My Girlfriend, My Pet.

Chapter 38

"BABY! We still haven't decided whether or not we want tulips or peonies for the wedding!" Maggie called out as she swooped from end of the hall to the other, completely unaware that Mike was on the phone.

"Mike! Did you hear what I just-"

"Yes! I did, Maggie! Jeez! Quit yelling! I just confirmed the menu with the caterers!

The two of them paused amidst a hive of activity to collect their breaths before Iona tapped Maggie on the shoulder. Spinning around, the bride-to-be squealed in delight as she wrapped her arms around her life-long best friend. "Iona! You're just in time for the bridesmaids rehearsals!"

It was only natural that Iona was chosen to take responsibility as Maggie's maid of honor, as is the same between Mike and Raiden. Within an hour, the best men and bridesmaids were on standby. As Raiden and Iona entered the hall, the two of them visibly dropped their jaws at each other.

Iona was dressed in a strapless, maroon gown that accentuated her ample cleavage and highlighted her hips. Raiden continued to drink in the sight of her as she sashayed down the line, clearly showing off her toned legs beneath the slit and her impossibly firm yet rounded butt. As she turned to face him, he smiled at her as she whipped her curled hair around, a lock or two draped around her shoulders.

"You look absolutely amazing," he whispered as she sidled up to her.

"Thank you. You look pretty dashing yourself."

"Now don't the two of steal the limelight away from the couple of the hour," Elizabeth commented as she nudged Iona. She was dressed in the exact same outfit as all the other bridesmaids, of course.

Then the music came on and Iona almost burst into tears as she saw her closest friend appear at the end of the hallway, bouquet in hand. Next to him, Raiden heard an audible intake of air from Mike.

"Cold feet?" he asked.

"Far from it. I'm just... wow," Mike said.

As the couple exchanged their vows, Raiden turned his attention to Iona and saw her smiling and tearing up ever so slightly at the sight of the soon-to-be-wedded couple.

How can one woman look so attractive, be so emotionally vulnerable yet strong and carry herself with so much grace at the same time?

Raiden was suddenly aware of the ring he had waiting for her.

Soon.

~~~

The night before Mike and Maggie's wedding, Raiden and Iona had just finished sorting out their outfits for tomorrow when he sneaked up on her as she came out of the shower. Holding and spinning her on her heels, he tugged her towel from her body and sent it towards the floor.

She let out a yelp as she giggled when he pinned her down on the bed.

"Someone is feeling a tad aggressive tonight, huh?"

"Yeah, you can say so. I had to do something after seeing you in that gown at the rehearsal yesterday."

As the two of them playfully wrestled in bed, Raiden stealthily removed the box from the night table and planted it away from sight.

"Iona? Turn around and get on all fours."

"Wow! You really are into it tonight, aren't you?" Iona replied as she seductively whipped her hair over her back and got down on all fours on the bed, her butt now pressed against his hips.

"Something tells me you'd prefer me in a different shape in this position..." she trailed off with a moan.

"Spot on, darling. The choice is yours, just morph into something with paws, okay?"

She turned round and gave him a quizzical look which made him even harder.

"Please?"

"Suit yourself, then," Iona said as she closed her eyes and envisioned herself as a four-legged animal. What could she possibly turn into with paws? So many options presented themselves before she realised that it had been some time since she took on the shape of a wolf.

Raiden held on to her from the back as he resisted the urge to penetrate her. The sight of her squirming as well as the sounds of her moans as she shifted made it much more difficult. He stared as her torso began to stretch forward, sending her shoulders into minor spasms before they started to recede into her changing frame.

The stretching noises became more audible as he saw her tail began to lengthen as her lower half melted into an outline that closely resembled a canine's. At the same time, he saw her luscious locks absorb themselves into her skull as her ears became pointed while her skull flattened to accommodate her bulging muzzle, which quickly narrowed into the unmistakable snout of a gray wolf.

Within a minute or two, an apex predator occupied the spot where Iona had laid down. Thinking it was just another night where the two of them would have (literally) wild sex, Iona backed up to grind her nether regions into Raiden's hips but found nothing.

As she turned around, she found him lying on his side, admiring her. "You're one heck of a beautiful wolf, Iona." Then, he got up and scratched the top of her head before climbing off the bed. "Do me another favour, okay? Take your time and change back but keep your eyes closed. I have a surprise for you."

She cocked her head to the side and gave him her best expression of a puzzled canine. Then, she let out a chuff and got comfortable on the bed before shutting her eyes and concentrating on her human shape again.

As the outline of the wolf began to blur again, Raiden quietly reached for the box by the side of the bed and opened it as he knelt before a morphing Iona. Gently, he took her left paw in his hand and held on to it firmly as he felt it expand like warm clay and mold itself into her feminine hands.

The moment she could form words, she asked, "Why were you holding my paw? Can I open my eyes now?"

"Yes, open them and you'll see why."

Iona did and saw Raiden on his knee, one hand holding her and the other sporting a small box with a delicate-looking ring inside that caught the light of the room and sparkled. She couldn't breathe for a moment as her entire being felt hot. Tears begin to dance at the edge of her eyes.

"Iona Moira Lennox," he started. "Will you marry me?"

She chocked back a sob as an alien lump had suddenly lodged its way in her airway. She couldn't bring herself to say anything so she just nodded her head a million and one times, which, of course, did not help to keep those damn tears at bay.

When he slipped the ring on her finger only did she find her voice again.

"Yes! Yes! Raiden!"

He lifted her up into the air and spun her around before allowing her to plant her feet on the ground again as they embraced each other before collapsing onto the bed as an engaged couple.

When she was almost asleep, another thought hit home. "Wait. Why did you ask me to transform into an animal anyway? I could've just closed my eyes in the first place..."

"Without sounding creepy, I wanted to let you know that I would have had no issues putting a ring on a paw as much as I wanted to put it on your human finger. I want you to be my wife, Iona, no matter what shape you take."

Damn. Now she was convinced that ninjas were definitely slicing onions right next to her face.