#soft ari

You threw your keys unceremoniously on top of your bag, which you had let slip off your shoulder and drop onto the floor, too tired to move with grace. Your shoes had been toed off and kicked any which way, askew in the hall and nowhere near their usual spot.

Without even looking at Ari, you went straight for the bathroom to freshen up and wash your face, clearing the film of the long day away. The small reprieve was hardly a match for the way your feet were swollen from the long time on them, or how your hamstrings ached from the periods of sitting on a chair that seemed to be designed by satan himself in between.

Nothing all day had been comfortable, and at this point, that was all you wanted: comfort. Moving from the bathroom into the bedroom, you stripped each piece of clothing off, leaving them strewn in a path to the dresser where you tried to find something to wear that wouldn’t make you want to try to wiggle and writhe your way out of existence. Something actually comfortable, and soft, and not scratchy, and not tight. As you searched through the drawers, it felt like every single article of clothing you owned was ready to start a fight right now.

At this point, the potential of feeling fresh and clean began to seem elusive, so you dragged your feet over to the hamper, plucking out the oversized sleep shirt from the night before that was still laying on top. You were pleasantly surprised when you gave it a sniff to find it still decent, smelling like your sheets, with a small remnant of Ari from the way you clung to him in bed.

You slipped it over your head, a small glimmer of contentment seeping into you body, along with a fresh pair of undies and socks.

Ari hardly heard you shuffle into the house over the sizzling of the skillet in front of him. Usually, he’d be inclined to treat you to going out on a Friday night, but from your uncharacteristically short texts when leaving work, he knew leaving the house once you got home wasn’t in the cards. He didn’t mind making dinner at all, then, so it would be just about ready as you got home. All he wanted to do was care for you, cater to you on days like this.

As you walked through the door, he turned away from the stove, watching you walk in and drop your things, not even sparing him a glance as you made your way down the hall. He only turned back around to quickly switch off the burner as he waited for you, hips perched against the island and arms crossed, hoping you’d emerge soon. He knew sometimes you just needed time and space, so he would give you for now.

When he heard the soft padding of your socked feet move from bedroom and into the living room, his eyes continued to follow you. He watched you flop down onto the couch, still completely disregarding him. Seeing your legs fly up as your face smashed against the cushions was what he took as his signal to finally approach, very carefully.

Ari walked around the side of the couch, crouching down next to your sprawled form, your one arm and leg hanging off the side, while your face was nuzzled in the crack between cushions. He figured you could hear his steps towards you, but just in case, he took a deep breath and gently placed a large hand on your back as to make you aware of his presence in a non-startling manner. He began rubbing slow, warm circles against your back, over your shirt until you finally tore your head from its hideout and faced him, immediately dropping it back down.

You could see the soft smile on his face that you assumed was an attempt to conceal the worry underneath. His eyes lit up just slightly when they met your one that wasn’t smushed against the plush material.

“Hey, sugar. You okay?”

You lips had been shut from your silence since you’d left work, making you reluctant to unsettle the concealment, so you simply nodded, even though it was far from accurately conveying your true feelings. You watched as Ari’s brow furrowed, belief in your reaction almost nonexistent, but he didn’t verbally say anything, although his face said it all. The corner of his mouth turned up in a tight-lipped quirk, halfway to a grimace of concern. You watched as his deep blue eyes searched your face in contemplation of what to do next. He hated seeing you like this, and the solution to it depended on the day.

“You want dinner? Would that make you feel better? You need to eat?”

This time you actually shook your head, before lifting it once more and turning back to smush your nose flat against your face into the couch. You words came out from the corners of your mouth, slightly muffled but not enough that he couldn’t decipher them.

“No offense, because I’m sure it’s delicious, but I absolutely cannot stand the smell of the kitchen right now. Food is the last thing I want.”

He nodded, his thumb still slightly rubbing your shoulder, hoping the physical touch was doing something to soothe you. What was the next move of things you’d want when you got like this?

“Okay. I can pack it up. We don’t have to eat that. And especially not right now. You want a bath? I can get it started.”

Another shake of the head.

“No. Don’t wanna be wet. Don’t wanna move.”

Ari hummed in thought. You still hadn’t complained about his hand that was now rubbing up and down the expanse of your back.

“Okay, give me a second.”

You simply grunted in recognition, unmoving from your spot as he went to clean up the kitchen and return. You hadn’t even shifted, as he heard no movements besides his own in the quiet house. Ari returned to your side, but didn’t crouch this time.

“Alright, sugar. Turn over.”

He could see you slightly tilt your head towards him, your only visible eye squinting skeptically with a tilted brow, but you complied. Ari moved smoothly, but slowly along with you, lifting your arms up and over his shoulders, and tucking his own hands under the small of your back, trapping his arms against the couch. He moved his hips in between your legs and snuggled in on top of you, placing his ear against your sternum. His head bounced slightly with your scoff of amusement. Good, that meant this was working.

Your arms moved from his shoulders, one going up and the other sliding down until you were petting over his silky hair and scratching his back. It was more of a self-soothing practice than for his enjoyment, although he’d never complain about the feeling of your fingertips roaming over him.

You could feel the rumble of Ari’s chest against your lower stomach as he spoke up again.

“Is this better?”

You just nodded, even though you knew he couldn’t see the reaction, but hopefully he could feel the slight movement that came with it.

Your roaming hands began pulling up his shirt, dipping underneath and caressing the the broad, muscular expanse, needing to feel his skin against yours more than you realized. He didn’t judge you though, instantly raising himself so you could pull the fabric the rest of the way off over his head. Sitting on his knees between your thighs, he looked at you again, eyes filled with softness.

“You want me to make you feel good?”

Your response was almost totally wordless again as you shook your head, before you sat up just enough so he could have room to help you remove your shirt, too, your body heavy with reluctance to peel away from the cushions. After he shimmied the soft material over your head, you put your arms under his, pulling him up your body and closer to you. You broke your silence once again, your voice hardly projecting from your throat in a rasp.

“No. Not like how you’re thinking.”

You pulled him down more to settle against you again. This time, his head was tucked into your neck, beard scratching slightly in contrast to the way the soft, bare skin of your torsos was pressed together.

Your hands slid down his back, until they met two plump butt cheeks you were delighted to squeeze. You held them for a second before contentedly drumming in a rhythm only you knew. Ari huffed a laugh, the breeze moving against your hair.

“I don’t think anything could make me feel better than this, right here.”

Your hands traced upward again, one between his shoulder blades, the other scratching his scalp, rewarding you with deep rumbles and soft groans in your ear. It’s not like Ari had anything else planned for tonight, but even if he did, he’d be more than happy to cuddle on top of you with his head tucked in your neck if that’s what you needed.

As he continued to make the delicious moans of satisfaction, a smile finally started creeping onto your face. Feeling him relax in your hold caused you to do the same.

As your eyes finally started fluttering shut from the comfort, no longer blankly staring at the ceiling, you sighed in relief, almost. “Yeah, that’s the stuff.”

Bonus A/N: Am I ready to start my first full week of my job? No. Will posting this make me feel better? If you comment, then yeah, probs.

