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I did my best to explain everything I could to Zee before I had to go, but I knew that I wasn't being clear enough on everything. It was impossible. Normally this two day adjustment period was about coming to accept the new social situation you were entering into. It didn't account for the time necessary to teach someone everything about a brand new culture with which they were completely unfamiliar.

Some of his notions were just so strange and unfamiliar. There were behaviours and beliefs he had that I didn't even know how to address. When I was packing up to leave I was filled with a deep sense of concern for him. He would be alone, and he would have no one while I was away. I hoped the others would treat him with kindness, but I didn't know for sure that they would, and I also didn't know how he would behave without me there. I hoped he was the man he seemed to be, but I couldn't be certain. I'd known him for such a short time.

I left with a heavy heart and started out on what I hoped would be an easy long excursion. When I got back I'd have four days to myself off shift, but it was a three week trip for me, which was long. I was on rotation out to the fringe, the area at the outskirts of our westernmost border. It was by far the most dangerous section. We rotated shifts so no one was out there too long.

The reception back with my Leap was a little cold.

"He killed Ina!" Nit growled as we marched.

"He killed no one." I answered. "At least not in that conflict. He was fighting, as many of their people do, because he wasn't given another path."

"Then he's a coward who abandoned his friends." Nit snapped. "It doesn't matter, you broke your trust to us!

"There was no trust to us." Bet said, a sigh in the words. "Nit, you're passionate and strong, but you let your anger rule your actions. Eve was thinking with her heart. In her position, none of us may have done that, we might all have taken this wolf's life, but it was her choice and not ours. She has fought beside us for a long time now. She deserves respect for her decisions."

"What if she has lost her fortitude of will." Another girl, Ert, said softly. "Without the will to do what is necessary, she could be a threat to all of us.

"I have not lost my will." I said quickly. "Anyone who threatens my sisters or my people will meet an end at the point of my knife. Do not mistake compassion for weakness. Zee is alive because he made no threat to me when I came upon him, and he was desperate and cornered. A wolf is at his most dangerous then, but this one had accepted his death and wasn't going to fight me. I spoke to him and found him to be kind and peaceful, undeserving of a blade. I would do the same again given the choice."

The conversation died a bit after that, and I was fairly certain that I hadn't really convinced any of my sisters to trust in me much. That changed soon enough. The wolves got the jump on us. It was rare, but somehow they'd set a trap that we hadn't seen.

The last Leap in the valley must have alerted the wolves that we used the area as an outpost because we were just setting up camp when they came upon us from all angles. Unfortunately for them they saw us as eleven females making camp in some tents, and not eleven highly skilled killers making a war camp. Instead of using their surprise to their advantage, they charged down the valley towards us, which gave us plenty of time to form up and counter attack. The wind came first. We sent it howling out around us, knocking wolves from their feet before we dispersed on the breeze and slipped through their ranks, taking them down quickly and with no remorse. We killed everyone of them that would fight, and only a few eventually ran away. There was plenty of blood on my hands by battle's end. We had a good number of wolf corpses lined up.

"They won't make that mistake again." Bet said, voice dark. "He'll tell the others of how dangerous our women can be. Next time they'll use arrows, or sneak in. We won't be this lucky. This place is done. We'll have to find a new staging ground."

We broke camp and moved everything. We'd taken some minor wounds but no one was gravely injured so we stayed on our task. Passing the corpses as we left, I couldn't help but see Zee in some of them. None of them had his same, soft white fur, but they had familiar traits, things about them I hadn't recognized before. This sympathy for the dead wasn't good. I really was weakening. I might have to find another job.

The next few weeks were rough work, and by the time I started on my way back home I was well worn. Saving Zee was no longer a concern for anyone. I'd made it up to my sisters, though it had been harder and harder to do what was necessary. I couldn't see them clearly as the enemy anymore. Now they were just poor men and women who had little choice in life, but that threatened ours. I fought them because I had to in order to keep my people safe, but it wasn't easy to put my heart behind it.

