what I'm not very happy about, but I will deal with it." She gave Anna a shy smile and shrugged at that. "But...I'm really worried that...if I do this...will they be visible when I am a wolf?"

"Oh," Anna said, breathing out a sigh. "I don't know. Wolves heal amazingly fast-"

"I saw."

"But I'm not sure how pre-existing scars would fare." She looked at Charlie thoughtfully for a moment. "I think it would depend on the scar, the severity of the original tissue damage as well as the depth. Can I see them?" she asked, grabbing a pair of gloves out of the dispenser on the wall behind her.

Charlie thought a minute before nodding. "Alright," she said. Sitting up, she steeled her nerves for another minute before raising her shirt. She turned her head towards the door and closed her eyes, unwilling to watch as Anna inspected them. It was bad enough to feel her fingers, she didn't need to see them, too.

"Your ex-husband did this to you?" she asked softly. Charlie nodded, and Anna was struck by the courage it took her to reveal this, not only to her, but to the whole pack when she was claimed by Damien. She had liked Damien's mate upon their first meeting, and now she knew she was right. She didn't know the story behind the scars and didn't want to, but that didn't stop her protective instincts from flaring up.

'If you ever hurt Charlie I will personally torment you for the rest of your life,' she sent to Damien.

'You'd likely have to get in line,' he sent back, proud and amused. 'Besides, do you think I would ever do anything to hurt her? I would navigate my way through the seven circles of hell just to see her smile.'

"Alright, Charlie, thank you." She took off the gloves and threw them in the garbage, moving to the sink and washing her hands. "They don't look too deep, Charlie. I wouldn't worry too much about them when you change."

"Really?"

"I think you might have some interruption in your fur where they are the deepest, but that would likely be the worst of it." Anna said, nodding and smiling at her. "In fact, I think some of the shallower, thinner scars might fade once you do change."

"That's possible?"

"I believe so. I'm going to do a bit of research on it if you don't mind. Contact some other packs," she held her hand up to stop Charlie's protest, "just to ask what their experience has been with turned humans. I won't give them anything specific, I promise."

"Okay. Thanks."

"What next?"

"Well, Damien told me a little about having babies, that it's difficult for you to get pregnant-"

"I'm going to stop you right there. It is not difficult, per se. At least, I don't think it's any more difficult for me than for you."

"But you don't have babies as often as humans do."

"That's not exactly 100% accurate, Charlie. We have a much more limited time when we can get pregnant. For you, for the average human, you're fertile, you can get pregnant, for a few days about once a month, right? And with anyone who produces healthy and active sperm." Charlie nodded. "We can only get pregnant after we mate, and only from our mate, and only when we go into heat, which is usually just a few days every 10 to 13 months or so, but the periods in between can be as long as 20 months."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Those are rare, and usually someone who has such a long lapse between will be in heat for a few weeks rather than a few days."

"Wow."

"So it's not that it's more difficult to have offspring. It's that the opportunity doesn't present itself as often."

"I see," Charlie said, her brow creased in thought. "And if there are other...inhibiting factors? How likely is it that there would never be a pregnancy?"

"Inhibiting factors? Have you had a hysterectomy, Charlie?"

"No."

"Tubal ligation?"

"No. Nothing like that. I was thinking because of my age."

"Your age?"

"I'm 40."

"I see." She smiled at Charlie, trying not to tease her. She already considered her pack, more than that she thought of her as a friend, and didn't want to make her uncomfortable. "That's actually pretty young for us, you know."

"Yeah, that's kind of what Damien said. I was just wondering if it's different for me because I wasn't, you know, born the same?

"Not at all. In fact, I think it might be the opposite. But that is something I will also ask some of the other packs about." She watched Charlie relax a bit at that. "What next?"

"Explain what you mean when you say you go into 'heat'. Is it like it is for other animals? Like you see on the Discovery Channel?"

"Yes and no. It's kind of a cross between wolves and humans, I guess."

"How so?"

"Well, first the female's hormones go a little crazy. We ovulate like mad for a few days, which brings about changes in our pheromones."

"Pheromones?"

"Our scent. It doesn't change our scent, but it..." Anna trailed off, looking for the right words.

"Adds a layer to it?" Charlie offered, thinking about what Damien said the other day.

"Exactly. And while all of us can smell the change, it really affects our mates."

"How?"

"Their hormones go a little crazy in response to ours. Which makes them fiercely protective. Their sperm production increases tenfold, as does their stamina."

"Their stamina?" Charlie asked, her brow cocked.

"Both the male and female, actually. Their bodies respond to each other's, the need for each other becoming nearly overwhelming. The hormones working to make sure the they have sex as much as possible while they are fertile." Anna smiled at the faint grimace on Charlie's face. "It's not like the couple are out of control or anything. It's not like you're going to be in the middle of WalMart and just have to hump Damien," Anna said, and Charlie laughed.

"I was getting a bit worried," Charlie said. Up until that last bit she was thinking going into heat might be something to look forward to.

"Well don't be. You'll still be able to function pretty normally. You'll just be exceedingly...horny when you see each other."

"That's all." Anna nodded. "And this happens on average once a year or so?"

"Yep."

"What if Damien's not around when it happens?"

"Well, the odds of that happening are pretty slim, actually."

"Oh?"

"He'll notice, subconsciously anyway, that you are getting ready to go into heat, and probably won't leave your side. He'll get overly protective, jealously so, because he won't want any other males near you until it's over. And since it's Damien...well, let's just assume no one will even see you for a few days, but he's likely to keep you so busy you won't notice until it's over." Charlie laughed and blushed at that.

"He's a good guy, isn't he," Charlie said, making it more a statement than question.

"He is one of the best." She looked at the woman sitting on the exam table before her and smiled. "Can I be honest with you?" Charlie nodded, mentally bracing herself. Against what, she didn't know, but Anna's tone put her slightly on edge. "Damien and I go way back. We grew up together here, on the ranch, and were always pretty tight. Me, him and Darian, and Tony were kind of our own little gang." She smiled, and Charlie couldn't help but smile back at the wistful expression on her face. "It was great. And I was devastated when Stacie made her play for him. Not because I thought I was in love with him, but because I knew she wasn't. I didn't know why she did what she did, I just knew it was wrong. And when it hurt him so deeply...had she still been here I would have killed her." She sighed, crossing her legs at the ankles and leaning next to Charlie against the exam table.




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 06



"I almost didn't believe it when the rumors spread this week about him finding his one. The entire pack was buzzing about how he was smiling again -- really smiling -- and laughing, and I didn't want to believe it because I didn't want to see him hurt again."

"You believe it now?"

"Oh you bet I do," she looked at Charlie with a big smile. "You are his as surely as he is yours. Try to remember that when people will get in your way."

"Did you two date?"

"Date?" Anna echoed, tilting her head and considering her words carefully. "Sort of. We paired up occasionally at ceremonies and hunts when we were younger, before Stacie got her claws in him."

"Paired up as in went to homecoming and prom or paired up as in had sex?"

"We paired up sexually, Charlie," Anna said, watching the other woman's face closely. Charlie noticed the scrutiny and gave a soft laugh.

"Don't look so worried, I'd already figured as much." She shook her head and slid off the table, leaning against it next to Anna. "After what Eva told me about pack behavior, I have to assume there are few here who haven't been with him."

"Not quite," Anna laughed. "Most of us are pretty selective."

"I see. It's just a select few that give the goings on that 'free-love' vibe?" Charlie teased, making Anna laugh again. "Sounds like a couple of my former band-mates."

"Oh?"

"They would actually get their junk shaved and pedicures before we played a wedding if the parents of the bride were divorced."

"You're kidding," Anna chuckled.

"Not at all. I have never met two bigger sluts in my life." She smiled at Anna. "They were good guys, though. When they thought with their big heads, anyway." She sighed, stretching her arms out in front of her.

"You were in a band?"

"For a bit when I was younger." Charlie gave Anna a nostalgic smile.

"What did you play?"

"I sang, actually."

"Really?" Charlie nodded. "Do you still sing?"

"Only when I'm happy, apparently."

"So you've been singing lately?"

"Yeah, I have," Charlie laughed.

"What next?" Anna asked after a few moments of companionable silence.

"What's going to happen to me?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean after the mating thing. Damien said I would become a werewolf, too?"

"Yeah, you will. Not right away, though."

"That's what he said. But he said some things would change right away."

"Oh, well yes, that's true. You will take on some traits almost immediately." She cocked her head, her brow creased. "And you'll likely notice some transient changes. Mostly in your personality."

"Such as?"

"Intense mood swings is a big one. Extreme fatigue. Increased appetite and sex drive, too. But those usually fade after a week or so."

"You don't have a pamphlet or something on this, do you?"

"A pamphlet?"

"Yeah. You know, like they give out in doctor's offices? Something like 'So you've decided to have breast implants', only it would say 'So you've decided to become a werewolf'? It would list what to expect and how it happens. Pretty helpful for possible pack members and non-werewolf mates."

"No. But it might be a good idea to write one up. I could sell it to the other packs and we'd make a fortune." They laughed together and fell back into silence again.

"What next?" Anna asked.

"You know -- I can't really remember now." She shrugged. "I'll most likely think of it as soon as I leave."

"You know where to find me when you do." She smiled as Charlie stood up and moved towards the door. "And as soon as I have any further info for you on your other questions I'll let you know, alright?"

"Sounds great." Charlie paused, her hand on the door lever. "I want to thank you for being so honest with me, Anna. It means a lot."

"You're welcome." She followed Charlie out towards the lobby. "I'm so glad he found you. Not because he found someone, but because he found you."

"Really?" Charlie turned to look at Anna closely as they came to the center's doors. "Thanks. That...thanks."

"I'll see you soon," Anna said, watching as Charlie made her way towards the main house.

Charlie walked through the ornate wooden doors to the main house and made her way up the stairs. She tried to keep her eyes down as much as possible, unsure how to acknowledge those around her that seemed to bow their heads. She saw the doors to Damien's apartment and almost sprinted to them in relief. She walked in and quickly closed the door behind her, leaning against it and chastising herself for being such a ninny.

"Damien?" she called, walking to the entryway to the great room and poking her head in. She didn't hear him. "Anyone home?" She turned around and looked at her boxes and bins that were stacked along the wall of the formal sitting room. "Might as well get started," she mumbled, sorting through them. She stacked all the containers of clothing and shoes on one side, and her containers of household goods on the other. What pitiful piles they be, she thought.

"We should go ahead and take the clothes and stuff upstairs," Damien said from behind her, making her jump.

"Godammit!" Charlie said, turning to face him with her hands on her hips. "Would you stop sneaking up on me? I swear, one of these days you're going to give me a coronary."

"Sorry, my love, but I just couldn't resist." He smiled at her, his eyes twinkling mischievously, as he approached and took her into his arms. He bent and brushed his lips against hers softly. "Did you have a good talk with Anna?"

"I did." She put her arms around him and looked up into his eyes. "I appreciate you being so understanding about that."

"I wouldn't say I was understanding as much as I was aware I had no choice."

"Smart man." She rested her head on his chest and tightened her arms around him.

"Charlie? Is everything alright?" he asked, somewhat alarmed by her behavior.

"Better than alright," she sighed contentedly. They stood like that for a few minutes until he broke the silence.

"Why don't we take your clothes upstairs and unpack?" He put his hands on her shoulders and leaned back to look at her.

"Sounds good," she said, stepping away from him and turning towards her stuff. She picked up a box labeled 'undies/jammies' and put it on top of a bin labeled 'dresses/skirts/foo foo', squatting down to pick them both up.

"What is 'foo foo'?" Damien asked, stacking three big boxes labeled 'boots/shoes/belts n junk' and picking them up.

"Show off," she muttered, making him grin at her. "It's fancy clothes and stuff."

"Why 'foo foo'?"

"It's what my mom called it." She followed him upstairs, walking carefully and rolling her eyes at the easy way he ran up the stairs.

"I ordered a dresser and vanity for you, but they won't be here until early next week. In the mean time I cleared out a couple drawers for you and some closet space." He walked into the bedroom and put the boxes by the high boy.

"That was nice of you, cow- oomf!" Charlie stumbled and nearly fell over on top of her stuff, but managed to right herself at the last minute, sending the box tumbling down to land upside-down on her foot instead. "Ow." She looked at Damien, giggling.

"How do you manage to trip over your own feet?"

"I know. It's like a skill."

"That's one word for it, I suppose," he said, making her laugh and stick her tongue out at him. Charlie put the bin down by the rest of her stuff and went back to get the box.

"Thanks for going to all this trouble for me, Damien. I appreciate it."

"Trouble?" he pulled out three drawers he'd emptied for her to use.

"With your room and everything." She picked up the box upside-down, and the top became untucked, spilling the contents onto the floor between them. Damien groaned when a pink rabbit vibrator landed on top of the pile of bras, underwear and pajamas. Charlie dropped the box and slapped her hands to her face, her cheeks bright crimson.

"I guess I don't need to ask if that's yours?" Damien said, his voice low as he moved towards her. He knelt down and picked up the vibrator, looking at her closely for a moment before running it under his nose. "It smells of soap and plastic. You must have washed it well after you used it last."

"That's...that's private, Damien," Charlie whispered. "Please, may I have it?"

"Oh, I'll let you have it, dolcezza." His voice was guttural, seeming to growl directly from his chest, and Charlie felt a wash of heat spread through her groin. She raised her eyes to his and gasped, his gaze so heavy on her she felt it's weight and her breathing became fast and hard.

"Damien," she croaked, her mouth suddenly arid.

He rose and stepped to her, throwing an arm around her shoulders and pulling her to him. He looked at her for a moment, the way her breathing pushed her chest out, the residual blush in her cheeks, the way her eyes shone and his mouth slowly spread in a predatory smile. Charlie thought it was the same smile a tom cat might give a mouse before he pounced.

Then his lips were on hers and all other thoughts flew out of her head. He pushed his tongue into her mouth, stabbing into it, his kiss a rough, almost violent parody of sex. Charlie's knees grew weak and she grabbed his shoulders, anchoring herself to him against the storm he was creating inside her. She heard the vibrator turn on and felt him rub it along her pussy through her jeans. She tried to pull away but he held her fast.

She whimpered against his mouth, but he only let up from hers enough for them to gasp for air. He stopped rubbing and just pressed the vibrator against her pussy, the twisting and vibrating shaft pressed right at her opening, and Charlie stopped trying to get away. She began angling her hips, trying to bring it closer to where her clit was -- swollen and oh so sensitive -- under her jeans. Her whimpers turned to whines as she felt him lift her up, pulling the vibrator away from her completely.

Damien carried her to the bed and tore his mouth from hers. He gently dropped her on the bed so she laid across it sideways, her calves hanging off the edge. He climbed on top of her, his knees on either side of her thighs, and reached out to grab the collar of her shirt. "Are you ready?" he whispered, that predatory smile back on his face. He pulled at her shirt, not waiting for her answer, tearing it down the middle and spreading it wide, making her suck in her breath, before grabbing her bra and ripping that in two down the middle as well. He bent over and sucked her right nipple into his mouth, biting it roughly as she arched her back and moaned. She went to thread her hands in his hair and he stopped, letting her nipple fall out of his mouth and grabbing her wrists. "No, my Charlotte. This time, you are not allowed to touch me. If you do, I will stop." He pushed her arms back until they were over her head. "Keep your hands up here, my love." She whimpered at him but grabbed the blankets with her fists.

He returned his attention back to her breasts, holding her left nipple with his teeth and flicking his tongue on it before sucking it hard and pressing it against the back of his teeth. Charlie moaned and writhed beneath him, but kept her hands above her head. She felt Damien climb off the bed and raised her head.

"I'll buy you more," he said, confusing Charlie until she felt his hands at the waistband of her jeans. She felt a hard tug and tightened her grip on the bedclothes as she heard the fabric of her jeans rip. He tugged them down her legs, leaving them hanging off her calves.

"Damien!" she groaned as she felt him rip her panties and toss them behind him. He climbed on the bed, straddling her thighs again, and she heard the vibrator start up.

"Tell me, dolcezza, did you use this?" he whispered, dragging the tip along her collarbone. She nodded, her eyes shut tight. "Tell me."

"Yes," she whispered.

"Did you make yourself come from it?"

"Yes," she groaned, turning to bury her face in the crook of her arm.

"Do you know how hard that makes me?" He dragged it down her chest, rubbing it around first one nipple then the other. "The image of you fucking your sweet little pussy, your hands slick with your delicious juices as you pump this in and out, rubbing the little rabbit on your clit." He dragged it down her torso, stopping to stick it in her belly button briefly. "Imagining you moaning and coming, your beautiful cunt spread open and dripping."

Charlie moaned at his words, turning her head back, her eyes slits as she watched him move down her body. She gripped the covers tighter, her knuckles white, as she resisted the urge to grab him and kiss him and beg him to fuck her. He slid off the bed and Charlie felt him kneel between her legs, pushing them wide and raised her head. Her hips twitched as he ran the tip of the vibrator up and down her lips lightly, barely touching her. Their eyes met, and Charlie forgot to breathe for a minute as the look of pure undiluted desire in his gaze sent her pulse galloping.

"Open your legs for me. I want to use this to fuck your perfect little pussy," he growled, pushing the tip of the vibrator between her pussy lips and running it up and down her vulva. Charlie obeyed instantly, lifting and bending her knees and planting her feet on the edge of the bed.

"Oh...oh god...please," she moaned as he began to use the toy on her. She immediately began moving her hips against his hand.

"So fucking beautiful," he ground out. He spread her lips open so he could watch the vibrator work her clit as he fucked her with it. "You're so wet, dolcezza. I can see your pussy juices run down your ass." She moaned at his words, delirious at his sexy words, her hands still fisting the blankets over her head as her hips lifted off the bed.

"Yes! Oh yes! Don't stop!" she cried as the vibrator was quickly replaced with his tongue. He fucked her with it, stabbing at her opening a few times before roughly lapping up the length of her pussy repeatedly. He just as quickly pushed the vibrator back inside her and began pumping her with it.

"I want you to fuck yourself while I watch." He reached up and captured her right wrist, bringing it down and forcing her hand around the toy. "I want to watch you make yourself come," he groaned. She was so wet the squelching sound of her cunt was louder than the sound of the vibrator. Her hips began thrusting in earnest and he let go of her hand, moving his down to undo his jeans and release his cock. He slowly stroked himself with his left hand as his right spread her pussy open.

Charlie was moaning, maintaining contact with the rabbit against her clit as she used shallower thrusts. He watched as her thighs and abdomen tensed and she gave out a small cry and shuddered as her orgasm swept over her.

"That is beautiful, my Charlotte," Damien whispered. He pulled the vibrator out and dropped it on the floor, pushing her hand back above her head before turning and burying his face between her legs. He softly and slowly lapped at her pussy, gathering her juices, drinking from her, forcing her orgasm to continue as her body convulsed. He rose from his knees as she quieted, and kissed his way up her body. He stopped when he reached her face, reaching up and forcing his fingers through hers, pinning her arms next to her head and hovering over her. Her mouth was open, her skin flushed, eyes glassy with desire as she looked at him.

