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Lykos

Second Skin

Chapter 2 (Back to Basics)

The distant roar of the ocean was muffled, but not silenced by the walls of Marco's childhood home. He was curled up in bed, only a light sheet draped over his abdomen. His ankles and feet hung over the end of the bed. His cinnamon tone skin was moist with a light perspiration. After spending a year in Colorado and a few months in Washington, going home again was a bit warm - but the sweat wasn't from the climate.

Marco's muscles had started to tense. His fingernails had darkened in his sleep, his eyes were twitching beneath the lids. Something was wrong. He smelled it at first, a souring to the normal aroma his home carried. No, not sour, bitter, acrid, tart. It wasn't the smell of any one thing, but an emotion - an emotion that soon came in another form.

Golden eyes snapped open as Marco heard the muffled sounds of his parents arguing. It was not a common occurrence for him growing up. Marco pushed himself upright, panic ripping through his heart. Had his mom let slip that he was gay? Was the fight about him? Marco got out of bed, slipping closer to the door, leaning in. Even with enhanced hearing, he had to get closer. As he strained, he started to make out what was being said.

"But this has been our home since we got married, Haku..." Cira said.

"And it still will be. The funding is generous enough that we don't have to choose. Our home will still be waiting for us." Her husband replied.

"But Texas?" Cira asked.

"The housing there will be fantastic, and the Gulf of Mexico is close by so you won't be deprived of water. It's closer to Marco, too. Air travel will be cheaper." Haku said, pausing, "Our only alternative is... spending the time apart. I can't say no to this assignment without losing everything." Marco froze where he was, his heart skipping a beat.

"I didn't marry a lifestyle, I married you." Cira said after a few moments, "But you will have to go on ahead. I have to make arrangements. My plants, my birds. I want to make sure everything is taken care of." she said.

"Perfect. I'll go on ahead and get everything taken care of on that end so when you get there, you don't have to worry." Haku said, "And it'll give me more time with Marco. We'll be on the same outbound flight."

"Good. You haven't seen nearly enough of your son since he's been back." Cira said.

"Why is it that he's just my son when you're mad at me?" Haku asked and then winced as he was hit. He chuckled gently, "I'm sorry I didn't have any more advance notice about the change up. I guess they're just gearing up for a big research initiative."

"I'm partly to blame as well... I love our lives here. I don't like being reminded at how easily it can be shaken." Cira replied. Marco exhaled slowly and stood back up, returning to his bed. He sat down and turned, looking over his shoulder at the stars. He'd only been in bed a few hours, but his dad had been working late again. They'd both be exhausted for the flight tomorrow, but at least Marco knew he'd be out like a light as soon as the engines got going. He slowly laid back down, trying to picture how his parents would adjust to life in Texas.

**** Creaking noises filled Fletcher's room, followed by grunting and groaning. The lanky nineteen-year-old sat on his suitcase to get it down enough to tug on the zipper and get it to creep along inch by inch, though it was getting harder and harder as the contents tried to ooze out the remaining side. He gnashed his teeth, he wiggled his butt, and he pushed as hard as he could until the zipper jolted and the suitcase was closed.

Fletcher grunted with satisfaction, rolling off of the case and onto his bed, though he bumped the headboard which in turn bumped the wooden slat shelf that covered one wall with little cubicles full of action figures, die cast models, stacks of books and other things. The sunlight spilled through the squares, casting all sorts of light and shadow across the bed.

The moments passed and Rayne looked up at his waffle pattern shelves, his neglected ferns, his little slice of nerd heaven. It had been in that very room that he'd discovered he was gay and scoured the internet for stories of monster bois, of transformation, of werewolves. He had never known they were real until college, and his life had changed forever.

While Fletcher was still anxious about going back to Grand Mesa, about facing those he hurt, facing the reality of what he'd done, he had woken up in a far better mood. If anything, he was a bit... thirsty. He closed his eyes and thought back to being spit roasted by his pack, feeling Udo's affectionate licks and slurps on his cock while Marco and Yom filled him from both ends. He thought about the possibility of getting a toy to remind him of his boys, though it'd never arrive before he left... but still, having that pointed, thick meat to plunge between his cheeks? A hand drifted down to idly play over the fly of his jeans before he jumped at a thumping coming from the living room.

Fletcher sprung to get up, catching a foot on his suitcase. He tumbled forward and made a thump of his own as he landed on his hands, his leg still up on the bed. He kicked his foot free of the suitcase and lunged for the door, swinging it open and looking out with wide eyes.

"What in god's name is going on here?" Fletcher asked before hesitating, "Is that smoke?" he added, moving out of his bedroom. The thumping was coming from the kitchen where his sister stood. She was twenty three with shoulder length brown hair, a streak of neon purple running down the length. Much like Fletcher, silver piercings dotted her ears and her nose, but she'd taken it a step further with a collection of silver bangle bracelets on her wrist.

"I was making you a goodbye cake, but it won't... come out of the pan." Kirstie said, whacking the pan on the side of the counter, "How about a goodbye pizza?" She offered.

"Like dad's welcome home pizza?" he smiled.

"Or dad's I-burned-the-steak pizza." Kirstie answered. Fletcher chuckled softly.

"Sure, why not. One more for the road. They just don't make New York pizza anywhere else." Rayne said with a soft smile. If there was one thing his family lacked, it was certainly cooking ability. He hoped that he'd be able to offer something else to his pack when he got back... or maybe he'd finally convince them to make him a werewolf too. One way or another, he needed to be closer to them.

