Chapter 12

40 minutes to 45 minutes

Vivian

The holographic time display on the treadmill blinks 6:00 a.m. as I set my pace. The familiar hum of the machine kicks in beneath my feet. I savor these early morning hours at the gym when the air is cool and the room is nearly empty. There’s no chatter, no cliques, just me, the machines, and the rhythm of my stride. My breath syncs with the soft thud of my bare feet on the belt as I zone out.

Sweat coats my skin when I step off the treadmill, muscles pleasantly aching. Grabbing my water bottle and towel, I head toward the locker room. The cool tile beneath my feet contrasts sharply with my warmed-up body, and I relish the satisfying shift in temperature after the workout.

As I push open the locker room door, low, sultry moans slice through the early morning silence. I freeze mid-step, my hand tightening on the door handle. Did I really hear that? A Nervous expression is on my face as I try to rationalize, maybe someone is watching something inappropriate or working through some soreness? But curiosity grips me, and my heart pounds in my chest as I step closer.

Rounding the corner, I see them—Cynthia, a sleek panther, reclines on a padded bench, her eyes closed, face bathed in bliss. Between her legs, a lioness kneels, her golden fur catching the overhead lights as her tail sways sensuously. The lioness’s lips move deliberately, alternating between cunnilingus and anilingus, her hands gripping Cynthia’s hips to pull her closer. “That’s right,” Cynthia purrs, her voice calm yet commanding. “Focus there. Just like that.” She strokes the lioness’s ears, her touch light yet intimate, eliciting shivers from the younger female.

My mouth goes dry as I take in the scene. Shock locks me in place, only for something warmer and more urgent to seep in. A heat builds between my legs, and I feel my nipples harden against my striped fur. I can’t look away.

Cynthia’s eyes languidly open, meeting mine with a steady, unapologetic gaze. She doesn’t flinch or look surprised. Instead, she acts like my presence is entirely expected. “Oh, done with your workout, Mrs. Stoneclaw?” she asks casually, her tone light, her hand never leaving the lioness’s fur. Her composure rattles me even more.

Stammering, I manage something about preferring the gym when it’s quiet. Cynthia nods, her lips curving into a faint, relaxed smile. “Me too,” she says, her tone as smooth as velvet. “It’s perfect at this hour.” Meanwhile, the lioness keeps her focus, the sounds of her licking and purring punctuating the air between us.

Breaking free of the scene, I blurt an excuse about needing a shower and stumble away, cheeks burning and ears flat against my head. “Have a good day,” Cynthia calls, still perfectly at ease as the lioness continues her task. The scene haunts me as I retreat to the showers.

Hot water cascades over my striped fur, soothing yet failing to clear my racing thoughts. My mind replays everything: Cynthia’s commanding voice, her unapologetic dominance, the raw sensuality of the moment. Despite my embarrassment, the arousal lingers, a steady pulse between my thighs and a sharp ache in my hardened nipples.

Over the rush of the water, Cynthia’s voice filters back, low and rich. “Yes, right there. That’s how the mayor’s wife likes it.” A moan follows, its unmistakable tone of pleasure tightening the muscles in my belly. Cynthia speaks again, her words smooth yet deliberate. “I think you’re good enough to attend the event tonight.” I freeze, my hands paused in mid-rinse. What event? What does the exotic Panther woman actually do exactly? Questions pile up as I realize there’s so much more to Cynthia than the whispers among the other socialites suggest.

I step out of the shower, wrapping myself in a towel as water drips onto the floor. My body hums with lingering heat, but my mind is filled with intrigue. Drying my fur off. I gather my belongings, eager to get home and satisfy the burning fire between my swollen lips.

Sable

I wake to the warmth of Nancy’s body pressed against mine, her fur soft and inviting. The scent of last night’s passion stains the sheets, and I can feel the pleasant ache between my legs, a reminder of our wild encounter. I stretch, my tail brushing against her, and she stirs, a low moan escaping her lips. Last night was incredible, and this morning, I found myself craving more.

“Good morning,” I murmur, my voice still heavy with sleep. She hums in response. I smile, pulling her closer, my lustful side already stirring. “You were insatiable last night, weren’t you, Nancy?”

She chuckles, her voice a soft purr. “You bring it out in me, Sable. I can’t help it.”

