Amanda's POV:
I watch Bryan shift mid-air into his wolf. It's honestly the first time I've seen his wolf. We haven't reached the point of shifting in front of one another. He didn't want me to feel uncomfortable or frightened, so he was taking this slow for my sake.
But, today, he shifted in anger and to be honest, I am shaken to my core. The power and anger rolling off of him as he said "He will NEVER get his hands on you!" instilled a new level of fear. I didn't realize I had slumped to the floor, shaking, tears streaming down my face until I felt everyone engulfing me in a major group hug.
Rain clouds roll in and a downpour begins crashing down on the earth. I can hear the group spilling their love and support into me. Whispering words of encouragement. My body stops shaking and my nerves calm down. I collect myself as the storm outside slows to a drizzle. I look at Whitney.
"Please help me to my room." Without any hesitation, Whitney and Claudia flank my sides and support my weight as we ascend the stairs. They lay me down and cover me with blankets, quietly leaving me to my thoughts. With tears sliding down my face, I let sleep take me.
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I feel the bed dipping and his familiar scent of ocean breeze mixed with cedar fills my nose. His arms wrap around my body and pull me close. I sigh as my eyes flutter open. I reach my arm outside of the blanket and find his hand, intertwining our fingers.
"I know I scared you. It wasn't supposed to happen this way. I won't apologize because you deserve so much more than an apology." he whispers in my ear, his warm breath against my neck. "Words cannot express how deeply I love you. I will protect you with every fiber of my being. I just—I just lost it—I felt your fear of me. The storm, our link, your face said it all." I remain quiet and still, listening to his explanation. "Baby, please turn around and look at me."
At his request, I roll over facing him, his words still swirling in my mind. I have already forgiven him. I am just caught off guard as there is still a lot about this new world I don't understand, but I'm not about to let one mistake ruin what we have. I remain silent as my eyes slowly take in his form and up to his face. It's then I notice the tears, the regret, the fear in his eyes. I reach up and cup his face. I pull him down until our lips meet. I kiss him softly at first, but with so many emotions inside of us, our kiss deepens and the passion explodes. I wrap my arms around his neck and feel his hands explore around my waist underneath my shirt.
He needs me, he needs contact with my skin. I need him, too. I feel our bond intensifying with each passing day. As much as he is trying to take things slow with me, I am more than ready to give myself over to him. I break the kiss and lean my forehead against his. We are both breathing heavily, no words, just raw emotions. I lean my face back so I could look into his steel grey eyes. I need to see into him. He stares at me, his confusion evident. I haven't spoken. I know he is waiting for me to say something.
"Make love to me, Bryan." I say softly. His eyes widen and his breath hitches.
"Wha—what did you say?" as if my words are lost on him. I pull in to kiss him again. Our tongues immediately battling for dominance. I rub my hand down his chest to the hem of his shirt and then, rub back up his chest, the skin to skin contact setting us on fire. His one hand lowers and squeezes my butt while the other travels north and rubs my chest. I moan, causing Bryan to roll me on my back.
He stops to look into my eyes again. "Baby, are you sure?" I nod and give him a sheepish smile. After stripping ourselves of our clothes, he begins to kiss my body, only increasing my need of him. He kisses his way back to my neck and nibbles on my ear as his hands travel back down my body to my now wet core. He teases me with light touches and whispers sweet nothings in my ear until I feel his fingers enter me. I moan with pleasure as Bryan will be my first and my last. His touch is so gentle my heart and body yearn for more.
He rolls on top of me, ensuring his weight is support. I surprise him by reaching down and stroking his already hard member. His groans give me the confidence to continue. He aligns himself with my core as he slowly enters. At first, the pain is intense. He stays still a moment as my body adjusts and then, he starts to slowly make love to me, taking such care and tenderness. His thrusts are slow and steady. He doesn't want to hurt me. I appreciate how much he is paying attention to my body, my sounds, my needs.
Feeling him inside me feels like we have only just breached the surface of the ocean, the depths our love could reach is immeasurable. I've never been so connected with someone and I relish in our bond as it snaps into place. His thrusts begin to increase in pace and intensity. This whirlpool of passion, love, and desire is about to boil over. We both reach our climax and collapse together, finally completed the mating process.
He knew our first time might be painful, especially for me, and he took great care so the pain is minimal. We are left a sweaty mess on our bed and lay in a naked embrace afterwards. He nibbles down my neck and kisses my mark, even though it didn't appear on my skin like normal weres. We chalk it up to my being human, or whatever; however, his kisses there still send shivers down my spine. Goosebumps ripple my naked body.
"I love you, Bryan." I whisper. "I want to meet your wolf. I want to meet Max." I say softly. I feel him nod his head while still nuzzled in my neck. It is his turn to remain silent. We stay this way for several minutes.
"Let's shower and eat first, then, I'll let you meet him." he stammers almost as if he has lost trust in his control. Although earlier today scared me, I am not afraid of Bryan, or Max for that matter, even though we haven't formally met. Bryan picks me up off the bed and carries me into the bathroom. He sets me on the edge of the tub while he starts the water, checking the temperature. He helps me in and I see his darkened eyes carefully covering every inch of my naked form. I do the same. He sits behind me and rubs my shoulders. I sigh at how strong his hands are and how nice this massage is. He then takes the loofa and body wash, creates suds, and begins washing my body.
