Part 1

I could fucking kiss Cheryl Strayed! Jacob Wachenheim thought as he raced triumphantly through the woods. The author of the book, Wild, had landed him more sex in his first month as a forest ranger than he’d gotten in his entire junior year at college. Because of her book, dozens of hot, young women had left their urban lives to trek through the mountains, alone and horny as fuck.

And he was there waiting for them.

He jumped over a root and scrambled up a rocky ravine on his morning trail run, smiling to himself and feeling his cock swell in his shorts. He’d had no idea that landing a summer job as a park ranger would come with so many perks. He’d slept with more than two dozen women already and summer was just getting started! Every one of them had practically tossed her copy of Strayed’s book over her shoulder and pulled down her panties as soon as they saw him.

He laughed aloud, realizing that he had to give grizzly bears credit, too. There hadn’t been a grizzly in these mountains for more than five decades but the chicks didn’t know that. Ha! All he had to do is casually mention the threat of a bear attack and the girls all but fell into his waiting arms.

He fucking had it made!

Stopping at the top to watch the sun crest the mountains, spilling golden fire across the forest, he marveled at the irony of it. Yeah, it was pretty fucking ironic on several levels. Who would have guessed that landing a job in the middle of a wilderness area would land him more sex than ever? And wasn’t it ironic that a book written as an anthem to woman power and independence had been such a boon to his scorecard? And then there were the nonexistent bears. Even extinct, they still had the power to stir fear in the human mind…and stir more salacious emotions as well. He smirked to himself remembering the night before. Shit, that chick had been the hottest yet with perky breasts, a firm bottom, and a–

“Oh, hey, Dan. I didn’t see you there!”

He nearly lost his balance as ‘Mountain Dan’ stepped out of the shadows beside him, lifting his head to wuffle the air. Jacob was turning when he realized something else: Mountain Dan was completely naked.

“Whoa, hey, dude,” Jacob said, looking quickly away and wishing he could un-see what he’d just seen. “What happened to your clothes?”

Mountain Dan had shown up on the trail about a month ago, looking lost and lonely. Jacob had quickly deduced that the poor guy was suffering from mental health issues from the way he talked to himself and generally behaved erratically. As the month had worn on, he’d become more and more unsteady to the point where Jacob had alerted the RCMP. He didn’t want the guy to end up hurting himself or someone else.

This was the first time he’d shucked his clothes, though.

Jacob glanced quickly over at him and winced inwardly. Dan was wild-eyed and drooling. His breathing was labored. His shaggy hair was caked with mud and filled with pine needles. He was a big man, towering more than two meters tall, and weighing well over a hundred kilos. He looked like a bigger, beefier, hairier, and…smellier version of the main character on the old ‘Grizzly Adams’ reruns that Jacob had watched as a kid.

“Dan, hey,” he began, taking a careful step backward. “Are you doing Ok? Can I help–”

Before he could finish, the huge man grunted something unintelligible and plunged back into the underbrush. Jacob watched him disappear worriedly, deciding that he would place another call with the RCMP when he got back to the ranger station. Should he do more?

Nah.

Shaking himself, he continued his run, loping easily down the other side of the mountain. Dan’s fate wasn’t his concern; after all, Jacob was only there to get laid as much as possible…

***

Liam Ross, Jacob’s friend and co-ranger at the station, hadn’t gotten back to the remote station by the time Jacob returned, hot and sweaty from his run. He called out and, when he didn’t hear a response, decided the dude must have gotten lucky last night, too. He jogged down the pathway to the lake and stripped out of his shorts and shoes to dive in.

The water was bracing but he enjoyed the thrill of its icy bite, resurfacing to blow water out of his nose and savor the morning sun. It was still early and the station was a good three-hour hike from the parking area so he had time to enjoy a relaxing breakfast and drink a cup of coffee before the first hikers arrived. And there would be lots of them! It was the Friday before the big Canada Day weekend and the trails were likely to be busy. More ladies in need of a ranger’s stud services, he thought happily, looking down to admire his half-erect cock. He possessed a true masterwork between his legs, measuring more than 25 centimeters in length and at least 25 in girth. I got a pole that girls love to dance on!

He dove under one more time before languidly wading back toward shore. The heat in his body gradually cooled as the crystalline water caressed his skin. He kept his naturally thick hair short and trimmed his body hair assiduously but even so he could feel the pleasant draw and pull of the current on him as he lay back and kicked toward shore. The morning air was redolent with pine scent and birds sang exuberantly all around, mirroring his contented mood. Sometimes it was just nice to be alive…

Gathering up his discarded clothing, he strolled naked up back to the ranger station only to abruptly cover himself as someone came crashing out of the brush nearby. Heart pounding, he was sure it was Mountain Dan again but then relaxed when he realized it was just Liam.

“Shit, Liam!” he exclaimed as he lowered his hands away from his crotch. “You gave me a fucking heart attack, dude!”

Belatedly, Jacob noticed that his friend was wild-eyed with panic. Even more concerning was the state of his clothing: His normally spiffy ranger uniform was in tatters and…wait! Was that blood?

Without a second thought, Jacob ran toward his friend, shouting, “Holy shit! What happened to you?”

His voice seemed to snap Liam out of his daze and he backed away from Jacob, holding up his hands and warning, “Don’t come near me! I’m contagious!”

Jacob stopped, perplexed. “Contagious? What the fuck, dude? You’re injured! What happened?” Instinctively, he moved closer to his friend.

Liam dodged away from him, all but yelling, “Stay away, Jake! I’m warning you!”

“Come on, Liam! You’re in shock,” Jacob reasoned, taking a step closer. “You need help!”

“Jake–” Liam’s voice broke off and he looked away, warring with himself. When he looked back, he asked, “I’m telling you, don’t touch me!”

Jacob sighed in exasperation. His friend was clearly in shock and talking nonsense. “Liam, what could you possibly have? Rabies?” He snorted, continuing, “‘Cuz you can’t infect someone with rabies very easily. And you don’t look rabid…”

“It’s not rabies, Jake. It’s–”

“Let me help you,” Jacob pleaded, feeling increasingly worried about his friend. “You’re hurt!”

Liam struggled with himself before finally lifting his head. His face was twisted with so much anguish that Jacob didn’t hesitate, he quickly bridged the distance between them and, taking his friend by the shoulders, looked him up and down, trying to gauge the extent of his injuries. The knees of his brown, canvas pants were torn open and blood trickled from scrapes underneath. His shirt was ripped in places but mostly intact. There was a gash on his cheek but it didn’t appear to be too deep. He was clutching his backside protectively with his hands, making Jacob wonder if he’d torn the seat out of the back of his pants.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Liam said, looking down at Jacob’s hands on his shoulders.

Jacob rolled his eyes. “What? Help you?” he asked, sarcastically. “Because, you know, friends never help each other out when they’re hurt.” Privately, though, he was relieved that his friends injuries didn’t appear to be severe. Putting a hand behind Liam’s neck, he asked, “What happened to you?”

Liam looked away evasively as if trying to figure out what to say. Finally, he managed to gasp, “I was attacked. By a bear.”

This time, Jacob’s eyes went round. “What? No way!”

“It was a grizzly!” Liam added, sounding suddenly desperate. Jacob noticed that his pupils were dilated. “I was attacked by a grizzly!”

A grizzly? And this grizzly infected him with what exactly? Jacob thought, mentally shaking his head. He is crazy. The nearest grizzly was hundreds of miles from the park and he was aware that bears carried any diseases commonly transmittable to humans. Narrowing his eyes, he quickly assessed the situation. Liam’s injuries were more consistent with a fall than a bear attack. The poor guy had probably hit his head and was hallucinating. He must have slipped on a rock and fallen, probably getting a concussion. That seemed like the most likely explanation.

A concussion.

Yeah, that’s what was it. Liam was just imagining things.

Still, Jacob needed to be careful not to excite his friend too much. It was better to play along, calm him, and take inventory of his injuries. Once that was done, he’d decide if he needed to place a call in to HQ for an evac. Raising his hand from Liam’s neck to feel the top of his head, he checked for signs of swelling. Oddly, though, his head felt fine; there was no sign of trauma.

“What are you doing?” Liam demanded. “The bear didn’t attack my head.”

Sighing inwardly, Jacob led him gently over to the shore of the lake and turned him into the sunlight, studying him more closely. He certainly didn’t seem seriously injured. Maybe he’d eaten something in the forest that made him hallucinate? Mushrooms?

Easy, Jacob, he cautioned himself. Don’t jump to conclusions. Check him out thoroughly and rule out the easy stuff.

“Ok, Liam,” he said evenly. “I need to see where you’re hurt. Will you let me take off your shirt?”

Liam nodded and Jacob reached out and began unbuttoning. His friend was smaller than he was, standing perhaps 180 centimeters tall, and he was really wiry. Jacob prided himself on his ripped physique but Liam almost put him to shame. His pale, nearly hairless skin was like porcelain and his lithe muscles were etched vividly beneath. He let the shirt fall to the ground and stepped back to survey the damage.

It was minimal. There were a few scrapes and he had some rash on his arms but he mostly looked fine. Sighing, Jacob realized he had to take the next, unenviable step and examine Liam’s lower body.

“Your pants, dude,” he stated flatly. “We gotta take ‘em off.”

Still dazed, Liam nodded. His lucidity of a few moments ago had disappeared and his eyes were vacant and he had started shivering. Jacob took a deep breath and unfastened his friend’s belt, muttering to himself the whole time. I should get paid extra for this, he thought dourly. Unsnapping the buttons of his fly, Jacob paused to steel himself before gingerly lowering Liam’s trousers.

His boxers came down with the pants and Jacob looked away as his friend’s schlong flopped out. Well, sort of flopped out. Liam didn’t have much going on down there, Jacob realized with a sudden flare of superiority. Even worse, he was uncircumcised, something that Jacob could never get used to. Stealing another glimpse, Jacob smirked. The dude barely had any pubic hair. He looked like a little boy!

Liam’s lower body was similarly uninjured, apart from the scrapes on his knees that Jacob had noticed earlier. Jacob relaxed, thinking, Bear attack? WTF? Liam’s gone bat-shit crazy.

Leaning back on his haunches, he pronounced, “You’re Ok, buddy. Just a few scratches.”

Liam stood there frozen for a moment before sinking to his knees. He kept his hands firmly over his buttocks as he pleaded with Jacob, “My butt, Jake! The bear got me there.”

Jacob only just managed not to roll his eyes. “Your butt? Come on, Liam! What are you on?”

“It’s true!” Liam insisted, removing his hands and holding them in front of Jacob’s face. They were smeared with blood. Not a lot of blood, true, but there was definitely blood.

Jacob was getting tired of Liam’s hysteria. Putting his hands firmly on Liam’s shoulders, he commanded, “Liam, calm down! You’re not seriously injured. Take a deep breath and chill out.” His friend meekly did as he was told, taking a shuddering breath. Jacob nodded. “Breathe, Liam. Breathe.”

After a few more breaths, Liam seemed less glassy-eyed and had stopped trembling. Jacob led him over to the shore of the little lake and they waded in, Liam protesting when Jacob splashed him with the icy cold water. While he allowed Jacob to wash him off, he kept his hands clutched protectively over his butt.

Finally, Jacob lost his patience. “Liam, put your hands down! You’re almost clean.”

Liam steadfastly refused to let Jacob see the wounds he was covering, though. Making sure to stay facing Jacob, he carefully squatted down and splashed water on his backside. He looked so pitiful that Jacob couldn’t help laughing.

“You’re such an asshole,” Liam complained. “I was just attacked by a grizzly!”

“Dude, you’re full of shit. There hasn’t been a grizzly in these mountains since your grandma was a little girl.” Before Liam could argue, he continued, “Plus, if you were attacked by a bear, you would be a lot more messed up. You’re barely injured!”

Giving him a sour look, Liam straightened up. “That’s only because I managed to squeeze into the crevice at Widow’s Peak.”

Jacob opened his mouth and then closed it. Widow’s Peak? Why had Liam been all the way up there? Oh, yeah. His eyes narrowed. “So you were fooling around with Brooke last night? Her campsite is up there. You fucking dawg! I can’t believe you–”

“I didn’t!” Liam interrupted. “Not because I didn’t want to…or because she didn’t, um, want to. The bear attacked me before I could get there.”

Jacob folded his arms skeptically. “Uh huh. And now you’re infected with bear cooties? Is that why you were raving about being contagious? I hate to say it but bears don’t carry–”

“You don’t understand!” Liam interrupted, shouting. “It wasn’t a normal bear!”

Jacob folded his arms and leaned backward, raising an eyebrow. “Of course not. It was a big, bad grizzly.”

“Jacob,” Liam began but then stopped, shaking his head. “You don’t get it. Nothing will ever be the same.”

Biting the sharp retort on the tip of his tongue, Jacob asked calmly, “Then tell me. Tell me what happened.”

“You’ll just say I’m crazy,” Liam replied, shaking his head. “You’ll find out soon enough. I’m telling you it was a grizzly, though. I know that for a fact.”

Jacob was getting tired of Liam’s nonsense. “It was night, dude,” he pointed out. “How do you know it was even a bear much less a grizzly?”

“I had my headlamp, asshole. And it was a full moon. I’m telling you it was a fucking grizzly bear! Bigger than a fucking house!”

“Uh huh.”

Liam’s blue eyes flared and he pulled himself up to his full height…which was just about level with Jacob’s throat. “The fucking thing tried to kill me and you don’t believe me!”

“Listen, Liam,” Jacob sighed, putting his hand on Liam’s shoulder and guiding him back to shore. He was getting chilled standing in the cold water and his stomach was growling. “Let’s talk about this over breakfast, Ok? I’ll be a lot more understanding after I get some food in my belly.”

They only took a few steps, though, before Liam dropped down on his hands and knees and demanded, “You think I’m making this up, huh? Well, look at my butt and tell me what you see!”

“Liam! I’m not gonna–” Jacob’s gaze was inadvertently drawn to his friend’s behind. Liam was bent over right in front of him and he couldn’t help noticing… “Holy shit! What the fuck is that?”

Liam looked at him over his shoulder, challenging, “I told you! It was a bear!”

Jacob was already squatting down, mouth hanging open, as he examined Liam’s butt cheeks. There were five long scratches running across both cheeks. The wound looked like it had been deep but as he stared, his friend’s torn flesh appeared to be healing in front of his eyes. The red, angry wounds narrowed down and sealed up, leaving only raised welts in their place.

“Holy fucking shit!” he exhaled, unable to believe what he had just seen.

“What? What?” Liam demanded, pushing eagerly backwards.

Not until Liam’s butt was almost touching his nose did Jacob rouse himself…unfortunately, not before he caught an unmistakable glimpse of his friend’s little pucker peeking out from the crevice of his muscular buttocks. It was rosy pink, moist, and…

“Dude!” he started to protest, “I don’t wanna look at your–”

He was interrupted by a woman’s voice. “Oh! Sorry! I thought the ranger station was open!”

Only then did the reality of what he was doing come crashing down on Jacob: He was naked on his haunches with another guy’s butthole sticking in his face. Cheeks flaming, he shoved Liam away and stood up, finding himself staring at the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. She was wearing the obligatory hiking boots, canvas shorts, baseball cap…and the not-so-obligatory crop top exposing her perfectly flat belly. Her luxurious black hair was tied back in a ponytail tossed nonchalantly over her shoulder. He couldn’t tell exactly but from her accent she sounded like she was Mexican or Spanish.

She was watching them with barely concealed amusement and Jacob’s desperate attempts to cover his nudity and distance himself from Liam only seemed to make matters worse. He scrambled to pull on his shorts as she covered her mouth to hide her smile. To make matters worse, three more women–each more beautiful than the next–appeared behind her, heavy backpacks slung over their shoulders.

Jacob wanted to die.

How the fuck had they gotten to the station so early? They must have left the parking area before dawn! He’d never seen anyone before ten. Shit shit shit!

Liam was still on his hands and knees, bare butt sticking up in the air, acting confused. Jacob could have killed him. What the fuck was wrong with him? The dude must have hit his head when he hid in the crevice at Widow’s Peak. Fuck.

“Uh, maybe we should come back later?” the woman offered, unable to keep the mirth out of her voice.

Jacob finished pulling up his shorts and tried vainly to recapture his lost dignity by saying, “No! No! It’s fine! We’re the rangers!”

Raising an eyebrow, the woman threw salt on his wounds by replying, “Rangers? Really? We’re looking for forest rangers, not rump r–”

“Alright! Alright!” Jacob cut her off, throwing up his hands. “This isn’t what it looks like! Liam here is injured and I was just…er, performing first aid.”

Silence.

Jacob kicked himself mentally, realizing how lame this sounded…and gay. Feeling his whole neck burn red, he squared his shoulders and marched past Liam and the woman, his tattered pride flapping in the breeze like a sad flag. He was a bit slow but at least he knew when to stop digging himself deeper into a hole.

***

Getting dressed in his uniform helped slightly. Jacob met the women in the office a few minutes later, fully clothed and trying valiantly to act professional. His stomach was angrily demanding breakfast but he had to ignore it. The beauties awaiting him at the front desk helped distract him somewhat. Damn, they were hot! He lost himself in the first woman’s eyes as she was talking and she stopped, raising an eyebrow.

“Are you sure you’re Ok?”

God, that voice! It was so fucking sultry! He shook himself, saying, “What? Yeah, I’m fine. You were saying you need backcountry permits?” He glanced down at her paperwork and saw her name was ‘Francesca Rajoi’. Fuck! Francesca? What a sexy name! Could she get any hotter?

She smiled, making his blood race. “Yeah, for the campsite on ‘Randy Goat Lake’.”

For some reason, this made him flush. “T-That’s great,” he stammered, feeling his cock plump up in his pants. “That’s the only campsite on the lake. Very secluded.”

Francesca raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Well, isn’t that convenient?” Jacob sneezed, trying desperately to distract himself from his swelling cock, but almost lost it the next moment when she added, “And kind of…lonely. Don’t you think?” She paused significantly to lean over the counter, pushing her ample breasts in close as her friends came to stand next to her. They were watching Jacob with coy smiles on their faces.

Poor Jacob couldn’t help it. A moan had escaped his lips before he could stop himself. He felt his cheeks grow hot and, too late, he realized his erection had popped into full view, pressing luridly against the tight fabric of his khaki pants.

The next moment, much to his confusion, the three women beside Francesca burst out laughing and high-fived each other before turning to hold their hands out to their leader. Francesca scowled as she leaned over to fish her wallet out of her pack. Digging around, she extricated some cash and handed each of them a twenty dollar bill.

