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Lykos Second Skin Chapter 5 (Waxing Moon)

There was a normal flow to weekends on a college campus; Friday nights were lived late and long, and Saturday morning was the recuperation before doing it all over again that night. While the majority of Grand Mesa University's students were doing just that, its werewolf population was getting ready for a very different sort of day. The blinds bad been tilted open to let in the early morning light. It bounced off of the white painted cinder block walls of the large dorm room, making the burgundy countertops radiate with warmth.

Yom had pushed the castle of twin beds off to one side of the room to give the pack more floor space as they moved around, getting ready for the day ahead. Udo had three duffel bags laid out, packed with food and clothes and water. Yom kept checking his phone and Fletcher was flipping through a battered notebook that he hadn't looked back at in several months. It was his handwriting, but at the time he'd been trying to encode what he wrote so no one could learn the secrets of the Keepers if they found it.

"What do you think Jn Mit three means?" Fletcher asked. Yom looked up from his phone, leaning over just a bit.

"Is that an n? Or just a saggy r?" Yom asked. Fletcher's face wrenched into disgust. He couldn't even read his own handwriting.

"Do you think they're using the same cover story for the full moon this year? I still don't think I know enough about Dungeons and Dragons to fool anyone if they ask where we're going. And what if someone who actually wants to play that tries to join this year?" Marco asked, walking over toward the small mirror by the closet, trying to tug his pants up.

"Well, you could always turn them into a werewolf." Yom smiled. Marco shook his head, trying again to get his pants up, moving the zipper and stopping.

"Did these shrink?" he asked. Yom looked up and tilted his head to the side before he moved over and reached a hand down to cup Marco's balls through the fabric of his boxers.

"No, I think they grew." he said. Marco growled a little, though he looked down and shifted weight from one foot to the other.

"They did... My balls are bigger." Marco said, looking up at the others. Udo stopped packing for a moment.

"Well, there are perks to being a pack Alpha, and your pack just got way bigger." Udo said. Marco crossed his hairy arms.

"But how does my body know that? And do they have a special store for Alpha pants?" Marco asked. Udo chuckled.

"Just go for sweatpants, you won't be wearing them most of the day anyway." Udo said. Marco gave a reluctant grunt at that and opened the closet door, riffling through the clothes there. Udo looked back at Fletcher and reached out, rubbing his shoulder. Fletcher looked up and gave a soft smile at that before sighing.

"It's like I'm starting back at ground zero. I forgot pretty much everything I was learning at first. I don't think I'll be a very good Keeper." Fletcher said.

"All you can do is try. And having you close is enough." Udo said.

"You say that now, you should have seen Marco climbing up the cliffs last year to say hi." Fletcher grinned. Marco chuckled at that, looking at his hand. His fingernails had grown a fair bit over night even though he'd trimmed them pretty close. He looked up at the mirror and ran a finger along his cheek above the edge of where his beard normally ended, feeling stubble creeping up higher along his face.

The full moon was coming, the first of a new school year and the first with him as the campus Alpha. It was time to use his morality, his personality, and his drives to shape the way the pack operated... and in turn, for him to be the conduit that the pack's energy funneled through. He could already feel changes, but he knew he had to be careful. Just asserting dominance over Liam and Kieran had led to his careless biting of Fletcher. He had to remain true to himself.

Marco let out a soft noise as he felt a hand cup his ass cheek and turned back to see Yom. Yom gave out an appreciative growl as he leaned in for a demanding kiss. Marco's lips parted, their beards meshing together, strong tongues whipping and lashing against each other. Yom eventually broke the kiss with some reluctance.

"If you've found your pants, I have a present for you outside." Yom said. Marco murmured at that.

"What if I want my present inside?" Marco asked. Yom grinned at that.

"I think we'll have plenty of time for fun tonight, and you might want to see the present before we head to the canyon." Yom said. Fletcher looked up in surprise.

"It must be important if he's putting off sex." Fletch grinned. Yom stuck out his tongue at that and Udo chuckled. Marco shrugged, yanking a pair of sweatpants off a hanger in the closet.

