Under The Full Moon

"Ryder, I've left our stuff upstream, we can still do some more hiking before we need to camp. You go ahead. I just need a few words here before I join you," Lyall said.

"Sure," Ryder said with a nod.

He gathered his things quickly, glancing around a couple of times. The stranger's eyes were fixed on him, not Lyall, as if uncaring of Lyall's presence. There was no way Ryder could miss the way Lyall moved his body to that the stranger couldn't see the direction Ryder took as he headed into the forest. He didn't go far. He was sure his lover could deal with the other man, but wanted to stay close in case he was needed.

When Lyall caught up with him, Ryder could see his lover was still angry.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Sorted," Lyall muttered brusquely.

"You're bleeding!" Ryder exclaimed, noticing a trickle of blood on his lover's cheek.

"He swung at me," Lyall said with a disgusted tone. "He must have clipped me with the ring he wore."

Ryder had noticed the ring, too. It might have been silver or simply stainless steel and it looked like the head of an animal of some kind. He'd been too far away to see properly. He glanced back at Lyall, but his lover had wiped away the blood and there was no more, much to Ryder's relief.

He pushed the memory of the man away. He wanted nothing to spoil their arrival at the rise.

****

It was fast approaching dusk as they began their ascent to the top of the rise. Both men were eager as the sky was clear and it was going to be a glorious sight. Lyall led the way and Ryder enjoyed both the view of the vista around him and that of his lover.

There was a steep drop to their right and they were taking care as they walked along the trail to the rise. The evening breeze was in Ryder's nostrils as he raised his head in the direction of the lake ahead that would soon be visible in all its splendour.

He gave a shout of shock followed by a scream as a grey shape bounded past him from an impossible angle against the solid rock to their left. It lashed out at Lyall and sent him over the edge of the trail before launching itself at Ryder. He and the creature both tumbled back down the steep slope.

By the time Ryder had stopped rolling, he was dizzy and disorientated and rose to his knees groggily.

Then he stared.

The attack had been by what looked like a coyote, except coyotes didn't stand on their hind legs. Nor did they have a human torso, arms and a human-like, if furred and bestial, visage. Nor did they wear a silver ring.

Skin walker.

The name blazed into Ryder's mind. A witch, capable of transforming themselves into the animal whose fur they wore. The stranger who attacked him earlier must have worn the pelt of a coyote, and now Ryder was facing a large, grey, rampantly aroused beast.

Even as it registered in his mind what he was facing, the skin walker lunged at him. It caught him around his waist, driving him backwards as well as to the ground. He hit the ground hard, the breath forced from his body in a pained grunt. The coyote's claws immediately slashed at his clothing, ripping apart his shirt, leaving several scratches in their wake, and tearing the fastenings of his jeans.

"Get off me, you bastard!" Ryder shouted.

Her grappled desperately as he tried to fend off the teeth that snapped close to his throat, bucking frantically to dislodge the beast. Its breath was hot and fetid and there was no mistaking the lust in its eyes. Ryder felt it paw at him as he tried to fight it off.

A sound of pure animalistic rage rent the air, causing grey-fur to pause in his attack. Taking his opportunity, Ryder gave a forceful shove, scrabbling on hands and knees to put distance between himself and the beast before turning to watch what was happening.

There were now two beasts: gray-fur coyote who was standing slowly, and a dark-furred wolf, whose eerily familiar brown-gold eyes glittered with undisguised fury. For a few seconds the two creatures stared at one another.

Then they attacked.

Gray-fur coyote and dark-fur wolf collided in a flurry of teeth and claw. Snapping, clawing and snarling. They were a blur of light and dark to Ryder who could do little other than stand and stare, one hand holding up his almost shredded jeans. The noise was continual as they rolled, jumped and fought; each beast intent on nothing less than the defeat of the other.

Ryder watched, his eyes wide as the two shape shifters clashed; dark fur and grey twisting, clashing, snarling and slashing. He gasped as he saw grey-fur's claws rake down the torso of dark fur and he shuddered at the howl of pure rage the wound engendered. Dark-fur left a bloodied trail against gray-fur's back as the lycan twisted agilely.

