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Chapter IV: Making it Worth While

"He's doing it again..."

Caleb ignored them both as a thousand thoughts flooded his conflicting mind. Every part of his was just frozen, unable to truly move. He went through the motions in class, answered questions when asked - not necessarily correctly - and then just sat down at his usual table, with his usual group of friends staring blankly into space.

"Lance gave him a sort of ultimatum last night," Mary said. "If he puts a tie on the door tonight, Lance will know that he wants to push the relationship beyond just 'fuck buddies'. If he doesn't, then it's over."

"So?" Lars asked. "What's the issue? Just don't put a tie on the door!"

"Are you nuts?" countered Ben.

The Doberman rolled his eyes at the young human-slash-werewolf. "I swear, if you go on about how hot it would be for those two stud wolves to be going at it like they hadn't gotten off in six months, I am going to get Caleb's Homerun Bat."

They had taken to calling the bat Caleb had created yesterday that erupted into cheers and confetti the 'Homerun Bat'. Whenever it was swung like a true baseball bat - both paws on the weapon and from above the shoulder - it would guarantee a 'homerun' on whatever it struck followed by either confetti, cheers from an invisible crowd, the voice of an announcer shouting 'It's going, it's going... aaaand its gone!' or a combination of the three. Apparently, Lars and Mary had fun with it just this morning much to Bren's annoyance.

"I'm not scared of no bat," snarled Ben.

"I bet you're scared of being thrown a hundred metres into the air and then crashing back down like a tonne of bricks!"

"I'm -"

"Gentlemen!" snapped Mary. She gestured with a hand towards Caleb. "We're focusing on our incestuous friend." She turned towards Caleb with the air of one intending to hand him the panacea to his problems. "Caleb... For a while now, you've been saying how you never wanted a relationship like that with Lance. Further, you have been insisting you are not gay. And yet here we stand, at a crossroads and you find yourself hesitating. Why?"

Caleb turned to her, his ears folded back and his blue eyes big and wide. He opened his muzzle to say something but what came out was a sad little choking whimper. He immediately pushed his three burgers away and collapsed against the table, placing his paws over his eyes and sobbing softly.

"Girl, you just broke our star receiver!" Lars exclaimed.

"Way to keep your priorities, Lars," muttered Ben.

"Hey -"

Mary shot them both a silencing look. Considering how they had just seen her combat skills yesterday and knowing full well she could rip out their balls, feed it to them and then pull it out of their asses, they wisely shut up. It had been revealed that Mary used her martial arts expertise and her powers as an empath/mind reader in perfect synchronisation. She could tell where a person would go, what they would do and how they would attack, giving her the ability to anticipate, dodge and counterattack with frightening ease.

"Caleb," she began sagely. "What are you afraid of? Confirmation that you are indeed gay or the fact that you actually want this with your brother?"

"I don't know!" Caleb whimpered. "Both...? Neither...? Half-and-half? I don't know!"

Mary sighed softly and shook her head. "I'm sorry Caleb. I can see your thoughts and what you want but what you want compared to what you're going to do are entirely different things. It's still your choice and you're going to have to live with the consequences of whatever you choose."

Caleb sat up, shooting a fierce, fiery stare. "That's no help! You're meant to give me advice! Tell me what to do!"

Again, she just shrugged. "Unfortunately, I can't give you any advice on whether or not I want to have a gay incestuous relationship with my older brother." She pointed at herself. "Only child, remember?"

The wolf groaned again, returning to setting his head on the table and whimpering softly.

Lars leaned forward slowly. "Uh... Hey Cale... You'll still be okay for practice today, right?"

Caleb pounded the table with a fist, forcing the Doberman back. He shot to his feet, snarled at Lars and spun. A storming seven foot, three hundred pound wolf was not something you wanted to get in the way of. One poor guy couldn't move away fast enough and Caleb shoved him to the ground, splattering spaghetti all over him. He slammed the cafeteria doors behind him as he left.

Mary and Ben gave Lars a foul stare.

"What? I thought taking his mind off that thing might help!"

"You know he likes to simplify things!" Ben snapped, punching him a little hard. "Putting more shit on him like that is a dick move!"

"Oh..." Lars folded his ears back in shame. "Right..."

Mary shook her head sadly at him. "Lars, if you ever want to be his boyfriend, you're going to have to do better than that."

Both boys sat up rigidly.

"Me!? What!?"

"Him!?" Ben exclaimed.

Lars shot his ex a foul stare. "Like you would be any better."

"I'd make things simple for him. Just fuck!"

The Doberman turned away in disgust and glared at Mary. "Explain."

She waved a hand absently through the air. "Look, Caleb is clearly having doubts. He's started to like Lance and he likes how neither he nor Leon are bullying him at home anymore. Naturally, he fears that if he drops Lance, things just go back to the way that they were and he's being bullied by two huge older brothers. But, at the same time, he is afraid that if he invests in the relationship, he might just actually start to love Lance the way Lance loves him and he's scared about that. Not just the incest, the love bit. He doesn't know what that's like and he just thinks love is too complex."

Mary lifted another hand and waved it absently to her side. "At the same time, he's afraid that the fact that he is hesitating speaks volumes for what he really wants. He's stuck and he needs help. The way I figure it, we need to buy Caleb some time to think things through." She leaned forward, whispering softly. "So this is what you are going to do..."

*****

Lewis Sanchez slumped over his desk. Upper management was _really_pushing for them to hurry it with the production of Newport's newest struts. His factory was in charge of building all the bars, metal frames and whatever the hell the mayor wanted for the new extension to West California. However, there were other factories churning out parts for all the buildings that would go out there. It was a mad dash to see who could get the most contracts and build the most products in as short a time as possible.

Management was trying to balance the capacity of their workers and their factories with the workload and the contracts but as it stood, Lewis had far more orders than he could fill in the amount of time. It was worse with the chaos that occurred at the baseball stadium that was being built. A hell of a lot of precious frames and building materials had been damaged in the structural collapse that claimed the lives of about thirty workers and some civilians who had tried to help. It wasn't anything on Lewis' factory. Hell, families couldn't even sue the company for damages since it was their family members who carelessly built the frames to be unstable. Had they stuck to the specifications, the tragedy would never have happened.

But that did mean there was now a rush order for more materials from the Iron Arm Steel Factory on top of their existing load. Most building contracts had a warranty on the materials of about six months and the company's lawyers were working hard to ensure that they were paid for the work. Last he heard, they would be but it was still a rush order.

"Son-of-a-bitch," he muttered softly, running a hand down his face. He grumbled softly and regarded his features in the solid, metal frame of his steel desk. Though only thirty-seven, he was already starting to show the signs of aging with heavy lines across face especially around his eyes. The thick brown beard that formed around his jawline was showing flecks of grey. He could never grow a moustache for some reason.

A knock came to his door.

He looked up and saw that it was one of his the floor managers, Embry Jackson. "Hey boss," asked the ebony skilled human. "Just got this delivered to us." He held out an envelope. It had the little crest of Ambiance Logistics Incorporated. Lewis rolled his eyes and stood up, gesturing for Embry to step in.

He took the envelope, thanking Embry. A good man, Embry. He could sense the stress of his boss and stood by as Lewis opened the letter.

"Notice of a general inspection," he spat. "Fuckin' hell. Some idiots puts our steel the wrong way at some kid's baseball stadium and we're the ones that gets grilled."

Embry shrugged absently. "They just want to make sure our asses don't get sued."

"While throwing us under the bus if they find anything little _fucking_thing," he mumbled. "I'll send out the notification. It's in two weeks. Hey bud, make sure to tighten clean up and procedures every day."

"Aye, Aye, captain."

That made Lewis crack a smile. He liked Embry. They really should grab a beer sometime. After this shit blew over. And maybe after Newport was finished. He heard there would be some pretty neat pubs built on that side of town.

At that moment, however, he needed to relieve some stress something to make him forget about the inspection, the unreasonable workload and the fact that he was thirty-seven, didn't have a steady girlfriend and the prospect of him finding someone was growing fainter and fainter with each passing day.

"I need a smoke," he grumbled to himself.

He grabbed the packet of cigarettes he had in his top drawer and tucked it into the breast pocket of his collared shirt. He threw on a hardhat just for good measure and hurried down the steps from his office over the factory floor. It was already mid-afternoon and getting closer and closer to five o'clock, almost quitting time.

His guys were working as hard as they could but they would never be able to finish today's quota. Not after it effectively doubled from yesterday. That thought just made him slam the door shut behind him to the little alleyway between his factory and the next one over. No one else was outside. They were all too busy working. He seriously considered joining the floor soon but he had been out of shape for a while. He sighed bitterly at his defined paunch of a belly and grunted at how it strained his shirt and showed the thick, belly hair beyond. He had a singlet but it had grown so small that it rode up his stomach and let part of his lower stomach be exposed.

Grumbling again, he pulled out a cigarette and pulled it to his lips.

Then he realised he had forgotten his lighter.

"Son of a..."

Out of nowhere, a lighter carried by a large, black, vascular paw appeared, flicking open and sparking a small flame. He turned to his right and frowned.

The kid standing beside him looked like he was fresh out of a rave and just screamed gay. The huge hyena's, muscular frame was impressive but he was only about six foot eight, small for a fur but still taller than Lewis' own five foot ten. The guy was brimming with muscles bulging out of his short, brown and tan spotted fur. His mane was a bright, fiery red and clearly dyed. It gave him a rather exotic look to his feral, yellow eyes. Only a pair of tight, black, denim shorts hugged his lower body and he went completely bare paw - not odd for furs.

"This is a restricted area, kid."

The hyena shrugged. "I go where I want."

"Don't make me call security. Get out of here."

The massive hyena didn't move. It was hard to tell age with furs unless they were sprouting grey fur Lewis guessed this guy was probably still a kid judging by his clothes alone.

"You look like you need some help with some stress relief."

Lewis eyed the guy suspiciously. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

The guy snickered, letting out that typical hyena's laugh. "There are more things a guy can smoke than just a fag." The hyena suddenly advanced, moving faster than even Lewis could see. Suddenly the hyena had one massive paw cupping his groin causing a rush of blood into the organ and to his cheeks. "Like if a fag were to smoke you for instance..."

The hyena laughed at his own joke right into Lewis' ear.

Lewis let out a nervous laugh. Knowing full well he couldn't beat this guy on size alone and the fact that, judging by the fact that he had moved so fast, the guy was probably some kind of super, Lewis tried to retreat. "Um... Thanks but I don't swing that way..."

"I don't care which way you swing. This thing won't be swinging when it's hard." He gave Lewis' cock another squeeze, making the factory manager let out a soft moan.

"I... I don't have any money to pay you..."

"That's better," snickered the hyena. "But I don't care about money. I just want your cock in my muzzle. You get off. I get me some delicious man cream. We both get what we want."

Lewis swallowed loudly. Fuck was he getting hard and the guy was pretty goddamn sexy for a fur. Hell, if he could have muscles like that...

"Any more objections?" asked the frisky fur.

"Wh - What do I call you?"

"Wanna shout my name, eh?" The hyena laughed. Lewis felt the high-pitched noise reverberate in his chest, tingling something there. Was that his heart skipping a beat? "Call me Gnoll."