"Omri called, he's going to be a little late. There was some damage to the coffee shop this morning. They thought someone broke in at first but they found paw prints." Kirstie said.

"Paw prints? You mean that big cat?" Fletcher asked.

"Either that, or someone's launched a new type of crocs and the thieves are loving it." Kirstie snapped back. The Fletchers couldn't cook, but their sarcasm came in ample supply.

"I don't like the idea of leaving you guys with that problem around here... New York was hit... pretty hard in April." Fletcher said, his eyes downcast. Kirstie looked up at her brother.

"Rayne, it's alright. I mean, no, it's not alright, but there wasn't anything you could have done." She said softly. She set the lost cause of a cake down and moved over, putting her hand on her brother's shoulder, "Did you see something when you were out there? Did something happen at the school?" she asked. Rayne felt like he was going to gag on his heart it was thumping so hard.

"Sort of... I mean, the campus was fine, but there was some problems near by in the woods." Rayne muttered. It was the closest he'd come to telling anyone, but it still felt wrong, it still felt like it was all on him. Rayne's hands tightened, his fingernails digging hard into his palms until they hurt. He closed his eyes, his cheeks twitching a bit.

"I saw one, outside of my work that day." Kirstie said softly, "Did I tell you that? Right when it started. This guy doubled over in the street, and he just sort of... went to pieces. I nearly threw up. I couldn't even turn away, I couldn't figure out anything that could do that to a person, but it was the person. Then that big, brown mass of fur went charging away." Kirstie said.

"There's so much this world doesn't know about it, any of it." Fletcher said, looking up at his sister. Kirstie nodded.

"That's right... And as much as we don't trust the government, they're doing everything they can to get to the bottom of it. Senator Moore wants to do everything in his power to preserve the rights of the individuals involved, to figure it out fairly and safely." Kirstie said.

"And Senator Jensen wants them all executed as a threat to public safety." Rayne said. Kirstie sighed and nodded.

"Well, regardless of what happens, you staying here won't change anything. You need to go back to college and you need to study a HELL of a lot harder. Those finals were abysmal." Kirstie said. Fletcher looked hurt.

"Hey, I really thought I had the calculus one down." he protested, "But I'll do better. I have less to worry about this year." he said. That much was true. He wasn't possessed, he knew about werewolves, he had his pack, and Yom's family had taken care of their housing already. All he had to do was show up and do the best he could.

"You know what?" Rayne asked after a moment, " Let's call in Chinese, let's really shake things up!" he said. Kirstie gave a grin.

"I like the way you think, brother. Just don't blame me when you digest it all super fast and have to eat all the peanuts on the plane." she grinned.

**** Marco moved down the aisle of the airplane, his head down low because of his height. He could see a few people glancing his way, even smell a tinge of lust in the air. He smiled a bit despite himself as he made it to his seat and sat down. He reached over and opened the window, peering out at the tarmac. The luggage rack above him clicked as it was opened. Haku was loading his carry on into the overhead compartment, making sure it was secure before he sat down next to his son. He smiled a bit, looking at his boy.

Haku was 6'1, broad shouldered, and had shoulder length smooth black hair. His Polynesian ancestry was present in his nose and chin, and in many ways Marco had looked a lot like him growing up... but now Marco was so much taller than he had been, and he was certainly hairier than his father was. While Haku could barely grow more than a mustache if he wanted, Marco had a thick, bushy beard. Even Marco's hair was different. It was thicker, bushier, wavier. It took up more volume, although Marco had realized he shed more both in primal and human form in the summer.

"So, how do you feel going back to school?" Haku asked. Marco looked up. He knew once the plane took off he was probably going to pass out, his previous airplane trips had taught him that. He had to enjoy the conversation while it lasted. He took a breath.

"I'm pretty excited. I can't wait to see my friends, or to see our new dorm. We put in for a quad room this time." Marco said.

"Four guys sharing one room? Could be pretty tough at times." Haku said.

"Oh, I think it'll be alright... We've got a pecking order I guess, and we really get along." Marco said, trying not to over-share.

"What about classes, or clubs or things?" Haku asked. Marco hesitated, leaning back in his chair.

"There were some groups on campus last year I didn't take part in. I'm thinking I might get more involved this time around." Marco said.

"What sort of groups?" Haku asked, trying to be invested. Marco hesitated again. He'd been talking about the campus werewolf pack, but his father knew so little about him he wasn't sure where to begin. He thought back to the first trip to the box canyon where they let their primal wolves out, to the excuse they used as a cover.

"Dungeons and dragons." he blurted. His father's eyes almost lit up.

"Really? I've been known to play a game or two in my time... I never knew that about you Marco. How long have you been playing?" he asked. Marco was sinking lower in his chair.

"Since Halloween..." Marco said. His father smiled.

"Well, enjoy it son. College is a once in a lifetime, well, or twice in a lifetime experience." he chuckled, "It's a time to reinvent yourself, to discover who you are. It looks like you're off to a great start, and you've really grown!" Haku said.

"Dad, what if... I don't know who I'm becoming, exactly? Just who I want to be? Or, the kind of person I want to be?" he asked. Haku nodded his head slowly.

"None of us knows who we are becoming. Each day goes by, and the choices we make stack up. In the end all we can do is control what we want to do with ourselves, what we try to do and let ourselves do." Haku said.

"Like this move?" He asked. Haku looked up at that.

"You overheard last night, then?" Haku asked. Marco blushed.

