The Wolf

A few days later, Derek saw the old fiery Tiana return with a vengeance.

“Damn it, Derek! Get me down from here! The infection has cleared up, the wound has closed, I’m feeling fine and I stink. I want to go to the lake and get cleaned up.”

“Tiana, please give yourself another day.”

“That’s what you said yesterday. Look, I’ve been good and I’ve humored you for the past few days, not that I know how many of them have come and gone, and I’m going stir crazy on this stupid platform. While I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, I am getting down and I’m getting down right now. You can either lower me down with the rope or I’ll climb down on my own.”

Tiana stood with her hands on her hips, fire lighting her emerald eyes and sparks seeming to shoot from her wavy red hair.

“Tiana, please be careful.”

“Quit telling me what to do!” she responded, her temper ratcheting up another notch. “I’m not promising you a thing! I am getting down. You keep letting this me strong husband protector, you weak wife need my help crap get to your head. Look, I married you as a favor …”

Nooooo. I’ve done it again. Why did her mouth always have to get ahead of her brain? She knew she should apologize, but she was too angry and proud to.

“All right, you win. I’ll lower you.”

To her surprise, Derek did not get angry. He didn’t even look upset.

This could be worse than if he had gotten mad at her. The lack of emotion proved that he really didn’t love her.

“You know the drill. Slip the harness around you and I’ll lower you,” he said without a hint of emotion one way or the other.

Tiana got into the rope’s noose and Derek, muscles bulging, slowly lowered her to the ground, then quickly joined her.

“I have a surprise for you. Please come with me,” he requested coolly.

“Can I get cleaned up at the lake first?” she asked. She really did feel sticky and uncomfortable.

“Please trust me. You’ll regret it later if you go to the lake first,” he said with a smile, stretching his hand out for hers.

After having just run her mouth at him, Tiana decided to humor him. Placing her hand in his, she allowed him to lead her.

They walked maybe a half mile before she heard the sound of falling water. As they cleared a large boulder of granite, they came upon a scene similar to the holographic representations she had seen before of what parts of Earth had once looked like. A mountain of rock stretched out of the ground with trees growing up one of its sides and all around the top. The leaves ran the whole spectrum from shades of green to brown, orange, yellow and red. Directly in front of the rock wall was a pool of crystal-clear spring water fed by a small cascade that made its way down from the tall mountain of rock through a winding channel of smooth rock it had carved and polished through the years.

“Derek, it’s beautiful. The water is so clear!”

“Now, aren’t you glad you didn’t go to that dirty old lake?”

Shamed by her earlier outburst, Tiana felt humbled by his graciousness.

“Yes, I suppose I am, but not half as glad as you’re going to be,” she replied, with a mischievous grin and a wicked sparkle reaching her emerald eyes.

* * * *

Derek watched as his sexy wife, her curvaceous bottom swaying, strode towards the waterfall.

“Do not come in the water,” she told him.

“Why not?”

“You’ve been ordering me around for days. Now it’s my turn. Do not follow me into the water,” she stated firmly in a no-nonsense tone.

As she walked away from him, Derek watched her pale-pink blouse come off and be tossed aside. She only stopped moving long enough to kick off her sandals. Her skirt and panties came down next in one fell swoop, leaving her as naked as the day she came into the world.

Stepping into the water she murmured, “It’s nice and cool. Very refreshing. Too bad you’re in time out.”

She continued through the refreshingly cool water until she found herself underneath the waterfall, knee deep in the water. Derek couldn’t take his eyes off her. Tiana had a natural way of moving, an unawareness of her beauty that drove him to the edge of insanity. He wasn’t prepared for what she did next. With clear intent, she leaned back on the smooth rocks and let the water splash down on her. Rubbing her body with a soft soap-like rock Derek had found for her, she washed herself casually, keeping her eyes trained on him, as if she were measuring his reaction to her every move and every touch. He did not disappoint her. He stood less than twenty feet away, watching her.

* * * *

Holding her rock-soap with one hand, she allowed the water to rinse her, as she rubbed the soap off her heated skin with the other. While he may not want to stay married she knew she had a deep sexual connection to him giving her back some power and control.

Time to step up the action for you, my sweet thing.

As she rinsed, Tiana allowed her hands to gently glide along the curves of her body, helping the water do its job. She saw the lust in his eyes as her slender fingers slowed and touched the tips of her swollen breasts. She was doing this for his benefit, she tried to convince herself, but when she flicked her erect nipples she gasped at her own touch. She’d never done this before. Not for Tom, not even for herself, yet somehow it felt right to be doing this for a man who made her feel so desired. He was her husband, it was okay. If she had to use sex to make him think long and hard about what he would be missing if he left her, so be it.

Derek had removed his clothes as he watched Tiana’s performance. The hardness between his legs was clear evidence that he was wondrously bewitched. She knew that she had caused that desire and that it was just for her!

Tiana allowed her hand to leave her aching breasts, move across her belly and down to the juncture between her legs. As her fingers caressed her swollen and sensitive nubbin, she felt desire shoot up her body, forcing a moan from within her.