Turning back to a questioning Jacob, she grumbled, “Before I came in here, I bet twenty bucks that you were gay and,” she paused to glance meaningfully down at his crotch, “it looks like I was wrong.”

Jacob moved closer to the desk to conceal his erection, uncertain whether to be proud or offended. He’d never had anyone question his sexuality before…but, then again, he’d never engaged in behavior that could be construed as gay before. He silently cursed Liam for the thousandth time. Why the fuck had the dude chosen to pull his stunt on the day that the sexiest women in the world showed up at the station?

When he didn’t reply, Francesca picked up the permit he’d scrawled in shaky script and followed her companions out the door. Before she left, though, she floored him by saying, “If you and your ranger…friend…aren’t busy tonight, why don’t you stop by our campsite?”

***

Jacob was so elated that he almost didn’t register the fact that Liam was still buck naked when he walked into the private quarters attached to the ranger station. His friend was standing at the primitive sink, sipping coffee and staring out the window at the departing women. He turned and nodded to Jacob when he entered.

“S’up, dude?”

Jacob stopped, completely at a loss for words.

Reaching down to casually scratch his ass, he said, “Thanks for talking me down off the ledge this morning, bro. I was fucking freaking out.”

Throat moving up and down, Jacob finally managed to choke, “Liam, why are you naked?”

Liam gave him a small smile before lifting his mug in a mock toast. “Oh, you know, sometimes a dude’s just gotta let it all hang out.”

“What makes you think I want to see it all hanging out?”

“Chill, dude. I ain’t got nothin’ you ain’t seen before.”

Jacob blinked, now firmly convinced his friend had a concussion. “Liam,” he said evenly, “I am calling headquarters after I get some breakfast. You need to go to the hospital and get checked out.”

Liam shrugged, turning back to the window. After a while, he said, “Nah, I’m fine. I’m staying here. I don’t need to see a doctor.”

“But–”

“For chrissake, Jacob! Chill the fuck out!” Liam commanded, causing Jacob to unconsciously shrink back. “Eat some breakfast and drink some joe, dude. You need to fucking relax.” He poured a cup of coffee and handed it to Jacob who looked at the proffered mug uncertainly. When he hesitated, Liam exhaled loudly in disgust and marched over to shove it into his hands, saying, “Jesus fucking Christ! You’re acting like a prissy little girl!”

“I am not–” Jacob started to protest but Liam waved him off, turning his back to him and rummaging through the cupboards.

Jacob stood there befuddled. His head felt weird, almost like everything was spinning. Finally, he closed his eyes and took a sip of the coffee..and gagged. Liam had made it too strong! When Liam turned to give him the stink eye, he swallowed meekly and wandered over to the rickety table to sit down. He looked up a moment later as Liam tossed a bowl and spoon down in front of him along with a box of granola. Jacob found himself studying his friend’s back as he pulled a carton of milk out of the propane refrigerator. Was it his imagination or was Liam broader and…more muscular than before? He shook his head. No, that was impossible! He couldn’t be!

But…

Shit, he sure looked like he’d been working out or something.

Liam paced over and filled a huge bowl with granola, looking down challengingly at Jacob. “What’s wrong, bro? Not hungry?”

“No, I–”

“Good. Then eat.”

Liam slopped at least a quart of milk in his bowl and then reached across the table to grab the honey jar next to Jacob’s elbow. Jacob watched in disbelief as his friend emptied most of the jar onto his cereal.

“Liam, don’t y–”

“Shut the fuck up, Jake. I’m hungry!”

As Jacob stared, he flipped a chair around backwards and sat down, legs spread wide, straddling the back. His dick was pushed out between the… Jacob looked away. He’d seen more of Liam’s body that morning than he’d seen in the previous three years and it was making him sick. Liam picked up a spoon and commenced shoveling the granola into his mouth. Milk ran down his cheeks, dribbling in pools on the table. Jacob forced his attention away from his friend and focused on eating his own much more modest bowl of granola. He was almost glad when he heard the bell ring on the office door, signaling the arrival of another group of hikers.

“Don’t worry,” he said unnecessarily. “I’ll get it.”

***

A group of large, hairy men were gathered in the office when he entered and Jacob paused, raising an eyebrow.

“Lemme guess,” he said drily as he took in the prevalence of rainbow flags. “You’re having a ‘bear weekend’ in the woods?”

The leader of the group, a muscular man in his thirties, stepped forward and saluted, announcing, “Guilty as charged, sir! Wissam Zaibat at your service.”

Jacob smiled. The guy had a thick Quebecois accent and appeared to be of Arab descent. He stepped up to the desk, taking note of the way the men were surveying him with obvious relish. He’d seen a lot of groups of gays come through lately and guessed that the park had received a glowing review on some website for LGBT travelers. Maybe it was because he was feeling horned up from the interaction with Francesca and her friends but today he was in a particularly flirtatious mood. Time for a little fun, he thought devilishly as he basked in the men’s attention.

He looked down at the ledger. “I see you’ve reserved the hot springs for the weekend.”

“Yes,” Wissam said, nodding eagerly. “Are they far?”

Jacob shook his head. “A ways. A good hour’s hike, depending on how much gear you have.” He watched the man’s shoulders fall and added, “But it’s flat and even ground. Just be sure to stay in the designated area. Most of the hot springs are off limits.”

The man looked up, asking, “Why?”

“Because they’re fragile. We have them fenced off and surveil them with cameras. You’ll get a hefty fine if you trespass.”

There was a startled silence, then, “You will be watching us with cameras? Do these cameras see everything?”

Jacob smirked and leaned over the desk, savoring the moment. “Oh, yeah. I’ll see everything that goes on up there. Everything.”

Wissam surprised him by leaning in close. Jacob found himself gazing directly into his startlingly clear, brown eyes. He was, he realized, a handsome guy. There was something about his beard and broad face that reminded him of someone famous but he couldn’t quite think of whom. “You don’t have to watch, you know,” the man said provocatively. “You could join us.” Behind him, the man’s friends shifted with nervous excitement.

Jacob felt his cheeks grow rosy but he maintained his calm. There was a charge in the air between them that triggered a warning flag but he ignored it; he was having too much fun! “Actually, I’m more of an otter than a bear cub,” he quipped. “I’m afraid I wouldn’t fit in.” The man blinked and Jacob laughed. “Yeah, dude, I know what an otter is. You surprised a straight boy knows the lingo?”

“A little,” Wissam admitted. “Are you sure you’re straight?”

Jacob grinned, delighting in this flirty repartee while at the same time aware that he was taking it further than he usually did. For some reason, though, he couldn’t stop himself. “I dunno. Maybe a little bicurious. Do you know…someone…who might be able to show me the ropes?”

The smile on the man’s face broadened and his eyes flashed. For some reason, Jacob was mesmerized by him and couldn’t look away. After a pregnant pause, Wissam replied, “Ropes? You want me to show you ropes? Come by my tent later and I’ll show you ropes.”

Jacob’s heart was pounding in his chest and he struggled to find air. Alarm bells were going off like crazy in his head but he felt powerless to stop. He were so close that he could feel the man’s warm breath on his cheeks as he leaned there frozen over the desk, completely at a loss for words.

He was saved by Liam who barged into the office at that moment. Jacob turned and saw that his friend had finally gotten dressed. He looked different in his uniform in some way that Jacob couldn’t quite figure out. Almost like he filled it out more or something. Liam was such a scrappy, skinny guy that he always seemed to be swimming in his clothes but for some reason that morning his uniform looked snug on him.

His friend scowled as he took in the scene before him, moving immediately to Jacob’s side and putting a heavy hand on his shoulder, pushing him back.

“You guys have everything you need?” he asked in a harsh voice.

Wissam straightened up and backed away, a look of confusion on his face. “Almost. Mr…,” he paused to squint at Jacob’s name tag, “Wachenheim here has yet to give us our campsite permit.”

Liam looked down at the ledger and, grabbing a pad from under the desk, scrawled out the permit before pushing it across the desk. “There. Take it and go.”

“But–”

Liam drew himself up to his full height, which to Jacob seemed taller than he remembered, and puffed out his chest. “Go,” he ordered.

The man looked over at Jacob who shrugged helplessly before looking down at the desk. The group of men slowly made their way out of the office but not before their leader called over his shoulder, “You know where to find me, cub.”

The screen door slammed shut behind them and Jacob continued to stare uncomfortably down at the desk. He was keenly aware of Liam standing close behind him. In fact, he almost could feel the heat radiating off of his body.

“You are not to go anywhere near those guys, you hear me?”

Jacob straightened, only just then waking up from the weird spell he’d been under. What the fuck is going on this morning? he wondered in bewilderment. The whole day had been weird ever since Liam got back to the station…

Liam.

Liam?

Liam!

Who the fuck did Liam think he was anyway? He couldn’t boss Jacob around like he was his property! Liam Ross? Ha! Liam was a little pussy!

Squaring his shoulders, he rounded on his friend, pushing him backward before launching at him. He grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him hard, spitting, “Liam! I don’t know what the fuck is going on with you but it’s gotta stop! Stop acting like a fucking idiot!” He dropped his hands and glowered down at him, unable to stop from shaking with rage.

Maybe being shaken helped snap Liam out of whatever strange mood had possessed him because his eyes got big and stared up at Jacob fearfully, stammering, “Jake…I-I-I’m sorry! I d-d-didn’t know…” He dropped his head in his hands and stood there for a long time. Finally, he managed to croak, “You gotta help, Jake! I did something bad…really bad and now something is wrong with us!”

Jake settled back against the desk and regarded his friend critically. “Us? Whaddaya mean us? It’s all you, dude. I told you we need to get you to a doctor. Did you hit your head or something when you were trying to get away from…whatever it was that you think attacked you?” He still wasn’t ready to admit it was a bear, especially not a grizzly. More than likely Liam had imagined the whole thing…or was using the attack story to cover up some other escapade.

Still holding his head in his hands, Liam crouched down. The next moment, he surprised Jacob by rocking back and forth, mumbling incoherently. Occasionally, he’d let out a little sob. He watched him for a while with a raised eyebrow before sighing and settling down on his haunches. Placing a hand on his shoulder, he said soothingly, “Liam, hey! It’ll be Ok. We’ll get you help. Why don’t you go lie down and I’ll radio HQ?”

Liam stifled a sob and, dropping his hands, looked up at him dejectedly. His lower lip was quivering. “Oh, Jake, I hope so! I hope you will forgive me.”

He tried to stand but his legs gave out and Jacob had to grab his arm and haul him up. Liam took a tentative step and lost his balance, collapsing against him. Oh, for fuck’s sake! Jacob thought as he helped his friend into their living quarters. Settling him down on his cot, he patted his leg, saying, “Now sleep. It’ll help.”

Liam stared up at him wide-eyed, looking like a little boy, as Jake turned and closed the door behind him.

This was the fucking weirdest day ever.

***

The radio was down when he tried to call headquarters and Liam had forgotten to hook the satellite phone to the solar charger. Jacob glowered up at the sky, noting the clouds rolling in and determined it would take all day to recharge it, especially with everything else they needed to power at the station.

Fuck, he thought. Well, maybe taking a nap will help Liam recover? His friend had had a sleepless night and Jacob knew from experience that could make someone go loopy. He’s pulled a couple all-nighters at college and it had taken several days before he felt back to normal. He would wait until Liam woke up and decide what to do then. In the meantime, he had all the chores to attend to…and group after group of hikers were arriving. He barely had a moment’s rest before he closed the station at five o’clock.

Liam was sitting at the kitchen table, looking groggy, when he entered their living quarters, locking the office door behind him. More than a hundred people had come through and all of the campsites were full, even the ones in the farthest reaches of the park. It was a good thing the wilderness area was so vast and the provincial government capped the number of backcountry permits. Unlike the parks in the States, Canadian parks maintained their wilderness feel even at the height of the summer season.

Jacob settled into a chair next to his friend, unbuttoning his shirt and taking off his hat. “Fuck, what a day! I could use a nap before we go.”

Liam looked over at him, perplexed. “Go?” he asked in a strangely deeper voice. Go where?”

“Oh, shit! I forgot to tell you! That first group of women this morning invited us to their campsite on Randy Goat Lake tonight.” He paused, his face breaking into a sly smile. “If you and me play our cards right, my friend, we’ll get laid tonight! That is,” he said, holding up his finger, “if you feel up to it. How are you doing? Any better?”

Liam gave him a slow smile. “Yeah, I feel better. A lot better, actually.”

“You sure?”

Jacob couldn’t put his finger on it but Liam seemed different somehow. There was his deeper voice and…wait? His…beard? Before he realized what he was doing, he had lifted his hand to his friend’s cheek to rub the bristles of the brown beard growing there. Liam pulled his head away, looking at him askance.

“Whoa, dude!” he protested. “What are you doing?”

Jacob shook himself and, flushing, hastily pulled his hand away. “Liam, you grew a beard while you were asleep.”

“Yeah, r-i-i-i-ght,” Liam replied, voice laced with skepticism as he raised his hand to his face. His fingers jerked a little when they grazed his beard and his eyes went briefly wide. “Shit! It’s true!” he admitted. “Wow.”

Jacob couldn’t believe it. His own beard grew quickly but he’d never sprouted a full beard in the space of five hours.

“I’ve always wanted to grow a beard,” Liam admitted, still thoughtfully rubbing his cheeks. “It’s cool.”

“Liam…” Jacob warned.

His friend held up his hand, stopping him. “C’mon, Jake! It’s just a little hair. It’s nothing to worry about. Besides, I like it. I wish it was even thicker.”

Jacob shook his head. “It’s not normal! There’s something going on with you. I’m beginning to wonder if you were infected with some weird disease last night.”

Liam’s disdainful expression was eloquent. “It’s not a disease bro,” he said cryptically before adding, “but you’ll see soon enough for yourself.” He turned away at Jacob’s confused look, making a sound of disgust. “I’m not sick. I feel fine. In fact, I feel great. Were you just saying something about getting laid? I could use a little exercise, if you know what I mean.”

***

Part 2,

They left around six o’clock when the summer sun was still high in the sky. It wouldn’t get dark until after ten o’clock this far north, Jacob thought, loving the incredibly long, midsummer hours. Carrying a six-pack each, they made good time. Both were in superior physical condition from working outdoors, hauling supplies and running the trails. Jacob gloried in his robust body, relishing the delicious sensation of his muscles working effortlessly. God, it was great being alive!

The ladies had set up a camp on a grassy knoll overlooking the lake. The clouds from earlier had departed and the lake was golden in the hazy orange evening light. Jacob and Liam paused near the tents, enjoying the little, feminine touches of the camp. Laundry was drying on a clothesline and Jacob’s heart stopped in his chest when he saw the delicate underwear flapping in the breeze. Even when hiking, women wore the most alluring undergarments. His cock pulsed in his shorts as he contemplated the supple thighs and buttocks those panties had graced.

“Hi, guys!” Francesca called out, emerging from behind a tent. She was holding a long poker in her hand and the smoke of fire drifted up behind her. “You found us.”

Liam pushed Jacob aside as he strode up to her, extending his hand. “Wild horses…and bears couldn’t keep us away,” he announced, adding, “Did Jacob warn you about the bears? I saw a grizzly near here last night.”

Francesca’s eyebrows lifted with this news and Jacob smirked to himself. Liam had stolen his line but it was good to see it nonetheless worked like a charm. She reached out and steadied herself on a tent pole as her friend emerged behind her. Jacob took a sharp breath: They were wrapped in towels and nothing else.

“Bears? Did you say something about bears?” One of them asked, clutching the towel closer about her.

“Yep, and not just any bears,” Liam said smugly. “Grizzlies.”

The women collectively gasped and Jacob had to turn to hide his grin. This was going to be too easy!

“But don’t you worry about bears, ladies,” Liam was saying confidently as he swept his arm back toward Jacob. “Because we’re here to protect you. Jacob and I know how to deal with ‘em.”

“I’ll bet,” Francesca murmured. It was clear that she’d recovered from her initial surprise and was now skeptical. “It’s funny that the guidebook says that grizzlies haven’t been seen here in over fifty years.”

Liam wasn’t about to be so easily brushed off, though. Lowering his hands to his waist, he shocked Jacob by unfastening his belt and saying, “You don’t believe me? Well, let me show you–”

“LIAM!” Jacob shouted, horrified. He lunged at his friend, wrestling his hands away from his belt buckle. “You don’t need to show them your scars.”

Liam struggled to get free but Jacob was stronger…just. He was amazed at how powerful his friend was…and how muscular. His body felt packed with muscles.

But that wasn’t possible.

Liam wasn’t muscular.

Was he?

They were interrupted by laughter and both guys lifted their heads to see that the group of women were hardly able to contain their amusement. Francesca’s cheeks were red as she said, “Well, that’s a new one for me! I’ve never had a guy use that excuse to get naked before!”

***

Despite Liam’s antics, the evening went well for them. Really well. Beer helps, Jacob thought as he popped the cap off another bottle and held it out to Lydia. After they’d settled down, the women had introduced themselves and Jacob had learned they were college friends on a weekend hiking trip. They’d driven ten hours from Winnipeg and camped in the parking lot overnight, setting their alarm for four in the morning in order to get to the station just after sunrise. Jacob was impressed…and turned on.

He and Liam were seated on a couple of stumps across the fire from Francesca and Lydia. The other pair, Mariam and Katrina, were reclining in camp chairs as they toasted marshmallows over the flames.

The beer and his horniess made him feel bold as he asked, “So, have you ladies ever, you know, gotten it on with each other?”

Francesca and Lydia exchanged glances while Mariam and Katrina giggled. Liam sat up straighter next to him, suddenly alert.

As always, Francesca was the first to recover. Fixing them with her unnervingly direct stare, she asked, “Have you?”

Jacob choked on his beer laughing. “Hardly! Despite what you might think from this morning, we’re as straight as they come!”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Jacob said, somewhat defensively. “One hundred percent straight.” He turned to Liam for backup but his friend was pretending to admire the sunset on the lake. Jacob gave him a dirty look.

“One hundred percent?” Francesca challenged. “I read that there is no such thing as heterosexuality.” She paused before adding, “They just published a study that proves it.”

“Uh huh,” Jacob replied. “Well, I read a study that says that all heterosexual men share one thing in common. You know what that is?”

“You’re all afraid of getting fucked by a guy?” Francesca offered slyly, eliciting a laugh from her friends.