You’ve never been so warm, and you haven’t been toasty in while it feels like, your clothes doing very little to help with the cold the last few months. But now, this huge bear of a man, literally, is curled around you, naked, same as you, the need to have each other after that kiss in his shop had him dragging you upstairs to his little apartment and into his bed so fast, it nearly left your head spinning.

But you don’t regret it at all.

You’re both under his flannel sheets, hardly any light at all from his bedside lamp, but your face is pressed to his chest as you both lay sideways, your legs intertwined, your hands curled in front of you to touch his chest hair, so much chest hair, as his big hands run up and down your back lazily.

The need to touch and keep touching so strong, breathing in the same space.

It’s heaven.

                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s a good thing you are homeless and Ari owns his own shop, it means neither of you have anywhere to be for days. You laze around in bed for most of the week, only leaving the bed when it’s time to bathe or eat, then back in you both go.

It’s not always to have sex either, though that is amazing when you do, no it’s about touching and holding one another, stayed curled in each others arms, letting the new bond grow and settle before going out to meet the world again.

And truthfully, you wish you could stay in here forever and never come out, it was calmer, safer.

                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A full seven days after meeting Ari, you actually leave his apartment, it feels weird, leaving the little bubble of his bed, his nest he made you, his inner bear wasn’t happy about it either, but Ari didn’t have any more food in his home, hence needing to go out.

You like his truck, it smells like him, it’s just an old beat up yellow thing on four wheels, but it’s well worn and loved. Your hand in his free hand the whole way soothes you, the new bond still fresh and new.

Like a baby in a way.

                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Even in the small little food store you can’t stop touching each other, and you giggle when Ari picks you up like you weigh nothing and puts you in the basket, he boops your nose before he’s wheeling you around the place, people give you some odd looks, but who cares.

You are happy, so damn happy, for the first time in a long time.

                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your bear barely lets you walk, you have come to notice, first the food store and then from the basket to the truck, and then from the truck back to his bed….you see a pattern here, “Bear, I can walk ya know, my legs work just fine.”

His rumble is deep and growly as he just holds you more firmly, back in his bed, under his covers, food all put away, “I know little love, I just….”

You press a kiss to his chest, where you rest your face again, his chest makes the perfect pillow, “Tell me.” you whisper, faintly feeling his worry over…something.

Over time the bond will grow stronger and feelings will be felt so much easier.

“You walked for so long…just….let your legs rest baby.”

You swallow thickly at his words, he has a sense of your past before you came here, truthfully, you haven't talked much about what brought you here, too busy enjoying him and this new found thing you both share, but the bond, as new as it is, let’s him feel something….something unhappy that led you here, and yeah, you have driven and walked for years.

You sniffle, knowing he can’t carry you everywhere, that was just silly, but….you can’t find it in yourself to deny him either, for now, all you can do is nod and whisper, “Ok bear.”

His hold on you tightens and it just brings you more comfort.

                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You smile seeing his honey farm finally come into view from his truck.

It’s taken you both a few weeks, but finally you could both spare some time outside of Ari’s bed to get out of his home. Besides that food shop, you both didn’t leave his apartment much, and it almost feels odd being outside so long, but…the weather was nice today, not as cold.

Soft jazz plays on the radio as Ari finally parks his truck and all you see around you is…trees, and little bee farms, so many of them. Despite what Ari said weeks back, you do actually walk around….sometimes, like now, as you beat him and jump out of your side of the truck before he has a chance to come around to your side.

You giggle as he growls playfully and lifts you up on his shoulders, making you yelp for a minute, not thinking he would do such a thing. Your view from his shoulders is an amazing view honestly, though you hold onto him for dear life.

“If you drop me…” you mumble.

He playfully pinches your leg and you yelp again, playfully smacking his cheek with your hand, which just earns you a rumbly soft growl.

This has also been something you have learned about your bonded, he likes to rough house, he loves to horse around and it almost always leads to sex. 

No complaints here.

                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s too cold right now for the bee’s to come out and fly around, but you enjoy the quiet out here, the sight of all the little bee houses, it makes you lean back against him as he holds you from behind now, “My grandma would have loved to see this.” you say softly.

The view out here really was stunning, the mountains in the distance made a lovely backdrop. Ari isn’t sure what to say to your words, he feels your slight sadness about your grandma not being around anymore, and he decides to show you more, “Come on, I have something else to show you..”

                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ari…..” you breathe out.

In front of you stands the most beautiful home you have ever seen, all wood logs, a high roof, big floor to ceiling windows, a wrap around porch, by the looks of it, a hot tub by the side of the house….which sits next to….a lake. Like in trance you walk forward, following the little path by the side of the house until you see the lake in all its glory.

The view was unreal, it was like a dream, the way the mountains seemed to touch the clouds, the way the trees blew in the wind as if to wave hello to you, it was simply….beyond words. You don’t even notice you are crying, until Ari wipes a few tears away with his knuckles.

When you look up at him, it’s like he’s somehow become even more handsome, standing here next to you, in his simple flannel shirt, jeans and boots, his  shoulder length hair blowing gently in the wind much like the trees.

The way his eyes are as blue as the lake itself, if possible, he seems bigger out here, more rooted to everything around him, and you finally see him in both ways at once, the way he gazes down at you so lovingly, his eyes hold much more bear now, his hands when they grip your hips to pull you closer to him, have grown bigger, his fingernails, while always sporting a slight point to them, now sport full on claws, even his beard is bushier and when he smiles, though it’s soft and tender, shows pointier teeth.

Your answering smile, just makes him purr growl, all deep and rumbly, sounding more bear like than ever, “What is this place?” you finally ask, never taking your eyes away from his.

“It’s my winter home, I hibernate here.”

You hug him, rubbing your face over his chest like a cat, as his big arms envelop you in a true bear hug, “Will you show me?” you whisper.

He doesn’t need to ask what you mean, he knows. 

Though werecreatures lived among humans everywhere, they were more prone to keep to themselves for the most part, so you and many others knew of them, but having one in front of you suddenly, where Ari stood hugging you, now stands a bear, who’s still hugging you, is, simply wonderous. 

You giggle feeling all the soft fur, all golden yellows and browns, you sigh happily, loving him this way just as much as his human form, “Take a nap with me?”

His rumbling answer is pleased in tone and all he has to do is pull you with him backwards as he lays on his back and you on his belly and body, you smile as you use him as what you sleep on, his arms, still around you as you both nap together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The weather was calm for a few days, during that time, you and your bear snuggled a lot, slept plenty and made out, often heaving petting and caressing was as far as you went. Not because you didn’t want to do more, but simply, he had worn you out sex wise, and your lady bits needed a break.

 At least for a few days and Ari wasn't letting you seduce him into giving in early, He was bound and determined to take care of you. Even if it meant, no sex, which was just making you both want it all the more as the days dragged on.

The build up was fun though.

                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some three days later, Ari is out on a honey run for someone who bought a good deal and needed it delivered. You were napping in his bed as you often do. This apartment above his shop, while not his beautiful house, was still lovely to stay in, his scent was everywhere. This was the first time being away from him sense finding each other and it feels strange to have him gone, but you can feel him in the every growing bond and he can feel you, and it makes it easier to be apart.