"Well, I heard a little bit. I know this is more than just a business trip." he said.

"My company is starting a brand new research program. It's huge. It's taking up almost every floor of the headquarters and they want all hands on deck." Haku said.

"And what will you be doing, exactly?" Marco asked.

"What I've been doing, but with a new team... There are some unexplored territories in the world of chemical interactions. My biological chemistry background has made me a prime candidate to help Doctor Lang." Haku said.

"And it pays well?" Marco questioned.

"Oh yes." Haku chuckled, "I guess we didn't need you to take on a summer job after all." Haku replied. Marco thought back to his time in Washington. It had been the first chance his pack had to bond without school, without uncertainty. The Yashins had taken them in, given them a room. Sure, there was office gofer work to do, but they'd learned more about being werewolves. They'd eaten like kings.

"It was great experience, I'm sure it's going to help me in the future." Marco said finally. Haku nodded at that.

"Well, just feel free to talk to your mother or me whenever you want to. Last year you were caught up in everything so much we never heard from you." Haku said. Marco nodded a little.

"I'll try not to let it overwhelm me this time." he said, looking back out of the window, taking one last look at Hawaii.

**** Wind rustled steadily through the green and golden leaves of the trees outside Keller Hall. Fall was on the way and the leaves were starting to dry out, but few had fallen yet. The air was still warm from summer's breath. The dorm stood tall and proud, only lightly sheltered by the shadow of the trees. The red bricks were clean and the white plaster pristine. The windows glinted in the light overlooking the round about and the parking lot.

Artyom stood beneath the trees in the center of the round about, his head tipped back, his hair brushing his shoulders. It felt... so good to be back at Grand Mesa, like he had truly come home. His heart was racing a little at the thought of it all. This was his junior year, while his pack mates were all sophomores. His Freshman year had been a bit unremarkable, and his sophomore year had nearly led to his death twice over. Both times it had been Marco that saved him, and they'd spent the rest of the year adjusting, learning, balancing. This time, though, things would be better.

Yom crossed the roundabout and moved up the white cement ramp, catching up to where Udo was lugging in a hamper full of clothes. Yom grabbed it with one hand and slung it over his back, the round plastic bin resting along his spine. Udo smiled and swiped his ID card through the reader. The glass door clicked and unlocked, giving them entrance. They stepped inside to the lobby, feeling the air lower at once.

In a way, it was a strange choice to return to Keller hall. Generally the dorm was the defacto arrival point for Freshman, though many sophomores remained that wanted to be close to the sports facilities or the fraternities. Other dorms offered atmospheres that were suited for artists, for world travelers, but Yom and Udo knew that Marco had fallen in love with the view from Keller Hall, and they didn't want to disappoint their Alpha.

There were disadvantages of course - the room they had chosen was on the third floor, and there was no elevator which meant that all of their stuff would have to go up all of those stairs over and over again... but it was a small price to pay. Udo squeezed past Yom, circling up the flights of stairs before emerging on the third floor.

The hallway was cool and dark, the white cinderblock walls contrasted by the high-traction blue and black carpet. Udo all but sprinted down the hall, passing their room from the previous year before coming to stop at their new destination. He slipped the key into the lock and felt the teeth tickle the tumblers. He looked back at Artyom, still lugging the hamper up the hall.

"I'm not sure, should we wait for Marco for the big reveal?" He asked. Yom smiled softly, shaking his head.

"He'll still have his moment, but we can get it ready." Yom said. Udo nodded, deciding that the logic held. He twisted the key and swung the wooden door open. White light spilled in through the plastic blinds, falling across the turquoise carpet spanning the double wide room. It had the same white cinderblock walls, built in closet and shelves and four desks at the four corners of the rooms. There were two twin beds on either side and, unlike Marco's standard room, two along the windows, interrupting the inset shelving.

"I don't know what I was expecting..." Udo said, taking a breath. Yom chuckled and rested a hand on his shoulder, using the other to set the hamper down.

"How about we push the beds into the right corner here by the door, get a big mattress to put on top?" Yom asked. Udo's eyes lit up.

"And a futon couch thing for the hole where the old bed was over there, and... oh yes, yes!" Udo said. Yom chuckled and moved over, grabbing the plastic cord to the blinds. He pulled it and pulled it, sliding the slats back to reveal the view beyond. The third floor of Keller had one of the best views on campus, looking over a medium strip of grass, a wide promenade style sidewalk, and a recessed, area with curved ramps on either side leading to the campus convenient store and common rooms for music, movies, and the campus radio station.

Even being early afternoon, the sky was taking on beautiful colors that stretched out beyond the roof of Sycamore Hall and the forest lands beyond. Udo looked out at what would be Marco's kingdom, sighing with a bit of relief. He moved over and rested his head against Artyom's shoulder. Yom reached down, giving the blond's back a rub.

"What is it?" Yom asked. Udo looked up.

"I just want this year to go well. For all of us." Udo said. Yom nodded.

"It'll be great. I'll make sure of it." Yom replied. Udo smiled more at that and closed his eyes, letting the sunlight flood over them both.

**** The inside of Denver International Airport appeared in many ways to be like a giant mall. The peaked fabric roof was suspended with steel cables, making rises and falls that evoked thoughts of the snow tipped Rocky Mountains or Native American teepees. Standing underneath it, though, sunlight streamed in through the glass windows on the side and diffused across the fabric with a vague gossamer like glow. There were shops, fountains, benches... and memories.