"Oh... Okay... So how do you wanna..."

Wham!

Lewis let out a gasp as he was suddenly pressed right up against the wall beside the factory door. Gnoll was grinning broadly, his fangs flashing and his muzzle hovering over Lewis' nose. Those fangs looked extremely sharp.

"Just let me take care of everything," whispered the hyena.

Before he knew what was happening, his pants were falling to the ground, his belt sliced clean by a sharp claw. Lewis gasped as the warm air of the California sun brushed against his bare, hairy legs. Gnoll ducked out of view, licking his muzzle. Lewis had a constant fear of having his dick bitten off by those fangs and quaked in fear. When a wet nose pressed up against his crotch, he couldn't help but let out a very loud moan. The cigarette in his mouth dropped out from his lips.

He tried to mumble his change of mind but Gnoll pulled at the rim of his briefs. Gnoll let out another laugh and Lewis blushed deeply.

"You gonna fuckin' suck me off or what?"

"Sorry," Gnoll snickered. "Force of habit."

Then Lewis felt a long, slippery tongue run up the underside of his cock, making him shiver and moan. Gnoll went to work, his long, flat, flexible tongue slathering Lewis' modest, five inch member with his saliva. Ripples of pleasure rolled down the factory manager's cock, hitting his balls before shooting up his spine. Gnoll slipped his licks a little lower, pressing his lips gently against Lewis' left nut while taking hold of the human's cock with his paw.

Lewis let out a giggle that quickly erupted into a short burst of laughter. "Fuck! That tickles!"

"Does it now?" Gnoll said playfully. He kissed the other testicle, making Lewis snicker and kick involuntarily. Thankfully, the hyena pulled away from mild torment and pressed those gorgeous lips against the tip of Lewis cock. The slight touch made him moan and a small drop of precum slipped into the hyena's muzzle. Gnoll licked his lips. "Hmmm... tasty..."

Lewis could only pant, breathing heavily as all the blood rushed to his cheeks and his cock.

Gnoll exhaled on his member. The warm, moist breath made Lewis' cock twitch in anticipation. Fuck did he want to face fuck that that gorgeous muzzle! Still, he was a little apprehensive of those fangs. He heard hyenas had one _hell_of a bite. Part of him was grateful that his huge belly prevented him from seeing the sight of the hyena's muzzle opening and slowly closing in around his cock...

"Wait!"

Gnoll pulled back, his lips just inches away from making beautiful, salty contact with that throbbing member. "What?" he asked, a little irritated.

"I'm still on the clock," Lewis said, panicking softly. "Um... The boys will be wondering where I am... Why... Why don't you come back later? We'll... We'll continue this later?"

He expected some pushback, some resistance. However, Gnoll just shrugged and stood up. He was even nice enough to pull up Lewis' briefs and his pants over the still very erect member.

"Alright. Later then, hot stuff."

With that, the hyena turned and sauntered away, his tail wagging confidently.

Lewis watched him go and when the hyena was gone around the corner, he bolted straight into the factory floor, nearly knocking down Embry as he shot up to his office, slammed the door shut and locked it. He closed the blinds that showed the factory floor, panting heavily.

So close...

... So close to getting his cock bitten off...

But he was still so hard!

He needed to take care of this before he stepped out for the night or before anyone came up to check on him. Embry had a key to the office and it would probably take him a couple of minutes to get up the stairs. That was enough to get off. Lewis was never really known for his endurance.

He dove into his seat, pulled down his pants and -

"Need some help there?"

He let out a startled cry and turned towards his window. Gnoll crouched on the windowsill, grinning broadly. The window was three storeys up!

"How -!? What -!?"

Gnoll laughed and Lewis found his questions being drowned out by that _heavenly_sound. "Is this late enough for you?"

"I -"

Gnoll leapt into the office, his heavy feet thudding against the metal floor. Lewis gulped loudly as he watched those massive calves shake from the impact. The hyena moved towards Lewis, casting a shadow over him. "Now, where were we?"

Before Lewis could protest, the hyena bent down and instantly wrapped his muzzle tightly around Lewis' throbbing cock. The factory manager gasped but then quickly turned it into a moan. Somehow, Gnoll had wrapped his lips over his fangs, preventing any painful grazing. Slowly, the hyena began to push forward with the contact until his wet nose was buried right into Lewis' thick, dark brown pubic hairs. Gnoll took in a deep breath of Lewis' musk and in the process, sucked on the throbbing member in his muzzle.

Lewis groaned, his toes curling in pleasure. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. Sure he had a few pussies in high school but this... this was nothing compared to that! It was like every inch of flesh on his cock was being massaged and stimulated by a thousand tiny hands! Whenever Gnoll's long, delicate tongue brushed against his cock, those hands went into overdrive and Lewis couldn't help but buck his hips.

Gnoll began bobbing his head back and forth. It brought Lewis some shame that the lengths were not overly long but every time the hyena changed direction, it brought a fresh wave of immeasurable pleasure rushing through his body like liquid fire through every muscle, every inch of skin and even across his fur!

Knock-knock.

"You okay in there, boss?"

Lewis' eyes widened. "Shit!" he hissed. He glanced down at Gnoll who just winked at him. The huge hyena somehow managed to shuffle himself under Lewis' desk, pulling Lewis' rolling chair over. Thankfully, the hyena also released Lewis' cock from his delectable muzzle though kept a paw over it, keeping it warm and pumped with blood.

"C - Come in," Lewis croaked. "It's open."

The door jostled.

"Erm boss... It's locked."

"Oh yeah... Uh, you got the keys, right?"

"Yeah, hang on a sec..." The doorknob twisted and Embry poked his head in. "Boss, you doing okay?"

Lewis turned towards his computer trying to look busy. "Um... Y - Yeah. Never better, bud, never better."

"You sure, you looked pretty -"

Lewis suddenly burst out laughing. He tried to keep his eyes on Embry even as Gnoll began to suckle his nuts again.

"Sorry, just something funny on the net," he said, trying to keep his laughter in.

"Really?" Embry said, grinning. "What?" He began to move over.

"I'll show ya later," he answered, stammering. "Hey bud, tell the guys they can take the rest of the night off."

That made his floor manager stop. "Really? It's only four. A few of the guys want to stay too. They don't want your ass on the line. They know the workload and the quota..."

"I appreciate it re-hehehe-ally." Gnoll began drawing long, sloppy licks from the base of Lewis' balls and running it all the way to the tip of his cock. "Just let 'em go. They've all been working really hard. I'll take the heat."

"If you're sure, boss..."

"I a-hahahaha-am!"

Embry, probably glad to see his boss smiling again, just turned and shut the door behind him.

Lewis, suddenly filled with fury, turned to Gnoll... only to freeze.

Gnoll grinned at him. In his paws was not the pink, cock that had belonged to Lewis Sanchez. No, what rested in his huge paw was an enormous foot long monster black as the night, tapered at the tip and popping veins all over its considerable length.

"You like it?" Gnoll asked.

Suddenly, Lewis couldn't help but laugh... He didn't know why he was laughing but he just found the sight of his cock - it was his cock - so goddamn funny! He threw his head back, tears coming out of the corners of his eyes as he laughed and laughed and laughed so hard that his sides began to hurt. He managed to turn back to Gnoll, still laughing hard with fear in his eyes but his face twisted into a maniacal grin.

Gnoll went right back to work, worshiping the monster cock in front of him and lathering it with kisses, running his long, tongue all over it. All the while, his paws rolled the huge tennis-ball sized balls in his paws. Lewis' bursts of laughter were interrupted with the occasional grunt as his cock began spurting splotches of clear, white fluid all over the hyena's waiting muzzle.

A strange sensation began flooding all over his body. His eyes widened when the rolls of fat that blocked his view of where his monster of a cock met his crotch began to bubble and gurgle away. This slabs of strong muscle began pushing themselves out of his flabby flesh. These hard, square slabs formed six perfect rows over his belly. The more and more they became defined, the more fat they consumed. His stomach melted away, giving way to these delectable, solid abdominal muscles that look so hard and cut that they could have sliced steel between them! His pear shaped body reversed itself, his hips compressing while his upper body got all the mass not as fat but as solid, hard muscle.

All the while, he couldn't stop laughing! Lewis was forced to double over, setting his head on the table as the sensation crept further and further up his body and flooded his chest. His laughter grew longer and longer as his lungs expanded, ribs widening to fill out his enormous, muscular chest. Huge pecs actually began pushing him back away from his desk and he moaned softly when his hard, erect nipples pressed up against his shirt.

Rrrrip!

His collared shirt fell away, revealing the dense chest hair that he had always tried to keep so furiously hidden. He began pounding his table, the laughter uncontrollable. The tears in his eyes were starting to burn and he had to shut his eyes as he just kept laughing. The strength in his arms grew and grew with every burst. He could feel his shoulders broadening, tearing through the sleeves of his shirt. Before the pieces of fabric could fall off him completely, his biceps burst through them, the thick vein that ran down its length pumping blood across his arm like a second heart that he could actually feel. He was forced to pull back further and further from his desk as his entire upper body began to lengthen, his hand stretching further and further away from his body and the ground dropping away as his spine stretched.

Lewis threw his head back in a thunderous laugh. For a second, he paused as that laugh sounded far too deep for him. He clutched his throat with his engorged, massive hands. He could feel his Adam's Apple pushing his fingers apart, his neck widening! In that moment, he opened his eyes... and saw himself in the reflection of his table.

He was a fucking stud.

At least from the waist up.

"Fuckin' yeah!" he laughed, throwing his arms up and flexing them. He had muscles that he could actually see! Hell, he couldn't just see them, they were bursting from his arms! "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" he cheered.

He looked down at his legs, at Gnoll who had the tip of his cock in his muzzle. The hyena winked and Lewis grinned back. The blood pumping into his cock engorged the member further, stretching it to a colossal fifteen inches of pure, black cock! His balls bounced against the seat, feeling so heavy and filled with cum!

"Oh! Oh! Ooooh!" he laughed, grinning wildly as his flabby legs began to shift and shudder. Muscular thighs absorbed all his fat, pumping his limbs full of meat that he was forced to pull his legs apart lest he crush the smaller hyena between them. He drooled and giggled as his calves lengthened and ballooned. The coup de grace was when his huge feet burst out of his work shoes! No normal human shoe size would be able to fit him!

Not that he would remain human for very much longer.

CRASH!

His chair suddenly gave way beneath him. He felt no pain, strangely, just a mild tickling that made him giggle. Gnoll, grinning wildly gave Lewis' cock a big, mighty squeeze. Lewis let out a loud 'Fuck yeah!' and let the bubbling volcano that was his cock erupt. His hot seed splattered all over his hairy chest, matting with the thick, dark brown hair there. Strangely, instead of being filled with the overwhelming weariness of afterglow, Lewis just felt even more energetic and he just found that so funny!

He sat up and in doing so, spied his chest hair thickening until it became a full jet-black carpet of hair. He pointed at it, looking at Gnoll in disbelief and letting out more laughter. His eyes widened in glee as more hair began spreading out from his thick fuzz that connected all the way down to his crotch, forming a definitive treasure trail. This hair was shorter but just as thick. It was also a more tan colour. He realised it was fur. Hyena fur.