“No!” Jacob said, unsteadily lowering his beer to the ground and holding his finger up to make his point, “we all fantasize about two women getting it on.” He looked over at Liam. His friend’s eyes were glassy and his head was lolling to one side. Liam had always been a lightweight when it came to drinking.

“Oh, really?” Lydia said, drawing the last word out for a very long time. “Well, you know what? Heterosexual women have the same fantasy.”

“You dream about having sex with another woman?” Jacob offered hopefully, feeling his cock swell in his shorts.

“No, silly,” Lydia said, shaking her head with exaggerated deliberateness. She was drunk, too, from the looks of things. “We fantasize about two guys getting it on.”

Jacob couldn’t suppress a shudder as he exclaimed, “Gross! That’s disgusting!”

Lydia smirked at him, nodding. “Yep, it’s true.”

“I don’t believe it,” Jacob muttered, feeling his erection subside at this talk about guys having sex with each other. “That’s just wrong.”

“And yet it’s fine if two women have sex?” Lydia rejoined. “You’re a hypocrite.”

Jacob was about to launch into an indignant tirade when Francesca held up her hands. “Alright, alright! Enough! I have a proposal for both of you that will settle this once and for all.”

“What?” Jacob asked, not entirely sure he needed to have anything settled.

“Lydia and I will ‘get it on’ if you and Liam do so, too.”

Jacob sprang to his feet, aghast. “WHAT? NO WAY!” He couldn’t believe she would suggest such a disgusting thing. He looked down at Liam, willing him to jump to his aid, but his friend merely lifted his beer and took a deep swig, staring into the fire.

Francesca reached over and massaged Lydia’s shoulders, causing her friend to let out an exaggerated moan. Then she surprised and delighted Jacob by leaning forward and giving her friend a lingering kiss on the lips. Francesca purred and was reaching forward to lift Lydia’s bra strap when she stopped and looked over at Jacob.

“Ok, boys. Now you,” she announced, a devilish smile on her succulent lips.

Jacob felt like he was going to be sick. As amazing as it was to watch Lydia and Francesca being intimate, it wasn’t worth it if he had to… Shuddering with revulsion, he looked away.

He was turning to leave when Liam called out to him. “Come on, bro. Lay one on me. It’s just a stupid dare.”

Jacob looked down at his friend, feeling suddenly woozy. His friend was holding his arms out wide, a big grin on his face. He made a kissy face at Jacob and he cringed.

“Jacob,” Francesca reasoned. “It’s just a little kiss. I mean, who wouldn’t wanna kiss those lips?”

Liam grinned at this, saying, “Yeah? Who wouldn’t wanna kiss me?”

“I wouldn’t,” Jacob grumbled but he nonetheless surprised himself by getting down on his knees. Steeling himself and screwing his eyes shut, he leaned forward and puckered up, pulling away immediately as soon as his lips made contact with Liam’s. Turning to the women, he spat, “There! Happy? I kissed him.”

He was starting to stand up again when he was suddenly knocked backward. Before he could catch his balance, he was flat on his back and something warm and heavy was on top of him. He fought back but soon he was immobilized, his arms pinned above his head. Breathlessly, he stared up at his attacker.

It was Liam.

“Come on, asshole,” his friend said in a husky voice. “That wasn’t a kiss. This is a kiss.”

Feeling both revulsion and disbelief, Jacob watched helplessly as his friend lowered his head to cover Jacob’s mouth with his own. When he opened his mouth to gasp for air, Liam worked his tongue between his teeth, fighting his way in. Then he blanked out completely, losing himself as the molten steel flavor of Liam permeated his taste buds.

He was mashing with Liam!

***

Jacob finally managed to push Liam off of him, though he didn’t do so violently. Rather, he waited for Liam to take a breath before lifting his hands up to hold his face. They stared at each other for a long moment, eyes wide and gasping for air. Finally, Jacob grimaced and rolled Liam off of him.

The four women were silent, watching them in the light of the fire. Darkness was descending and the night was quiet, calm, and deep.

“Wow,” Lydia whispered. “That was hot!”

Liam stood up and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, extending his other hand to Jacob. Jacob looked at it before reaching out to take it. Liam’s hand was hot, almost burning. He let Liam guide him to a sitting position and then folded his head in his hands, trying to figure out what the fuck had just happened. He was uncomfortably aware of his mutinous cock pulsing and hard in his shorts. He couldn’t get the taste of Liam out of his mouth.

In the distance, a wolf howled, followed quickly by another and another. Jacob was so out of sorts that the sound almost didn’t register. When it did, he straightened, looking over at Liam.

“Those can’t be wolves!” he hissed. “There are no wolves in the park!”

“There aren’t supposed to be grizzlies, either.”

Jacob gave him a sour look before lowering his head back down between his knees. Everything was fucked up. The whole world was wrong, off kilter. What was going to show up next? Harpy eagles and giant sloths?

Pushing himself to his feet, he muttered, “I’m going back to the station. I need to sleep.”

Liam stood up next to him and placed a proprietary hand on his shoulder that Jacob was tempted to shrug off but he didn’t. “I’m going, too. See you ladies later!”

The women called out their subdued good nights and they headed off into the darkness.

***

Neither of them had brought a light with them, probably because they had expected to spend the night with the women on Randy Goat Lake. Fortunately, the forest thinned as the terrain grew more rugged and twilight stained the horizon long after sunset, giving them enough light to see.

Jacob was silent and Liam didn’t seem inclined to talk, either, which suited him just fine. His head was spinning and his cock was rock hard in his shorts, embarrassing him. Humiliating him. The mere sound of Liam’s breathing was enough to keep his pulse racing and his skin was on fire in the places his friend’s body had made contact with his own. His mouth was alive with the flavor of bitter steel. Liam’s flavor.

They were picking their way across a particularly treacherous patch of rocky ground when the full moon crested the eastern horizon, spilling white light and long shadows across the mountains. Jacob shivered for some reason.

The wolves howled down the valley, closer this time. The hair on the back of Jacob’s neck stood on end.

The howling seemed to have an effect on Liam as well because he stopped mid-stride and Jacob nearly collided with him.

“Liam–”

His voice caught in his throat as he heard a low growl building deep in his friend’s chest.

“Liam?”

“Shut up! Can’t you hear him?”

The skin on Jacob’s arms prickled at these words. “Hear who?”

In answer, Liam began to shake violently. Putting his hands on the side of his head, he lifted his head and let out an anguished growl that quickly built into a roar that echoed across the mountains. Jacob’s heart jumped into his throat. He’d never heard a man make a sound like that and it terrified him.

He grabbed Liam by the shoulders to shake him but then recoiled. His friend’s skin was hot as burning iron and…

It wasn’t possible.

No, it wasn’t possible.

How could his body be so…?

A crash behind them snapped his attention away from Liam and he whirled around. The biggest bear he had ever seen was barreling down the mountainside at them, clearly illuminated by the rising moon.

Jacob froze.

He’d read somewhere that your fight or flight response would take over at moments like these but his was stuck in the middle and he could make himself do either. All he could do is stand there and watch helplessly as the bear approached, running far faster than any animal should be able to run.

Rough hands grabbed him and pushed him and then he was hurling down the trail, running as fast he could, somehow managing to leap over roots and boulders without losing his balance. Behind him, he heard Liam let out another roar but he didn’t stop.

He just ran.

***

Part 3

Jacob awoke the next morning convinced he’d dreamed the events of the night before. One look over at Liam’s cot, though, was enough to convince him he hadn’t.

Liam had changed.

Gone was the skinny, almost waifish man-boy of a day ago. In his place was a huge brute of a man, hair covering his broad chest and stomach.

Liam was fucking huge!

The cot sagged under his massive weight. Jacob crept over to stare down at his sleeping form, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. The huge man was definitely Liam…just more so. It was like the old Liam had been a pale imitation of this new paragon of masculinity lying prostrate before Jacob. The flimsy sheet covering him did nothing to provide modesty.

His friend was lying on his back, snoring loudly, one hand over his face and the other flung out off the cot. His broad chest was so massive that it dwarfed the cot. Shit, his shoulder blades didn’t even fit on it! His biceps were swollen like bowling balls and his delts exploded from his shoulders. His hardened abs were still visible under a layer of padding and his belly protruded, looking both firm and full at the same time.

And then there was the hair.

A pelt of dark, brown hair covered his torso but, rather than obscuring his muscles, it served instead to accentuate them. The hair grew thicker and denser as it traveled down toward his crotch and Jacob flushed when he saw the sheet pulse as Liam’s giant erection pushed the fabric up and down. Like the rest of him, it had to be fucking enormous.

Jacob backed up, unable to comprehend what had happened to his friend. Guys didn’t just…transform like this overnight! It was impossible!

Just like grizzlies and wolves in the park.

Turning, he noticed the shredded pile of bloody rags in the corner.

The remnants of Liam’s clothing from last night.

His head swiveled from the clothes to the dirty towel lying next to the cot.

More blood.

Feeling sick, he examined Liam’s sleeping form for injuries but saw none. There were no wounds anywhere to be seen…except…he squinted, leaning closer. A dense network of white scars laced Liam’s shoulders, chest, arms, and neck. The scars were barely visible beneath his coat of hair but they were unmistakable.

But how…?

Jacob swallowed, fighting against his rising panic. Something was going on here. Something wrong. Liam was…Liam was…Liam…

He shook his head.

He had to get out of there.

He had to run.

Grabbing his running shoes and slipping into his shorts, he didn’t even stop for breakfast, he just ran out the door. Running would help. Running would clear his head, make everything simple and straightforward again. Running was the best medicine. Running was…

Running sucked.

For some reason, his body felt heavy and dull and he couldn’t muster the energy he normally had. Was it because of drinking too much beer last night? He’d only had a couple of beers. Well, maybe four but that wasn’t any more than usual. He pushed himself hard, forcing his protesting muscles to move as he picked his way up the mountain. It was the route he ran every morning but today it was murder. His breath was ragged and his heart felt like it was going to explode. Air. He couldn’t get enough air!

And then there were his muscles and the fucking shorts.

What the fuck was going on?

His shorts were too tight and getting tighter! The farther he ran, the tighter they became until he had to make himself take shorter strides to keep from busting the seams. He tried to ignore them but couldn’t because they were pinching his crotch and riding up his ass crack. He tugged at them savagely and then cursed when he heard (and felt) a tear. Cool morning air tingled on his bare ass as it hung out the back of his shorts.

“FUCK!” he yelled and was skidding to a stop when he rounded a corner and almost tripped over the body lying in the middle of the trail.

Jacob halted, aghast.

Blood was everywhere.

Bits of flesh were everywhere, too.

The stench of bowels and gore hung heavy in the still air.

The man in front of him was so savagely torn apart that it took him a while to even realize it was a person. Jacob felt his gorge rise in his throat and would have thrown up if there had been any food in his stomach. Instead, he tasted bile and bent over, grimacing as his stomach muscles spasmed.

He heard a soft moaning and looked up, incredulous.

Was the man actually still alive?

But how?

The first rays of the morning sun were filtering through the bows of the pines and spilling over the carnage before him as Jacob steeled himself and crept over to the body. He had to look away to collect himself because the scene was so horrific. Finally, he found the will to look back at the sundered man lying askew before him.

It was Mountain Dan.

“Dan,” Jacob began as the man lifted a damaged hand weakly. Jacob moved to his side and gently swept his scraggly hair away from his face. “Dan.”

Mountain Dan’s eyes were vacant but they focused on Jacob’s face at the sound of his voice. Jacob had to blink back tears as he registered the agony written in those devastated eyes. As he watched, though, the man’s cracked lips spread into a beatific smile and his face became suffused with an almost numinous radiance.

“Tell Liam thank you,” he croaked. “Tell him thank you for setting me free.”

Jacob blinked, taken aback by this. Liam? Why would Mountain Dan want to thank Liam? For setting him free? The man was obviously crazed. His injuries must have finally toppled him over the edge.

Realizing that Dan was waiting for him to speak, Jacob stammered, “I-I will but–”

“Thank you.”

Mountain Dan died then. Died right in front of Jacob. One moment he was there and the next there was just a mutilated corpse. Jacob sat there stunned, completely forgetting the crazy morning and previous day. He’d never seen anyone die and was unprepared for the emotions that welled up. Tears overwhelmed him and he sat in the middle of the trail sobbing for a long time before he could longer ignore the biting flies swarming around him.

He started when he opened his eyes and let out a surprised grunt.

Dan’s body was whole.

There was no blood.

No smell of death.

No bits of flesh.

Not even a trace of violence.

The man’s body was in peaceful repose, his hands folded over his chest and his eyes closed. He looked like he might have been asleep but for the ashen color of his skin and the way his muscles were contracting as rigor mortis set in.

Jacob fell backward and scrambled away from the corpse, feeling more appalled now than he had when Dan’s body had been rent in pieces.

How the fuck could this happen? How the fuck? How…?

He didn’t remember getting up and running away. All he remembered later was waking up with his body submerged in the river four kilometers away from the site of Dan’s murder. He was up to his neck in the cold, fast current. He would have stayed that way until he succumbed to hypothermia if a pair of warm, strong hands hadn’t lifted him out.

Jacob groaned and turned over on his side, feeling like shit. He was chilled but he didn’t care. He just wanted to sleep. Yeah, sleep sounded so good.

“Come on, cub!” a deep yet lilting voice coaxed. “You don’t wanna sleep right now.”

Jacob opened his eyes to see Wissam Zaibat from the group of gay bears looking down at him with concern. He tried to say something but no words came out and the man’s face softened as he lifted Jacob’s head into his lap.

“I’m glad I found you, Jacob,” he murmured. “A few more minutes and you would have slipped under water.”

Jacob was vaguely aware that the river was just off the trail to the hot springs where the guys were camped. He tried and failed to remember how he got there. His memory was so foggy! As he struggled to remember what had happened, he started to shiver. In a few moments, he was so overcome by the chills that he couldn’t lie still. His whole body felt cold as ice!

“Easy, cub, easy. Good thing we’re near the springs. Let me carry up you there, Ok? You’ll be warm in no time!”

When he woke again, he was immersed in deliciously warm water, cuddled up next to a warm body. Someone was stroking his head and murmuring softly in his ear. His eyes fluttered open and he made a little mewling sound.

“You’re big for a cub! I had a hard time lifting you,” the man was saying. “But that’s good. Cubs are supposed to be heavy.”

Jacob wrinkled his forehead. Nothing Wissam was saying made sense.

His expression must have been eloquent because the man laughed, saying, “I can see you’re new to this. Don’t worry. You’re a natural. Your daddy bear back at the station will train you well.” He stopped and sighed wistfully before adding, “I just wish I’d gotten to you first. You’re the kind of cub that bears fight over. Hell, I would fight over you but don’t think I’d win.”

“Why do you keep calling me a cub?” Jacob asked weakly. “I’m not a cub.”

Wissam raised his eyebrows quizzically. “Yeah, well, maybe not quite yet but you’re getting there. I can see you’ve filled out even since yesterday.” He reached down in the water and patted Jacob’s belly. “Your daddy bear has been feeding you well. Soon, you’ll be perfect in every way. More hair, belly, beard, aaaaaand a bigger butt. Your dick is too big but once you have a true cub-sized belly, it will shrink up into your fat nicely,” he paused, making a rude sound. “Soon no one will believe you used to be an otter!”

These words served to both wake up and alarm Jacob and he sat up abruptly in the water, looking down at himself. He stared at his torso in disbelief. Overnight the impossible had occurred: He had developed an unmistakable gathering of flab around his hips. Thick, dense hair had sprouted around his nipples and appeared to be creeping toward the center of his chest and up to his neck. Even his usually perky little nipples looked fatter, puffier, and…

Wait!

His cock!

He had to resist the urge to grab it. For some reason he couldn’t understand, it was hard as a rock and throbbing between his thighs (which were thicker than they should have been).

But…

But…

It looked shorter than it should have been. He blinked. It was still a hefty cock by any measure but not nearly as big as he knew it should be.

He sprang up out of the water and looked around desperately for his clothes, remembering belatedly that he’d only been wearing his running shorts and they had split down the back. Panicked, he reached back and grabbed his ass only to drop it in consternation.

His ass was bigger.

Fatter.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!

FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK!!!

Wissam was looking up at him with surprise from the pool of the hot spring, his eyebrows drawn together. Adding to Jacob’s confusion, he noticed again how handsome Wissam was. Really handsome. His dark skin, his powerful chest, his manly belly, all that hair…Ungh! What a stud! His cock pulsed almost painfully and he cringed.

What the fuck was wrong with him?

He had never found men attractive! Never!

He dropped his head in his hands, feeling like both his head and his cock were going to explode. Everything–Everything!–was all fucked up. He was going fucking crazy!

Jacob had started to run off when he spotted a pair of shorts lying on the ground nearby. They probably belonged to Wissam and looked way too big but he grabbed them and his running shoes before tearing off through the woods, the sound of Wissam’s bewildered calls fading behind him.

He had to get away. It didn’t matter where. He just had to fucking get away!

***

He ran partway back to the ranger station before he was forced to stop. His lungs couldn’t handle it and his legs were killing him. As he slowed to walk, he hung his head, feeling miserable. He used to run these fucking trails like the wind!

Fuck!

It was probably his imagination but the shorts, which had initially been loose, now seemed to fit better, hugging noticeably against his ass. He looked down at himself critically. Was his belly bigger? He cringed when he saw it jiggle.

Fuck!

He had a belly! He’d never had gut before! He’d always been lean and svelte, possessing the perfect runner’s body. How the fuck could this happen to him?

And the hair.

Shit, was the hair spreading? There was now a dense thatch of hair in the center of his chest that he didn’t remember seeing before. It was almost merging with the thickets radiating out from his nipples. Thick hair was poking out from the top of his shorts, too. But he kept his pubes neatly trimmed! There was no way this could be happening to him. No way!

He remembered Liam then and fell his stomach fall.

His friend had gained a massive amount of weight–and hair!–overnight.

Apparently, it was possible unless he had been dreaming or imagined Liam’s changes.

No, he hadn’t. He hadn’t imagined it.

Liam really was huge now.

Fuck!

Liam had mostly gained muscle, though. In contrast, Jacob’s body weight seemed to be shifting from his upper torso and settling around his waist, thighs, and belly. He grimaced in disgust.

He felt a strange sensation then, almost like stepping out of an elevator. His vision clouded. Massaging his forehead, he waited for it to pass which it did a moment later. When he opened his eyes again, though, he did a doubletake. Had his belly just expanded even more?

He couldn’t take any more of this.

He couldn’t!

Something was wrong with him! What was happening?