As dark-fur gave a sound of pain from another wound, Ryder found himself moving forward, ready to help if the lycan needed it, but it wasn't necessary. The second wound seemed to increase dark-fur's fury. Ryder watched as it forced grey-fur farther away from where he stood, deep, bloody scratches appearing on the coyote's torso. Finally, in a manoeuvre so swift Ryder could barely keep pace, dark-fur came up behind grey-fur, pinning the skin walker's arms to his body.

The skin walker gave a scream as the lycan bit down hard, blood pouring from the wound in its neck and shoulder. Giving it a shove, dark-fur watched it as the coyote dropped to all-fours, limping away. Dark-fur gave a howl of triumph as the other vanished.

As gray-fur disappeared from view, Ryder's eyes turned on the advancing form of dark-fur. The lycan's shaft, red and glistening, erupted free of its protective sheath as the beast stalked purposely towards him. Ryder felt his mouth go dry and his hands go numb at the sight, his ruined jeans sliding down his thighs to his knees.

Before he could do anything else, the werewolf was at his side, the chocolate and gold eyes seemingly staring into his soul. Dark-fur sniffed at him as if gauging just how far grey-fur had gone. As dark-fur scented him, he began to growl angrily at the claw marks across Ryder's chest and scratch at the clothing Ryder still wore.

As if in a dream, Ryder stripped out of the remnants of his clothing, baring his body to the eyes of the lycan. He forced himself to stand still as dark-fur circled him, listening to the snuffling sounds as it firstly checked him over and then stood facing him. The lycan's eyes were now fixated on Ryder's very obvious erection which danced and dripped at the undivided attention.

With a whoosh of sound, Ryder found himself on the ground, Dark-fur's tongue licking him from throat to groin. When the lycan stopped and looked at him, Ryder instinctively tilted his head and bared his throat, showing his submission to the alpha male. There was a rumbling sound from its chest and then teeth fastened at Ryder's throat.

He couldn't stop the shudder or the surges of pre-ejaculate from his aching cock. He gave a soft cry as dark-fur bit down and Ryder felt his skin break. A soft tongue licked at the small wound before heading back down his body once more.

He gave a cry that mixed shock and pleasure as his legs were lifted and spread and a thick, wet tongue thrust eagerly at his entrance. The tongue jabbed insistently as the lycan's hands stroked over Ryder's chest and the beast made an almost purring rumble deep in its chest. Ryder moaned his appreciation as the slick invader flicked repeatedly over his prostate.

He started to voice his objection when the tongue vanished, but that died on his lip as he was flipped over onto his stomach and his hips pulled into position for the lycan to take him. He braced himself quickly and gave a cry that was drowned out by a howl of triumph from dark-fur.

The was nothing Ryder could do except keep himself braced as the lycan sheathed his cock in one swift motion and instantly began to thrust. His powerful haunches drove the solid flesh deep inside Ryder, striking his already stimulated prostate. He felt the beast's tongue and teeth, licking and nipping at his shoulders. It was hard. It was fast. It was glorious.

A clawed hand left his right hip to reach underneath him. It scraped over his nipples until the buds were peaked and aching. Then it encircled Ryder's throbbing dick and began to stoke him to the same hard, fast, feral rhythm of the lycan's haunches.

There was no way that Ryder could hold back. His head lifted and he felt the lycan's teeth fasten hard at the junction of his neck and shoulder as if holding him in place. It was all he needed to fly. His climax detonation in a maelstrom of brightly flashing stars behind his eyes and orgasmic convulsions that wracked his frame. As if from a great distance, he dimly heard a scream past the thundering of the blood in his ears.

He barely registered the lycan's teeth had released him when a primal sound rent the air and dark-fur's semen was flooding Ryder's still-spasming channel. He shuddered as he felt the warm seed filling him. Unable to keep on his hands and knees, Ryder collapsed to the ground, the scent of earth and plants adding to the mix of his crazily-spiking senses. The weight of the lycan pressed on top of him, dark-fur still thrusting inside him.