By the time Ari comes back, you are still being a lazy house cat as he fondly calls you and snuggled under his flannel blankets. His soft smile makes you give a answering one back as he sheds his clothes and crawls into bed with you silently,

Under the covers, he pulls you close and kisses you sweetly.

                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night he finally takes you again, on his roof top little porch that just holds you both, in the very small couch he has up here, you ride him slow and sure, sure it was chilly outside, but it feels good on your heated skin right now, and the way you slow grind down over his cock, the way you roll your hips like you actually know what you’re doing…..

Well, your bear isn’t complaining, not in the least, his big hands hold onto your hips as he watches you with love and lust, with heated glowing eyes as you claim what’s yours.

                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few days later Ari goes out to make a honey drop off at a few places, this time you actually find it in yourself to get out of his bed and do something for once. It’s been so long since you could just…..lay around all day, you could already see yourself getting spoiled on it, hence why you know you should at the very least get up and make lunch for when Ari comes back.

                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ari comes back to a kitchen smelling like sandwiches and sweet tea, with sugar cookies cooling on the stove top. His mouth waters, his inner bear rumbles and rolls around in the smell alone, as far as Ari, he bites his bottom lip, watching you as he silently enters his small little kitchen.

You’re mumbling things to yourself, hair pulled back out of your face, one of his shirts the only thing covering your body from his eyes, with some of his fuzzy socks on. The way the light was filtering in from outside onto you….

If angels were a real thing, it would be you.

You actually glow as you plate everything up, only to turn around and gasp, not knowing he was even there, his soft smile as he nears you and simply hugs you, makes you sigh softly, hugging back and enjoying the way his arms feel around you, so big and fuzzy, “Welcome home.” you whisper.

And Ari…..finds he always wants to hear those words from your soft and pretty lips.

                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You whimper as Ari’s mouth works over your pussy like a master. His slightly rougher tongue makes you see stars so quickly….your barely awake brain lights up like a christmas tree as you ride out your pleasure, your bear between your legs under the covers, rumbling happily at your taste.

                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You run your fingers through his hair a few days later before he heads out to drop off a few batches of honey, when he turns his head and kisses one of your palms, you melt at his content look when he gazes at you, blue eyes so soft and happy, you smile sweetly and lean up and kiss him, he still has to lean down, but you love that, how he has to wrap around you, you cup his face and kiss him a few more times before seeing him off.

                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You yawn making lunch a few hours later, you’ve been more tired lately, but you blame all the sex for that, your bear wore you out in all the best ways, when you hear the front door open you smile to yourself, waiting for him to hug you from behind like he always does.

What you get instead is the front door slamming shut, the lock clicking into place, the sound so loud, you turn around getting startled, only to find…….

It’s not Ari by the front door, it’s your ex.

Your hands grow clammy and your heart rate goes crazy as he slowly nears, you find yourself….stuck by fear alone….”Bryce…..” you stutter out, only for him to rush you and your scream as his hands go for your throat, is the last thing you hear, zoning out as you fight back like a bat out of hell.

                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ari swerves as he’s driving home, the bond wide open like always and the fear bleeding through the bond was overpowering…..Ari only sees flashes of hands reaching for you, but all of it is enough for him to floor it home, something was very very wrong and he’s never been more scared in his life.

                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You fight back, your fear making you fight him, kick him in the balls, slap and claw at his face, his growls and swear words go unheard, even as he gets you down to the floor, even as he gets your top ripped off, you land a good kick to his nose breaking it, he howls and backhands you so hard, it knocks you out.

                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Ari gets to his apartment, he drops his phone as he rushes to his front door, the 911 operator calling out for him, but he can’t listen, he has to get to you now, what he finds when he enters his home….

Well….

Ari’s never been this…..incensed, this rage filled. The bear in him, well…..he’s on par with Ari, the rage so inter mingled, he can’t tell who’s is who’s.

When he starts moving forward slowly towards the stranger who's hurt you, his teeth and claws have never been sharper, and he’s never been bigger than he is right now, his very muscles and joints feel tighter….

All he knows, as he sees you laying on the floor of his apartment bedroom, the state you are in…..his eyes flash bright red, they actually glow red as he growls and snarls, he’s never felt more feral then he does in this moment, and he already knows….

This strange man wasn’t leaving here alive.

When said strange man turns at the sound of Ari holding his bleeding nose, his wide eyes take in Ari before the bear is on him.

                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ari even in this state of mind knows he doesn’t have long until the sheriff shows up so he makes quick work of this motherfucker…………for now.

He growls and charges him into the wall, knocking him out cold. Then he drags him by his foot to his basement, he has zero issue tossing him down the long stairs, before slamming the door and locking it.

Oh, he will be dealing with this asshole very soon, tonight no later, but his concern for you trumps his feral nature…..for now. His inner bear torn between wanting to kill this asshole now and go to you, going to you wins out, his inner bear needs to know you are ok, and so does Ari.

Rushing back to you, he kneels down and scoops you up, scenting you, feeling your pulse, your heartbeat, he breathes out. He takes in your torn shirt though and….swallows thickly. He doesn’t smell anything that would…suggest THAT happened to you, but by god your face is all marked up, it’s going to bruise he can already tell.

The hand prints around your throat….Ari feels his teeth ache to bite the mother fucker down stairs in half, but he settles on holding you close, breathing you in and waiting on help to come.

                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You wake….well…it’s not a hospital you wake up in, and you start to panic thinking the worst, your eyes barely open before he’s there, your bear crawling into bed with you….it’s his bed…..oh it’s his home in the forest, you don’t mean to just burst into tears, but you do and Ari just holds you, tangles himself all around you, pets over your hair, kisses your forehead, “It’s ok love, your safe now, your safe, you’re home.”

                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The hospital had let Ari take you home, your wounds mild, all things considered, no signs of….trauma, not like he feared anyway, though the doctor did fill him in on some other news that….once Ari told you, he hoped you would be as happy as he was to learn, for now, he cares for you.

You rarely leave his bed, finding the space safe and warm, Ari doesn’t mind at all, he brings you food and drinks, he washes you in the bathtub, he holds you as much as you want, it’s no hardship for him to care for you, his inner bear’s hindbrain sated over it in fact, the need to look after you.

A werebears very core demands to take care of their mate, look after you.

It’s only a week later, you finally tell him, tell him who the man was, your ex who was abusive, you ran away, got out before he could hurt you worse, of course, you nor Ari had any idea the asshole had put out a missing persons ad.

 Someone in town saw you and called him, the chances so small someone here would even notice you, and yet they did, but then money talks, and the reward for ‘finding’ you was 1 million, of course he would have never paid that, but the poor sap who called him didn’t know that.

Unknown to the town's sheriff, Ari has your ex in a shed out back right now, you know this, because when you asked Ari if he killed him, he told you no and then simply….showed you where he was. Ari really had meant to kill him the same day he found you like….that, but….he wanted to make the asshole suffer, and once you found out he was alive, well you wanted to see it done, or at least most of it.

Ari doesn’t like that idea and it’s the very first time you two have butted heads, but you wouldn’t back down, of course neither would he.

In the end it doesn’t matter, you’ll get your way on this, you know it.