Only then did Liam’s bizarre warning come back to him. The morning before his friend had been raving about being contagious and told Jacob not to touch him. He’d chalked it up to a concussion at the time…Could it be possible that Liam had infected him with some sort of…contagion…that was wreaking havoc with his body and…his mind? Turning him gay?

No, that was impossible.

There wasn’t anything in the world that could do this to a person.

Nothing could make a guy gain weight, grow hair, and (he shuddered) turn gay.

Right?

Jacob closed his eyes, trying vainly to keep the tears that were threatening to overwhelm him from leaking out. He clamped down on his tongue, hoping the pain would distract him from his misery but nothing worked. He wanted to die. Or at least he wanted to go back to the way he had been two days ago. Before Liam had infected him. Before this, this, this nightmare! He’d been on top of the fucking world! He’d had it made!

Not now.

No, definitely not now.

Now he hated himself. Hated his body. Hated his fucking cock and how it wouldn’t stop throbbing. Hated these–Ungh!–lustful feelings about guys that tormented him constantly.

It sucked.

Everything sucked.

***

He was shivering with cold by the time he got back to the ranger station. It was a warm morning but the chill from the river–and his misery–made him feel like he was turning into ice. Even his teeth were chattering. He stopped short, though, as he rounded the bend and saw the RCMP officers. Two large men were carrying a stretcher with a body wrapped in a white bag that had to be Mountain Dan’s corpse. Two more were standing in front of another large man, asking him questions. Jacob blinked and his heart did a little flip in his chest when he realized that the large man was Liam.

That big man was Liam!

Liam Ross.

His Liam!

(His Liam? WTF?)

A shiver ran through Jacob’s body as he regarded his friend. No, wait, it was more than a shiver! It was a thrill. He couldn’t help it, he stared in wonder.

That was Liam?

Liam was standing there, huge legs square on the ground and shoulders back, talking with obvious authority. His blond hair had darkened and thickened and he’d slicked it back. He’d trimmed his beard but it was still dense and–Jacob trembled as he admitted this–sexy. Liam Ross was sexy.

As Jacob watched, a curious thing started happening. He didn’t notice at first because he was so busy staring at Liam and taking stock of his changes. He delighted in the casual way Liam swaggered around, his broad shoulders and magnificent chest clearly on display under the form-fitting uniform. (Where had he found a uniform to fit his new body?) And when he turned, Jacob’s cock hardened at the sight his blocky, muscular ass. Shit, how could Liam had grown a man ass like that? His butt had always been so skinny. And then there were his tree-like thighs. Jacob’s mouth watered as his cock pulsed and his heart fluttered.

This last part, the affect Liam was having on his heart, finally hit him like a tidal wave and Jacob was awash with all sorts of new and unfamiliar feelings for his friend. Unfamiliar at least because he’d never felt them for another guy. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, though, he wanted Liam. Wanted him in the worst way. His longing was building with each breath, with each passing second, with every slight movement until he couldn’t stand it any longer. The nightmare of the past two days and his confusion and his building desire and…well, everything…were too much for him. He couldn’t handle it anymore, he needed help. Liam’s help.

Liam would know what to do. Liam had the answers. Liam Ross was, Jacob knew then with certainty, the center of his world.

One moment he was standing there breathless and the next he was running down the hill toward the group of men and throwing himself at Liam. His friend saw him coming and Jacob noted with a thrill the nuances of expression crossing his handsome face in the two or three seconds it took him to bridge the gap between them: Alertness, questioning, astonishment, wonder, and finally delight. Liam had just enough time to open his arms before Jacob landed in them.

“Hey, Jake,” he said in a funny, low voice, wrapping his arms around him. “I was wondering where you were.”

Jacob didn’t have it in him to do anything but sag into his friend’s pleasantly warm and strong embrace. He could hear the soft thud of Liam’s heart and felt the rise and fall of his chest. His chest! It was thick with muscles. He could feel Liam’s uniform straining to contain his burgeoning body. It was tight in all the right places. Jacob nestled against him, inhaling his rich scent and not caring about anything else. He just wanted Liam to hold him.

After a long time, Liam patted the back of his head and Jacob lifted his chin to gaze into his friend’s soft, blue eyes. They were filled with emotion, the same emotion that was overwhelming Jacob at that moment. He knew it.

How had Liam grown so tall? He’d always been short! Now, though, he dwarfed Jacob.

And he liked it.

He knew it all wrong, knew he shouldn’t feel this way, but he didn’t care. He just wanted to be with Liam.

“Jake,” Liam began carefully, his voice husky, “I just need to finish up here. Is that Ok?”

Jacob nodded and reluctantly stepped away from his friend, immediately feeling cold and lonely. Distantly, he was aware that the RCMP officers were watching them with amusement. They were a tough-looking bunch and not quite as well-groomed as Jacob would have expected. Maybe the RCMP officers in the backcountry were allowed to be a little rough? More distantly, he registered that three of the officers were dressed strangely; the legs of their pants were baggy and loose. He couldn’t remember seeing an officer dressed like that. The fourth officer was dressed normally…for a giant. All four of the officers were tall and built but, shit, the last dude was well over two meters tall! He was even stockier and more muscular than Liam. He turned his head to look back at his tablet computer and Jacob noticed something else: Tattoos. The officer had tattoos on his neck. That was odd…he shivered as his gaze landed back on Liam and he forgot about everything else. Liam Ross was the only man he cared about.

The officers finished with Liam and grinned wolfishly at Jacob as they left, hauling the body away. Jacob couldn’t believe they were going to carry it all the way back to helipad in the valley…but they were a brawny bunch and…he didn’t care because Liam was turning toward him at that moment, an expression of tender affection was written across his face and he was smiling. He was reaching out to Jacob.

Could there be anything better than being in Liam’s arms?

***

He was about to throw himself at Liam for a second time when his friend held up his hand, stopping him as he dug around in his pocket. Jacob pulled up short, confused. All he wanted was to be in Liam’s big, strong arms!

“Here, Jake, do me a favor, Ok?” Liam asked as he pulled out his phone. “Let me get some pics of you.”

Jacob froze. This was the last thing he’d expected Liam to say and his face must have shown it because his friend burst out laughing.

“Awww, come on, dude!” he rumbled in his unfamiliar, deep voice. “I wanna capture your new, sexy bod in photos! We need to document this!”

“No!” Jacob protested, trying to cover himself up as Liam directed his phone at him. “I’m ugly!”

Liam paused before wagging his finger at him. “Ugly? Hardly! I love the way you’re starting to fill out. You were too scrawny!”

Jacob looked down at his body and scowled. It was probably just his imagination but his belly looked even bigger, now hanging distinctly over the waistband of his shorts. Without warning, Liam grabbed him around the waist, ripping off his shorts and stripping him naked. While Jacob tried desperately to cover himself, his friend snapped pictures, laughing the whole time.

When he was done, Liam held his phone out to Jacob. “Go on, Jake. Take a look. You’re beautiful!”

Beautiful? Jacob hated that word, especially when it was referring to him. Glowering, he grabbed the phone, intending to delete the photos but he hesitated when he saw what he looked like.

Holy shit! That was him? It couldn’t be!

Head lowered in shame, he tried unsuccessfully to keep the phone away from Liam as he tried to delete the offending photos. He wasn’t fast enough and Liam was too strong, though. They were wrestling for possession of the phone when he accidentally flicked his finger across the screen.

He blinked, somehow managing to snatch the phone back from Liam. What…? He must have scrolled back in the camera roll because there was a photo of him the way he used to look, butt-naked and wading into the lake. He bent over to examine the photo, feeling his pulse begin to race. Flicking backward through Liam’s photo history, he discovered more naked pictures of himself, mostly from far away but some close up. There were pictures of him asleep, pictures of him skinny dipping after his run, pictures of him in the solar shower behind the station. Pictures of him getting dressed, his long cock hanging down as he pulled up his boxers. Pictures, more pictures and…videos? Lot of them! Jacob wrinkled his brow. There was even a video of him shot from behind in a tent as he fucked a woman. He pressed play and stared aghast. Liam had obviously been obsessed with sneaking pictures and videos of him. From the look of things, his friend had been doing it for a long time.

Realizing his mouth was open, he closed it and looked up at Liam. “Dude, what have you…?”

Liam looked down, unable to meet his gaze. His cheeks were bright red. Finally, he said, “Let’s go inside. I promise to tell you everything. You need to know the truth.”

Part 4

Liam whisked Jacob off his feet and slung him over his shoulder before he could protest, carrying him into the station. He walked past the kitchen into the side room where there was an old hook scale for weighing game.

Depositing Jacob on the floor and pulling out his phone, he instructed, “Now get up on the scale and let’s see how much you weigh. I’m gonna document your weight gain.”

Jacob put his hands on his hips. “What? No! Put that away! I don’t wanna document anything!”

“Jake,” Liam coaxed. “Just do it. I don’t wanna miss capturing your changes as the infection spreads. These pics and vids will be pure gold!”

“My…infection…spreading? You mean…?”

Liam nodded, lowering his chin and giving him a bashful smile. He is so handsome, Jacob caught himself thinking before he could stop himself. “Uh, yeah,” his friend drawled. “The primary infection progressed in me really fast.” He struck a beefcake pose and laughed at Jacob’s hungry stare. “My development is complete but your infection is slower and will take while before you’re fully infiltrated. You’re not gonna recognize yourself!”

Jacob froze for a moment before this news sunk in. When it did, he exploded, “WHAT? You’re fucking joking!”

Liam folded his huge arms and regarded him coolly. When he spoke, he sounded like he was scolding a child. “Cut the crap, Jake! Don’t tell me you’re surprised by any of this. It’s not like I didn’t try to warn you! Now get up there and lemme weigh you!” When Jacob resisted, Liam strode over and, taking him firmly by the wrists, lowered his arms to his side. Then he surprised Jacob by leaning down and kissing him, saying, “Do it for me, Jake.”

Liam’s lips were so soft that Jacob forgot his resistance, losing himself in the kiss. He couldn’t believe that he enjoyed it so much. He should have been grossed out but instead he craved more. When Liam drew back, he stood there meek and obedient. Doing as Liam instructed, he kept his hands at his side and waited as Liam propped his phone on a small shelf across the room and pressed the record button. Stepping into the frame of the picture, he addressed the phone.

“What up, dudes?” he began, pitching his voice low. “Recognize me?” He laughed as if this were a grand joke, smiling broadly at the camera. “Yep, it’s the brand fucking new Liam! ‘Daddy Bear Liam’ to you perverts. As you can see, the infection has taken effect just as I said it would. Can you fucking believe it?” He paused and popped his biceps in front of the camera, showing off his magnificent guns. “I feel fucking awesome, bros! I never thought I’d be this huge. I feel like can fucking do anything! Shit, it’s a fucking miracle! Just wait til you see my huge tool!” He pretended like he was going to unbutton his pants but then stopped and made a wry face. “Psyche! You bitches will have to pay up before I show you that!”

Jacob’s mind was spinning taking this in. Liam had planned his infection? How? And who was his audience? What was he up to?

“…but I have something even better to show you guys,” Liam was saying as he stepped back. “You remember my hot friend, Jacob Wachenheim, don’t you?” He laughed crudely before continuing, “How could you forget him? His pics and videos have been all over this blog and he’s the reason most of you are following me. Of course, he’s why I called my Tumblr blog ‘NakeyJakey’ in the first place.”

Jacob felt his stomach twist with this news. It was worse than he’d thought. Liam had been posting the pics and vids of him on the Internet without his consent! What the fuck?! Before he could react, though, Liam stepped to the side and motioned with his hand toward Jacob, gloating, “Look at our big stud Jacob now, boys! Oh, how the mighty have fallen! No more pussy in this fag’s future! Yup, our lil’ Jakey’s caught the contagion, too!” He turned and winked over his shoulder at Jacob before turning back to the camera. “Just look at him, guys! He’s gone from a tough stud to a faggy slut overnight!”

Shocked and confused, Jacob clapped his hands over his crotch and tried to dodge out of view but Liam grabbed him and, after a brief scuffle, placed him down in front of the camera. Holding his hands behind him and thrusting him forward, he laughed harshly in his ear as Jacob squirmed.

“And, guys, the best part is that his changes have only just begun,” Liam announced, breathing heavily. “You missed my own transformation into a super-masculine bear but at least you will get to watch Jacob become my chubby little cub. Isn’t that right, Jakey?” Jacob tried to pull away as Liam found his lips and planted a sloppy kiss. When Liam lifted his great, shaggy head, he added, “He’s still fighting the changes but just wait, guys. I’ll break him soon enough!”

With that, he spun Jacob around and thrust him onto the scale, saying, “Let’s show everyone your new body, Jakey.”

When Jake struggled, Liam looped a rope around his wrists and legs, trussing him up. When he was immobilized, Liam swaggered over and picked up his phone, holding it up to Jacob’s face.

“See his adorable cheeks?” He teased, reaching out to tweak them painfully. Jacob yelped and struggled but Liam didn’t let go. “Already on the way to chipmunk status! He’s so cute!” Jacob glowered at the camera and swore, causing Liam to lift his finger and wag it in front of his face. “Uh uh uh!” he tsked. “That’s not how you talk to Daddy Bear.” He grabbed a handful of Jake’s hair and yanked his head back, causing him to gasp. “Now apologize to your fans…and to me, Jakey.”

His grip tightened until Jacob’s eyes watered. Finally, he couldn’t stand it and stammered, “S-S-Sorry.” Liam instantly relaxed his hold and Jacob’s head fell.

“Ah, guys, look at this!” Liam exclaimed, lowering his phone down to Jacob’s crotch. “He’s rock hard for you! Our little cub likes being tied up and manhandled!”

Jacob flinched as he realized it was true: He was fully erect, his cock straining to the point it almost hurt. But…that wasn’t his cock. It couldn’t be!

Liam apparently noticed the same thing because, voice full of mock surprise, he marveled, “Oh, my! What happened to your piece, Jake? It’s not shrinking, is it? If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’ve lost a good two inches! And that belly!” He paused to rub his hand over Jacob’s growing belly, lifting it up and letting go, delightedly capturing its jiggling on camera. “Where’s your six pack now, bro? Do you miss it?”

Jacob twisted in his bonds, fighting to free himself. How could Liam be so cruel? How could he be enjoying Jacob’s humiliation and sharing it publicly? His friend was a fucking monster!

Liam didn’t notice his reaction; he was having too much fun reveling in Jacob’s misfortune. “And that ass!” he cooed. “Woah! You got a big booty, Jakey!” He laughed harshly as he grabbed Jacob’s butt cheek in one hand and pinched hard. “Grrrrr! That’s what daddy likes: A big ol’ soft butt! Can you believe it guys? Take a good look because soon it will be even fatter!”

Jacob closed his eyes, feeling a tear slip down his cheeks. He struggled fiercely but this only added to Liam’s amusement.

“Awww, Jakey! What’s wrong?” he teased, panning up Jacob’s torso slowly, lingering over every new fold and curve. “I promise that soon our fans will get to watch me break in your new body. My cock is already leaking at the thought of your virgin hole. You’re gonna scream so loud when I pop your gay cherry!”

Biting his tongue to stop the retort on his lips, Jacob turned his face away from the camera but he couldn’t evade Liam for long. Soon, his friend was sticking the phone in his face, goading him. “See that? He’s crying! Our tough man is crying, guys! Doesn’t it make you feel sorry for him? I kinda do. Let’s weigh him and get this over with…for now.”

Jacob lifted his head and watched helplessly as Liam adjusted the balance on the scales. For the past three years, he had been a svelte seventy-five kilos but now he watched helplessly as the balance slid past seventy-five without dipping. Not until it reached almost ninety did the bar slowly dip downward. Jacob hung his head, unable to look. He couldn’t believe it. He’d gained fifteen kilos!

Liam was laughing to himself as he watched the scale even out. “Ninety kilos, boys!” he announced happily. “Our Jakey is really packing it on! Just wait until he’s eaten the huge breakfast I’m gonna make him. He’s gonna be even bigger!”

Satisfied, Liam grinned into his phone before he stopped recording. Strangely, once the camera was off, his demeanor changed. Instantly, his cockiness was gone and his expression softened. “Here, Jake,” he murmured, “I’ll untie you.” He gave Jacob a wan smile as he freed him from his bonds. “Sorry about that show,” he said, patting him on the butt. “Your fans demand it and I’m not about to disappoint them.”

“My fans…?”

“Yeah, you’ve got hundreds of ‘em, Jake! They fucking love you!”

Even though he was free, Jacob could only stand there. He felt numb. His brain had stopped working and he could barely had to stay on his feet. Everything felt surreal, unfamiliar. He felt like he’d stepped into an alternate reality where nothing was the way it should be. Everything was fucked up.

“Too bad we don’t have Internet access here,” Liam was saying. “I’ll have to wait til we hike down to HQ to upload these files. When I do, though,” he shook his head. “They’ll fucking cream themselves! And we’ll be rich! I set up a paywall last week and we already have over a hundred subscribers!”

Jacob couldn’t comprehend this. His head was already on the verge of exploding from trying to process the way his body had changed. The way his feelings had changed. The way everything had changed. The fact that Liam was exploiting him was just too much.

“Liam,” he squeaked and then stopped. Something was wrong with his voice! He cleared his throat and tried again. When he spoke, though, he was unable to recapture his usual baritone. He coughed again but it was no use. He could only speak in a higher register! “Liam,” he said plaintively, disgusted by his new, airy voice. “What have you done to me?”

Liam straightened, rope coiled in his hand. His eyebrows were drawn together. “Not to you, Jake. To us!” He hung the rope on a nail on the wall before stepping forward and taking Jacob in his arms. “This is turning out better than I ever dreamed! I’m so fucking happy!”

Jacob hung his head pitifully, grimacing at the sound of his delicate voice. “I’m not happy, Liam! I hate this! You need to cure me! You can’t do this to me!”

“What are you talking about?” Liam sounded sincerely perplexed. “You know I didn’t mean any of that stuff I said when I was recording, right? I just said that stuff for the fans. They love shit like that! They wanna see you humiliated. It’s what they’re paying for. I promise to split the profits with you fifty-fifty, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Liam!” Jacob squawked. “Listen to me! I don’t wanna be like this! You gotta cure me!”

His friend stopped and looked at him, understanding dawning on his handsome face. His blue eyes grew soulful as he replied, “Oh, Jake! There is no cure! There is nothing I can do!”

“What? What do you mean no cure?! You have to be fucking kidding me!” Jacob exclaimed. “There has to be a way to cure me!”

