Authors: Cassandra Cole
As he was getting ready to leave, she looked at him longingly.
“I wish you could stay,” she pleaded. “Too needy?” She thought to herself. “Maybe.”
He gave her a kiss on the forehead.
“Me, too. But, you know we can’t do that yet. Soon,” he caressed her cheek and closed the door behind him.
*****
Nadia knew the time had come, that the Day of Fertility was upon them, because the old makeup lady was there yet again. With a new sense of hope, she allowed her to experiment with her hair, and actually liked the result. A little too vintage for her taste, but no matter. She knew Edon would love it nonetheless, and that’s what mattered.
She had no idea how or when, but she knew that Edon had a plan. He would save her. He would save them all. If he didn’t… she was too afraid to consider the other option.
The ceremony ground was decorated lavishly. The men were seated in the same way, but they seemed even hotter somehow, shining with anticipation of what was to come.
She couldn’t imagine what it was like having sex only once a year, not when you want it, but when someone else said you should and were allowed to. In a way, she actually felt sorry for them. She sincerely hoped that Edon would have a good plan that would bring about a new era for these shapeshifters, one which would leave out kidnaping women and introduce something, well, something normal.
Soon, Amarog exited in the same way as before. Arrogant and drunk with power, he greeted his pack with the same mumbo-jumbo, promising fertility and good fortune in the year to come, with the new harvest of women from the outside world.
Yes, they all cheered again, but Nadia could notice a difference now. The men were tired, they did this not because they wanted to, but because it was imposed upon them. And with Amarog being who he was, no one dared oppose him. Except maybe…
“Edon! My brother!” Amarog called for his brother from the crowd. He welcomed him with open arms. “The best man there is! Well, after me!” Everyone joined him in laughter. “You know, I heard you were visiting one of my women!” To which the crowd both disapproved as well as laughed. It all sounded to Nadia like one of those fixed game shows, where you knew well in advance who was going home with the money.
“That one!” Pointing to Nadia, who stood bound, just like the other women. “But, that’s all water under the bridge!” He added, shaking his brother’s shoulder jovially. “We are brothers! Brothers! Linked by blood!” He tapped his own arm, just below the wrist. “And no woman will come between us!” He gave Edon a theatrical hug. Nadia wasn’t sure if this was all staged. It sure looked like it.
“Now, to show you all that I’m a good guy, I’ll let you choose any woman to have, apart from her of course.” The crowd applauded, and joined his laughter.
Knowing that he had to play along, Edon chose Christa. Nadia knew it was all pretend, but she couldn’t resist feeling jealous. Why Christa, of all others?
“Now, let us celebrate the Day of Fertility and rejoice in the good fortune to come!” A loud roar greeted his words, while Amarog just pointed at Nadia, then retired to his hut.
She knew it was time. There was nothing else she could do, but rely on Edon to act.
*****
When she was led into Amarog’s hut for the second time, he seemed relaxed and even more confident than usual, radiating power and eloquence. He was bare-chested again, hunky and gorgeous, just like the first time she saw him. His hair was disheveled, he looked as if he had just gotten out of bed. A small part of her wished that she was the reason for that.
“Nadia, Nadia, Nadia,” he started immediately upon seeing her. “We were so rudely interrupted last time, but I promise you, no such thing will happen tonight,” he was purring.
She could feel her cheeks lighting up. “No, no, no! This can’t be happening!” She screamed inside her mind, as he was telling her how lovely, how beautiful, how luscious and desirable she was, and how he knew he had to have her. She heard all those words many times before, but it was the way he said them. The way his voice demanded attention, the way her breasts pointed towards him, the way her thighs squeezed in rhythm, waiting to be opened up by him.
This was all wrong, she knew it well. She couldn’t sleep with Amarog, she just couldn’t! But, there he was: a second away from fulfilling all her most secretive sexual desires. There was no right or wrong about it. She wanted him, she wanted to absorb him until they were both left shuddering and quaking.