                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first time you leave the house in over a week, sees it finally starting to warm up a little bit. Clad in one of Ari’s big sweaters and sweatpants, bare feet in the tall grass, you watch as Ari drags Bryce out of the shed by his jean covered leg, he’s in his bear form, his more feral form, it doesn’t scare you.

He was afraid it would, but once you assured him that wouldn’t be the case, he had simply nodded and went to get your ex. Now as you watch Ari drag a kicking and screaming ex asshole into a clearing, you take it all in as you slowly walk closer.

In the shadows sits Ari’s friend, called in because your ex thought it a good idea to also rough up his mate and when the black panther slowly pads out into the clearing, you watch them both, bear and panther as they circle your ex.

You get closer, Ari growls at you, warning you to stay back, but you glare at him, “Not this time, not in this, don’t get bossy with me.” you growl out.

Ari snorts, nostrils flaring before huffing and backing off, it’s so rare for either of you to butt heads, he knows you mean business by your tone alone, when you look down at Bryce, he lays there, hog tied and swearing up a storm at you, yet all you do is stand there and stare down at him in cold silence.

Ari gives him a good kick to shut him up, not liking how he’s talking to you, the kick leaving claw marks on his back, you watch him cry, you watch your ex struggle to get free and you know if he did, and you didn't have Ari here, he would kill you, it’s that thought that finally has you sighing softly, before turning around, your back to your ex as you look to Ari, who nears you, he studies you as you study him, you cup his cheek, his eyes flutter closed, his extra sharp clawed hands gently rest on your hips as he presses his forehead to the top of your head.

You close your eyes enjoying the closeness before you finally speak softly, yet firmly, “Make him suffer.”

And Ari, oh, he plans on it, and the way he could tell that day, with your ex standing over you, the damage you had done to him, how well you fought back, well, it just makes him so proud to think about, and it will be his pleasure to do this for you.

You walk away before stopping, you turn around at the first scream, watching Ari shake Bryce around like a rag doll, when he bites down on his arm and simply…..chews it off, you blink and finally go back inside.

Your ex was going to suffer how he deserved and all you want to do now is crawl into bed and sleep for a week, so tired from….everything.

Sleep finds you surprisingly easy once you crawl into your shared bed, despite what’s happening right outside the window.

                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once you finally go back inside, Ari really lets this man have it, limbs are simply bitten, chewed off, there's blood everywhere, bee’s too, Ari’s bee’s, like they’ve come to watch as now his friend moves in, the panther growling before sinking his teeth into the mother fucker’s neck and biting down.

The spray of blood goes everywhere, but it’s life ending and the silence that follows is…..peaceful, despite his inner bear still feeling some kind of way, the need to protect on high alert.

With that in mind, he takes some of the bloody limbs in his mouth, the taste foul, and goes to the edges of the trees around his house, he rubs the blood on the bark of the trees, marking the area as off limits, as a area of danger, marking his territory in a brutal way.

When his friend gives his thanks and leaves, Ari gets rid of the rest of the body by feeding the body parts to the lake, soon, all Ari hears is the buzzing of the bees once more and the wind in the trees.

If he listens even closer, he can hear your heartbeat, steady and sure as you sleep. The bond wide open like always, you feel relaxed finally, at peace, and Ari needs to hold you once more……after he showers of course.

He doesn’t think you would enjoy seeing him covered in blood.

                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You wake the next morning feeling…..you don’t really know the word for it, maybe….free in a way? Yeah….free. You’re not worried about anyone showing up to wonder what happened to your ex, everyone thought he left town, fleeing the cops, no one would ever know different.

So, you feel free, free of being scared, of wondering if he would show up, hurt you, kill you.

When you feel Ari’s arms tighten around you from behind in bed, his soft snores still going on, you sigh softly and simply….let yourself drift back to sleep, feeling safe and loved.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ari doesn’t know how he does it, but he waits a whole week to tell you the news. He lets you rest, he lets you emotionally heal, he just lets you have a week of worrying about nothing but helping him package honey on his honey farm.

It’s relaxing and calming.

                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You never ask him what he did to your ex, you don’t care really. You know in your heart and in this case, your very soul, Ari did whatever he had to, to protect you and that’s that. 

If only you had met him sooner, but what’s done is done, the whole reason you came to this small town, to start over somewhere new, was meant to happen when it did.

                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s the second time in three hours you have craved this, you lick your lips dipping your pickle into your little jar of honey, moaning at the flavor, you hide in the kitchen as Ari showers, you just know he would make a face, but you can feel his happy thoughts right now, it makes you smile.

He does somehow sneak up on you a few minutes later, your eyes wide as his soft laugh makes you turn and look at him, the pickle in your hand stopped midway to your mouth, his eyes are so soft as he gazes at you, you decide to finish your snack, “Don’t judge me.” you mumble lowly, cheeks heating up.

When he moves to hug you from behind, he just holds you and kisses the top of your head, “Oh little mouse.” he breathes out so fondly.

You’re sure he aims to tease you, but he doesn’t, he just nuzzles his nose into your hair breathing you in, his voice deep and husky, sounding more bear than man, “Let's go upstairs.”

You feel your core clenching at his tone.

                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He eats you out for what feels like hours, you pass out after your third orgasm, Ari’s smug smile, lost to you.

                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later you’re yawning, sitting on the fur rug in front of his fireplace, little snow flurries falling outside with the last of the colder weather, you only have on one of Ari’s flannel shirts and one of his boxers, he sits behind you, braiding your hair, only boxers on for him, tight and snug to his big hairy body.

Your eyes are closed as you relax to his gentle touches, he said he wanted to talk to you about something, but your mind is fuzzy and happy right now, his mood through the soul bond soft and happy, content even, but….there’s some nerves too.

You don’t rush him, you just bask in his touch and the warmth of the fire, your hands caressing his bare legs on either side of you.

“Have you ever thought about kids?” he whispers.

You blink your eyes open, staring at the fire, trying not to let yourself…..get blue at his question, “Once I did, yes.”

“But….not now?” his hands keep working on your hair slow down a bit.

“It’s…..”

How do you tell him you can’t have kids, a doctor told you so years ago.

You’re still struggling with words when his next words shock you, “You're pregnant honey.”

His words…….don’t make sense to you, your brow furrows as you finally turn around still sitting, eyes wide and not sure you heard him right, his hands fall to his lap, his face looking so….unsure, watching you closely.

“I…..I can’t be…” you breathe out, taking in his face, you know he’s dead serious.

“You are, the doctor at the hospital confirmed it while you rested.” his big hands take ahold of yours as you just…..stare at him in shock, tears fill your eyes, though you barely notice.

“But….but a doctor told me years ago I can’t have kids.” you say weakly.

Ari growls, though it’s not aimed at you, his eyes are so so soft though, as his hands now frame your face, “Baby mouse you are though, I swear it.”

You whimper, hands grabbing his wrist, you need something to hold onto, your eyes bore into his, “You swear it?”

“I swear it honey, we're gonna have a baby.”

Your face crumbles, though Ari can tell it’s from pure happiness, the kind you never thought you would have, the bond is flooded with so much of it, it’s like the bond itself is glowing softly, Ari pulls you into his lap as you cling to him, “Were gonna have a baby.” you whisper roughly.