"Well, who am I to say no to presents?" Marco grinned.

**** The metal and glass door to Keller Hall clicked and wheezed open as the quartet spilled out, heading down the cement steps and into the roundabout in front of the dorm building. More leaves had fallen from the tree there, carpeting the cement in reds and golds. The air had a delightful bite to it, just the right mix of Fall. Marco looked around at the parking lot curiously, then to the creek beyond, sniffing the air more.

"What is it?" Marco asked uncertainly. Yom waited for Fletcher and Udo to catch up before he fished in his pocket and withdrew a pair of keys. He pressed a key fob and the orange lights of a black SUV flashed. Yom then held the keys out for Marco to take. Marco blinked and then turned back to his Russian pack mate.

"Artyom Yashin, what did you do?" Marco asked.

"It is a 2010 Mazda CX-9, it normally seats up to seven but I had it adjusted to make extra cargo space so it seats five instead." Yom said. Marco said nothing, still staring. Yom looked a little nervous, "It's... It's yours. It's the present." he clarified. Marco was utterly stunned.

"You got me a car?" He said, moving over to it. He had to admit, he liked the curves of the vehicle. The black paint with the silver detailing reminded him a bit about his wolf form.

"Yeah... I mean, you were kind of upset about not being able to... get help fast enough on our own and stuff." Yom said, trying to side-step calling back to Fletcher's near-miss directly.

"How?" Marco asked, taking the key fob, trying the buttons. He unlocked all the doors and Udo moved over, opening the hatchback to the SUV.

"I used what I got from our summer job... plus a little. But now we have a car for our pack." Yom said, looking extremely nervous now at how hesitant his boyfriend had been. Marco looked at the car and then at Yom and pulled him into a tight hug, wrapping his arms around his back, squeezing him tight. Yom melted into the hug and put his face in Marco's neck, inhaling his scent. Marco rubbed his back and sighed.

"Thank you so much... I wish I could give you a gift as amazing as this." Marco said. Yom chuckled, looking up.

"You do remember that you saved my life, right? Twice, technically." Yom said.

"Well... in that case we're even." Marco said. Yom smirked at that. Udo was running his hands over the carpeting in the cargo area of the back of the trunk, looking at the way the light was scattering across the fabric.

"Yom, when you said you had this adjusted... Did they do anything else to it?" Udo asked. Yom nodded.

"I had Mattias in town give it a once over, make sure it was up to Keeper specs." Yom said. Fletcher looked up at that as he sat down in the passenger seat.

"There are specs?" he asked, putting on his seatbelt. Marco grinned a little.

"How about... you tell us as we try it out?" Marco suggested. Udo grinned at that, closing the hatchback as he ran around to get in the seat behind Fletcher. Yom shrugged and nodded and Marco nearly jumped over the hood, skimming the front bumper to get to the driver's seat. He slipped in and dropped down, feeling the seat cupping his ribs, supporting his back. There was plenty of legroom even with them all being big guys.

The doors shut, the key slid into the ignition and Marco turned the key. The engine shuddered to life with ease, the display snapping on in front of him. The interior was just as black as the exterior with subtle silver detailing, but the four round displays behind the wheel and the radio panel glowed with a vibrant reddish orange glow. It was quite different from most vehicles. Udo reached into the pocket behind Marco's seat and pulled out the car manual and started flipping through the pages.

"So, Keeper's have specifications for cars?" Fletcher asked. Yom nodded.

"Yeah, there are certain guidelines to help keep wolves from sticking out too much. Sedans and SUVs are better than coupes and convertibles. You want a car that can blend in to a crowd, that isn't too easy to track or remember. Neutral colors, no identifying rims or bumper stickers. Plus they have tricks that can mess with forensics, powders that keep them from running tests on any blood or anything that might get on the upholstery." Yom said.

"Now THAT sounds like something that could be used by a super villain..." Fletch shuddered. Udo shrugged.

"It's just like supernatural scotch guard, right?" he smiled. Marco shook his head with a chuckle, running his hands up and down the wheel of his brand new car.