Managing to catch a glimpse of her lucid mind, she ran into the corner of the room.
“No, Amarog, we can’t… you don’t understand…” She pleaded. How could she tell him that she had already slept with his brother?
In a second, he was there next to her, pressing against her hard, breathing his words down her neck.
“What is it, Nadia? You aren’t crying like the rest of them, so you’re obviously enjoying this game of cat and mouse, but honestly, I’m getting a little tired of it,” he pressed harder, lifting her hands above her head as he did so. Her breasts pushed against him, and she could feel the hardness of his chest. His leg found its way beneath her thighs, and she could feel herself pressing against it.
He licked her earlobe, and she released a shattering moan. His kiss was shocking, more wiry, more brutal, yet more arousing than anything she’d ever felt before. His tongue was everywhere, his hands held her firmly, as she pushed harder and harder against his thigh. Her ears buzzed, there was nothing and no one but them and this moment of raw passion.
All of a sudden, there was loud commotion outside, and the moment was gone. Amarog seemed totally pissed off. He released her from his grip and just as he was about to exit his hut, to see what was going on, he was pushed violently back inside.
Edon followed immediately after.
Amarog picked himself up from the floor. Nadia had never seen anyone so angry in her entire life.
He flared at Edon, unwilling to say anything.
“Don’t bother calling the guards, they won’t come.” Edon finally said.
Amarog just looked at him.
“I wasn’t going to.” He approached Edon, like a majestic lion, about to butcher an animal, not out of hunger, but out of sheer pleasure. “Do you have,” he spoke slowly and calmly, “any idea what I’m going to do to you…. brother?” He stood facing him directly. He was taller than Edon, so it was no surprise to Nadia that Amarog was the scarier of the two.
“I’m here to call you out, Amarog.” Edon revealed his intentions. “You and I. Just say when and where.”
“Are you drunk, Edon?” Amarog laughed. “Or should I get you drunk, so maybe then you’ll hear yourself and how ridiculous you sound? Do you,” he turned to Nadia, “hear this?”
She didn’t want to be a part of this. Her head was messy as it was, she had no idea what she was doing anymore.
“Leave her out of it, Amarog. This is about you and me, it’s always been about the two of us.”
“Oh, really?”
“The men are rebelling. We’re not happy. We don’t want you to be our Alpha anymore. And if no one else will challenge you, I will.” Edon kept his stand. Nadia knew he wouldn’t back down, no matter what Amarog said.
“You think it’s easy keeping you all happy?” Amarog suddenly yelled. “Everyone wants something different, something else, something new! Every single one of you, who are sooooo unhappy under my rule!” He turned towards his minibar and went to fetch himself a drink. “Well, you know what? I accept your challenge!” He drank a vodka and threw the glass right in front of Edon’s feet, shattering it into a million pieces. Edon didn’t blink. “Tomorrow morning, we’ll gather everyone and you’ll have your chance to win the Alpha position.” He turned his back on him. “You’re all the same… no idea… no idea…”
“Amarog…” Nadia felt like she should say something.
“You!!” Amarog flared at her, bearing his teeth. “This is all your fault!! Get out! Get out both of you!” Amarog started throwing more glasses at them, until finally, Edon took Nadia by the hand and they left Amarog in his frenzy of rage.
*****
Edon took Nadia back to her hut, which surprisingly, had no guards in front of it. The moon was already out. Nadia wasn’t sure if everyone was already asleep, or if the night was still young. She was too afraid to ask.
“Do you wanna keep me company tonight?” She nestled in Edon’s arms at the entrance. She felt like he hesitated a little before he replied.
“Sure…” He followed her inside. He seemed lost, disoriented. She wanted to make him feel better, but how do you make someone feel better under the circumstances?
She knew he didn’t want to talk. After all, what was there to talk about? All was said, and it was all about waiting for the morning.