"Awesome!" he cried. He grinned as he watched the fur spread all over his huge, muscular body, covering his soft, pink flesh in its silky embrace. Despite the fur, his muscles stood out perfectly. He watched as the fur began sprouting dark spots across the back of his arms that took over his forearms before merging into a thick, chocolate-brown over his hands and feet. Black claws shot out of the tips of his fingers, leathery pads taking shape on his palms and the soles of his feet. He let out a very hyena-like yelp as his tail jutted out of his rear.

He looked down at Gnoll who just grinned back. The change had only one place left to go. Lewis closed his eyes, taking a break from his laughter. His jaw jutted out, shooting forward and taking the shape of a strong, manly, square muzzle. He could still feel his jawline beard, thick and adding to his... character. His nose pressed against his new muzzle, new scents colliding with him and telling him so much of the world around him. He began panting, letting out much more animalistic laughs as his skull reshaped itself into the perfect hyena shape, his ears becoming broad, circular and migrating to the top of his head. His already chocolate brown hair spread all the way down his back in a luscious mane.

He opened his eyes, now shining with a feral yellow.

Gnoll grinned back, gripping his cock. The huge member, never once letting up its spray of cum, shot out another sizable burst. "You like?"

Lewis just grinned back. "Fuck yeah!"

Down on the factory floor, the other workers smiled to each other. It was good to hear their boss laughing again. He must've laughed himself hoarse over something because he started to sound a little funny near the end.

Embry, personally, let out a sigh of relief. He had been worried that with Lewis' health and all the stress he was under, he would have to attend a funeral sometime soon. They say laughter is the best medicine and from what it sounded like, it certainly was.

He turned to the other workers.

"Looks like the boss is in a good mood. You guys get the rest of the night off."

There was a loud cheer from the factory floor.

******

If ever there was a stupider idea in the world, Lars hadn't heard it. It was seven in the evening, just about the time the Hale family was having dinner. It was always at seven. Mrs. Hale wouldn't start it a minute later or sooner. It was her 'superpower' to keep the whole family of ravenous wolves from pouncing at the meal before it was time.

Through the front window, he could see their silhouettes as they sat around the table, tearing through whatever scrumptious meat-based meal Lillian Hale had made. It was a tradition that after Vegetarian Wednesdays, an all-meat dish was served. Mrs. Hale made that promise after everyone in the household had gotten gassy and needed to use the toilet continuously the following one vegetarian night.

He looked down at the box of chocolates in his paws and the bouquet of flowers he held. A heavy sigh escaped him. He looked so ridiculous wearing some casual cargo pants, a white shirt and his letterman jacket while carrying these two items. It was like he was back in the nineteen sixties or something if his history was right. Or was it the seventies...?

"This is stupid..." he muttered softly.

Still, it was for Caleb... for Caleb...

He rang the doorbell. Part of him expected 'Waiting for You' to play.

A moment later, the door opened and Mrs. Hale answered. She looked surprised and carefully appraised him. "Lars... What can I do for you?"

"Good evening, Mrs. Hale," he began, using the rehearsed speech he had been given by Mary. "Can... Can I talk to you, Caleb and Caleb's Dad for a second?"

"Sure... Sure. Did you want to come in?"

"Who is it dear?" David Hale shouted from the dining room. From the sounds of things, he had something in his muzzle.

"Lars, honey. Caleb's teammate. Can you can Caleb come over? He wants to talk." She looked suspiciously at the items Lars was holding. When Caleb poked his head around the corner, a pork chop still in his muzzle, his fur stood on end and he bolted straight into the lounge room. His father came next and had a strange, knowing smile on his muzzle as he followed his son.

Lars, trying to hide his nervousness and glad he had a stub for a tail so that it wouldn't slip between his legs, allowed Mrs. Hale to lead them into the lounge room. He sat down on the big couch beside Caleb who was inching as far away from him as possible. Mrs. Hale sat on a similarly designed seat while David Hale sat in a big, leather recliner seat.

"What's this about, Lars?" asked David Hale, looking smug.

"First of all," Lars said, standing again and suddenly feeling very stupid for sitting down in the first place. "These are for you." He handed David the flowers.

"Oooh!" Caleb's father exclaimed. "I was hoping they were! These would look _great_in my studio! Don't you think, dear?"

Mrs. Hale rolled her eyes. "Yes honey, they would."

Lars then handed the chocolates to Mrs. Hale. "And for you, ma'am."

"Thank you Lars," came the curt reply. "Now... If you wouldn't mind explaining..."

"Right. Right." He coughed softly and sat down back next to Caleb, making sure the wolf was within arm's reach. "I... I don't know if you've noticed but Caleb has been a little... distracted lately."

"His game has gone down a bit," admitted David.

"He could spend more time on his schoolwork," added Mrs. Hale. "Those late nights cramming for tests on his computer aren't healthy."

Caleb remained stiff and unmoving.

"Yeah well... I came here to tell you that... That he's acting strangely because of me."

Caleb whirled around to Lars, eyes wide in horror. "What the _hell_are you doing?" he growled.

"You?" David asked. "What's going on, Lars?" Strangely, it looked like he was fighting a smile.

Lars swallowed hard. He was sure it made him look nervous. "Well... You see, I've known Caleb for over a year now. Way before he shot up and put on the muscle. We were lab partners in middle school and we just sort of hit it off. For the past year, you've invited me over for Thanksgiving, had me over for Christmas when my parents were out of town and just recently, you let me into your home to celebrate your son's birthday."

"Where you and Benjamin confessed your love for one another," Mrs. Hale replied, frowning.

"Right... Um... See... That's not the whole truth."

Caleb seized his paw in fear. That was good. Mary said he would.

"See... I know what Mary told you all," continued Lars. "But, the fact is, both Ben and I are gay but we weren't after each other. We... we were there for Caleb."

Caleb slapped his forehead.

"You both...?" began Mrs. Hale.

"Yeah," Lars said, ducking his head and folding his ears back. "We _really_like him and... and I wanted to tell you that since then, Caleb had made a choice... and he picked me."

"Oh fuck me..." Caleb muttered.

"Caleb!" Mrs. Hale snapped. "Language." She nodded towards Lars. "Go on."

Swallowing hard, Lars said, "We've been seeing each other behind your back. Nothing serious! Yet. Just... you know. Hanging out a lot. Little bit of kissing."

"Lars!" Caleb howled.

"Let him finish, son," David Hale said, leaning forward. "So you're saying that for the past week or so, Caleb has been hiding this secret from us because...?"

"He was afraid of how you'd react to him being gay and dating a teammate."

David Hale looked at his son with a smile. "Oh Caleb, you must know we don't care, right? We'll love you no matter what. In fact, this is how much we don't care." He turned to his wife. "You owe me a blowjob."

Mrs. Hale's fur fluffed out and she practically leapt out of her chair. "David! Not in front of Caleb!"

"Oh come on! They're going to do that eventually!"

"Dad!" Caleb cried.

David winked at his son. "If you want tips, ask your mother. She does this neat thing with her tongue that -"

Whump!

A pillow slammed right into David's face and Mrs. Hale moved to keep it over him, almost smothering him. Lars watched the whole scene with fascination.

"Caleb, let's be frank," Mrs. Hale said. "Your father and I have suspected you went that way for a long time. You and Mary have been hanging around each other since you were a pup and quite frankly, dear, I would turn for her."

"Mom!"

"Dear, she's a supermodel. If you haven't developed interest in her now, you never will have any interest in girls."

David waved a paw in the air and Mrs. Hale pulled the pillow off him. He gasped a couple of times before saying, "Plus, I've seen all those fitness magazines in your room, son. They're all earmarked towards the big buff guys. Not even on workout sections. Just pictures. Oh! Oh! I'm pretty sure those pictures of you, Lance and Leon also triggered something!"

"Daaaaaad!"

Lars had to keep himself for laughing. He gripped Caleb's paw as if he were the boyfriend trying to calm his significant other as he came out to his parents. In truth, he just liked to touch Caleb.

"Son," David continued, "we just want you to be happy. I hurts us that you tried to hide this from us but I'm glad you came out to us nevertheless. I'm also glad you found someone as honourable, strong and caring as Lars. The fact that he came here to ease your burden speaks a lot about his character."

Suddenly, Lars was starting to feel sick. The initial intention was to ease Caleb's burden but the plan could've worked with Ben too. Lars volunteered because, he wanted to get closer to Caleb. If they strode around school being fake boyfriends... well, who was to say they couldn't be real boyfriends, right?

"I -" Caleb began. Lars squeezed his paw and the wolf let out a soft sigh. He ducked his head. "I'm sorry guys... I... I guess I've been thinking this was a twenty-first century family where you'd kick me out for being gay."

Mrs. Hale moved forward and hugged her son. "Never, dear. Never." She then extended her other arm and brought Lars close, pushing the Doberman against Caleb. "Thank you, Lars. Know that you're always welcome in this family."

Lars grinned. "Thank you, ma'am."

Lillian Hale then straightened, straightened her dress and sighed. "All of you others can come out now. I can hear you chewing."

Caleb's fur fluffed out as the other members of the Hale family emerged from the hallway. Strangely, Lance was looking rather happy. Mary knew that he would. Now would come the choice for Caleb - whether or not he chose Lance or a fake relationship with Lars. Either way, now he had a suitable cover and alibi. That was one less secret to deal with - his sexuality. The choice still remained but at least it was one step in the right direction.

He did look a little calmer, if still frazzled from the forced 'outing'.

As Lars watched the Hales stand and start talking, Lance and Leon calling Caleb 'their little fag' and Abby saying she had always suspected considering how much grooming advice he gave, he began to wonder. If he came out to his parents, would it be the same? Would they be accepting of him or would they disown him? Or would they just shrug, say 'meh' and tell him his life was his own. Strangely, the last scenario seemed the most heartbreaking.

It was also very evident that Caleb was very much gay. He wasn't acting. He just looked so much more relaxed, at ease and accepting. Mary had been right, he was just in denial.

All in all, Lars felt he had done a good thing tonight.

*****

Lars had assigned his patrol to someone else so he could spend the night with Caleb. David Hale had given them both condoms - three, one for each and one extra - and then shooed them off to bed. Caleb shut his door and turned towards his best friend with a broad grin.

"You asshole."

The Doberman shrugged. "Hey. At least now you're out to everyone and you don't have to worry about that little nagging feeling in your head, right?"

Caleb couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah... Yeah..." He lifted an eyebrow at Lars. "Mary thought this up, didn't she?"

"Totally."

"I knew it." He shook his head, placing a paw on his forehead and sighing. "God... I can't believe... just how much better I feel. Fuck... I didn't know it was affecting my life so much! And now that it's out there... I can think a little clearer now."

"So are you going to sleep with your brother?" Lars asked.

"Lance said that it'd be suspicious if we were caught tonight and besides, Leon is back after he got kicked out of his girlfriend's place. Apparently, when her parents found out they had unprotected sex, they threw a fit just like mine. Abby is also back here since he trip was cancelled. It's not safe tonight. His offer still stands though but, thanks to you guys, I think I've got some time to think things through."