"How about... we give this a test drive so I can get used to it before we follow the bus to the box canyon?" Marco said.

"Lead the way, Alpha." Fletcher said. Marco nodded at that, putting his foot on the brake, looking around the SUV before he shifted into reverse and started backing out.

**** The test drive had turned into a tour of Echo Creek, and then a jaunt out Highway 65 before returning to campus. Marco had settled in behind the wheel and Fletcher had managed to find an appropriate selection of music. After all, the front passenger had the responsibility of acting as DJ for road trips. It was an unwritten rule. They'd made it back to their dorm just in time to pack up and head immediately back out again, following the two school buses leaving campus, bound for the remote box canyon that protected the wolves from the world, and the world from the wolves during the full moon.

Fletcher looked up at the mirror in his visor, getting a fairly good view of his pack. Marco was focused on his driving, calm and serious, his Hawaiian features slowly being overwhelmed with his manifesting masculinity as the full moon drew closer. Artyom was right behind him, doting on his Alpha, pleased his gift had gone over so well. He was big, hairy, and a softie at heart. Udo was incredibly excited about everything, taking it all in. He was so much happier than when they'd first met... Fletcher realized they all were happier, except for him.

He sunk down a little lower in his seat, looking outside instead, trying to appreciate the beauty around them. The Grand Mesa was over five hundred square miles, the largest flat topped mountain in the world. Three hundred lakes, countless trees, the natural splendor of nature itself. It was an ideal paradise for werewolves, and they were very lucky for that.

"So any difference to the game plan this year?" Fletcher asked. Yom shook his head.

"We're pretty much in the middle of nowhere, but we're going to have a few extra keepers from town just in case. Keep their eyes peeled. Besides, there are new recruits. New arrivals to the school to teach." Yom said.

"Maybe I won't feel so bad having to repeat the course." Fletcher said. Marco reached over and rubbed his leg.

"It'll be okay. We're all feeling things out." Marco assured him. Fletcher felt a bit comforted by that. He knew he had to get over his funk. Maybe getting back into the Keeper thing was what he needed most. The drive took some time, even if it was more comfortable in their new car. The school busses bounced and rumbled along before finally pulling off the main road, pulling up the service access that wound its way up until finally coming to the mouth of the box canyon.

It was a gouge into the edge of the grand mesa itself, a divot funneled out eons ago. The gentle slopes up on the side made for easy access to the rim, and it was easily defensible - both for any threats coming from outside, and keeping the wolves inside. It was always toughest at the start of the year. There were so many new variables, so many wolves trying to find their place - and none would be trying harder than with a new campus alpha.

The Mazda pulled up to the side of the gravel, kicking up a bit of dust. The doors opened nearly in unison and Marco stepped out, rising up, the wind whipping through his hair. His normally hazel eyes were looking brighter yellow by the second. He felt a certain gravitas about himself. He was tall, broad shouldered, muscled, strong... and manly. He'd opted for sweatpants like his pack mates had suggested, but they still just seemed to show off his bulge.

More gravel kicked up as a familiar white and black Chevy truck rumbled up to a stop, the bed filled with two dirtbikes. Duncan slipped out of the driver seat, landing on his feet, his bare arms as built and ready for action as ever. His short kept beard and man bun were a bit shaggier than usual that close to the full moon, and he looked a bit distracted as he moved to the back to open the tailgate and start getting the bikes out. The reason for his distraction was obvious as Kieran and Liam slipped out, stretching and yawning. Duncan looked up, spotting Marco and Yom, grinning a bit.

"Hey boss, where ya thinkin' on setting up camp?" Duncan called out. The words flew past Marco for a moment before he realized they were directed at him.

"Is that like, a tradition? Or can I explore?" Marco asked. Duncan considered.

"I guess it's not a hard and fast tradition. Seamus always just had his food set where he liked it." Duncan said as he started releasing the latches on the dirt bikes, pulling them back.

"Yeah, I'm not pigging out." Marco said, "Just spread it out fairly."

