Notes:
This is the continuation of Dark Places, if you haven't read the first part, make sure you do so before reading this!
This is chapter 22-26, and catches my Literotica readers up to everyone else. I'll update again soon with another 3-5 chapters. I hope you all enjoy reading!
Content warning: Chapter Twenty-Two contains intimate contact of a sexual nature between a human woman and a male transformed werewolf. I'm sure you all saw this coming. ;)
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
Jenn's voice sliced through the primal haze enveloping Karl's altered mind. Her gentle, familiar cadence offered comfort in the chaos of his transformation. He recognized the soft murmur of his name, not spoken aloud, but etched in the essence of her words.
Rolling his golden eyes upwards, Karl fixed her with an intelligent gaze that betrayed his remaining shreds of humanity lurking within. A low rumble echoed deep within his chest, vibrating against her belly, as he processed her unexpected reaction.
No fear. No revulsion. Only awe and affection radiated from her, bolstering his flagging spirits. She wasn't running away, wasn't screaming for help. Instead, she addressed him directly, accepting this terrifying aspect of his existence without hesitation or reservation.
Her unshakeable loyalty warmed him, igniting an answering protectiveness within his monstrous form. The urge to mark his territory pulsed strong within his blood, compelling him to defend his mate - chosen, but yet unclaimed - against any perceived threats lurking beyond their sanctuary.
Karl's tongue flicked out reflexively, tasting her scent anew. It was different somehow, deeper and richer, resonating with an elemental part of him that recognized Jenn as irrevocably his. The realization struck with surprising clarity, momentarily disrupting base animalistic drives surging through his veins.
He withdrew slowly, stepping back once and then once more, before he carefully stood upright, letting her see him in his entirety.
Jenn stared mouth agape, hardly daring to breathe. His body was covered in dark black fur, which thinned out on his hands and feet. He stood on digitigrade feet, long claws dug into the ground below. Because of his more canine-like legs, even upright he was slightly hunched over, and his arms were long, ending in large clawed hands.
His eyes were all wolf - amber in color, nearly glowing in the darkness around them. They sat in a wolf-like face, above a long snout, large teeth glinting within his mouth as he panted softly while watching her.
Hesitatingly, Jenn took a step forward, hand outstretched towards him, and Karl tilted his head, torn.
His instincts were pulling him to check the perimeters of his territory - to hunt, to defend.
He took one large, graceful step towards her again, bending low at the waist to bring his snout down in line with her face, taking in her wide eyes and fast breath. Pressing his cold nose into her neck, he breathed her scent in deeply, giving a low grumble when she laughed, her hands coming up to tangle in the thick fur on his neck.
"That tickles," she accused, still giggling, and Karl huffed, drawing back to lick a stripe up her cheek before shaking her hands from his fur and stepping back again.
He held her gaze for a moment, before turning and loping off into the woods, instincts winning out over his curiosity. His little mate-to-be would have to wait.
Jenn watched him run, feeling an overwhelming drive to follow, completely irrational and almost irresistible.
She had promised she would stay at the cabin, and she needed to keep that promise. Instead, she sat on the porch, lifting the hood on her sweater against the cool night air.
Jenn wondered what he would do all night in the forest all alone. She hoped he would be safe - she would wait right here for him, hoping he would return to her soon.
=+=
Under the cover of night, Karl ventured into the forest, following the primal calls that echoed from his bones. With each passing minute, his human mind slipped even further away, leaving behind a powerful beast fueled only by pure instinct.
He moved with a swift purpose, refreshing his scent in numerous locations as he looked for any signs of encroaching rivals - be they creature or man.
An unfamiliar scent wafted through the air, raising red flags within his instinctual brain. Karl's hackles raised as he scanned the surrounding area, his keen nose picking up traces of unknown predators lurking nearby.
A guttural growl escaped his throat, a warning meant to deter any potential threats from encroaching upon his territory. Karl stood tall, muscles tensed and ready to spring into action if necessary. His golden eyes pierced through the darkness, searching for any signs of movement or life that may pose a challenge to his dominance.