As I drew closer to home my trepidation rose a bit. Depending on how things had gone while I was out, I might not have a home here much longer. I could be coming home to find out that Zee had been cast out and I was about to get the same treatment.

I passed a few of my people coming in without them speaking to me. They were busy. But they gave me a small nod of acknowledgement. Then I came across a younger man who was looking after only two kittens and he stood up as I approached so I knew he wanted to talk to me. He was smiling, not angry with me, but there was some worry on his brow too. "Eve." He said in greeting, and he flicked an ear as one of the small girls went for it with small, sharp claws out.

I came forward and nodded. "Can I help you with something?" I asked, happy, at least, to see that there weren't armed guards coming to haul me away just yet.

The man's name was Dae, I recalled. "Not exactly. I was hoping you'd apologize to Zee for me. When Lat asked me to tell him she was looking for him, I didn't know what was going to happen." He said. Lat was a young female, 18 and flirtatious with people her own age. She was a little childish still, and impulsive. She was also stubborn and aggressive in nature, not violent, but very much intent on getting what she wanted.

I growled a bit and had to check myself. I'd felt particularly territorial for a moment. I had no right to feel that way about Quazee at all. What he chose to do was his right. "What did happen?" I asked, trying not to clip my words in agitation. "No one was hurt, right?" I hated being confused about my own feelings.

"Well, it didn't seem so at the time." Dae offered, looking a bit confused on that point. Lat was his younger sister. "But I'm sure Zee was hurt in some way. You know how children can be. Lat had her three friends there with her." I knew the leopards he spoke of, they were always together. "When Zee found them after I told him Lat was looking for him, from what I hear, Lat said she wanted to 'cuddle' him. To thank him for what he did at the mountain stream a week and a half back now. See we've all noticed how much Zee likes to, well, touch, and I guess some people have been trying to figure out how far that goes. Anyway when he agreed she and her friends laughed at him for it until he left them. Have you heard anything that's happened while you were away yet?"

I was looking past him at the village, towards my home. "No, I haven't. I just got back. Should I go speak to zee? He doesn't really understand our culture." I shouldn't have left him alone. If someone had hurt him . . . I let that thought trail away. What was I even thinking? I growled a bit.

"Ah, well, you've got a lot to catch up on them. Do you want to hear it all from Zee our should I continue?" Dae asked swinging his torso back and forth and making the two girls he carried laugh.

"I'll go talk to Zee. Is he still at my house?" I asked, hoping he hadn't run away if people were being cruel to him.

Dae nodded quickly. "Oh yes. Please tell him I'm sorry?"

"Yeah, sure." I said, and then I was running. I knew it wasn't really that urgent. I didn't have to run, but suddenly I was very worried for Zee. I practically burst through the door when I arrived.

I dropped my things. "Zee?" I called out as my eyes adjusted to the relative dark of the interior.

Zee smiled as he stepped into the room, tail wagging slowly. "Eve, welcome home." He said, then seemed to play with his hands in front of him as though confused about what to do with them. He looked far better than the last time I'd seen him, though he was a little bit thinner and with just a little less hard muscle all over him.

"Are you alright?" I asked coming forward and almost putting my arms around him. I wasn't sure why the impulse struck me, but I suddenly really wanted to hold him. "Did . . . did people treat you well while I was away?"

Zee's strong arms came around me instantly and he even nuzzled his head against mine. He relaxed in the embrace and let out a soft huff of air. "It's been a mixed bag." He admitted. "How are you? Not hurt, right?"

At first I almost pulled away from him, but then I relaxed into his touch and put my arms around him as well. "I'm alright. It wasn't easy, but my wounds were minor and I'll heal. Let's sit down and talk. I've heard a lot happened while I was away." I gently nuzzled his face. This was particularly intimate for me, and I could have felt strange about it, but it felt like coming home.

Zee released me reluctantly, a light pink blush to his ears, but he didn't flatten them as though overly embarrassed. "Um, well yes." He sat down at the kitchen table, which I noticed was clean. The whole place was. He rubbed a hand through the hair at the back of his neck. "I'm not sure where to start."