Ari’s lips find your forehead as his arms keep you close, the bear in him hugging you so tightly, “Yeah honey, yeah we are.” his eyes so wet, tears rolling down his cheeks as he and you both enjoy the news together.

                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It doesn’t take long for you to kiss him, overcome with joy and so much of it, you pour it all into your kiss, it’s sweet at first, but turns deeper, more rough, you growl gripping some of his long hair and tugging on the strands, making him moan in shocked delight, you never get this forceful, “Need to show my bear how fucking happy I am.” you say tearfully.

He blinks as you tug his boxers off, he blinks with wide eyes watching you push him down and none too gently he finds, he doesn’t even get to think on that before your crawling over his big hairy body, flannel shirt gone as you grip his leaking cock, his deep moan has you biting your bottom lip as you line him up with you and simply sink down, not in the mood to drag this out.

You need to fuck him, show him, what he’s given you is a dam gift and you will reward him in kind, “God honey….” he moans as you start riding him, nails digging into his chest, “You’re my bear, my man, and this is my cock, this cock gave me a baby and I’m going to show you how happy I am, how much I love you.” you growl out.

His answering growl of pleasure with hungry wide eyes fuels you on, his hands on your hips help you along and you find yourself tipping your head back to the ceiling, overcome with so much emotion, your tears still come, but by god were you going to show him, he had no idea the gift he’s just given you, the gift he’s given you sense he met you.

You speed up, slamming down on him and flicking his nipples with your thumbs, “Fuck baby….” he whines and growls, his eyes wild, watching you fuck him fast and deep, he’s never seen you this…..hungry for it, not like this, not so…bear like.

It makes his inner bear growl and paw at you, wanting to lick you and own you like you are owning him, “Come on papa bear, give it to me, give me everything you have.” you demand and he’s helpless to deny you, the way you watch him, so loving yet so hungry and needy, he’s coming hard and deep, holding your hips down, growling and swearing as you join him, riding the wave of pleasure with him, your nails digging into his chest hard, leaving marks and Ari fucking loves it.

It takes a few minutes to wind down, both of you panting and now….you’re a bit shy, and Ari just bites his bottom lip and uses his hands still on you to pull you down to his chest, his cock still inside you as you both snuggle, “Was that to much?” you whisper a few minutes later, playing gently with his chest hair.

“Mmmmmmm never, that was sexy as fuck little one.” he rumbles, truly he loved it, his inner bear was as delighted as Ari was, you were so….feral and possessive.

He feels your lips gently kiss his fuzzy chin and cheeks, his adam's apple and throat before settling again, “Good, I loved it too, I just….I didn’t think I would ever be so happy….I didn’t think I could have all this.” your voice is watery again and honestly Ari gets it.

“I didn’t think I would ever find my person, my cousins, they lost their mate and were never the same, I feared I would never meet mine or if I did I would lose them……I still fear I could lose you, but….I didn't know it could be like this, I didn’t know I could be so happy and content, I wasn’t sure if I even wanted a baby but now it’s all I think about.” he whispers wetly and roughly.

You lean up to gaze down into his eyes, both of you sharing so much in your gazes, in the bond, you don’t ask about his family, sensing it’s a sad spot from the emotion you felt when he spoke of them, but you do caress the side of his face, you lean down to kiss his nose, then his cheeks and his eyes, “I love you, I love you so much.” you finally settle on.

When he pulls you down to kiss you, his “I love you too.” is pressed into the deep kiss he gives you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You pet Ari’s hair as he rumbles and keeps his face buried by your rounded belly. 

He can’t lay his head in your lap because of the baby bump, but he can lay his head on your legs as you sit in the soft grass, face the bump and nuzzle in close, whispering to the little cub, telling the cub stories or hum a song, or sing to the little one, sometimes he falls asleep like that as you lean back against a tree, both of you content and happy in the soft moments.

It’s been a few months and in that time, you have grown a big baby belly. Alone the way you had worried and wondered at the same time, how this would work, would you birth a baby or a baby bear cub?

Ari had fondly giggled and informed you, shifters don’t start shifting until they are at least ten years old, the normal age was at thirteen though. To which you had argued he wasn’t a shifter but a were animal to which he sighed fondly and replied he fell into the shifter line of were animal, which was what most were animals fell into, a non shifter would never be able to shift into any kind of human form.

Not knowing any of this…..you had after that day wanted to know…..everything and Ari was all too happy to tell you as he snuggled you in his lap.

So now, that worry aside, a new one has popped up, one you haven't shared with Ari yet nor let him see or feel in the bond between you both.

It’s only at night, when he sleeps, that you think about it, this new concern of yours.

You are a simple human, your child will be a shifter like Ari, where is that going to leave you as the child grows? Grows closer to Ari and not you. It’s something you can’t share with your child ever and you worry as time goes on…..your child will simply not care for you and only want Ari.

It might seem silly, but it consumes you, this idea and you can’t seem to let it go.

Thankfully Ari hasn’t caught on, but you know at some point he will, he’s just too smart of a bear not to.

                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The weather starts warming up as the months go on, Ari has brand new jars of honey every week it seems, you help when you can, but he doesn’t like you to do much, if he had it his way, he would carry you everywhere.

As it is, he can’t stop touching your belly whenever he can, and if you thought he was handsy before, it was nothing like now. Oftentimes you find yourself sleeping away in the afternoons, either outside in the grass while he does his thing with the bees or you're inside on the couch, the sun through the window shining down on you, giving you warmth as you nap away.

You will always wake with Ari touching you, this afternoon your on the couch and sleepy as you feel him, slip in behind you, his couch huge so he fits easy enough, you sleepily mumble something as you turn and bury your face in his warm hairy chest,

His soft rumble and big hands rubbing over your back lull you back under easily.

                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At eight months along, you feel huge and sore. Your feet and ankles puff up daily, your moods are all over the place, you cry at everything it seems, and you feel ugly. Ari bless him, takes it in stride, he does nearly carry you everywhere now, you don’t have it in you to put up a fight anymore, you let him and it saves your feet from getting even more sore.

He has also grown more protective too, though there is no one here to protect you from, unless it’s the door you ran into the other day, or the shoes on the floor you tripped lightly over, he had given both objects a death glare and you had giggled and pulled him away to take a nap both times.

                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You pace as Ari talks on his house phone, no cell phone for him, he’s been talking to a friend for awhile now. When you told Ari a few days ago that you didn’t like hospitals so much….which was an understatement for you, Ari had said he knew someone who could be a midwife.

Now you pace, your lower back and hips sore, but you can’t sit still because you are going to have visitors……

Ones from out of state and far away.

Ari’s friend from the woods, was the only friend you thought he had, but no, he has some very old friends, which then led you to wonder how old Ari really was, it was one of the few times he had blushed slightly and told you maybe you didn’t want to know, but oh, oh you so did, “A couple hundred years old sweet girl.” was his final answer when you wouldn’t leave him alone about it.

Even now as you pace you think of it and smile softly, at the time you had giggled and made a joke about liking older men, his playful growl had you laughing in no time when he pulled you to him and peppered your face in kisses, “Little brat.”