Marco stood beneath the immense roof, still remembering the ear numbingly painful sound that had come from the Rising Sun devices, devices that hunters had used to single out werewolves and attack them. Two tragedies in one year targeting werewolves, and he'd been present to both. He exhaled again slowly, trying to force himself to cope with it.

"Do you want a snowcone?" Haku asked. Marco blinked, distracted from his thoughts.

"Wh... What?" he asked. Haku lifted up a snowcone with one hand, already holding another in his left. Marco looked at it, his brows furrowed in a quizzical look before he accepted the snowcone. After all, his father had already purchased it. Marco smiled a bit, "Thanks."

"I'm trying to develop a liking to them. I'm going to have to eat a lot of them in Houston." Haku said. Marco actually laughed at that.

"Is that some kind of rule?" he asked. Haku smiled more at that.

"It's part of the company charter, or at least that's what my assistant tells me." Haku said. Marco considered.

"Male or female assistant?" Marco asked.

"Should it matter?" Haku asked. Marco shifted a little.

"You tell me." Marco replied. Haku looked at his son at that, tilting his head a little.

"I know this move isn't going to be easy for your mother, but I'm doing everything I can to make life good for both of us, for all of us." Haku said. Marco nodded.

"I know dad." Marco said, sighing a little, "It's not an easy time for us. Growth, change, none of it ever is. Sometimes life isn't at all what we expected. All we can do is move forward with the intention to do the best we can." he said, reaching up to rub his ear. Haku smiled more.

"Marco, I think you'll make a better parent than me one day." Haku said with a smile. Marco's heart ached at that. He still hadn't told his father. His father still expected grandchildren. Their touching moment was still deflected by the mask he wore, but... he had to keep wearing it. Marco forced a respectful smile to his father until the pain in his heart ebbed a little. As if saved by the bell, a chime sounded nearby.

"Attention guests: This is the boarding announcement for Pioneer flight 789 to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. We are now inviting passengers to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Thank you..." The announcer stated before the chime sounded again. Marco looked up at his father.

"You need to send me emails how things are going from time to time, okay?" Marco said. Haku chuckled.

"I didn't think your generation used emails anymore. Don't you snappygram everything?" Haku asked. Marco looked down at the pocket that contained his phone.

"I don't think I have that app, maybe Fletcher knows about it." Marco considered. Haku reached over to rub his son's shoulder.

"Things are going to be fine, for both of us. You're almost back to college! You're going to have fun, I know it." Haku said. Marco smiled at that.

"I'm pretty confident about that too." Marco replied. Haku gave a resolute nod.

"See? I knew it..." he smiled before he took a breath of his own, "I love you Marco."

"I love you too, dad. Be safe." Marco said. His father gave him one more pat on the shoulder before he turned and started moving for his plane. Marco watched his father go, feeling the snowcone slowly melting in his hand - his hotter than average hand, his slightly too hairy hand. Marco winced and began focusing his mind, trying to keep his werewolf tells from showing. He turned and started walking, heading for baggage claim.

Each step echoed on the airport floor, and really, any sound was comforting to Marco compared to the sonic weapons Rising Sun had used. His ears had bled from the attack, his ear drums had been forced to repair themselves. He'd been so lucky, but others hadn't been. Marco's eyes darted around the surroundings, trying to take in every detail to make sure he didn't miss anything. There were no hunters, just the beautiful public art that the airport commissioned. Marco hoped in time he'd be able to appreciate that more fully.

**** The long hallway was a bit dark, the main lights snapped off. Afternoon sunlight spilled in from some windows and recessed lights were hidden under the long wooden guide rails that ran the length of the otherwise cream colored expanse. Slightly warm air blew in from the vents, keeping the place just a touch above room temperature. There were all the smells of a medical facility, but for Doctor Noah Clark, that was perfectly normal.

The thirty-year-old moved at a fair pace, looking at the charts on the clipboard before him. It was his first time back at the Clearwater Clinic, Echo Creek's long term patient care facility, in almost a month. His vacation to Bali had left him well tanned, well rested, and ready to dig back into his routine. In addition to his work at the hospital, he made rounds to some of the other facilities around town to offer what little insight he could.

Most of the charts weren't that surprising; as a long term facility specializing in comatose patients, it was rare for there to be much variation at all. The staff did their best to keep the patients nourished and comfortable, moving them to prevent bed sores and practicing range of motion to their bodies didn't get stiff. Doctor Clark turned into the nurse's station and sat down on one of the chairs, flipping through the charts.

The young doctor's reflection caught on one of the computer screens at the station. He had peachy skin, short cropped brown hair with hints of sun bleaching, and a few freckles on his neck. Noah wore blue scrubs out of habit, though he had on his white doctor's jacket over it to give himself a little authority. He flipped through a page, then another page before he stopped. The file before him was a new arrival to Clearwater, a transfer from an intermediate care unit.

"John Doe?" he murmured, blue eyes darting down the details of the patient. Vitals, numbers, all of it was just a bit off from the normal. Noah had been gone when the patient had arrived so he hadn't been able to do his usual baseline. Doctor Clark rose back to his feet and moved down the hall to the end of the facility and eased into the room.

The blinds had been drawn to keep the sun from overwhelming the room, but it had the effect of making the rectangular outline of the blinds a blinding silver while keeping the rest of the room mostly dim. Noah stepped further into the room, his eyes drawn to the patient on the bed. He was in his late teens most likely, or maybe early twenties. His skin was a light shade of brown. The dark hair on his head was growing thicker, day by day, though it was thickest at the top.