"You got it." Duncan said with a nod, pulling the first bike down. Liam moved over to climb up onto it, his shaggy strawberry blond hair waving in the wind, hiding nearly his entire face other than his mouth and chin. He brushed his hair back and looked over at Fletcher with a hungry grin.

"Want a ride to the top?" He asked. Fletcher looked at Marco, Yom, Udo and Duncan before he gave a nod.

"You guys take care. I'll see you in the morning. Have fun I guess." Fletcher said, turning. Marco moved over and reached out, catching Fletcher's wrist. Fletcher turned, looking vulnerable. Marco looked into his boyfriend's eyes, and as he did they started to tint, changing from amber to teal.

"Rayne, I love you." Marco said softly, "Completely." he added. Fletcher let out a soft sigh, feeling some of the weight leave his chest. He reached up and caressed Marco's fuzzy cheek, giving it a good pet.

"And I love you too, and I'm very lucky to have you. Now... go have fun, but know that tomorrow you're going to take me on a romantic, amazing date. Off campus, at least to the cafe." Fletcher said. Marco grinned at that and nodded, showing off his sharpening fangs.

"It's a date." he replied. Fletcher nodded at that.

"Okay." he said with a soft smile, feeling a lot better. He moved over and hopped onto the bike behind Liam. Liam wriggled his butt back against Fletcher's groin and Fletcher rolled his eyes. "Dude, are we still going at this?" he asked.

"Can't blame a wolf for trying!" Liam grinned, kicking his dirt bike to life. The two sped off, sailing around the buses and other Keepers taking the path up the edges of the canyon. Liam and Kieran would ferry quite a few individuals up to strategic points before joining the other wolves below. Marco watched them grow smaller and smaller up the side before they disappeared into the trees. Duncan grunted as he got Kieran's bike down, letting the other twin head off to pick up his first passenger before he turned and leaned back against his truck, eyeing Yom and Udo and then Marco.

"So, what's a wolf gotta do to become a lieutenant?" he asked with a grin. Udo tensed a little, his muscles growing bigger in his shirt.

"Don't go getting any ideas, I'm not an omega anymore." Udo growled, showing his fangs as his ears pushed into points. Duncan held up his hands.

"Hey, no, no..." Duncan said, blushing, "I'm not trying to replace you. This is a whole new thing going on here. Marco's the alpha, of course... and you boys are like his generals, right?" Duncan said. Udo hesitated, looking at Marco. Marco considered that for a minute.

"That could work... Delegate, divide up the big group." Marco said, "I kind of wish I had more time to plan things out."

"Plans can only get you so far." Artyom said, "This isn't civics class. You have to hold your ideals tight, and temper them with instinct and drive in the heat of the night." Yom said. Marco considered it, knowing Artyom had a lifetime of experience being a werewolf. Then again, Marco had changed his life with his determination. Duncan nodded at Yom's words, lifting the tailgate to his truck, grinning ear to ear.

"I'm good with instinct." he said, giving them a wave before he headed off to join the others, grabbing one of the coolers of food to carry into the canyon. Marco watched him go, his arms glistening in the setting sun, feeling his heart thumping a bit.

"This is going to be weird." Marco said. Yom grinned.

"You said that about having three boyfriends." he smiled.

"That's still fucking weird. I'm just lucky that it works." Marco said. Udo smiled.

"Well, I think this is going to be the best full moon I've had here." Udo said, reaching up to scratch at the hairs pushing out down his cheeks, growing into fluffy, almost white sideburns.

"I think it's going to be good for you... You can show some wolves their place." Yom said, slapping Udo on the shoulders. Udo smiled at that.

"Hopefully... we can blend the old ways with a new sensibility." Marco said. Yom nodded at that and started walking toward the canyon. Udo slung an arm around Marco's waist, walking with his Alpha toward their hunting grounds for the evening.

**** Fletcher's memory of the full moons during Freshman year were a bit mixed. He remembered being cold, hungry, and incredibly intimidated. This year, though... it didn't feel so bad. The ache to be with his pack was still there, the envy of the werewolves, but as he looked around he felt almost more experienced than most of the Keepers that had come. There were a few familiar faces out there, assisting the new ones, but Ethan wasn't there... and no one had come running up, calling him Demeas or accusing him of nearly ending the world.

