Chapter 2
two
The Boyfriend
*GWENDOLYN*
Brandon grabs my hips while I ride his cock.
He is so deep inside me, filling me up to the brim, and making my head spin.
I love this feeling of intimacy and how his hands feel on my body.
Shifters are very sexual beings; they love anything revolving around sex and seek the touch of their mates.
Thinking about mates gives me a twinge of sadness.
I will never experience that feeling. I am not a shifter; I just happen to share some genetics with one, but other than that, I am human through and through.
But Brandon… he told me he feels something. So, at least he can feel the intensity of the bond.
He snaps his hips up. “Gwen,” he groans. “You are so hot.”
His words pull me back into reality, and I lean forward to rest my chest against his, while he fucks me from below. “Brandon,” I moan.
“Fuck, Gwen, you feel amazing.”
I push myself up, leaning back and rolling my hips. I feel his dick at a new angle now. Fuck, this feels amazing.
“Fuck, Gwen, I am coming!”
“Yes, Brandon, come!”
His dick pulsates inside me, pushing me closer to the edge, but I don’t come this time.
I always need a bit longer to build up an orgasm, while Brandon doesn’t last too long.
It doesn’t matter, though. No one comes every single time they have sex, and Brandon and I are still experimenting and discovering each other’s bodies.
Brandon pulls me into a kiss, and it’s these moments that I cherish the most. I love sex, but I love it more when my partner holds me afterwards or kisses me. I guess feeling his touch is my love language.
Brandon has boundless amounts of energy, though, and doesn’t cuddle for too long. Eventually, he jumps up and smiles at me. “Do you want to watch another movie?” he offers. “Oh, we can finish the one we started before we landed in bed.”
“Sure, why not? I still have a bit of time.” I get out of his bed and head into his bathroom to shower and freshen up.
I take my time, as usual, needing a bit to get back from my after-sex comedown.
It’s hard to put it into words, and whenever I tell a guy, he just looks at me like I am insane.
Brandon doesn’t get it either, so maybe it’s really a me problem.
I love sex, the intensity of it, but afterwards I always feel a bit down.
When I re-emerge from the bathroom again, I am feeling much better and lighter. I am ready to cuddle on the couch. Brandon owns a small cottage, which makes meeting him so much easier than if he had an apartment in the packhouse.
He doesn’t mind that I took my time and instead has prepared some popcorn for us. “We can start anytime,” he says.
I fling myself on the sofa. “I am ready.”
Brandon stretches out next to me, starting the movie.
He has a couple of drinks prepared for us, which I secretly decide to ignore.
I don’t drink, mainly because I need to have all my senses working, for Faye and Marina.
Brandon sometimes thinks that I am missing out, but I don’t feel that way.
Marina was my friend when no one else was, and now that she needs me, I would rather go to hell than to give up on her.
The movie is a fun, action flick that Brandon chose, since I don’t mind, and I know he doesn’t really like any other genre. He holds my hand throughout the movie and makes sure I have plenty to eat, which is kind of cute. He can be that way, and it’s what I appreciate about him.
Once the movie is wrapped up, it’s time for me to leave. “You really can’t stay the night?” Brandon asks.
I take his face between my hands and kiss him. “Sorry. You know, Marina is at home.”
He shakes his head. “I don’t know how you do it at your age. You should be out enjoying life.”
“I don’t think about it that way,” I say honestly. “It’s not work, to me. Sometimes I do feel like I miss out, especially when you want to meet me, but most of the time I don’t question it. I love Marina and Faye.”
Brandon looks at me, a little surprised. There is something in his eyes I can’t quite put a finger on, but soon he smiles again, rubbing his nose against mine. “If you are okay with how things are, that's all that matters.”
With my small bag, and clad in my extra set of clothes which I always take along when I meet him – I hate getting back into the same clothes after sex, I find my way back through the pack grounds.
I know the perfect path from Brandon’s cottage to mine, leading me along the forest line and helping me stay invisible from the other pack members, unless they make an effort to sniff me out or look for me.
When Brandon and I started dating, he would sometimes accompany me home, but he barely does anymore since I know the way now.
When my cottage comes into view, I see a familiar person leaving it. It’s Jacob, Evelyn’s mate. “Jacob!” I make a run for it, waving at him.
He smiles and waits for me to reach him. “You are back early. I thought you’d stay the night.”
“Is that why you dropped by?”
“Evelyn sent me to make sure Marina is okay,” he explains, patting my head.
From anyone else, it might have been a condescending gesture, but Jacob gets a free pass.
He and Evelyn are the sweetest. They have always treated me well, and they help with Marina and Faye whenever I need it.
Jacob dropped by to check on Marina, and it makes me so happy that he did.
“Thank you,” I say. “Your help means so much to me.”
“We love doing it,” he assures me. “So, you didn’t stay the night?”
