Chapter Five

Tatum

I lifted my head from Weldon’s chest. Though I immediately missed the soft warmth of his hairy skin, I wanted to give him my full attention. He’d been so understanding and accepting of everything I told him. Not only had he accepted my desires, he shared in them.

Besides being too sick and too grateful to question why he had the diapers and sippy cup, I was also doubtful about someone following the same lifestyle. I knew there were people in the world who did, but I never imagined I’d literally fall into his arms.

Weldon even said he’d been waiting for me. He called me his special boy, which meant he was interested in a relationship with me. And I felt the same way about him. I wanted him, and I wanted his story.

So whatever Weldon had to tell me, I promised myself I’d be understanding and accepting as well. “What is it?”

“You know I said I knew you were the one for me when I heard your voice?”

I smiled at how I was just thinking about those very words. “Of course I do.”

“Well, that’s not entirely true.” Before I could panic, he added, “I knew before then. I knew because I smelled you up in that tree.”

He smelled me? Oh no, do I smell? I tilted my head to inconspicuously sniff my armpit, though it seemed Weldon caught me, judging by the way he smooshed his lips together to keep from smiling.

But he just continued, “You see, your scent drew me through the woods to that particular tree. And once I got a good sniff, I knew I was meant to find you. I knew you were mine to save, protect, and love.”

His words sent my heart into overdrive with excitement, but I didn’t understand, “How?”

“That bear you saw?” I nodded my head; my sickness nearly made me forget the beast, but now it burst back into my memory, making me shiver with fear. “That was me.”

I blinked at him…then blinked again. As hard as I tried to wrap my mind around what he’d just said, I couldn’t make sense of it. What did he mean? Was this some sort of metaphor? Was I still too foggy from the poisoning to grasp his words? I finally gave up and asked simply, “What?”

“I was the bear,” he repeated. “I am the bear. The bear is me.” That clarified nothing. Weldon took a deep breath and tried to explain, “I’m what is called a shifter. I can take both human and animal form. I can turn into a bear whenever I please.”

So many thoughts barreled through my mind. Is he serious? Is he crazy? Am I safe? That question made guilt erupt throughout my body. Weldon had taken such good care of me. But if he wasn’t totally nuts, and he could somehow become an animal, maybe things were different. Maybe he was bloodthirsty and wild, like werewolves I’d seen in movies.

Icy prickles crawled over my skin as I remembered the previous encounter with the bear, and what that meant if it was Weldon. “You tried to eat me!”

“No,” Weldon answered firmly with a shake of his head. “I would never hurt you, or anyone else for that matter. I’m in complete control when I’m in animal form. I often stroll through the woods as a bear. Remember that backpack?” I nodded. “I always carry it with me. It has clothes in it, in case I need to shift into my human form. Clothes don’t survive the shift.”

I couldn’t help the wave of lust that came over me as I thought about Weldon naked in the forest. But it was overshadowed by my confusion and fear. “I don’t understand any of this.”

He gave a gentle smile and nod. “I know. Most humans are unaware of my kind. It wasn’t always that way, though; our species used to live in harmony. Shifters have great strength and resilience, which we used for centuries to protect humans and keep them safe.

“But over time, humans created weapons and felt stronger and braver. They decided they didn’t need us. Many feared us; they found our strength and immortality unnatural. They-”

I couldn’t help but cut in, “Immortality?”

“Yes. We can be killed, but we do not get ill, or die of natural causes. Our permeance was a gift from the gods. But humans despised us for it; they were jealous, bitter, and scared. They worried shifters would rise up and take over the world, though that was never our intention. But humans wouldn’t see reason. They began hunting us, wanting to rid the Earth of shifters all together.

“So, we fled and went into hiding. Some shifters formed packs for camaraderie and protection, while others went out on their own. We stayed out of the public eye for nearly a century, until humans assumed they’d accomplished their goal of eradication, and they all but forgot about our kind.”

I felt horrible for his species. I knew all about people not tolerating what they didn’t understand, though my experience with my father was on a much smaller scale. The conviction in his voice made it impossible for me to doubt his story, and made me wonder if he experienced it first hand.

“Were you there during the attacks?” If he truly was immortal, anything was possible.

“I’m a very old bear,” Weldon replied with a sad smile. “But at that time, I was very young. My parents kept me shielded from the actual violence, but that didn’t keep it from affecting our household.”

