Harper

The clouds swirled like mist, low in the night air, as I stepped from the boat onto the jetty's wooden planks on Varg Island. Feeling the temperature drop, I put on my red hoodie and strode up the hill to Chris's cabin. His boat rested in its place, indicating he had returned from his out-of-town project.

"Chris," I called out, hoping to find him in his garden. There was no reply. I heard only the cry of seagulls near the lighthouse in the distance.

Noticing the front door was open, I walked inside the cabin and repeated Chris's name. The place was empty, so I made myself comfortable on the sofa and rested. Feeling the heaviness of sleep in my eyes and limbs, I drifted into a dream—but there was no shadow to chase anymore. The sound of soft feet padding on the floorboard resurrected my body, stirring it to life. My tired eyes adjusted to the sight of a gorgeous gray wolf wagging his tail, his ears slightly off to the side.

"Hey there. How was your run?" I asked, stroking the creature's gorgeous fur coat. "Have you been hunting?"

The wolf howled, then licked my fingers, arm, and face.

"I'm not leaving you again," I promised, placing my arms around his sturdy neck.

The wolf suddenly barked, his eyes widening in alarm as a black shadow flew past him and hovered above me. He fled to the nearest corner, his hind legs crouching in fear. I gasped as an ominous mist seeped from the pores of my skin, enshrouding me.

"Chris?" My eyes blinked, swelling with tears from the suffocating smoke as my breathing quickened into short, shallow pants. My hands and feet twisted and shook while I drowned in the whirlpool of smoke.

"Chris, what's happening to m-me?" I rasped, losing control of my tongue. My incisors lengthened, cutting through bleeding gums. The hairs of my skin sprouted and thickened into a soft coat of ebony fur.

My mate stared at the animal emerging from me while strong electrical currents pulsated down my spine, causing every muscle and nerve to ache. A howl lashed out from my lungs before darkness engulfed my body, only to heal my pain.

Unleashing my inhibitions, I welcomed the dangerous thrill of transformation. It was time to embrace my true nature.

***

Chris

My eyes opened to the rising sun's blood-orange hues staining the morning sky with heat. After spending an incredible night with my amber-eyed mate, we rested on the grass near the broken swing. Feeling a surge of pleasure from my groin, I glanced down at the naked woman taking pleasure in feeding on my cock. "Oh, fuck, Harper, that feels so good," I groaned.

"Mmm," she murmured, licking my shaft greedily. "You're my dessert."

Twigs and leaves were trapped in Harper's wild, black curls, which blew like crazy in the wind, not giving a damn about anything. The left corner of her mouth was covered with dried blood, a remnant of her first kill—a stag. Years of suppression could do that to a shifter, making her wild, hot, and hungry for venison or anything else that caught her attention.

I tried to move my feet apart, but some of the rope that once held the swing was tied around my ankles.

"Kinky," I remarked as Harper's sucks grew stronger, drugging me with pure seduction.

"I need you, Chris." Her cherry-red lips formed a sexy pout while her amber eyes glowed with passion.

"Don't stop," I begged as her lips twisted into a sinful smile. The Lolita-like sweet girl who arrived on the island at the start of summer was gone. I now had a vixen in my hands...or on my dick.

"Do you want to play Red Riding Hood and the Wolf?" Harper teased me, throttling my shaft rapidly.

"Oh, God! Keep doing that!" I shouted, grabbing her hair roughly.

"That's it," she urged, licking her lips. "Be rough. I love it!"

I pulled her hair, feeling a surge of explosion as she fondled just the head—my most sensitive part—and released a flood of pleasure. She licked every drop of my cum, not missing in between her fingers.

"Oh, you are so yummy," she gushed, then left a trail of kisses on my stomach, chest, shoulders, and jawline.

"Don't stop there," I pleaded. "Kiss my mouth."

Harper bit her lower lip and shook her head. "Did you know I was a shifter all along?"

"Hmm, my senses kinda knew."

"What happened to me? Why did it only happen now?"

"I read about people transforming into Canis lupus when they're adults," I said, pulling Harper close to my chest. "You're a late bloomer."

"The shadow," she pondered. "I always thought it was you, but I was wrong. It was always me."

"Sometimes we need to tap into the shadows inside us because they're telling us something," I explained. "Yours was telling you to let go of your insecurities and inhibitions. You needed to listen to your shadow to transform into the woman you are now."

"Chris Varg, how do you know so much about women?" Harper's eyebrows furrowed.

"I've been with a few." I grinned cheekily.

"Did you know I'd come back?" she asked.

"Hmm..." I pursed my lips, glanced at the trees, and then back at Harper. "When you left the island, it felt like you ripped my heart. I was furious and disappointed, so I went for a run to release my anger."

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, stroking my naked skin. "I promise to talk to you first about how I feel, instead of running away."

"Or you can run with me instead." I grinned, kissing her forehead. "I'm excited you're back."

"I'm famished," Harper moaned as I nibbled on her ear.

"Again? But we just—"

"I'm falling in love with you, Chris."

I took her hand and kissed her palm. "I loved you from the moment you arrived, and I'm glad you've decided to stay."

"How could I not stay here? The magic and mystery of the island bewitched me," Harper confessed.

"Yeah, it gets to you, doesn't it?" I smiled. "Now, would you mind untying my ankles?"

The End.

***

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this short story. I'm thinking of combining it with 2-3 other stories in an anthology. One is a steamy cowboy romance with elements of consensual and safe BDSM, and the third...I have yet to write, and I'm open to ideas. Let me know if there's a subgenre of romance you'd like to read.