"Well, Dae wanted me to apologize for him. He said he sent Lat your way and there was trouble." My hackles rose a bit, that possessive streak flaring again as I sat down next to him, close enough that I could press my leg against his. "I guess you can start there."

Zee frowned and looked upset. He sighed and shook his head. "I just ... I thought maybe she was being friendly but they just wanted to make fun of how I'm used to more physical contact than I get here. I guess I thought she was trying to make me feel at home, comfortable, because of what happened at the river a bit back." His ears pushed up at that. "Oh! That was something good I did! The river was going to flood a big section of homes quite suddenly, not sure what happened upstream, but I made an ice barrier at the bank. The river had quieted some by the time it melted and broke, and the closest homes had time to evacuate. I should have kept it frozen until the river was completely calm, but you know, I still lack control." He looked somewhat humbled by that.

I reached out and touched his cheek. "You did good, Quazee. I'm sorry Lat and her ilk were cruel to you. Amongst our people physical affection is reserved for family and loved ones. We rarely touch each other without there being meaning to it. I'm sorry that she took advantage of you like that." I occurred to me as I said this that I was touching him quite intimately at that moment. I didn't draw my hand back though.

Zee nuzzled into my hand, his great, powerful head rolling his ear against my fingers. Then his eyes caught mine, his dark blue depths looking particularly tangible. "I've realized that. Wolves aren't quite the same. I had thought you didn't like me because you didn't sleep in the same bed as me before. I mean, I thought it was a bit insulting. I understand now, but it's been ... difficult." He said, frowning and looking away.

"Oh, no, I didn't meant to insult you." I assured him. "My people like our space. Those you're not particularly intimate with we almost never touch, and a guest in our house would always get their own place to sleep. Sleeping in front of someone is the ultimate show of submission and vulnerability. I meant you no disrespect. I just didn't want you to feel uncomfortable." I gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry it has been hard for you here."

Quazee smiled. "It's a little funny now, but it wasn't right after you first left and I started trying to meet people. I mean they didn't trust me and there I was invading their space! I got into a bit of trouble before I figured it out." He chuckled softly and shrugged. "Since the river thing though, people have been touching me a bit more, like, trying to meet me halfway." His tail waged. "Some people. I've been talking to the counsel too, and they seem to be trying to make me feel more welcome now too. It's not so bad, really." He shrugged a bit, but he seemed to become a bit shy or something, and I knew he both meant it and didn't. He was lonely.

I took his hand and led him over to the couch, sitting down and pulling him with me so he was right against me. "I'm home for at least the next four days, maybe longer. We'll spend time together. Close together, if you'd like?" I was nervous about this, but at the same time I'd realized while away that I liked Zee, and wanted to be a bit closer to him if he'd have me. I wasn't sure what it all meant for sure, but I was certain that right now it meant I wanted to be held, and to hold him.

Zee was happy to do just that, he nuzzled me, and then licked the side of my face. Once he did that he stopped, judging my reaction and shrinking a little as if expecting my condemnation.

I grinned and licked the side of his muzzle, thought it was nothing near as wet as his own. "That's impressive tongue, Zee." I told him, stroking his head between his ears. An image of him using that broad tongue between my thighs flashed through my head for a moment and set a wave of warmth down to my sex. Why was I so keenly attracted to this wolf? It was very confusing for me.

"I'm thinking I might need to change jobs." I told him, laying my head on his shoulder, a deep purr starting up in my chest. It wasn't a sound I made often and I found my hands gently kneading his hip and side as I did it. It was very soothing for me, and I hoped it was for him as well.

"Oh, why's that? I didn't ruin your reputation with your Leap, did I?" He asked, concerned, though his voice was relaxed. His hand was stroking my back, and he felt relaxed underneath me. He was broader than I was, and right up against him he seemed bigger than I remembered, and safe and comfortable.

"At first I was concerned it might have. They were upset, but that changed soon enough. I proved myself in battle again and again. It was a rough few weeks, but . . . " My rumble faded a bit and I felt somewhat afraid and just a bit vulnerable. "I think I can't stomach the work anymore. I managed it, but it all felt terrible. When I killed, I saw you, thought of you, and it upset me. I did what I had to do, but I couldn't separate myself from it anymore." I admitted. He was the only person I'd told this.