Liam shook his head. “Not that I know of. I mean, it’s not a regular kind of disease. It’s a permanent genetic mutation and there is no–” Jacob’s stomach growled loudly just then, interrupting him and Liam stopped, face breaking into a wide grin. “My little cub is hungry, I see! We can talk more about this while I make you a bear-sized breakfast!”

Jacob tried to protest but Liam merely waved him off, throwing him back over his shoulder and carrying him into the kitchen. After he deposited him on the floor, he lit the stove and pulled a dozen eggs out of the refrigerator, cracking them into a bowl. He scrambled them and poured them into the hot skillet before turning back to Jacob and winking.

“You look fucking hot, Jake! Have I told you that lately?”

Jacob regarded him coldly. “Fuck you, Liam. I hate you and I hate what you’ve done to me.”

“You’ll get over it, Jake,” Liam said, unperturbed. “You’ll have to.” He gave the eggs a stir before pacing over to Jacob and lifting him off his feet to swing him around in his arms. Setting him down again, he whispered in his ear, “I’m here for you. I will never leave your side.”

For some reason, this only made Jacob angrier. “Go fuck yourself!” he spat. “You have fucking ruined me! I don’t want to be anywhere near you. In fact,” he shrilled, turning to leave the room, “I’m quitting today and reporting you to the authorities. You’ll fucking—“

“STOP!”

Jacob froze, unable to resist the authority in Liam’s voice.

“GET BACK OVER HERE.”

He turned and cringed. Liam’s face had gone dark and his eyes were smoldering. He willed himself to look away but he couldn’t. There was something magnetic about Liam, irresistible. Exerting an almost herculean will, he managed to back up, taking a hesitant step away. He couldn’t look away, though. He was trapped in Liam’s gaze.

“You’re strong but not strong enough,” Liam said in a gruff voice, reaching absently behind him to turn the burner off. “I didn’t want to do this but it looks like I don’t have a choice. Come here, Jake.”

Jacob fought with everything he had to break eye contact and turn away but he failed. Liam’s eyes flared with victory as he lowered his hands to his belt. Jacob swallowed, feeling his skin prickle.

“I know how to make you more…obedient,” the big man was saying as his fingers found his belt buckle and unfastened it. Soon it fell open with a menacing jingle and he fumbled with the top button of his pants. “You see, Jake, I have something you crave.”

“N-N-No!” Jacob stammered, sick dread filling the pit of his stomach.

Liam sneered as he continued to unbutton his pants. “Get over here, Jake,” he commanded. “Get over here now.”

Jacob’s legs were shaking as he pleaded, “P-P-Please…”

“NOW!”

His legs betrayed him. Jacob stared down in disbelief as they disobeyed him, propelling him forward. He made a strangled sound as he tried one last time to resist but he couldn’t. He didn’t have it in him. In a few awful seconds, he found himself hunched over and trembling as he stood before Liam.

“Good little cub! Daddy Bear’s got a treat for you,” Liam rumbled, his voice impossibly deep. “A treat sweeter than honey.”

Jacob flinched as Liam unfastened the last button, pausing dramatically to sigh, “Ahhhh, that’s so much better. A bear’s cock wasn’t meant to be strapped down. A bear’s cock is supposed to roam free!”

With these words, he slowly opened his fly. Jacob sank to his knees and his mouth fell open when he saw centimeter after centimeter of the longest, fattest, moistest cock slip out. Had it only been yesterday when Jacob had taken satisfaction in the superior size of his manhood? No more.

No, not anymore.

Liam’s cock was far bigger than Jacob’s had been even at its largest…and it was still being revealed. It seemed to take forever for Liam to liberate his behemoth. When his bulbous cockhead finally sprang free, Jacob was hypnotized. The massive organ had to be almost forty centimeters long and it was fatter than a fucking firehose. Liam’s foreskin was stretched so thin that it looked ready to burst. And then there was the pair of humongous balls swinging heavy, hairy, and low. They were the biggest testicles that he’d ever seen, bigger than a bull’s.  Jacob licked his chapped lips, drooling at the monster-sized organ dangling before his eyes.

As he stared, a huge glob of precum gathered at the folds of foreskin hanging off the tip. Jacob swallowed, painfully aware he was drooling uncontrollably. He was repulsed by himself but he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t get enough of Liam’s cock.

His friend let out a booming laugh when he saw Jacob’s mindless stare, proclaiming, “Breakfast is served, Jakey!”

Jacob wrestled valiantly with himself, knowing he was fighting a losing battle. Cock sucking! If he gave in and sucked Liam off, what would he do next? He quailed at the depraved desire spinning through his mind as he watched Liam’s monstrous cock pulsing and dripping right in front of him. He was sick! Sick and perverted and it was all because of Liam. Liam was destroying him!

He knew that once he let himself do the unthinkable and suck the dripping beast, his old life would be gone forever. His identity, soul, and very being would be warped until he didn’t recognize himself. His body was already changing irreparably and now he was staring at thing that would wreak the same havoc with his mind. There would be no going back.

Liam put a rough hand on the back of his head and yanked him forward. Jacob cringed as the fat club slapped his cheek, slopping pre down his jaw. His tongue flicked out before he could stop himself and he froze, fighting to pull it back in before…

Before…

Before…

Too late!

The salty, steely flavor of Liam’s spunk exploded in his mouth, searing indelibly into his mind and burning through body. Jacob’s mind vaporized and he lost himself in a delirious haze only to awaken moments later as he gobbled more and more of Liam’s cock down. It was gigantic but strangely Jacob had no trouble taking it all in. How was that possible? How could he swallow a fucking club? It was impossible but yet…it was probably his imagination but his mouth and throat felt different, wider or something. But, no, that wasn’t….

>>Gulp!<<

Liam shoved deeper inside, obliterating Jacob’s thoughts. He couldn’t get enough! Sucking and gulping and gurgling, he desperately tried to satiate a deep and unending longing to be completely and utterly filled. He wanted that cock in his mouth, down his throat, and poking through his stomach. He wanted to suck and suck and suck, never stopping, never ceasing to drink Liam’s delicious seed. He couldn’t get enough! It was narcotic. It was epic. It was his nirvana.

***

He finally managed the impossible and drained Liam’s hose to the last drop. Even then he couldn’t stop himself and continued to suckle, greedy to taste one more drop of that irresistible elixir. When Liam tugged him up into his giant arms and hugged him tightly, nestling Jacob’s head between his bulging pecs, he whimpered piteously.

Liam cradled Jacob’s skull in his paw-like hand. “Ah, Jake. I’m sorry. I didn’t wanna do that to you.”

Jacob whimpered again, his stomach growling uncomfortably. He felt like he could never be full again. Like he would be empty and craving Liam’s cum for the rest of his life. He had to have more!

“I suppose it was bound to happen eventually, though,” Liam sighed. “Come on. I know you want to suck me off again but it’s gonna take a while to recharge. Let’s eat a real breakfast instead.”

“But—“ Jacob started to say in a childlike voice.

Liam lifted his chin and sealed his mouth with a kiss, cutting him off. “On second thought, maybe we should do another photo shoot first,” he said finally, lifting his succulent lips away. Jacob giggled at the way Liam’s beard tickled his lips. “We got your fans to think of, don’t we?” He reached down and patted Jacob’s tummy affectionately. “They’ll wanna see your belly full of Daddy Bear’s honey!”

Jacob smiled and then caught himself. Why was he smiling? Something wasn’t right. Why was he in Liam’s arms like a little boy? He was a grown man! He wasn’t a…

He shook his head. His thoughts were muddled. He lost himself savoring Liam’s warm, muscular body and the way his friend was nibbling his earlobe. Shivering, he tried to find his train of thought. Tried to remember…Tried to…After a while, he gave up. It must not have been important, whatever it was.

“You’re getting heavier, you sexy cub!” Liam commented as he lifted him and carried him back into the side room. He placed him down on the floor and surveyed his body, his eyes widening. “Day-um!” he exclaimed. “Look at that flab!” He emitted a deep growl of approval that vibrated through Jacob’s sternum. “Fuck! That’s hot!”

Jacob hesitantly lowered his gaze and then wished he hadn’t. His belly had grown even larger, beginning to round out and sag over his hips. Worse, he realized that now he could only see the tip of his penis poking out from the overhang of his hairy stomach. Instinctively, he reached down and grabbed it, howling in confusion when he realized it was fully erect and barely longer than the width of his palm: Not only was his belly growing bigger but his cock was even shorter than an hour ago! He pushed his clenched fist down his shaft and realized that the extra fat wasn’t just in his belly. It was also building up around the base of his dick, exacerbating the shrinkage.

Dejected, he dropped his cock to cup his ass in his hands. Ugh, he thought with a revolted shudder. It was just as bad in back as in front! His butt was larger and softer and (he hung his head in shame) saggier. He’d always had a perfectly tight and muscular ass! What the fuck? He was turning into a fucking pig!

“God, you’re beautiful.”

Jacob turned and saw Liam staring at him with such open admiration that it made him blush. How could anyone find him attractive now?

“I used to envy you so much for being a big fucking stud,” Liam admitted finally. “I lusted after you in private, pretending to be straight,” Liam lowered his eyes, ashamed. “You know, I was either with Dan on those nights that you thought I was banging some chick in her tent…or I was following you around and sneaking pictures, hiding and jacking off while you fucked. Shit, I would jack off to your pics every fucking night! I wanted to be like you so bad!” He paused and lifted his limpid gaze, catching Jacob by surprise with this unexpected vulnerability. “And I wanted you to want me, too, Jake.” His voice caught in his throat and he had to struggle to continue. Finally, he managed to choke, “Even more, I wanted you to love me.”

Jacob didn’t know how to respond to this and simply stood there, staring dumbfounded up at Liam.

Slowly, Liam paced over to him, stopping when they were inches apart. He was so tall, broad, beefy, hairy, and handsome that Jacob felt his cock throb even as a tear slid down Liam’s cheek. “I know I fucked everything up for you, Jake,” his big friend admitted. “And the worst part is that I did it on purpose!”

On purpose? Jacob thought. What did he do on purpose? He didn’t have to wait long for the answer, though. After taking a deep breath, Liam plunged ahead with this revelation: “I would have infected you even if you had listened to me and stayed away. I wanted you too badly!”

This information should have had more of an impact on Jacob than it did. As it was, though, he was too confused and aroused and overwhelmed to process it. He stood there at a loss, barely able to comprehend Liam’s words.

When he didn’t reply, Liam explained, “The first time that Mountain Dan offered me the…gift…I refused. He said he could make me into the man I always wanted to be but it wasn’t enough.” He shook his head before continuing, “I changed my mind, though, when he told me that I had to stay away from other men for a day after being infected or they’d catch the secondary infection–the cub contagion–from me. As soon as he told me that, I thought of you, Jake, and how much I wanted you to be gay, too. Becoming a cub?” he paused to shake his head fondly, “Well, that was even better! Without a second thought, told him I’d do it!” He looked down proudly at himself, saying, “How could I refuse? Getting the bod I’ve always wanted and the man I’ve lusted after? I mean, it was a fucking dream!”

Reaching out, he tugged Jacob against him, fondling his ripe buttocks and sighing with contentment. “Little did I know that the reality would be even better than I imagined, Jake! Do you know why?” Jacob shook his head dazedly, unable to make himself care at this point. Liam smiled as he answered, “Because you’re the fucking sexiest man alive, that’s why! You’re hotter than ever and you just keep getting hotter! I am the luckiest guy on earth!”

He laughed when Jacob made a face, chucking him under the chin. “Awww, dude!” he cajoled. “Don’t worry! You’ll ‘grow’ to like your new self!” He laughed at his little joke, hugging Jacob tighter. “Just wait until I fuck that fat ass of yours! You’ll realize it was all worth it!” Jacob shivered and Liam smiled, urging, “Come on, Jakey! We’ll keep this video short. Hop up on the scale!”

***

Jacob only had dim memories of gorging himself on breakfast and Liam weighing and videoing him again before he dropped off for a nap. When he awoke, he was lying in a pile of blankets on the rough plank floor, spooning with a mountainous, beast of a man. A beast of a man named Liam Ross.

Liam.

The hulking brute was his Liam.

His big, strong, manly Liam!

He was smiling to himself when he caught sight of his belly and immediately wished he hadn’t. As much as he willed himself to look away, though, he couldn’t. He couldn’t! All he could do is stare at himself, mind trying desperately to find even a trace of his old body.

His old body was gone, though. Erased, like everything else about his life

His belly was huge, swollen to the size of a basketball, perfectly round and full and stretched tight.

He blinked.

That can’t be me!

It can’t!

He screwed his eyes shut and opened them again.

It was his belly alright.

He had a big, fat gut.

And, shit, he was fucking hairy!

Jacob couldn’t believe it was possible for a guy to be so hairy. He’d always been hirsute but this was ridiculous. He looked like a fucking bloated ape!

And his tits!

Shit shit shit!

SHIT!

He groaned and rolled over onto his back, feeling the unfamiliar weight of his gut sloshing back and forth, threatening to topple him back over onto his side. He must have rolled onto a pillow or something because he could feel something big and soft underneath him. It took him a while to realize it was his ass: His big, fat ass! He groaned pitifully before spreading his arms and looking at them. They were bigger, too. And it wasn’t just muscle. He grimaced when he spotted the profusion of fur sprouting from his armpits.

He was an animal!

A fucking animal!

“Hey, Baby Bear,” a voice rumbled next to him and he swung his head over to find Liam staring at him with a funny glint in his eye. It both disturbed and excited him. He shivered and Liam laughed, a deep, rolling, pleasant sound. “You’re fucking sexy, Jake. The sexiest man alive!”

He reached out and, over Jacob’s complaints, rubbed his huge belly appreciatively. “Almost as big as Daddy Bear’s!” he sighed, rolling over to display his own large stomach. Jacob noticed with envy that, while Liam’s belly might be big, it was also muscular and manly. He could see the distinct ridges of his abs even under his layer of padding. Jacob’s belly, in comparison, was completely round and devoid of muscle. Shit, even if he had muscle, you couldn’t see it because he was so fucking hairy! He grimaced with distaste again at his body.

He was ugly.

There was no other word to describe him.

Liam was watching him with amusement. “I see it’s time for your next ‘injection’,” he remarked drolly. “Once your daddy bear’s big cock is inside you, you’ll forget about everything else!”

This elicited two simultaneous and contradictory reactions. First, his mouth watered and his stomach growled. He was hungry. No, starving! Starving for another taste of Liam’s huge cock and delicious seed. The mere suggestion of is was enough to get him turned on. He swallowed again in nervous expectation.

Following closely on the heels of this craving was fear. What did Liam mean exactly when he said ‘inside you’. Did he mean…?  When Liam pushed him over onto his side and grabbed his ass, Jacob clenched his buttocks involuntarily, turning to Liam panic-stricken. “No! Wait! I don’t want you to—“

Liam burst out laughing again, taking the struggling Jacob into his big arms and squeezing him until he cried out. “Jake, don’t worry! It’s what your new body is made for! You’ll see. You and me will fit together perfectly. Plus,” he paused to pull a bottle out from under the blankets, “I’ve got lube!”

Part 5

Liam was patient, something for which Jacob was very grateful. He couldn’t stop clenching his ass in fear every time his gaze landed on the giant anaconda throbbing between his friend’s thighs.

“Come ‘ere, sexy!” Liam breathed, gathering Jacob up in his arms. “Let’s get you cleaned up, first. I wanna record our lovemaking for the fans and you gotta be at your best. Your hair is outta control!” He tousled the strangely long mop of hair on Jacob’s head before pushing it back from his eyes and gazing lovingly at him. “God, you’re handsome, Jake!”

Jacob looked down. When his eyes landed on his huge, new belly, though, they jerked back to Liam’s face. His friend gave him a knowing smile before hugging him again, more gently this time. With Jacob in his arms, he staggered out to the screened in shower stall behind the station and deposited him on a little stool. Jacob sat there with shoulders slumped, hating the weight and sag of his flesh. His whole body felt alien. Wrong. Ugly.

“Let’s see,” Liam was saying. “Have we gotten enough sun today to charge my clippers?” He picked up his battery-powered clippers and turned them on. They buzzed loudly and he smiled. “Looks like it! This is gonna be fun!”

He stalked over to Jacob and lifted his chin to gaze down at him critically before he commenced trimming his hair and beard. He spent a long time working on him, tongue sticking unconsciously out of the side of his mouth. When he was satisfied with the results, he lifted Jacob to a standing position and proceeded to trim his body hair. When he reached his butt, Jacob jumped.

“Baby Bear likes that, huh?” Liam asked laughing. He turned off the clippers and set them aside, reaching down and parting Jacob’s buttocks with his hands before kneeling down and inhaling deeply.

“Fuck, you smell good!” he sighed, tracing the pad of his finger down the cleft of Jacob’s butt crack and lingering over his hole. Jacob flinched at first but then involuntarily moaned. Liam chuckled to himself, probing gently as Jacob writhed at the teasing touch. “Yup,” he mused proudly, “You’re gonna be a fun fuck!”

Jacob tried to clamp down on himself but the thought of Liam doing…that…to him was too much and he shivered almost theatrically. He yelped the next moment, though, when Liam slapped him hard on the ass.

“Not yet, bro. I gotta make sure you look pretty for your fans!” He straightened and padded around in front of Jacob, appraising his shaving handiwork.

After a while, Jacob couldn’t stand the suspense and looked down at his body. It was difficult not to look away but somehow he managed to suppress the jolt of surprise at seeing himself. He clenched his teeth. Liam didn’t shave him smooth by any stretch. In fact, Jacob noted with disappointment that, even after a thorough trimming, his body was still thick with black hair. It was, however, neater.

“Wanna see your new do, Jake?” Liam prompted, holding up a mirror.

Jake let out a startled exclamation as he looked at his reflection. He didn’t recognize himself! His beard was thick and black, spreading all the way down his throat to merge with the forest of hair carpeting his chest. His cheeks were round and his ears stuck out of the sides of his head like jar handles. He squinted. Whoa, what had Liam done to his hair?

His friend was apparently a budding barber because he’d shaved Jacob’s head high and tight, leaving stubble most of the way up. Only at the very top did he still have a styled mop of hair. There wasn’t much of it but Liam had left the remaining bit long and greased it to the side. All in all, it was an attractive cut but Jacob couldn’t get past the fact that the only recognizable part of his face was his eyes. And they were wide, his pupils dilated. He looked freaked out.

He was freaked out.

