Reiko's heart was beating hard in her chest, and she was shaking. She could hear Samickle moving outside the tent, panting heavily. He was pacing back and forth, and he was mumbling something to himself, his voice barely above a whisper.

Outside the tent, Samickle was losing it.

"What the fuck am I doing..? I need to shift, I need to-" He let out a frustrated groan. "Come on, come on, what's wrong with you? Shift, already..!" His whole body felt hot, his cheeks burning. His fingers were itching, and his head was spinning. He was panting heavily, his breathing quick and shallow. He could feel the heat building inside him, his blood rushing in his veins. He couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Damn it, just fucking shift already!" Samickle cursed silently, his nails digging into his palms. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. It was no use. He had spent too long in his beast form already, and now in this mental state, he couldn't transform no matter how hard he tried.

"Shit, shit, shit..!" Samickle hissed. He couldn't stop thinking about Reiko, the feeling of her skin under his touch, and the sweet scent of her hair. The mere memory made his skin tingle, and his head was spinning.

"What if Reiko was awake..?" The thought alone was mortifying. "She's not." He told himself. "There's no way she would have stayed calm, if she had realised..!"

Samickle was pacing around the campsite, his hands balled into fists. The morning breeze was cool against his hot skin, but he couldn't bring himself to cool down. He couldn't get her out of his head. The way she had been lying next to him, her skin warm under his touch. Spring was barely upon them, but he was already in heat, his body craving for her.

Samickle couldn't hold back a whimper. He had spent so long suppressing his needs, hiding his feelings, and denying his instincts... But now, when he was least prepared, his inner beast was awakening.

"Goddamn it..."

Samickle was sweating. His blood was rushing in his ears, and his face was burning. He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling, his pulse quickening. He couldn't stop shaking. He had to get rid of this frustration, this need for release. He needed a release.

He was breathing hard, his heart beating in his throat. His mind was blank, and all he could think about was the sweet scent of her skin, the softness of her hair, and the warmth of her body.

He stepped away from the campsite, behind the thick trees, and pressed his back against the trunk. The bark was rough against his skin, but he couldn't care less. He was shivering, his heart pounding in his chest, and his face was burning.

He was a mess. He didn't care. All he cared about was Reiko.

The memory of her made his blood run hot, and he felt another rush of arousal. He could feel his body responding, the need pulsating through him. His body was screaming for release. Samickle's eyes were shut, and his hand slid down his body. He was aching for her, and his whole body was burning. His mind was racing, his thoughts going in circles. The mere thought of her was enough to make him dizzy.

Samickle took a deep breath. No. He couldn't, he shouldn't. He had to calm down, to suppress his desires. That was what he kept telling himself, but his hand was already at the hem of his pants, and his fingers were trembling. It didn't matter how hard he tried, it was too late.

His instincts were taking over, he was losing control. With a frustrated sigh, Samickle slipped his hand into his pants, and his fingers brushed against his erection. His breath hitched, and a low moan escaped his lips. He felt his muscles tense, and a shudder ran down his spine. His mind was blank, and his head was spinning. It was so wrong, but it felt so good.

"I can't..." Samickle gritted his teeth, and his fingers wrapped around his length. The touch was enough to send a rush of arousal through his body, and a groan left his throat. He couldn't think straight, and his whole body was on fire. "Damn it..."

His grip tightened, and his hand started moving. He was breathing hard, his eyes shut, his thoughts swirling around. All he could think about was Reiko, her skin, her hair, her scent, and the way her body had felt against his. Samickle bit his lip, and a growl left his throat. He wanted to claim her, to mark her, to make her his own. He wanted her to be his, and only his.

"Ahh, fuck..." His breath was coming out in short gasps, and his legs were shaking. He was so close. He needed this release, the pleasure coursing through his veins. His movements were growing faster, and his grip was tightening. The heat was building inside him, and his breathing was quickening.

"A-ahhh..!" His orgasm hit him like a punch in the gut— He threw his head back, a deep moan escaping his lips. His muscles tensed, his whole body shuddering. His knees were weak, his body wracked with ecstasy.

The pressure was finally gone. He was breathing hard, his heart racing. Slowly, reluctantly, Samickle opened his eyes. His mind was clear, and his thoughts were calm. His hand was sticky, and his skin was glistening with sweat. He had never felt so exhausted in his life.