But, it was evening still and she knew that she had to show him she was behind him all the way, that she almost succumbed to the temptation that was his brother, but that she was all sober now.
She locked his fingers with her own, and started kissing him all over his face: his nose, eyelids, cheeks. Her body moved closer and closer to his, slowly. There was no torment of desire like the first time. There was no desperate need for each other. This time, there was tenderness, soft murmurs, silent moans and sighs. And it was exactly what she wanted.
His body replied in unison with hers. His hands were revived by her touch, bringing her forward, until she could feel how hard he was. She caressed him, releasing him from his clothes. Going down, all the way down, crossing over his perfect stomach, feeling his odor. She encircled him with her mouth, and he groaned with pleasure. He grabbed her hair, and caged her head with his fingers. She absorbed him fully, until he thought he’d be mind-blown, when suddenly, she stopped.
He released her from her grip, expectant. He watched her as she freed herself from the ceremonial dress that his brother was supposed to relieve her off, until all that was left was a bare, voluptuous body, waiting to be taken. She wasn’t going to wait. He made no motion, but then again, he didn’t need to.
She crossed over him, spreading her legs wide, until finally, he was thrust deep inside her. Warm and wet, he entered hard, fully, without slowing down. “I’m yours,” she whispered softly into his ear, and this sent him into a frenzy of movement, sending her up and down. Her tilted head and open mouth revealed her unyielding desire.
He cupped her face, his eyes finding hers in the darkness, their bodies vibrating together, tight and quivering, completely breathless, under the soft glow of the moonlight.
*****
When Nadia awoke the following morning, she knew that Edon won’t be in bed. And she was right. Upon exiting her hut, there was still no guard, and she knew that the power shift was already taking place. No matter who wins or loses, nothing would ever be the same on this island, and this thought alone made her hopeful.
She instinctively knew that the fight would take place on ceremonial ground, where she first saw Edon, where she first saw Amarog, where she was brought to be breeding cattle. No more.
Everyone was there. All the men of the island, standing behind Edon. Even the girls were there. She had no idea what part they all played. They were probably just waiting for the chance to get off this freakin’ island. Like she was, just a few days ago. Now, she wasn’t so sure. Maybe she and Edon could make a change for the better, like he told her.
Suddenly, there he was. Amarog, in all his glory. His hair flickered in the wind, his body glistened in the sun, but he seemed to have aged.
“So, you want to challenge my authority,” he addressed Edon, but he was looking at everyone else. “I shall comply!” He said, without hesitating.
With these words, he fell to his knees and bent his head. His body started twitching uncontrollably, like he was having an epileptic attack. The noises he released were not human, his body was shedding its skin, shattering bones, changing shape. Blood dripped from every body part, as his jaw extended into a muzzle. Finally, there was no Amarog, at least not in any human form. All that was left of it lay in gory leftovers on the ground. But the wolf hungrily ate it, before anyone else could get their hands on it.
Nadia was aghast. She had never seen a shapeshifter do his thing, and always had a somewhat fairy tale-like idea of what it was like. Now she knew better.
She quickly turned towards Edon, and saw that his transformation was equally painful, equally bloody and equally effective as Amarog’s.
Now, the fight could begin.
The men created a circle, all knowing that only one wolf-man would exit the circle alive. Nadia could feel her heart beating like a race horse.
Amarog stood proudly, with his head high, eyes directly aimed at Edon and with his tail leveled with his spine, all indicators of his dominance. Before Edon could react with a defensive threat posture, Amarog bared his teeth and fangs, bristling his pelt, just waiting for the opportunity to lunge at Edon.
Edon crouched immediately, staring down his opponent. Without waiting, Amarog jumped aggressively at him, making a snap contact, where it was obvious that he purposefully chose not to harm his brother, but he could have if he wanted to. Edon didn’t return the favor, and lunged at Amarog, trying to pin him down. Their jaws snapped angrily, aiming for the throat, or any other vital organ.