I woke up uncomfortably warm. My body was almost buzzing and I tried to kick off some blankets but found none on me. I moved my hand to rub at my eyes to wake myself up properly and felt sweat beading on my forehead.

How was I so hot? I'm sure it was cold last night and it's never hot in the mountains.

I could feel my wolf panting and writhing inside me, clawing and itching to rub himself on anything to try and halt the pulsing warmth and I shared his needs.

Was I sick? Was this Mother Nature's punishment for running away like an overwhelmed child and sleeping in the woods?

My skin itched and my body was only getting hotter and hotter as the minutes passed. My skin was red but I hadn't touched it and I was aching. My bones, my skin even my hair felt like it was burning, screaming.

'Mate'  My wolf moaned.

''Tatum.'' I breathed out and searched the room but he wasn't there.

My breath was now coming out in pants, visible puffs of warm air clouding in front of my mouth.  Even sitting up seemed like the most unimaginable task with my weakened body.

''Hey, Princess how about we go for a walk-'' Alic stopped mid stride his first step into the room and his eyes dilated.

''Alic.'' I moaned out in pain and scratched my arm to try and alleviate the itching under my skin but it did nothing but cause Alic to shake his head and his eyes widened before he took cautious steps forward.

''I don't think we'll be going for a walk.'' His nose crinkled up and he covered it with his hand. ''I don't think we'll be going anywhere.''

''Help me.'' I cried out as the burning shot further through my body and I started to notice an aching pain in my groin that was growing -in more than one way- with each pulsing shot down my spine.

Alic's eyes closed and he seemed to be battling himself for a few minutes as I just writhed where I was trying not to scream out, my skin crawling like razors were being dug into every crevice.

''Princess. Please stop moving.'' He groaned out still not opening his eyes.

''What's hap-happening?'' I stuttered through breaths, my head lulling and my eyes unfocused.

There were growls outside our door and that seemed to snap Alic out of whatever he was doing and he shot straight out of the room. There were more growls, more feral and demanding before a yelp and Alic made his way back into the room, picked me up and started to leave.

As soon as his fingers touched me my body convulsed in his arms and a long breathy moan left me. His hand felt good but I need more, something more, someone more.

''Gods give me strength.'' Alic groaned out.

 He rushed us into the hot pools, growling at everyone in there to leave, the males faltering for a moment and even some of the females sticking around before Alic's eyes flashed dangerously and they went running.

When his arms left me I whimpered. I couldn't control myself and my wolf whined for Tatum. He wouldn't shut up chanting his name over and over to the point I wanted to block him off.

My body slowly submerged in hot water and it somehow eased my itching and aching but I was still burning. I needed Tatum. My wolf seemed convinced he could help but I didn't know how.

''Tatum.'' I felt so whiney but it was all I could manage.

I couldn't muster enough strength for full sentences I couldn't move my body and my only thoughts were of Tatum. I needed Tatum.

''Yeah, I know Princess. He should scent you soon. I can't leave you like this alone. Another male will come and won't hesitate to take you. Willing or not.''

''What do you mean?'' My eyes kept closing on me but I wasn't tired.

''This is your heat.'' His nose scrunched again and he closed his eyes. ''And it's really strong.''

I watched Alic as he took a few hesitant steps backward and then left to stand at the door.

What did he mean my heat?

The water only proved a temporary relief when the itching and aching started to come back and the burning got stronger as I could smell the distinct scent of a certain dominant male all over my body. I had to take my clothes off. They had to come off I was too hot.

''What are you doing!?'' Alic stressed from the doorway but I didn't care as I finally removed my underwear but my hand brushed myself and I let out a long desperate cry.

I needed to touch.

As my hand reached down to grab myself a large black wolf came barrelling through the room almost knocking Alic over before growling at the male. Alic's head tilted down to show he understood the wolf and he quickly exited the steam clouded room.

''Mate.'' My wolf whined from my lips.

Tatum's head whipped to me so quickly that if I had the right senses about me I would have been concerned for whiplash.

His glowing silver eyes connected with my half-lidded ones and they didn't leave as he took slow predatory steps towards me. His wolf form towered over my human form as I sat on the ground of the shallow pool, his paws not missing a beat as he stepped down into the water and advanced on me. The water licked at his chest and rippled towards mine, the motions easing aches before setting fire again.

The large onyx wolf in front of me didn't waste time as his nose sniffed at my neck with a pleased rumble vibrating his chest before he started lapping at the semi-permanent mark left only a few days ago. The action had me writhing in pleasure, my head rolling to the right to give him more access to the spot he had set out to attack.

I was now leaning back on weak, shaking arms, my legs slowly opening against my will but at this point, I didn't know if I even had my own will anymore.

I was scared but my wolf was lulling me with pleasing thoughts of how Tatum would take away the pain, the burn and replace it with pleasure and security.

A certain area had begun to ache almost unbearably at my forgotten actions before Tatum had entered, my straining member causing me to roll my hips in the water, the action not going unnoticed as the pleasurable licking ceased and was replaced with Tatum's arms grabbing under my arms and legs, dragging me from the pool and carrying me down the hall to his room.