“I…” he stammered. “I…”

Liam folded his arms, smile broadening. “Well, whaddaya think, bro? I wield a mean pair of clippers, don’t I?”

“I…gotta pee,” Jacob squeaked, unable to stand looking at himself again. He dropped the mirror and staggered over to edge of the wooden deck. He’d been so preoccupied with his physical changes that he hadn’t realized his bladder was about to explode.

Taking his customary wide stance, he reached down to aim his dick off the platform into the weeds but found only air where his cock should have been. His stomach did a flip as he grappled for his manhood, only belatedly finding it tucked under the overhang of his belly.

“FUCK!” he yelled. “FUCK FUCK FUCK!”

His precious long cock was gone!

Gone!

Fucking gone!

The little nub left in it’s place was barely more than five or six centimeters long. Almost as bad was the fact that it retained its original stupendous girth. He hung his head in shame. There was a word for a cock like his. A stinging, evil word that nonetheless described him to a tee now. Yeah, a word for a cock that was wider than it was long: Choad.

He had a choad.

A fucking choad!

And that wasn’t all.

As he tugged desperately, trying to stretch his little nub out, hoping it was just shrunken from being cold, his fingers found skin. A lot of it.

He wrinkled his brow, feeling his heart pound. A sick sense of dread overcame him as he realized what it was.

It was a foreskin.

A really long one.

Jacob couldn’t help it. He wailed like a little baby as his knees gave out and he sunk to down. Hot tears flowed down his cheeks. He could take having a fat ass, a round belly, and a hairy body.

But losing his precious cock was too much.

It sent him over the edge.

He was kneeling there, sobbing and generally feeling sorry for himself, when he was startled by a hand reaching between his legs and grabbing his balls. He jumped, letting out a little yip, and Liam laughed.

“Gotcha!” he boasted happily. “You got the best balls, Jake! Big and heavy and full and fucking hairy!”

Jacob tried to shove Liam away but his friend’s grip on his testicles only tightened. Soon, he was gasping in pain as he pleaded, “Stop! That hurts!”

The grip loosened and Liam snorted, “It worked, though. You’re not crying anymore.” Jacob took a shuddering breath as Liam nestled in behind him to up behind to take him in his arms. He kissed Jacob’s neck and then took Jacob’s hand and moved it down to his crotch. “Feel your balls, Jake!” he urged. “They’re fucking manly!”

Jacob reluctantly squeezed. It was true that his nuts were bigger than before but, compared to Liam’s bear-sized balls, they were still puny. What use were big balls if his cock was shrinking up into his fat belly? He sighed, feeling miserable.

“It’s Ok, Jake. Once I…ahem, enter you, you’ll forget all about how you used to be,” Liam said quietly. “Then we’ll begin our life together. Aren’t you excited?”

He stood up and, leaning down in front of him, extended his hand. Jacob stared up at him in wonder: Liam had shaved his head and trimmed his beard. His thick, brown hair was styled into a sexy brush cut and that beard! Shit, he was a fucking stud! Thankfully, he’d left the hair on his barrel chest, crotch, and thighs alone. His pulse began to race as his gaze traveled down to his crotch. The massive organ bobbing in front of his face had swollen beyond human proportions. He had to look away because his little cock was pulsing almost painfully.

Liam motioned with his fingers, giving him a huge smile. “I can see you like what you see. Just wait til you feel me inside you!” When Jacob swallowed nervously at this, Liam took his hand and hauled him up, reassuring, “Don’t worry! You can take me. You were able to swallow my whole cock, remember? You can do the same on the other end.”

He had started to lead Jacob back into the station when Jacob stopped him. “I still have to pee, Liam!”

Liam reluctantly paused, asking, “You’re not just stalling, are you, Jake? ‘Cuz if you are…”

“No!” Jacob chirped, hating his high-pitched voice. “I really gotta pee!”

He dashed around Liam and pulled on his dick, trying desperately to grab enough of it to aim and sighing in exasperation when he realized he didn’t have much to work with. Finally, he gave up and pushed down on it with his finger, hoping it was angled down far enough, and let loose.

Nothing came out.

He could tell he was peeing but nothing was coming out…and there was pressure. Confused, he felt himself and then drew back in alarm. WTF?

His cock was swelling up!

Huh?

“Having trouble there, Jakey?” Liam had come up beside him and was watching with amusement.

Freaking out, Jacob reached down and squeezed his cock. The more he peed, the more swollen it became and the more it hurt! Shit, it really fucking hurt! Only after the pressure built to an almost excruciating level did he figure out what was happening. Flapping his hands up and down, he screamed, “Liam! Help me! My cock is gonna explode!”

Liam’s laughter rang out over his cries and only grew louder the more Jacob freaked out. Finally, his friend put a heavy hand on his shoulder and, in between gasps, managed to choke. “Clench, Jake! Clench!”

Jacob clenched, just barely able to stem the flow of urine. After a few moments, he succeeded and looked forlornly up at Liam. He could feel the weight of the piss filling up his ugly, new foreskin. When he pushed his belly out of the way and looked down at himself, he goggled. He had a flesh balloon dangling between his legs! A flesh balloon filled with piss!

He hung his head, his mind reeling. What the fuck was happening to him?

Still chuckling to himself, Liam reached down and squeezed the sac, laughing at Jacob’s cry of pain and the little dribble of piss that trickled out. Jacob felt like he was going to die when his huge friend knelt down and stared critically at the bloated sac for a long time before pronouncing, “Phimosis. You got phimosis.”

Jacob was too stunned to reply at first. FInally, he squeaked, “Phi-what?”

Liam looked up at him, his blue eyes dancing with humor. “Phimosis. Your ‘skin ring is too tight.”

Jacob’s lower lip quivered. “My skin?”

“Foreskin,” Liam clarified. “You can only get phimosis if you have a foreskin.”

“I’m a Jew!” Jacob protested. “I don’t have a foreskin! I’m circumcised!”

Liam raised an eyebrow. “You do now, bud. And a really long one at that. Look at how big it is! You got a friggin’ piss melon on the end of your dick!”

Jacob closed his eyes and then reopened them. The huge sac was still there, though. He could feel his shoulders clenching together as he struggled to find words. Finally, he choked, “W-W-What do I do?”

“Nothing right now, bud,” Liam said, looking up and grinning. Clearly, he was deriving a lot of pleasure from Jacob’s pain and confusion.

“B-B-But it hurts, Liam!” Jacob whined. “It hurts!”

“Awwwwww, Baby Bear, Ok. I’ll take care of it right now,” Liam teased. “Lemme get my jackknife and I’ll cut it off.”

Jacob inadvertently drew back in alarm and Liam laughed. When he noticed Jacob’s lower lip, though, he leaned in and kissed him while simultaneously squeezing on his urine-filled foreskin. When Jacob squirmed, Liam stuck his tongue down his throat and pushed him backward. Liam’s bulk and fierce onslaught were so overpowering that Jacob forgot all about his overfilled ‘skin–and the way his big belly got in the way, providing an unfamiliar cushion between him and the closeness with Liam he craved. When Liam finally lifted himself off, Jacob opened his eyes and realized he was lying in a pool of his own piss. He didn’t care, though. No, he really didn’t care.

“You’re so easy to distract,” Liam commented, brushing himself dry with his hands. Jacob’s piss had gotten all over him and he was dripping wet. “We’re gonna have to do that again on camera, though. Do you know how much guys will pay to watch our piss play? This phimosis condition of yours is our…golden…ticket.” He cast his eyes upward in mock innocence at his joke and Jacob giggled in spite of himself.

Liam held out his huge paw to Jacob and hauled him to his feet before reaching behind him and turning on the shower. Soon, they were merged again as warm water trickled over them. Jacob leaned his cheek against Liam’s shoulder and savored his friend’s warmth and massive bulk. He almost didn’t mind when Liam took his belly in his hands and rolled it around, murmuring appreciatively in his ear. Maybe someday he’d get used to it?

***

“Hey, guys!” Liam called out, mugging in front of his phone as he pressed record. “This is the moment you’ve been waiting for! It’s time for Jakey to lose his gay cherry and I’m the big stud who’s gonna do it.” He panned over to Jacob as he looked away, cheeks flaming, before he continued boasting, “Who’d a thunk it, dudes? I mean, yesterday our boy was a big, tough ranger man and today he’s just a little chubby cub! Look at him! Come on, Jake. Smile for your fans!” He poked the phone directly in Jacob’s face and laughed at his feeble attempts to avoid the camera.

“You like Jake’s new haircut?” he asked, zooming in on his face and making sure to catch the way his bangs slid down in front of his eyes. “I did it myself and,” he paused, swiveling the camera back at himself, “I shaved my head while I was at it.”

Liam winked at the camera before propping it up behind them. He turned and stopped, though, when he saw Jacob’s expression. Eyebrows rising, his face softened and he reached around to turn off the phone.

“Jake,” he said softly. “Aw, Jake. I’m sorry. We’ll do this your way. We’ll do this off camera.”

Jacob looked down at the floor, only glancing up again when he saw Liam’s bare feet come to rest in front of his own. When he lifted his head, he saw Liam was watching him with a tender, almost proprietary expression and he felt a thrill race down his spine. He loved it when Liam looked at him like that!

“Here,” Liam whispered as he took Jacob by the hand and led him over to a chair. Sitting down, he spread his legs wide and Jacob ogled as his massive cock and balls flopped heavily over the edge of the seat. Shit! They hung down almost to the floor! Liam caught him looking and winked, patting his knee. Jacob sighed, feeling a mixture of desire and dread, as he tentatively settled down on his friend’s wide leg. Soon, he was nuzzling Liam’s neck as the big man took him in his arms and hugged him, murmuring, “You’re so sexy and you’re all mine. I can’t believe I’m doing this with you.”

Jacob couldn’t believe it, either, but he didn’t resist when Liam reached down and fondled his balls with one hand while taking his belly in the other. It was as if his skin was sensitized to respond to Liam’s touch because wherever his hands went, Jacob shivered with ecstasy. He had no idea that being with another guy could feel this good! And they hadn’t even really done anything yet.

“I love you.”

These words surprised Liam almost as much as they did Jacob and he looked up to see his friend’s eyes were wide.

“Fuck, I love you!” Liam repeated, his furry face brightening with wild joy. “I’ve loved you ever since…”

Jacob silenced him with a kiss. He didn’t feel like talking. He couldn’t quite fathom what Liam’s words meant, for him or his future. He wasn’t ready to abandon his old life…or body. But he couldn’t deny the effect that his friend was having on him. His cock might be small and fat and encased in a tight foreskin but it still worked. It still did everything that it had before…more, in fact. He couldn’t remember feeling so turned on and he was almost glad his dick was covered with a foreskin because he would have blown all over Liam. Even covered, the mere contact with the cool air in the cabin was enough to…

“Did you hear me, Jake? I love you!”

Liam had pulled away. His eyes were feverish. Jacob smiled. Some things about Liam hadn’t changed; his friend had always been a bit of a babbler.

“I know.”

“Don’t you…?”

Jacob nibbled his fuzzy chin. “I don’t know if I do yet, Liam. I’m too confused right now but,” he added when he saw the sudden fear in his friend’s eyes, “I do know that I want you…”

“Yes? Yes?” Liam couldn’t keep the eagerness out of his voice.

Jacob swallowed, fighting to choke back the words on the tip of his tongue. He couldn’t really want…that? He couldn’t really want…?

“I want you inside me.”

Liam grinned devilishly. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear you say those words!”

Carefully, he moved Jacob off his knee and down to the floor, positioning him so that he was kneeling directly in front of his dangling cock and balls, almost as if he was going to worship them. Lifting the sagging weight of his cock and waving it salaciously in front of Jacob’s face, he commanded, “Suck it but make sure to peel back my ‘skin first. Last time you forgot.”

Liam’s cock was even fatter and longer than he remembered. He stared at it, gaping until he felt a rope of drool slide down his chin. Closing his mouth, he tried to comprehend the monster in front of him. He had no idea it was possible for a man to possess a cock that big! And it had a strong impact on him.

He had to have it.

He had to have all of it.

He would not rest until he had taken the entire length and girth of it inside of him.

But first he was going to suck it.

With trembling fingers, he took the beast in his hand, clenching involuntarily when he felt the full heft and mass of it. It was so huge that he wondered if there was even enough blood in Liam’s body to fill it. Would he pass out when he got hard?

He couldn’t wait to find out!

Exuberantly, he used both hands to slide Liam’s foreskin back. It took a long time because there was so much of it. He growled in frustration as he pushed it back, back, back. How the fuck could a guy have that much skin on the end of his dick? When the fat, moist bulb of Liam’s glans was finally exposed he almost pumped his fist in victory. His mouth began watering uncontrollably when he saw the precum dribbling out like a leaky faucet. He couldn’t wait to taste that sweet elixir of manliness!

He dove for it.

He could have sworn that he felt his jaw detach like one of those freaky snakes when they swallowed live rodents. Maybe it did? How else could he have taken the whole monstrosity down his throat in one gulp? Liam’s hips bucked forward as his mouth enclosed more and more of his shaft and Jacob sucked greedily, unable to get enough of it. He grabbed both legs of the chair and pulled himself forward, wedging his big belly between them and stopping only when he had the full shaft inside his mouth. His esophagus was spasming and it was difficult to breathe but he didn’t give a fuck. He had to have Liam. All of Liam!

“Whoa! Whoa, boy!” Liam gasped finally. “I’m hard! I’m hard already!”

Jacob frowned when his friend yanked his cock out of his mouth. He sat back on his haunches, rubbing his aching jaw and salivating. The yummy taste of Liam’s pre had coated his throat and it was driving him crazy. He had to have more of it!

“I don’t wanna shoot before I get to fuck you,” Liam explained, laughing at his indignant expression and teasing, “You look hot with frog lips, by the way.”

Jacob covered his mouth, scowling, and was starting to push himself up off the floor when Liam stopped him. “Oh, no you don’t! Come on!”

He stood up, his bloated tool swaying in front of him. It was so heavy that it couldn’t stand up like a normal erection and instead pointed down at the ground, drooping under its weight. His balls were bigger than his fists put together and his sac distended between his thighs. Jacob blinked up at him admiringly. Liam was a stud without parallel and Jacob’s heart beat against his ribcage, drumming out a rhythm of lust and hunger. He licked his lips.

“I can see I’m gonna need a special jock to hold my boys,” Liam commented, staring down at himself proudly and swinging his junk in Jacob’s direction. “Or maybe I’ll just have you hold ‘em all the time. Would you like that, Jakey?”

Jacob nodded vigorously, reaching out for them but Liam sidestepped him, surprising him by stepping around behind him and taking him by the hips to push him over. Jacob still wasn’t accustomed to the way his belly distorted his center of gravity and scrambled to catch himself on the chair. In a moment, he was bent over, face on the chair and butt sticking up in the air.

“Perfect position! I wish you could see this view, Jake!” Liam’s deep voice was filled with awe and Jacob stiffened at his touch. Liam’s broad hands grabbed his buttocks and clenched. Jacob squawked and tried to wrest himself free of his friend’s hold but he wasn’t strong enough. He desperately squeezed his ass cheeks together, feeling his insides tie up in knots. He wasn’t ready for a tool that big! He wasn’t ready! How could he be ready? He was straight and had never so much as stuck a finger inside his hole before!

Liam’s hands released him and he instantly relaxed, sagging into the chair. He could hear Liam rustling around and was about to turn to see what he was up to when he felt something cold and wet dribble down his back and into the crevice of his ass.

“Lube up, Jake!” Liam commanded. “I said we’d do this your way so get busy. Get yourself good and greasy!”

Instinctively, Jacob reached back and his hands came away sticky. He heard Liam laugh as he took his hands and guided them down his crack, massaging his fingers and the lube against his hole. Jacob exhaled, unable to understand why he liked the feel of himself back there so much. His pucker felt pathetically small and tight. There was no way Liam would be able to get his bear cock inside him!

Patiently, Liam slathered him up, drizzling more and more lube over his back and ass until it dribbled onto the floor. He rubbed his hands together and then took Jacob’s meager manhood in them, rolling his nuts around and slicking up his fat shaft. Then he sat back and Jacob could hear the sound of the bottle squelching as his friend emptied it over his bulbous member.

“Take a deep breath,” Liam instructed and Jacob gasped at the touch of his fingertip ‘back there’. Nonetheless, he did as he was told. Liam patted his ass fondly as he exhaled, taking the opportunity to push his finger inside. Jacob yelped and squirmed but Liam didn’t let up, pushing in deeper. Soon, his finger was up to his first knuckle and more was on the way.

Liam leaned over him, molding his vast frame to Jacob’s back as he pushed his finger in deeper. Jacob marveled at the sensation, both appalled and delighted by the way his friend was breaking him in. Soon, another finger joined the first and Jacob’s eyes rolled back in his head as Liam forced entry, stretching him wider and wider.

Jacob moaned as he felt himself give way, his sphincter loosening after a final contraction. Liam didn’t wait and instantly withdrew his fingers, positioning his massive, dripping glans against his hole and slamming inside.

Seconds later, Jacob came to screaming at the top of his lungs in agony. His vision was dark and his nerve endings were incinerating as he felt his insides give way, stretching to the point of tearing open. His belly was sloshing violently back and forth in time with Liam’s bull nuts. Just when he thought he was going to pass out, Liam stopped mid-thrust and collapsed on top of him, sweat trickling down onto Jacob. His face was smooshed uncomfortably against the chair seat and he could barely breath but at least the pain was tolerable.

Liam lay there, panting for a long time. Finally, he licked the back of Jacob’s neck, sending a frisson of pleasure coursing through his body.

“We’re together, Jake. Do you feel it? Can you feel the difference?”

Jacob didn’t notice anything at first; he was too busy delighting in the sensation of being full beyond capacity with Liam. He swore he could feel his friend’s enormous cock pushing his organs out of the way, thrusting upward against his stomach. And he loved it. He never had felt this way when he was with a woman and he was almost sad when he realized what he’d been missing.

But he was also glad.

Fuck, he was more than glad. He was fucking ecstatic!

He fucking loved having Liam’s cock up his ass!

Even better, he didn’t give a fuck if it made him gay.

He was gay.

Gay!

Queer as fuck!

And he was Liam’s cub.

He giggled as his friend–lover!–pushed deeper inside.

He was a whole new man!

“Do you feel it, Jake?” Liam prodded. “Tell me you feel it, too!”

Jacob grew quiet, sensing into his body, feeling the rise and fall of Liam’s breath, the pounding of his big heart, the moistness of his skin, the immensity of his body.

Then he felt it.

He felt it!

