Warming The Cold One - 2. Time To Decide

We parked in front of a very large log building. As everyone is getting out of the truck, Toby walks out of the front door. Erik bows and Ros kneels in front of him. Our visitor sees this and starts to kneel as well.

“No, it would be a crime for you to kneel to me.” Once back on his feet, Toby shakes his hand. “Welcome. I have waited many years for this meeting. Let's go inside and I can explain what will happen now that you are here.” As the two walk away, Toby speaks again. “Will you two come on! I don't have all day.” Erik and Ros jump and follow Toby and their guest inside.

Inside the building was divided so that from the door to the center of the room is open. Then there are semi-private areas all along the sides. In the back-right corner is what looks like a glass walled office with a desk and computer. Toby takes us to the largest of the private areas on the left wall. We sit down in plush chairs with a small table in the center. On the table is small sandwiches, tea cookies, coffee, tea and a decanter of a richly gold bourbon.

“First off, please help yourself to refreshment. Now let us begin with a bit more detailed background of the history our guest was never taught. It is a bit long so please let me try to get it all before we answer questions.

Long ago, as life was evolving, it was beneficial to be able to alter forms to suit the environment. None of this part should surprise you as it is very Darwin like in thought. We could have many forms depending on where we lived. The far north meant longer hair and thicker hair. The tropics meant shorter hair or in time, no hair. Packs of creatures might form for short periods of time to assist one another but break up later. As the planet evolved, so did we.

No one is sure what really happened, but something broke apart evolution wise and we started to see more defined forms. Soon there were wolves, mice, lions and eventually people. Diets restricted and a food chain started on its own. As that happened the once short alliances become vital to survive.

What else no one knows is why we, as lycans, continued to be able to transform ourselves. What is even more bizarre is that we have never known of a lycan to take on a form other than human and wolf. With that said, evolution did not stop for us. Soon there were groups of lycan that found they no longer had the power to transform without the assistance of another sharing their gift with them. Either they got stuck as a wolf or as a human. For the transforming lycan, our evolution added a marking that identified our power to shift. Those marks varied from region to region until it was easy to say where someone was from.

Therewere five major groups of wolves: The Celtic wolves of the northern evergreen woods, The Amazon wolves of the jungle, which actually evolved in the steppes of south-eastern Europe and moved to South America before the Spanish were even Spanish, The Saharan wolves of the deserts, the Himalayan wolves of the high mountains, and finally the American wolves of the prairies.

As many eons have passed, we have had many ways of trying to collaborate and keep order. Trouble started for the American wolves about 600 years ago when European settlers came to expand. They brought more than just disease that native peoples had no defense to. They also brought Saharan warriors to decimate the packs that stood on the way.

In a very short 100 years, most of the American wolves were dead. The settling lycan groups that moved West started to quietly move and protect the packs they could and hid whole groups to prevent extinction. Over many years they have worked hard to preserve and keep alive the American bloodlines.

The official history stands that the American wolves were deemed extinct about 20 years after the end of the Civil War when the last official pack when extinct. That single lone pack was hiding in the hills of South Dakota was called the Red Pack. Your family is that lost Red Pack.

Many Celtic clan packs, aided by some Amazon packs as well, have worked to get the rest of the decimated packs alive the best we could by absorbing members and silently working to keep those lines as pure as possible. You are living proof that our deeds were successful. The pack that was supposed to help keep your heritage alive also died in the same winter your pack was marked as no more.

“It is just so much to absorb. What...”

Toby puts his hand up to stop any questions. “Before we can continue, I must ask two things of you. First is that I cannot answer the question of what you should choose tonight.” After our guest's mouth closes from the shock of having his question answered before he could ask, Toby continues. “Second is that we need to have you choose a name for us to call you. As of this morning, you are in hiding. I'm sure Erik told you about the rules for hiding as a member of our group.”

“How about Rex?”

"No good. Part of your real name.” Toby looked in his eyes a little deeper. “Dig deep and you will find it."

I closed his eyes and let my wolf feel his wolf. I knew his wolf would have a name. I opened my eyes and saw him look over at me. “That is what your wolf wants. Say it. When you do, it will put a name to your wolf forever.”