She raised her head and kissed him, plunging her tongue into his mouth and sighing at her taste on his tongue. "I love to taste myself on you," she whispered against his lips. She let her head fall back and looked into his eyes. They were dark, darker than usual, and his lids were heavy as he looked back at her with an almost feral expression on his face. She could feel his cock resting against her lower abdomen, just above her mound, and she shifted her hips, trying to force it where she so desperately needed to feel it. "Fuck me, Damien. Please."

"I can't," he groaned, squeezing her hands. He looked down at her -- flush and open and aching for him -- and groaned again. "It's too risky." He let go of her hands and sat back on his heels.

"Risky?" she asked, propping herself up on her elbows to look at him. He was still dressed, his pants undone and his cock out and hard.

"I want you too much, dolcezza; my wolf is desperate to claim you and I can't be sure I would be able to control my instincts."

She sat up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for another kiss. "Please. I want you, Damien. I need you." She reached between them and stroked his cock gently, reaching into his jeans and cupping and squeezing his balls.

"Charlotte," he breathed against her lips.

"Please," she said, pulling him further on to the bed until they knelt together in the center. "We can stop if you feel you can't control yourself, Damien." She tugged his shirt up and he took it off, tossing it on the floor behind him.

"I don't know if I will be able to stop," he said, helping her push his jeans down below his hips. He allowed her to push him back on the bed, kicking his jeans off as she climbed on top of him. She bent down and kissed him, her hair falling about them like a soft, dark curtain.

"I trust you, Damien," she said, sitting up. She grabbed his cock and held it still as she rubbed her pussy back and forth along his length, wanting him to feel the heat and the wet. "I love you." She slid herself forward along his shaft until she reached the head, angling her hips back to ease it into her opening as she took her hand off. She poised herself above him, the tip stretching her deliciously, making little circles with her hips. Her eyes were on his, questioning, and he nodded.

She lowered herself down slowly, throwing her head back and sighing contentedly as she came to rest against him. She raised her hips up slowly until only the tip remained inside her. She moved herself up and down for a few moments, not allowing him to penetrate her more than a couple of inches.

"Charlotte," he groaned, putting his hands on her hips and kneading her flesh.

"That feels so good, Damien," she breathed, shivers chasing across her spine and shoulders as she continued to shallowly fuck herself on him.

"You like this, my love?" Damien whispered, watching her nipples harden as the chills raced across her chest.

"Yes." She looked at him, the golden flecks in her eyes contrasted against her dilated pupils, making them look like they were lit from within. "Oh god, yes, Damien." She planted her hands on his chest and threw herself back, impaling herself on him fully.

"Oh fuck, Charlie," Damien moaned, flexing his hands on her hips to try and still her. "Stop for a minute."

Instead, she tilted her hips forward, pressing herself against his pubic bone. "I can't," she panted, tilting her hips back and raising herself up a little before slamming herself back down. She tilted her hips forward on her downward thrust to push them back again, grinding her pussy against him before raising herself up a little again. She rode him this way, grinding herself on him as she fucked him, his hands helping steady her as they both rushed towards orgasm.

"I'm going to come, Charlie." He slid his hands up to her breasts to pinch and tweak her nipples, making her moan and move faster. "That's it. Come with me," he breathed. He could feel her pussy starting to spasm around his cock, tightening around him like a fist, and he knew she was close. He slid his hands back down to her hips and kept her from raising herself up again. He moved her back and forth, pushing and pulling on her hips, guiding her to grind against him, only relaxing his hold when he felt her start to do it on her own. He thrust his hips up at her as she moved, her back arched and head thrown back.

"Fuck," he grunted as he came, his hips jerking against her as she shuddered around him.




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 07



Hi everyone! So a not-so-funny thing happened to me a couple weeks ago. My laptop, my faithful, ever patient companion, decided it was time to head to the hard drive in the sky. But before he went, he wanted to play a game with me, and decided to hide all of my files and documents. 5000 photos? Look under 'GAMES' or 'TRAVEL'. 6000 songs? Did you check under 'HOME REPAIRS'? Needless to say, I freaked out and thought for sure I lost all that I had done for this chapter and the next two -- UGH! Luckily, a friend of mine was able to find everything and back it up for me. I am now able to put my former laptop out of his misery.

I'm thinking firing squad.

Anyway, I got the file back and realized I already had another 80 pages written. So I am chopping it up a bit to make them more manageable chapters. I still don't want to rush the story, and apparently Charlie, Damien and the rest of the characters feel the same. ;D So while I apologize for the wait, I won't for not 'getting on with it already'.

I have to thank TheLastChaosLord for the help with the timeline. I am bad at math and even worse at attention to detail, so that extra set of eyes set my mind at ease.

And as always, thank you to X for their inspiration.

-W

*************************************************************

"This is Grayson and Zeke, our archivists," Damien said, indicating the two men sitting at the desks in front of her. They were in a small office on the first floor, a couple doors down from Darian and Eva's office. "This is my Charlotte."

"Nice to meet you," Charlie said, nodding her head at the men.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Grayson. But you can call me Gray, almost everyone here does," said the smaller of the two as he stood and held out his hand to her. He had sandy blonde hair cut short and bright hazel eyes. At nearly six feet, he was still much taller than Charlie, but he wasn't as hulking as most of the other men she'd met at the ranch. Zeke, his fellow archivist, seemed to dwarf him somewhat.

"Please, call me Charlie," she said with a smile, shaking his hand. He had a firm handshake, his hands smooth and dry.

"I can't tell you how nice it is to meet you, Charlie," said Zeke, moving around his desk to shake her hand in a much more limpid manner. He was bigger than Gray, almost as big as Damien and Darian, with the same dark coloring and facial structure.

"Are you two related?" Charlie asked, looking back and forth between Damien and Zeke.

"Cousins," Zeke said.

"You're admitting it now?" Gray teased, sitting back at his desk and smiling at the group standing in front of him.

"You mean now that he's not acting like a surly emo teenager? Of course I am!" Zeke said, giving Damien a playful slap on the shoulder. "I swear I'd never known a man could be so glum he could suck the light out of a room just by passing by," Zeke said to Charlie in an exaggerated stage whisper.

"You mean Forrest Grump here?" Charlie whispered back just as dramatically, making Zeke throw his head back and laugh.

"Hey now..." Damien began, trying to act offended. It was hard to do when his mouth so clearly wanted to smile.

"Don't listen to Zeke. He worried and fretted over Damien more than Eva did," Gray said, looking at Zeke affectionately.

"Oh my. Let's not swell his ego too much." Zeke winked at Damien and gave him a squeeze on his shoulder.

"My ego?" he asked, feigning insult.

"Please," Charlie piped in, smiling mischievously at Damien. "It's hard enough for me to handle as it is." She put her left arm around his waist and laid her right hand on his abdomen, just above the waistband of his jeans. "I wouldn't want it to get...engorged."

"Oh...I think you could take care of it just fine, dolcezza," Damien said, putting his arms around Charlie and pressing her to him.

"Is it getting warm in here or is it just you two?" Zeke teased, fanning himself.

"Sorry," Charlie laughed, poking Damien in the ribs.

"It's alright, dear. I don't blame you." He gave Damien a pointed look.

"I'm going, I'm going," Damien said, laughing as Gray rolled his eyes. "I will meet you for lunch, alright?" he asked Charlie, cupping her face with his hand. She nodded, lifting her face to his kiss.

"I'll see you in the dining room." She smiled at him reassuringly.

"Okay. Just...listen to what they have to say and...just...you'll do fine." He looked at her as if he were afraid she would disappear if he lost sight of her.

Not that she didn't understand why. Over the past few days, Charlie had been inundated with all she needed to do and learn in preparation of their ceremony. At times, feeling overwhelmed, she would grab Damien in a hug and just stay there, breathing in his scent and calming herself. She would reassure him that it was a fleeting moment of panic, but it still worried him.

"Damien!" she laughed, shaking her head a bit. "I'll be fine. Go." She smiled at him reassuringly.

"Alright." He looked at Zeke and Grayson. "Be nice," he said sternly.

"Go!" they both said to him in unison. With one more pointed look at Charlie Damien turned around and left.

"As if we would be anything but," Zeke said with a roll of his eyes as they watched his retreating back. Charlie chuckled at that, her eyes finally pulling away from Damien to look at the two men she had been left with.

"So," Zeke began, putting his hand on her arm and leading her towards Gray's desk, "how are you holding up, doll?" He perched on the edge of the desk and maneuvered her between himself and Gray.

"Alright," Charlie said with a shrug. "It's...it's been a lot to take in, but I think I'm managing."

"You're doing great, Charlie," Gray said, swiveling around in his chair and looking at her kindly.

"Thanks." She sighed and shifted on her feet, looking between the two men for a moment. They were watching her intently, as if they were waiting for her head to spin around. "Okay. It's totally fucking overwhelming, alright?" Zeke threw back his head and laughed. "I mean, in the space of a just a few days, I meet this guy, this gorgeous and kind and smart and sweet and sexy man, and I...I start dating him, I guess, sort of, and start really falling for him, right? I mean, the first day -- the first hour -- I know him and my toes curl when he looks into my eyes -- which has never ever happened before. Then, after we...we're intimate, I find out he's this impossible mythical species. And instead of running away -- which is what my mind is trying to convince me to do, I stay. I stay because the thought of leaving, of never seeing him again, makes me feel like my heart is being ripped out of my chest. And I...I realize I'm falling in love with him. And the idea of what he is, what you all are, isn't scary anymore. All of a sudden it seems right, in spite of what my brain tells me. So I move in with him, agree to let him make me what he is -- which really would be enough to make my head spin. But no sooner do I come to terms with all of that, no sooner do I finally feel right about it all, when something else comes up and makes my brain feel fuzzy all over again. It's just...things are...I don't know...weird."

"How so, doll?" Zeke asked.

"Well, we started eating in the communal dining room for like, every meal. And there's always a lot of people there. I know some, but not most of them. And it's unnerving because I keep getting stared at. And...and bowed to...like I'm a princess or something." Zeke opened his mouth to speak but didn't get the chance.

"It's just a sign of respect," Gray said, slapping Zeke on his thigh to keep him quiet.

"I get that. I really do. But it just creeps me out when everyone is staring at me while I eat. Like...like I have to eat before they can."

"It's respect," Gray repeated.

"It's unnerving," Charlie shot back, but she was smiling. "And it's not like I'm unfriendly, or particularly shy, but it's a lot of people. Really. I only had to program eight numbers into my cell phone the entire time I lived in Santa Fe. Eight! And that's including my dentist, doctor and work. So to have all these people wanting to know me is a lot to get used to."

"There's plenty of time for that, doll," Zeke said, giving her a smile that was somewhat indulgent.

"Then for some reason I had to demonstrate my fighting skills for Damien and Darian and Eva." She held up her hand to Zeke as he was about to say something. "I know, challenges. And the off chance I am ever in danger from a human, they need to know I can defend myself without changing. But still it was just a weird thing to be asked to do. Plus, it was hard to concentrate on not getting my ass kicked when I kept expecting Damien to fly into a snit and beat up Luke every time he landed a blow."

"You did very well, though," Zeke said, smiling and nodding at her. "Managed to take him down a couple times."

"Yeah, I know. And only a few cuts and bruises." She shrugged. "Which Damien...uh...took care of." She dropped her eyes as her cheeks pinked at the memory of his wolf slowly and methodically licking all over her body.

"I bet he did." She glanced up at Gray, surprised to hear him tease her.

"Yeah, okay," she muttered, dropping her eyes again with a soft laugh. "That part was pretty nice, actually."

"Uh huh," Zeke teased.

"Now it's just all the stuff I have to do to get ready. And I only have a week. One week."

"When do your aunt and uncle arrive, Zeke?" Gray asked, steepling his fingers under his chin.

"Tomorrow, I think. Maybe the next day." He looked at Charlie, questioningly.

"Don't ask me. I asked Damien not to remind me until they were on their way to the ranch, and I'm doing all I can to not think about it," she said, crossing her arms. "If I did...freak out city, here I come."

"You'll be fine," Zeke said, standing up and putting his hands on her shoulders. "I can say without a doubt, Auntie Diane and Uncle David are going to absolutely love you."

"That's what everyone keeps saying." "You don't believe them?" Gray asked.

"It's not that, it's just... I mean..." She paused, taking a deep breath. "I keep hearing how bad off Damien was, how hurt and how depressed he was, right? And how worried his parents -- everyone -- was about him. I just worry that, with all that he went through, I won't be what they want for their son."

"Oh sweetie," Gray said, getting up and moving to take her hands. "You have absolutely nothing to worry about."

"They will take one look at you and see what everyone else does," Zeke said, moving to throw an arm around her shoulders. "They will see the only one who can make him laugh, make him smile and make him crazy in love. They will see the only person who can complete his soul and hold his heart. Most importantly, they will see someone who loves him beyond reason."

"Is that what everyone sees when they look at me?" Charlie asked with a laugh.

"Yes," Gray said as Zeke nodded and gave her a squeeze on her shoulders.

"All anyone has to do is see the way you look at each other, the love in it, and they will see you are mates," Zeke said, smiling over her head at Gray.

"I hope so." She looked at him and opened her mouth, but shut it again.

"What?" Gray asked, noting her hesitation.

"It's...well, it's kind of stupid, really."

"Go on," he prodded, smiling at her reassuringly.

"Did you ever see 'Moonstruck'?" she asked them.

"Of course! One of my favorite movies!" Zeke said as Gray simply nodded.

"Well, you know that scene at the end of the movie, where Olympia Dukakis asks Cher if she loves Nicholas Cage, and she looks at him and says,..."

" 'Aw, Ma, I love him awful'," all three finish together.

"Yeah," Charlie says, tears welling in her eyes but not caring. "When I think about it, when I think about Damien, I get it. I finally get what that means, you know? That I love him so much, I love him awful, and I...I just...I'd thought I'd loved before, been in love before, and I was, kinda. But that was different, that wasn't love like this. That was love born of familiarity, you know? This is...this is it." She paused, a few tears spilling over and running down her cheeks. "I love him awful, and that's the most overwhelming thing of all."

"It's okay, doll," Zeke said, pulling her to him in a big hug. "It's the mating, Charlie," he said after a moment. "It's an intense feeling."

"We all grow up with it, you know," Gray added. He placed his hand on Charlie's shoulder and gave her a squeeze. "We grow up seeing this happen and knowing it will happen to us one day, too. So when it does happen, it's easy for us to relax and just go with it."

"Exactly," Zeke continued. "We know the feeling will be intense, but we are equipped to handle it." He hugged her tightly again for a moment. "Now stop the crying. This shirt was a gift from Gray and I don't want you getting it all wet and snotty."

"Okay," Charlie laughed, sniffling a bit as she raised her head to look at the two men comforting her. They exchanged glances that were a mix of affection and heat, and Charlie couldn't stop from giggling. "You two are mates," she blurted out as they looked at her. "Well, duh. Of course you are. That's why Damien didn't get all weirded out when he left me with you guys." She stepped back and smiled proudly at the two men.

"Yes," Gray said, moving to put his arm around Zeke's waist.

"Does that bother you?" Zeke asked, giving Charlie a funny look.

"What?"

"That Gray and I are mates."

"No." She looked at him closely, not quite understanding what he was getting at. "Should it bother me?"

"Well, some humans are less than accepting of two males marrying," Zeke said, sounding more than a bit insulted.

"Or two females," Charlie said quietly. She was still unsure what he was implying. "Which is just stupid, really." She looked at Gray and then Zeke as the shoe finally dropped. "Oh, shit! Sorry. I think you misunderstood. I didn't mean to imply anything. Really."

"Really?" Zeke parroted.

Charlie looked at him with a cocked eyebrow, wondering if he would believe her if she said her best friend led her chapter of 'Dykes on Bikes' in last year's Pride Day parade. She smiled at them both. "As if...trust me. I'm not one of 'those humans'," she said, making air quotes when she said it. "Idiots, really."

Gray gave a little snort of laughter at that, and Zeke glanced at him before turning his attention back to Charlie. "Is that so?"

"Well, come on, what are they worried about? The divorce rate dropping?" she chuckled at that. "And please understand that my reaction was happiness in figuring out why Damien left me with you, not mocking that you're a gay couple."

"We're sure it wasn't, Charlie," Gray said, silencing Zeke with a look. "We recently had a...less than welcoming reception at a shop near Spokane."

"Spokane?"

"Northeastern Washington," Zeke said.

"Near the Idaho border. We stopped in at this little mom-n-pop store that had a diner attached to it, and the owners were quite... cold," Gray added.

"They were downright hostile," Zeke said with a sniff.

"That's too bad," Charlie said, her brow creased a bit. "But you're not really judging all humans by the behavior of a few, are you?"

"Well, no-" Zeke began, but Charlie cut him off.

"Because that would be like me judging all werewolves by the behavior of Mira and her mother, right? And that's certainly not representative of all, now is it?" Charlie said, hands in her pockets and one brow raised.

Zeke just looked at her for a minute before bursting into laughter. "Oh my dear, dear cousin will have his hands full with you."

"Yes, he already does," Charlie conceded with a chuckle.

"Come on, Charlie, time to get to work," Gray said, pulling a chair from against the wall for her to sit in. He smiled at her as she took her seat and looked at them expectantly.

"Yes," Zeke said, perching himself on the edge of Gray's desk. Gray resumed his seat behind the desk and put on his glasses before turning to face her. "Now Charlie, do you know why you're here?"

"With you two? Or do you mean the broader, philosophical question as to why we exist?" she asked, winking at him.

"Sassy doll," Zeke chuckled, "I love it!"

"All Damien said was that you two are the pack's archivists and it was important to spend time with you before the mating," she said. "Something about the vows for the ceremony?"

"It will help to think of us as historians, Charlie," Gray said, leaning forward in his chair. "We are charged with recording and cataloguing all events within the pack. Matings, births, successions, deaths; anything that could have any effect on the pack, really."

"Sounds like a huge job," Charlie said, nodding her understanding.

"It's more a labor of love than chore," Zeke said, reaching across his own desk to pick up a large, leather bound book. "I like to think we are the pack's memory," he said, handing the book to her and winking at Gray. "Not only do we record what happens, we maintain the records of everything that came before."

Charlie laid the book -- much heavier than it looked -- on her lap and opened the cover. The pages were thick and stiff, and Charlie wondered if it was parchment or just really old paper made before the process was refined. The first page had a detailed picture of three wolves on it that looked familiar to her for some reason. Below the picture was 'Dimeo' in large, elaborate script. "How far back?" she asked, raising the book up to get a closer look at the picture.

"From the beginning," Gray said, digging through his drawers. He fished out a magnifier and offered it to her, but she shook her head.

"Isn't this depicted on the big wooden doors?" she asked, indicating the picture of the wolves.

"Yes, it is," Zeke said.

"They're quite beautiful." She turned the page and found a picture of wolves in a circle, watching two wolves in the center. It looked like they were pacing around each other. "What is this?" she asked, unable to read the flowing script beneath the picture.

"That is the beginning. That's the first Alpha Dimeo -- Damien's grandfather Salvatore Dimeo - asserting his dominance over the previous pack alpha," Zeke said proudly.

"So...he wasn't the first one?" she asked, her brow creased in confusion.

"The first one what?" Zeke asked.

"He wasn't the founder of the pack?"