Long moments passed before he felt the lycan slowly ease back. Ryder felt as if the loss of the flesh left an aching void. He couldn't stop the groan that was in part loss of the intimate contact and in part his protesting muscles. He eased onto his side and saw dark-fur stretched alongside him. He reached to caress the furred visage.

"Lyall," he murmured and was sure he could see the lycan grin.

Then the werewolf raised his head and gave another howl before leaping agilely to his feet and beginning to run in the direction of the rise. Muttering under his breath, Ryder eased himself up and knew exactly where Lyall was going as he saw the full moon in all her glory.

****

Reaching the top of the rise, Lyall leant back and bayed at the moon. As he straightened, a blond streak came hurtling up to join him, standing at his side. Lyall turned to regard his mate as the blond werewolf gave a discontented whine. In response, Lyall wrapped an arm around Ryder's waist and pulled him close.

Lyall held tightly to the other lycan. With a soft snarl he tangled his fingers in blond tresses, angling Ryder's head back. There was no resistance from his beta. Rather, his mate wanted the possession, wanted his mark, whining insistently as he tried to offer his throat willingly. The submissive gesture helped derail Lyall's still simmering anger. He bit down hard, but tempered the motion, bruising rather than breaking, the fragile flesh.

They stayed in that position, Lyall was aware his fur was receding, as was Ryder's, but he only relinquished his hold once they were fully human once more. He glared at Ryder.

"I can't believe that asshole," he snapped angrily. "He asked if we were mates and I told him we were. I even told him we were here to celebrate our anniversary and he still tried to challenge me for you. He wanted to take you from me..."

The rest of Lyall's tirade was lost as he yelped. Ryder had nipped his collarbone sharply, but was already soothing the small hurt with his gentle tongue.As Lyall glowered at Ryder, the blond met his stare levelly.

"He can want as much as he liked, Lyall. I wasn't going anywhere. Not then. Not now. Not ever. If I had thought for a minute, for a second, you couldn't have bested him, and sent him packing with his tail between his legs, I would have joined in. I'm yours. Always have been. Always will be."

The words were just the balm Lyall needed. Ryder was his; his friend, his lover, his life mate. Divorce was unknown amongst his kind. Alphas had a responsibility to care for their betas. If anyone even suspected a beta was being mistreated, elder alphas would investigate, removing the individual into their care if it was felt necessary. It was only a desperate, or very manipulative, beta that would not stand by their mate if the alpha was challenged and was losing.

In response he pulled Ryder closer and kissed him. It was a deep, but gentle, kiss as Lyall wanted to affirm his love for the blond. He gave a low rumble as he felt Ryder grind his pelvis into Lyall's thigh, a resurgent erection rubbing sensually against his skin. He pulled back and smiled.

"Happy anniversary, babe. Come on," he whispered.

Hand in hand, the two men ran down the rise and onto the shore of the lake. The water was still, dark and inviting and Lyall's eyes immediately sought out the jetty that was out in the lake for swimmers to rest or sunbathe on.

"Ready?" he asked turning to give Ryder a feral smile. He received a sultry one on return that made his shaft jerk and freely drip pre-ejaculate.

"Oh yeah," Ryder whispered.

They ran into the water and began to swim. The water was cold, but not too cold for them. Lyall remembered how cold Ryder had been last time they'd done this. He grinned at the sleek golden form powering through the water beside him. Ryder looked gorgeous when he was wet... or dry.... or anytime he was naked. He turned his attention to their destination. Swim now, love Ryder senseless very soon.

They reached the jetty almost simultaneously. Lyall was a fraction ahead and so he could help Ryder up and out of the water and then draw the younger man into his arms. They kissed passionately before Lyall eased Ryder down, covering the paler body with his own.

"Do you remember, babe?" he asked. The question was unnecessary and he knew it. But he wanted to hear it from Ryder's lips anyway. "Five years ago."

"Five years ago," Ryder echoed. "When you revealed you were a lycan and asked me to be your mate. I'll never forget. I was more stunned that someone as gorgeous as you wanted a geek like me than I was that you are a werewolf."

"If you want to see gorgeous, babe, just look in a mirror, or into my eyes," Lyall whispered before claiming Ryder's lips.