Who knew being called a brat could sound so loving.

                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Ari finally hangs up, your hands are on your back kneading the sore spots before Ari gently moves your hands away and does it for you, you moan deep and low, his touch firm enough to get all those bothersome spots, “Oh god yes.” you mumble, bowing your head as you place your hands in the pockets of your sundress.

“Shouldn’t be standing so much love.” he whispers, you can feel the echoes of the words in your mind, the soulbond growing stronger and stronger, you can almost hear his thoughts now, emotions from him felt about half the time as of late.

“But i’m restless, tired of laying around so much.” you whine softly, enjoying his hands on you, kneading the sore spots away for now.

“Hmmmmm, I have an idea.” he rumbles.

                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ari ends up carrying you on his back as he pads to a secret area he knows of on his land. His bear form was huge and furry and so warm, while it’s warm outside, you tend to always run cold, so you can almost never be too warm. Your hands stay fisted in his fur as he climbs over rocks and fallen trees, before finally coming to a little pool of water, a small pond….at the base of a waterfall, a small one, but still big enough it takes your breath away, “Oh.”

Your eyes take it in as he stops and you slide down to the ground easily, when he shifts and then picks you up, you giggle as he starts walking into the water, you hang onto him, “But my dress.” he doesn’t care, in he takes you both, your sun dress soaked quickly, he was of course naked, “Don’t worry, I won’t let your dress stop me from seeing you.” he mumbles dipping his head to claim your lips with his as he starts peeling the wet thing off of you.

Letting you stand in the waist high water, he peels it off of you once you raise your arms above your head, bare before his eyes, he tosses the dress…..somewhere…as his heated yellow eyes take you in, all bare to him, in nature, in the water by the waterfall.

He wishes he had his old camera to take pictures of you with, when you grab his hands and then place your palms flat to his, he moves his hands with you, following the sun beams, he bites his bottom lip listening to you hum softly, when you step closer, your baby bump brushing his belly, he rumbles deeply, taking his hands and resting them over your bump, smiling so lovingly as he feels the little one inside kick to say hello, you smile more feeling it, “My friends will be here in a week.” he says softly.

You hum, placing your hands over his, “It’ll be nice to meet them.” you offer softly back as you both enjoy the baby kicking up a storm.

                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At some point you do find yourself wading into the deeper part of the water, while the weather wasn’t hot yet, it was just warm enough to enjoy the cool water, you hang onto Ari, legs around his waist, arms around his shoulders as you feel weightless in his arms, his lips on yours again and again, his big hands under your ass cheeks, kneading them firmly, his deep pleased growl a never ending thing.

You growl softly back, playfully biting his lower lip, your nails digging into his shoulder blades harder, the barely there micro claws on your fingers digging in enough to make him growl deep with want, it’s easy to walk out of the water with you in his arms and take you to shore, easier still to gently lay you down on the soft towel you brought and simply…slide into you.

Your back arches as his cock makes a home inside your pussy, you growl in need leaning up to lick and bite at his neck, “Fuck me love.” you growl, your eyes flashing yellow, though neither of you see it.

But Ari knows, the slight little changes to your body because of the baby were sexy as fuck and now is no different, his inner bear is more then happy to do as you demand, he takes your hands in his and intertwines your fingers above your head on the towel, “As you wish my love.” he whispers roughly by your ear.

And then he’s fucking you carefully, but perfectly, his lips on yours in a sinful kiss, deep and wet under the afternoon sun.

                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

True to his word, a week later his friends show up, you feel….uncertain….shy even. Far from the girl who was a nomad traveling alone and not nearly this shy.

 You stand in the doorway of the house, cradling your baby bump, watching as six people get out of a van, they hug tightly and talk for a minute, the woman with the men though….she looks to you first, her red hair blazing bright under the setting sun, her smile is warm though as she nears you and holds out her hand, “Hi, i’m Red.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You watch from the porch as Ari in his big bear form plays with the wolves, all of them shifting after dinner to go for a run, which quickly turned into play fighting. Red next to you sipping the apple cider you made for everyone.

Your little one kicking away happily as if she knows her daddy is having fun, and it was a girl, delightful news learned only this afternoon, the wolves mate swore up and down it was a girl, honestly, you felt like it was a girl too.

Ari had been.....he would have been happy with a boy or girl, the same as you, but there was something extra sweet about having a daughter, a little girl for him to spoil like only a daddy can to a daughter, Ari had tried to keep it together when Red told him, and he didn’t even question her, which told you, she had to be right....somehow, but in the end, he couldn’t hide the tears from you.

Lord only knows how he will react once he holds her.

You can’t wait.

                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ari has been stress baking, you know it, he knows it, even your guest know it, but say nothing on it. Your baby girl was two days past due by this point and it was worrying him, you were worried, she clearly liked where she was, but you did look forward to finally having her.

Your body could use a break.

Ari’s werepanther friend had left a basket of goodies as a welcome baby gift, it was from him and his girl, and he left it as silently as he came one night. It had some hand carved baby toys as well as some home made clothes that were the cutest things. In fact all of it was handmade and you couldn’t wait to thank them in person later.

Ari had been deeply touched, and as far as your guest….well, each of them have also made the baby things, more toys, a play pen, a little baby tub, a extra crib, Ari already made one, but you liked having two, now you didn’t have to move around the first one. Red, bless her, she made things for you, things to put in your bath water, things to put in your coffee and tea, little things that you love so so much.

Everyone was so nice and kind to you, most days you cried about it, and Ari always hugs you close like the sweetheart he is.

                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The baby is now four days overdue, the full moon was two days ago and your guest had vanished for the day. When they came back, there was no way on earth to hide what they had been up to in the woods, you had hid a smile behind your coffee cup as they went upstairs to shower.

Ari had teased them gently which led to some later on rough housing outside again, why did the men even shower? Just to get dirty again.

                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Five days past due….it happens, abit slowly. The day starts off like normal, Ari carries you downstairs, makes you breakfast and tons of it, your meat barely cooked and you stopped caring about that. The baby wanted it, she had already influenced you to some degree, some bear qualities that would most likely remain, even after she came into this world.

You only noticed when Ari mentioned it one day and you don’t know how you never noticed, but….you don’t even care, it secretly thrilled you, your worry that your baby would dislike you and like ari more because of being were creatures and you not, settled a tiny bit.

Of course it was only a few days ago he finally knew you even had such a worry, your bond strong, to the point where now, you could no longer hide feelings or thoughts, it was a free for all to feel and hear and he heard your worries loud and clear.

He had spent days telling you, showing you, how wrong you were.

Still, your bacon is barely cooked, and it tastes heavenly, your guests talk around you as you all eat, like most mornings. The back pain starts small, you pay it no mind. When you finally go to take a nap, you pay it no mind. When you sit down to lunch….you try and pay it no mind, but now it’s making itself known and you wonder if this is it….surely it would hurt more?

Ari’s been watching you like a hawk, having a feeling it’s time, but you seemed fine enough, so he just keeps a close eye, so does everyone else now….it was a bit unnerving, but you shrug it off trying to enjoy your blt with plenty of B on it.