"Ah. Well, yes, he was. He was the founder of the Dimeo pack, but that was born of the DeLuca pack," Gray explained. "When the new alpha, Alpha Dimeo, took over, the pack as a whole was reborn, so to speak."

"The new alpha always has to face challenges from within the pack, and makes changes to how the pack is structured and run," Zeke added. "In this case, it was a bit more involved than that."

"Why? Why did he take over the pack?" Charlie asked.

"Alpha DeLuca lost his mate, and he had grown reckless and dangerous," Gray said. His eyes were sad. "He had shown himself to be brutal to the weaker members of the pack, and he had been indirectly threatening the local village. Even after he was replaced, it caused a lot of unrest, a lot of suspicion, and was a threat to the pack. Alpha Dimeo tried to stand it out. He really did. He didn't want to leave our ancestral lands, but it wasn't safe. Not anymore. The pack had to leave, they had to move somewhere new or risk annihilation."

"It was a dark time for the pack," Zeke continued. He reached down and turned the pages of the book in her lap as Charlie watched. "We had to leave Italy, seeking asylum along the way from other packs," he said, pausing and pointing to particular pictures as he spoke. They showed groups of people meeting, the settings were always dark with the groups surrounded by trees and shadows.




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 07



"Is that when you settled here?"

"Eventually," Gray said, motioning for her to keep turning the pages.

The pictures depicted more meetings between groups, interspersed with what looked like celebrations and some fights. In some pictures coupling between wolves was clearly evidenced, with some of the pairs being in their ibrido state and others still mixed. She blushed a little, as her mind flashed on what was to happen to her in a week's time. Beneath the pictures was more of the flowery script, and what looked like names on one side and dates on the other. She ran her fingers over them, her eyes wide as she grasped the years from then to now.

"Some are birth dates, some are death dates," Zeke said, pointing to lines accordingly. "Still others are mating dates or other events," he pointed to another line.

She turned the page and came across a picture of a group of people standing around a large fire. She glanced at Zeke and he gave her a sad smile.

"That would be a funeral pyre," he explained. "We cremate our pack members, Charlie, when they pass."

She nodded, turning the page to find a series of pictures showing a circle of wolves around a large deer or elk. As the pictures changed, the wolves took him down, ripping the animal apart and dragging the pieces of it back. The last picture on the page showed two wolves copulating over the forequarters and head of the animal, while the other wolves howled around them. Charlie studied the pictures closely, fascinated by the story they told.

"That's a mating hunt," Gray said, noting the way her eyes seemed to devour the details.

"A mating hunt?"

"The night before your ceremony, Damien will lead the other males on a hunt, to show you that he can provide for you, and to reassure you he is a suitable mate."

"He'll bring back his kill for you," Zeke said, with a smile.

"His kill?" she asked, her mouth dry.

"Absolutely. And the bigger the kill, the better the mating," he said.

"Do I...am I supposed to eat it?" Charlie asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"No. Damien will have ensured there was other food brought for you. The pack will take it and eat it after you show your appreciation for your intended mate," Zeke said, shooting Gray a smile.

"My 'appreciation'," Charlie squeaked, suddenly feeling queasy as her eyes fell on the two wolves in the last picture.

"Relax Charlie," Gray said, rolling his eyes at Zeke. "Don't let him tease you so. You won't be required to have sex with him at the hunt."

"I won't?"

"Sorry, doll. I couldn't help myself, the look in your eyes was too precious," Zeke said with a chuckle. "All you will need to do is show him your submission. You know, bare your neck to him when he approaches you."

"That's it?" Charlie asked, surprised to find herself feeling a tinge disappointment mixed in with her relief.

"Not necessarily. But anything else will depend on Damien," Zeke said, smiling. "Just follow his lead and you'll be fine."

"Follow his lead, huh?" she asked, a broad smile spreading across her face even as she blushed. She knew he wouldn't expect anything of her that night that she wouldn't be willing to give. She continued turning the pages of the book, poring over the illustrated history of Damien's family. The pictures were intricate, gorgeously drawn.

Charlie lingered on several drawings of what were obviously mating ceremonies, noting most had both parties starting out nude but some had one of them dressed. "How come some of these have the people clothed and some don't?" she asked, glancing up at the two men.

"Ah, well, that depends on if it is two wolves joining or a wolf and a human," Gray explained. "The mating with a human -- your mating - " he said, smiling at her, " -- will start out with you dressed, kind of a representation of your difference from the rest of the pack, which will be nude; and Damien will undress you as you say your vows, symbolically showing how he will change you and make you like the rest of the pack."

"Oh," she said, her voice rough as her mouth went a little dry at the thought. She dropped her eyes back to the book and began turning the pages again. She saw the scenes of the pack setting sail from what looked like a verdant paradise, and glanced up at the men watching her, a question in her eyes.

"That would be the Mackay pack lands, in Scotland. They were the last European pack to assist us before the pack left to find a new home," Gray said, smiling at the look on Charlie's face.

"The dates on this page are from the early 1500's?" she said.

"Yes."

"But...so..." she stammered. She shook her head a bit and looked back at the page closely again. "You followed Columbus?"

"Not exactly," Gray said. "We had already decided to sail for the new continent before we knew of Columbus' 'discovery'. We were actually planning on waiting a little longer -- the alpha pair wanted to give the pack a chance to reproduce first when news of the European emigration to the 'new world' reached us. We just moved up our travels by a few years. "

"But, you were coming here before you heard of Columbus? How did you know it was here?"

"There were others who landed on North America long before Columbus. There was a Nordic pack that had reached what is now the eastern Canadian coast a few hundred years before Columbus," he said.

"Really?"

"Oh yes. That's part of the whole revolt against the Columbus Day holiday," Zeke said.

"It is? I thought it was because he supposedly was lost and a drunk?"

"Maybe that, too," Gray laughed. "Anyway, we had decided to head for the same point the Norse had hit before, and we did." He indicated to Charlie to turn the page and waited while she did. "The voyage took a couple months, but the pack landed at what is now the Nova Scotia area."

Charlie continued to turn the pages, the pictures telling the stories of the voyage and landing in North America. It was fascinating, even if she didn't understand the writing below the pictures. She smiled at the scenes of them meeting with the natives, the changing scenery as the pack moved. "Why didn't you settle in eastern Canada?" Charlie asked.

"It didn't really feel like home to us," Zeke said with a shrug. "Our ancestral lands are quite similar to this area in climate and geography."

"Oh?" she murmured, her attention taken by a picture of an obviously aroused male ibrido chained to a large tree, her cheeks pinking.

"They didn't want to risk any of the mated females becoming pregnant until the pack was settled somewhere," Gray said with a grimace. "So mated pairs were...separated...when the female went into heat." He sighed and looked down at his lap. "I heard it was horrible."

"When a male knows his female is in heat, and he's prohibited from being with her, it...it can make them violent," Zeke added, reaching over and grabbing Gray's hand. "Towards anyone -- even the alpha -- so they had to be restrained."

"And the females?" Charlie asked, looking at the suffering on the face in the picture.

"The females were usually moved out of scent-range and restrained themselves," Gray said, reaching over and turning the page. Charlie saw a chained wolf, its head tilted back as if howling, surrounded by other wolves. "Even the alpha pair," he finished quietly.

"These are Damien's grandparents?" she asked, glancing up as Gray nodded. "And the whole pack felt it," she whispered, running her fingers over the page lightly.

"The whole pack felt it every time it happened, Charlie. Not just with the alpha pair." Zeke turned the page and pointed to another picture of a funeral pyre. "Just as the whole pack feels the loss of any member," he said indicating the wolves, ibridos and humans clearly mourning in the picture. "We are a family, all of us connected by a bond that keeps us together."

Charlie continued turning the pages, the scenes of the pack making their way westward charming her completely. She paused again at a picture of a group of native looking men atop a hill, a small herd of some large mammal depicted in the distance. She lifted the book to look more closely and realized the large mammals were wolves.

"That was when we met the Lakotas," Zeke said, smiling. "They were especially helpful."

"How so?" Charlie asked. She was enthralled by the history being revealed before her.

"They housed the pack over the winter," Gray said, smiling. "Sharing everything, and teaching the pack how to do for themselves."

"If it wasn't for the Lakota, most of the pack would have died," Zeke said. "We had no experience with a season as harsh as their winter."

"But...didn't they hunt wolves?" Charlie asked, confused.

"Not really, no," Zeke said. "They had to kill a wolf or two from time to time to protect themselves, their families or tribe; but they never hunted them as a source of sport or food."

"They knew what the pack was?"

"Yes, they did. They celebrated what the pack was, what it represented to them. And by the time winter gave way to spring, quite a few of them had joined with the pack," Gray said, pointing to the writing below the picture.

"That's when Eva's father joined," Zeke added, pointing to a particular line. Charlie still couldn't read the writing, but nodded her head.

The book progressed as the pack slowly made it's way to their new home. Charlie smiled when she realized the depictions of the land in the book were vaguely familiar. She saw the pictures depicting the settling of the land, the dwellings being built, farming, hunting, living; the establishment of a new life -- a new home -- and the celebrations that followed. The smile slowly left her face as she turned the page and saw a funeral pyre -- the largest one depicted -- and noted the name in the script below was Dimeo. The years read 1706, 1727. She glanced up at Zeke, eyebrows raised.

"That was the alpha pair. Lana Dimeo-" he pointed to the first date, "passed away, and Salvatore-" he pointed to the other date, "quickly followed."

"That's often the case with mates," Gray added, his voice soft.

"How did she die?" Charlie asked.

"She just did," Zeke said with a shrug. "We're not immortal, doll. Just...have increased longevity."

"So, are you susceptible to the same things I am?"

"We are vulnerable to some diseases you are, Charlie. Mostly what we would consider diseases of excess." He gave a small, sad smile at her puzzled look. "Diabetes. Heart disease. Even some forms of cancer. As to the first Madam Alpha Dimeo, it could have been some form of disease. It could have just been a her time," Gray said thoughtfully. "At the end of the day, it doesn't matter, because we'll never know. She was gone, and it effectively ended the first Alpha Dimeo's reign." Charlie looked at the picture on the facing page; two ibridos kneeling before a large stone altar. She cocked her head, the setting familiar.

"That's the ceremonial grounds," Zeke said. Charlie simply nodded, unsure if she should acknowledge having been there before. "That's when the next alpha -- David Dimeo -- took over leadership of the pack. That's where your ceremony will take place, too." Charlie nodded again, her cheeks pink as she thought about the night she and Damien made love there. "But I'm thinking you already know that." Charlie's eyes shot up to catch the teasing smile and wink from Zeke.

"Zeke -- leave the poor girl alone," Gray said, laughing softly. "We know Damien took you out there, Charlie." She opened her mouth, but Gray continued, speaking over her. "And that's all we need to know."

Charlie cleared her throat a bit. "He showed me the names inscribed into the stone," she said, indicating the altar in the picture. "And he said our names would be inscribed there after we mate." She continued to turn the pages, looking at the pictures. She noted where it showed Darian and Damien's birth, the year struck her -- 1825 -- and she smiled. Just a few turns past that the pages turned blank, and she looked up at her tutors.

"That is for what is yet to come. Future events to be recorded," Zeke explained, watching as Charlie thumbed through the blank pages to the back cover. Her brow was furrowed, and she looked confused. "What is it, Charlie?"

"It's just that...it's...I thought I was going to learn my vows. I mean, this has been great. I love hearing about the history. It's absolutely fascinating, amazing. The depth of the family within the pack. But...I can't read anything," she sighed, her voice almost a whine. "So how am I supposed to learn the vows?"

"Oh, doll, no," Zeke said, leaning forward and placing a hand on her arm. "You don't learn your vows. You write them."

"I...I...what? What?"

"That is why we showed you this. Why you're spending the day with us. You have to decide what is important, what the pack will expect of you, and what the pack needs from you."

She was quiet for a moment, deep in thought. "I don't suppose there are any previous vows I can crib from, are there?" she asked at last, her brows creased.

"No cheating, doll," Zeke laughed. He stood, taking her hand and pulling her to her feet. "Here, have a seat," he said, indicating his desk, "look through the book again, slowly. Think about what you know about the pack, about Damien, and about your feelings -- yourself -- and you will know what to say."

"But I can't read the writing," she said, taking Zeke's seat and setting the book down on the desk in front of her. There was a pad and pen there for her to use to make any notes she wanted. "It's not in English, is it?"

"No, it's Italian," Gray explained. "But you don't really need to be able to read the writing. And if you think you want to know something in particular, just ask. We can translate for you." She nodded, giving him a small smile.

"I am sure you'll do wonderfully," Zeke said. "And it's not like you're a hundred percent solo on this. Gray and I are here to help, for you to bounce ideas off of and to offer direction if you need it."

"Okay," Charlie said with a sigh and a smile. "That makes me feel better." She opened the book and picked up the pen in her right hand to start, but paused, looking up at the men in front of her. "So...does Damien have to make his own vows, too? Or are his standardized?"

"Oh no, he has to write his own as well," Gray said.

"Good. I hope he finds it as intimidating as I do," she said, an almost wicked smile flashing across her face as Gray and Zeke both snickered.

Charlie settled down after that, attacking the task at hand head on. She paged through the book, taking notes on what struck her. By the time they broke for lunch, she had gone through the book again slowly and written a long list of words and phrases, giving name to the feelings what she read inspired in her.

The three of them joined Damien and the alpha pair for lunch in the large main dining room. They sat at the long table at the center of the dining area, talking and joking with one another. Charlie joined in when she thought she had to, but spent most of her time observing Damien and his interaction with everyone. She especially noted the way he was with the rest of the pack. While they always showed him deference and respect, he was equally as respectful in his response to them, and his humility touched her. He seemed to know everyone on a personal level, and he would always talk with them, engaging them in a conversation that let them know he thought of them as a person.

He kept looking at her as she watched him, his arm draped across the back of her chair, his hand caressing her back almost as if he felt he needed to reassure her. She smiled at him, shaking her head at his puzzled expression and reaching over to give his thigh a gentle squeeze. He shot a glance to his cousin, who simply smiled and nodded back at him, but it seemed to reassure Damien somewhat, and he was able to relax and enjoy their lunch together.

After lunch, Charlie made her way back to Zeke and Gray's office with the two men. She spent the better part of an hour going over her list and thinking about what she had learned, starring some items and crossing others out. She then thought about what she had observed, all she had seen since agreeing to mate with Damien, and leveraged that against the remaining list, crossing out a few more things and adding a few more stars.

Finally, her thoughts turned to Damien, and his interaction with not just her, but the pack. She asked a few questions of Zeke and Gray, added a few to her list but removed a lot more, and sat back, smiling. She finally wrote vows based on what she thought were the most important lessons she could take away from all she had learned and all she had observed, what she believed was important to the pack, and recited them to her tutors. She finished, voicing the opinion that it was too little.

"It's perfect, Charlie," Gray said, his voice soft. His eyes shone a bit.

"It is? Are you sure?" she asked.

"Absolutely, doll," Zeke said, nodding, and Charlie was surprised to see tears on his cheeks. "And I can't wait to hear you recite them at the ceremony." He came over and scooped her up in a hug.

"Thanks," Charlie said, her voice choked to no more than a whisper as Gray came around the desk and joined in the hug.

"Welcome to the pack, Charlie," he said, as they broke apart. Big goofy grins on all three faces while they stood around with their hands linked, sniffling a bit.

"Thank you. Thank you both. I can't wait to be part of your family," she said, giving their hands a squeeze.

"You already are," Zeke said, squeezing her hand back before releasing it and winding his arms around Gray. "Now run along. Damien is waiting for you upstairs." "He is?" she said, smiling brightly.

"He is," said Gray, turning slightly to embrace Zeke. "And he is getting anxious."

"I'm sure he is," she laughed, suddenly anxious herself to see Damien. "I better get up there before he gets too grumpy," she waved as she walked out.

She made her way upstairs, her head held high. She smiled and said hello to everyone she passed, unwilling to avoid making eye contact any more. She understood now how honorable, how open all those around her were, and the warmth of their acceptance of her into this extended family made her want to return that acceptance to everyone she saw. She reached the second floor and turned towards the apartment, her eagerness to see Damien growing, barely keeping herself from running through the door as she went inside.

"Damien? I'm home," she called as she walked through the formal entry towards the great room.

"I'm in the kitchen," he called.

Charlie quickly made her way to the kitchen, wanting nothing more than to push her way into his arms and hold him. But as soon as she saw him standing at the stove she stopped, her breath caught in her throat and her heartbeat suddenly racing. He was in a pair of jeans, no shirt, his feet bare and his hair damp. She watched the way the muscles of his back moved and flexed as he stirred something on the stove, the sight keeping her immobile.

"Did you have a good day?" he asked casually.

"Yes, I did," she said, the question finally spurring her to move again. She walked up behind him and slid her arms around his waist. "How was your day?" she asked, her voice low, as she began kissing and tasting the skin of his back..

"Dolcezza," he sighed, leaning back into her, dropping the spoon into the pot on the stove and turning off the burner.

"God, cowboy, you're so sexy when you're barefoot in jeans and nothing else." She nuzzled his back before laying her cheek on it and just breathing him in. "I spent the afternoon just thinking about how lucky I am to have you in my life, how lucky I am to be loved by you. Then I walk in here to find you looking like this, and all I can think is the word lucky is too weak."




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 07



"I am the lucky one," he said, turning around to embrace her. He ran his fingers through her hair as she gazed up at him.

"Do you know how grateful I am that I am ignorant of basic car care?" Charlie asked, taking his hands and leading him out of the kitchen, walking backwards. "How thankful I am you couldn't resist a damsel in distress on the side of the road?" He gave a quick laugh at that.

"You do know when I first pulled up all I saw was two very nice looking legs and one cute little butt attached to a woman on all fours in the gravel?" he teased.

"Ah, so my nefarious plan worked?" she laughed.

"Your plan?" he asked, pulling her to him.

"Yes. To seduce you with my clumsiness and lackluster automotive maintenance."

"I see," he said with a laugh. "Well then yes, your plan worked as designed, you little vixen." He quickly bent, hooking an arm behind her knees and around her shoulders to scoop her up.

"I have ensnared you, and resistance is futile," she laughed softly before nuzzling his neck. He carried her towards the stairs, a low growl erupting from his throat as she began lightly biting up and down his neck.

"I surrender," he said, making his way upstairs to their bedroom. He kicked the door closed behind them and set her gently on the bed. She crawled to the middle and rose up on her knees, holding her hand out to him and pulling him to her when he took it.

"You surrender, huh?" she asked, guiding him to lay back on the bed. She climbed on top of him, straddling his abdomen with her thighs. "I think that's mutual, Damien, as I have already surrendered to you" She leaned forward slightly and traced his brows with her fingertips as he raised them questioningly.

"I love you, Damien," she said, her voice just above a whisper as she leaned forward and began planting soft kisses along his forehead. "The past couple of days, I've been watching you." She kissed him from temple to temple, her lips softly touching his closed eyes. "Watching you move, watching you be," she whispered, kissing across his cheeks and nose, down to his lips. She brushed her lips against his softly before kissing down his chin.

"Charlotte," he sighed, running his fingers through her hair as she kissed down his neck.