"Excuse me, did you want your paint?" A voice asked. Fletcher turned to see an eighteen year old Korean boy, his black bangs falling over round glasses. Fletcher looked into the bowl he held, seeing the familiar rust colored paste. Fletcher nodded.

"I'm just an initiate." He said. The boy nodded and drew a curved line on Fletcher's forehead, adding two half circles beneath it. He backed up to look at his work, trying to decide if he did a good job. Fletcher grinned, "I'm sure it's fine." he said.

"I know, I just want to do a good job. Have... have you made a barrier before?" The keeper asked. Fletcher nodded.

"I helped with one. Is this your first?" he asked. The boy nodded. Fletcher smiled warmly, gesturing to the box canyon behind them.

"The most important thing is to remember why you're here, to picture the person you're keeping the secret for. Focus on them, how you want to keep them safe from the world, from anything that might harm them. Think of it like a big hug, not just from you, but from the Earth itself." Fletcher said. The keeper smiled softly.

"Wow, that sounds really nice." he whispered.

"It is." Rayne said, "But you better get going, not much time left." he added. The kid nodded and darted off, painting more marks on other keepers. They were spread out about sixty feet apart, working in pairs or trios. Fletcher wandered along, spotting a blond kid with a baggy green sweatshirt guiding another freshman. As Fletcher moved up, the blond kid looked up, seeing the initiate emblem on his head.

"Care to join us?" he asked. Fletcher didn't know why, but he felt a bit of relief.

"Thanks, I'm still pretty new to this stuff." he said. The blond smiled.

"Every expert was once a beginner." he replied, "We're just going over the glyphs now." he said. Fletcher nodded and knelt down, watching the Keeper use his finger to draw a downward chevron, then a curved line that went farther than the pointed edges. On the left he added a squared off spiral, and on the right he made the best circle he could.

Fletcher tried to keep up, and when instructed, he drew his own squared off spiral before him. He remembered most of the symbols from last year, though he'd never gotten a chance to get very good at them. He looked up, studying the changes to the sky. The salmon orange and faint violet was giving way to navy blue as the sun disappeared beneath the horizon and the moon climbed higher.

"And then Nyctimus recited the protective prayer he said every day as a shepherd." The blond keeper explained. Both he and his other student started to recite the greek words slowly and steadily. Fletcher wasn't too worried, he hadn't had to worry about the words before. He waited for them to reach out, lowering their hands, resting them on the glyphs they had made. Fletcher closed his eyes, keeping Marco in the center of his heart, focusing on the feeling. The recitation carried on for a minute, then two, then three before finally the glyphs started to sparkle, catching what little light was there before growing brighter - at least in front of the other two Keepers.

Fletcher opened one eye, then another, realizing his dirt had not changed. The blond boy's glyphs, however, were practically glowing. The shimmering built into a gentle pearlescent light. It filled the glyphs in the dirt, then rippled outwards, pouring out from where their hands touched the Earth. The line of light arched out into the night sky, streaking boldly over the canyon. It stretched longer and longer, gently wobbling.

It looked as if it might fall, stretching out into the infinity with nothing to support it... at least not yet. Twenty two other strings of light were arching out from all around the canyon, built on the same faith, the same emotion, the same belief. As the sun diminished, the pearlescent glow grew brighter, as if it was forged out of pure moonlight.

The tendrils of light reached out, hitting one another in the center above the canyon. The energy pouring out along them converged, spreading out in a growing shield of light, arching out over the canyon itself. The barrier expanded, getting brighter as the thoughts and words the Keepers shared all poured together. The barrier swept back toward those that created it, solid in the center, built on the supports of the glyphs.

Eventually the barrier touched the rim of the canyon near the farthest edge, flashing with light. The seal ran down in both directions, coming around the edge. It raced past Fletcher, carrying on, dipping down the sloped mouth of the canyon before dropping down to the lowest point. The entire barrier shimmered before fading, becoming nearly invisible. It was amazing, inspiring, but unlike last time... Fletcher felt nothing. No heat, no warmth, no connection. He lifted his hands up slowly, looking at his glyph. There was no light, no sparkle, no magic. Whatever the Keepers had just accomplished, they had done it without him.