Lars smiled. "I'm glad. Anything to get our star receiver back up for the game!"

Caleb's smile wavered a little. "Hey man, be honest with me... Was there any truth to this whole thing? Do you... Do you have feelings for me?"

Lars blinked a couple of times. For a second, Caleb's heart did somersaults and then came crashing down to the earth in a fiery explosion. He feared Lars' confession and more complexity to his already confusing life. Adding Lars into the picture... having to choose between his best friend and his brother? What if they wanted a threesome!?

"What the fuck man!?" Lars exclaimed. "Dude, I came onto you once to get back at Ben! You're hot but it'd be like sleeping with my brother!"

Caleb scowled. "Low blow."

The Doberman grinned and caught him in a headlock. "Eh, just messing with ya!" Caleb laughed and shoved him away. "Anyway, I should get back. I'll fly out the window so I don't wake anyone."

Caleb shook his head and wiggled his ears. "Wolves, remember? We got pretty good hearing. Plus, everyone isn't asleep yet. Stay a little. I've still got Lance's sleeping bag. Actually..." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "If you're not here in the morning, everyone will be suspicious. You better spend the night."

"Is that an invitation to your bed?" Lars asked, waggling his eyebrows.

Rolling his eyes, Caleb shoved Lars onto his bed. "Fine you can have my bed. I'll take the sleeping bag. I guess I owe you for tonight."

There was a pause.

When he regarded Lars, the Doberman just grinned. "Anytime bud, anytime."

******

Embry was always the first one in the factory on Fridays. It was a habit of his built from a desire to get out of work early on the last day of the week. TGIF was never more prominent for anyone but him. Not that he really did anything on Fridays; he just liked to start his weekend early. He heard the high school football season had started as well. West California High was pretty enthusiastic about their football team this year and was starting up the ranking games pretty early.

Good for them.

He remembered that there was a game today. Maybe he'd attend though he really didn't like the game that much.

He stepped into the factory floor, feeling the usual cool air from the broad, open area. While it was the middle of summer outside, the factory was always cool in comparison. At least until the guys started crafting all the slabs of metal into something useful. Then the floor got really hot and doors had to be opened to let some cool air in not to mention allow for proper ventilation.

There was a lot of paperwork to be done this morning. Lewis hadn't sent that email to all the workers about the upcoming inspection. He decided to post a notification on the billboard in the lunchroom today and then gently remind his boss. They had all been under some heavy stress lately.

Crash.

He looked up at the boss' office that hung above the factory floor on the far side of the building. A thin set of stairs led up to the office. The lights were on.

The boss was in before him?

That was new.

Embry sighed softly. It was bad news that Lewis was in early. He braced himself for whatever news was coming and went first to the lunch room. There, he brewed two cups of coffee. Lewis hated coffee. But that didn't stop Embry from offering it to him every day since they started working together. Sure the coffee sat on the table cold at the end of every night but he was sure Lewis appreciated the gesture.

Crash! Bang! Wham!

That definitely wasn't a good sign. It sounded like Lewis probably got another set of bad news. He wasn't a violent gut and the fact that he was throwing things around probably meant something bad had happened.

Once again, he braced himself for what was probably going to be a day filled with bad news. He strode up those steps to the office. Lewis was panting heavily and something else broke. Poor guy. Who knows how long he's been in there.

Embry knocked and twisted the doorknob deftly even with a mug in his hand. "Hey boss, I brought you -" He balked when the thick aroma of sex, cum and wet fur slammed into him like a brick wall. He was physically forced to step back as the scent was just so strong.

In the office itself, filing cabinets, desks and papers were all strewn about. Claw marks cut through various walls and thick, splotches of white fluid that was unmistakably cum was splattered everywhere. In some places, it had hardened into a solid layer. In the only other window to the outside, a muscular hyena stood on the edge, holding a folder in one paw and balancing himself against the window frame.

He cast bright, yellow eyes back at Embry and smirked.

"We've got company," announced the hyena. It was then that Embry noticed he was naked and his ass was dripping with cum, matting the fur there. "Take care of him, would you?"

The head of another hyena poked out from behind Lewis' upturned table. The guy was huge. Clearly much bigger than any normal fur and brimming with enormous muscles. The guy let out one of those loud, hyena laughs and turned bright, feral, yellow eyes straight at Embry.

The floor manager froze as the massive monster rose up to its full height of nine feet. The creature seized just walked right through the overturned table, pushing aside with his huge legs. Embry's eyes darted to the other hyena who was at the windowsill. But the guy was gone! That was impossible! The office window was at least three storeys high!

"You're always an early bird, aintcha, Embry?"

He froze and spun back towards the approaching monster. The hyena had this thick jawline beard that reminded him of... of...

"B - Boss!?"

Lewis grinned and flexed his enormous biceps. He couldn't straighten fully because of his slightly hunched stance but if he had, he would've burst right through the office ceiling! Thick, meaty arms bulged, veins popping all over their length. The thick, dark brown chest fur that ran all the way down his chest, trickled over his abs and led to his crotch did nothing to hide the sharply defined shapes his muscles made. "Whatcha think, bud? Awesome, yeah? Betcha want some of this meat too, eh?" He let out another laugh, making Embry stagger back.

"Awww, I'm scaring you." Lewis found that funny, letting out another laugh that just shook Embry to his core. "Come 'ere, bud. Let me make it all better." For emphasis, he squeezed the huge, fifteen inch, black member that sprouting out of his thick crotch fur. It drooled shots of cum that covered half the distance between the two. Embry couldn't believe the guy just key cumming like that!

"Boss... this isn't you... You... I don't know what that kid did to you but... but you gotta snap out of it! We've got to get you help!"

Lewis advanced. Embry had to dodge aside as the cum came shooting at him. "You're right, bud. This ain't me. It's a better me. I feel fuckin' awesome!" He let out another high-pitched laugh. "And you can too! Fuck man, how can you not want this!?" Suddenly, Lewis was right in front of Embry. How the huge mountain of muscle could move so fast was beyond him. "You want this, dontcha bud?"

Embry shook his head and in doing so, caught sight of the steaming hot mugs of coffee he was holding. Desperate, he threw them straight at Lewis' face. The huge hyena yowled in pain and clutched his face as scalding fluids dripped down his muzzle and face. Embry spun, breaking into a run straight back down the stairs and heading for the rear door.

He reached for the doorknob -

WHAM!

And Lewis was suddenly there, grinning and laughing. "That was nasty, bud. You know I fuckin' hate coffee!"

Shit he was fast. Embry turned around and -

Whoosh!

Suddenly Lewis was standing in front of him, that thick, throbbing cock pressed right up against Embry's collar bone, squiring thick ropes of cum right into his chin.

"Come on, Embry. You'll love it!"

"Fuck you!" Embry shouted and did the only think he could. He brought his leg up, colliding his heavy work boot with Lewis' bulging, coconut-sized balls. The hyena let out a loud yelp and backed off, growling as he clutched his injured crotch.

Panicked, Embry spun and did the stupidest thing he had ever done - when seen in retrospect. He ran further into the factory. He dove between the heavy machinery, pressing himself up against the huge, metal monoliths.

"Hehehe," Lewis chuckled. That chuckling grew into hearty guffaws and then into full-blown, maniacal laughter. Embry could just imagine the hyena throwing his head back. "Fuck you," Lewis snickered. "Yeah, bud! You can fuck me all you want! That's what you wanna do to me, isn't it? Fuck me from dawn to dusk!"

Embry resisted snorting in disgust. Whatever that monster was, it wasn't the Lewis Sanchez he knew. It was some sex-crazed monster. He glanced back up at the office. If he could just get back up to the office, he could shut himself in, find a phone and call the authorities. Hell, he'd call the Elemental Alliance!

"I can smell you wanting me, Embry."

He glanced around the corner of the machine. The hyena was gone.

Fuck, where did he go...?

"Did you hear about the hyena that drank a pint of gravy, bud?"

He froze. The voice was so close. He spun around. No one there. Then he looked straight up. His eyes widened as Lewis dug his massive claws into the frame of the machine, digging right through them and somehow supporting his entire weight.

"He was a laughing stock!" Lewis exclaimed, bursting into a new wave of laughter.

Okay, that was pretty funny.

Embry managed a nervous giggle before he turned and bolted. All the way, Lewis' laughter haunted him. He made for the stairs when he saw the rear doors. The moment of hesitation was what cost him his escape.

BOOM!

A huge segment of one of the machines slammed hard into the rear door of the factory, effectively blocking.

"I'm a fucking goddamn super, bud!" Lewis laughed a short distance away. He was flexing this bulging muscles of his again, those delicious, perfectly round, vascular muscles. "You can't believe how fucking good this feels!"

Embry turned towards the stairs -

WHAM!

Only to be thrown clear off his feet and slammed hard into the ground. Stars flashed in front of his eyes penetrated only by two, bright, yellow suns. It didn't take long for him to realise those 'suns' were Lewis' bright, feral, yellow eyes. He tried to break free, trying to push the hyena's muzzle away but his arms barely reached the massive fur's biceps. As his vision cleared, he saw Lewis staring him down with a wide, almost playful grin.

"Just accept it, Embry," Lewis giggled. "Fuck bud, you're fucking horny just like me!"

Embry looked down in horror when he felt his rock-hard cock press up against his pants. How was he getting turned on by this!?

Suddenly, Lewis burst into another display of riotous laughter, his fangs gleaming. Embry choked... and then out came his own burst of laughter. Horror flashed across his eyes as he clamped his hands over his lips. He spluttered he just could not keep himself from laughing. His laughter burst between his fingers as his entire body quaked from the movements. He was forced to throw his head back, the grin on his face feeling so unnatural yet so good.

"What is - hahaha - happening to me - hehehehee!?"

"It's fucking awesome, ain't it, bud!?" laughed Lewis' his eyes wide.

The weird thing was... it really did! Embry never felt so... _free_before. He arched his back as his laughter took control of his entire body. His form shook violently as every 'ha' and 'he' reverberated through every bone, muscle and nerve in his body. Some part of him continued to struggle, finding the odd mix of near-hysteria, arousing euphoria and intoxicating power. His hands clambered up Lewis' enormous biceps in a feeble attempt to break free again. Black claws burst from the tips of his fingers just as his hand bulged, becoming thick, meaty and with veins just popping up across the back of his hand. Thick, brown fur spread out from where the claws emerged, spreading all the way down his arm as his wry arms became thick, meaty and surged outwards until they were fully capable of wrapping around Lewis' broad neck.

Embry's back arched as a fresh wave of laughter surged out of him. His chest burst through his shirt, filled with muscles he had never possessed before. His strong, steel-corded pecs bounced happily with every giggle and snicker. His nipples became jet-black, erect with arousal as light brown fur spread all the way down his chest. The growth of fur tickled his abdominals, making him giggle uncontrollably as his stomach became a hard set of flat squares to make any washboard cringe. His laughter grew deeper and louder. His jaw burst outwards and he stared at Lewis, the laughter filling him with an overwhelming sense of power.