"You are so damn strong, cowboy," she said, raising her head to look in his eyes. "Not just physically. Strong here," she murmured, leaning forward to kiss his forehead, "and strong here," she finished, bending down to plant a soft kiss over his heart. She sat up and looked him in the eyes, taking his hands from her hair and twining their fingers together.

"I watched you lifting those logs like they were matchsticks, and that was so very sexy," she said, holding his gaze with her own. "Watching the way you handle the cattle, the steer, the way your muscles move beneath your skin. But do you know what is even better? What is so breathtaking for me to see?"

"What?" he said, almost afraid to speak, afraid to end this spell she had put herself under.

"The way you are with others." She leaned forward again and brushed her lips against his, the touch feather light. "Your strength, your...your solidness, Damien. It is so easy for others to lean on you, to gather their strength from yours." She dragged her lips down his neck to the base of his throat.

"I saw you tackle a steer, a ginormous steer, right to the ground with your bare hands, and not even twenty minutes later you're holding little Annalise while she cries over her dead goldfish." She moved down, kissing his right shoulder and continuing down his arm before moving across to give his left shoulder and arm the same attention. Her kisses were soft, light, almost shy, making Damien's skin shiver. She sat upright on his thighs, and he watched as her fingertips ran lightly over the path her lips had forged.

"You are so strong and so soft," she sighed. She picked up his left hand and brought it to her cheek.

"I love your hands," she whispered, closing her eyes and rubbing her cheek against his palm as she held his hand to her face. "They're so rough from working the ranch, I love the coarseness against my skin when you touch me. And yet you touch me so gently." She brought his hand to her lips, kissing his fingertips and palm before putting it back at his side. "Strong and soft, rough and gentle," she sighed, running her hands over his torso. "A perfect balance.

"And I am so lucky," she said, moving her hands back to his face to cup his cheeks. She looked into his eyes and smiled. "Thank you."

"For?"

"For loving me," she leaned forward and kissed him. "For giving me this family." She kissed him again, sucking on his lower lip. "For believing in me even when I refused to believe in you." She kissed him a third time, parting his lips with her tongue, a sound of satisfaction emanating from her throat as he eagerly kissed her back.

"You don't need to th-," Damien said as Charlie left his lips to kiss down his neck again.

"Hush," she said, laying a finger on his lips and raising her head. "I did, Damien. Just accept it, lie back, and let me show you how thankful I am." He nodded, his lips spreading into a smile beneath her finger. She smiled back at him before lowering her head to his neck again to pick up where she'd left off.

Charlie took her time, using her fingers, hands and lips to explore every inch of Damien. She helped him out of his jeans, laughing softly in delight when she discovered he didn't have any underwear on. She made him roll over to his stomach, and moved down to kneel at his feet, and touching him with fingers and lips, her tongue flicking out regularly to taste his skin, slowly traveling along his body. Charlie cooed and sighed as she went, praising his taste, his scent, his texture, his everything. Damien desperately wanted to grab her and make love to her, but forced himself to remain silent and impassive, letting her have her way.

"You have the most perfect ass. Did you know that?" she whispered, layering soft kisses across his buttocks as she knelt between his legs. She felt him tense and heard his breath catch and raised her head. "Ticklish...hmmm." She smiled to herself and returned to her explorations.

"Charlotte," Damien sighed as she slowly made her way up his back, kissing and caressing from side to side. She reached his head and swept his hair back, exposing his neck before kissing it and nipping it with her teeth. "Charlotte," he growled, his voice low, the timbre vibrating through her and making her breathe erratically.

"Turn over, please," she said into his ear, raising herself up from her seat on his waist while he quickly complied. Once he was settled on his back she bent down, putting her hands next to his head and flicking her head to move her hair over her left shoulder.

"That was wonderful," he said, reaching up to cup her face.

"I'm not done," Charlie said, flashing him a slightly wicked grin. She turned her head quickly and captured the first two fingers of his left hand with her mouth, sucking on them while fluttering her tongue against them, making him groan. She released his fingers and started kissing and nuzzling her way lazily down his body. She felt his cock hard against her thigh as she moved herself down his body and lifted her hips to move it beneath her, trying to limit the contact. Damien knew what she was doing and smiled.

"Dolcezza," he said, his voice a seductive mix of plea and warning as she lightly kissed first one nipple then the other.

"I love the way your hair here feels against my skin. So soft and springy." She rubbed her face lightly against his pecs. "I love the way it rubs against me when we make love." She continued her slow journey down his torso, placing her right hand along his shaft and gently holding it still as she moved down his right leg, light kisses and feathery touches driving Damien's need for her. She moved herself to sit between his legs, letting go of his cock and kneeling again at his ankles.

"I love to watch your legs when you're on horseback, Damien," she said, trailing her fingertips along the inside of his leg, from his ankle to just below his balls and holding them there for one achingly anxious moment before removing them to drag them down the other leg. "I can see the muscles flexing under your jeans, the power they exude as you control the horse, making it look so effortless." She dragged her lips up his left leg, barely touching them to his skin, until she reached the top of his thigh.

Charlie pulled her knees up the bed, sitting back on her heels, facing him. She held his gaze as she placed her fingers at the base of his shaft and lightly dragged her nails up his length. Damien's hips jerked, involuntarily following her hands, almost silently begging for more contact. She smiled, their eyes still locked as she did it again.

"Fuck!" Damien grunted, his teeth clenched. Charlie gently pulled back his foreskin and bent down to lick up the come leaking from his tip, swirling her tongue around the head.

"I love the way you taste," she sighed, sitting back again and moving her nails to lightly drag across his testicles, making him moan. "Tangy. Delicious." She bent down again and licked his tip lightly, flicking her tongue back and forth across the crown for a moment before shifting her legs slightly and taking him in to her mouth.

"Charlotte," Damien ground out, his hands instantly fisting in her hair as she began to work his cock with her mouth, repeatedly sliding it down his shaft till it hit the back of her throat before pulling her head back up, increasing the suction and tightening her lips around him. She grabbed the base of his cock with one hand, stroking the part of him her mouth couldn't take, and used her other hand to stroke and squeeze his balls.

Damien raised his head, needing to watch her. He was already close, her sultry teasing of his skin had quickly put him on edge and kept him there. She let his cock fall out of her mouth and began running her tongue and lips all over it, raising her eyes to meet his, knowing she bared herself to him completely in doing so and reveling in the freedom that granted her.

"Come in my mouth, Damien," she whispered against the veins of his cock. He groaned in response and she dragged her tongue along the underside, from base to tip. "I want you to...to fuck my mouth." Her eyes remained on his even as her cheeks flushed pink, and Damien wondered again at her ability to be both seductress and ingénue.

She swallowed his cock again, their eyes still locked, as he gripped her head through her hair. He began to thrust his hips up, shallowly at first, watching her face for any sign of discomfort or distress. She kept her eyes on his, her lids fluttering as she felt him begin to direct her actions more. Damien tightened his hold on her head, moving it up and down his shaft as he thrust his hips in time, moaning out her name, his voice gravelly. His eyes closed tight, and Charlie felt him tense in her mouth seconds before she felt his hot come hit the back of her throat and her senses were infused with his salty-lemon tang.

She felt his grip on her head loosen and sat back on her heels, smiling as his hands fell limply to his sides. She watched his breathing slow and felt a tingle -- pride -- run down her spine at the knowledge she made him feel so good. His eyes opened slowly and he looked at her.

"Dolcezza," he whispered, trying to pull her to him.

"Later, Damien," she said, shaking her head. She moved to face him, placing herself on all fours, suspended above him. "This was about you." She kissed the corner of his mouth and smiled at him. "Besides, weren't you making something to eat?" she asked, climbing off the bed. She stood at the foot of the bed and stretched, going up on her toes briefly before running her fingers through her hair.

"Charlie," Damien growled, watching her. He was already half hard again and he licked his lips. Her eyes widened at his look and she took a couple steps back.

"Uh...aren't you hungry?" she asked as he started to get off the bed.

"Oh, yes." Damien started walking towards her and she started to back up. "In fact, dolcezza, you could say I'm starved. Ravenous. And even...parched." His voice dropped as he inched closer and closer. He had a sudden intense desire to have her outside, to watch her face as she came, lit up by moonlight and the pleasure she felt.

Charlie watched as he stalked towards her, his gate and gaze predatory, and her desire for him surged. She saw his nostrils flare slightly as he breathed in and knew he could smell her increasing arousal.

"Well, yes, the...the dinner you were heating up did smell lovely. Would you like me to get some for you?" she teased, expecting him to pick her up, throw her on the bed, and fuck her thoroughly.

She was utterly shocked when instead he took her by the hand and started leading her downstairs. "No, my Charlotte. I find my appetite for stew has left me this evening." She followed behind him as he led her through their apartment and down the back stairs. She blushed when she realized he was completely nude -- again. "Now I am craving something far more exotic." He opened the back door to the ranch house and led her outside.

"Exotic?" she asked, nervous excitement growing in the pit of her stomach. She looked up at the sky, still streaked in pinks and purples to the west, and saw the waning moon just cresting over the trees.

Damien stopped walking and turned to face her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I am in the mood for something wild. Something untamed. A lush feast, dolcezza." He winked at her and dropped his hands. "You have three minutes. Run."

"Ru...run?" Charlie squeaked, her nerves suddenly on fire as she thought of him catching her.

"Run," he whispered, moving behind her and bending down to nip her ear as he gave her a playful swat on her behind. It was enough to get Charlie moving and, with an excited squeal, she took off running. Damien sat and patiently waited for three minutes to pass.

She ran down the path they had traveled the night she found out what he was, veering into the same field and coming to a halt. She looked around and knew she would never make it to the woods on the edge of the field in three minutes. But maybe he didn't know that. She turned to her left and saw a large outcropping of boulders and decided to go there first. Maybe she could fake him out and circle back to the house. She started towards the boulders and stopped again, thinking. Don't I want to be caught? she asked herself, moving again towards the boulders. Yeah, but I think the longer I make him chase the more enjoyable it may be when he catches me. She laughed quietly and sprinted towards the big rocks, squatting down and hiding behind them.

Damien rose and started down the path after her, nose in the air to catch her scent. He smiled, practically trotting in her footsteps, although he paused when he realized she hadn't run for the trees, but opted to run towards some boulders in the middle of the field. He could just make out her shadow and knew she was peeking at him. He slowed his pace, head up as he picked up the scent of her arousal mixing in with the natural lavender and chamomile scent that stirred his wolf.

Charlie watched him approach and silently cursed herself for not running for the trees. She moved around the boulder, trying to be as silent as possible, waiting for the moment to break for the trees. She knew he would catch her quickly, was looking forward to it, and had to fight down a gleeful laugh. She peeked around the side of the boulder and saw him approaching on the other side and took off, running as fast as she could and laughing like a loon.

Damien laughed and took off after her, content to follow her for a bit, enjoying the building tension in himself. His eyes traced the shape of her legs as she ran, watching them flex and stretch beneath her jeans, remembering how they felt when they flexed against his skin. He let his eyes continue up as he chased after her, seeing the way her hips swayed, the way she leaned forward, how the dark chocolate silk of her hair bounced against her back and shoulders. He felt a nearly overpowering surge of lust and knew that he had to stop the chase now, to wait any longer would be to risk his wolf taking over.

Charlie shrieked with laughter when she felt Damien's arms grab her around her waist and lift her up. He spun her around, falling to the ground and pulling her on top of him, laughing with her as he rolled them over and pinned her beneath him. He caught her mouth with his, cutting off her laugh and kissing her deeply, pushing his way into the cradle of her legs. His cock, hard again, lay against the seam of her jeans and he rubbed against her.

All playfulness left her at the contact. She wanted him, and she wanted him immediately. They quickly had her completely undressed, breaking the kiss only to pull of her clothes, her hands scrambling to pull him to her, inside her. Damien could feel her need, and it fed his, inflaming it until he thought it would consume him if he waited. He thrust inside her roughly as she wrapped her legs around him, nearly coming at finding her so wet. He began a ruthless rhythm, pounding his hips against her, the force moving her forward with every thrust. He put his hands on her head, trying to hold her in place. They savagely kissed through their moans and cries, Charlie's orgasm seemingly endless. The squeezing tremors of her pussy around his cock proved too much for him, and he came, tearing his mouth from hers with a loud growl, using everything he had to keep from shifting and marking her.

They lay together, tangled and panting in the moonlit field, not speaking for a while. Damien lowered his head to her neck, trying to gather his wits as well as his strength. He couldn't believe he had been so forceful, so rough with her. He raised his head to look at her face, but he couldn't tell what she was feeling or guess what she was thinking. Her eyes were on the sky, her look far away; not happy, not sad, it was...content. As if there was nowhere in the world she would rather be than naked in a field with Damien. She gave a deep sigh.

"Dolcezza," he began, his voice soft as her eyes found his. She saw the apology in them and cut him off.

"Don't you dare, cowboy. Don't you dare say you're sorry for what just happened."

"I was too rough, I could have-"

"No," she cut him off again, placing her fingers against his lips. "That was wonderful, Damien. Please don't apologize for it."

"But I nearly changed, Charlie," he said, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand.

"I know." She cupped his face and lifted her head to kiss him. "But you didn't, so don't apologize, okay?"

"I love you so much, Charlotte," he whispered, planting soft little kisses on her lips. He pulled out of her, moving to her side and throwing his leg over her thighs, propping his head on his hand.

She turned her head to look at him and smiled. "I love you, too." He caressed her abdomen, splaying his fingers wide and making her flinch self-consciously. He leaned over and kissed the tip of her nose, smiling at her as she relaxed again under his touch.

"I think we should stop," Damien said thoughtfully.

"Stop?"

"Stop making love."

"Stop making love?" she asked, eyes wide.

"I mean this-" he waved his hand, "stop, you know, intercourse. Until the mating." He leaned over and kissed her softly.

"Why?"

"It keeps getting harder for me to keep from changing and claim you," he said, his hand making circles on her abdomen. "I couldn't live with myself if I did that to you, dolcezza."

"What would happen if you claimed me without the ceremony?" she asked, running her hand up and down his arm.




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 08



Yep yep yep -- I know. You're all kinda like "About freakin' time!" And you're 100 % right to be kinda pissed. I can say I'm sorry -- because I am -- and I had no intention of going months to post the next chapter. I really didn't. But it happened. Will it happen again? I hope not. But it might. My personal life went, well, it went right in to a mega shitstorm, and I still seem to be charting a course through it.

However -- while I may not have as much time to write -- I found that Damien and Charlie charm me a bit. They let me forget about me for a moment or two. And hopefully, the next chapter will be up soon. Sooner, anyway.

Have no fear, though...I am finishing their story. A half told tale...well, that is for the birds, innit? And as I said, I like them. I want them to be happy. I want them to have the fairyta -- erm...wolftale happily ever after.

Again, my inspiration comes from X and their wonderful song. I thank them heartily.

And I thank YOU -- for sticking with me. Stay till the end. I promise you'll enjoy it.

-W

*************************************

Charlie awoke the next morning alone in their bed. She raised her head to look at the clock and groaned to find it was already well past eleven. She made her way to the bathroom to relieve her screaming bladder and brush her teeth.

"Charlie?" she heard Damien call from downstairs as she was making her way out of the bathroom. "You coming down for breakfast?"

"Yeah, I'll be right there," she said. She paused, considering getting dressed but decided against it. She knew her nerves were going to wreak havoc on her later and didn't want to get her clothes dirty by fussing with them all day. She padded her way to the kitchen to find Damien sitting at the breakfast bar in a pair of shorts and nothing else. He was sipping a cup of coffee and looking at some paperwork.

"No working today, remember?" she said, taking the stool next to his. He'd made her scrambled egg on toast and set a glass of juice and cup of coffee at her place.

"I'm reading what you and Eva came up with for the Moon."

"Oh?" she asked, eyes bright. "What do you think?"

"It's a good idea, Charlie, but maybe a little..." he trailed off, wanting to find the right words so he didn't insult her.

"A little...?" she prompted, taking a bite of toast.

"Well...ambitious? I mean, for the area?"

"I'm not trying to turn it into a Michelin rated restaurant, cowboy. Just modernizing the menu a bit and offering seasonal specials."

"I know. Items like-" he paused, looking at the papers "- Washington's Best salad, salmon chowder, elk and port shepherd's pie?"

"Those are specials, Damien. Offered a handful of times every month in season." She took a sip of her juice.

"But you're also wanting to change the regular menu."

"Yeah, I do a bit. Not a lot. It'll still be the Moon, you know. Best burgers in fifty states. But instead of fifteen different burgers it'll be a BYOB type of burger menu."

"BYOB?"

"Build-your-own-burger," she said with a smile, pointing to the bottom of the paper in his hand. "We'll still have the Full Moon Burger, of course. Just...the rest are all going to be made to order depending on the options people want."

"Avocado?" he asked, looking at her doubtfully.

"Just because you have an aversion to them doesn't mean everyone will."

"And you don't think these changes are too much?"

"I just...you have amazing resources. They should be showcased more."

"Charlie-"

"More than just the burgers and sandwiches there now. Comfort foods, Damien, like pot roast, stew, fried chicken and mac n' cheese. Fresh vegetables and sides that complement the main course. I don't want to change what the Moon is, cowboy. I just want to make it a bit fresher." She took another bite of toast.

"And you'd be there to oversee everything, wouldn't you," he said with a sigh.

"Well, yes." She gave him a funny look. "I'd be there cooking, Damien. And running the kitchen."

"Hmmm."

"It's what I can do. You know, everyone works together for the greater good of the pack, right?" He nodded, not looking at her. "Well, this is what I can do. It's what I'm good at."

"I just -- I just wanted you to do something here. Not in town."

"But there's nothing for me to do here."

"I know," he said, putting the papers on the counter and turning to look at her. "They're good ideas, Charlie. Really good. I just don't like the idea of you being so far away." He put his arm across the back of her stool and rubbed her back.

"It's in town, Damien. A ten minute drive, tops."

"The way you drive," he teased. She laughed around a forkful of eggs, sending them flying across the counter.

"Shit!" she exhaled, staring to get down from her seat.

"Finish your breakfast. I'll clean up," Damien said, putting his hand on her shoulder and pressing her to sit back down.

"Sorry about that."

"Actually, I kind of like it." He grabbed a towel and wiped up the mess.

"My klutziness?" Charlie asked, skeptical.

"Absolutely."

"Right. Well, who wouldn't?"

"My point exactly," he said, making her laugh again. He remained on the far side of the counter, leaning his elbows on it, eyes on her face.

"What? You're making me self-conscious."

"Nervous?" He didn't have to elaborate on what; she knew. Charlie nodded and shrugged her shoulders at the same time. "Anything I can do to make you less nervous?"

"Yeah. But you won't for another six days," she said, her voice low.

Damien watched her eat for a moment, remaining quiet. He knew that refraining from making love was the wise thing to do. It was the responsible thing to do. It was the right thing to do. But it didn't make it suck any less.

"Are you worried about Becky?" Damien asked, out-of-the-blue.

"What about Becky?"

"Are you worried about telling her about us? About what's going to happen to you?"

"Not at all," she said with a snort of laughter. She got up and grabbed her dishes, taking them over to the sink to rinse them and load them in the dishwasher.