Jacob began trembling when he recognized the feeling. The very act of naming it was transformative and his mind was cleansed, washed away and…replaced…when he felt it. It was so basic, so simple that it almost escaped notice at first. Yeah, fundamental. Like air and breathing.

But even more beautiful.

Beautiful and pure and freeing.

It was this:

He and Liam were inseparable.

Before he’d been lost, alone, and empty. And now he was full, united, one.

Whole.

At last.

***

Part 6

Liam pulled Jacob up off the chair while being careful to keep his cock firmly lodged inside of him. He coaxed him, spinning him around his cock, until Jacob and his big belly were facing him. Once he was content, he lay back on the floor and sighed.

“Ah, Jake! Let’s stay like this forever, Ok?”

Jacob gazed down at his sweaty face, noting his strong jaw and prominent cheekbones. Liam Ross was without a doubt the biggest stud he’d ever seen. The fact that he possessed a massive organ that was red hot and pulsing inside him only added to his stature as a god among men. He didn’t even object when Liam reached out and took hold of his belly, laughing as he bounced it up and down. He squeezed it playfully, picking it up and letting it fall. It landed with a heavy thud against his own prominent gut.

“Aw, man, Jake! I used to think you were hot before but, now that you’re my adorable little cub, I see I didn’t know what the fuck I was thinking. You just keep getting hotter!”

Before Jacob could respond to this, Liam’s hand slid under his belly to grip his nub. Giving it a playful squeeze, he winked. “Ya know what? It’s your turn now. You’ve given me so much pleasure that I wanna return the favor.”

Somehow Liam intuited exactly what to do to make him go wild, though honestly it didn’t take much. He pushed Jacob down with one hand while thrusting upward with his hips. Jacob mewled like a kitten and Liam laughed, reaching up to stroke his beard with the back of his hand. At the same time, with his other hand, he traced his thumb around the ridge of Jacob’s glans. Even shrouded with a foreskin, it was enough to send shivers down his spine and he cried out. His stout little cock pulsed almost painfully as he released a little spurt of precum.

“Shhhh, bro, shhhh,” Liam whispered. “Nice and easy, nice and easy.”

He continued to tease Jacob’s cockhead with his thumb while undulating his hips almost imperceptibly. Jacob sighed, lifting his chin and feeling sweat trickle down his back. Where had Liam learned to be so subtle in his lovemaking? It was incredibly hot to be micro-stimulated by such a big bear of a man.

“There’s no rush, Jake. We got all day.”

Straddling his friend’s wide hips, Jacob could have sworn that Liam’s cock was getting bigger the longer he fucked him and he marveled at the pleasant stretching sensation around his hole. What had started out as an exercise in torture as Liam pummeled away at his virgin asshole had now flowered into exquisite bliss as his hole gaped wider and and Liam pushed deeper. Distractedly, he wondered how he’d ever recover from being torn open like this but then quickly realized he didn’t care. He’d wear fucking adult diapers for the rest of his life as long as he could have Liam inside him!

Liam was watching him with an expression of such tender affection that Jacob swallowed and had to blink back tears.

“You’re my cub, Jake. You’re mine!”

He followed this declaration by curling his thumb and forefinger around Jacob’s nub and slowly jacking him. Jacob shuddered, feeling like he was on the verge of exploding and Liam stopped.

“I want us to cum together. Help me out, Ok?”

Jacob nodded and Liam commenced fucking him in earnest, keeping his eyes locked on Jacob’s face. After a few moments, Jacob stayed his hand because he was so close. Liam’s fingers relaxed around his nub and Jacob leaned backward into Liam’s thrusts. It was probably his imagination but he thought he could feel Liam’s charge building inside of him. It didn’t take long before he knew that his lover (Lover?!) was nearing his climax and he pushed Liam’s fingers back onto his cock. The merest touch of his callouses was enough to send him sky high. Together, they rocked in unison as their cocks erupted and they cried out, Jacob’s voice high and light and Liam’s deep and guttural. The explosion of their twin orgasms blew through their bodies, shredding them and leaving them gasping for air.

Unfortunately, Jacob’s post-coital bliss was short-lived because as he was reminded once again of his foreskin and its phimosis. Not even a drop of cum escaped even though he felt like he’d spewed a liter of jizz!

Panting, Liam read his thoughts and mischievously squeezed his cock, making a funny face. “Here,” he instructed. “Lift up your belly for a sec.” Jacob complied, feeling a sense of dread at what his friend was up to. Liam ringed his nub with his thumb and forefinger and slid them down the tip, forcing Jacob’s trapped cum into the swelling of his foreskin. Looking up at Jacob and grinning, he squeezed and a little jet of white goo shot out, nailing him on the chin.

“Y-u-u-u-m-m-m!” he crowed, sticking his tongue out and making a big show of licking it up. “Just like milking a cow’s teat.” He squeezed again and, opening his mouth, caught the white globs on his tongue. Jacob dropped his belly and swatted at him, much to Liam’s amusement. “Come on, Jakey! I need your cum!” He pushed his belly out of the way again and squeezed hard, emptying the contents of Jacob’s foreskin into his mouth. There was a lot of it and he teased Jacob by sticking out his cum-laden tongue, swishing it around his lips and staining his mustache white. Jacob squealed, though, when Liam reached up and grabbed his head, forcing him down into a sloppy kiss. His face came away slathered in cum and he gagged.

“Yuck, yuck, yuck!” he complained. “I’ve never tasted my cum before. It’s disgusting.”

“You’ll grow to like it.”

“I don’t want to!”

Liam wrinkled his nose and then stopped as an innocent look crossed his face.

“What?” Jacob asked.

“Oh, nothing,” Liam replied, looking upward. “It’s just that…”

“Just that what?”

Liam’s eyebrows lifted. He looked almost angelic for a moment before his expression shifted, becoming impish. “Well, I just realized that my…”

Jacob sighed, exasperated. “Realized what, Liam? What are you getting at?”

Unable to keep a straight face, Liam’s lips spread into a wide smile. “Here. I’ll show you.” With that, he thrust his hips upward and Jacob clenched, surprised. Liam’s cock was rock-hard again! He had superhuman stamina!

“What do ya think, Jakey?” he queried, smirking. “Ready for another go?”

In answer, Jacob moaned loudly. Could his ass take any more of this?

***

Liam carried Jacob in his arms out to the lake afterward. The sun was setting and the July sky was tinged with bright pink wispy clouds. There was a cool breeze blowing down from the mountain and a pair of loons called across the lake. Liam hugged him tightly to his chest, gazing down at him lovingly as he slipped a finger into the crevice of his buttocks.

“Ooh, sorry about that!” he exclaimed as he grazed the swollen, hot rim of his aching hole. “The cool water will help.”

Jacob grimaced. Now that the theatrics were over, his butt really hurt! He had touched himself ‘back there’ after Liam pulled out and was appalled at his gaping hole. He could have stuck his entire fist inside and still had room left!

“It’ll tighten up,” Liam reassured. “Trust me.”

Jacob scowled and Liam ducked his head, chagrined. He waded into the lake until he was up past his hips and gently lowered Jacob into the water. Jacob squawked at the sudden cold and Liam held him tighter, pressing him into his sweaty torso. Slowly, Jacob allowed Liam to immerse him in the water until he was floating, cradled in his lover’s arms.

Liam leaned down and kissed him. “You’re the most beautiful cub, Jake. I’m so glad you’re gonna stay like this forever.”

Jacob’s eyes had closed as the water washed over him but they snapped open at this. “What? What do you mean ‘forever’?”

Liam was about to respond when he was interrupted by a gruff voice nearby.

“Yeah, Liam, isn’t it time you told him everything?”

They both jumped, splashing water. Liam dropped Jacob and he momentarily sank beneath the surface of the lake, emerging seconds later coughing and sputtering. He stopped cold, though, when he saw they were surrounded by four big men. They were shirtless and arrayed in a ring around them, waist-deep in the water. He blinked when he recognized them.

They were the RCMP officers from earlier.

The biggest one, an auburn-haired man, was watching them with contempt, his beefy arms crossed and the corner of his lip lifted. His magnificent torso was covered both in hair and black, menacing tattoos. He rounded on Liam, halting mere centimeters in front of him and Jacob was once again impressed by his stature. He dwarfed Liam!

“When were you gonna tell him about the curse?” he demanded.

“Curse?” Jacob squeaked, angry that he couldn’t make his voice sound manlier.

Liam set his jaw and tried to turn away but the man took him by the shoulders and shook him. “This isn’t a game, Liam! You don’t know what you’re playing with here!”

“Let me the fuck go!” Liam growled, struggling to free himself. “I know what I’m doing. I’ve got it under control.”

The other three men stiffened at this. “Under control?” the big man sneered. “You have no fucking idea what you’ve done to yourself–or your cub, do you?”

“Liam, what–?” Jacob tried to ask but his lover cut him off.

“Shut it, Jake! Lemme handle this.” Liam’s voice was so abrupt that it shocked Jacob. He hung his head, abashed.

The man leered down at Liam. “Handling it?” he said, sarcastically. “Oh, yeah, you’re doing a real expert job of handling it.”

Liam puffed up, preparing to launch into a tirade, but the big man ignored him, turning instead to Jacob. Jacob gulped as he stared up at the huge brute. He’d never seen someone so commanding and it scared him. When the man reached out to lift his chin with a finger, Jacob met his green eyes and shivered. Despite his great size, the man was not very old; he appeared to only be in his mid-twenties. When they made eye contact, the man smiled and his eyes twinkled with unexpected humor.

“My name is Griffin,” he rumbled. “And you are the fucking sexiest cub I’ve ever seen!”

Jacob blinked and realized he was smiling. He was starting to respond when Liam knocked the man’s hand out of the way and, shoving Jacob violently aside, roared, “HE’S MINE, ASSHOLE!”

Griffin pivoted but was too slow; Liam’s fist caught him squarely on the jaw and he staggered back in the water, nearly losing his balance.

At once, everyone fell silent and a deadly stillness settled around them. Jacob held his breath.

All eyes were on Griffin as he righted himself. Rubbing his jaw, he turned to face Liam and fixed him with a cold stare, pronouncing, “That was a mistake. You just poked the wrong bear.”

“Why?” Liam demanded, refusing to be cowed. Deftly, he reinserted himself between Jacob and the Griffin and drew himself up to his full height and squared his shoulders as Jacob cowered behind him.

His show of bravado only seemed to amuse Griffin. Even at Liam’s biggest, he was still a head shorter. Further, Griffin’s shoulders were so wide that he eclipsed Liam; Jacob couldn’t take his eyes off of his powerful, tattooed arms and bulging delts. He was a breathtaking beast of a man, he realized as he felt his neck grow hot. Griffin caught his admiring stare and winked, enflaming the already incandescent Liam.

“Why the fuck should I be afraid of you?” Liam repeated.

Griffin laughed harshly. “I was gonna take it easy on you, boy.” Liam bristled at the word, lifting his fists menacingly. “But now I’ve changed my mind. First, I’m gonna beat the living shit out of you and then I’m gonna fuck you so hard you’ll choke on my cock as it comes the wrong way out of your mouth.”

“You’ll have to kill me first!” Liam spat.

“No,” Griffin said teasingly, “I need you alive because, after I’m done fucking you, I’m gonna fuck your little cub…while you watch.”

Liam attacked Griffin with a flurry of blows, moving far more quickly than Jacob would have guessed he was capable. Apparently, Griffin, too, had underestimated his opponent’s speed and agility because he fell backward in the water under the storm of Liam’s fury. Liam might be smaller and lighter than Griffin but he made up for it in other ways and, for a brief time, it looked like he might gain the advantage.

They raged in front of Jacob and he would have become ensnared in the melee if one of the other officers hadn’t intervened to pull him out of the way. Two big arms wrapped around him, hauling him aside, as a voice breathed in his ear. “You are a hot, little cub, Jacob! I’m glad I drew the long straw.”

Long straw? Huh?

Jacob turned and discovered he was staring into a pair of soft, brown eyes belonging to a handsome, dark-haired man. Like Griffin, he had a scruffy beard, shaggy hair, and black neck tattoos, but unlike the massive man, he was really sinewy and lithe. His eyes sparkled with mischief and Jacob had a thrilling sensation almost like the man was lapping up his essence like a dog licking a bone.

He shivered.

“Ha! And just when I thought you couldn’t get any hotter!” the man breathed. “I’m Diego and I’ll be your date tonight…after Griffin, of course.”

Sudden stillness brought their attention back to the fight and Jacob felt momentarily chagrined that he’d been so easily distracted from Liam’s predicament. He turned to see Liam dangling helplessly from Griffin’s grip. The giant man was holding him up in the air with one hand around his throat as Liam struggled to free himself. Griffin’s face was bruised and red and his eyes shone with an almost maniacal light as the full moon rose behind him. “You’re fast and strong, boy,” he spat, “but not fast or strong enough.” He tightened his grip on Liam’s throat, causing him to gasp for air.

Jacob started to cry out but the sound died in his throat as he watched Griffin pause and flick his wrist, a funny grimace on his battered face. When he lifted his hand again, Jacob gaped: His fingers had disappeared and in their place were long, thick claws.

His hand had become a huge paw.

No way! There is no way that is possible!

Jacob’s mind deteriorated to a molten mess of frantic thoughts as he struggled to comprehend what had just happened to Griffin’s hand. He was too preoccupied, however, to notice that no one else shared his shock and disbelief. The three officers watching the fight were unperturbed, almost as if they watched a man’s hand transform into a paw every day.

Griffin smiled and he looked down at his wicked claws, saying, “God, I fucking love doing that!”

Liam gurgled as Griffin held up his paw and then, to Jacob’s horror, skewered him through the stomach with a fast, brutally efficient movement. Jacob screamed as Liam writhed in agony. Griffin pretended not to notice the blood raining down on him as he casually tossed his victim over his shoulder. Liam’s limp body hung suspended for a moment in the air before landing with a huge splash in the darkened water, sinking quickly beneath the surface.

Jacob sobbed and tried to rush over to save him but Diego held him back. “Shhhh, cub,” he soothed. “This is just the beginning. Watch.”

Before he could finish, the surface of the lake exploded as Liam propelled himself up and out, lunging toward Griffin. Jacob stared in horror as his lover’s features shifted from those of a handsome man to a twisted animal. Fangs pushed out of his mouth and his arms transformed into huge, corded forelegs replete with plate-sized paws and twenty-centimeter claws. The gaping wound in his belly was already sealing up, leaving only the barest hint of a scar in its place.

He would have fainted if Diego hadn’t been holding him. The man slapped his cheeks painfully and Jacob’s head lolled to the side.

This was too much.

Everything.

Was.

Too.

Much.

He couldn’t take it.

The whole fucking day was a nightmare.

A fucking nightmare of unreality.

He closed his eyes but then opened them again when Diego grabbed his neck and shook him.

“Watch, bro!” he urged. “The fun is just beginning!”

Filled with dread and nausea, Jacob watched.

The ‘Liam Beast’ was crashing through the water, claws extended and teeth bared, hurtling toward his assailant.

Griffin was ready for him.

His body was rapidly changing as well into a phantasmagorical cross between man and bear. He seemed to borrow the biggest and most lethal parts of both as he grew even more immense. Dense mats of hair sprouted on top of his shoulders, radiating downward to form a red pelt. The last rays of the setting sun illuminated his freakish torso with blood-tinged light as Griffin raised his great head and let loose with a roar that reverberated across the lake. Jacob’s body went cold as Griffin charged headlong through the foaming water to meet Liam.

The two beastmen clashed in an epic battle, their hard bodies slamming together with a thunderous clap. Brown and red fur went flying along with droplets of blood as Jacob struggled to discern who was whom in the blur of bodies, hair, and foam. He was so absorbed in the battle that he didn’t notice his own changes until Diego plucked at his ears and rubbed his nose.

“Awww, you’re fucking adorable!” he cooed.

Jacob batted away his hand, annoyed and then stopped.

Wait.

What?

He touched his ears in disbelief that rapidly turned to horror.

His ears were furry!

And pointed!

Well, sort of pointed.

Definitely no longer human, though.

Fingers trembling, he felt his nose only to draw his hand back in alarm a moment later.

His nose was wide, flat, and wet!

What the fuck?!

“It’s the contagion,” Diego explained patiently. “The part that Liam didn’t tell you about: You change into a bear cub on the full moon.”

Jacob stared at him, unable to make his voice work. As he stood there, stupidly trying to form a sentence, Diego reached and playfully tugged on the hair above Jacob’s butt crack.

Only it wasn’t hair.

It was something else.

Beginning to shake from head to toe, Jacob lowered his hands and tried to feel himself but jumped in surprise when something sharp stabbed into his tender flesh. Lifting his hand in confusion, his heart did a flip when he saw that, like Liam and Griffin, his fingers had disappeared. They had been absorbed into his palm as it had widened and thickened. Little claws pushed out from the pads.

He had paws!

Bear paws!

His skin prickled and his stomach clenched. Unable to stop himself, he looked down at himself and wished he hadn’t.

Thick black hair–animal hair!–was boiling out of his skin as his arms and legs contorted, widening and shortening at the same time. He convulsed in bitter agony as he tried to make it stop, tried to will his body to stop changing…but it didn’t make any difference. He was getting fatter, broader, hairier, and–ugh!–smellier. Curling over as his backbone began to crimp, he wuffled the air with his new nose, disgusted by the odor emanating from his body. He smelled like an animal!

Diego was almost beside himself with laughter as he watched Jacob’s horror and confusion grow. Finally, he couldn’t take anymore and doubled over, clutching his sides and letting loose in uproarious abandon. Jacob was not amused but when he tried to speak, his mouth no longer worked the way it should.

It was too narrow and his teeth were too long.

He had a muzzle!

And long teeth!

“Diego,” a voice behind them warned. “Stop it! You’re being cruel.”

Jacob whirled awkwardly to see another officer standing behind them. His arms were crossed and a look of disapproval was etched across his face. He was a lot taller than Diego and blond-haired. Unlike the others, he didn’t possess any visible tattoos. Even though he wasn’t nearly as muscular and beefy as Griffin, there was something about his demeanor that suggested a quiet dominance and Jacob shrunk back from him in fear.

The officer noticed his reaction and smiled, spreading his hands. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m really quite harmless, you see.”

Jacob was too overwhelmed to respond and, even if he hadn’t been, he couldn’t speak anyway. He was so stooped over by then that it took everything he had just to remain standing on his hind legs. All he could do is stare up at the man helplessly, feeling ashamed and embarrassed. He hated this! He had never asked to become a bear cub!