I roll on top of her, pinning her to the bed. Her eyes flutter open, meeting mine, and I see the excitement there. I lean down, capturing her mouth in a fierce kiss. She opens to me, her tongue wrestling with mine, her body arching into mine. I break the kiss, trailing my lips down her neck, her collarbone, until I reach her breasts.

“Your breasts are perfect,” I whisper, my breath hot on her nipple. She gasps, her back arching as I take her into my mouth, sucking, teasing, until she’s writhing beneath me. I switch to her other breast, giving it the same attention, while my hand slips down her body, finding her wet and ready.

“You’re already so wet, Nancy,” I murmur, my fingers sliding inside her. “Did you dream of me?”

“Yes,” she gasps, her hips bucking as I start to move my fingers. “I dreamed of you fucking me, Sable. Hard and fast.”

“Is that what you want, Nancy?” I ask, my voice a low growl. “You want me to fuck you hard and fast?”

“Yes,” she cries, her tail thrashing on the bed. “Please, Sable. I need you.”

I slide my fingers out of her, bringing them to my mouth, tasting her. She watches, her eyes wide, her breath coming in short gasps. I gently roll the mouse woman onto her stomach, pushing my fingers back inside her familiar rectum, stretching her, preparing her.

“You feel so good, Nancy,” I groan, my hand moving slowly, feeling her stretch around me. “I could fist this tender little butt hole all day.”

“Please,” she begs, her body trembling. “I need more, Sable. I need you to fill me up.”

I add another finger, then another, until my whole hand is inside her. She’s panting now, her body trembling, her tail thrashing wildly. I start to move, my hand pumping slowly, feeling her stretch around me, her body accommodating me.

“You’re so tight, Nancy,” I groan, my pussy aching with need. “This is what you’re born for. You take the hand so well.”

“I know who my ass belongs to, Sable,” she cries, her body tensing as I hit that sweet spot deep inside her. “Only for you. Only for my wolf.”

“You’re mine, Nancy,” I growl, my hand moving faster, my body aching with need. “Say it!”

“I’m yours, Sable,” she screams, her body convulsing as she comes, her rectum spasming around my hand. “I’m your Ass!”

Seeing her like this, feeling her orgasm around my hand, sends a surge of excitement through me. I gently pull my hand out of her, turning her onto her back. I straddle her, my pussy swollen with desire.

“That was ... incredible,” Nancy murmurs, her voice soft and satisfied. I smile down at her, my nipples still hard with excitement.

“It was,” I reply, my voice a low growl. “But I’m not done with you yet, Nancy. Not by a long shot.”

I look over at the side nightstand, my phone blinking incessantly. I turn to Nancy, my pet, who’s still nestled in the sheets under me. “Nancy, I need to get this,” I say, already knowing who the messages are from. My boss. I slip from on top of her and sit down on the side of the bed, the cool air hitting my fur as I reach for my phone. The screen is filled with notifications, sending a jolt of curiosity through me.

My phone lights up, and the notifications are impossible to ignore—several missed calls and messages from my boss. My gut tightens as I swipe to unlock the screen. I can feel the familiar adrenaline rush that comes with a big story, but this time, it’s mixed with a sense of dread.

I listen to the messages, my heart pounding in my chest. “Sable, we have breaking footage of Moses Lightfur exiting a hotel with Vivian Stoneclaw. Prep your segment ASAP.” I can hear the urgency in my boss’s voice, and I know this is big. Vivian Stoneclaw? Bartholomew’s wife? A scandal this big would rock the religious community. Being the head news anchor of the 1200 club, this would be one of my biggest scoops. But as I process the information, my mind races to a more personal connection.

My chest tightens further but for different reasons. Moses Lightfur, Jane, and I had an off-and-on sexual relationship three years ago. That Fox is more than familiar to me. I need to start damage control because if Moses Lightfur defends himself, I do not want to be brought up in that scandal. I could lose my job as the twelve hundred club’s most famous news anchor, and now it might all come crashing down. The thought of my past resurfacing sends a chill down my spine.

I glance at Nancy, blissed out and oblivious, and run my hand over her fat sexy rump. This isn’t just another news story. It’s my past, clawing its way back to haunt me. I can’t let Moses mention my name when this blows up. I need to act fast. I slip into my robe and make my way to the bathroom, the cool tiles beneath my feet grounding me.

I go into the bathroom, shut the door for privacy, scroll through my contacts, and hit call. His line rings endlessly, but no answer. Typical Moses—charming in public, impossible to pin down when it matters. I can feel the frustration building as I hang up and scroll to Jane’s number. This is going to be a difficult conversation.