Noah stood there, looking at the new patient, this unknown youth, this John Doe. He had a feeding tube inserted, but he seemed... quite well nourished. His muscles were still distinct, his skin integrity was great. Doctor Clark moved to the side of the bed and took some readings of his own. He checked temperature, respiration, heart rate. Everything was, for the lack of a better term, ideal. Noah shook his head slowly before he looked back to the chart... but it didn't have enough detail.

The doctor set his clipboard down and moved over to the medical computer in the corner, pausing to remember his credentials. After a moment he entered the password and got into the files. John Doe's data was brought up, bringing with it a lot more detail. Doctor Clark poured through it, eyes widening as each line brought more mystery than the last. He even had to slow down and go back to read it again.

The unknown youth had been discovered by the highway seven miles outside of Echo Creek, unconscious and dehydrated. His clothing showed signs of an animal attack, including blood stains, but he didn't have a scratch on him. Even stranger, the blood in the garments DID match his own blood.

The teenager had been admitted to the Echo Creek Hospital where he'd been treated for his malnutrition and dehydration. The doctors had guessed he had been lost in the woods for almost a week. The hospital's treatment had gotten him stabilized and then he'd been bounced to intensive care, then intermediate care, then a different long term patient facility and then finally Clearwater.

Noah's blue eyes stared at the screen. That couldn't be it, not all of it. It was a sensational story. How had he not heard of it? How had they not figured out who he was? Doctor Clark considered for a moment before he accessed the ECPD database and entered his credentials there. It took a few moments to establish a secure connection, but the police database came up as well. Noah knew he was pushing things, but all of it was too amazing to ignore.

Cross referencing with the patient file, Noah found what he was looking for. Detectives had tried to determine the teenager's identity, using both his torn red jersey and his blood sample. The database had returned the most likely result as Conrad Haddix, but it had been determined to be a dead end. Conrad Haddix had died four years prior with definitive medical records for the death and the patient, the John Doe, was too young to be a match.

That explained the dead end, why they had stopped looking... but it wasn't enough for Doctor Clark. That was the best lead they had. Noah hesitated before using the ECPD connection to access the file on Conrad Haddix, but a red screen came up. He had assumed as much. The file was from California, from another police precinct, from years prior. There was no reason a young doctor like himself would need access.

For a moment Doctor Clark tried to content himself with that, to convince himself it was enough... but when that moment passed, Noah closed the connection to the police department and opened Google instead. A simple search string, "Conrad Haddix" would give him the answer he needed. The computer churned before results came flooding back; "High School Prom King Killed in Freak Animal Attack," "Oakland Mourns One Of Its Own," "Detectives Baffled by Animal Attack Inside School."

The headlines were just as scandalizing as John Doe's discovery, but one thing was jumping out at him. John Doe had been found with a torn, bloody jersey. Noah's heart was nearly leaping into his throat. He clicked on the first link, watched the webpage load in about a second, and came face to face with his patient. Conrad Haddix, eighteen years old, wearing a red and black jersey. His hair was bleached on the top where it was longest and faded on the sides. Diamond stud earrings glistened from his ears in the photo.

Doctor Clark stared at the screen for a long, long time. Surely the detectives saw the same thing he did. This had to be the same kid, it had to be Conrad Haddix - but the math didn't add up. John Doe was the same age as the kid had been four years prior. He had no piercing holes, he hadn't had a scratch on him when he'd collapsed on the side of the road. Doctor Clark closed the files and stood up, pacing back and forth across the room.

None of it made any sense. It wasn't possible... Why had the detectives given up? How could he be this healthy while being in a comatose state for almost four months? Noah felt like screaming to the heavens, but he had to be more constructive than that. He pulled out his cell phone and flicked through the contacts before he came to the name of one of his co-workers, someone he knew he could trust. He dialed the number and brought the phone up to his ear.

"Doctor Woods? It's me, Noah Clark." he began, "Do you have any plans after your shift? I really need to run an unusual case by you."

**** Each step upward felt better to Marco. Even as a wolf, three flights of stairs was a BIT of a strain after being out of practice, but it felt like home still. He carried his suitcase with his right hand and used his left to cling on to the strap of his over-full hiking backpack. His sandals slapped against the brown rubber grips on the steps as he ascended before finally emerging on the third floor. The large man hesitated for a moment, looking down the hallway.

It was still the first day of move in weekend, but already the hall was crowded with teenage boys. A big jock was carrying a case of protein drinks on one shoulder while smaller, waifish boys talked about the school's production of Midsummer Night's Dream. There were tall boys, short boys, boys that were on the verge of true manhood. Marco saw a few familiar faces, but it seemed the Freshman dorm had been just that - a magnet for new students.

Marco moved down the hallway, excusing himself as he navigated between them. He slowed a bit as he approached his old room, but had to remind himself that they were further down now. It was also a bit unusual not to smell his pack in that spot. It seemed that whatever they used to clean the dorms for the summer was effective at getting out wolf scent.

The burly young man finished walking down the hall, finally reaching his new destination. He set the suitcase down and opened the door, watching it swing open. Swirls of purple and salmon filled the evening sky, enhanced by the steady, intense orange glow of the campus street lights. Two couches of contrasting design had been pushed up into the gaps between the wall mounted bookshelves and a cluster of beds rested in the corner of the room, coming almost all the way up flush to the door frame.