"I'm sorry, I feel it's my fault. You seem like such a good warrior. And your people ... they're very worried about the war. I guess they have good cause to be, based on how it's been going." He sighed and licked me some more, grooming and comforting me. Then he sighed and nuzzled his head against mine. "I wish I could change things, the way my people are these days. They weren't always like this. But I can't, obviously." He paused and changed the subject. "What do you want to do instead?"

"I don't know, honestly." I told him a bit morosely. "I was brought up for what I do now. I'm not sure what to do if I'm not fighting, but you shouldn't blame yourself for opening my eyes. I think it's good that I know this, good that I can see you and your people for people, and not just tyrants. Maybe I can find a position that will involve more scouting and less active fighting. I know my people need defenders or we'll lose everything, but I'm not sure I can kill your kind anymore. You've opened my eyes." I licked his chin. "That's not a bad thing."

Quazee's ears flushed a little, but he smiled too. Then he licked my own muzzle, his tongue sliding along the crease of my lips in a way that was moving past being simply friendly, and the way he caught my eyes told me with certainty Even as his hands moved lower on my back to rub pleasantly at the fur at the base of my tail.

I thought about this for a moment, this moment we were sharing, and where it might go. I leaned into him a bit more and nipped one of his ears playfully. "Would you like to go lay down with me in the bedroom?" I asked him, voice soft and inviting, maybe just a touch nervous as well. I hoped he was aware of what I was offering.

"I'd like that very much." He said in gravelly tones that might have been edging on a growl, but for some reason didn't unnerve me. He gave me another kiss, this one more centered, and then he picked me up and headed for the bedroom.

I laughed and put my arms around his shoulders as he carried me. He was strong, powerful. I laid my head on his shoulder and nuzzled his neck, purring. My tail curled gently about him, and a tingling began low in my tummy. As he sat me down on the bed I reached forward and took his pants in my hands, drawing him closer to me so I could lick and nip at the area just below his navel. "May I take off your pants?" I asked him. I'd always ordered him before, and I wanted him to have some control of this encounter.

"Oh please, go right ahead." He said, smiling, and his tail wagged. He looked happy, but just a little on edge too. Of course, he'd probably spent most of the three weeks second guessing every move he made and every indication he'd been getting from anyone that they might want to be touched. The whole thing with Lat was evidence enough of that.

I reached forward and unfastened his pants, undoing the belt and latch slowly before I slid them down around his hips and pushed them to the floor. I ran my fingers up under his shirt to slide them through his soft fur, and then leaned forward and kissed his boxers just over where his sheath would be if I could see it. I reached around him and grabbed his ass, squeezing it as I pulled him forward a little and nuzzled his sex through the thin fabric. I looked up at him and smiled. "Would you let me see it?"

I felt something throb beneath my cheek. Zee's hand was on my shoulder, massaging it gently. "Yes, you can see and touch it all you'd like." He said warmly, that same gravely tone to his voice.

I reached into his boxers and pulled him out, his large, thick girth more red than pink, oddly shaped when compared to males of my own species, but it was still very arousing to have him out and close to me. I wondered if he knew how much this interaction meant to me. I wanted to discuss it a bit, but I also didn't want to take away from this moment. My kind tended to only completely mate with the person they intended to start a family with. We sometimes did other things together, oral, occasionally anal sex, and mutual masturbation, but I intended to let him inside of me.

I looked up at him him as I slid his large shaft into my mouth. I was scared of fitting it inside of me. I knew it would hurt. Pain wasn't a big issue for me, but part of me was afraid it just wouldn't go at all, and then where would we be? As it was I could only get the tip in my mouth. As it got wider it just wouldn't go, and I didn't want to force it and risk nicking him with my sharp teeth. I stroked him into my mouth though, trying to make sure he liked what I was doing, and then I laid back on the bed, reaching down and sliding off my pants and underthings. I reached down and drew off my shirt as well so he could see all of me, odd markings and all. I was as naked to him as I had been that first time beneath the blanket, only this time I spread my legs so he could see the delicate pink folds of my sex exposed from the fur between my thighs.