I narrowed my eyes in question and he explained, “My mother and father fled with me, and we hid in a mountain cave. We were safe enough, but they wanted to do more to help our kind. So, my father would go out every night to seek out other shifters who may have needed assistance getting away. Sadly, what he found were many orphans whose parents had died to keep them protected and hidden.

“He brought them back with him, and he and my mother gave them a loving home. I became a big brother to the shifter cubs, and helped care for them. Caregiving became a huge part of who I was, and I knew it would always be part of my life, though I didn’t figure out exactly how until much later.”

“That’s so beautiful,” I sighed. “Your dad put himself at risk for strangers, and then you all made sure they were looked after and loved.”

“We were - and are - one big family,” he beamed. “Eventually, we all grew up and went our own ways, but we keep in touch. Every year, we have a reunion together. My mom loves seeing all of her kids, along with her grandcubs and great-grandcubs.”

My heart swelled with admiration and affection for his parents, though I’d never met them. I hoped I would one day; maybe I could even attend a reunion, though it seemed much too forward to say it.

“Are your family members the only shifters left?”

Weldon shook his head no and I breathed a sigh of relief. “Though our numbers were cut, many of us did survive. And there aren’t just bear shifters; there are many different animal forms roaming the Earth. We’ve integrated back into society, though we still keep ourselves secret for safety. You’ve probably spoken to shifters and never knew.”

“Wow.” It would have seemed impossible if I weren’t literally speaking to one now while sitting on his lap.

“In fact, close friends of mine are wolf shifters who live on the other side of the woods, in the Pine Ridge area. They look after the land…kind of like park rangers. That’s how we met; I was spending most of my time in bear form, living in a cave deep in the forest.”

“You still lived in a cave?” I asked in surprise. “Were you still hiding?”

“No, I knew I was safe. But a cave was what I grew up in, and what I was used to. I enjoy a simple life anyway, so it worked out fine.”

“How did you end up here?”

“Well, the Alpha of the wolf group, Phoenix, was out surveying the land one day and caught my scent. He tracked me down, and we got to talking. Long story short, I became friends with him and his friends, Stone and Rowan. I took a page from their book and embraced my human side a little more. He even helped me get a job as an environmentalist in this forest. With the money I made, I built this home-”

“You built this?” I couldn’t stop interrupting his story. “I’m impressed.” The cabin was absolutely beautiful, and looked like it had been crafted by professionals.

“Thanks, Taterbug. It’s so important to me that you love it.” I wasn’t sure why, unless he was just concerned with my comfort, which was sweet.

“What does an environmentalist do?” I’d heard the term before, but didn’t know what was involved.

“I help protect and preserve the area. I monitor the soil and plant life to make sure it’s safe for animals, and sustainable for the future.”

“That sounds really important.”

Weldon beamed with pride. “I love my work. It allows me to spend time in nature and keep it secure. But one of my favorite parts of my job is giving a conservation talk to a local boy scout troop every year. My friends volunteer with their camp and asked me to join in.”

“You’re amazing,” I gushed. His heart was pure gold. Now that I knew more about him, I was ashamed of being so scared of his bear form when I’d seen him earlier. I wanted to correct that right away, and show Weldon that I accepted him, just as he’d done with me. So, I took a deep breath and asked, “Can I see your bear again?”

Surprised delight painted his face. “Of course you can. Just remember; I’m in complete control of my animal, so you don’t need to be afraid.” Once I nodded my understanding, Weldon eased me off of his lap and stood up next to the bed.

I took the opportunity to ogle his strong, hairy body once more, but when Weldon unbuttoned his jeans, my cheeks blushed and my gaze skittered away. He’d said that clothes didn’t survive a shift, so it made sense that he needed to remove them, but I didn’t want to be rude by watching…even though I really wanted to watch.

I flinched when his hand cupped my warm cheek. When I gazed up at him again, a soft smile was on his lips. “It’s okay to look,” he whispered, and I gulped hard. I nodded because he certainly didn’t need to tell me twice, but my face burned even hotter. Outside of (numerous) internet explorations, I’d never seen a naked man.

My breathing quickened as he lowered his zipper and pushed the denim down his thick legs. My gaze didn’t budge from the lump behind the thin material of his underwear. I wanted him to move slowly so I could savor the moment just as much as I wanted him to rip them off.