"Marco!" Udo exclaimed from where he'd been laying on one of the couches, reading a book. He sprung up to his feet, but before he could advance any, a hand slipped around the back of Marco's head and pulled him in. Marco felt Yom's lips press against his, their thick, bushy beards meshing together. Marco dropped his backpack to the floor and numbly tried to find the door with his hand.

Without even giving Marco time to give them privacy, Yom started to press his groin into Marco's. He applied pressure, held it and then pulled back before pressing in again, starting to hump and grind. Marco murmured, finally getting the door shut. He broke the kiss, a string of saliva connecting their lips.

"Yom, it's good to see you too." Marco said. Udo smiled and moved over, closing the blinds to the room before he approached his Alpha. Marco looked at both men with love, but he was also starting to feel something very strange. He shuddered with pleasure and power as the tingling, burning feeling flooded his veins. Marco grunted, his eyes turning a rich amber color as his teeth sharpened, turning into fangs. His ears throbbed as they stretched into points, and his fingernails darkened and thickened, sinking into his fingers before pushing out of the tips as claws.

"What did you do?" Marco asked, groaning harder and harder as Yom kept humping him. Marco's shirt tightened as his arms thickened, his shoulders spread, and his hair got wilder. Even his brow began to jut out, thickening with more bone. Marco's beard was even getting bushier, more like a mane than a beard. Yom reached down into the pocket of his pants and pulled out a small pearl like stone that was glowing with just a bit of trapped light. Marco looked up, "Moonstone?"

"Yeah... I got it from the caves after you went back to Hawaii. I didn't get to charge it up with a full moon's light, but I gave it as much as I could." he said, reaching up to caress his boyfriend's beard. Marco shuddered at that as his lips distended around his sharper teeth. His sandals slipped off as his toenails grew into claws and paw pads formed on the soles of his feet.

"Why isn't it affecting you too?" Marco asked. Yom growled at that and smiled.

"Oh, it is." he said, reaching down to unzip his pants, revealing a plump brown furry sheath with the pink pointed head of a canine shaft. At being exposed, it soon oozed out several inches, unleashing a musky, manly scent into the air. Marco groaned, stumbling back against the dorm door. He shuddered, fur sweeping over his ears as they went fully wolf, sticking out from his head.

A clawed hand slipped up his chest, but it wasn't Yom's - it was Udo's. The blond wolf smiled, his eyes gleaming gold, his teeth sharp before he tore Marco's shirt open, revealing his hairy chest and dark nipples. Udo leaned in and began to lick at one, coaxing it to erection before he bit it. Marco moaned at that in surprise, grabbing onto Udo's head, holding him to his chest.

As Udo gnawed and sucked and slurped, his own ears went furry and pointed, thick bushy sideburns of white hair sprouting out of his cheeks as the blond drained from the hair on his head. Udo growled and snarled, running his clawed hand up and down Marco's stomach. Yom moved forward and unzipped Marco's pants, cutting the button off with a claw, revealing what was beneath.

As Marco's pants dropped down, his achingly hard cock had throbbed and shifted, the mushroom shaped head taking on a point while the shaft became hotter, slicker, and redder. A pocket of flesh had grown around the base of his shaft, forming slowly into his sheath as his balls got furrier and furrier, plumping up steadily.

Udo sniffed at the air, shuddering before he dropped down before his Alpha, plunging his changing mouth around Marco's cock. Marco grunted hard, clawed hands grabbing the white wolf's head. As Udo bobbed his head up and down, sucking and licking, Marco's cock got more and more lycan. It stretched longer and longer, taking on brighter colors as the sheath got wider and wider.

Marco snarled and growled louder, panting hard as fur swept down his neck and across his back, his arm and leg hair getting so thick it was hard to see skin through it all. Even his hands and feet started to pop and snap as they got bigger and wider, changing a bit more. Yom leaned in slowly and licked up Marco's neck, then his ear, sniffing his scent before he came back, tilting his head.

Their kiss resumed, fangs gnashing against one another as their fat, long tongues slithered in and out of one another's mouths. They embraced hard and fast and deep before Yom pulled back with a grin, taking a few steps. He shucked the rest of his clothing until he was standing there in his naked werewolf glory. He was six foot three, brown fur sweeping down his body. The tips of his ear had a bit of silver to them, and a little streak of silver was growing into his hair and his long beard, but what Marco couldn't stop paying attention to was just how... wolfy they were all getting.

Yom was the easiest to see, but Udo was going further than Marco was used to as well. His mouth was protruding more than a proto muzzle and his arms were almost fully furry. They had experienced a bit of change after the eclipse, Demeas had said that the curse was updating to fit the times, but they'd never been quite this wolfy other than the full moons. It was exhilarating, it was amazing, and it was so sexy...

Yom stretched a bit, showing off his physique for his alpha before he hopped up onto their raised beds and spread his legs, laying back to show off his tail hole. It was huge, quivering, and pulsating almost hypnotically. It was beckoning to his alpha. Marco shuddered and moaned before, unexpectedly, cumming. He gasped as he felt Udo's lips latch shut, the white wolf gulping down every ounce of seed.

With each gulp, Udo's face stretched out inch after inch. White fur spread over his nose, his cheeks and around his eyes. His ears migrated up to the top of his head and whiskers poked out of his cheeks. His nose shifted last, turning black and taking on a bit of moisture. The white fur swept down his neck, his chest, his hips and his legs. In moments Udo had become something new - not a primal wolf, but more of an anthropomorphic wolf.