"No?" he asked, turning around and leaning his back against the counter.

"Becky is...pretty open-minded, so I don't think it will be an issue." She dried her hands and turned to face him, leaning against the sink.

"Open-minded?"

"Yeah." She laughed, hugging herself and shaking her head. "Whenever I wanted to do something important -- buying my car, getting a new job, traveling, moving -- Becky dragged me to her psychic. She had my astrology chart done. She's taken me for more tarot readings than I can count. She believes in aliens and Bigfoot and the loch ness monster. She wanted to become a ghost hunter but was too afraid of evil spirits." Damien barked a laugh at that, and Charlie smiled at him. "Her whole family -- really -- very free spirited and open to everything."

"I see."

"And since I'm pretty sure she already believes you exist, I think she'll take it a hell of a lot better than I did."

"Are you close with her family?" Damien asked, noting Charlie's almost wistful smile when she had mentioned Becky's.

"Not so much, really. I mean, they always treated my well, and Beck included me in all her family stuff, but they're not particularly close." She looked at him, head cocked to the side. "Why do you ask?"

"It was just the way you mentioned her family. You seemed...not sad...but almost ...," he trailed off with a shrug.

"Yeah. It's...well...hang on a sec -- I'll be right back," she said, hurrying up to their bedroom closet and pulling a small box off the top shelf. She carried it back downstairs to the kitchen. She took Damien's hand and led him to the big sectional in the living room, seating them both.

"I want to show you something," she said, putting the box on her lap and opening it up. She pulled out a smaller wooden box, the top decorated with painted daisies and put it on his lap. "Go ahead," she nodded when he looked at her, "open it up. Nothing in there will bite."

Damien opened the lid and smiled when he saw a packet of about two or three dozen photographs inside, tied together with a deep blue velvet ribbon. He pulled the pictures out and carefully untied the ribbon, putting it back in the box and looking at the top one. It was in black and white, and showed a laughing man and woman; he had his arms around her obviously pregnant midsection and was smiling over her shoulder at the camera. She had her head turned and was looking up at him, smiling.

"That's my grandma and grandpa. He died before I was born so I never met him, but my mom and grandma would tell me stories." Damien turned the picture over to read the inscription: Misha and Kathy, June '49. "That was about 3 months before my mom was born."

"Misha?"

"My grandfather's family was Russian. They came to the US before World War I." Damien moved the picture to the bottom of the pile and looked at the next one, also black and white. It showed the same couple, except this time they both had their arms around a baby. "And that is my mom." The back of the picture read Joan Dannika Miller, January '50.

"They look happy," Damien said, moving to a picture of the small family at a picnic. The baby was now a little girl and was hamming it up for the camera. It was a color picture, though it was faded.

"That was Independence Day '56," Charlie said. Damien shuffled to the next picture showing Charlie's mom as a teenager and her grandmother. Her mom was in a long, frilly gown in light blue with a matching hat and gloves. "That was my mom's senior prom."

"Your grandfather?"

"He'd died about two years prior to this," Charlie said. She put a hand on his, stilling him for a moment. "Damien, I...I just wanted... I don't really have any family to share with you, Damien. This is pretty much all I have," she gave his hand a squeeze and nodded towards the box on his lap. "Pictures and mementos. And...I have my memories. Memories I want to share with you." She smiled at him. "And while it's not the same thing as having a family accept you, I know that they would have. They would have loved you. They would have loved you not because I love you, but because you are worthy of it."

"You make me worthy, dolcezza." He kissed her softly and turned back to the pictures in his hand.

The next picture showed her grandma sitting in an old-fashioned wingback chair, holding a baby up on her knees. Her mom sat on the arm of the chair, her hands on the older woman's shoulders. "And that's me," she looked at him, smiling. The back read Charlotte Emily '74.

"So you were always this beautiful," he said, smiling back at her. She laughed and shook her head as he shuffled through a couple more pictures of her as a baby. He laughed when he came across a picture of Charlie in a ballet costume, her hair in two French braids, a scowl on her young face. "You weren't kidding about the ballet lessons," he said, nudging her with his elbow.

"Nope. And you can see how much I enjoyed it," she laughed with him.

"How old were you?"

"Six, I think," she said, looking at the date on the back of the picture and nodding. He looked at it for a while longer, his smile changing from playful to thoughtful. "What is that look for?" she asked, noting the change.

"I am picturing what our children will look like. Our little girls will have your hair and big golden eyes, they will have your soft laugh and gentle nature, and every boy's heart in a hundred mile radius."

"Oh please," Charlie laughed. "And what will they get from you?"

"My ability to cross a room without tripping?"

"Right." She slid closer to him, snuggling up against his side and laying her head on his shoulder. "And what if we have little boys?"

"Oh we will. We'll have lots of little boys and little girls."

"Lots? How many is 'lots'?"

"As many as we can," Damien said. Charlie looked at him closely and saw he was serious. "How many do you want?"

"Oh," she said, smiling at him, "I'd never really thought about it."

"No?"

"No. I mean, with Kei -- with my ex -- we decided to wait a few more years to have kids, and then we, well, things just went to shit, you know. And after that...I mean, you're the only other person I've been with. I'd just kind of assumed I never would have any."

"Do you not want to have children?"

She thought for a moment, a small smile on her lips at her own mental pictures of what their children would be like. "I want to have your children, Damien." She lifted her head and kissed him.

Damien smiled with relief and turned back to the pictures. There was Charlie at the beach as a young teen, her mom sitting on the blanket next to her. There were a couple of Charlie and her grandma in the kitchen cooking together, Charlie with some girls her age with spiky hair and neon clothes. Damien came across a picture of Charlie on a stage with a band. He held it up and studied it closely. She held a microphone in her hand and was singing into it, her hair bobbed and framing her face. She was angled towards the camera, but was looking at the man with sandy blonde hair on stage next to her singing into his own microphone and playing guitar. He was facing forward but his eyes were cut towards Charlie. Damien glanced at Charlie, eyebrows raised in question.

"The Be-Sides. That's me and Keith," she said quietly, pointing. "And that's Jeremy," she said, indicating a guy in the background at a keyboard, "and you can almost make out Greg," she pointed at the drumset and the shady figure seated behind it. "And over here is Adam's leg. He played bass."

"You look like you were having fun," Damien said, his tone guarded. He was studying her ex-husband's picture, trying to keep her from noticing.

"It was fun. And then -- and then it wasn't," she shrugged, not wanting to go into anything again.

"Do you miss it?"

"Not really. I missed singing, you know? I had stopped for a while, and I realized when I started again I missed it. Not on a stage, just wherever. In the shower. Cleaning. Cooking. Wherever. But I don't miss that," she said, nodding towards the picture in his hand.

"You can sing whenever you want, dolcezza. I'll never get tired of hearing it."

"I dunno about that, cowboy. You might have just given me too free a reign," she teased, putting her head on his shoulder again. "I'm sure you'll get tired of it soon enough."

Damien just shook his head and moved to the next picture. It was pretty recent, and showed Charlie with a tall, thin blonde. Charlie was in a chef's jacket that was splattered with food and baggy black pants, and the blonde was in a tailored suit and heels. She was beautiful, her hair and makeup as perfect as her clothing. Damien flipped the picture over to read Becky's b-day bash '10. "That's Becky?" he asked.

"Yep." She grinned at him. "Not what you expected, huh?"

"Not really, no," he murmured. He looked at the picture of the two women -- as opposite as possible -- and chuckled. "I really expected a cross between a biker and a hippie, you know?"

"I know," she chuckled with him, lifting her head from his shoulder. "She kind of is a cross between a biker and a hippie chick. Just one who happens to wear expensive clothes really well and happens to be drop-dead beautiful. And we don't look like we'd be friends, do we?" He shook his head and smiled at her. "But we are. I'd do anything for her. She's my only family." She smiled at him a bit sheepishly. "Well, she was. I seem to have enlarged my family circle a bit now."

"Yes, you have." He shifted to face her a bit more. "And they will love you, Charlotte, because you are worthy, too." He leaned forward and kissed her, his tongue playing over her lips until she opened her mouth to him. Charlie sighed, sliding her arms around his neck and leaning into him. Damien moved the photos and box to his side, placing them carefully on the cushion next to him before pulling her onto his lap. He turned her to straddle him, sliding his hands up her thighs to her buttocks. He squeezed her ass, his lips moving down her neck as she arched her back to give him freer access to both.

"Cowboy, please, we have to stop" she moaned.

"I know," he countered, biting her nipple hard through the t-shirt. "I don't want to stop, dolcezza." He groaned and bit her nipple again.

"Fuck!" Charlie said as her hips jerked in response. Damien smiled and bit her other nipple a little harder, watching as her hips jerked again.

"I want to, my Charlotte. I want to fuck you until you start speaking in tongues to beg me to stop," he whispered, his lips against her neck and his hands at her hips. Charlie shuddered in his lap and he gave a soft chuckle, raising his head. She looked at him, her eyes bright and her cheeks pink. "I'm sorry, dolcezza."

"Not fair," she groaned. She put her hands on his shoulders and leaned back. They eyed each other heatedly, trying to get their breathing under control.

"I know," Damien said at last, moving her to sit at his side again. "I just couldn't help myself," he shrugged. He put his arm around her shoulder and she nestled against him as he put her keepsake box back on his lap. "Share some more?"

"Everything," Charlie sighed, resting her head against his chest as he pulled mementos out of the box and held them up for her to explain. They went through the box, until the last item had been explained, then sat talking and laughing softly, until Damien finally glanced at the clock.

"Why don't you go ahead and take a shower, Charlie. My parents will be here in about an hour."

"What?" she said, sitting up and looking at him with wide eyes.

"My parents will be here in an hour or so."

"Dammit," she said, jumping off his lap and standing before him, hands on her hips. "Why didn't you tell me it was so late?"

"I just did," he said with a laugh as she gave a huff.

"Not funny, cowboy," she said, stomping off to the stairs.

"Shouldn't you thank me for distracting you?" he called after her, chuckling as he stood up and fixed himself in his shorts. "It's not like this isn't just as hard on me, dolcezza. In fact, in some ways it's harder!" He laughed out loud as the sound of her frustrated grunt reached him.

Charlie hurried into the bathroom and put her hair into a messy bun on top of her head. She jumped in the shower, scrubbing herself down and rinsing off as quickly as possible. She felt nervous, but no longer panicky at the thought she would be meeting his parents in an hour, and she was grateful to Damien for making her forget, even if only for a little while. She stepped out and dried herself off, wrapping herself in the towel and heading for the closet.

She turned on the light and looked at her meager selection of clothes, sighing. She didn't have more than a handful of dresses, and none of them seemed appropriate. She wasn't any better off when it came to separates; a total of four blouses, two skirts and one pair of slacks made up the rest of her wardrobe. "I wish Becky was here," she sighed, wrapping her arms around herself. Becky always helped her look her best for any situation, and she could really user her advice now. Charlie giggled as she thought about calling Becky to ask her what she should wear to meet her soon-to-be werewolfs.

"What has you giggling?" Damien suddenly asked from the doorway, making her jump.

"For fuck's sake, cowboy!" Charlie squeaked, turning to face him. "Would you please, please, in the name of all you hold dear, stop sneaking up on me?!"

"Not likely, dolcezza." He walked over to her and put his arms around her, pulling her against him and kissing the top of her head. "You're just too cute when you jump." He chuckled when he looked down to see her scowl.




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 08



"You're incorrigible."

"Yes. And isn't it charming?" he teased, giving her his best 'I'm-oh-so-innocent' look.

"Not so much," she said, trying to give him a glare but not succeeding. "It's a good thing I love you."

He smiled at that, giving her a squeeze. "It's a great thing, a wondrous thing that you love me." He kissed her softly and smiled at her slight blush. "Now, tell me what had you sighing and giggling."

"I was trying to figure out what to wear, and wishing Becky was here to help me out -- she has impeccable taste -- and considered calling her for advice. I laughed when I thought how I would phrase my dilemma." Damien cocked a brow at that and waited for her to explain. "You know, calling to ask what is appropriate attire to meet the future werewolfs." She snickered again, shaking her head.

"I see," Damien said with a chuckle.

"I mean, I doubt it was covered by Emily Post or Modern Bride-"

"No, probably not."

"So her advice would be invaluable," she sighed, resting her head against his chest.

"It doesn't matter what you wear, Charlie. You know that, right?"

"It matters to me."

"Why?" She didn't answer, merely shrugged her shoulders and held him a little tighter. "I understand you're nervous. I understand your desire to make a good impression on my parents. But you have to believe me when I say there is no way -- no way at all -- for you to make a bad impression." He put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back slightly, looking at her closely.

"Do you want to know what will happen when they meet you?" he asked after a few moments, smiling when she nodded. "My mother will start to cry in joy at meeting the woman who made her son so happy and try to talk your ear off about how welcome you are to the family, and my father will scoop you up and start going on and on and on in Italian about your loveliness."

"Damien!" Charlie admonished, laughing. "You can't know that."

"Want to bet on it?"

"What's the wager?"

"Hmmm...how about if I win, you have to sing us all a song tonight."

"Any song in particular or one of my choosing?" she asked, hands on her hips.

"You can choose, but...it has to be a love song."

"And if I win?"

"If you win...I dunno. What would you like as your prize?"

"A year's worth of on-demand foot massages," she said instantly.

"Really?" Damien asked, laughing. "Not much of a prize, dolcezza, as I'm happy to do that anyway."

"Then we're even," she said, giving him an impish smile.

"I suppose we are," he said, holding his hand out to her. "Shake." She put her hand in his and squealed when he pulled her hard against him and kissed her fiercely. "It's a bet," he said, his voice low, when he finally broke the kiss.

"So it is," Charlie said, a little breathless. She stepped away from him and shook her head a bit. "And I am no closer to picking an outfit."

"Wear what you're comfortable in, my Charlotte. No need to dress up," he said, waving his hand at her clothes. "But you should decide soon."

"Oh?" she said turning back to the clothes hanging in front of her. "Why? What's up?"

"You only have about ten minutes," he whispered, bringing his lips to her ear.

"What?" she cried, turning and pushing him back. "You distracted me on purpose."

"Yes I did. Did it help?"

"Help?"

"Pass the time for you."

"You...you..." she began, but quickly stopped, looking at him and laughing. "Yeah. It did." He smiled at her. "It was still sneaky." She turned back and pulled a light sundress down from its hanger. It was a beautiful cotton dress in ecru, with a floral print all over. The bodice was fitted and snug, with cap sleeves, and the full, pleated skirt fell from the empire waist to just above her knees. She pulled it on and dropped the towel, turning her back to Damien. "Can you zip me up?"

He did, and turned her back around to face him, holding her at arm's length. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," Charlie said, feeling suddenly shy. She smiled at him again, and extricated herself from his hands. She picked up her towel and a pair of sandals and went back to the bathroom to drop the towel in the laundry, placing her sandals on the floor by the foot of the bed on the way. She took her hair down and brushed it out before putting on a little face powder, eyeliner and mascara, smiling at Damien through the mirror as he stood behind her brushing his own hair.

"Done?" he asked as she put her cosmetics back in the drawer.

"Just need some panties and my shoes," she answered as she head back into the bedroom.

"Do me a favor dolcezza," Damien said, following her and leaning against the door jamb.

"What's that?" she asked, stepping into a pair of plain white bikini panties and pulling them up her legs. Damien's eyes followed their progress and he gave a quiet groan when she raised her skirt to smooth them over her behind, giving him a glimpse.

"Wear that dress for me again after the mating," he said as she sat on the bed and slipped on her sandals. "Without panties." She looked up at him quickly, her eyes wide, and nodded.

"Happy to," she choked out.

"Come," he said, walking over to her and holding out his hand. "They're just pulling up, let's go down and meet them."

"Alright," she said, her voice croaky and her throat suddenly dry. She put her hand in his and let him pull her up.

They made their way downstairs in silence, Charlie gripping Damien's hand tightly and giving small smiles in response to his gently squeezing hers. "Relax, Charlie," he murmured as they left their apartment. "Your smiles look more like grimaces."

"Sorry," she managed to whisper as Darian and Eva joined them. They head down the stairs together, Darian and Eva in front of Damien and Charlie.

"You ready, Charlie?" Darian asked, looking at her closely over his shoulder.

"Not at all," she said, giving him a nervous smile. "But I never will be, so...." She trailed off with a shrug.

"That's the spirit," Darian laughed. "If you can't muster any real enthusiasm, go with reluctant acceptance." They all laughed at that, even Charlie, and it took some of her tension off.

"You look very pretty," Eva said as they reached the foyer.

"Thank you," she said, blushing slightly. "So do you." Eva had on a pair of denim capri pants and a gorgeous suede halter top with beaded fringe around the bottom. Her black hair shimmered in the light and her golden skin shone beautifully. Eva smiled and gave her a quiet thank you as the doors opened and Mr. and Mrs. Dimeo walked in.

"Mama! Papa!" Darian said, approaching his parents with open arms. They came forward and embraced their son, all three of them talking at the same time, their voices a happy song of reunion. Charlie looked at the elder Dimeos closely as they broke away from Damien to take turns hugging Eva.

David Dimeo was tall, nearly as tall as his sons, and just as broad across the shoulders. It was obvious he gave the boys his thick hair, his deep brown eyes and their fullness of lip, although his skin was slightly lighter and his face seemed sharper. His hair was short, and was just threading through with gray. He looked distinguished, wearing slacks and a well-fitting sport coat, like an elder statesman. His mate Diane was only a couple inches taller than Charlie, with a slim yet womanly build. She was much darker than her husband, and had the softer features shared with her sons. Her light brown hair was pulled back in an elegant chignon, and she wore a tasteful cream colored blouse and dark linen trousers. Together they made a gorgeous couple, and Charlie stood back feeling somewhat awed.

"Damy!" his mother cried, grabbing her other son in a fierce hug and kissing his cheeks noisily.

"Mama. So good to see you again," Damien said, smiling.

"Oh Damy!" his mother said, stepping back and cupping his face in her hands. "My Damy. You're back. You're really back. You make me so happy," she said, grabbing him in a tight hug again while happy tears fell down her cheeks.

"Yes, mama," Damien said, looking at his father over her shoulder.

"Let me at the boy, Di," his father said, putting his hand on her shoulder. She released him, nodding and smiling as Damien's father grabbed him in a tight hug. "Damien. I am glad to see you looking so good, so happy. Sono così felice che il vero voi è indietro," he said, his voice thick, as he released his son to look at his face closely.

"Papa. It's good to see you, too," Damien said, beaming. He reached back to where Charlie hovered and pulled her forward. "Papa, Mama, I would like you to meet my Charlotte. My mate."

"Mr. Dimeo, Mrs. Dimeo," Charlie said, her nervousness plain in her voice. "Nice to meet you." She held out her hand in introduction.

"No," David Dimeo said, looking at her and shaking his head.

"S-S-Sir?" Charlie stammered, her voice high. Shit, she thought, how'd I fuck this up already?

"Call me papa. I insist," he said, smiling. Charlie smiled back and nodded. "And I will not be satisfied with a mere handshake." He wrapped his arms around her tightly and scooped her up, spinning her around and laughing at her startled cry. "Devo dire ciao alla bella compagna di Damien correttamente!"