It’s when you finish that the back pain suddenly kicks into high gear, you gasp holding your belly and the table goes silent as one of Ari’s hands go to your back, rubbing, trying to stay calm, you can feel he’s on edge, but also slowly doing his best to calm down a bit, he already knows, and so does everyone else.

Red gives you a tiny soft smile, “It’s time.”

                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ari does find that calm, his inner bear and him finding the perfect balance of worry and calm, he carries you upstairs as Red directs her men on what to get for her, they work like a well oiled machine as Ari sits down in your shared bed, gently easing you down to sit in front of him. Your water already broke on the way upstairs.

“Breath in and out slowly, in….and out….good, like that honey…” Ari’s words are soft and calm by your ear, Red nods at him, “Just like that Ari, you’re both doing really good.”

Ari breathes out…honestly he feels more nervous then you are and you smile softly, leaning back against him, you tilt your head to the side and kiss the underside of his bushy beard, “We got this papa bear.” you whisper and you feel him and his bear curl around you more, “We got this.” he whispers, nodding more to himself then you as you feel the pain start to amp up.

                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Red, bless her, is a saint as you curse out everyone you can think of, mostly Ari, and your ears pick up red’s men laughing softly from the hallway, it makes you smile slightly, even in pain as you are, Ari bless him just smiles and agrees with you, “I am a asshole sweetheart I’m so sorry.”

The labor goes on well into the night, Ari tabs your forehead with a cold wash cloth, the labor itself is so damn close but your body just won’t get over that line, Red keeps monitoring you as Ari’s werepather friend comes over to see how it’s going.

He ends up staying, chatting quietly with red’s men out in the other room, Ari…..oh your bear, you can feel him over he bond, so many emotions at once, but the one that shines so bright is his simply love for you, soulmate or not, he would love you and you just hold his hand tighter feeling it.

Of course it isn’t long before you finally fall into labor, pushing and screaming seem like the only thing that goes on for hours, Ari lets you all but dig your nails into his legs on either side of you as you push, his hands soothing you where he can touch, his lips pressing kisses to your head every so often.

It’s when red looks to you and her gaze is…concerned, “The baby is turned the wrong way, and the cord is wrapped around her throat, you need to give it everything you have in you when you push again, we need to get her out.” she says it calmly but you still start crying, Ari does too, but his hands grip over yours on his legs, you nod your head, determined to not fail your baby girl.

                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your scream is so loud as you push, Ari holds you, flat out holds you, arms around you, helping to keep you grounded as the pain crests before you feel it……your daughter is out….but….it’s silent….”Ari….” you whimper.

You can’t see his face, but his eyes are tracking Red as she unwraps the umbilical cord from around your baby girl, you start sobbing, fearing the worst, Ari doesn’t want to think the worst, but as the minutes tick by….and the silence remains….Ari does start to fear the worst, he does start crying….

“Give her to me.” Ari finally says, all bear, all commanding, voice rough with tears, Red brings your baby over and hands her off to Ari, “Rub her back, pat her gently.”

Red swallows thickly and backs away, giving the bear and his mate space, knowing they needed it right now, her men in the hall, look to her as she steps out, they give her a sorrow filled look, one she nearly returns but….as she looks back to you and Ari, she starts to hope.

Ari finally moves from behind you gently and holds his daughter, rubbing her back through the little blanket she’s in, “Come on little love, breathe for us.” he whispers brokenly.

You watch tearfully as Ari starts sobbing softly, “Please little one, don’t leave us before we even meet you.”

You nearly break down fully at his words until….until you hear it….a tiny whimper…and then….a loud cry and then Ari does break down, nearly falling to his knees as he makes it back to the bed, holding her as she cries and screams and it’s music to the both of you.

Red smiles tearfully as her men peek into the room and smile softly, pleased to see this ended happily, Ari’s pather friend purring softly from downstairs….happy to hear the crying of the little one….to know everything is ok, he leaves silently as red and her men decide to give the new parents some space.

When Ari leans forward and rest his forehead on yours, still holding his daughter, you lean up and hug them close, knowing he needed a minute to hold her, know she was here and ok, you didn’t mind.

You knew she was in the safest place she could be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You hum, sewing the fur into the sleeve.

When you asked him months ago to collect the fur he sheds throughout the year, he had lifted an eyebrow with a soft, confused smile, but complied. Now, it was all coming together so well, you can’t wait for him to see the dress.

While this little wedding wasn’t something really planned or even really needed, he was your soulmate after all, it was something you both wanted to do just because, and having it out in the woods behind your home felt right.

Your little honey was six months old now and you couldn’t wait to see the dress Ari put her in, her little flower girl dress. Just like you can’t wait for Ari to see the dress you’re making, hopefully he won’t think it’s…..to silly.

                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It would happen then, some weeks later, your dress half done and looking pretty already, that you find yourself throwing up in the bathroom sink, Ari up out of his kitchen chair quickly, following you as you flee to the bathroom.

The toilet is too far it feels like, so the sink it is. Ari holds your hair away from your face, rubbing your back gently, his little claws scratching in a soothing manner as you groan and tear up. By the time you are standing up again, your dear big bear already has a glass of water and a glass of mouthwash waiting for you.

Getting that out of the way as he cleans the sink for you, makes you grateful he never minds things like this, he just jumps in to help. You’re extra glad your little one is napping so you can focus on your breathing, and wiping the tears from your cheeks.

It’s only once Ari leans in and hugs you gently that you know, and you know he knows too, this has been going on a week now and peeing on a little stick would be the next step, nonetheless, when Ari kneels down and kisses your stomach gently, breathing you in, his nose running along the skin there so lovingly, you already know what the little stick will say.

Pregnant.

                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nonetheless, the following day Ari drives you, little honey and him to town, red and her boys were……local now but….busy…it was near the full moon of course. So you couldn’t see her for this, but the town's doctor was just fine, and confirms what you already know, but….with a twist, “It’s twins.” the doctor happily confirms, pointing out on the screen, the twin hiding behind the first one.

Little honey strapped to Ari’s chest, coo’s stuffing her toy in her mouth, as your big bear looks at the screen in such tearful wonder, you swear in your mind you see his inner bear fall to his knees in joyish thanks for yet another gift you have given them.

More babies, more little cubs, “Oh, it looks like it’s going to be girls this time around, hope you don’t mind being outnumbered Ari.” the doctor teases.

You giggle softly as honey joins you, smiling first at you, then looking up to Ari the best she can, he looks down at her and smiles wetly, leaning down to kiss her little head, before the hand holding yours tightens, bringing your hand to his lips, his eyes gaze into yours, his lips kiss and caress your knuckles, “I don’t mind in the least.”

                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You’re nuzzling into his neck the next day, taking a break from working on your dress. It’s coming along great, but now you needed some cuddle time with your big bear. His soft fur feels nice everywhere it touches on your bare body. Both of you laying in the sunroom, him in bear form, you, naked for all of him to see and touch.

His big paw rest on your back, his nails, while long and sharp, touch gently, giving you goosebumps, but your eyes close relaxing under his touch, his thoughts, feelings and desires felt through the bond, him and his bear content and happy.