After my back, I lean back against his chest, granting him access to my front. He rids himself of the loofa and uses his soapy hands to rub up my stomach to both breasts. I moan with pleasure, feeling the fire build again. He nibbles my ear and whispers "I want to make you feel so good, baby. I want every inch of your body to feel pleasure. I want to see your body shake with the ecstasy I can bring you." I close my eyes and allow his hands to explore my body. I can't control the moans I release. He rubs and massages all the right places. He whispers more sweet nothings into my ear as my need for release builds. I'm close to the edge when he slides into my most sensitive spot. I explode into that very ecstasy. He allows me time to fully experience this high before he finishes washing me and kissing me neck. He stands me up, but before we leave the shower, he makes love to me a second time. It is blissful and he is all mine.
After getting dressed, we head downstairs to grab a late dinner. We sit in a comfortable silence while we eat, my mind replays the events of the day. And night. I can feel my nerves and excitement grow at the thought of meeting his wolf, Max. I wonder what my wolf will look like and my wolf's name will be. My wolf hasn't really talked to me and I'm not really sure how all of this will work, but I guess I am about to find out as Bryan stands up from the table and gestures for my hand. I grab it and he quickly pulls me up from my chair, interlacing our fingers.
He leads me to the back door and into the dark, cool night. He leads me down a familiar path toward the pier, but veers to the left, deeper into the woods. The lake stays in our sights, I allow my eyes to drift to the scene, watching the subtle waves lapping against the shore. The moon is glistening and sparkling like diamonds on the surface. I take a deep breath and appreciate the peace of the evening.
Bryan leads me even further into the forest. I can see a little clearing ahead as the waning moon beams from overhead light our destination. It isn't a full moon, but it will be soon. Suddenly, Bryan turns to face me. His steel grey eyes stare intensely into my hazel ones. This silence is deafening. I see his jaw clenched. He closes his eyes and I'm starting to worry.
"Brya—" He shakes his head to stop my talking. I sigh in confusion. Does he not want to do this? Is he afraid that I will run away? Scream for the hills? Does he not trust me? I don't understand him right now and it is starting to piss me off. A streak of lightning bolts across the sky. His eyes shoot open as he takes in my obviously annoyed, slightly angered face. After a few more moments, a smirk rises on his face.
"You're so fucking sexy when you're mad." I roll my eyes and cross my arms, still annoyed.
"You're not helping. I don't get these emotions you're showing. What's wrong? Do you not want me to meet Max?" I huff exasperated. He smiles gently taking my arms apart and sliding his hands into mine, pulling me in close.
"Trust me, love. Some of these emotions are very new to me, too, which is why I'm hesitant. I can't wait for you to meet Max, just lacking a little confidence after what happened today. My first goal is to always protect you." My face softens and I simply nod. He takes a deep breath. "So, in order to prepare you for this, let me just walk you through it. First, if we know in advance that we are going to shift, like tonight, we can strip down so our clothes aren't ripped to shreds." My face blushes as flashes of his naked body streak across my memory. He smirks and shakes his head. "If we have to shift unexpectedly, well, the clothes are simply a casualty. Second, you will hear my bones cracking as well as fur beginning to appear on my skin." I listen intently. "It usually takes me less than 30 seconds to finish shifting."
"Does it hurt?"
"My first time, yes, excruciating! But, after that, I knew what to expect, so it took less time and less energy and, in turn, less pain."
"Great! Something to look forward to." I shudder at the thought of myself going through my first shift. Bryan walks toward me.
"You will be fine. We will all be around you, talking you through it. By the next full moon, you will be ready and prepared," he states confidently.
"By the next full moon?!! WHAT?! That's—that's in like—a few days! Oh my god, Bryan! What are you saying to me right now?!" I am full on panicking at this point. He wraps his arms around me and I feel my breathing even out.
"Baby, trust me, everything will be fine. Now, do you want to meet Max or not?" I nod my head still buried into his chest and mumble a muffled "yes" before he takes a step back. "Okay, just stay calm and remember that's it me and I, nor Max, will ever hurt you." he smiles with a glint in his eyes. He is so incredibly handsome. Bryan strips off his t-shirt and slides his basketball shorts down to the ground, tossing both articles of clothing toward my face. I laugh and begin folding his clothes before the gut-wrenching cracking and snapping of bones captures my attention. My eyes widen as I watch him shift into Max. In a matter of seconds, there stands a chocolate brown wolf with gold eyes. The exact opposite of the steel grey eyes I am so used to seeing in his human form. It takes me a moment to move toward him as I take in his entire wolf form. He must sense my nervousness because he doesn't move except to lower himself down, almost like an oversized puppy. I smile at his actions and slowly walk in front of him. I reach my hand slowly and he lifts his nose toward it. Before I can take his snout, he licks my hand. I laugh. I move closer and slide both hands across the top of his head and down his neck to his back. I stop to scratch him behind the ear, not really knowing how to interact with him in wolf form. He begins to pant in appreciation. I chuckle and wrap my arms around his neck and nuzzle my face into his ultra-soft fur. He purrs.
"You're beautiful, Max. Absolutely incredible." I whisper into his ear. His purrs get deeper and he leans into my embrace.
"I'm going to shift back now." I hear Bryan say through the mindlink. I give Max a final squeeze and step back. Where once a huge wolf once sat, now my naked boyfriend kneels. I toss him his clothes and we head back to the pack house to finally go to bed with many questions answered and training looming overhead.