His lips surged forward away from his skull. His tongue chased after them. For a moment, he was reduced to just a few snickers and mumbling as his face took on a new more canine shape. A stout, square muzzle came into being, covered in chocolate brown fur with his jet-black nose sitting at the edge. His fangs felt so natural in his new muzzle and as his ears became rounded and moved to the top of his head, his senses expanded. He became fully aware of the scent of arousal coming in from Lewis, the taste of his boss' cum as it splattered all over his lips and dripped onto his tongue and the sounds of the other workers slowly making their way to the factory from outside.

He stared cross eyed at his nose... and wiggled it a little.

Lewis pointed at it and erupted into another burst of laughter. Embry couldn't help but join it, slamming his massive paw into the ground and kicking wildly in his hilarity. His legs lengthened and grew, stretching beyond Lewis but growing strong and muscular, their hard packed frame of muscle pushing past his short fur with veins throbbing. His cock burst free of their confines, long, thick and black, spurting long ropes of cum onto his chiselled chest. Its pointed tip brushed against Lewis', the two monstrous rods drooling in excitement like two old friends come to meet each other.

Embry's laughter was suddenly interrupted when another muzzle wrapped around his own. For a second, his bright, yellow eyes widened as Lewis went diving for his tonsils with that hot, flat tongue of his. Embry melted into the kiss, fighting back his giggles as he wrapped a paw around Lewis' neck and pulled them closer together.

Creeak...

The warehouse doors opened.

The two of them broke their passionate kiss and turned towards the group of their co-workers that had just stopped about ten metres into the factory after spotting the two, massive, very naked, very horny hyenas.

Embry exchanged glances with his boss.

And then they began to laugh.

Not an hour later, the Iron Arms Steel Factory was filled with deafening laughter. Not long before there were screams of shock and horror but now, it was all just laughter. Other workers coming into the factory angled their heads to the side in confusion when they saw the big 'closed' sign at the front gates. Most went home but some went into the factory.

And they too, joined in the laughter.

One way or another, they joined in.

******

Dawn came and it was Friday.

That meant that the first test game was upon them. Caleb rolled over to his side, wondering why his bed was so hard. Then, he remembered he was sleeping on the floor because Lars occupied his bed. The big Doberman was slumbering on the edge of the bed, muzzle half open, tongue hanging out and with a trail of drool making a waterfall right down to the floor. One arm hung over the edge as well.

Caleb couldn't believe just what Lars had done for him last night. He felt terrible for lying to his parents but it gave him time to think things over with the Lance situation. Lance would not try to make a move on him this night. It was game night and if they won, there was no doubt in his mind that a reasonable excuse would be for Lars to spend the night. That would bar any questions and bar any intrusions. At best, he had until tomorrow and by then, he would have been confident in his answer.

And all thanks to Lars' bravery. Really, there was nothing he could do to repay his friend.

Brrrring! Brrrring!

Not even give the guy five minutes longer to sleep.

Caleb shot to his feet trying to make for his alarm clock. Sadly, he was still half-asleep. His paws missed and he instead hit his lamp. The lamp tumbled off his bedside table, hitting the ground with a loud whump! He bent over to pick it up only for the clock to make its second round of alarms, startling him. His tail fluffed out, pressing up against a waking Lars' nose. The Doberman sneezed loudly right into Caleb's tail. The wolf yelped and leapt forward. His foot landed on the lamp and he slipped.

WHAM!

Blissful darkness came -

Brrrring! Brrrring!

With a growl, Caleb shot to his feet and hovered over the vibrating alarm clock. He gripped the clock and yanked it free out of its socket, silencing it once and for all.

"Die you fucking bastard!" he shouted. "Die!"

He threw it to the ground like he would a football. Strangely, it didn't shatter.

"That's one resilient and loud alarm clock," Lars murmured sleepily.

"It's actually one of the first things I transformed when I got my powers," he muttered. "Mom used to get me a clock every week because I kept finding creative ways of destroying them. When I tried to smash this thing, my powers activated and it became near indestructible. Also, if it hits its fifth set of rings, it lets out a high-powered EMP blast that will knock out all power for this block."

Lars frowned. "So that was the blackout that hit your place a few months ago?"

"Yup."

"And Bren lets you keep it?"

"Apart from knocking out all power for a few people, it's harmless." He smiled at Lars and held out his paw. "Come on, we gotta get ready and head to school. Coach wants us in early, remember?"

Lars nodded and took his paw, wiping his jaw of drool with the other. As he stood up, Caleb suddenly pulled him into a tight embrace and began to shamelessly rub himself up and down the Doberman. Their cocks and balls were very much touching even if it was through their clothes.

"Uh... Cale... what're you doing?"

Caleb pulled away and lifted his arm. "Technically, we slept in the same bed last night so you should have some of my scent on you. Come on, sniff." He pointed at his armpit.

Lars scowled at him. "You're doing this on purpose."

"Duh. You're the one that went with the lie so go through with it. Unless you'd rather I tell my parents I'm actually dating Ben."

The Doberman scowled and pushed his muzzle against Caleb's armpit, taking a long whiff. For a second, Lars didn't move. Then he pulled back and covered his muzzle. "Fuck dude, you're rank."

"Good. My turn. Lift your arm."

Lars hesitated and turned away with a blush on his cheeks. Caleb leaned in to his best friend's armpit and took a whiff. Again there was then scent of delicately spiced and well-cooked beef but also mixed with the undeniable odour of a guy that had just woken up and sweated a lot. He pulled back and coughed.

"Okay... I'm good."

"Shouldn't... we uh... Rub our armpits all over one another for a bit?"

"We're good," Caleb muttered, staggering towards the door. "Come on, mom probably has made breakfast already. We've got a game and she promised it'd be meaty."

They bounded down the stairs - being reminded about their claws again at the stairwell - and went into the dining room where Lillian Hale had made them oat pancakes, a platter of organic sausages, lots of bacon and some homemade beef patties. Eggs were in abundance as well as two bottles of milk for the table.

"Good morning, dear," she said.

Caleb quickly seized Lars' paw. "Hey mom. Smells good." He guided Lars towards the table, letting go immediately when they sat down as he picked up his spoon and fork.

Lillian Hale poured Lars some milk. "Good for the game today, Lars?" She was not very subtle when she sniffed the air around the Doberman. The milk excuse was pretty clever though.

"You bet, Mrs. Hale!" Lars answered. "Will you guys be coming?"

"Of course! Seeing my son and his boyfriend tear the other team to bits sounds very exciting." She clearly had no idea what their positions were on the team. Or what football was...

They ate breakfast in silence. Lance and Leon made their way just as the two were finishing up. Ashley came down after she had showered, smelling like a pharmacy; a cacophony of sweet smells that it was almost sickening.

Caleb showered by himself as Lars had to bolt off to his own home, making the excuse that his 'parents would kill him'. It made him smile that he sort of wished he could have showered with Lars. It would've made up for his prominent homophobia the other day. Once he was ready for school, he caught a ride with Mary who had the smug expression on her face of someone just waiting to receive an award.

"You can say it," he said, as they passed the Twin Bridges to the California proper.

"Am I good or am I good?" she taunted with a bright grin on her face.

"Thanks. I really do appreciate it. It's another lie on top of the mess of lies but I think I've made my choice with the Lance issue. I just need the rest of today to really get behind it and tomorrow, I'll tell Lance my decision."

Mary inclined her head to the side and her smile just grew broader. "Oh my god! Really?"

Caleb took no pains to hide his feeling and turned away. "Look, he put his neck on the line for me and like he said, he and I have known each other for a year. He's been my best bud and my sounding board for guy stuff. Hell, after last night... Well... I dunno. I think it'd be easier to turn a lie to truth, don't you?"

"Are you sure you're not just taking the easy way out?"

He turned to her with a soft smile. "Mary, you know me. I'm about to go dating a superhero. Do you really think that's the 'easy way out'? Plus, let's not forget that he's now moonlighting as an Outsider." He shrugged and turned towards the road. "Besides, this morning, I realised I was watching him sleep. In the morning light... he looked..."

"Transcendent? Angelic? Magnificent beyond all mortal comprehension?"

"Sexy." Caleb shrugged, blushing deeply. "I think I'm falling for Lars..." He eyed her suspiciously. "Did you plan this?"

"I just wanted to give you time to sort things out with your brother," Mary answered as they drove into the school parking lot. "That this happened... well, I'm just glad we get to simplify your life again."

"Thanks." He pulled his bag from the rear of the car. "You know, one of these days we're going to have to work on your problems, right?"

"My problems?" she exclaimed with more incredulity. "My father is a rich lawyer. I earn tonnes of cash, I'm smart, sexy and if I'm ever bored, I just need to look next door at all the drama unfolding in the Hale household! I'm good!"

Caleb smirked. "Oh really? How about your mother?"

"My mother passed away Caleb. You know I'm over that."

"Alright. So then let's talk about your grandmother."

Mary suddenly frowned and whirled towards him. "I call no Nanas."

Caleb tapped his chin mockingly. "What is it that your mother called you again? Her little... what was it...?"

"Don't, Cale."

"Oh yeah. She called you her little_cream pie_ because back then you were white as a ghost and so cute she could just eat you up!" He flashed his fangs at her. "Wait until she realised that in order to make her little cream pie, she had to get one."

"NO NANAS!"Mary cried, lunging at him. He laughed with her as they ran straight into the building.

Mary became less homicidal once they were in the hallways. They both knew it was in good fun. She put her grandmother on a pedestal because when her mother died, only her Nana was there to give her the much needed maternal affection that her constantly-busy but loving father couldn't provide. Like Lars, the Hales had taken her in as a bon a fide Hale and she had never been happier. Still, she loved her grandmother with all her heart.

The rest of the day passed as a blur. Coach put them through some early weight training and a few runs of the plays before they headed to their classes. He was grilled on the events of the previous night by Ben and, as usual, Lars argued with the werewolf over trivial things. This time, he had no problems of his own to interrupt the argument and he just watched the way the veins on Lars' temples throbbed when he was angry and his neck tightened with every shout. His muscles bulged and whenever he got the chance, he took a deep breath and let in Lars' scent.

As he let out a breath, he dearly hoped Bren wouldn't call any time today. It was such a perfect day and he had a feeling that when the game came, it would be a great game. He was pumped, in a goddamn good mood and ready to catch any ball that Lars threw his way.

Any ball.

He shot Mary a sly look. She rolled her eyes. No doubt she had read his thoughts.

Now able to focus more on the rest of his life.

Back in his history class, Alex was excited about the game, punching the air as he eagerly anticipated the upcoming events.

"Hey, if you score a touchdown, will you howl one for me?"

Caleb rolled his eyes as he began absently began sorting some of his notes on his tablet to what he thought was relevant to the Museum of Education. "I dunno. I've only got two howls right now. One for my family and one for the team. Don't really have one for friends."

He expected a response; a laugh or at least a sigh of resignation. Instead, he just got silence and he turned to Alex, surprised at the young man stunned expression.

"I'm your... friend?"

Caleb blinked a couple of times in surprise. "Um... Aren't you?"

"Oh! Yeah. Yeah! Definitely! Just..." Alex turned away and blushed. "I dunno, it's a little weird."