The man moved closer and placed a warm hand on his (furry) shoulder, saying, “Don’t worry. We’re here to fix this mess.” He turned to Diego and growled, “Stand up, Diego! And stop laughing!” Diego obediently straightened but burst out laughing again once he looked over at Jacob. The man hit him, eliciting a yip of protest.

Leaning down, the officer whispered in Jacob’s ear and Jacob flushed when he felt his ear twitch on its own accord. The man didn’t seem to notice, though. “I’m sorry, Jacob,” he said. “This isn’t how I planned for things to go.” He turned to look over at the warring bear-men and sighed before continuing, “But you know how bears are, right? It’s all about being the biggest and strongest. Once they settle their score, we’ll get down to the business of breaking your curse.”

When Jacob didn’t reply, he added, “My name is Devin, by the way. I’m the pack leader.”

Pack leader?

As if in answer to his unspoken question, Devin smiled and lifted a leg out of the water. Jacob recoiled in shock. The man’s leg was covered in long hair and recurved like a dog’s. Behind him, a long, sodden tail rose up out of the water, the tip wagging slightly. Devin wiggled the claws on his paw, smiling at Jacob’s reaction.

“Diego, Jax,” he said, lifting his chin to indicate the third officer nearby who was holding a phone and recording the bear fight, “and I are human-wolf hybrids. We came here with Griffin to cure ‘Mountain Dan’…but it looks like your Liam got to him first and Dan transmitted the contagion to him. And then Liam, well, let’s just say he put Dan out of his misery.” He smiled apologetically when Jacob let out a little cry of confusion, adding, “It’s a lot to take in, I know. We’ll explain everything after…this…is over and you’re back to normal. Well, mostly norm–”

He was interrupted by a chilling roar and they looked over to see the immense, red grizzly (that had once been Griffin) charge with gaping jaws at the brown bear. The ‘Liam Bear’ had turned tail and was desperately fleeing but the water was slowing him down. Jacob’s muzzle fell open as he watched the huge bear lunge and take down Liam, pinning him flat on his stomach in the weeds at the edge of the lake. Liam squealed in protest as the red bear lifted his head in triumph before swinging down and clamping his jaws on the scruff of Liam’s neck.

Liam lifted his head and bawled as Griffin hauled him up. Soon, the bigger bear had positioned him in a crouching position beneath him. Jacob stared transfixed as the huge grizzly salaciously lifted his rump in the air, spreading his legs and displaying his massively erect, red and pulsing organ. He bit down hard on Liam’s neck, causing him to bawl louder and lift his little stub tail, exposing his clenched ursine pucker. It was surprisingly pink…just like Jacob remembered from his glimpse of Liam’s butthole the morning before.

The brutal rape that followed both disgusted and aroused Jacob. Liam bawled pitifully as Griffin wailed away at his tender hole, forcing his huge, slippery cock inside and ravaging him without mercy. When Liam began to slowly shift back into human form, Jacob looked away. It was too disturbing watching his lover being violated in such a brutal manner.

Diego, however, wouldn’t let him turn away. “Look, cub,” he said, taking Jacob’s muzzle in his hand and turning it back toward the fucking bears. “He’s enjoying it. See? He’s screaming for more.”

Jacob resisted Diego’s hold but then he noticed that he was right. The evening light was fading (and his bear eyesight wasn’t great) but there was no mistaking one thing: Liam was enjoying it! He writhed under Griffin’s onslaught, a huge grin on his face as he cried out in ecstasy. Griffin, human again, grabbed his hips and thrust deeply inside Liam’s hole, his tongue hanging out and his eyes on fire with lust. He caught Jacob’s eye and winked, thrusting harder for effect.

When they came, it was explosive and electric. Jacob’s furry jowls flushed as he watched Liam spew a thick, hot load of jizz out of his long, fat tool. Griffin leaned down and bit him on the back of the neck, growling ferociously and emptying his bear-sized cock into him. When he disengaged, Liam’s hole was left dripping with globs of his potent spew.

It was fucking hot.

Slapping Liam on the ass, Griffin straightened and sauntered proudly over to Jacob. He looked regal, masculine, and radiant with power. Silently, he extended his huge hand and bowed. Jacob wobbled and would have lost his balance if Diego hadn’t caught him around the belly and hefted him back up. It was so awkward being a cub!

With great difficulty, he managed to stick out a paw and Griffin smiled, saying, “Oops! I forgot. Here.” To Jacob’s amazement, he folded down, shifting in a blur back into his enormous bear form. Jacob growled in excitement, heart pounding, as Diego released his hold and he settled onto his forelegs with relief. Standing on his hind legs took far too much effort!

The giant bear before him lifted its muzzle and Jacob felt hot puffs of air on nose. He snuffled, taking in the myriad of rich scents drifting off the big bear. Maybe he’d judged bear odor too hastily? Griffin’s complex aroma augmented his dominant mein, causing Jacob to tremble with desire. When the big bear reached out and took his muzzle in his jaws and clamped down carefully, his legs nearly buckled.

Griffin pulled him backward while simultaneously sitting back on his haunches. Soon, he was drawing Jacob against his broad chest and enveloping him in his giant forelegs. It was sort of like being hugged by a human but more so. He felt completely immersed in Griffin’s dense, fragrant pelt and smothered by his pleasant bulk. His hot breath washed over him, communicating more than Jacob ever thought possible. Bears didn’t need to talk as long as they could smell! He surrendered to the giant’s tender ministrations, marveling at how a bear that was capable of doing such violence could also be so gentle.

Kind of like people, he realized.

Just as he felt a telltale pressure poking around at his tail end, a furious argument burst out behind them.

“Get your fucking hands off me!”

It was Liam.

Jacob was too buried in Griffin’s embrace to see what was happening but he could hear everything.

“He’s my fucking cub! MINE!”

“Not anymore, dude,” said an unfamiliar voice that had to be that of, Jax, the third officer. “You lost fair and square. He’s Griffin’s now.”

Apparently, this didn’t sit well with Liam because there were sounds of a scuffle followed by shouts from Diego and Devin. Soon, Liam’s protests were getting fainter and fainter as Jacob assumed the three officers pulled him back to the ranger station.

Griffin exhaled in the bear equivalent of a sigh, pushing Jacob’s fuzzy head against his shoulders and jostling him up and down, up and down, up and down, until…

Jacob squealed as Griffin’s red-hot bear cock poked into his eager hole. His eyes rolled back as he relaxed and Griffin’s naturally slick tool slipped further in. Soon, the entire massive, pulsing thing was inside and they locked together, panting and licking muzzles.

Unbelievably, anal sex as a bear was even more fun than as a human. It felt like his nerves were more developed and sensitive. Even the tiniest movement was enough to drive him wild and he lifted his head to let loose an exuberant roar as Griffin built closer and closer to orgasm. His new lover possessed amazing skill, surprising him with his attunement and sweetness. Thankfully, his sexual experience with the immense grizzly was the antithesis of Liam’s. Griffin must have had lots of experience fucking as a bear, he realized as the bear teased his cubby hole, coaxing him closer and closer to his denouement. And he, Jacob, was the happy recipient of this important learning. By the end, he was hopelessly delirious with desire.

Griffin could do anything: Use him, ravage him, savage him, destroy him, fucking annihilate him. Hell, he’d even agree to stay a bear cub forever. He didn’t care.

It didn’t matter as long as that pulsating cock was buried inside his hole.

***

When he woke, he was human again. Griffin was cradling him, leaning back against a log, and watching the moon rise above the mountains. When Jacob stirred, he leaned in and kissed his ear. Jacob smiled and nestled closer, luxuriating in the heat of his big body. He looked over at him in admiration, realizing how rugged and handsome he was. His face was covered in scars and one corner of his ear was missing but this only made him look sexier. He reached up and traced his finger along the groove left from the missing chunk. Griffin smiled.

“Hazards of being a bear,” he murmured. “I’ve gotten in more fights than I can count but tonight was one of the better ones. Liam’s a brutal opponent!”

“You won, though.”

Griffin grinned sheepishly. “Yeah, I’m such a dumbass. I see a hot cub and go crazy. I shouldn’t have lost it with him.”

“I’m glad you did!” Jacob admitted.

“Aw, really?” Griffin asked, lifting his lips and kissing him. “You’re not just saying that?”

“No.”

Griffin laughed contentedly. “Good. I knew I saw something in you.” Before Jacob could question him further about this, the big man shifted his weight and stood up, lifting Jacob along with him and setting him on his feet. Standing next to him, Jacob got his first good look at his naked body and his knees went weak. Griffin was a slab of one hundred percent, pure, Grade A beef!

And that cock!

He could feel his nub begin to strain as he took in Griffin’s grandeur and he looked away bashfully when the big man caught him staring.

“Ha!” he exclaimed proudly. “You have the same effect on me, Jacob.” He looked meaningfully down at his dangling appendage and Jacob grinned when he saw it was beginning to stand up. “But,” he added sadly, “we’ll have to wait. We still got one more thing to do before the cure is complete.”

Patting Jacob on the back and slinging a heavy arm over his shoulder, he led him back to the ranger station. Jacob didn’t even mind the way his big belly flopped up and down with each step. He looked up at Griffin and then over at the luminous full moon and shivered.

He was the luckiest man alive!

***

“Lemme lay it out for you guys,” Griffin began.

Jacob and Liam were sitting at the kitchen table in the station. Griffin was standing before them and the bizarre wolfmen were arrayed behind him. Griffin hadn’t bothered getting dressed and Jacob kept getting distracted by his studly beauty. He also kept having to remind himself that all of this was real. The events of the whole chaotic, twisted day were real! It made his head hurt.

“Go on,” Liam urged, sinking back in his chair and looking unhappy. He glared at Jacob when he saw him checking out Griffin’s cock for the thousandth time. Jacob straightened, chagrined, as Liam said in bored tone, “Lay it all out for us.”

Griffin raised an eyebrow at his attitude but let it slide. “Mountain Dan was a scientist who agreed to be infected with the werebear contagion when he worked for Deoxy Corp.”

Liam rolled his eyes. “De-what-y Corp?”

“Deoxy Corp,” Griffin repeated, refusing to be baited. “It’s a big company that specializes in genetic research…among other things. Mostly, it does good work…” He held up his hand as the wolfmen bristled. “Well, the pups behind me don’t agree,” he admitted. “But the company really isn’t all bad.” Jacob heard a low growl and looked over to see Devin’s lips curled. Griffin ignored him, continuing, “Anyway, Dan was infected and became a werebear. After being ‘recruited’ by Devin’s gang, he infected me when I was camping in these mountains a couple winters ago.”

Jacob blinked at this and Griffin gave him a hangdog grin. “But none of that matters now,” he said, settling down in a chair and leaning across the table toward them. Liam pushed back, scowling, and Jacob glanced down after meeting the big man’s gaze. He was glad his beard was so thick because his cheeks were flushed.

“What does matter,” he continued, fixing then with his green eyes, “is that we have to finish breaking the curse on you both.”

“It’s not a fucking curse!” Liam exclaimed. “Why do you keep calling it that?”

Unperturbed by his vehemence, Griffin took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, before explaining, “Mountain Dan went crazy, Liam. Deoxy Corp abandoned the werebear project after it became apparent the subjects’ mental health deteriorated quickly.”

Devin made a dismissive gesture behind Griffin, grumbling, “Tell ‘em what Deoxy Corp did to the ‘subjects’, Grif. Tell ‘em what they tried to do to you.”

Griffin turned and smiled broadly at the hybrid. Jacob had been so preoccupied with Griffin that he’d pretty much ignored the wolfmen. Now, though, he studied them with renewed interest. They were an impressive trio with their towering height, beastly good looks, incredible canine legs, and bushy tails. Diego caught him looking and straightened, raising his tail and staring meaningfully down at his own crotch. Jacob felt his heart skip a beat when he noticed his huge, black testicles dangling down almost to his knees. He took a sharp breath a moment later when he saw the scarlet tip of…something…poking out of the fuzzy sheath above his balls. He nearly choked when he figured out what it was: Diego had a doggy dick!

And a big one, at that.

Liam shot him a dirty look and he looked back at his hands on the table. He could feel his little nub getting hard between his legs, though. Diego might be bizarre-looking but he was also fucking hot!

“…don’t need to rehash the past, Devin,” Griffin was saying. “The company is changing, you know that. And besides, you’re the ones who convinced Mountain Dan to join the resistance. It was you guys, not Deoxy Corp, who…engineered…my infection after all.”

“We only did it to protect David!” Devin protested. “And we cured y—“

Griffin cut him off, holding up his hand. “Yes, you did. In fact, you did more than that; you helped give me the ability to shift my form at will. And I thank you for that. And, even more importantly, David is safe now.” He glanced back at Liam and Jacob and, noticing their blank stares, added, “David is Devin’s alpha bitch,” he laughed as Devin barked in protest at his choice of words, “and he needed a big bear to watch over him while he was on a dangerous mission. I,” he said proudly, “was that bear and I succeeded; David is just fine because of me.”

“It’s a little more complicated than that,” Devin said between clenched teeth but Griffin only waved him off, smirking. Clearly, he enjoyed yanking Devin’s chain.

“As I was saying, if you’re not cured, you will eventually go insane and die but not before possibly infecting many more people. You’re contagious during the full moon and, because of that, we can’t risk letting you go. We have to finish the cure.”

Jacob went cold with this news and looked desperately over at Liam. His lover, though, had crossed his arms and was regarding Griffin skeptically. “Mountain Dan said that—“

“Mountain Dan would have told you anything, Liam!” Griffin roared, suddenly at full dominance once again. Liam shrunk back, cowed. Griffin glared at him before lowering his voice. “He was desperate to die. He wanted his suffering to end and being killed by another werebear was the only way he knew how to do it.” He stopped, mastered himself, and continued in a calmer tone. “Fortunately, we figured out another way and you’re already halfway to the cure.”

“Halfway?” Liam queried, voice full of distrust. “What do you mean halfway?”

Griffin’s eyes narrowed. “You might notice that even though the moon is full, you are no longer a bear. That, cub, is because my fucking you was half the cure.” Liam balled his hands into fists at this and, out of the corner of his eye, Jacob noticed the wolfmen had gone rigid. Griffin, however, either didn’t notice or didn’t care and continued blithely, “The other half of the, hmmm, procedure makes the cure permanent and requires getting fucked by one of my wolf bros here.”

It was almost funny how this announcement had the opposite effect on Jacob as it did on Liam. A thrill ran up Jacob’s spine and he looked over to meet Diego’s hungry gaze. The wolfman licked his lips and thrust his hips forward as the entirety of his immense, red cock slid out of its sheath. Liam, on the other hand, was horrified and sprang up from the table, yelling imprecations at Griffin. Griffin let him rant for a while before he grew tired of it and, turning to Jacob, stated, “Methinks the lady doth protest too much.” Jacob stifled a smile and sneaked another glance at Diego as Griffin calmly stood up and put his big hands on Liam’s shoulders.

“Whoa, dude!” he said. “You should be happy! The wolfboys are doing you a favor! Do you how many guys would sell their souls for a chance to do it with a hybrid? I promise you that you won’t be disappointed.” He elbowed Liam in the ribs. Liam started to react violently but then caught himself. Griffin registered this restraint with a smile and, slapping Liam on the shoulder, settled back down in his chair. “The only question is which one will mate with you.”

“What the fuck difference does it make?” Liam asked sullenly, flopping down at the table and cradling his head in his hands. “They’re all freaks.”

“It matters,” Devin said evenly, refusing to react to Liam’s slight, “because of what will happen to you afterward.”

“Huh?”

“I am the alpha,” he stated. “And Diego and Jax are my betas. Mating with an alpha has certain…effects…whereas mating with a beta does not…beyond cementing your cure. Either way, you will never revert to bear form again.”

Liam lifted his head, questioningly. “I still don’t get it.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Griffin said. “It’s not your decision anyway. It’s up to Jacob.”

Jacob looked up at this. He’d been so engrossed in flirting with Diego that he hadn’t been paying much attention. “What’re you talking about?” he asked. “Why is it up to me?”

“Yeah,” Liam demanded. “Why is it up to Jacob?”

Griffin shook his head and sighed, “Liam, Liam, Liam. Did you ask Jacob before you infected him with the cub contagion?”

“No, but I did warn him to stay away from me.”

“Noble of you,” Griffin mused. “But you planned to infect him anyway, didn’t you? That’s what you posted on your blog several days ago.”

Liam’s face went red and he stammered, “I-I-I guess I did.”

Jacob nodded. In the throes of passion, his friend had said as much earlier.

The corner of Griffin’s mouth lifted in a half smile. “Then it’s only fair that Jacob gets to decide your fate this time.”

“My fate?”

“Yes,” Griffin explained. “Jacob will decide which of my wolf buddies gets to tap your slightly blemished cherry.”

Jacob glanced over at Liam and then back at Griffin. He still didn’t get why it mattered which of the wolfmen ‘mated’ with Liam.

Griffin turned to him. “So, Jacob, we already know that you’re fucking Diego here.” Liam squawked at this news but Griffin silenced him with a stern look. “That leaves Devin and Jax. Which one will get the pleasure of Liam’s backside tonight?”

Still unable to believe any of this was happening, Jacob surveyed the two wolfmen while Liam shot daggers at him with his eyes across the table. Both Devin and Jax were superbly lean, muscular, and sexy as hell. Of the two, Jax seemed more interested in Liam whereas Devin was leaning against the wall, a bored look on his face. Maybe he should choose Jax?

“I still don’t understand what difference it makes who he…sleeps with,” he said in a small voice. “Or even if he…has sex…with them at all.”

Griffin nodded patiently. “Let me spell it out: If you don’t get fucked by one of these fine wolfmen, your disease will progress to the point of insanity and two or three years from now you will die a very painful death.” He held up his hand to ward off Liam’s objection, continuing, “As to why it matters which bro he hooks up with, well, that’s easy: If he mates with Jax, he will remain physically as he is now. If he mates with Devin, he will become a ‘bear omega’.”

“A bear omega?” Liam started to say. “What the fuck—?“

Devin cut him off, saying, “An omega is a male in every way save for one: He develops different genitalia.”

Liam’s mouth fell open and Jacob’s brow furrowed. “Different genitalia? Huh?”

“Lady parts,” Griffin said with a smug grin. “He’ll grow lady parts. Our daddy bear here will become a mama bear.” In the stunned silence that followed, he smiled broadly and asked, “So, Jacob, which will it be? Devin or Jax for your Liam?”

***