"Papa!" Damien said, laughing and shaking his head. "La mise giù, papa."

"Il tuo Charlotte è un bel fiore."

"Si, papa, si," Damien said as his father finally put her down. He leaned forward and kissed both of her cheeks.

"Charlotte, it is so nice to meet you."

"Thank you, sir," she said softly, her cheeks flushed.

"Let me say hello, David," Damien's mother said, nudging her mate back with her elbow. "Charlotte," she said, reaching out and taking her hands, "forgive my husband's exuberance. He forgets himself sometimes." The older woman openly appraised Charlie, looking her up and down. Charlie did everything she could to not squirm under the scrutiny, and was about to lose the battle when Diane spoke again. "It is so nice to finally meet you, to meet the lovely woman who makes my Damy so happy," she said, her eyes tearing again. "I am so happy you brought him back to us, Charlotte, and I am so happy you are joining our family." She let go of one of Charlie's hands and reached for Damien, tugging him over to stand next to his intended. Damien was only too happy to comply, putting his arm around Charlie's shoulders, the three of them making their own emotional trinity in the foyer.

"This makes me so....such joy, such love," Diane said, openly crying now. "Quanto è bello il loro amore, il mio compagno?" she said, turning her head towards David.

"Molto bello," David said, walking up to them and putting his arms around his mate.

"Si," Damien laughed, squeezing Charlie's hand.

"Walk with me, Charlotte," David said, pulling her away from the others and leading her down the hall to the main office. He slung his arm around her shoulders and shot a smile back at his son. "Tell me something about yourself."

"Mr. Di-," she began, but stopped herself, shaking her head at his reproachful look. "Sorry. What would you like to know?"

"Anything. Anything at all," he said, smiling down at her. Charlie gave him a tentative smile back, but was feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything.

"Fermare prendere in giro la povera ragazza, David," Diane said, coming up on Charlie's other side and taking her hand. Charlie looked back over her shoulder at Damien, but he offered no assistance and just smiled at her, tempting her to stick her tongue out at him.

"Non sto prendendo in giro, il mio amore. Voglio solo conoscere questa bella ragazza," he said, speaking directly to Diane over Charlie. She just shook her head at her mate.

"Don't mind him, Charlotte," she said as they entered the office.

"It's alright, ma'am," Charlie said, smiling. She saw an escape when David and Diane sat on the small loveseat together and immediately made her way to Damien's side. He took one of the wingback chairs and turned it to face his parents before sitting down and pulling Charlie on to his lap. Darian and Eva took the other chair in the same fashion.

"So," Diane began after everyone was settled, "tell me how you two met." She looked at Charlie and nodded.

"I, uh, I had a flat and was pulled over. Damien stopped to help me," she said, smiling and leaning back against him.

"He rescued you," his mother said, smiling and taking her mate's hand. Charlie laughed a bit and nodded. "And when did you know she was your mate, Damy?"

"Not sure, mama. But I think it was when I first heard her speak. I'll never forget what she said."

"What was that?" his father asked, smiling.

"I believe it was 'fucking fuckity fuck fucker'. But I might be paraphrasing a little."

"Damien!" Charlie said, groaning and putting her hands over her face as everyone else laughed.

"I mean, here was this beautiful, sexy woman on the side of the road, in shorts and a tank top, stomping about and cussing. As soon as I met her properly I knew." Charlie dropped her hands and looked at him, smiling and blushing. "And when she smiled at me the first time I realized I had lost my heart to her." Charlie kissed his cheek and sighed. "Of course, it took a little convincing for her to agree," he said, slipping his arms around her middle and squeezing.

"Oh?" Diane said, looking at Charlie. "I heard Damy's telling you what we are didn't go as planned."

"You can say that again," he mumbled into her ear, making her laugh softly.

"No ma'am. I don't think it did." She shot a look at Eva, who was watching her with a small smile on her face. "In fact, I think it's safe to say it couldn't have gone any worse."

"Please, Charlotte, call me Diane or mama."

"Alright," she smiled at Damien's parents, utterly charmed by them already. "Please, feel free to call me Charlie."

"So tell me, Charlie," David said, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. "How did Damy convince you not to run away when you found out?" His eyes were looking at her intensely, and Charlie had the impression that her answer was important. She met his gaze and never considered answering any other way than truthfully.

"You know, as angry as I got, I never even considered running away. I thought I should want to, but the option never seemed...it never seemed leaving him was really an option. When I thought about it, I realized even before I knew what he is, what you are, the idea of leaving him made me upset. Anxious. I can remember..." she closed her eyes for a moment, thinking, "I can remember at one point the idea of leaving making me feel as if my heart was being physically squeezed.

"I think I just knew. I felt safe with Damien, from the moment I met him. He surprised me, sure, but I was never afraid of him. Everything within me said I could trust him. Said I should trust him. And eventually...eventually I listened to my instincts and followed my heart."

"E ora, la nostra bella Charlie, si celebra il tuo accoppiamento gioiosa!" David said, standing up and pulling Diane to her feet.

Charlie looked at Damien to see him smiling at her and she shrugged. "I do believe you lost the wager, dolcezza. You owe us a song."

"What wager?" Darian said as everyone stood to make their way out to the bonfire and feast.

"Never mind what wager," Charlie said, laughing as Damien put his arm around her shoulder. "It's not important."

"Charlie will be singing us a song this evening," Damien said, squeezing her to him.

"I can't wait," David said, slowing to walk next to her as they head outside. He reached over and grabbed her hand, placing it at the crook of his elbow and pulling her away from Damien. "There is always a lot of singing and dancing at these gatherings," he said to her, giving her an indulgent smile. "I am sure your voice will be a welcome addition to our family."

"Thank you, s -- uh, papa."

They made their way to the commons area between the houses, dormitory and main house and barn. In the middle of the commons was a large ring with a huge fire in the center. Steel 'Y' rods around the fire cradled large sides of beef and pork on spits, being turned and roasted. Brightly colored and patterned blankets were laid out around the fire, interspersed with tables and chairs, and a long buffet table was set up with heaping bowls of potato salad, cut fruit and steamed vegetables. A lot of people that were milling about came up to the elder Dimeo's to pay their respects.

"No no no," David said when Charlie tried to move away. "Stay. You are part of this family now."

"Diane! David! So nice to see you both again," Meredith said as she walked up. "What brings you back home?"

"Damy's mating," Diane said, looking at the tall woman closely. "Did you think we wouldn't come back for it?"

"To the human? Yes. I would hope you would have higher standards for your son," she said with a sniff.

"Enough, Meredith," Darian said, his tone harsh.

'It's alright, Darian,' his father sent to him. 'It is not like us to try and gag the pack. Let her have her say. She's allowed at least that.'

'Between her and her daughter, they have done everything they can to insult Charlie at every opportunity, papa.'

'It doesn't look like she's too upset by her,' he said, causing both men to glance at her. She was watching the interaction, looking like she was trying not to laugh.

"We did," David said to Meredith, patting Charlie's hand where it rested on his arm. "We had the highest standards possible, yet Damien still managed to exceed them." He looked down at the small human at his side who smiled and blushed back up at him at the compliment. "We couldn't be more pleased."

"How is Mirabelle?" Diane asked, trying to steer the conversation away from her son's mate.

"I don't know. She was sent away by our alpha," Meredith said, giving Diane a smile that was nearly diabetic it was so sugary. "Apparently, she intimidated the human."

"My name is Charlotte, it is not 'the human'," she let go of David and made air quotes. "Charlotte. If that is too difficult to remember, you can refer to me as Ms. Bell until the ceremony; after which call me Mrs. Dimeo. Are we clear?" She was breathing rapidly and her cheeks were slightly flushed in her anger. She had finally had enough and was not going to let herself be insulted in front of her futures.

"Yes, Ms. Bell. I believe we are." She turned on her heel and briskly walked away.

Charlie turned to see everyone's eyes on her and cringed. "Sorry about that," she said. "I'm usually better at letting things like that slide. I don't know why I let it get to me."

"It's alright, dolcezza," Damien said, pulling her into his arms and away from his father.

"No need to apologize," Diane said, patting her on the shoulder as she passed. "She deserved much worse. I like that there's such fire in you." She leaned over and went on her toes to kiss Damien's cheek. "You got very lucky, Damy."

"Yes, mama," he said, his arms once again finding their way around her waist. He rested his chin on the top of her head and they stood with the rest of his family, greeting and talking with the pack as everyone who could gathered for the celebration.

After they ate, Charlie went around to talk with the people she had come to know over the past week. She sat for a bit with Anna, Tony, Zeke and Gray, catching up and laughing with them as they teased her about her nervousness in meeting David and Diane. She stopped to say hello to Lisa, and formally meet her mate Eric, and chatted with her a bit, before stopping amongst a small group of mostly couples to say hello to Lewis. The big guy proudly introduced her to everyone as his 'close good friend' Charlie and patted her head, making her smile. She made her way back to where Damien, Darian and Eva sat on a blanket, sitting next to him and sighing in contentment when he lay down with his head in her lap.




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 08



"Quite the social butterfly, aren't you?" he purred as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"Hush," she laughed as Darian stood up and head towards the large ring in the center. Eva stood as well, moving to stand with Diane and David towards the buffet table, leaving Damien and Charlie alone.

"Hello everyone!" he called, walking around the ring with the now low burning fire. "Tonight, we celebrate the return of our parents, the previous Alpha Pair, David and Diane Dimeo!" A loud cheer -- replete with howls as well as catcalls -- rang out as Damien's father walked over to his son and put his arm around his shoulder. "We also begin to prepare for the celebration of the mating of my brother and Charlotte." Everyone cheered and looked over to the couple on the blanket as Damien sat up, lifting a hand to wave and Charlie blushed at all the attention.

"Ah love!" David said, looking out over the pack. "Amore! As part of the Dimeo pack, everyone knows how important love is. It binds us to each other. It makes us be kind to one another. It ensures we help and protect each other." He walked over to where Damien and Charlie sat on the blanket and held out his hands, pulling both of them to their feet.

"So let us celebrate love -- the love of Damy and Charlotte. Let us celebrate amore!" he cried to the enthusiastic cheers of the crowd. "Musica!" he said, looking over at two men with acoustic guitars -- a six string and a twelve string -- strapped to them, signaling for them to begin to play. They began an upbeat tune that was tauntingly familiar to Charlie, but she couldn't quite place it at first. Then David began to sing, dancing about and encouraging everyone who knew the words to join in.

Quando sono solo sogno all'orizzonte e mancan le parole, Si lo so che non c'è luce in una stanza quando manca il sole, se non ci sei tu con me, con me.

 Su le finestre mostra a tutti il mio cuore che hai acceso, chiudi dentro me la luce che hai incontrato per strada.

Charlie looked around and saw most of those gathered smiling and singing along. She turned to Damien, wrapping her arms around him and laying her head against his chest, the sound of his deep voice reverberating against her cheek. She suddenly laughed out loud and leaned her head back to look up at him.

"Isn't this Donna Summer?" she laughed. Damien simply nodded and shrugged.

"It's a love song, dolcezza." He kissed her gently before picking up the song again. David rushed up to where they stood and pulled her from his son's arms to dance her around the fire as they all sang. Charlie just laughed, dizzy from the dance and sense of complete happiness she felt. Con te partirò. Paesi che non ho mai 0oadesso si li vivrò, Con te partirò su navi per mari che, io lo so, no, no, non esistono più, con te io li vivrò.

 Quando sei lontana sogno all'orizzonte e mancan le parole, e io sì lo so che sei con me, con me, tu mia luna tu sei qui con me, mio sole tu sei qui con me, con me, con me, con me.

Charlie looked around to see Darian dancing with his mother while Damien twirled Eva around. Their eyes met and she beamed at him. She noticed a lot of other couples dancing in the lowering night, the glow from the re-stoked fire making even those who didn't dance seem to move. She suddenly found herself passed off to Darian and smiled.

"How did that happen?" she asked as he spun her around.

"Just wait, Charlie, it's about to happen again." He lifted her hand over her head and encouraged her to pirouette, gently guiding her hips. She heard him laughing and suddenly came to a stop against a very familiar chest.

"Howdy, cowboy."

"My Charlotte," he said, looking at her intently. The emotions so plain in his eyes and on his face making her stumble briefly. He kept his eyes on her as they all wrapped up the song. Con te partirò. Paesi che non ho mai veduto e vissuto con te, adesso si li vivrò. Con te partirò su navi per mari che, io lo so, no, no, non esistono più, con te io li rivivrò. Con te partirò su navi per mari che, io lo so, no, no, non esistono più, con te io li rivivrò.

 Con te partirò.  Io con te... Everyone was laughing and applauding each other as the song ended. Charlie threw her arms around Damien's waist and held him tightly. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this happy, this secure; she wasn't sure if she ever had. Damien wrapped his arms around her and stroked her back. They stood like that for a few moments, as the guitarists played and sang, 'Crocodile Rock' this time. Some people joined in to sing along, but not as raucously as before. David and Diane had seated themselves on the blanket Charlie and Damien had vacated and waved their sons over.

Damien led Charlie over and sat down, pulling her to sit between his thighs and lean back against him. Darian and Eva sat on the opposite side of their parents.

"Did I hear someone say you were going to give us a song?" David asked, giving Charlie a wink.

"She is," Damien answered for her. "She is going to sing us a love song."

"What song are you going to sing?" David asked.

"I don't know. I hadn't decided. I guess it depends on what they know," Charlie said, nodding towards the guitarists. "Any special requests?" she asked David and Diane.

"Sing what's in your heart, Charlotte," Diane said, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Alright," Charlie said, giving Damien a smile that was both sweet and sultry. She stood up and smoothed her skirt down and made her way over to where the two guitarists were. They sat on a long bench behind the main crush of tables and blankets. She rolled her eyes a bit when she noted the group of females that seemed to follow the men, each of them vying for their attention. Guess it's the same for werewolves, she thought, remembering her performing days and how the girls would throw themselves at the boys in band.

Damien watched her approach the guitarists, Mark and Sean, his entire body suddenly tensing up as she started to talk with the two unmated males. He could see her smiling and laughing with them as they moved away from the group of females around them, and could feel the growl beginning in his chest. Charlie looked over her shoulder at him, a look of amused exasperation -- if there is such a thing -- on her face.

"Relax, Damy. No one will dare do anything to her," his father said, leaning over and placing his hand on his son's forearm. "She's perfectly safe and, if I may say so, perfectly in love with you."

"But, papa-," he began.

"Hush, Damy. Tutto quello che c'è da fare è guardare a lei per vedere quanto lei ti ama. Lei è perfettamente sicuro con Mark e Sean."

"Si, papa," Damien said, watching as Mark stood and started towards the fire, his hands flying up and down the neck of his guitar as he played a little intro, Sean and Charlie following behind. As the two guitars played against each other, hashing out a slow bluesy rhythm, Charlie stood up straight, leaning her shoulders back a little, and began to sing 'I'll Stand By You'.

"Tale grande voce da una piccola donna!" David said, leaning over to clap his son's shoulder. Damien just smiled and nodded, engrossed in watching his mate. He closed his eyes and let her voice -- her big, proud voice -- wash over him; going from soft and sultry to strong and certain as she sang about unconditional love. He opened his eyes to watch her sing the last verse and chorus of the song, smiling as she loosened up and began to perform, her voice ringing out her promise. "Wonderful!" David said, jumping up when she finished and leading the applause and howls, making her blush. "You have a gift, Charlie," he said, taking her hand and leading her back to the blanket the rest of the Dimeos were sharing.

"Thank you," she said softly, resuming her spot between Damien's legs. He immediately pulled her back against his chest.

"I love to hear you sing, dolcezza," he whispered, his lips against her ear. "I can't wait to hear you singing to our babies."

"Cowboy," Charlie sighed, tilting her head to nuzzle his nose with her cheek.

They stayed until well into the night, until the clean up was completed and all those who worked through the party had a chance to relax and enjoy themselves. The small group made their way back to the main house as the fire was finally doused and the last blankets were gathered to be washed for next week.

"So all your worrying was for naught," Damien said as they trailed behind the others making their way up the stairs.

"Yes," Charlie said around a yawn. "I suppose it was."

They said goodnight to the others at the second floor landing; David and Diane had decided to stay with the Alpha Pair, in order to give the newly formed couple privacy. They hugged Damien and Charlie, reaffirming their happiness at having met her and welcoming her again to the family. They agreed to meet for breakfast in the morning and parted. As Damien closed the door behind Charlie, she could hear his parents and brother speaking rapidly in Italian.

"You know, you could have warned me about all the Italian," she said as they made their way up to the bedroom.

"I did," Damien protested.

"All you said was your father was going to talk about me in Italian. You didn't tell me all of you were going to be speaking it all day," she tossed over her shoulder as she made her way into the bathroom.

"Did that bother you?" Damien asked, standing at the doorway, watching as she squeezed toothpaste onto her toothbrush and started brushing her teeth.

Charlie paused, glancing at him through the mirror, eventually shaking her head. She finished brushing her teeth, rinsing thoroughly before washing her face. She rubbed her face with the hand towel, folding it neatly on the counter when she was done and meeting his eyes through the mirror.

"It's not that it bothered me, Damien. It just..." she trailed off, trying to find the right words.

"It just...," he prompted, moving to stand behind her. He rested his chin on her head and held her hips in his hands, maintaining eye contact through the mirror.

"I wish I knew what was being said. And, honestly, I felt a bit too embarrassed to ask you what it all meant, and...," she trailed off again.

"Embarrassed?"

"Yeah. I didn't want to draw attention to the fact that I was the only person who didn't know what was being said."

"You weren't, dolcezza. Most of the pack doesn't understand Italian. Even Eva's understanding is limited. She can pick up on certain words, but she doesn't actually speak or understand it with any fluency."

"Really?" He nodded and kissed the top of her head.

"That's not it, is it?" he asked. She shook her head, leaning back against him. "Tell me."

"I was, well, kinda pissed about it, too."

"Why?" he asked, his brows furrowed.

"Because I felt like I shouldn't have to ask you."

He was quiet for a few moments, thinking about what she said. "You're right. I should have offered to translate, Charlie. And from now on, I will." She smiled at him. "All my parents were saying was how beautiful, how lovely, how perfect you are, my Charlotte. And how very in love with you I am." He slid his hands down her thighs and smiled at her through the mirror. "The same things I have been saying since I met you," he whispered, moving his lips to her ear, keeping their gazes locked. Charlie made a sound that was half sigh and half moan, making Damien smile. He started to slowly raise the hem of her dress, talking to her in a low voice. "Of course, I've also been saying how sexy you are. How good you taste. How hot and tight you feel around my cock."

"Damien," she breathed as he gathered her skirt above her waist, exposing her plain white cotton bikini panties. He bunched her skirt in his left hand and rubbed lightly along her crotch with his right, watching intently as she tried in vain to press herself more firmly against his hand. "You said we can't."

"Shhh...trust me," he whispered, his fingers making light circles on top of her cloth-covered mound. "Take off your panties," he said, his voice thick as he picked up on the scent of her increased arousal. She pushed them down her hips to her thighs before shimmying them down to her feet and stepping out of them, keeping her eyes on Damien's. "Hold your dress up for me, dolcezza."

