Outwitting the Fox Ch. 06

Pushing her back onto the ground, he dropped down on all fours over Jess. Finn's skin rippled with thick grey fur as he let his hold on his human form slip a little. He struggled out of his shirt and pants, freeing himself from their uncomfortable confines.

When he was free the wolf-man regarded her for a moment. He still wasn't changed all the way.

Jess lifted her chin exposing a little more of her neck. Her heart was beating a mile a minute, and she was scared silly she was about to be eaten. She had managed to catch the key he had dropped, though, so she put her energy into unlocking her handcuffs.

Finn lowered his muzzle and exposed teeth to her neck and she froze. "Good wolf-man. Don't eat me. That would be a bad apology."

He was growling uncontrollably, but couldn't seem to stop himself, so instead he moved over her, pressing her to the ground, and checking as much of her as he could reach for injury. He ignored the way she ineffectually tried to push him away with her shoulders and knees.

When Jess realised what he was doing she tried to reassure him that she was fine but he ignored her. He was staying right where he was until he was sure she was safe. When he was sure his mate was ok he crawled back over her body, rubbing himself along her front, covering her with his scent.

Meanwhile Jess had managed to unlock her cuffs - no small feat with a huge grey wolf crawling all over her. She slowly manoeuvred her arms out from under herself and hesitantly placed her hands either side of his neck. He was still growling, but it had quietened to a soft rumble in his chest - almost like a purr.

"I'm fine Finn. You can get off me. There's no damage - unless you count being crushed by an overprotective wolf-man."

The wolf-man snorted, and delicately licked the side of her neck, in what felt like a caress. Jess sighed and relaxed under him, bringing her hands up to ruffle the fur behind his ears, and under his throat.

He bathed her throat clean from dirt and sweat before slowly slipping back into his human form.

When the last trace of wolf had left he dropped his head on to her shoulder and closed his eyes, exhausted.

"Jess, I'm so sorry. I've wanted to be yours since the moment I met you, but I was sure you didn't want to be mine. That's why I acted the way I did. Well... That's most of why I acted the way I did. There was a lot of stupidity and poor decision making that contributed too."

"Where did you go Finn? And why did you bother coming back? What makes you think I want you now?" Jess knew it was harsh, but she had to be sure.

"I went back to the Pack's old territory. They were gone. I drove around a whole bunch. It wasn't so much about going away, as it was doing some thinking. In short? I grew up. I'm not a puppy anymore and it's time I stop acting like one.

"I came back for you. All I could think about was you. The whole time. All I want is you, for the rest of my life. I did some stupid things, but I'm hoping you'll forgive me. I'm prepared to grovel you know. In front of as many people as you'd like, just for you." Finn grinned, flashing the first sign of the grin she'd grown to love.

It was the grin that decided her.

"And what are you prepared to do to grovel for me wolf boy? Like you said, you did some really stupid things." Jess said with a spark of humour in her dark eyes.

"Oh the usual, I'll carry you everywhere on gilded pillows, I'll buy you expensive things, I'll cover myself in tattoos professing my eternal love for you, I'll let you take naked pictures of me and post them on the internet, I'll compose awful, awful, poetry and read it out loud under your window as the full moon shines down on me. I'll cherish every single moment I spend with you, even the moments we spend arguing about stupid things, I'll love you without reserve, and I'll grow old with you, all the while never once forgetting how lucky I am to be with you."

Finn dropped a gentle kiss on her lips and backed off her to crouch on the path in front of her. He offered her a hand and pulled her up into sitting position. She watched as he carefully unlocked the handcuffs that still dangled from one of her wrists.

"I like the sound of all of that. Except the poetry, and the tattoos. I like your skin the way it is." She surveyed the naked man crouching in front of her, and felt the familiar jolt in her heart. For the first time the jolt made her grin.

"All right, no tattoos." He picked up his pants and stood to slip them on.

Jess stood up too, and handed him his teeshirt. He slung it into one of his belt loops, and tugged her into his arms, pressing his bare chest against her, swooping down to claim her mouth in a scorching kiss. She opened her mouth and slid her tongue into his wet heat, exploring and teasing him. Reluctantly he drew back, wanting to hear her answer before he became too sure of himself.

"So what do you say Jess. Will you be my mate?" Finn asked with bated breath.

"How about we take it slow Finn. I want a relationship with you before we go jumping in to anything." Jess said.

Finn grinned. It wasn't quite the whole pony, but it was close enough for now. "Deal."

He kissed her again then. He couldn't have stopped himself if he wanted to. Later, as they were walking hand in hand back to the house Finn broached the subject he'd least wanted to remind her of.

"I know that we... Wait. I... Last time we - I'm just going to come out and ask, ok? I can't think of a delicate way to do it. I'm too tired, and I really need to know." Finn said looking at her expectantly.

Jess raised a confused eyebrow. She certainly hoped he hadn't just asked a question there, because if he had she'd missed it entirely. She told him as much.

"What I'm trying to ask, Jess, is are you pregnant? Because it's ok if you are. I'll be here to stand by you no matter what. My feelings won't change."

She stared at him for a moment, before crossing her arms over her chest and scowling.

"All right! So I'm packing on the pounds! I'm not pregnant, I'm just fat. What the hell is wrong with you men!? First Gabriel, and now you? More to the point do you really not expect me to knee you in the balls for telling me I'm fat?" Jess growled angrily.

So much for grovelling. He'd been back less than an hour and called her fat. She glanced down at her stomach, as far as she could tell it was as flat as it ever was. She had a bit of curve going on, but she was a healthy weight - and bar the years she'd spent on the street, she always had been a healthy weight.

"No, no, no, I'm not calling you fat." Finn said stepping forward to lay his hands soothingly on her arms. This wasn't going the way he had hoped.

"I'm asking because Gabe and I, we found he pregnancy test when he was checking you out of the hotel. That's why he... That's why I left. I needed to get myself together so that I could be here for you. But you're not pregnant, and that's just fine too." Finn grinned exuberantly at her.

"You and Gabriel found my pregnancy test... Which would be why he called me fat an asked if I was pregnant. Right. It's all falling into place now." Jess said shaking her head at the men's stupidity. There were better, more delicate ways of asking a sensitive question like that.

"He called you fat?" Finn glowered. When he saw Gabriel again he'd... probably respectfully ask that he apologise. Or he could tell Max, and she could yell at the larger man for it.

"Sweetcheeks, you are not fat, and I doubt you ever have to worry about that changing. You're too short for starters." He ruffled her hair, and ignored her huff of annoyance. "And you're just not that kind of build."

Finn illustrated his point by picking her up, and draping her casually over his shoulder. Ignoring her flailing about he set off towards the house purposefully. He wanted to check her over properly, and then he wanted to lick every inch of her up and down until she screamed for mercy... and other reasons.

Jess kept up her annoyed pretence for as long as she could manage before dissolving into giggles, and relaxing onto his shoulder. She had no problems with being carried around like a favourite possession. Sure it was a little cave-man, but it was nice to know he wanted her. It made a nice change.