"I guess we've only known each other a couple of days."

"No. Not that. It's just that all my friends are on the gymnastics team and a couple of girls here and there from my neighbourhood. Who'd have thought I've be friends with the star receiver of the high school football team?"

"In the defence to the world's karma, it's not a very big football team or a very big high school." He grinned broadly and elbowed Alex lightly. "Now if you went to Sacramento or San Jose which have thousands of students and have a_junior_ varsity team and a varsity team then you'd have something to brag about."

Alex laughed, leaning against his desk with a smile. "You're really one of a kind, aren't you, Caleb? I don't know many jocks that are as modest as you."

"Just get me around one of my other football buddies and watch the testosterone skyrocket." He leaned over and poked Alex. "Besides, you're a jock too."

"Nuh-uh! I'm a gymnast! That's just one step up from ballet dancer!"

"At least you get tonnes of upper body strength."

Alex smirked, reached over and forcibly curved Caleb's arm. "Not as much as you. Wish I had that kind of muscle."

"Maybe you can join the team next year? Someone as flexible and agile as you could be really useful."

Alex shook his head sadly and sat back. "Nah, my dad won't let me go into football."

Caleb flicked his ears. "Huh? Why not?"

The young human shrugged. "He doesn't want me turning into one of those 'dumb jocks'. Apparently, he was bullied as a kid by football players."

"That doesn't mean he should stop his son from trying."

"I don't really have the build for it, Caleb," answered Alex with a shrug. "In a sport dominated by furs of your size, I'd barely manage to make a dent in people. Have you seen those guys in the pros?" Alex's eyes turned back to Caleb with a glimmer in them. "You ever think about getting that big?"

Caleb could only shrug in response. "I dunno. My mom wants me to go to a smart college and dad wants me to go for football professionally. Still a while away. I intend to keep playing through high school but as to whether or not it'll be my profession... I dunno."

There was always the option of becoming an agent of the FBI professionally and in reality, that was the direction he was leaning towards. As part of the Outsider Initiative, the government was actually planning to sponsor its Oustsiders in college using fully funded scholarships. The only catch was that he would have to move Washington D.C. He couldn't imagine leaving his family just for school.

Again, though, that was three years away.

The school bell rang, thus ending their class. The two of the confirmed the times they would meet up tomorrow for their trip to the Museum of Education and bid each other a good day with hopes to see one another at the game.

When the final bell rang, Caleb went straight home where he showered, got dressed and got ready. The rest of his family were already gearing up to head off. Instead of taking Ballistic, they took the family van. Caleb tossed his equipment into the rear of the car just as a big paw rested over his as he was about the close the door.

"Hey," Lance said, "good luck tonight." Then he leaned down as if to check something in the trunk but in the softest whisper said, "and if you win, I'm hoping you'll remember to put a tie on your door."

He froze for a second. Lance was moving pretty fast for this but he was prepared. Throughout most of the day, he had confirmed with himself his decision. He was 95% sure that he couldn't give Lance what he wanted. The other 5% was rapidly converting as the day wore on. By the end of the game, it would be miniscule.

Making no reply, he just jumped into the van beside Abby. Arthur was squished between the huge Lance and Leon. With Leon still being pissy about his whole 'unprotected sex' thing, the poor otter was constantly quaking and shivering like he was about to be eaten. It didn't help that, from the front seats, Dad turned around and gave him a predatory grin before asking, 'Are you all set there, Arthur?'

He got a faint 'eep' as a reply.

The drive to school was met with some resistance as the roads were packed. For a second, Caleb feared that there was another disaster that would arise that required Outsider assistance. He remembered his phone and checked it. No messages, no missed calls. He briefly considered shutting it off but then decided that Bren knew how important this game was so he wouldn't interrupt it.

His family dropped him off at the player's parking and he brought his equipment right out to the school lockers. With it being a home game, the rest of the team was psyched and ready to bash some skulls in. The testosterone was thick in the air.

"You ready for this man!?" Lars roared, bumping chests with him.

Caleb grinned broadly and threw back his head, letting out his howl just for the team. Others wolves and canines in the locker rooms joined him. Team members of the other team roared, stamped their hoofs or just shouted in agreement.

"Settle down boys, settle down!" Coach Davis said, waving them all down. "You know this game is just a test match to determine our rankings for the rest of the season. Just remember, every game counts. What we do here defines us for the rest of the year! So let's go out there, give them hell and tell the world that the West California Raptors are gonna win it this year!"

Another roar of approval. Caleb put on his helmet and slammed it against Lars'. They then bounded out into the field to the approval of the huge crowd. Large, circular platforms houses the crowds, sporting about twenty or thirty people each. With at least a thousand of these platforms, the football field could house at least twenty thousand people. Still, with this being a test match, many of the platforms remained unused. Maybe two or three thousand people were here but it was still an immense crowd for a high school football game. Glowing discs were embedded on the edges of the field; gravity fields to prevent people from throwing things at the players and from stray balls from hitting spectators. Big, holographic screens hovered in front of the crowd, each one displaying the names and a live feed of each of the players.

When his name came up, the crowd burst into deafening cheer.

"Halestorm! Halestorm! Halestorm!"

As a home game, they were given the offense meaning Caleb was on the field first. He took up position on the right flank. The opposite team, the Dawn High Thunderbirds, were coloured in orange and red. The defender in front of him was a cheetah, constantly growling at him. Caleb just winked at the guy.

He glanced at Lars and nodded.

The first play of the game was made and the ball flung into Lars' paws. Caleb, much to everyone's surprise, remained still. The cheetah expected him to bolt and from there, intercept him. He even lunged towards the left to where he expected Caleb to go but when he didn't, he froze.

That moment of hesitation was exactly what Caleb was looking for.

He bolted to the right instead, slipping right by the stunned cheetah. Lars threw the ball and he saw exactly where it was going. A huge bull from the opposite team made to intercept him, charging head first with his horns capped. Caleb smirked. His combat training and months of fighting Gene Stealers came into play as he faked to the left only to quickly dive to the right, confusing the bull. He was up and running before the bull could tell what was happening.

The ball was in his paws a second later, the crowd breaking into a wild cheer the moment he snatched it from the air. Two other defenders tried to catch him, one getting close to his left. He abruptly stopped and leapt backwards. Both defenders thought they had finally caught up and dove for him. Their claws barely crazed his flanks - not tearing through the armour just the cloth - and collided with one another.

Suddenly unopposed, he bolted.

He reached the end zone to the thunderous cries of 'Halestorm' from the crowd.

A touchdown in the first twenty seconds of the game.

The holo-screen showed the play over and over again from beginning to end, the announcer highlighting Caleb's quick footwork, ability to read the field and tactics. Caleb swaggered all the way back to the rest of his team as they all erupted into cheers, throwing themselves at him and patting his back.

The rest of the game went pretty much the same. Though the Thunderbirds grew accustomed to Lars throwing Caleb the ball and started throwing more blockers on his side, that left their other flank utterly vulnerable. After their initial few touchdowns, progress slowed but their defence was pretty solid as well. A few points were scored here and there and the Thunderbirds had a hell of a kicker but their offensive plays kept the lead wide and sizable. Caleb could see the Thunderbirds starting to lose hope. The cheetah assigned to him had stopped growling and looked at him gravely, whispering something to himself that sounded suspiciously like, 'this'll be the play'.

At halftime, the score was at an intimidating 32 - 12 in favour of the West California Raptors.

Caleb was sipping energy drink when his pocket began to vibrate and the sound of 'Waiting for You' rang in his ears. His heart instantly sank and he reached into his pocket. Lars had come over to him with a big grin on his face. That grin instantly faded. He felt the stares of his entire team on him and the conflicted look on Coach Davis' eyes.

"Um..." he began softly. He swiped the 'decline' button. "It can wait."

The moment everyone turned away in relief, his phone rang again.

"Shit..." he muttered, rising from the bench. "Give me a sec." He headed to a corner of the benches where no one could hear him and pressed the phone to his ears. "What? I'm in the middle of a game!"

He heard gunfire in the background.

"Cale! We need your help! Factory downtown. Iron Arm Steel Factory!Hurry!"

"But -" He cut himself off. "Wait... 'We'?"

"Mary and Blood Wolf are here with me! Fuck! These guys are everywhere! I've died six fuckin' times already! FUCK!"

The phone suddenly went dead.

He stared at it in his paws, eyes wide.

"Cale?"

He jumped and spun. It was Lars.

"Is it bad?" whispered the Doberman.

"Horrible," he answered. "Mary and Ben are with him. Bren has... well... he saw Heaven six times already." He waved his phone. "I think he just hit lucky number seven."

Lars glanced over his shoulder and winced. "Shit..." The rest of the team was glaring at Caleb. "Look, we can make it without you. Our lead is pretty unbeatable right now and with my arm, we can't lose, right?"

That didn't ease his heart and when glanced at Coach Davis, the bull gave him his usual military salute but it was tainted with disappointment.

"Thanks Lars, I -" He froze.

"What? What's wrong?" asked the Doberman.

"Shit," he hissed. "I was driven here by my mom! I didn't bring Ballistic."

That mean he had no easy way to get to wherever he needed to be. He could try borrowing the van but explaining to his parents and family why he suddenly had to duck out in the middle of a game would be a nightmare.

Lars winced again. His eyes darted right and left. Then, he turned to Caleb and nodded firmly. "I'll take you."

"What?"

"Look, I'm a super. I can get you there faster than any old bike."

"But the game!"

"It's a test match, Cale. We'll live." Before Caleb could protest, Lars turned and moved towards to coach. Words were exchanged and Coach Davis' eyes boggled. The team instantly erupted into bursts of incredulity and a few piercing stares in Caleb's way.

More and more, he was feeling worse about the situation but if he didn't do anything, Mary and Ben would be killed! Bren he wasn't that worried about but Mary and Ben!

Lars returned, head held high and chest puffed out. Though the team shot them both venomous stares, he refused to look at them and just gripped Caleb's arm, turning the wolf out into the parking lot. There, Lars reached into his football jersey and tapped retrieved a golden pendant marked with the six interlocked chains of the Elemental Alliance.

Caleb remembered that the chains stood for the six founders of the Alliance; Air Raider, Blizzard Buster, Quake, Hocus, Nightingale and Feral Steel. Though there were many more members these days since the founding of the Alliance fifteen years ago, the six chains still symbolised how strong the Alliance was and the bond between the six founding members in keeping the Alliance together.

Lars glanced around him, making sure no one was looking before regarding the pendant. It flashed green for a moment and then he tapped it. There was flash of bright, red and orange light followed by a flurry of flames. Caleb was forced to step back as Lars' football uniform vanished and was replaced by his fiery, spandex uniform as Firebrand.

"Do you have to replace your clothes every time you do that?" he asked.

"Nah. The pendant is a special matter transport device. It just teleports my clothes back to my locker at the Elemental Tower."

"And the green flash?"

"Audio-vision detection device. It detects if there are any recording devices that are able to spot me and are recording. Then it jams them. Red means not safe to transform. Green, go ahead. Amber is obviously that it's working."

"Cool." Caleb angled his head left and right. "So... Uh... How do you want to do this?"