"You're making me crazy, cowboy," Charlie said, grasping the skirt of her dress and balling it up at her waist. She leaned her head back against his chest and closed her eyes.

"Shhh," Damien said, his lips against her neck. He moved his right hand back between her legs, pushed his middle finger between her lips and began to rub back and forth, from the top of her pussy to her opening. He moved his finger slowly, torturously so, using the merest of pressure. Charlie whimpered, the sound low, almost sub-vocal, and Damien grinned. "Open your eyes, Charlotte," he whispered, watching as she slowly raised her lids and met his gaze through the mirror.

"Touch me, Damien," Charlie pleaded.

"Aren't I touching you now?"

"More," she sighed, pushing her hips out, trying to force contact. Her eyes dropped to watch his right hand. He used his index and ring finger to open her up, revealing the glistening rose hued flesh of her pussy, his long middle finger never ceasing its torment.

"Gods, you're wet," he breathed into her ear, the tip of his middle finger entering her briefly. Damien moved his left hand up her torso and covered her right breast, squeezing it rhythmically. His finger moved back up to her clit, smearing her wetness, rubbing it lightly, then sliding back down to fuck her a little bit deeper.

"Oh god I want you," Charlie said, her voice bordering on a whine. She watched, mesmerized, as he pulled his hand away from her sex to suck her juices off his finger.

"Spread your legs wider, dolcezza," Damien said, moving to stand in front of her. He sank slowly to his knees, running his hands up and down her thighs as he leaned is head forward and breathed in deeply. "I want to drink you down as you come in my mouth."

Charlie gasped as he attacked her pussy with his mouth. "Fuck. Damien," she moaned as her free hand fisted in his hair. He dragged his tongue from her opening up through her lips to circle and flick her clit. He pressed his face in to her and sucked it between his teeth, vibrating the tip of his tongue lightly against it as it swelled in his mouth. "Oh yes. There. Right there," she panted. "Please," she whined as he let go of her clit and ran his tongue up and down her pussy before fucking her with it. Charlie moved her hips against his face, trying to open her legs a little more, offering him freer access. She tugged at his hair, trying to move his mouth where she desperately wanted it, when he easily pulled away.

"You have the sweetest pussy," he whispered, spreading her lips open with his left hand and running his right index finger up and down her wet flesh. He raised his eyes to hers and smiled at their unfocused haziness. He blew his breath out against her clit and laughed darkly at her shiver.

"Damien," she sighed, looking down at him. Her hair tumbled down around her shoulders, throwing her face into shadow so that only her glittering eyes were visible.

"Eyes on the mirror, my Charlotte," he said. Charlie raised her eyes to their reflection, sighing as mirror Damien moved his head to lick her wetness off her upper thigh and she felt the moist scrape of his tongue on her skin.

"I love the way you taste," he breathed against her skin. She watched in the mirror as he turned his head and licked her other thigh.

"Stop teasing me, cowboy. Please," she whispered. He complied, sealing his mouth against her and sucking her flesh between his teeth. "Oh...Damien...please...," she moaned as he alternated between using suction and his tongue against her. "You have to stop. Please," she cried, pushing against his head with her free hand until he released her from his mouth.

"You haven't come, dolcezza," he said, leaning his head back to look up at her.

"Make love to me, Damien."

"No," he said, dropping his eyes.

"Damien, please. I want to feel you inside me. Filling me. Fitting me as only you do. Please." He wrapped his arms around her thighs and laid his head against her abdomen. "I trust you, Damien. I do. You won't hurt me," she said, running her fingers through his hair. "I need you, my love. I need to be wrapped around you."

He gave a groan and stood, picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder, carrying her out of the bathroom. She squealed in delight as he dropped her carefully on the bed. He undressed quickly as she reached behind to unzip her dress and pull it over her head. She lay back as he crawled over her, laying his full length upon her and sliding smoothly inside her. He began making slow and steady love to her as she wrapped her arms and legs around him.

"Damien," she sighed, her lips tickling the hollow where his neck and shoulders met. "You make me feel so real. So warm. So safe." She accented her sentences with soft kisses on his neck, making him groan. "You make me feel home, Damien," she whispered, moving her head to kiss him softly on the lips. "I love you so."

"I love you, Charlotte," he whispered back, kissing the tears that gathered at the corners of her eyes as he took them both beyond themselves. Took them to the place their souls met and danced and mated. Took them to communion.



The Hungry Wolf Ch. 09



Well hello again. 

I'm not going to rehash the reasons for my extended absence. If you don't know, and you're interested, it's on my profile page. I will only say again that it's not an excuse. I don't think I need to make an excuse.

Having said that, I do want to apologize. It is not fair to have left off this. , and even though it is understandable why it happened, I am sorry that it happened. Hopefully, it never will again. And as I am firmly in the 'boys are icky' camp, pretty safe to say it won't. 

This is a pretty short chapter, but one that took forever to get out. I was going to push forward but thought it ended on a great note. An awfully optimistic note. And the more I write, the easier it becomes, the more clearly I hear Damien and Charlie and everyone. So I, too, am optimistic about them. Funny how that works.

One final note – I had an issue with my email, and I wasn't getting anything from this site for months. If you emailed me and included your email address, I am sorry I didn't get back to you. I would have had I gotten your note. Still, I thank you for taking the time. 

Of course, I need to thank X for their song – for all their songs, really – and their many many years of delighting with their music. 

And I need to thank YOU. For reading, for encouraging, for your patience and your concern. 

Soo...let's get to it, shall we?

-W





The Hungry Wolf Ch. 09



"It was all confusion. We were making love in a field and a couple of pack members came upon us."

"Making love in a field," Becky reiterated, snickering at Charlie's blush. "Yeah, of course you would be. Go on."

"I started to shift, and Charlie went to run away from me. One of the pack tackled her, and I in turn tackled him. When I shifted back next to her-"

"On top of me," Charlie interjected.

"- she fainted." 

"Fainted!" Becky said, looking at Charlie, who nodded. 

"When she came to, she...well, let's just say it was a couple of days before she would accept me, accept what I am."

"I can imagine," Becky said as they stood and packed up their garbage. Charlie folded the blanket and they head back towards the truck. She remained mostly quiet for the drive back to the ranch. Just listening as Becky asked Damien about being a werewolf, the ceremony, his family, his ranch, the political structure, other packs; offering a little information here and there, but letting Damien answer on his own. 

"You know, I keep wanting to...step in and say you shouldn't do this, Charlotte," Becky said, surprising Charlie by the use of her full name. "No..." Becky shook her head, correcting herself, "I keep thinking I should want to. But I don't. It's like...even I can feel this thing between you two."

"Bond," Charlie said, smiling at her friend. "It's a bond between us."

"Yeah. Whatever it is, I can kind of sense it, too." Becky looked at Damien through the rearview mirror. "It's pretty amazing," she said, smiling at him. 

"I can't believe you're taking this so well," Damien said, smiling back at her. 

"Yeah, well, I've always been a bit more open to some things than a certain little cook we both know," Becky said, nodding her head towards Charlie.

"Oh?"

"I told you about that, cowboy," Charlie said with a giggle. She turned in her seat to look at Becky. "Still – this is kind of huge, Beck. Thanks for being so understanding."

"What kind of things?" Damien asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Ghosts. Angels. Demons. And of course werewolves and vampires. Standard gobbledygoo nonsense," Charlie said with a shrug.

"Clearly, Char, it's not nonsense," Becky said. She turned her attention back to Damien, "So, do they exist, too?"

"What? Ghosts? Not to my knowledge," Damien laughed.

"What about demons? Vampires? Witches?" Becky asked, leaning forward and putting her hands on the back of the seat in front of her. "What about werecats and werebears?"

Damien was quiet as he considered his answer carefully. Charlie could sense the question was making him tense, and she began to regret her friend asking it. At long last, he answered. "There are a lot of...beings that humans have villainized throughout history. I think it was to make themselves, their own behaviors and actions, seem less frightening. They create these myths, which are passed on from generation to generation, people to people." He paused for a moment, reaching over to take Charlie's hand. "And they are just that – myths. But all myths are fruit grown from a seed of truth." 

Becky regarded him closely for a few minutes before sitting back again. "Alright. I can accept that answer."

They turned down the ranch road and Charlie watched as her friend tried to take the vast landscape in. She glanced at Damien and noticed he looked a lot more relaxed. She smiled to herself, thinking she probably looked a lot more relaxed, too. 

"Any other questions before we go in and introduce you to everyone?" Charlie asked Becky as Damien pulled in to the garage.

"Just one," she said, getting out of the truck and turning to face Damien as he got her suitcases out of the bed. Her face and tone were serious.

"What's that?" Damien asked a little nervously.

"You're not a republican, are you?"

Charlie laughed so hard she snorted, which caused Becky to start laughing as well. Soon the two women were bent double, hands on each other's shoulders for support, as they laughed until tears wet both their cheeks, leaving Damien to wonder.

The introduction of Becky to Damien's family went off better than Charlie had dared to hope. Everyone accepted her as Charlie's family, and welcomed her readily. Becky seemed perfectly at ease with everyone, and for the first time, Charlie's anticipation of the mating ceremony outstripped her apprehension. 

The next couple of days were busy ones. Charlie spent the mornings at the Full Moon Saloon, teaching the cooks the new menu and making sure the correct stock was ordered. Becky tagged along, partly for moral support, partly to appease Damien's concern for her being there before she was mated to him, but mostly just to be with her friend. Charlie did her best to get to know all of the staff, but especially Henry. He was a little wary of her at first, but her enthusiasm and open friendliness won him over quickly. In fact, she won everyone over quickly, and by the end of the first morning, Damien arrived to find them all singing together in the kitchen.

The afternoons were spent learning the responsibilities of the Lead Beta and his mate, to both the pack and to the Alpha Pair. Damien spent the time taking Charlie around the ranch, introducing her to pack members and showing her some of the mechanics of running the ranch, and Darian and Eva showed her the wonderful world of ranch paperwork. Spreadsheet after spreadsheet, stacks of genetic registrations, grazing contracts, feed stock and receipts – the list went on and on. 

The evenings were spent socializing with the pack. At dinner, and afterwards mingling about. The entire ranch was gearing up for the hunt and the mating, and everyone popped in and out of the main house all evening. Charlie was a little nervous at first, not quite sure how Becky would be treated. Everyone knew who she was, and that she was here as her guest, but she wasn't sure how they would react to a human knowing about them. She needn't have worried, though. Everyone was welcoming to her. Becky was quick to make friends, and – much to Charlie's astonishment – make a date for the hunt with Anna. 

Late in the evenings Charlie, Becky, and the Dimeo family would retire to either Damien and Charlie's apartment or Darian and Eva's for some quiet time. Charlie readily acclimated to the large, affectionate family, feeling at ease with all of them almost instantly. She was gratified to see Becky feel the same way.

"You are getting a fantastic family," Becky said to Charlie. It was near midnight the night before the hunt, and they were sitting on the deck enjoying a glass of wine. Damien had gone up to bed an hour ago, giving the women some privacy. 

"Yeah, I am," she smiled at her friend.

"I'm happy for you, Char. And...more than a little jealous."

Charlie looked at her in surprise. "You have a great family, Beck."

"Yes, I do," she admitted. She drained her glass and stood up, stretching with a yawn. "I have a great family, Charlotte, and you're included in that." Charlie beamed up at her friend. "But we're not close, not tight like this." She paused and Charlie nodded at the truth of her words. "And I don't have someone in my life who needs me more than oxygen. I haven't yet met someone who loves me enough to give up everything to have me. And I haven't found someone I could give my heart to knowing with certainty – with all justifiable certainty – they will treasure it more than their own." She bent over and gave Charlie an awkward, one armed hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I am allowed my jealousy over that." She straightened up and head back inside. 

"Thanks, Becky," Charlie said quietly.

"Good night, Char."

"G'night."

Charlie listened to Becky washing out her glass before heading to the same room she had used after she found out about Damien. She thought about what Becky had said. She sighed, looking out at the starry night, a feeling of joy swelling within her. Becky was right, she was lucky. Her smile broadened as she thought about the big, handsome man sleeping upstairs. 

Her mind turned towards the mating ceremony, and she realized she was no longer afraid. She thought about being nude in front of everyone, she thought about Damien's family – and the entire pack – seeing her scars, trying to recall the dread and apprehension she felt, but couldn't. Instead her mind kept bringing up images of Damien's eyes as he moved inside her. She thought of the feel of his hands and mouth on her skin. She closed her eyes and imagined his bronze skin glistening in the firelight around the stone and sighed, feeling her pussy tingle and her nipples get hard.

"You, my friend, are horny," she said quietly to herself. They hadn't made love since the evening Damien's parents arrived. The preparations for Becky's arrival and the ceremony had been keeping them busy. By the time she got into bed, she was exhausted. Once she snuggled into his arms she was out for the night. 

Charlie sat up, wondering about the hunt. She knew the pack looked to Damien's kill as an omen on their mating. She chewed her bottom lip, her brow creased in concern – what if he didn't bring back something major? she wondered to herself. What if he did? was her next thought. Her lips spread in a private sultry smile, thinking about how he would want her to show her appreciation, what he might expect of her. 

"These thoughts are not helping," she muttered, feeling herself become more aroused. She stood, draining her glass before turning to go back inside, a small squeal escaping her when she saw Damien in the doorway. He leaned against the frame in his shorts, arms crossed over his chest and his legs crossed at the ankle.

"What thoughts would those be, dolcezza?" he said, giving her a boyish smile. 

She cocked her head, her eyes roaming freely up and down his body. Her body ached for him, physically yearned for him, but more than that, her being – essence, soul, call it what you will - cried out for him. She looked at his face, his expression still playful, and decided she didn't feel like playing games tonight.

"Thoughts of you inside me, Damien." She took a step towards him and stopped, watching him tense slightly. "Thoughts of you filling me." Charlie took another step forward and stopped, her eyes intent on Damien's face as he stood up straight, his arms to his sides, his hands in fists. "Thoughts of you completing me," she said, her voice thick with her want. 

"Charlotte," Damien growled, stalking towards her. 

"Damien," she breathed as he put his arms around her. He pulled her against him, his arms around her waist, as she slid her hands up and down his chest. "I need you."

He bent to kiss her, his hands moving to push her shorts down and steady her as she stepped out of them. He could smell her wetness clearly and groaned into her mouth. She undid his fly, her hands reaching in to stroke him as he shimmied out of his shorts. He slid his hands to her ass, lifting her off her feet against him. 

"Wrap your legs around me," he said, moving his lips against her neck. 

"Please, Damien. Please," Charlie moaned as she felt the head of his cock tease her clit. 

"Please...?" Damien prompted, his hands squeezing her ass as he maneuvered her against the wall next to the glass slider. Charlie moaned as his teeth found her earlobe. "Tell me what you need, dolcezza," he whispered.

"You...I need you," she said, pulling her head back to look into his eyes as she slid one hand between them to gently grab his sex. "Please."

Damien lifted her slightly as she guided his cock to her. "Move your hand," he breathed, slamming her down on himself as soon as she did so. She tensed her legs around him slightly as she cried out from the sudden invasion. He paused – one heartbeat, two – and began pumping, sliding in and out of her almost mindlessly. Her hands fisted in his hair as her hips moved, her heels against his ass and meeting him thrust for thrust. 

Their coupling was rough, furious, as they both released their pent up longing for each other. The night around them was dark and still, the only sounds were flesh against flesh and their harsh breathing as they fucked each other. Charlie felt herself start to come and dropped her head onto Damien's shoulder, biting down to muffle her moans. Damien felt her teeth against his skin and began pounding even harder into her, throwing his head back and grunting as he came. 

He slowly sank down on legs that felt like jello, settling on the deck, Charlie on his lap. She crossed her legs behind him and wrapped her arms around his head, holding him close. Damien nuzzled her, breathing in her heady scent, his hands running up and down her back as he caught his breath. "Better?" he asked after a few minutes.

"Mmmhmm," Charlie said sleepily. She could feel him slowly sliding out of her as he shrank; the feeling made her shiver. "Much better, cowboy."

"Come to bed, dolcezza."

"I don't think I can move," she said with a sigh. 

Damien chuckled, gently pushing her off his lap so he could stand again. "Come, my love, let me take you to bed," he said, bending down to scoop her up like a groom would his bride.

"Isn't that backward?" Charlie said with a yawn. She put her arms around his neck and laid her cheek on his shoulder.

"Hmmm?" Damien prompted as he carried her upstairs.

"Shouldn't you take me to bed and then fuck me?" 

"Thinking outside the box, my Charlotte," he said as they entered their bedroom.

"Oh, right," Charlie giggled as Damien placed her on the bed. She took off her t-shirt and bra and climbed under the covers, watching as he walked around to his side. She had a small, satisfied smiled on her face.

"What is that little smile about?" he asked, opening his arms to her. She lay her head on his shoulder and threw a leg over his. 

"I'm not afraid anymore, cowboy," she said, her voice low. She was making lazy circles in his chest hair with her fingertips. 

"You're not?"

"No. Not at all. Not about any of it." She shifted more to her stomach, propping herself up on one elbow to look at his face. "I'm anxious, but for it, not about it. I want to do this. I want to be this with you. I want to be this for you. I want to be this, be yours, for your family – our family – and our pack. When I think about it, when I think about our ceremony, all I feel is happy. All I see is what I see when I look in your eyes.

"All I see is love."

"My Charlotte," he said, tucking her hair behind her ear. His voice was barely above a whisper, but she had no problem hearing him. "I wish I could express how happy you make me. I wish I could find the words to tell you how I love you."

"You do tell me. With every look, every touch, every kiss. You do." 

"I cannot thank fate enough for bringing you to me," he said, running a finger along her jaw.

"I seem to recall you saying you wanted to curse the fates for making me your mate, cowboy," Charlie said, laying back down on her side.

"Did I?" Damien asked, settling her in his arms and turning off his bedside light.

"Yes, you did," she said, giving him a soft kiss on his chest. 

"Oh, yes. Right. Right. Now I remember."

"Quite the change of heart you've had, huh?"

"Well...yes. But I didn't know you were that good of a cook, you see," he said, squeezing her to him.

"Got to feed the beast, eh?" Charlie asked with a giggle.

"Exactly," he chuckled. "Now go to sleep. We've got a big day ahead of us." He kissed the top of her head lightly, making her smile. 

"Yes, we do," she said with a happy sounding sigh. She closed her eyes and was asleep within minutes.

The next morning dawned clear, the rising sun moving a Technicolor sky through purples, violets, pinks and blues. Charlie awoke to find Damien sitting on the edge of the bed watching her. 

"Morning," she said with a yawn, stretching cat-like beneath the blankets. "How long have you been up?" 

"An hour or so." He smiled, but his eyes were serious.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, dolcezza," Damien said, reaching over to caress her cheek. "Nothing at all. I didn't want to leave without a goodbye."

"Leave?" she asked, still a little fuzzy.

"I have to go and prepare for this afternoon," he said, trying to give her a reassuring smile.

"Oh. Right. The hunt." She shifted on the bed to look at him. "I really can't go out?" she asked.

"It's tradition, my love," he said, shaking his head. 

"Fine," Charlie huffed, pretending to pout. "You better bring back a bigfoot or something." Damien chuckled at that before leaning over to give her a brief kiss. 