"Quazee, would you have me?" I asked him seriously.

He seemed nervous, but he also licked his lips. He got down between my legs, pushing me further onto the bed. First he took a deep breath of my sex, and then he gently started exploring my folds with one hand while his other looped around me though and stroked my belly. Her leaned his head against my thigh and looked up at me. "I want to be your mate, Evetanilia." His intense dark blue eyes held mine, a serious look on his face. "But you know, I have very little to offer you at the moment. I'm sorry for that." His ears went back a little, but only part way, and they flicked forward again quickly.

I laughed a little, my breaths coming in a bit fast and deep. "This is an unusual time to have this conversation, Quazee, but I want that as well. That's why I offered you this. I guess it probably doesn't work the same for your people, but we only mate, an actual coming together of sexes, with those we intend to have a family with. I'm not fertile at the moment, but that makes this offer no less important. I'm choosing you to be my mate. I want you, but I'll need you to go easy on me. Your shaft is larger than males of my species. So yes, maybe you have no assets to bring yet, but you have yourself, and that is what I want most. You."

He grinned wide and gave my sex a long lick as I heard his tail thinking on the bed behind him. "It doesn't seem strange timing to me, sorry. I really wanted to know what we were doing though." He chuckled softly. "We can talk about the intricacies of wild sex later." He licked me again, watching up my length and still stroking my belly soothingly.

I shivered in response to his tongue. "Well, that's amazing so far. Your tongue is every bit as wonderful as I thought it would be." I smiled and reached a hand down run it over the fur on his head. "A little bit more of that and I think I'll definitely be ready to try and fit your massive cock inside me."

His long, smooth tongue pierced my entrance as he looked up at me, slipping in far before pulling back out and sliding up to push hard against my clit. The he pulled back to smile up at me as his fingers took over, sliding into my sex just a little before going up to circle my clit. "But I like talking." He said with mock innocence. "Especially when you're having trouble thinking." He winked. "I don't know why I like you so much, I feel like I only know you a little, but I'm drawn to you. And your smell, and now this taste..." He licked my entrance to indicate exactly what he meant and he shivered. "Gods you're so sexy, so enticing. I'm going to have trouble going slow. I've missed you, I've missed having physical contact with other people and especially you."

I was becoming increasingly excited. My tunnel was beginning to gently clench around his tongue when he used it to push into me. "Zee, that's incredible. I'm going to cum if you keep doing that to me, and I'd really prefer to cum with you inside of me, at least this time." I blushed, surprised at my own eagerness to move this encounter forward. I should have been more worried than I was, after all, this was my first time. "Have you . . . you've been with others before?" I asked, expecting that he probably had. He hadn't even answered and I already felt a little surge of jealousy.

Zee gave my sex one final lick and crawled up my body, laying on top of me. His muzzle smelled like my own arousal. His shaft started rubbing through my folds as he thrust his hips forward, his tip glancing over my entrance each time and then pushing against my clit. "The type of wolf I am, personality wise, and all my oddities ... And the way in which we wolves put so much importance on socializing and proving ourselves first, I haven't. I've never been inside a woman's sex. Other things, though, I've done. And I know the mechanics of it very well." He licked my muzzle gently.

"I've done a few other things, but never with a male." I told him honestly. "Most licking and touching. I've imagined being with a man before, but not really with a wolf, at least not until . . . well, last time we were together." I blushed a bit, still ashamed of how I'd handled myself. Each pass of his tip over that nub at the head of my sex sent a spasm of pleasure through me, and each time he slid past my entrance I felt like I was going to crawl out of my skin in excitement.

"I'm glad this will be a first time for both of us, though. I mean, it's not that important, but it's nice we can share this." I leaned forward to lick his muzzle. "I have a high pain tolerance." I whispered into his ear. "But try to be sweet." I said as I laid back down and pulled my legs further apart, rolling my hips upward towards him.