“Nah, I rarely do that. Usually, either Faye or Marina is waiting, and I don’t want to leave them.”
Jacob tilts his head. “You have a good heart,” he says, “and a good head on your shoulders. I am convinced the goddess has a plan for you.”
I blink in confusion. “Why? I am just a human.”
“No, you are not,” he says, but doesn’t push it further. We’ve had the same discussion over and over again, and no matter what he says, I just can’t believe it.
“Did Marina go to sleep?” I ask instead.
“Yes, she was already in her bed when I checked on her. Her inner clock really seems to work well.”
“Yeah, she knows when she has to do things and then goes through the motions, fortunately. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to leave her alone.” I sigh. “I hope one day she returns to how she was.”
A dark expression passes over Jacob’s face. “Whoever did that to her… I hope for the worst for them.”
I do, too. I don’t know what happened, I just know that she was with her mate for a while and then returned like this.
When she was gone, I never heard from her.
I didn’t even know where she was staying or the name of her mate.
And once she returned, she wasn’t in the state to tell me.
My own alpha couldn’t care less, though I do think the luna reached out once to see what happened.
They gave some bullshit excuse about how she cheated or something, and her mate rejected her.
I don’t believe a word.
It was the only time I sought out my alpha and luna myself, going to their office and asking for details, but they wouldn’t give me any.
Someone destroyed Marina. One day, I will find out who her mate was, and then I will make sure he pays.
After Jacob has left, I first check on Marina myself, noting how she is asleep. When she is in her bed like this, she almost looks like before she left. It’s these moments that make me cling to the hope that one day she will return to me, and especially to Faye.
One day.
I make sure to pull her blanket over her body before silently leaving her room, going downstairs, and leaving my cottage again.
Tulip needs some of my attention. I gave him enough hay, water, and food for the day, but I still want to check on him.
Like always, he neighs when he sees me, rubbing his nose against my shoulder.
“Tulip.” I kiss his nose. “I love you so much. You are just the best.”
He shakes his head in his usual playful way, pulling his lips back to show me his teeth, clearly demanding food instead of me telling him cheesy things.
I chuckle. “Got you, old boy,” I say, rubbing his neck before opening the little cupboard next to his box and retrieving a carrot for him.
I always have a set of treats for him, ready.
His favorites are bananas and carrots. On hot days, I put them in a bucket of water so that he needs to fish them out of it and is forced to drink enough.
There is not enough time tonight to take him out for a walk, but I will do so in the morning. For now, I pat his neck once more and leave the stables.
A chirping makes me stop.
“Who is there?” The moment I ask, I feel like the biggest idiot. Of course, it won’t answer, it’s probably an animal.
Another chirping sound.
Squeezing my eyes to look through the dark, I walk around the stables, following the sound of whatever animal it is. It’s moments like these where I wish for wolf senses so that I could see in the darkness.
“Oh.” I have reached the back of my cottage, right where the kitchen is located. I left the light on, and there, on the windowsill, is a small grey bird looking at me through its terrified eyes. “Hey, little birdie. Are you hurt?”
It chirps again, hopping on its little feet and fluttering its wings. It seems like it can’t take off. “You hurt your wings, didn’t you?” Reaching out my hand, meaning to gently pick it up, but instead the little bird hops right into my open palm.
Wow, this has never happened before. Animals like me, but I have never had a wild animal seek me out like this. It’s almost like it knows I am going to help it. Well, animals do have a certain sense sometimes.
Cradling it against my chest, I make my way back to the front of the cottage. The little bird only leaves my palm once we have reached the living room. It hops onto the small shelf of books and some of Faye’s plushies. There it settles down, chirping contentedly.
Okay, time to research how to help an injured bird.
My usual way would lead me to the doctor of the pack, the only one of my dad’s old friends who is still kind to me, and who helps me whenever he can.
Although he is not a vet, he knows a thing or two about animals and always helps me when I need him.
He has been here for Tulip numerous times and refused any payment.
However, it’s too late to wake up Daniel.
I can ask him for details tomorrow; for now, I will research myself.
After some time, I have successfully put together a box and built a little nest for it.
Again, little birdie seems to immediately know what I am planning to do and jumps from Faye’s plushy right into my outstretched palm.
Once in its box, it stomps around the nest I made, before it settles down and nestles itself against the cloth I provided for it.
The info I found online also said that hurt birds easily go into shock and die from it, but this little birdie doesn’t look shocked at all. Maybe I am getting it all wrong, but something inside me tells me it’s okay.
“Tomorrow I will call the doc,” I tell it. “He is a great guy. I am sure he will help.”
The little birdie chirps again.
“You need a name,” I say. “Oh, how about Tiger!”
It tilts its head, staring at me.
“Well, because you are strong, you are a survivor. Not even a tiger would catch you!”
At that, the little bird hops up again and chirps joyfully.
So, Tiger, it is.