Otto’s rhythm became ragged. His growl of satisfaction vibrated her chest as he came, bathing her with his hot seed even as he locked his jaw, refusing to release her.
When he did, it was only to turn her over, his hands arranging her so her cheek was pressed against the rug. He entered her again, sliding easily this time. Josephine lost herself in the primal feeling of him inside her, his fingers leaving bruises on her hips and thighs. They growled, bit, clawed, and fucked until the fire burned out.
Even then, they didn’t stop.
Otto was only satisfied when he’d bitten her thighs, breasts, and both sides of her throat as he painted her flesh with his lashing tongue and ropes of his seed. By the time the sun began to lighten the sky, they somehow managed to make it to the bed, their sweaty limbs twined.
Otto clutched her to his chest. She could feel his heart hammering under her cheek when he rumbled, “Did I hurt you?”
Josephine pressed a kiss to that powerful heart. “I will be sore for days and I’ll love every second of it.”
He chuffed. Those talented fingers danced over that first vicious bite, tracing the contours of what was sure to be a spectacular scar. “Are you happy? I know this isn’t the den you dreamed of, but—”
“I am the happiest I’ve ever been in my life, sir. I’ll thank you not to question it again.”
She didn’t need to look to know he was grinning from ear to ear. She could feel it.
“To think I called youlille mus,”he teased. “Now you are a lioness snarling at her mate.”
“Could I not be a bear?”
He made atsksound with his teeth and tongue as he rolled them over. Tucking her against his chest, he replied, “A small one, maybe. Perhaps a sun bear?”
Her pinch did nothing more than make him chuckle. Lifting his head just enough to peer at the floor, he added, “Though, you’ll need to learn how to keep a den. Look at the mess you made of my piles.”
“Your piles?” Josephine was too exhausted to move, but she could imagine what the floor looked like. She was also fairly certain they’d made loveonsome charcoal drawings. No doubt her back was smeared with it now.
Otto ran his knuckles over the curve of her backside. “My piles. I’ll need to sort them all again.”
“How so?”
“Into the ones that we’ll hang now and the ones we’ll hang later, of course.”
Josephine stilled. The beginning of the evening was awfully hazy now, but she recalled that one of his piles had been quite a bit larger than the other.
Her heart jammed into her throat and made her voice embarrassingly squeaky when she asked, “Which pile was which?”
“The big one was for now,” he answered, as if it should have been obvious. “The small one was for later.”
Her breath hitched. “I… I don’t think we have enough room to hang all of those.”
Otto drew their quilt up and over them. Cupping the back of her head, he guided her to press her nose against the base of his throat. A low, rhythmic purr rattled between them, making her eyes droop.
She was already drifting off when he murmured, “You’re right. Suppose I should get started on those extra rooms then, shouldn’t I?”
Yes,she thought, lips curving into a sleepy smile.You should.
* * *
True to his promise, Otto began work on expanding the cabin the following day. He was able to get a remarkable amount of work done in the few hours of winter light before the sun dipped below the jagged crown of trees to bathe the frost-touched lake.
When the moon rose, Josephine’s worry about her monthly transformation withered away. She felt none of her usual dread. The beast was not frantic, desperate to escape.
When the transformation overcame her, Otto was with her every step of the way. He did not balk at her fangs, her claws, her elongated limbs.
He shiftedwithher.
The beast greeted the bear with pure, animalistic joy as they were both caught in the frenzy of the night. Despite the frigid temperature, they ran through the pines together to play and snarl and follow invisible trails in the snow.