But he was fine. Everything was fine. Samickle took a deep breath, trying to steady his breathing.

"What the hell was I thinking..?"

A sudden rush of shame and embarrassment washed over him. They had been on the road only for a few days now, and they still had a long journey ahead of them. Spring was almost here, and with it, the mating season, and he'd have to find a way to endure it. Reiko had always spent the spring and summer away on her travels, far away from Wep'keer, far away from him, so Samickle had avoided dealing with such urges… until now.

"No, this is stupid. I'm not going through that again. I've got to control myself, this can't happen again."

His body was finally calming down. The cold morning breeze cooled his skin, and his breathing was slowing.

"I'll manage. I've been able to control myself before, and I will be able to do it again. Everything will be fine."

Samickle's hand was shaking as he wiped the cum from his hand. His muscles were still tense, and his body was still tingling. He could feel the heat lingering in his veins, but his mind was clear.

"I can do this. I've got to do this. It's not that difficult." He took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. "I can do this."

With a sigh, he adjusted his pants and headed back towards the campsite.

"Okay, just act natural."

It was what Reiko kept telling herself, but she was panicking. She was trying to muster up courage to step out of the tent, but she couldn't stop thinking about what had happened.

"Gods, just stay calm, everything will be fine. Just go out, and don't act weird." She took a deep breath, and stepped out of the tent.

There he was, standing by the campfire, his back towards her. Reiko felt her heart skip a beat. Samickle was looking at the sky, the morning breeze playing with his hair. The rays of the rising sun painted his skin with golden light, and the soft wind was brushing his clothes.

Reiko's heart was racing. "Oh gods, get a hold of yourself! You had a really, really weird dream. Yeah, that was it, a dream. Nothing else. Yeah."

Samickle's back was stiff, his posture rigid. "He looks nervous, too." Reiko noted. Then, suddenly, his head turned towards her, and he locked his eyes on hers. Reiko froze. Her mind was racing, and her heart was pounding. She was unable to move, and she was barely able to breathe.

Then, suddenly, his gaze softened, and his eyes dropped to the ground.

Reiko exhaled, a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding.

"Okay, you can do this..!" She bit her lip. All she had to do was to act like nothing was wrong.

"Morning..!" Reiko greeted him as she approached the campfire. "It's almost strange to see you up on two legs." She jested a bit, trying to appear as if it had just occurred to her that Samickle was now back in his human form.

Samickle's shoulders dropped, and he let out a deep sigh. "Yes, well, the climate is warmer down here, so I figured it was time." He muttered, keeping his eyes on the flames. "You're up early."

Reiko chuckled. "Oh, yes, I am." She rubbed her neck, her fingers brushing against her black hair. "I guess I'm not so used to sleeping on the ground anymore." She shrugged.

An awkward silence.

"Well... um... How about if I get us some breakfast, for a change?" Reiko suggested. Not even waiting for an answer, she reached to grab her bow and quiver. "I'll be right back, alright?"

Samickle nodded. "Yes, sure. Be careful."

With a quick nod, Reiko headed into the forest. She was walking slowly, her steps heavy. To be honest, she had been kinda surprised to see that Samickle hadn't changed back into his beast form. They had been on the move for the better part of a week now, and during that time, he had spent most of his time in his wolf form.

"I wonder if there's something wrong." Reiko wondered. While he was outside the tent, she had heard him mutter something about changing form, sounding extremely frustrated. Had he really had trouble shifting? Reiko frowned. It had sounded like he had been cursing himself, almost like he had been angry about something.

"Maybe I'm just overthinking it. He seems fine now." She shrugged, pushing the thought aside. "It's good to have him back in his human form, anyways. Now we can talk, at least."

Talk about what? Reiko felt her cheeks burn. What would they even talk about? They hadn't had the chance to actually sit down and chat, since their departure. Would he expect her to bring up the proposal?

"No, no, no! No way in hell, that's not happening!"

She wouldn't say a thing about the marriage. Nothing. If Samickle wanted to discuss it, he could do so himself. Reiko still felt somewhat annoyed by the fact that Samickle had dropped such a bomb on her, then expecting her to take charge. Even the news about the proposal came through chief Kemu, and not Samickle himself!

"Yeah, no. He'll have to bring it up first."