Quazee nuzzled his head against mine, and then he pulled back to look me in the eyes as he adjusted his hips. I felt his tip line up with my entrance properly, and then he was sliding into me slowly, his nose nudging my muzzle gently as he watched my face and eyes intently.

I kept my eyes on his as he parated by sex. At first it was all pleasure, but he began to widen quickly and my body attempted to resist. I let out a gasp of pain, but reached down grab his hips and pull him against me more. It hurt more than I'd expected, but I'd suffered far worse in my fighting, so I kept the pain in check and tried to focus on the pleasure that was also part of the experience. "So big . . . " I moaned as he went deeper. My body was gripping his tightly, trying to force him back.

He stopped, though I could tell he wasn't fully inside. He nuzzled his head against me again. "Relax when you can, and I'll continue." He said softly and licked my chin in a small kiss. "You feel so good, Eve."

I reached out to touch his cheek, breathing deeply as I tried to relax around him. He was already wider than any male of my own species would have been and there was more of him to take. I laughed a bit and kissed his cheek. "You feel good too, I think. I mean, parts of your really do, but there is some pain because you're just so . . . well, there is so much of you." I held him tighter. I didn't want him to get any ideas about stopping. "I want you. I want this. We'll keep going until it doesn't hurt anymore." I told him, and honestly I was already starting to relax a little, my body easing up around him a bit .

He smiled and started rocking, moving just a little in and out of me and sliding in further bit by bit. "Good thing I already told myself not to try and knot you. I very much want this to be pleasurable for both of us, and if it isn't for you we won't move forward and we can stop whenever you'd like." He nudged my cheek with his nose affectionately.

Small waves of pleasure were slipping in amongst the pain now, getting a bit more intense as he moved. "Knot me?" I asked, not sure of the term. "Is it important? I want this to be . . . " I had to stop and moan as my insides began to clench with a different type of tension. "I want this to be good for you too." I told him, my eyes finding his again, a haze of pleasure settling over me. I was building towards an orgasm, I could tell, and one unlike any I'd had before.

"It'll still be wonderful." He said, panting just a little. His movements picked up speed a little as I felt his balls press against my ass, though he continued to rock more than thrust. He licked my neck, sending a shiver through me. "My knot is bigger then my cock, at the base of it. It's meant to seal us together when I push it into you, but I can tell it won't go and if it did, it would hurt you. Maybe in time. Down the road. It's instinctively satisfying, we only do it to our mates."

I felt a moment of heartache. Maybe down the road? I shook my head and pulled him against me. "No, you can get it in, please. I want it. I'm strong. My body can take it." I was panting hard. I was going to cum sooner rather than later I realized, and maybe my thoughts were a little hazy because of that, but I wanted him to force his big knot into me. I realized it was that thing I'd felt when I'd jerked him off. It had been bigger than my fist. I wasn't sure how it could possibly go into me, but I wanted it just the same.

Zee moaned and nuzzled his face into my neck, panting. He kept getting faster and a little harder. He was trusting in and out now, and his member moved through me with ease. "Gods I want that, Evetanilia, but I don't want to hurt you." He let out a soft whimper and nipped at my shoulder.

"It already hurts a little, Zee, but it feels good too." I moaned. "So good." I began to cum. "Please, I want you . . . oh gods, Zee, I need it!" I cried out as my insides clenched tightly around him, not sure whether they wanted to pull him in deeper or push him out.

He gasped and I could feel his knot at my entrance as he pushed back in, and then he came. He pulled back and slammed his knot into me, crying out in a kind of grunt, then he held himself still for a moment as I felt his shaft pulse a her of his seed into me and his body shook with the effort to hold still before he drew back again and rammed the knot into me again with a groan. This time I felt my sex opening to it from the pressure, but it was painful even as wet as everything was down there. He drew back again and grabbed my shoulders, pulling me down onto him as he thrust forward into me again with a speed and force he hadn't used during the build up to this point.