**** Fresh air, nature, wilderness... It was beautiful, it was welcoming, and it felt so much better this time as Marco walked deeper into the canyon. He'd found the Hawthorn tree from his first night, leaving his shoes and socks behind before peeling off his shirt as well. His caramel cream colored skin was well toned, catching the richness of the setting sun. Marco's hat was forgotten, his long black hair blowing across his shoulders. He was a primal man, a manly man, an alpha ready to claim his territory, his pack, his destiny.

Marco tried to remember the steps that had led him there, retaining his humility, his ethics. He remembered the time that the previous campus Alpha had tried to tempt him with the unrestrained power of an Alpha. He wasn't going to lose his way, he wasn't going to take it for granted... even if he could feel the beast stirring inside of him, growing restless, wanting out.

Amber eyes lifted skyward, tracing the rim of the canyon, stopping on a point. He waited, counting the moments until an edge of silver appeared, crawling higher, emerging ever so slowly. Marco could feel his heart beating faster, picking up speed, pushing the blood through his body. His fingers and toes were tingling, even his ears, but that was because they were pushing slowly into points, the first rush of his transformation

Without even looking, Marco had a sense of the space around him. He could feel Yom a few yards away, walking along with him, but at a respectful distance. Udo was sitting in a tree, looking around, keeping track of it all. He had his pack, his protectors, his mates. Marco closed his eyes, feeling the growing moonlight on his skin - skin that felt so alive. New hairs were pushing out, bristling, thickening, spreading.

Marco's mouth opened, a long exhalation passing over sharpening teeth. His canine teeth grew first, but the rest of them were following suit. The bone softened and surged, stretching up into sharp fangs before hardening again, hardening tighter than before. He'd lost all his fillings the first time he changed, his teeth healing themselves. As his fangs grew, his lips started pushing out, barely able to fit around them.

The tingling in his cheeks started to grow into a burning. He reached up to scratch, but winced as his sharper nails pushed through the hair and nearly sliced the skin. He pulled his hand back, examining his fingernails as they turned from pearl to brown, then black. The keratin sunk into his fingers, the flesh knitting tight over the top before the sharp, wicked claws pushed out of his fingertips, elongating, growing, coming out to wicked points.

Marco stretched, wriggling his shoulders as they pushed out wider. His pecs tightened as they started to grow, his nipples widening, his abs hardening. The wind blowing across him was catching more hair, whipping it about. What was already a healthy beard was getting out of control. The hair pushed out centimeter by centimeter, his mustache dropping down over his upper lip, the hair pushing in at the edges of his mouth and climbing his cheeks.

The line under his jaw where his beard stopped became blurry, the hair growing down his throat, becoming more of a mane than a beard. Marco slowly tipped his head back, basking in the pleasure, feeling his jaw start to pop and snap, his face slowly stretching into a short muzzle around his fangs. His body throbbed and pulsed with power. Marco started to pant as the hair crept up around the edge of his eyes. His brow bone began pushing out over his eyes, the fur sweeping across his changing head.

Marco's hands flexed, then his arms as the hair on them thickened, becoming fur, the flesh disappearing beneath the thickening pelt. Marco growled and huffed, his feet throbbing and stretching in the wet grass. His claws dug into the dirt, his heel softening and reshaping, his stance starting to change. Marco could hear the wind, his heartbeat, the branches in the nearby tree, and then nothing. In an instant his hearing dropped away - but it was something he was prepared for.

As his face pushed out into a muzzle, his pointed hybrid ears had pushed up his scalp, his hair and flesh wriggling as the appendages climbed to the top of his skull. Black fur covered them, growing shaggy and thick like his long hair and mane. As quickly as his hearing had disappeared, it returned in a flash as his ear drums reconnected, dozens of times more powerful than before. He moaned and growled and moved, hearing a strange sound - a sound that coincided with a sensation.