Minutes ticked by with only the gentle whisper of the night breeze rustling through the trees. Satisfied that no immediate danger presented itself, Karl continued his journey toward the next territory boundary that he needed to inspect.
=+=
Back at the cabin, Jenn had fallen asleep while she sat at the top of the porch stairs, curled up on her side.
A powerful shiver ran through her body as she slept, the cool night air cutting through her hoodie and leggings with ease, and she stirred slightly, not quite waking, brow furrowing as she mumbled in displeasure at the cold.
"Karl..." she whined, in her mostly-sleeping state expecting that he was beside her in bed, not realizing she was asleep on the porch instead. "I'm cold..."
=+=
Karl had been moving back toward the cabin when he stopped suddenly, head lifting high and ears flicking towards home.
The plaintive sound of Jenn's sleepy voice cut through Karl's predatory fog like a knife. Her murmured complaint registered clearly in his heightened auditory senses, triggering an instinctual desire to provide warmth and comfort to his mate.
In the next instant, a reminder of his current form and the inherent risks it posed to Jenn checked his initial impulse. Yet, he could no more ignore her discomfort than he could deny his own heartbeat thrumming steadily in his ears.
Moving silently, Karl approached the porch on all fours with careful deliberation. His massive paws made no sound against the wooden planks as he drew closer to Jenn's resting place. Lowering his great body to the ground, he positioned himself alongside the steps, close enough to share his residual body heat without causing undue alarm should she awaken unexpectedly.
His large head rested atop his arm, golden eyes fixated on the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she slept.
When the morning sun cast golden hues across the landscape, Karl would disappear into the forest to complete his transformation back into the man Jenn knew and loved. But for now, in the hushed stillness of the night, the wolf kept his silent vigil, proving beyond a doubt that his love and dedication transcended the boundaries of his dual nature.
=+=
In her sleep, Jenn dreamed of Karl.
Snow fell outside the window of his cabin, coating the ground outside in feet of cold fuff, largely undisturbed.
Inside, Jenn and Karl lay together on the couch, his large body spooned behind hers underneath a big fluffy blanket.
A fire roared in the hearth, and Jenn felt so warm and safe, pressed close to her mate and feeling so protected.
Outside of her dream, her hand stretched out, seeking the warmth she could feel radiating towards her, fingers grasping and brushing through Karl's fur.
"Mmmm Wolf..." she whimpered, curling her body into a tighter ball to keep warm.
=+=
The soft caress of Jenn's questing fingers through his fur snapped Karl's attention back to reality, tearing him from the dreamlike trance he'd fallen into while keeping watch over her sleeping form. The sensation of her delicate touch sent ripples of warmth coursing through his altered body, dispelling the last vestiges of the cold night air clinging to his coat.
For several moments, Karl simply basked in the unexpected pleasure, reveling in the tangible proof of her acceptance and affection for the monster he'd become. The tenderness of her gesture contrasted sharply with the primal urges raging within his mind, creating an exquisite juxtaposition of raw emotion and animalistic desire.
Then, as though awakened by the memory of her vulnerable position, Karl shifted closer to Jenn, mindful of the potential harm his large form might cause in her unconscious state. Gently, reverently, he nuzzled his muzzle beneath her seeking hand, encouraging her to grasp handfuls of his thick fur for both warmth and reassurance.
Providing comfort came naturally to him in this state, stripped bare of the inhibitions and self-imposed barriers that characterized his human demeanor. Here, in the form of a beast, Karl's nurturing instincts emerged unchecked, compelling him to shield Jenn, his mate, from any possible harm.
As Jenn burrowed deeper into her makeshift nest of warm fur, Karl allowed himself a small, contented sigh. The rhythmic pulse of her breathing and the steady warmth emanating from her body soothed the savage impulses threatening to overwhelm his senses. For now, in the stolen moments before dawn, they existed together in harmony, two souls entwined by fate and circumstance beyond either's control.