“That's enough Ros. I know you feel a connection and I know you are trying to be helpful but let me do this.” Toby turned to our guest. “He is right though. Since you already have a wolf spirit, it will be named that forever. I should have warned you of that.”

“Okay, I don't think I could choose anything other than what I feel my wolf wanting. Tala. Call him or me, or us, or whatever Tala.”

“Very good, Tala. Now we can discuss what to do about tonight.” Toby turns to Erik and me. “I know that Ros is staying but do you wish to join us Erik.”

“No Toby, I cannot stay. My being here any longer only draws extra attention to the others around us. I have to look like I am just delivering supplies as usual.” Erik gets up. “I hope to see you around Tala. I believe in you. Good evening all.”

As Erik leaves, Toby turns to Tala and me. “Now that Erik is gone, we can discuss what we are going to do about the two of you.”

“The two of us? I thought this was about my safety.” Tala looks confused. “I thought that I would get here and then you'd hide me or something before you changed me or whatever.”

“That isn't the way we do things here. Turning is a choice you must make. Normally we ask you to look inside of you for your spirit but that is taken care of already. Next, we draw that spirit out. Again, we can skip that step. The last step is the turning. It is not pleasant to do or to receive. In our case here, the regular way is not going to work. I turn the people in my pack. I am forbidden to do that when they are in love with another shifter.”

“I don't have a girlfriend. I'm not in love with anyone.”

“Yes, you are. I saw it the moment you walk in that door. You feel it and you do not know how to react. I understand. It's hard to face your feelings when you have never felt that emotion in this way before.”

“I heard you in the truck with Erik. I told him to tell you my name. I did not want to influence you before we got here. I was supposed to find you and bring you to Toby. I was warned not to be emotionally attached. I could not help it. When I changed in my office for you, I felt your wolf spirit calling out to me. Only you and I can hear it Tala. Toby plays as if he can hear our spirits all the time, but he can only hear what we let him hear. As my alpha I let him in to my spirit without obstruction.”

Tala turns towards me. “You mean my wolf is?”

“For a lack of a better description, yes. An animal's love is not bound by human rules or morals. I will tell you that I have committed to children with other packs, but I do not even have to be there and choose not to be. When a wolf spirit falls in love it is a long-term thing.”

“Tala, I have been mated to my bride for many years. She and I do things with others as well. Packs take care of each other. Being that we have a choice in what form we come together, we always protect ourselves from having mixed puppies. You can love Ros and not feel guilt.”

“So, what if I go along with this? Does that mean that Ros has to turn me?”

I turn to look at Toby somewhat stunned. I did not know that I ruined everything. I doomed Tala. “Either Ros turns you or you won't ever be turned. You could leave right now for Los Angeles and never have to fear Jake wanting to turn you ever again. Ros saved your chance at a human life without knowing it.”

“I did? You told me I had to get him here for us to protect him until he chose to be turned. I was not supposed to poison his heart. Jake will kill him if he can't have him.” I start to cry. “I screwed up and doomed him to die.”

Toby picked up my face. “Dry your tears my dear puppy. You saved him. No one will ever be able to force him to change. He has a new lease on life. I can guard him for the rest of his life if he chooses. Jake isn't a problem anymore.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Ros can turn me.”

Toby and I look over at Tala. “You would have me turn you?”

“Yes, my wolf gave me the impression that he'd never forgive me if I pushed you away. In fact, he tells me I would be really happy with you.”

“Wow!” I start to cry again. “I never dreamed I would find a mate that would believe in me this effortlessly.”

“You told me earlier that I came because I trusted you. In my time of being scared, you comforted me in a second. You astounded me at the club. Seeing your wolf sealed it. I knew right then I would follow you to Hell and back if I had to.” Tala turned to Toby. “How do we do this anyway?”

“Funny you should ask that. The normal bite will not do it. It is crucial that it be a full mating bite. I will tell you that I never even mated Eva when we married. Mating is forever and ties your spirits together. If one of you dies, the other will as well. I caution you to think hard about this. I am afraid that it is too late, in my mind, to turn back. I see the look you have for each other.”