The moon was flowing through Marco, nourishing his inner beast, and that beast was making itself known in his pants. Each step made his hard rod rub against that fabric, and it was getting tight. His shaft was so hard, wobbling above his swollen balls. They were so big, bigger than oranges and... as he felt them move in his pants, he had no doubt they were covered in his thick black fur.

Marco reached down with his clawed hand, looping one claw under his waistband, then a second. He drew down in a quick slash, cutting the material. It sprung away from the gash, falling back as a huge, engorged, pulsating red shaft emerged into the sunset light. It tapered to a point, the red flesh glistening, the base puffy and rounded as veins pulsed. He wrapped his wicked hand around his rod and gave it a squeeze, then a stroke, starting to move it back and forth, feeling his meat grow longer and thicker, surging with power.

The changing Alpha growled louder, pleased by his form... but the pleasure was outpaced by his change. He shuddered as his spine popped, then popped again. He arched forward, grunting as his arms and legs snapped. He could hear his ligaments and muscles changing, the sound radiating up his skeleton into his head. Each breath brought more air with it as his ribs pushed apart and his torso elongated.

Marco panted hard, steam coming from his nostrils as his face continued to elongate, his jaw and nose pushing forward. The hair that had started to surround his nose and eyes finished covering his forehead and neck, his chest and his back, even his feet were getting fuzzy. Marco's nose crinkled and then flared, the flesh darkening, getting wetter and more leathery by the second. Each change drained away his humanity, letting the canine emerge, making it harder to move on two feet.

Marco staggered forward, his hands growing larger, his feet doing the same. He had a shaggy mane, a thick pelt. His shoulders had nearly doubled in width as he walked, taking on a defined V shape that tapered down to his exaggerated waist. Marco opened his long, full muzzle and let out his immense, wriggling tongue to lick his lips. His ass cheeks slowly pushed apart, allowing a wriggling dwarf tail to push out, pulling away from his back. Inch after inch unspooled, the fur getting longer and thicker until it was a true wolf tail.

The tail flicked outward as it grew in, the change just enough to throw off Marco's balance. He wobbled back, then over compensated forward, falling onto his front paws. As the impact of the ground radiated up his arms, through his shoulders and down his spine, Marco could feel the changes cementing themselves, locking into place. He had grown in every way; taller, wider, thicker, heavier. He was several hundred pounds of muscle, of hair, of wolf. He was immense, as black as night, furry and... horny.

Marco slowly lifted his lycan head toward the sky and let out a howl. As the howl grew, a deep and resonate howl joined it from near by. Yom had shifted as well, his large hairy Russian body giving way to an immense brown wolf with silver tipped ears. A higher, but no less strong howl came from a few yards back as a smaller but very powerfully built white wolf joined in the trifecta. His fur was flawless, like a freshly fallen snow.

The power of their forms was intense, but with the pleasure of the transformation complete, Marco could feel his old sensibilities swirling around in his head. This was his chance to do things different, to make the lives of all wolves better starting with his own campus. There would be no omegas like Udo, put upon by the dominance of the others. They would find their own balance, their own pleasure, their own meaning.

What had started with the three wolves, though, was traveling. Other wolves had taken up the call as they transformed, embracing the heed of their alpha, unifying and identifying as one. It was a strange communion, a bond that the wolves of Grand Mesa University had not held before. They were one pack, one people, and their Alpha had started the call. Marco listened to the many different howls radiating out all around them, feeling an odd sense of pride. Maybe it was all going to work just like he wanted it too.

**** Moss, gravel, bits of bark - it was a soil type that all came together beneath Fletcher's feet to make a crunching as he descended down the slope of the box canyon. Being freezing cold, hungry and bored was bad enough if he was serving a purpose, but as Fletcher slipped away, the other keepers didn't notice any change, they didn't even notice him leave. The shield remained just as it had.

"Stupid magic..." Fletcher muttered under his breath, his eyes lifting skyward, looking up to the moon itself. It hung high in the sky, distant but radiant, like a heavenly spotlight shining down on the chosen ones... the werewolves. They were down there, in the canyon, all together, reveling and bonding and connecting... and Fletch was still left out.