Lars gave him a wry smile and held out his paw. "You want to hang by my arm? Jump on my back or if you want, I can carry you?"

The arm thing sounded uncomfortable for both parties while being carried would have opened him for a whole slew of insults later. He moved behind Lars and jumped on the big Doberman's back. Lars gripped his legs, asked him if he was ready and after a confirmation, leapt into the air.

For a second, Caleb thought they were just going to crash back to the ground but then, the winds whipped past his face and suddenly, they were flying over West California Island.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" he cried.

"Don't struggle!" Lars exclaimed.

Caleb held onto Lars tightly. "Did I ever mention I don't like flying without at least tonnes of _jet plane_in between me and the ground!?"

"You've flown like this before?"

"Once. I used my powers on a fire extinguisher. Turned into a jet pack for some reason. Don't ask."

Lars laughed softly as they soared through the air. "Where are we going?"

"The Iron Arms Steel Factory, apparently. Hang on." He hesitantly pulled out his phone and checked the address. From there, he carefully searched for the location. "Okay! It's in the industrial district, south side!"

"Got it."

Lars shot towards the location. Caleb had to press himself against the Doberman as Firebrand accelerated. His heart was racing and he could feel himself starting to slip. Despite his better judgement, he was forced to curl his arms around Lars' chest. He could feel the Doberman's heartbeat.

He wondered if this moment, alone in the clouds, possibly rushing to their deaths, was a good time as any to tell the Doberman that he was starting to develop feelings for him.

"Hey Lars...?"

"Yeah bud?"

Then he remembered how Lars had clearly stated there was nothing between them.

"Thanks for doing this. I know you'll probably get in trouble with the Alliance and stuff and Bren won't be happy but... From me, thanks."

"No probs, Cale."

It wasn't hard to spot the Iron Arms Factory. It was the only factory that had flashes of gunfire inside, had eight black vans parked outside and where the constant laughter and yipping was emerging from. Hearing the odd noises, Caleb's heart sank.

"Those hyenas again!" Lars shouted as he landed.

Caleb launched off Lars and burst right through the factory's broad double doors. Inside, seven versions Bren lay in various positions, necks broken or otherwise dead. There was a horde of the hyenas making their way up a flimsy, metal flight of stairs to what appeared to be a manager's office. A loud roar erupted from one of structure.

Smash!

One of the windows exploded outwards, a massive, furry figure being thrown out. It smashed into one of the conveyor belts, bending the entire structure with its weight. Blood red fur was cut in places from various slashes and bites.

"Ben!"

Caleb sprang forward.

Whump!

One of the hyenas landed in front of him, arms stretched out ready to grab him with that thick, drooling cock dripping between his legs. Caleb angled his shoulder ready to shove the guy aside -

Wham!

It was like ramming into a brick wall! He just bounced back, hitting the ground with his shoulder throbbing. His shoulder pads had completely shattered! He _smelled_the hyena looming over him. A thick globule of cum dropped beside his head.

"Don't you touch him, asshole!"

Whoosh!

Flames suddenly engulfed the hyena, making the beast yelp and scream as he scrambled away, hitting the ground and desperately trying to douse the flames. Strong paws lifted Caleb to his feet. Lars stood in front of him defensively as the other hyenas began breaking away from the office and heading towards them, yellow eyes flashing. Caleb noticed that the hyena Lars had burned was only lightly singed. The burns all over the beast's body were rapidly healing!

"Go get Ben!" Lars commanded. "I'll take care of these guys!"

Caleb nodded and bolted towards the softly groaning Ben. The hyenas let out yips and burst of laughter as they began leaping from wall to wall, showing surprising agility for their massive, muscular frames. Another landed right beside him, making a swipe for him. Caleb ducked and rolled forward, reaching Ben just as the werewolf was getting up.

"Fuck they hit hard," Ben rumbled, rubbing his head. The cuts and bites all over his body was starting to close. "They fucking regenerate too! Faster than I do!" His large, triangular ears twisted back towards the office just as a loud scream cut through the air. A hyena was thrown boldly through another window. "Down!"

Ben threw himself at Caleb, hurling the wolf off his feet just as another hyena slammed into the ground where Caleb had been standing. Ben jumped to his feet, snarling viciously.

"Can't you use your blood powers on them!?" Caleb exclaimed, scrambling to his feet.

"I tried but there's too goddamn many! I try to control as many as I can but the others just knock me down and free them! My powers are based on volume of blood. The more blood a guy has, the more strength I need to control him and these bastards are huge!"

The hyena that had just landed beside them let out a rippling laugh as he slowly got to his feet. The one that had attempted to attack Caleb earlier advanced, snickering. Beyond them Lars was flinging fireballs at the several others advancing upon him.

Caleb searched for a weapon. Any weapon.

His eyes fell on a length of chain sitting beside his foot. He quietly prayed that it turn into something useful or be useful. He seized it and active his powers.

Blue light wreathed the entire length of the chain, emitting ethereal feathers as it did so. The hyenas paused for a second, stopping their laughter as the entire length of chain was absorbed into the light. Caleb felt the cold touch of steel rippled up his entire right arm, clasping around his shoulder. When the light faded, he found a thick, silvery, metal gauntlet bound to his arm complete with a pauldron with a wing design to it. Resting on the back of his paw was what looked like a small cannon.

"Chaingun?" he wondered aloud and pointed the weapon straight at the hyenas who backed away. He pressed a hidden trigger on his palm.

Shooom!

An entire length of chain shot out of the cannon, gaining sentience of its own and wrapping around the hyena. The beast let out a yelp of surprise as the thick chains pinned his arms and legs together. Without any form of balance, he fell over, struggling with all his might to break free. It looked like he tried to flex his muscles to break the chains but they would not budge.

"Oh that is cool," Ben muttered.

The other hyena gawked and turned to Caleb, tail tucked between his legs. It turned, letting out a warning yip to the others but Caleb fired at him as well, sending him crashing to the ground. With two down, both he and Ben shot after Lars. A wall of fire had erupted around the superhero, barely keeping the hyenas back. They swatted at the Doberman through flames, laughing as their burns healed at a frightening rate.

Blood Wolf let out a blood-curdling howl and his eyes flashed red. Two of the closest hyenas spun and threw themselves at another two. "Caleb! Now!"

It took him a second to realise what Ben meant and fired his chain cannon at the hyenas struggling against one another. The streams of chains wrapped around the couples, pinning them together and keeping them unable to move.

Seeing his opening, Lars burst from his wall of flames and swept his paws upwards. A pillar of fire erupted from the ground, throwing three other hyenas into the air and sending them crashing into nearby machines. Lars fell to one knee, panting heavily by the time Ben and Caleb reached him.

"Tired already, hero?" smirked Ben.

"Shut it," Firebrand snarled.

"If you were a werewolf, you wouldn't get so easily tired."

"Fuck you!"

"We can do it that way if you want. So long as I bite you in the end."

Caleb rolled his eyes and was about to shout at both of them to stop arguing again when another cry came from the upstairs office. This time it was female. He spun in time to see Mary being hurled through one of the broken windows grappling with another hyena.

"Mary!"

He thought fast.

He flung his chain cannon forward, pulling the trigger. Instead of a simple, dull chain, what came out was one that ended with a sharp, conical point. It shot underneath Mary and pinned itself to the opposite wall. She saw it in time and seized it before she fell to her death. Caleb was dragged forward as her weight was added to the chain. Ben's massive paws seized his hips and pulling him back with a growl. Lars gripped Ben as well and the chain was made stable.

Mary nimbly swung herself onto the chain, landing spryly on its shaking length. In a very ninja-like fashion, she ran down the length and leapt off, sweeping her hair back as she did so.

"Thanks," she sighed. "Are you sure you guys won't be missed from the game?"

"32 - 12," Lars responded. "If we can get out of here quickly, we can make it back to win. Come on!"

"Where's Bren?" Caleb demanded.

Gunfire continued to explode from the office.

Lars crouched. "I've got him! Take care of these guys!" He launched into the air, propelled by a trail of fire and landing inside the office.

Ben snorted. "He's a flaming queen."

Neither Caleb nor Mary found that funny and elbowed him in the gut simultaneously. The werewolf gagged and muttered an apology.

Loud thuds around them heralded the arrival of several hyena. The three Lars had scorched were back as well, their burnt flesh dropping off them in flakes to reveal perfectly, unharmed muscle beneath. Pink flesh covered the raw muscle before being wrapped in the tan fur that all the hyenas possessed.

"Ideas?" Mary asked.

Caleb regarded his chain gun. "Yeah! Get down!" He thrust his gun straight into the ground and pulled the trigger.

BOOM!

Huge chains - each nearly a foot thick for each link - exploded out of the ground tipped with the same conical spikes as before. A venerable forest of chains erupted all around them, shaking the ground. They curled around the limbs of the hyenas around them like metal snakes before shooting off into various directions and suspending the beasts high into the air.

Caleb stood back up. The factory was suddenly filled with thousands of chain links with hyenas caught between them. Pain suddenly shot up his right arm and he gasped.

"Caleb!" Mary cried.

He regarded his weapon and watched as bright blue light erupted from it again. Feathers exploded from it this time following with a heavenly chime. The light suddenly shattered; emitting a sound like glass shattering. His gauntlet was gone as well as his chain cannon.

"What the hell just happened?" demanded Ben.

"You didn't think that all that power comes from nothing, did you?" countered Mary. "You noticed that the more Cale uses a weapon, the stronger he gets with it. That's true but every weapon has a certain capacity. If he overuses it, it loses its integrity and it vanishes."

Ben snorted. "And here I thought you were unstoppable, Caleb."

"That'd just be cheating," Caleb grunted, staggering to his feet. "If you want to know though, if I can make the same weapon, it retains the same strength as it was when its previous version got destroyed. Speaking of which..."

He seized the length of chain that they had used to catch Mary with. It emitted the same blue glow and drizzled ethereal feathers all over the factory floor. The same blue light wreathed his right arm. When it faded, he let out a frustrated growl.

"Another problem with his powers," Mary said, with a wry smile on her face. "It's hard to replicate existing weapons."

Instead of a chain cannon, he had a long, spiked chain hanging off his wrist.

WHOOSH!

The upper office exploded in a burst of fire. Hyenas were hurled clear off and smashed into walls, crashing to the ground as smouldering piles of rapidly regenerating burnt flesh. Lars shot out of the ruins of the office, landing a few short feet away with Bren in his arms. Lars instantly collapsed to the ground, bringing a cry from the others and their immediate aid.

"Fuck... Those guys... They never quit!" Lars exclaimed. "And there's this huge asshole that... He's fucking unstoppable! Nothing I did would slow him down!"

Ben let out a low growl. "That guy."

BOOM!

They all turned.

The biggest hyena they had seen so far, clearly past nine feet tall, landed in front of them. His huge, two and a half foot inch cock emitted a waterfall of cum.

"You bastards ruined our fun," growled the hyena.

"Shit! He can talk!?" Caleb exclaimed.

"Yeah I can talk!" roared the hyena. He puffed out his massive chest, folding his arms. "Name's Lewis Sanchez and we were all having a fuckin' good time until you assholes stuck your noses where it didn't fuckin' belong! Now you all pay!"

