Davis Claire - The Forest Savage

Table of Contents

Love is an Open Road

An M/M Romance series

THE FOREST SAVAGE

By Claire Davis & Al Stewart

Introduction

The story you are about to read celebrates love, sex and romance between men. It is a product of the Love is an Open Road promotion sponsored by the Goodreads M/M Romance Group and is published as a gift to you.

What Is Love is an Open Road?

The Goodreads M/M Romance Group invited members to choose a photo and pen a letter asking for a short M/M romance story inspired by the image; authors from the group were encouraged to select a letter and write an original tale. The result was an outpouring of creativity that shone a spotlight on the special bond between M/M romance writers and the people who love what these authors do.

A written description of the image that inspired this story is provided along with the original request letter. If youd like to view the photo, please feel free to join the Goodreads M/M Romance Group and visit the discussion section: Love is an Open Road.

No matter if you are a long-time devotee to M/M Romance, just new to the genre or fall somewhere in between, you are in for a delicious treat.

Words of Caution

This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.

Each year, a dedicated group of Volunteers from the M/M Romance Group work hard behind the scenes to bring these stories to you. Our Editors, Formatters, Proofreaders, and those working on Quality Assurance, spend many long hours over a course of several months so that each Event is a success. As each and every author also gives freely of their time and talent, it was decided that all edits suggested may be accepted or rejected by the author at any given time. For this reason, some stories will appear to be more tightly edited than others, depending on the choice of the author.

This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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The Forest Savage, Copyright 2015 Claire Davis & Al Stewart

Cover Design by Noah Homes

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M/M Romance Group Publication

THE FOREST SAVAGE

By Claire Davis and Al Stewart

Photo Description

In the photograph, two young men sit closely together. One is smoking, while the other appears to be talking. Their close proximity to one another suggests friendship and intimacy. Behind them, the surroundings look bleak and drab.

Story Letter

Dear Author,

I want to know their story. They look like best friends, but is there something more between them? Maybe one of them is head over heels and the other one a bit clueless? They would make such a cute couple :)

Sincerely,

NannyOgg

Story Info

Genre: contemporary

Tags: g angs, crime, drug use, drink driving, violence, prison, first time, friends to lovers, slow burn, hurt/comfort

Content Warnings: dub-con/non-con

Word Count: 29,025

Acknowledgements

With thanks to our magnificent readers: Kristan, Layla, Kim Alan, Astrid, Noah, Grenville.

With thanks to the MM group and all the volunteers who take part.

Dedication

This story is dedicated to Kristan and Layla.

THE FOREST SAVAGE

By Claire Davis and Al Stewart

I found myself within a forest dark, for the straightforward pathway had been lost. Ah me! How hard a thing is to say, what was this forest savage, rough, and stern, which in the very thought renews the fear. So bitter is it, death is little more

Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy

Chapter One

It was raining, cold, and miserable. Flurries of leaves battered his face like the condemning words of those he left behind one dreadful night when the world stopped. Cal had spent over a year in prison, waiting grimly to be released into this grey wasteland of a town.

The bitter northern wind was strong enough to push him forward, away from the prison doors, but not enough to permeate the numb layers of shock that still surrounded him like sweet decay.

His thoughts were thankfully halted by a familiar face Mary, his probation officer, come to meet him and drive him to his new town. Hello Cal. Good to see you. Do you want a lift?

Hi, Mary. Yeah, that would be great. Thank you, he greeted her gratefully, glad to avoid the train ride and passengers staring at his black plastic bag and clothes that were now too large and screamed of braver days. He got into the car, which was warm and comforting after the harsh reality of the outside.

The rest of the journey flew past with calming and welcome talks of curfews and licence restrictions, all bewildering to Cal, reminding him that even after nearly two years, he was still a stranger to this world of punishments and crime.

****

He left Mary at the Probation building and made his way alone to Stonehenge Probation Hostel, his new abode. Dragging his black bag across the front garden like a gothic and disgruntled Santa Claus, he gingerly picked a path through the old nappies and beer cans. Beyond the security camera, three guys were fighting viciously, moving closer to where Cal stood.

It was nothing different from the hundreds of confrontations he had witnessed in prison, but the close proximity and lack of guards made his heart beat, and beat. Cal was in no physical state to fight after losing two stones and most of his muscles, but Jay taught him long ago how to scrap. He could not afford to get involved in this, but the unfairness of the fight made his fingers curl instinctively into fists.

Not his problem. Walk away.

The youngest of the three men slammed into Cal as the other two attacked, pushing the kid from one to the other, sneering and braying like hyenas after prey. Fucking faggot. You owe me!

The younger man looked awful; his face smeared with blood and something black, but even though the odds were against him, he fought back desperately.

The faggot reference made Cal step forward, seize the bony shoulders and face the kid. There you are. Been looking for you. He giving you trouble? Smiling nastily at the biggest guy, knowing he would fight them if he had to.

Whats it to you?

He owes you? Cal snapped. They nodded, about to tell him a sordid story no doubt, so he cut them off, stony faced and surly. Ok. Hell get it to you by the end of the week. Show no fear, another trick he learnt the hard way.

They shifted their feet a bit, then grumbled and wandered off. Cal felt vague relief, but an even stronger sense of disappointment. No fight today, then. He turned to the kid, who was shaking with shock. Are you okay?

Get-get away from me, the young man shouted, unsteadily.

Cal lifted his hands, raising his eyebrows in mock surprise. Hey, its okay. I was trying to help! You owe me a thank you.

I was handling it. I can look after myself. The kid winced, casting baleful looks back at Cal as he limped off.