Udo's tail swept out behind him, getting fluffy and big before he moaned, pulling back, licking and slurping up the last of Marco's first load. Marco stood there, looking at his beta with admiration - but something else was calling to him. It had started low and barely audible, but it had grown. Yom was whimpering, panting, groaning. A clawed finger ringed his hole and Marco began approaching. He came up to his mate, his hard, very moist cock coming down to slap between his cheeks.

"Yes! Oh Marco!" Yom growled, his voice so deep. His hands dug into the mattresses, threatening to cut through the fabric and the stuffing. Marco grinned and pulled back just enough to let the head of his cock line up with Yom's hole before he began pushing in. There was a tightness, a pressure, and then relief as Marco popped in, sliding a few inches in. Yom wrapped his legs around his Alpha and then tightened them, pulling Marco in the rest of the way.

Both wolves panted suddenly as they matched, but then Yom grunted as the bed shifted. Udo had pounced up and moved in a blur of white. Yom tried to follow his movements, but then grunted as he got a face full of crotch. Udo had given in more to his instincts and was grinding his sheath against Yom's beard. Yom snarled and opened wide, his tongue finding the slit before slipping in.

One wet slab of meat to another, Yom's tongue coaxed Udo's cock out of hiding and into his mouth. He began to bob his head up and down, sucking and slurping from Udo as Marco's huge, meaty manhood filled his ass. Yom was in heaven, clenching down. His muscles fluttered all around Marco, giving him stimulation. Yom's lips opened and closed around Udo's cock, his tongue teasing the urethra, coaxing it to give up its bounty.

Hearing the wet slurps of his Betas having such fun, Marco groaned, thrusting in faster and faster, building up momentum and friction. The heat spread down his hard alpha cock and into his balls before spreading outward from there. His thick bush transitioned into soft willowy black fur, then the fur spread up his stomach and connected to his chest, wrapping around his ribs.

The black fur covering Marco's body moved as fast as night. It covered his biceps and triceps, his elbows, his forearms. It swept down his fingers, sparing only the swollen pillows of flesh on his fingertips and palms. His legs were coated, his calves, his ankles and his feet. His toes snapped and shifted, growing longer and wider as they fanned out into paws.

Marco's body was covered with thickening black fur. He had the stature of a werewolf, but as the fur swept up his neck and throat, growing into his beard, he felt the rest losing to the animal inside. His ears snapped and popped before going deaf for a moment. His unruly hair began to shift, his ears migrating up to the top of his head. In moments the deafness ended and his hearing came back, stronger than ever as the pointed ears stuck up on the top of his head.

The Alpha snarled and moaned, grinding against Yom's ass harder, gasping as he saw Udo turn around to face him, cock still lodged in Yom's throat. The white wolf was crouching on the brow wolf's face, but he stretched up and began to lick at Marco's chin, nuzzling into his beard. Marco's cock swelled longer and thicker in Yom's ass at that, feeling encouraged by his Beta.

Udo kept licking, lavishing Marco with affection, enjoying their new forms. Marco's bottom jaw began pushing out, giving room for his teeth to grow. His nose began to tilt upwards, darkening as it got moist. The black fur raced up the sides of his neck, spilling out across his cheeks. The spreading fur covered his nose and forehead, filling in around his eyes. Marco's head ached and throbbed, but it was a good pain. It made him feel alive.

Marco growled even louder as he continued to change. His face was pushing out into a true muzzle, and his ass cheeks had parted. His pucker felt the cool blast of air, but his tailbone was the most alive. It pulled back from his pelvis, shifting and then wriggling. The bone pushed out his skin, forming a tube of flesh. The bone stretched out as far as it could - almost to the point of breaking - and then something strange happened; a new bone formed in behind it. One by one, the bones and ligaments all developed at the base of his spine, black fur sprouting across the growing tube.

As the fur filled out, the flesh elongated into a short tail - and then a longer one. It began to sway back and forth as Marco claimed his mate. Even the base of his cock was growing, bloating out sideways, locking him into his partner. Marco groaned harder, growling, snarling, making use of his wolf head. He wasn't just a wolfman anymore. He was something new, something wonderful, something amazing. He came down, tilted his head to the side, and melded muzzles with Udo.

Their fat wolf tongues were still sloshing around, their muzzles locked in embrace. Udo shuddered, whimpering into the kiss as he came, feeding Yom gulp after gulp of his seed. Yom greedily drank it down, tongue slathering the tip of Udo's rod with attention. He wanted every last drop.

Marco kissed Udo, he felt Yom around him... it was wonderful. His pack wasn't complete yet, not without Fletcher, but this was a good start. This was the way it needed to be - back to basics. Marco broke the kiss, threw his head back and howled as his thick, yellowed wolf spunk began spraying into Artyom's ass. The Russian wolf joined into the howling as he felt his alpha filling him. He threw his arms wide on the bed, his face taking on the full wolfen state, wreathed with the bushy wild mane that had once been his beard.

Marco came... and came... and came. It felt like the never ending orgasm. Each second it passed seared his brain with the pleasure, flooding it and burning it. He was surprised how pent up he was, but he had been away from them for a few weeks. Marco felt almost dizzy as the blood had been gone from his brain for too long, but he held it until he'd given Yom every last drop. There they were, lovers locked in the most intimate of embraces.

Eventually Udo was forced to change positions, pulling away from Yom before curling up on the matresses in a heap of white fur. Yom was sprawled out, filled from both ends. Marco stood there, still lodged in Artyom, but his head had tilted. As the blood had eventually returned to his brain, he realized that there could have been a risk to howling like that when the dorm hallway had been so crowded. He listened carefully, straining his senses.