With her eyes Tiana told Derek it was time. Receiving her silent command, he waded into the water straight for her, never breaking the connection of her gaze. Not a word was uttered by either one of them. Tiana experienced a variety of thrills stemming from her actions. The physical aspect was thrilling, the power exhilarating, the danger enticing and the safety freeing. She enjoyed the influence she had over this man. She was in control. He had walked over because she had wanted him to. He was utterly unable to deny her anything.

Reaching the waterfall, Derek gazed deeply into her green eyes. Never breaking eye contact, she arched her back and moved one leg off to the side, sending him another direct but silent order, one he was only too happy to obey.

Derek cupped his strong hands around her bottom and lifted her off the ground. In one swift move he impaled her on his aching manhood. She was wet for him and not because of the waterfall either. Tiana felt him fill her as she wrapped her legs around his back and her arms around his neck. This was the very definition of two becoming one.

As he thrust into her, Tiana looked down and watched Derek’s mouth latch onto one of her succulent nipples. When he gently bit it, she rewarded him with a little scream that begged for mercy, the mercy to do keep nipping at it.

“Oh, my. Derek! You take me to paradise.”

Tiana was surrounded by his essence. The intensity she was feeling at this moment was breathtaking, time was suspended, her nerves inflamed, her desire feverish.

“Harder,” she heard herself say. Had she really said that? “Show me, show me how much you want me.”

Saying nothing, Derek continued to let his actions speak for him. Slowly pulling out just enough to make her want him more, he then forcefully thrust himself back in, winding her up tighter … and tighter … and tighter each time.

She couldn’t take it anymore. She needed release. With unparalleled desperation she felt herself crossing the point of no return.

“Ohhh fuck!” she screamed as she felt an orgasm ravage and rage through her body, providing the release she craved. Wave after wave overcame her as Derek followed, filling her with his seed as he too was lifted up and carried into oblivion.

As Derek’s knees gave out, they both slipped into the water, clasping each other tightly, overcome by the passion they had just shared. It was all they could do to reach the side of the pool, where they lay on their backs enveloped in the powerful and magical afterglow of their lovemaking, allowing the hot sun to wash over their naked and sated bodies.

* * * *

At first Tiana thought she was dreaming. She could hear a deep growling sound mixed with whimpers, like those of a hurt child, coming from the woods on the other side of the pool. Lifting up into a sitting position she listened carefully. Derek, sensing her distraction, sat up as well.

“What is it?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Sometimes it sounds like an animal and sometimes it sounds like a child crying.”

Without thinking about it, her protective instincts driving her, Tiana got up, and without bothering to dress and Derek following closely behind her, made for the other side of the pool.

Could it be a child in trouble? Her motherly instincts surged within her at the very thought.

After progressing through thick foliage for what felt like it might have been a hundred yards or more, the couple came upon a small clearing where they saw something struggling to get out from under a downed tree.

Cautiously they approached and walked around the tree. Its foliage made it hard to see what was struggling for survival underneath. Whatever it was, it stopped moving, aware of their presence. Silence fell upon the clearing as Tiana and Derek cautiously and quietly tried to get a look at the trapped creature.

“Derek,” Tiana whispered. “There it is. It’s not a person, it’s an animal of some kind.”

Picking up a large stick for protection, Derek approached the gray creature. About the size and looks of a large Earth dog, it quietly whimpered as it watched the man come closer.

“It looks a lot like what they used to call a grey wolf back on Earth, except grey wolves didn’t have fangs and teeth that big, or outside their mouths, for that matter.”

“A grey what? How do you know so much about extinct Earth animals?”

“Tiana, you really should have paid more attention in paleontology class in high school.”

“Derek, I’m an engineer. If it wasn’t math-related I tried to avoid it in high school. By the same token, now that we know it’s an animal and not a person, why are we still walking to it?”

“It needs help. The tree obviously fell on it, trapping it. There’s no telling how long it’s been there. It will die if we don’t do something.”

“Are you out of your mind? If you set it free it will turn on you.”

“Tiana, I’m not just going to stand by while this trapped and possibly injured animal starves to death. I have an idea. Let’s get dressed and go back to our camp.”

* * * *

Half an hour later saw Derek and a still-not-convinced Tiana back at the clearing with some leftover meat from breakfast and water from the nearby pool.

“Derek, if you set that, that wolf, as you call it, free and it decides to make a meal out of us, so help me I will personally tear you limb from limb.”

Derek chuckled. “Tiana, sweetie, have you ever considered taking a class in anger management?”

“Just once. I was kicked out for hitting the instructor,” Tiana responded with a straight face.

Nawww; she’s just kidding. Isn’t she? She wouldn’t have … ? Would she …?

“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to give the meat and water to the wolf while it’s pinned by the tree and can’t get to me, so that it can eat and drink before I set it free.” Pointing to a tree at the edge of the clearing he continued, “I’d like you to climb up on that tree and wait there until it’s gone.”