I hadn't even noticed him change back to his human form and couldn't help as my anticipation grew at Tatum's dilated pupils locked on the furs that hid his room which was thankfully only a few rooms down from the hot pools.

I let out a whimper and cry when a rather vicious bolt of pain shot through my body as I left Tatum's arms and was softly placed onto furs that provided no comfort like they had previously done.

''Please...'' I begged as Tatum stared at me.

My hips were rolling shamelessly and causing tears of embarrassment to escape me but I couldn't help the desire and need seeping into my eyes for him which seemed to knock him out of his staring match with my body, his tongue darting out to lick at his dry lips before he descended onto my body, fitting himself snuggly between my legs and licking my tears away.

My hips rolled again with the encouraging of my wolf and it caused me to let out a satisfied moan of pleasure when my member came into contact with the velvety skin of Tatum's angry looking shaft making him hiss and still my hips with his hands.

Whimpers were leaving my throat at his torture and my wolf was howling in my mind telling me to make him hurry but my mind blanked when a warm, moist muscle grazed my lips and my head stopped rolling to the side in time to see the glow almost leaving his eyes signalling he was more or less in control of his actions instead of his wolf pushing to the surface but I could still see the soft glow of the animal inside him not wanting to leave.

''Just us.'' Tatum groaned out as his lips fell on mine in soft slow movements, his arms bent and now resting beside my head on his forearms.

I knew what he meant. He didn't want our actions fuelled solely by our wolves. He didn't want it to be just the animal instinct that drove us. He wanted it to be us and I mewled in pleasure at the thought.

Traditional wolves were proudly known for their animal instinct and close relationship to their more primal acting wolves. Their breeding and marking were more driven by their wolves than themselves. He must have been doing this for my sake.

His kisses turned more passionate and harder. His tongue was seeking entrance causing my lips to part in welcome as my arms were wrapping around his neck and legs wrapping his waist like vines pulling us flush against each other. Our breaths were mingling in moans and groans as we rocked against each other, my back arching, trying to be so close that we were almost one. His tongue was exploring my mouth as if he was mapping it before he captured and sucked possessively on my tongue, the action causing my hips to jut out of the rhythm we had built.

When he finally relented his attack I couldn't help but to whimper his name over and over, my fingers tangling in his hair and guiding his head to the crook of my neck and to my mark. The surging pleasure of what felt like electricity pulsing over my body in hot waves became too much and I felt a nearly painful tightness in my groin before it was released, along with a warm thickness pumping out of my swollen member.

The burning subsided for a fraction of a second before the fires raged hard once more and a scared strangled noise left my throat but I was hushed sweetly by reassuring words being whispered in my ear and echoing through my mind.

''Shh Angel. I'll make it go away.'' His lips brushed my ear before he nipped my lobe and then sat up, resting on his calves but not leaving the space between my legs.

My already red face flushed more as I watched him observe my body. He looked at every dip and bulge, every mole and freckle. My skin was pasty white, not a single bulging muscle in sight but I wasn't lanky. His eyes lowered to my stomach, stopping for a second to follow the scratches on my hips, his eyes flashing but he pushed his wolf back and followed the few pale blonde body hairs I was able to grow on my stomach in a happy trail to where his eyes grew hungrier, more predatory.

My legs began to close in embarrassment at his piercing gaze, but before they could move an inch his hands grabbed them and pushed them open again, his eyes training on my face where I could only guess how much of a mess I looked like.

I could feel my hair mussed around my shoulders and parts of my fringe stuck to my forehead in a sweaty mess, my skin flushed red from the immense heat we were both generating and my mouth parted, panting for breath.

''You're so beautiful.''

My heart skipped a beat at his voice. His deep baritone sounded so proud and strong and he looked at me, his grey-silver eyes scanning my disheveled body as if I was an angel descended from heaven without a hair out of place.

I just stared at him as his head lowered and he left soft, tender kisses across my chest. They felt as soft as butterflies landing yet they pounded into my heart with each touch.

My body started to burn like a furnace again as his tongue snaked out and licked my pebbled nipple, his eyes connecting with mine to see my eyes dilate and lid with pleasure as he began assaulting the small pink lump eliciting a mantra of soft mewls to slip past my lips while he moved between them giving them both his attention before I felt one of his hands skim down my inner thigh in a barely there touch that had me shivering.

He refocused my attention on my chest as he nipped at my left nipple successfully pulling a cross between and yelp and a moan, my chest lifting to chase his lips as his fingers circled my entrance.

My body tensed as one of his digits slowly pushed through the sensitive ring of nerves but he continued to refocus my attention as he pushed a second finger through. A quiet whimper bubbled up, my right arm gripping his left arm that was left on my thigh preventing me from closing my legs on him.

''Shh love this will help.'' There was a sudden wet, oily feeling on my skin aiding the entrance of his fingers but I didn't focus on it long as he brought his attention back to my mark and I was undone.

The sensitive flesh of his bite shot a beating throb of mind numbing pleasure straight to my groin accompanied by the burning of my heat. The foreign oil working wonders on easing the stretching and trusts of Tatum's digits.