Suddenly, Lewis was right in front of Caleb. The wolf barely had time to think, 'he's a super' before a huge fist collided with his chest, shattering the armour he wore for football instantly. He was thrown clear off his feet and sent sailing back. Hard concrete slammed into his back. His head spun and he instinctively curled into a ball, twitching in agony.

"Caleb!" Mary's cry suddenly turned into a scream. Caleb cracked open an eye in time to see Mary get lifted off her feet, carried by Lewis' enormous paw. Ben's eyes flashed red but several other hyenas instantly moved to intercept him. He was pulled from saving Mary by several, horny hyenas who were all fighting to shove their dicks into one of his holes. Lars shot a fireball straight at Lewis' face, being careful not to catch Mary in the blast. Lewis just snarled and threw his prisoner at Lars. The two went down in a heap.

Lewis let out a triumphant hyena laugh.

Caleb growled and tried to rise. His arms gave out on him and he crashed back into the ground. Snarling at himself, he pushed off the ground, staggering to his feet. The spiked chain hanging from his right arm jostling lightly.

Lewis noticed him, giggling and he brought up his massive fists, gesturing for Caleb to come at him.

The wolf charged, letting out a loud roar. Lewis roared right back before bursting into laughter as he too charged. The moment before they collided, Caleb lashed out with his spiked chain whip but not at Lewis. It lashed to his right, catching one of the hyenas trying to rape Ben around the neck. Caleb was jerked to his right, sweeping away from Lewis' attempted bear hug. The hyena he had caught choked at the spiked dug into his neck and he was thrown back off Ben. Caleb collided with the monster, pressing his feet against the guy's back and kicking right off while releasing him from his chain. That gave Ben the freedom he needed to kicked the other hyenas off him, letting out a roar of rage.

Caleb rolled on the ground and lashed out with his spiked chain whip again. It sliced right through Lewis' left calf, sending the massive hyena to his knees. Pouncing on the advantage, Caleb leapt up on his foe's back, lashing downwards with his whip over and over and over again. Long, bloody gashes appeared across Lewis' back, making the hyena roar in agony. He launched off against before Lewis could seize him.

"Get back here you little fucker!"

Caleb lashed his whip into the air. "Come get me, asshole!" The spiked whip in his paw suddenly shot upwards, lengthening and rapidly curling itself into a ball. Lewis let out a frightened yelp as the spiked chained coalesced into an enormous, spherical mass that could even give him pause.

"Lars!" Caleb roared.

From behind the titanic ball of spies and chains, Firebrand erupted. He clasped his paws together, flames erupting all over his body. With a triumphant roar, he slammed his paws right into the ball, engulfing it in searing flames and sending it hurtling straight towards Lewis. The hyena screamed.

WHAM!

The other hyenas suddenly froze. Those pinned in to the ceiling stopped their struggling. Those fighting Ben stood wide-eyed in horror.

"Boss!" one of them cried.

"Wait..." Caleb began, watching each of the monsters try to make their way towards the fiery ball. "They... They're not crazy... They're not acting on instinct..." He turned to Mary. "Are they?"

Mary shook her head in confusion. "No... No they're not... But... I couldn't tell... It's almost like... like they're one with their instincts." Her brow furrowed. "It's like they can manipulate their instincts when they want to. A lot of them want to tear your throat out right now but they're more concerned about their 'boss' and they've managed to push it aside."

"How is that any different from normal people?"

Mary shook her head. "You don't get it, Caleb. The consciousness and the subconscious are normally two different things. But these guys... it's like... It's like they're one. I... I don't understand..." Then her eyes widened in horror. "Caleb! Run!"

"What? Why?"

The huge fiery ball began to shudder... and slowly rise off the ground. His eyes boggled. An enormous, muscular frame hefted the massive, spiked ball right off the ground, a loud, rumbling emitting from the creature.

"No way!" Caleb shouted. "No fucking way!"

Ben and Lars came up beside him, Ben gripping Caleb's shoulder and trying to push him away.

Lewis lifted the ball over his head, roaring in triumph.

Caleb was frozen. The guy just survived being crushed by a _huge_spiked ball of fiery death! How the _hell_were they meant to beat that!?

His answer... came in the form of a grenade offered to him in an orange striped paw.

He gazed at the owner.

Bren just shrugged. "I know you hate it but you know it works."

Mary grinned while Lars and Ben just looked confused as Caleb plucked the grenade from his paw.

"You know every time I use one of these bloody things is another ten grand to me and Mary, right?"

"Do you want to get crushed by the fiery ball of death?"

Caleb pulled the pin of the grenade just as it became engulfed in blue light. "Fine. It's just five this time around."

"Three."

He threw the grenade overhead. Though he was a receiver, he still managed to toss the grenade far enough that it landed between a shocked Lewis' feet. The massive hyena looked at the gathered group of supers and Outsiders who just stared back grimly.

Then...

'Halleluiah!'

The voices of a thousand angels suddenly exploded from the grenade, singing a heavenly word of praise...

BOOOOM!

The grenade exploded into a huge explosion of fire. The shockwave was strong enough that it threw Caleb back, sending him crashing into the ground beside Mary and Ben. Lars caught Bren and leapt behind a conveyor belt, dodging the blast. Rubble and ash peppered them from above.

The soft moans of several of the remaining hyenas could be heard. As the smoke cleared, Caleb could see the blackened, charred form of Lewis twitching in the enormous, smouldering crater left behind by the grenade. How the guy could have survived such an explosion was beyond him but one thing special about _that_particular weapon was its ability to nullify superpowers at the wake of explosion 'just as God intended' as Bren once said.

His heart sank when he heard laughter.

His eyes went to Ben, wide in horror.

"I get it!" Ben laughed, slapping the ground. "I get it!"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Lars growled, partially marred with worry. "You're not turning into one of them, are you?"

"No!" Ben exclaimed, pointing at the crater. "A grenade, a 'halleluiah! I totally get it!" He glanced at the others, grinning broadly and his eyes shining with glee. It was a little unsettling to see the big, intimidating member of the Alpha Pack act so... childish. "Come on! Haven't you guys ever seen_Monty Python and the Holy Grail?_ It's on his History Channel every Christmas!"

Caleb exchanged glances at Lars. Then, as one they turned back towards Ben and said, "Nerd!"

*****

The FBI was able to apprehend the hyenas thanks to the Holy Hand Grenade's power. Lewis was in unimaginable pain and he was screaming and at Caleb and the others while he was being carted off. His regeneration was starting to kick back in but they were placed in powerful gravitational containment fields that not only nullified their laughing but also kept them floating in the air, unable to apply force to anything.

Caleb got patched up and was informed that he had a few cracked ribs. Nothing too serious beyond what he'd normally get from football. He was injected with a few pain killers and a jolt of the FBI's special healing serum that would accelerate his natural healing processes. Mary got a shot too but both of them were driven back to the stadium by Bren wounded and bandaged.

Lars made his own way back as did Ben but since the latter was no interested in football as much, he just went home. With his football uniform in tatters and shattered, Bren provided him with a replacement. Aside from the bandages attached to his face and one around his ribs, he was able to bolt back into the stadium with Lars.

It was just as the timer ticked down to 0.

And the final score...?

32 - 36.

"What the fuck!?" Lars exclaimed. "They didn't score a single point after we left! It was halftime and they let those pussies win!?"

Caleb whimpered softly. "It's not their fault, Lars."

"Are you saying it's ours!? We can't be expected to carry the whole fucking team!"

"Yeah but we're still part of it... We shouldn't have left..."

"If we hadn't left, Mary would have been splattered all over the floor, Ben would be some fucked up hyena's sex slave and -" Caleb seized Lars' shoulder, spinning him around as the crowd emerged from the stadium. Raptor supporters looked disheartened, dragging their feet and their tails. Thunderbirds fans were cheering and pumping their fists into the air.

"We better go," Caleb murmured softly. "I'll see you at class on Monday..." He turned to leave, intended to wait for his family in shame by the van.

Lars seized his paw. "Caleb, we did the right thing."

He growled angrily back at the Doberman. "Probably but was it worth it? In the end, where are we now compared to where we were before? A few -" He had to lower his voice as the crowd came sweeping past them. "We've got about twenty guys who can never go back to the way things were before, we lost the first game of the season and we're no closer to figuring out whether this is Gene Stealer stuff or just some mad scientist with a thing for hyper hyenas!"

He snarled and spun around. "If there was just one thing we could've gotten out of this, one thing, I wouldn't feel the need go to my room, curl up into my bed and just sleep the whole fucking year away!"

Lars had nothing to say.

Caleb glanced over his shoulder and it looked like the Doberman did want to say something. Lars' muzzle was open and there was a... something in his eyes. But after a minute of waiting, Caleb just turned and stormed away.

He met his family at the van. Leon was the only one being an ass about their loss. He kept rubbing in that he got injured and couldn't make the rest of the game and that if he had just 'sucked it up and been a real man' they could've won the game. Their father silenced him multiple times but Caleb couldn't help but feel that it was somewhat true. If he were just a real_superhero instead of an Outsider or if he was just a normal kid, he wouldn't have to worry about one life or the other. He could lead the life of a superhero and _achieve something or just be the star receiver without all this secrecy.

When they got home, he didn't say a word to anyone and just stomped up to his room. Even his mother's gentle reminder about his claws on the floorboards went unheard. He slammed his door on the outside world and slumped onto his bed.

He wasn't sure how long he just lay there on his belly, staring absently at the wall. A few times he rolled onto his back or back on his belly but it was all the same. Just blank emptiness. No achievements, nothing gained and with him feeling terribly stretched. While his outing to his parents was resolved, he still felt stretched thin.

He let out a growl and slapped his forehead as he began replaying the events of the fight at the factory back in his head.

With the utter randomness of his powers, their instability and limited use, he felt bloody useless. He didn't have combat expertise like Mary or Bren's semi-immortality. He didn't have Ben regeneration or Lars' inherent superpowers. All he could do was grab something, hope for the best and even then, it wasn't enough to beat Lewis...

"What am I doing...?" he mumbled to himself.

Something... anything to make the day worth it. He just needed one thing to tell himself that the day had not been a waste; that it wasn't just a whole day of 'almosts' and 'nearly theres'. They nearly won, he nearly beat Lewis... he nearly told Lars how he felt...

Something...

He rolled on his belly one more time and frowned. Hanging on the edge of his bed was a black ribbon. Rather, it was actually a tie. A black tie. For a moment, he wondered where it came from as he didn't own any black ties. Then, he remembered...

Slowly, he plucked it from where it hung and sat up on his bed.

Holding it in his paws, he checked the time.

Ten twenty-nine.

Caleb jumped to his feet, seized his doorknob, gave it a twist and pulled it open.

Lance stood there, looking surprised with his paw raised to knock. He had a few slices of pizza on a plate in his other paw.

"Uh... You hungry?" asked his brother.

"Is everyone else asleep?" Caleb asked.

"Yeah... I just grabbed you some pizza. You didn't come down to eat when mom called and..." Lance never got to finish as Caleb looped the tie around his muzzle, tightening it and using it like a leash.

"Shut up and get in here."