"I will see you soon, dolcezza," he said, looking into her eyes for a lingering moment. He gave her another quick kiss before getting up and heading towards the door. He stopped, turning back to look at her. "And Charlotte? Make sure you wear a dress." 

With that he turned and left, closing the door gently behind him. Charlie watched him go, feeling the heat hit her face as she stared at the place he had been. She wasn't sure how Damien was going to expect her to show her appreciation, but she could think of a few that wearing a dress would make a lot easier. She giggled to herself, grabbing his pillow to her and breathing his scent in before snuggling down to get a couple more hours of sleep.

She was awakened a few hours later by her bladder, regretting splitting that bottle of wine with Becky the night before. She stretched with an audible groan before kicking the covers down and getting out of bed. She padded over to her dresser and threw on a pair of shorts and t-shirt before heading to the bathroom. She could hear the downstairs shower start and quickly finished up. Charlie headed down to the kitchen, deciding to make her friend's favorite breakfast. 

By the time Becky made her way to the kitchen, the homey smell of biscuits in the oven was mingling with the savory smell of ground sausage sizzling away in the skillet. Charlie was singing along softly with the music coming from the living room. 

"Is that biscuits and gravy I'm smelling?" Becky asked, getting a coffee cup from the c-upboard next to the sink. 

"It is," Charlie said, smiling. "I thought you might like a treat."

"You spoil me, Char."

"Yeah, I do," Charlie said with a shrug, making Becky give a little snort of laughter. "But you know what? I'm happy to."

"Need me to do anything?" Becky asked, leaning against the counter and watching Charlie stir the gravy in the pan.

"You know the drill."

"Okay. Okay. Getting out of your way," she said, moving to sit at the breakfast bar. She took a couple sips of coffee and watched her friend for a few minutes. Charlie was singing along to 'Cold As Ice', and Becky smiled, thinking about how much more relaxed and sure of herself her friend seemed. 

"Where's tall, dark and besotted?" Becky asked.

"'Tall, dark and besotted'? Funny, Beck."

"I thought so." She took a sip of coffee. "So where is he?"

"He's preparing for the hunt."

"Already?"

"Yup." Charlie turned off the burner and moved the pan to a cool side of the stove. She grabbed a towel and moved to take the biscuits out of the oven, shaking them on to a waiting plate before placing the baking sheet in the sink. "I think he has to meet with Darian and then the men he's hunting with."

"Only men, huh?" Becky sniffed.

"Call off the bra burning, Ms Steinem. He's the pack member, so it's men. If it were me, it would be women."

"Bra burning? Really? I think I'm more suffragette, my friend." She batted her eyes dramatically at Charlie over the rim of her coffee cup.

"Nice, Beck," Charlie laughed, getting two big bowls out of the cupboard and dishing them both up. She placed them on the breakfast bar before coming around to sit next to her friend. Becky was already eating, a look of pure happiness on her face. 

"Mmmm, Char. I missed your biscuits and gravy," she said between mouthfuls. 




The Hungry Wolf Ch. 09



"I showed you how to make it, Beck."

"I know. It just tastes better when you make it." Charlie just laughed and shook her head, but Becky knew she was pleased with the compliment. 

"I am so glad you've taken all of this so well, Beck," Charlie said after a few moments. 

Becky looked at her speculatively for a minute. "Did you expect me to faint?" she teased.

"Oh ha ha."

"Really, Char. It's weird. It is. And I don't know that I won't be a little overwhelmed when I'm surrounded by people who change into wolves. But it won't freak me out."

"Yeah. I don't think it will, either." Charlie considered her friend briefly. "You're amazing."

"This is true," Becky said, trying to sound serious but not quite succeeding. They ate in silence for a bit. "I can't believe you fainted."

"I know," Charlie said with a self-conscious laugh. "And once he explained everything I got really pissed off."

"Why?"

"I was mad that he didn't tell me this before, you know? Because...I think because it was so shocking. I had just made up my mind to stay a few more days. I had just decided that maybe we had a chance of something. And then I find out he's something more than human. I felt almost tricked." She took a bite of gravy-soaked biscuit and chewed for a moment before continuing. "I was so pissed. I told him I wanted him to stop being a werewolf."

"Really? What did he say?"

"At first he changed to the wolf to avoid answering me."

"He didn't!" Becky said, looking at her friend closely. Charlie looked back at her friend and nodded. "Dork," Becky said with a giggle.

"Doofus," Charlie laughed.

"Dweeb."

"Dingus."

"Oh my god, Char," Becky laughed, "now you know what you can name your kid."

"Dingus Dimeo!" they both said, bent over with laughter. 

"That would be one way to keep that tradition alive," Becky said when they finally calmed down. 

"I think that is one tradition we can let die," Charlie said with a chuckle, clearing the breakfast dishes and putting them in the sink.

"You think?" Becky asked, pushing Charlie out of the way and filling the sink with warm soapy water. 

"You know, thinking back...as mad as I was...I don't know that I could have left him," Charlie said, leaning against the counter next to the sink.

"From what I've learned, you probably couldn't."

"No. I mean....I don't think I could have brought myself to even try to leave."

"Why do you say that?"

"The next day he was gone, running errands or something, and I was going to get in the shower when I noticed all this wolf hair all over the hallway floor, and the thought that went through my mind was that my boyfriend sheds." Becky giggled at that, making Charlie giggle a little herself. "And I think that's when it first really hit me that I was falling for him. Or had fallen for him." Charlie amended with a shrug. "That night was when he proposed, and said he would live in my world if I wouldn't live in his." 

"That's...that's love, Char. That's what it's all about."

"I know," Charlie said, drying the dishes as Becky placed them in the drain. "I was still so overwhelmed, you know? Confused. But that...that love...I knew it was real. I just didn't know...anything else." She dried the silverware and put it away. "Actually, that's not really true. I knew I needed to call you." 

"I knew something was up when you called. I just had no idea it would be..." she gestured with her elbow.

"Yeah?"

"I could just hear it." She finished washing the gravy pan and rinsed it before placing it in the dish drain. "For what it's worth, I'm glad you stayed."

"Me, too," Charlie said, drying the pan and putting it away. 

They worked together cleaning up the kitchen, their conversation moving easily to motorcycles and Becky's search for a Royal Enfield. By the time they were done cleaning they had moved on to debating which celebrity had the nicest butt and if it was a superpower and if so how they could use that superpower for good. They ended up sitting in the living room, laughing so hard their abs hurt, creating new superheroes whose powers came from their bodily functions, and deciding who would play them in the movies.

The day flew by for the two friends. They talked. They watched a little TV. They listened to a little music. Before either of them knew it, it was time for Charlie to get ready. She took a long shower, carefully shaving her underarms and legs. She decided to completely shave her sex, giggling to herself as she imagined what Damien's response would be. He'd never complained about her hair, never even hinted that he didn't like it, and considering how often his face was between her legs she was certain he didn't mind it at all. She paused, wondering if it was taboo for werewolves, if she might be breaking some kind of pack law. She looked back down at herself and, realizing she was half done already, figured that if it did, it did; it was only hair and would grow back. 

She finished up and got out of the shower, standing on the mat, looking at herself in the mirror. She catalogued everything about herself frankly; her full breasts that hadn't seen perky since she turned 21, her soft abdomen – proof that she liked eating far more than exercising, her hips that flared out nicely from her waist, the way her legs tapered down to her ankles. Finally, she looked at her scars. 

She noted the way some scars were a shiny pinkish color, and some were almost cafe-au-lait. She saw drops of water slowly running down a couple of the deeper ones, and sighed. Closing her eyes, she splayed her hands over them, caressing her abdomen like Damien did at times. She felt the different textures, easily knowing the difference between healthy and marred skin. She smiled, opening her eyes back up and looking at herself again. Damien had to be able to feel the difference, too, but he treated every inch of her as his most treasured gift. 

She grabbed a towel and dried herself off before wrapping it around her hair in a turban. She got out her cosmetics – what little she had – and carefully made herself up a bit. She took the towel off her head, hanging it up before grabbing her comb off the counter and slowly running it through her hair, combing it until it was glossy and smooth and just barely damp. She put on her bra and panties before leaving the bathroom.

She walked over to the bed and picked up the dress she had bought for tonight when she had gone shopping with Eva and Diane last week. It was red cotton, with a Peter Pan collar, cap sleeves, and empire waist. The skirt was full and stopped just above her knees, with a delicate lace detail at the hem. She slipped it on over her head and moved to the full length mirror. She had to admit Eva was right – it was perfect for her. She twirled in front of the mirror, gauging how high up the skirt went. She considered for a moment, head cocked, before reaching under her dress to remove her panties, blushing madly as she did. 

"You better bring back something huge, cowboy," she said to herself with a giggle. She slipped on her keds and head back downstairs. Anna was coming to escort them to the ceremonial grounds, and she didn't want to keep her – or Damien – waiting. 

"What time is Anna coming?" Charlie asked, walking towards the living room. She stopped just inside the room as Anna and Becky jumped apart to opposite ends of the couch. "Well then, I guess that would be now, wouldn't it," she said with a giggle.

"Hi Charlie," Anna said, her voice thick. She cleared her throat. "You all set?"

"I am. Sorry to have kept you waiting." Charlie looked at Becky, snickering a bit at her flushed cheeks. "You need to freshen up, Beck? Maybe...?" she wagged her eyebrows suggestively at her friend.

"Oh hardy har har, Char," Becky said, standing up. "Not like she was fucking me against the patio wall." 

"Oh shit! You heard that?" Charlie asked, her cheeks getting red.

"No," Becky laughed. "But I found your guys' clothes out there, and it wasn't too difficult to figure out what happened."

"And now is the best time for you to bring it up?" Charlie said, nodding at Anna.

"Please, Charlie," Anna said, putting her arm around her shoulders. "There's actually going to be a lot to see tonight and tomorrow night. No guessing necessary."

"I know. I know," Charlie said, a small smile playing on her lips.

"What's that look about?" Becky asked as the three turned toward the door to head out. She reached out and took Anna's hand.

"Just...nothing." 

"Huh. It didn't look like 'nothing'."

"Just thinking about it all, you know?" she said with a shrug as they walked out to Anna's waiting Subaru. Charlie got in the back seat and buckled up. "It still seems like a dream sometimes." She drummed her fingers on the seat next to her thighs. "But a really good dream."

She was quiet for the rest of the ride. Just looking out the window while Anna and Becky talked quietly in the front seat. They turned down the road to the ceremonial ground and Charlie leaned forward, her excitement rising. Anna pulled over to park the car and Charlie jumped out almost before she'd come to a complete stop. 

"Eager much, Char?" Becky teased as she got out.

"What?" Charlie said, walking ahead of them. She turned around, walking backwards to keep talking to Becky and Anna. "You guys are just too sl- Ooomph!" she grunted, tripping over something and falling hard on her ass. 

"Are you alright?" Anna asked, rushing over to her as Becky laughed.

"I'm fine," Charlie said, standing back up and brushing off her backside.

"No. You're out of control," Becky said, chuckling as she helped her friend brush the dirt off the back of her dress. Luckily it hadn't rained in over a week, so the dirt was dry and came off easily. 

"I am not."

"O. O. C," Becky laughed, emphasizing each letter.

"Oh...shut it," Charlie said with a giggle, poking her friend in the shoulder as the three walked together. She had her hands splayed over her stomach as they came into the clearing around the stone, sure if she moved them the butterflies in there would burst out. 

Cheers and howls rang out as the assembled pack spotted Charlie. She smiled at everyone as she made her way to where David, Diane, Eva and Darlene were sitting, trying to hide her shock at just how many of the people milling about were naked. She glanced over her shoulder at Becky, chuckling to herself at how unaffected her friend was by everything. She took a seat with Damien's family and was just starting to relax into the conversation when howls sounded from the woods on the far side of the clearing. 

"Rise, Charlie, it's time," Diane said, reaching over to give her hand a squeeze. 

Charlie stood and walked towards the stone on legs that felt like solid lead. She knew what was going to happen. She knew Damien would bring her his kill, and she would have to accept it or reject it. But knowing and doing were two totally different things. She stood up straight and faced the woods as another volley of howls rang out into the darkening evening.

Her breathing quickened as she saw the wolves slowly start to emerge from the tree line. They walked around the stone and sat, forming a sort of half-circle behind her. She counted 15 total, and thought she recognized Lewis among them, even though she couldn't place any of the others. She knew Darian and Grant and Tony were there, but she couldn't pick out who was who.

The wolves behind her suddenly howled in unison, making Charlie jump slightly. She glanced over towards Damien's family to see if they'd noticed and his mother gave her a gentle and reassuring smile. She took a deep breath and turned her attention back to the woods. 

Damien slowly emerged, his jaws around the neck of the biggest elk she had ever seen. She released a breath she didn't even realize she had been holding and mentally chided herself for ever doubting his ability. He dragged the huge animal towards her, and she could see the muscles in his haunches bunching and straining. He laid the carcass at her feet and raised his head, looking at her over it.

Charlie looked down at the elk. It must have weighed over a thousand pounds. The antlers easily spanned four feet and were nearly as high. He must have worked very hard to bring this one down. She knew the others were not allowed to assist in any way. She raised her head to look at Damien. He was panting slightly, his ears forward. Blood coated his muzzle and chest. 

She thought he looked majestic.

A slow smile spread across her lips as her eyes met his. Gone was the playful puppy dog look he had used before. It had been replaced by this beast, this hunter, this super predator. He drew his lips back, baring his teeth to her in what looked like a snarl, and she smiled wider. 

She was not afraid. Far from it. 

She was turned on.

He lifted his nose, his nostrils flaring at the end of his snout as he smelled her arousal. He became still, his flanks barely moving with his breathing, watching her.

"Thank you, Damien," she said softly, moving around the elk. She walked along his side, leaning against him, mimicking the way another wolf would rub against him to get her scent on him. 

Accepting him in front of the pack.

Everyone cheered and howled when she reached his haunches. She stopped, a hand on his back, and looked at him over her shoulder. "How can I show you my appreciation?" she said, her voice low. 

Damien swung around quickly, kicking dirt over the elk as the other wolves from the hunt came to drag it away. Charlie took a couple steps away from him and paused, looking back over her shoulder at him. Damien growled low in his chest, and she gave a little nod, knowing what he wanted. She walked towards the woods, letting her hips sway as much as possible. She knew he was following her, even though she couldn't hear him. 

Everyone around them was watching their little play. Damien's parents sat with their arms around each other, smiling at the way the Charlie and Damien interacted. Diane turned to David and kissed his cheek, nuzzling him briefly, and David squeezed her in response. Charlie and Damien were unaware they were so entertaining to everyone. But even if they'd known, they wouldn't have cared. 

Charlie looked back over her shoulder again. Damien was low to the ground, stalking her, the blood on his fur making him look fierce, and for a flicker of a moment she actually worried she would get so wet it would run down her legs. Damien gave another of those deep growls when he saw her looking at him.

"Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?" she sang softly, turning back around and walking faster towards the woods. Damien chuffed loudly. "Oh I know that's not fear you're smelling, cowboy. And I know it's making you...hungry," she giggled as she reached the tree line. 

She ran into the woods, not worried about where she was heading, knowing she wouldn't be going far. She had gone no more than fifteen feet when Damien jumped out in front of her. She gave a half laugh-half shriek and changed directions, running another ten feet or so before he jumped in front of her again. She laughed and turned again, but was very quickly stopped again by the big black wolf. She backed up, panting a little, as he moved towards her, until she backed into a large tree.

"What big eyes you have, cowboy," she said, as Damien paced in front of her, keeping his eyes steadily on her face. "All the better to see what you want?" She slid her hands from her hips down her thighs, making sure he was watching before she used her fingers to slowly draw up the hem of her skirt.

"What big ears you have, cowboy." She gave a sultry sounding laugh and smiled at Damien. "All the better to hear me beg, hear me moan, hear me scream your name?" 

Damien stopped pacing, turning to face his mate, growling louder. Charlie's eyes widened as the sound sent a shiver through her body. She was so turned on it was nearly painful. Damien slowly licked his muzzle, and it was her turn to follow his movement with her eyes. 

"And my my my...what a big tongue you have, cowboy," she said, sounding a little breathless. Her eyes were shining beneath heavy lids as she finally raiser her skirt above the level of her hips. "I hope it's all the better to eat me with." 

Damien thought he might combust from desire when she spread her legs. Not only was she not wearing any panties, but she had completely shaved herself. Her pussy glistened in the firelight that was able to penetrate from the clearing, reflecting flickering tones of gold and rose. Damien had never seen anything so enticing.

"Do you like it?" she whispered, suddenly feeling unsure as he hadn't moved. She let go of her dress and he gave her a growl that ended in a bark. She immediately pulled her dress back up to her hips.

He liked it very much. 

Damien slowly approached her. Charlie watched, her breathing shallow, as he sat back on his haunches directly in front of her. She could feel the humidity of his breath as he dipped his head forward. Damien ran his tongue lightly up her right thigh, stopping when reached the juncture of her hip. He nuzzled her sex, saturating his senses with her scent and making her hiss when his cold nose touched her super-heated skin. 

He pulled his head back and sat for a moment, panting a little himself. The urge to just take her was almost overwhelming, and Damien wanted to go slow. 

"Please," Charlie sighed. She spread her legs a little more, opening her cunt to him, and he was undone. He leaned forward, his long tongue snaking out and he began lapping at her pussy. She felt more sensitive, almost over sensitive, and she tilted her hips forward, placing her left hand on top of his head, her fingers curling in his fur. "Oh...Damien...please," she moaned.

He used his tongue to fuck her, wriggling it as he thrust it in and out. She started moving her hips in time with his tongue, her breathing catching every time his nose bumped against her clit. His drool mixed with her juices and ran slowly down her thighs. Her soft moans were nearly drowned out by his growls and grunts. He moved his tongue, flicking it over her clit rapidly.

"Damien...please...oh god...please suck my clit," she begged. She felt a vibration travel up her arm from the hand that was still fisted in the fur at the back of his head as he changed forms. 

"You make me crazy," Damien growled. He used his hands to spread her pussy open and sealed his mouth over her. He sucked on her clit, drawing it into his mouth and fluttering the tip of his tongue on it.

"Yes...oh don't stop...don't stop...oh god, make me come," she panted. She had let go of her dress and had both of her hands in Damien's hair. Damien bit down on her clit, and Charlie exploded, her orgasm ripping through her as she cried out his name. He released her clit and ran his tongue up and down her lips as her body slowly stopped shaking. 

Damien reached up and disentangled her hands from his hair. He scooted back and laid down, pulling her down on top of him. "Ride me," he growled. 

"Yes," Charlie sighed, sliding down on top of him slowly. She put her hands on his abdomen and started doing as he wished. She would rise up just to the point he almost slipped out of her before slowly lowering herself back down. "Fuck. You feel so good," she moaned, moving a little faster. He reached up and tugged the front of her dress and her bra down, lifting her breasts out so he could cup them and play with her nipples. 

She leaned forward, planting her hands on either side of his head, and began rocking back and forth. She bent down and kissed him, licking and nibbling on his lips briefly. She lifted her head and Damien moved his mouth to her breasts, alternating between biting and sucking on first one nipple then the other.