Reluctantly, I tap on Jane’s number. It’s been years since we’ve spoken, but if anyone has insight, it’s her. The phone barely rings twice before she picks up. “Sable. What a surprise,” Jane says. Her voice is already thick, and slurred, the kind of tone that could only come from too much drinking and too little sleep. I hear the clink of a bottle in the background, followed by a long, uneven breath. She’s trying to hold herself together, but I can tell she’s failing.

“I know you’re angry at me, but I need to get in contact with Moses in a couple of hours. I will have to do a report on him being seen with his latest woman coming out of a hotel. Do you know how to get in contact with him? I called him; he’s not answering.”

“So you want more than my pussy and ass this time, Sable?” she snarks, her words sharp and unsteady. “You bored or something? Thought you’d check in on the mess you left behind?”

“That’s not—” I start, but she cuts me off with a bitter laugh.

“You know, I wasn’t going to answer,” she says, her voice rising, trembling at the edges. “I wasn’t. But here you are, and now I can’t stop thinking about you. About us.”

Her shaky breath fills the silence between us, and then the words spill out in a rush, desperate and unfiltered. “The things we did, Sable. God, the things you did to me. You opened something in me ... something I didn’t even know was there. No one’s ever made me feel like that. No one’s ever touched me the way you did.”

Her voice cracks, and then she’s crying, her sobs raw and unrestrained. “You made me feel alive, Sable. Like I was finally seen. You—” She breaks off, choking on the words, a bitter sob cutting through the line.

“But it wasn’t enough, was it? I wasn’t enough,” she spits, her tone turning sharp and angry. “You couldn’t just let it be us, could you? No. You had to keep ... keep seeing whoever else you wanted. Like I didn’t matter. Like I was just...” Her voice trails off, and the bitterness collapses into another wave of sobbing.

“Jane, that’s not fair—” I try to say, but she bulldozes over me, her voice trembling with anger and desperation.

“Don’t you dare tell me what’s fair, Sable! I wanted you. Just you and Moses. I wanted us to be something. But you couldn’t give me that, could you?” Her breathing grew ragged, and her words hit me like blows. “I loved you, Sable. I still do. God help me, I still do.”

I close my eyes, trying to push away the knot tightening in my chest, but her words keep coming.

“You broke me,” she whispers, her voice cracking again. “And I hate you for it. I hate you for making me feel this way. For making me want you when I know you’ll never want me the same way.”

The line goes quiet for a moment, just the sound of her uneven breaths filling the space. Then she starts again, softer, almost fragile. “The things we did ... I still think about them. About you. About how you made me feel. No one’s ever done that to me. No one’s ever made me feel so ... safe. So ... completely real. You saw me, Sable. All of me. And I let you in. I gave you everything. And you just...” Her voice fades into another quiet sob.

“I miss you,” she whispers, the words so faint I almost miss them. “Your Ass wants you so much she hurts. And I hate that I’m saying this, but I’d do anything to feel that way again. Anything, Sable. I’d beg you if I thought it’d make a difference.”

I grip the phone tighter, my throat dry, my chest twisting with guilt and something I don’t want to name. “Jane...”

“No,” she cuts me off sharply. “Don’t say anything. Just ... just let me have this. Let me say it, okay? Because after this, I don’t know if I can.”

The silence stretches, thick and suffocating, broken only by the sound of her soft, uneven breathing.

Finally, her voice comes back, quiet but filled with a weight that lands heavily on me. “I hate you for making me love you,” she says, her voice breaking one last time. “But I hate myself more because I still do.”

“Jane, listen to me,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “This is serious. If Moses talks, it could ruin all of us. We need to be smart about this.” But Jane is beyond reason, her words slurred and filled with bitterness. “Let him talk, Sable. Let the world know what a mess we all are.” I can feel the desperation rising in my chest. “Jane, please. Don’t do this. Don’t let him drag us down with him.” But she’s already gone, the line clicking off, leaving me with a sinking feeling in my stomach.

I open the door to the bathroom and step out. I disconnect the phone, rubbing my temples. I glance at Nancy. She’s sprawled on the bed, content and oblivious. “I’ve got to get to work,” I say. “You’ve got to head out soon.” She stretches, grins lazily, and shrugs. “Sure, sure.” I watch as she gets up, her movements slow and relaxed. She comes over, gives me a quick kiss, and then leaves, the door clicking shut behind her shapely ass.