“Derek, if we’re doing this, we’re doing it together.”

With that, Tiana grabbed the water and slowly approached the trapped animal, which surprisingly, didn’t growl or even move as she came closer. Following her lead and cursing under his breath, Derek did the same with the raw meat they had brought.

“Tiana, don’t get too close. Just put the water down and push it to the wolf with a stick. You don’t want to get within biting distance.”

Derek gave a sigh of relief as he watched her heed his advice. In no time, the wolf had gone through the food and water.

* * * *

“Tiana, it’s time to lift the tree. I don’t suppose you are going to be willing to climb up the tree to safety?”

“Nope,” she replied, unwilling to be told what to do.

“I didn’t think so.”

Carefully, using a fallen tree branch as a lever, they were able to lift the heavy trunk off the trapped animal. Much to their surprise, as they watched the wolf crawl out from under the fallen tree trunk, they realized they had underestimated the animal’s size. It was a good ten feet in length and about the height of a very tall man.

“Derek, I don’t think what we fed it was enough to fill even a small corner of the stomach on something that big. Doesn’t this stupid planet have any small, well, anythings?”

“He’s a predatory male, so whatever you do, do not show fear or look him in the eye. Just back up slowly and try to climb a tree as soon as you can.”

“We are about to get eaten and you’re checking out his balls? Derek, if we live through this, I swear, I will spend the rest of my days making sure that your life is an absolute living hell! Even then, I will not be fully paid up for this experience.”

“He’s turning toward us. Please try to relax and keep your cool.”

“I’m about to pee in my pants, don’t you go telling me to relax!”

“Tiana, listen very carefully. If you don’t relax, he will attack.”

“Great advice, Dumbo. That’s right up there with my Medical-Bot telling me to reduce the amount of stress in my life.”

As they stepped away from the huge animal, they realized they had backed into a rock wall that shot straight up past the treetops. Their escape had been essentially cut off. There was nowhere to hide. They watched helplessly as the animal, silently walking on huge padded paws with razor-sharp claws, came closer, eyeing its prey. As it approached them, Tiana understood Derek’s earlier comment about the animal’s teeth. Though the animal’s head was proportionately sized to the huge body, its teeth seemed to be disproportionately big for it. To add to the fierce look, the upper canines, like the saber tooth tiger they had encountered earlier, were a good length longer than the rest of its teeth and stretched out of its wicked-looking mouth.

Growling and baring its sharp teeth and hideous fangs, the animal approached Tiana. It was so close she could feel the animal’s warm breath on her petrified face.

“Tiana, do not make any sudden moves,” Derek whispered.

Yeah, right, like I could move at all.

This was it, the end of the road. Closing her eyes, Tiana prepared for her certain fate and prayed that death would take her swiftly and mercifully.

She felt the creature’s first wave of attack. A paw slammed into the left side of her body and across her left cheek as if in slow motion. The attack had been so brutal and quick that the razor-sharp claws must have sliced through her soft flesh and nerve endings mercifully leaving her with no pain after removing the left part of her face. She could, however, feel a warm wetness flowing down from where her face used to be. Obviously blood, she thought. My face has just been ripped to shreds!

Before she could think, she felt a second vicious attack, this time on the other side of her face, but much stronger.

He’s torn the other side of my face. I’m covered in blood. Mercifully I am still feeling no pain.

Slowly she opened her eyes, surprised to find that they were still there and still worked. The sight that greeted her was one that she would never have guessed at in a lifetime.

“Yuk! The damn thing is licking me with the biggest, wettest, slimiest and most disgusting tongue I’ve ever seen. Derek, this is really gross.”

“I think he likes you. He’s thanking you for saving his life.”

“It was your bright idea. Why can’t he thank you instead, you dope? Aren’t dogs supposed to be man’s best friend?”

“I guess I’m not as cute and likable as you. I’m afraid I have to agree with him.”

Slowly Tiana reached out and ran her hand along the side of the big brute’s head and scratched under his ears. The wolf froze as he enjoyed the attention.

“Derek, this is amazing. He’s no different than a regular dog. What should we call him?”

“Tiana, don’t get too comfortable with your new friend. He is still a wild animal, is three times the size of the largest Earth dog and would just as soon eat you as lick you.”

“I think I’ll call him Bob. What do you think?”

“Tiana! You are not listening to me!”

“Derek, don’t be such a big wuss,” she scolded as the animal rolled over onto its back to allow Tiana to scratch its belly. “I’ve always wanted a dog, but my father was allergic to dogs and never let me have one. Then, when I married Tom, he never let me have one either. I’m keeping him!”

“Are you sure he’s not keeping you?”

Tiana gasped, her hand going involuntarily to her ear. “Derek! You’re not going to believe this. My phone, it’s cycling on! Bob must have unwittingly activated it when he whacked me with that foot-long tongue of his!”

“Do you have a signal?”

“No. I fear you were right. I don’t think there are any Alliance satellites within range up there. At least not right now. If there are any in orbit, maybe one will come into range later.”

“Yeah, maybe later.”