This time as he pressed Ryder's legs apart they remained in their human forms. His lover was still stretched and slick and Lyall slid effortlessly back inside, rocking gently as Ryder wrapped slender legs around his waist and began to move in counterpoint.

Each movement, each caress, each kiss they shared was a testimony to their love and commitment. Slowly, gently, inch by hard, throbbing inch, Lyall sank into Ryder's body, until finally, once again, they were physically one.

'Mine. Mine. Mine'.

Lyall was aware of his mental chant and sometimes he even said it aloud. But spoken aloud or just deep in his heart and soul the words were true. They were equally true of himself. As much as he was the alpha, he still belonged heart, mind and soul to the beautiful blond who welcomed him into his body.

Lyall could feel Ryder's inner muscles ripple along the hot, moist channel that encased his solid flesh as it shifted to accommodate him. Waves of erotic pleasure crashed over him, enveloping him in carnal delight. He could feel his mate's heartbeat throbbing, as if it surrounded his stiff shaft. They moved in harmony, loving, sharing, giving and taking, each seeking to pleasure the other.

They were bonding, mating; once more, two were becoming one.

Lyall was almost lost in the sensations, in the sexual pleasure they shared, until Ryder shifted. It caused his body to slide sensually along the rigid flesh buried deep within him. Lyall ensured he moved slowly this time. Each movement he made was a commitment of love to his beautiful mate. He smiled tenderly as Ryder caressed him; kissed any part of Lyall's body he could reach and met each downward thrust of Lyall's with an upward motion of his own.

It was too good, too much, too exquisite for either of them to last as long as they would like. All too soon Lyall's hips began to move faster, driven by the need to bury his seed in his mate once more and bring sexual release to his precious lover.

His blood on fire, he began to move with preternatural speed. Mating with Ryder became an erotic maelstrom of taste, sensation, scent, sight and sound. Tremors strummed along his spine and his heart thundered like eagle's wings in his ears. His form was shifting between fully lycan, human and a point between the two that defied definition and the same was true of Ryder.

In and out of his beloved mate, faster and harder, he claimed Ryder, inexorably making the blond his. Yet, even when all but lost in passion and heat, with the spirit of the wolf howling within, Lyall knew his mate, his beloved, was pushing back, meeting him thrust for thrust, passion for passion. The bonding was not just one-way.

They joined; in spirit, in body, in mind.

One.

Lyall roared his possession and his joy and heard his mate echo the sound.

His pleasure coursed through him, gathered deep in his groin, glowing a deep golden, then expanding, shifting, becoming amber, then red as his semen prepared to fly from his body. With one final thrust, burying himself as deep into his mate as possible, he dropped his head and gripped his lover's tender throat in his teeth.

Hard.

Mine.

The sweet taste of Ryder's blood exploded on his tongue and he came. Releasing his lover's flesh, he threw back his head and howled. His seed flooded Ryder's channel, driven deep inside his mate by his pistoning hips. His orgasm swept through him and his body almost convulsed with the intensity of his release. It was perfection.

His orgasm triggered Ryder's. His lover's untouched shaft twitched and then jerked repeatedly between their bodies, coating their hot, damp skin with pulse after pulse of Ryder's crème.

It took long minutes for the men to recover as they lay looking up at the moon, panting harshly. Lyall leaned over his lover and kissed Ryder softly.

"Happy Anniversary, babe," he whispered. "Let's get back to the shore. Wait for me there."

They swam back to the shore and Ryder waited for Lyall to return, welcoming him back with a grin as he saw the sleeping bag and his camera equipment.

"We can sleep here tonight; there'll be a nice sheltered spot along here. Then you can get your shots in the morning," Lyall said as he took Ryder's hand and they began to walk.

He found a niche for them alongside a good-sized rock and they settled together in the sleeping bag.

"Happy Anniversary, Lyall. Love you," Ryder murmured drowsily as they kissed tenderly.

"Love you, too, babe," Lyall replied. He gave a sigh of utter contentment. Under the full moon they had renewed their vows and reaffirmed their love. He would make sure they awoke early enough to love again before his precious mate became too wrapped up in his photography.

He grinned happily up at the moon as Ryder snored softly, his lover safe in his arms.