''Tatum.'' I almost stuttered between breaths and barely noticed a third finger had moved inside me until the three busy phalanges brushed something that sent my body arching completely off of the furs and pressing myself solidly against Tatum. 

I could feel Tatum's smirk against my neck as he hit the spot a few times more before his fingers retreated. My body desperately tried to chase the pleasure in protest and my desire driven whines causing Tatum to rub circles into my thighs to soothe me as a much larger object was lined up at my entrance covered in the same oils as his fingers.

''This might hurt.'' He whispered into my ear in that hungry baritone of his as he brought his eyes level with mine to ask permission, my head nodding in approval.

He watched me for a few seconds longer to make sure I wasn't going to change my mind and when I didn't he pushed another fur under my lower back to help prop me up before he lowered his body over mine. He kissed me softly at first, like his butterfly kisses, but it soon turned heavy, my body molding to his again. 

It started slowly as the large head pushed against the circle of nerves but he was patient and his lips fell to my ear whispering for me to relax and let him in.

I felt myself stretching and his prediction was fulfilled when the pain started to battle my pleasure filled brain and overtake but Tatum was right there kissing me and mumbling sweet nothing between kissing and licking tears away.

''Relax, my Angel.'' He cooed into my ear suppressing groans of pleasure into my neck as he pushed to halfway, never going above a snail's crawl.

I felt full as if I could take no more but he kept moving forward, slowly, so slowly as I clenched my eyes shut and bit his shoulder trying to suppress my tears.

I wanted to tell him to stop, that it hurt too much and I was going to break in half if he didn't get off of me. But, the look on his face I saw through my watery eyes, and the quivering of his biceps as he was holding himself back for my sake was enough for me to continue through it with the help of another pump of the oils he dripped onto himself from a small black bottle.

He was finally all the way in when I started to taste blood from Tatum's shoulder but he didn't blink an eye as he layered kiss after kiss onto my neck and then lips when I released him, telling me how beautiful and amazing I was and that I felt like heaven.

The painful throbs began to ebb away with our patience so I tested the waters by moving my hips only feeling slight discomfort but Tatum dropped his head into my shoulder again and groaned. The sound was so pleasing and sexy that I had to do it again and was met by a non-threatening growl rumbling in his chest.

I realised I had come to crave that sound from him but didn't get a chance to try again when Tatum started pulling out. My arms locked around his neck and my legs latched around his mid-section to keep him inside me.

''Relax, baby.'' His lips brushed mine teasingly as he slid his forearms under my shoulders and held my shoulders with his large hands so I wouldn't move as he pushed back into me slowly, a small wince coming from me but his expression was enough to occupy my mind.

Tatum looked like he was in euphoria as he pulled out and pushed back in again this time a little faster and my pain was slowly being replaced by pleasure, even more so when his lips found their home back on my lips.

I never thought I would crave someone's lips as much as I did Tatum's. They were firm but plump, knowing exactly how to move against my fumbling virgin lips and devour my body and soul. It's like he knew exactly how to make me feel like the world didn't exist without him like the world spun for him only to do this.

A sudden rush of pleasure hit me, traveling from where he had thrust into me, up my spine and crawled its way into every nerve and I cried out with rapture as my nails dug into his large muscled back. He failed to show pain though, his eyes darkened in pleasure as he watched my expression.

I joined him in euphoria as he pulled out and slammed back into that spot again and again and again. I couldn't feel anything but him anymore. I couldn't feel the bite of the weather, the burn of my heat, the softness of furs. All I could feel was the purest and most primal of werewolf acts; Making love to a mate.

We were both breathing heavy as Tatum's pace grew and grew to a speed at which I thought if he wasn't holding me steady, I would have already slid further back and off the bed but he kept me anchored in my spot, his growls and groans of pleasure matching my moans, mewls, and whimpers beat for beat.

''Tatum I'm...'' I could feel myself reaching my undoing point and if he couldn't tell from my ragged moans, he could tell from my member leaking pre-cum like a leaking faucet.

''Me too.'' He ground out through clenched teeth before he started lapping at my neck readying it for his mark. His permanent mark.

The pleasure of his thrusts, his tongue, and my heat rattled brain were too much for me and I screamed out just as he bit down where my neck met my shoulder over his mark of claim, replacing it with a mating mark as his essence filled my insides.

There was only a second of pain before a blinding pleasure took over and numbed my senses. It felt beyond physical, like my mind had gone beyond my body and was up in the clouds. I felt completely helpless yet in control, mentally vacant yet totally aware as I felt my heart slowing, skipping a beat and then beating in rhythm with Tatum's.

''Sleep, my mate.'' I could feel someone moving the hair from my face and furs wrap around me, tingles shooting up my arms and face from where the touch still lingered.

I fell asleep with a smile on my face. My body was sated and spent, the mix of furs and the body heat of my mate keeping me in the most pleasurable warmth I have ever felt.

We were now mated for life.

Debby Downer / Negative Nelly warning

We need to pick the bad guy's name. The choices :


Victor

Vincent

Myles