His desire to protect and care for you and the pups is in overdrive. It’s why your little honey sleeps not far away in her little mobile crib. He needed to have eyes on all of you. His need to nest and build up his den, even stronger now. You go with the flow because you’re used to it and because, you never feel safer, then when you are with him, around him, in his arms.

                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With the news of Ari’s panther friend set to be a father himself, you can’t help baking something for them in congrats. Curtis is sneaky and comes to get it while you nap afterwards. You’re used to him being…..silent and sneaky like that. Where he was so quiet, your big bear was always making some kind of noise.

Be it soft snores, low growls in his sleep, deep sniffing sounds into your hair as you relax. Rumbles and purrs and everything in between.

                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Red and her wolves are still…..busy with their life at the moment, so, you find yourself needing to get out of the house a few months later. Your belly is now showing and your little honey is walking all over the place causing you and Ari stress. She shifts too easily for your liking and at such a young age too, unheard of in the werebear world to shift so young and yet she’s doing it. You’re thankful Ari tires her out on the days she shifts, like now, playfully chasing her in the front yard, wrestling with her gently, showing her how to climb low hanging branches.

She seems to like the ground better, which is just fine with you, she’s still a baby, much too young to climb a full sized tree. Ari doesn’t seem as worried, but you are and because of that, he only shows her the smaller baby trees to try and climb, still she seems to like the tall grasses better.

She tries hiding as you sit on the porch swing and watch Ari stalk her and then playfully tackle her. Their joy is felt, seen and heard as your mind goes to the dress upstairs now finally finished.

All you two had to do now, was pick a day and get married. 

                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You pick a cool autumn day, with you eight months pregnant and your little honey growing more and more every day, at over a year old now, she was unstoppable with climbing….everything. Small things for now, even the smaller trees, but she was getting braver everyday.

Your stress levels are not the best, but then neither are Ari’s, mostly for your unborn cubs, his mind clearly on how the first labor went. You would be a liar if you said you hadn’t been thinking about it too.

It’s why with Red and her wolves still off doing what they are doing, this time around the town’s doctor will be on hand as you give another home birth, but the day is….perfect for a simple wedding of two.

As for who is marrying you both, Ari calls in his black sheep of a brother, though he says he’s really not that bad, just….not a people person, you trust Ari, so you trust in his judgment.

So, the day is a perfect autumn day, the weather is cool, but not cold. You made the dress easy to get into by yourself, honestly, the hardest part is not snagging the sleeves on too much, the bear fur on them was…..well, you love how it all came out and….you hope he loves it too.

                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You both decided to get married among the bees and their hives. They harm none of you of course, even little honey, who bounces up and down in her little mobile jumper on the ground, among the grass and bee’s, watching you get closer and closer to Ari who….has his back turned to you.

You swallow thickly admiring his all white suit and giggle at his bare feet, you too went for bare feet and when he finally turns around, his eyes widen finally seeing the dress that’s taken you nearly a year to make. His eyes roam over your body from head to toe, “My fur….” he whispers in awe.

You step closer and closer until you’re looking up at him, he takes your hands in his and a few stray tears roll down his bushy cheeks, “You look….like an angel.” he whispers roughly.

Your cheeks heat up at his words, gazing into his blue blue eyes, “I wanted a part of you with me, because that’s what you are, always there for me, no matter what.” you whisper wetly, eyes tearing up, before someone clears their throat gently.

You duck your head smiling, almost giggling again as Ari does the same, pulling you in closer for a hug, both of you almost forgetting you were not alone, his brother was here in front of both of you, ready to marry you both, looking to him shyly, he looks a bit grumpy, but his smile is kind, Ari warned you, he was a grumpy bear most of the time and wouldn’t say why, still his smile is kind enough, you just nod and finally break the hug from Ari and then….you’re looking into the eyes you stared into so long ago, when you were homeless and poor, meeting him for the first time in his honey shop and….the world fades around you both as Lloyd says the words that will seal you both together even more.

                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lloyd stays in the guest house miles away as Ari carries you back into the house, little honey strapped to his back now, sleeping away. Once she’s put down in her crib, he gently picks you back up and kisses you deeply.

Bringing you into the bedroom, he slowly lays you down in bed, taking you in, taking in the dress, he crawls up next to you taking your hand in his and kissing your wrist, before feeling the fur on the dress, his smile is soft, see all his bear fur lining the sleeves, his inner bear purring in delight, purring in possession seeing something of his on you, “Mmmmmm.” he rumbles leaning down to kisses you deeply again, his tongue warm and demanding as he cages you in under him, ‘Mine.’ his inner bear growls in the bond.

You easily lose yourself to him as he slowly starts undressing you, never stopping the deep kisses that are stealing your breath away in the best ways possible.

                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Fuuuuck.” you whispers brokenly into his neck, his knot was always a lot to take, but then he didn't always knot you, only when he was REALLY worked up and seeing his fur woven into something you wore…..it was driving him a bit crazy and as he slowly peels it off of you and bares your naked flesh to his eyes…..he can’t help licking his lips, even as his knot holds you to him nice and snug, your dress lifted up enough for him to get at you at the start, but now, he gets to feast his eyes on all of you, rounded belly and all.

His possession grows at the sight and he can’t help ripping his wedding clothes off so he can feel your skin on his. When he leans down over you, caging you once more, you wrap your arms around his neck and kiss him tenderly.

He purrs in delight at your touch and taste, getting lost in your…..everything.

                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He takes you again and again, anytime there is a free moment from honey needing you, he takes you. Quietly, but oh, he makes sure he takes you apart in the best ways, the bedroom window overlooking his land…..he takes you there, your breast pressed against the warm glass as his clawed fingers and his big arms hold you to him from behind, his lips, his breath in your ear and neck as he fucks you slow and deep, your whimpers of pleasure music to his ears.

                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He wakes you up hours later, licking your neck, licking over your mating gland, the old bite mark there now. You have bonded this man in every way you can, he’s your soulmate, your bond mate and your husband and finally, your big bear.

You’re barely awake when he rolls you gently to your side and slides into you, your small gasp, makes his licks turn firmer, his throat rumbling out a low growl of pleased possession. His claws and teeth feel more bear like than human and you know his inner bear wants you this morning along with Ari.

You submit like a good wife and mate, pushing your ass back making his cock go deeper still, “Come on big guy, give it to me my bear.” you whisper.

The way he growls low in his throat, makes you whimper as he fucks your pussy slow, but deep as hell. Your answering wails of his name, you smother into your pillow so you don’t wake honey.

                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 MONTH LATER…..

Unlike the first birth….this time when your water breaks, it’s a bit easier, a bit less pain. The towns doctor, taking care of you this time, doctor Pronge is very kind and soft with you, another friend of Ari’s he didn’t see much. Only trusted people can come into your shared den with Ari and as it is, he’s growly more than normal, but the good doctor pays it no mind.

A nurse thankfully downstairs feeding little honey as you push into this world, not one, but two little lives and this time, there’s no scare to be had, they come out screaming for all the world to hear making you and your mate cry in joy.

When the doctor places the twins in Ari’s big arms, you smile tiredly. Sore as fuck, but glad it went better this time around, so many fears of this time being like the first time….and now, everything is ok. It feels like you can breathe in relief.

                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~