I screamed out a moment and then bit down on my lip. It hurt furiously. I felt myself ripping, muscles clamping and unclamping. I didn't think he was going to go, but he gave one final slam into me, drawing me down hard on him, and there there was a physical and audible pop as he broke into me. I hissed in agony, growling and clawing at his back as my instincts told me to fight him, to cut him and rip him out of my body, and then clarity came back and I slipped my arms more tightly around him, holding him against me as the agony turned into a deep, dull ache. Something was trickling down from me, and I knew some of it was mess from our making love, but some of it was definitely blood as well.

"Quazee." I whispered his name, rubbing my face against him and marking him with my scent glands next to my nose. "I got you." I told him, claiming my victory at taking his knot.

He pressed his eyes into my neck, panting, and he gradually relaxed as his breathing leveled out. "You're hurt." He said softly. "I'm sorry, I tried to stop myself after the first attempt." His arms slipped around me and he held me tightly as he nuzzled in harder. "I'm so sorry, Eve." He sounded very upset, in fact, he almost sounded like his next words were going to be to swear off doing this, or at least knotting me, ever again.

"No, no, no." I told him, holding him tighter. I still hurt, but it was a dull background pain. "Don't be sorry. I wanted it. Please, enjoy this. We're stuck together now, right? Mates? I'm happy. That was hard, painful, but it will get better each time, and there are going to be a lot of times, right? You'll make love to me frequently? I have a large sex drive. I should have warned you before you claimed me I guess."

"You didn't need to be knotted to be my mate. And we're stuck together now for about an hour." He licked my neck a few times, almost raising his head enough to look me in the eyes, but not quite making it. "I'll make love to you again, if you want to, but I won't knot you again until you're healed if I've damaged you, and I think I have. If I can't resist that, then I don't know." His ears went from half back to all the way back. "I should have more self control." It was a scold aimed at himself.

I grabbed his chin and forced his pretty eyes up to face mine. "I begged for you to put all of yourself inside of me. You did what I asked, and nothing more. It hurt. It hurt a lot, but I've had much worse, and for things I didn't want so badly. I know we could have not done this, that it wasn't necessary, but I also know you wanted it, and that I wanted you to have it." I licked the center of his mouth, then pulled his face down next to mine, nuzzling him softly. My inner muscles were settling, a gentle throb working on his shaft which felt like it might still be leaking into me. It actually felt sort of good. The pain was becoming a background thing. "This was painful, but this is wonderful. You're wonderful. Don't be afraid of sex with me, okay?"

"I'll try not to be." He said slowly, tone apologetic. He smiled at me though, and it looked genuinely happy with only a small crease of concern I probably couldn't get rid of until we separated and he could investigate the 'damage' he'd done to me.

"You marked up my back." His tail wagged, he sounded pleased. "I know it was because you lost yourself in the pain for a moment, but I'm happy to have your marks. Next time I'll probably bite you, leave my own mark on you, but I didn't want to do that without warning." He grinned toothily at me and then clicked his jaws together.

I laughed and rubbed his cheek. "Yes, it's probably a good thing to warn me." A bit more seriously I added, "Young women from our people have been warned for a long time to beware wolves because they'll bite your throat out, so you would have scared me, but we bite during sex as well. Marking a mate is expected to some degree." I wasn't trying to scare him, or make him feel guilty, but I figured it was best he knew about our stories so he didn't say the wrong thing somewhere. I knew he wouldn't try to kill me, but others might take words differently than I did.

Quazee nodded, sobered in a sad kind of way. "I think I'm going to be happy here, and sometimes I think that's a monumental step forward for our people. And then sometimes things will come up, and I wonder if we could ever live together peacefully on any big scale with all the differences and ghost stories that have developed between our people." He licked my cheek and huffed a content sigh. "Well, like I said. I'm happy enough here. One step at a time I suppose."

I nuzzled into him, sore but content. I was mated now. It was hard to believe how fast that had happened, and I was fairly certain there would be some fallout from this choice, but I wasn't really afraid of it at all. I knew people would come to respect Zee in time, and some already did. As respect for him grew, so would acceptance of my choice to take him as a mate, and even if it didn't, it made no difference. I was happy. He was happy. That was what was important.