He heard... music, and lots of it. Rap, hip hop, broadway, classical. He heard movies and television shows streaming. He heard excited talking. He heard the sounds of life. It seemed they had gotten away with being wild in the midst of the humans for now. It was a relief, though Marco knew he was going to have to consider the possibility of sound proofing. The last thing they needed was to get in trouble for being too loud, although Marco started to wonder how they'd gotten away with it the previous year. Maybe the walls really were thicker than they seemed...

**** Crickets... a sound that New York lacked entirely. Fletcher had made it from the airport to Echo Creek and finally to Grand Mesa's campus. He'd been walking across the red brick square near the library and the commons when he'd inexplicably stopped. The lamps cast an orange glow, glittering like embers on the rippling waters of the creek where it snaked its way back and forth. It was a warm night, the heat of the day still hanging in the air.

Fletcher had made his way over to a foot tall retaining wall before he finally sat down. He listened to the crickets, to the wind blowing through the trees, to the bubbling and babbling creek. The moment was sublime in its strange peace and contentment. Fletcher closed his eyes and took a long, careful breath. He could feel his muscles relax a little, his heart slowing down to a more normal beat - at least for a moment.

"You smell different." The voice was light, airy, but with a bit of bite to it. Fletcher opened his caramel colored eyes to see another sophomore standing a few feet away.

The nineteen-year-old had a mop of strawberry blond hair that nearly obscured his eyes, falling down in a messy mane around his cheeks and neck. A strip of the same light reddish hair hung down in a strop from his chin almost two inches. He had on a torn up brown t-shirt and faded blue jeans with the knees ripped out, a long chain hanging from his pocket to his belt loop. Fletcher tilted his head slowly.

"Liam, did you break your skateboard?" Fletcher asked, cracking a smile. The teen smiled back, moving to sit next to Fletcher. Their connection was a very strange one indeed. Liam was one of two twins, and he had been the twin to develop a crush on Fletcher. He'd even managed to give him a blow job a time or two. The connection became even more strained when the twins had become the defacto alphas of the campus werewolf pack, a job they had not exactly anticipated having.

"Nah, I left it back in the dorm. Kieran's putting new wheels on it." Liam replied, sniffing the air again before he leaned in, "It's almost the same scent, but there's a sort of grassy smell to it too." Liam considered.

"Freshly mowed?" Fletcher asked. Liam smiled and shook his head.

"Summer grass after a morning dew." Liam replied. Fletcher sighed.

"That's what you get for trying to sew your wild oats." he replied. Liam groaned.

"That was a stretch, even for you." he said, looking at Fletcher with shrewd eyes, "What's wrong?" he asked. Fletcher's eyebrow arched.

"I should ask you the same thing. Since when have you been so... diplomatic?" Fletcher asked. Liam blushed a little and reached up to rub the back of his head.

"I guess... since we became responsible for so many werewolves on campus. It's a big deal, and after our bond influenced some of the wolves on campus to take risks... We spent the whole summer trying to figure out how to be better." Liam said.

"Better alphas, or better people?" Fletcher asked.

"Both. But you're trying to wriggle out of my question." Liam replied, "You haven't seen your pack yet. Something's wrong." he said. Fletcher's eyes fell down to the bricks below his feet and he listened to the crickets a little longer. They were almost like nature's heartbeat.

"I don't feel like myself still. I spent most of the summer healing, and the rest thinking about what I did. I don't know if I deserve them." Fletcher said. Liam slid an arm out around Fletcher, resting it across his shoulders.

"The old me would have tried to crack a joke about you settling for something worse, and taking you back to my dorm. And I'd be lying if I didn't think that idea was tempting. But we're both in a new place." Liam said, "You deserve people that will help you to be the best you can be. If you made mistakes, which I seriously doubt, you can try to learn from them and move on. College is great for stuff like that." Liam said. Fletcher turned his head.

"What did you do with Liam?" Fletcher asked with a grin. Liam smirked before he leaned in and gave Fletcher a kiss on the lips. Fletcher wriggled back, scrunching up his face, "I have three boyfriends!" he protested. Liam sighed and nodded.

"I know, I know... I just had to remind you of that. Now, go to them." Liam said seriously. Fletcher sat there for a moment before he nodded. He reached up and pated the twin on the shoulder before he hopped off the wall and resumed his walk for Keller hall. Liam watched him go before he pulled his legs up onto the retaining wall, hugging his knees to his chest. He slowly lowered his head, resting his forehead to his knees.

**** The music had died down and few of the dorm doors had light coming from the crack beneath them. Fletcher moved along, glancing at the nametags thrown up on the doors, trying to see if he remembered anyone. He felt a little naked, arriving without his things, but they were being shipped. It was cheaper than taking them on the plane, and he had a lot in storage anyway. He reached the dorm and grabbed onto the knob and turned it, easing it open.

The main lights were off, but a web of white Christmas lights had been spread across the ceiling, creating a warm creamy white glow that reflected richly off the white paint on the walls. Marco was on one of the couches with Udo's head on his lap, the blond boy deep asleep. Yom was fiddling with speaker wires, trying to get everything hooked up. Marco smiled warmly, meeting eyes with Fletcher.

"Welcome home." Marco said. Fletcher's heart skipped a beat and he couldn't help the large smile that crossed his lips. He couldn't have thought of a better thing for his boyfriend to say in that moment. The door slowly swung shut behind Fletcher, clicking as it was locked and the night regained its dominion over everything.