Tala laughs a bit. “So, it is an all or nothing I take it.”

“I guess so. Toby, can Tala and I talk for a bit?”

“I think that would be best. Behind that plant is a door that will lead you downstairs to a private guest suite. You can talk there as long as you want. I'll be in my office doing my ordinary business work. I don’t expect to see you for a while if things go well.”

Tala and I go down the stairs and are amazed at the suite we are given to use for our talk. We decide to pop our shoes off and lie next to each other on the bed. For what feels like hours, but was only about 5 minutes, I just look in his eyes. I could lose myself in them forever. He stares back. I finally lean in and smell his scent. I kiss his neck. He turns his head and kisses me. First lightly, then more passionately, finally pulling back to look in my eyes again. I smile at him.

I unbutton his shirt and take it off him. I trace his pecs with my hand. My eyes catch a spot on his collarbone between his shoulder and the base just at the edge of where a wife beater would sit. It looks so tasty, so I kiss it a few times. He pulls my sweater and t-shirt over my head. He does not stop there though. He unbuttons my jeans and pulls them off too. He starts to drool at my rigid member sticking straight up. “You don't wear underwear?”

“No. When you plan to change as much as I do, you find it being torn too often. I do own some for when I want to feel sexy. I'll let you guess what kind.”

“For some reason I think it is any style I've modeled.”

“You would be right. I have wanted, dreamt and yearned for you for many years. I have always had a celebrity man-crush on you. I guess my wish came true.” I kiss him again as I unbutton his pants. I pull them off and stare for a minute at the very hot green Mr. Love trunks. “I knew you were a green man.” I pull them off revealing his also very rigid sausage.

“Ros, I...”

“Shhhhh.”

“No, I need to say this.” I do not let him finish as I start to kiss that spot on his collarbone again. I feel him wrap his arms around me as I lick his ear. “Ros, I love you. I have never felt like this in my whole life. Something has just clicked in my mind.”

I pull back just a bit. “I can't let you call me that anymore. You need to know my real name. I was born Jason Michael Wilson. I went by Jay until I went in to hiding. The only people that have ever called me Jason were my mother and my grandmother.”

“It's beautiful. So is your spirit Ros?”

“No, I never named my spirit. You were able to name yours because of me. Your spirit never truly has a name until your mate agrees to it. I gave you that permission upstairs without even knowing it. I thought you were just coming up with a fake name like I did. Toby knew what he was asking you and tried to tell me, but I just didn’t get it.”

“Can your spirit be the same name as your real name?”

“It can be anything our wolves want.”

“I like Jay. It also matches your tags.”

“So do I. I think my wolf spirit has always liked it too.” I pull the first of my pendants off. It is just a basic paw with Jay scribed on it. I put it around Tala's neck.

“That settles that, but what about the mating? Does your wolf know what to do?”

“I know Tala already accepts me. Now I must ask you and you must be ready. Once you answer, I will not stop until it is done. This will hurt, a lot. The mating bite is a complicated bite to do. I will not know what is involved until I get started. It's not part of Lycan 101.”

“I understand Jay. I want this and I want you.”

I take a deep breath. “Oliver Rex Taylor, will you be my mate?”

“Yes, Jason Michael Wilson, I will be your mate.”

At that moment, I understood why his collarbone looked so good. I kissed him first. I also started to massage his body. He moans so cute as I continue to pleasure him. I move down his neck. I kiss here, and then lick there. I hear him say he is close, so I find my yummy spot and start sucking on it. Something inside him relaxes and he starts to scream. That moment I open my mouth. My canines extend down and I strike as he climaxes. I feel his orgasm fading and know that the pain is starting to hit him. He chokes as I continue to pump the venom into him. He goes quiet now. When I finally am able to release, I look up at him. He eyes are watering but he does not make a sound. “My love, are you okay?” He is still silent. “Love? Can you hear me?”

He nods slowly. I lay my head on his chest.

After about thirty minutes, he finally speaks. “Jay?”

“Yes, my love.”

“I still love you.”

“I love you too.”

“I guess I'm not a cold one anymore, am I?”

Laughing I answer, “No, you are not a cold one anymore.”