Weldon moved with perfect speed, hooking his thumbs in the waistband. The lump swelled behind the cotton before he peeled it away, releasing his flesh. My eyes bulged at the sight of his firm cock, pointing straight at me. It was around seven or eight inches, thick, and uncut, and his heavy balls were as hairy as the rest of him.

I licked my lips, longing for a taste. My own groin swelled and thickened, pressing against the warm comfort of my diaper. I wanted this man with everything inside of me. We hadn’t even kissed, but I was ready to give myself to him. I didn’t know his intentions, but in my mind, I was his.

But my excitement quickly turned to fear when loud cracks sounded from Weldon’s body. His spine curved and twisted until he was on all fours. His frame expanded and thick, brown fur sprouted from every pore. His forehead broadened and his nose elongated into a snout. His ears migrated onto the top of his head.

In my lust, I’d forgotten why Weldon was removing his clothes in the first place. But everything came rushing back to me now that a giant grizzly bear stared back at me. My heart now raced with fright instead of desire. My dick retreated, and my mouth went dry. I was having trouble wrapping my mind around what I’d just witnessed. It was hard to believe, even though I’d seen it with my own two eyes.

The bear didn’t make a move; Weldon didn’t move. I had to remember this animal was also the sweet man who helped me. He said he was in complete control and that I had nothing to fear. I knew that if Weldon wanted to hurt me in any form, he could have easily done it already.

But instead, he was just standing there calmly, with familiarity and maybe even worry in his gaze. I needed to be brave. I needed to show him I wasn’t like all those people who had hurt his kind. But my mind was having trouble convincing my body to move, or my lips to speak.

That is, until Weldon made a quiet whining noise before flopping back onto his bottom and lowering his head. It took all the intimidation out of his body language. Instead, he looked rather cute.

It gave me the courage to finally speak. I rolled my tongue around my mouth to moisten it before asking, “Does it hurt to switch?” The process sounded and looked terrible, and I hoped it wasn’t too unpleasant for him.

Weldon swung his big head from side to side. “That’s good,” I replied, before sliding to the edge of the bed. “You’re not able to speak?” His head shook again as he made another low whine, and I understood that in this form, he could only make the sounds of a bear.

I stood up before him, noticing that my legs weren’t shaking. Not only had I healed from my sickness, but I wasn’t afraid. I wanted to get closer to him. I inched forward, slowly raising my hand. I was unsure whether it was rude to try and pet him, but Weldon took any worry away when he pressed his forehead into my palm.

His fur was wiry on the surface, but when I sank my fingers into it, there was a soft undercoat beneath. I scratched at his scalp, and his tongue lolled out to one side, giving him the look of a giant puppy.

I chuckled and slid my hands down onto his chest. I thought Weldon was large in human form, but it couldn’t compare to this. His shoulders were even wider, and muscles mounded all over his body. He was undeniably powerful, but gentle when it came to me.

He was the perfect blend for a Daddy; strong enough to protect and lead, but tender enough to care. I wasn’t surprised to hear he’d been caring for people most of his life, and was grateful and lucky that now he could turn that attention to me.

As I brushed my fingers through his fur, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like against my cheeks. Realizing there was only one way to find out, I wrapped my arms around him as far as they would reach, and rested my face on his chest.

His prickly hairs tickled my skin, but the deeper I nuzzled, the softer they became. Weldon’s body vibrated with a low, happy growl before he tossed one arm around my back, drawing me even closer. It was the warmest, most secure hug I’d ever received. It was like I was snuggling my own personal giant teddy. Or better yet…

“Can I call you Daddy Bear?” popped out of my mouth before I realized I was speaking out loud. Panic settled over me again. I’d never been so forward before. I was just so comfortable, happy, and hopeful that the burning question left my lips.

At first, his silence added to my anxiety, until I remembered he couldn’t talk. I was too nervous to lift my head and look into his eyes, so I kept my face buried in his fur.

More pops sounded, and Weldon’s body shifted beneath my touch. His skeleton twisted and reformed, and the coating of hair retreated. He was human once more, but I kept my eyes down, still clutching onto his body.

He wrapped his arms tightly around my waist and kissed the top of my head before lowering his lips to my ear. His voice was a gravelly whisper when he answered, “Nothing would make me happier.”