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The Bet

By Chaos Blackwing

(shep = shorthand for anthro german sheperd)

Day four in the house, and I was starting to wonder if I really wanted to win the bet I'd accepted. What exactly did I have to look forward to if I went back to my tribe after all? Hunting for food day in and day out with all that entailed, roasting in the summer, freezing in the winter, marriage to some girl in the tribe with the expectation of popping out the next generation to repeat the cycle, whether I wanted that kind of life or not?

Staying here on the other hand... luxury the likes of which I could have never dreamed of, delicious food whenever I wanted it, beds soft as a cloud to sleep on, and so many new things to keep me occupied examining. And the company... well, that was really the sticking point wasn't it, the real difference that mattered? Go back to the tribe, and spend the rest of my life with other humans, or stay here, with someone who looked like a cross between a dog and a man.

Still, whatever he looked like I had to admit I was really starting to like him. Kind, generous, decent if usually muted sense of humor, he was certainly someone I could see wanting to spend time with. How he wanted to spend time with me though, that was something that I couldn't help but think about. My tribe was fairly isolated, as had to be the case if we were to survive, but we had heard a few things about these 'invaders' who had thrown out and deposed the previous rulers, and one thing that pretty much all the stories agreed upon was their lusty nature. And yet, other than some affectionate hugs during the day, and being cuddled together during the night(something that had surprised me at first but which was quickly growing on me), he seemed to restrain himself from any more intimate actions. Unfamiliar as I was to the things that men could do with each other from my upbringing, I still couldn't help but think that there were activities that he could have initiated, but for some reason chose not to.

The terms of the bet had been clear, he was to treat me exactly the same as he would should he 'win', so that I would know what the kind of life I would have would be like and be able to make an informed decision from it, which made his actions somewhat confusing. Were the stories wrong when it came to their nature? Was he perhaps different than most of his kind, and did not care for the same intimate company that the stories would suggest? Or was it perhaps something on my end, perhaps I simply didn't measure up to the kind of person he cared to be with? As unexpectedly painful as the last possibility was to consider, I couldn't help but doubt it. Why offer a new life, with him, if he didn't care for me?

Realizing I was getting nowhere with my pondering I set out to find myself a shep, and hopefully some answers at the same time.

**

Thankfully the search was a short one, and it was only a few minutes before I found my host relaxing on the porch at the back of the house, a chilled drink on the table in front of him as he relaxed, gazing out at the wilderness that surrounded us. Looking up a smile spread across his face, ears perking up and aimed in my direction.

“Finally up then? I was beginning to think you were going to sleep the morning away." Scooting over slightly on the padded chair he was sitting on he patted the spot next to him. “Come, enjoy the view with me."

A few steps was all it took to bring me to the large chair, and I'd only just settled down next to the shep when I felt an arm wrap around my shoulder, pulling me against his side.

“Much better. A view like this is good, but a view and company is so much better, wouldn't you agree?"

Having spent my whole life in a tribe where physical contact like this was restricted to a man and his wife I was still getting used to such open displays of affection, so I could only nod in agreement. It was good, despite how my tribe might see it.

Several minutes passed in silence, the only sounds those of the nature before us until I gathered up the courage to ask the question that had been on my mind.

“I've... been wondering something."

Taking his eyes away from the view the large shep turned down to look at me, even as I stared straight ahead, not sure I could meet his gaze given what I was about to ask.

“Yes?"

Swallowing hard I tried to find the words, even as a blush spread across my face from them.

“The... stories. About what you guys do... to the people you catch. And the bet..."

As I stumbled over the question, unable to force myself to ask it flat out and with my face growing ever more red I felt the hand that wasn't already wrapped around my shoulder reach down to my chin, tiling it gently up to meet his amused expression.

“While I don't know exactly what sort of stories you've heard I believe I can guess. Perhaps something along the lines of how... excitable we are? Engaging in wild sex with those we capture? Something along those lines?"

Too embarrassed to speak I mutely nodded my head.

“And of course you wonder why I haven't done anything like that with you. Why, if the terms of our bet is that I would treat you as I would should you decide to stay, I have done nothing more intimate than cuddle with you at night?"

As he spoke I felt my embarrassment gradually fade, replaced once more by curiosity. It seemed like he was building up to an answer, but what?

Taking a deep breath his expression became more serious than I was used to seeing from him, with a tinge of... worry?

“In answer to your unasked question, I have refrained from that not because I don't want to, but because it wouldn't be fair to you with regards to the wager."

Hearing that he was interested in that sort of thing caused my blush to spring right back up, however the second half of his sentence left me just as confused as before.

“Not... fair?" I asked.

“It's... difficult to explain. It involves science, and biology, and the development of my race, most of which I'd imagine would go right over your head. The simple explanation is that our cum has a pleasure inducing quality to it, causing a temporary sensation of bliss in our partner. This sensation can be so strong in fact that depending on the male it can actually be addictive to varying degrees, where going without for too long can trigger a strong desire to experience it again, along with... unpleasant consequences for doing without."

While he was right in that some of the words and concepts used were unfamiliar to me, I thought I was able to understand the general idea. Have sex with a shep and you would want to have sex again, maybe even need to have sex again. I wasn't rightly sure what to think about that just now, though it didn't take much to understand what it had to do with the bet.

“So, you could have won the bet on day one simply by having sex with me, but didn't because you didn't think it would be fair?" I said as I looked at him, seeing if I was right.

His expression shifted from concerned to relief, seeing how well I was taking the 'big reveal' I guess. “Yes. Convincing you to stay here by showing you what kind of life you could expect with me is one thing, but forcing you to stay, taking the choice away from that... it wouldn't be honorable. If I can't win our bet honestly then I don't deserve to win it at all."

As he explained his reasons I couldn't help but find my respect for him growing. It had been clear from the outset that he was a kind individual, from his actions to his words, but learning that he had such an advantage and chose not to use it, even though it could very well cost him the bet... it said a lot about him, the kind of person he was and what he considered important, all of it good.

I was silent as I thought, unsure how to respond to what I'd just learned, before it struck me there was really only one thing to say.

“... you win."

His ears quirked up as the shep looked at me with a confused expression.

“What do you mean?"

Taking a deep breath I let it out before smiling as a tension I hadn't even noticed before eased, leaving me feeling so much better.

“Our bet. You win. Along with everything else that's happened these past few days, you were willing to risk losing rather than use a trick to force me to give in, so... you win."

His face was a wonder to behold, and I almost spoiled the moment laughing from seeing it change. From confusion to understanding, finally settling on warm contentment. Pulling me closer he nuzzled my head before turning to look out past the porch, his arm wrapped around me as we looked upon the morning light and the amazing view it illuminated together.

“No. No_, I_ didn't win, we did, as I will be more than happy to show you for the rest of our lives."

Resting my head against his side I had no doubt that he meant every word, and I looked forward to every moment of it, eager to see what this new life of mine with him would bring.

**

Inspired by the series 'Earth's New Masters', written by Firefromheaven, with the first chapter here.