The nineteen year old turned, glaring up at the moon, his beanie pulled down over his messy hair, his caramel colored eyes full of anger and rage. He'd even been bitten! He'd taken the bite of the werewolf and absolutely nothing had happened. Fletcher opened his mouth and let out a roar, a scream, a howl almost worthy of a werewolf.

Rayne's nose ring glistened in the moonlight, the earrings in his ear shaking with the power of his yell. Spittle flew out from his open mouth, shrouded in a haze of vapor until he had no more breath to give. He panted a bit, reclaiming his breath, trying to decide if the act had in fact made him feel better or not.

"It's an interesting technique." A voice commented from near by. Fletcher turned, spotting a twenty year old sitting on a rounded boulder, bundled up in a red and black plaid blanket. He had on a backwards baseball cap over a black ponytail, almond colored eyes peering over, his skin looking velvety soft in the moonlight with golden undertones. The Keeper looked Fletcher over, "Is that to let your mate know you're out here?" he asked.

"Not... intentionally, though he usually found me before even up on the cliff." Fletcher said. The Keeper nodded.

"Are you mad at the moon then?" he asked. Fletcher considered for a moment before he nodded, as absurd as that was.

"I guess I am." Fletcher said. The Keeper smiled.

"Me too. It just pisses me off. It's such an arbitrary thing, inflicting all of this misery on us... Werewolves shouldn't have to be reminded what they are, especially after the curse supposedly updated." he said, "Care for some cocoa?" he said, offering a thermos. Fletcher was caught off guard, feeling an odd connection. It was as if he was looking at his past, carefree, amiable self... tempered by something more modern.

"Aren't you supposed to be focusing on the shield or something?" Fletcher asked. The Keeper chuckled.

"I would be if I could do barrier magic. I'm not that kind of Keeper. I'm here in case a wolf gets out of hand or a threat shows up. I'm Riku by the way." He introduced.

"Fletcher." Fletch said, moving over.

"Ah, Rayne Fletcher... The Alpha's boyfriend. Nice to meet you." Riku said, opening up his blanket to offer some of the rock. Fletcher sat down on the boulder and Riku draped half the blanket over his shoulders before he started unscrewing the thermos with gloved hands, pouring the hot, chocolatey goodness into the lid.

"So, what kind of Keeper are you?" Rayne asked. Riku handed him the thermos lid.

"I work with poisons mostly." he said. Fletcher blinked, looking down at the cocoa. Riku followed his eyes before chuckling, "And no, I'm not trying to poison you." he added.

"Honestly, at this point I wouldn't be terribly heartbroken." Fletcher said. Riku made a bit of a clicking with his tongue on his teeth.

"That DOES sound like a rough night. Maybe you need a double." Riku said, pouring out a little more cocoa. Fletcher nodded his head at it before he sipped the cocoa. The warm fluid rushed down his throat, making him feel a lot more content.

"Did they tell you Marco bit me, but nothing happened? Not one of us, not one of them, not dead. Just... nothing." Fletcher said, "Have you ever heard of something like that happening before?" he asked. Riku considered, looking up at the moon.

"I mean, not for a raw human... But my cousin's wife was a Varos, a vampire... and my cousin was a werewolf... They bit each other lots of times and nothing happened. I guess once you're picked by a team, you can't be affected." Riku said. Fletcher's shoulders slumped.

"I don't think I liked what team I was picked by... I had an evil werewolf spirit driving my body around for months without realizing it, and with him gone... what's left for me? I can't even do magic anymore." Fletcher said. Riku smiled.

"Well, you're still one up on me. I could never do magic." Riku said. Fletcher's eyebrow arched at that.

"You mean that you... Nothing? No mind tricks, nothing?" Fletcher asked. Riku chuckled at that and nodded.

"Yeah, Keepers aren't some Jedi thing. There are plenty of ways to be useful without magic. There are those of us that work just in logistics, changing data entry and medical records. There are Keepers that work in transport to get them the foods and supplies they need, or to move them past checkpoints. There are assassins, there are teachers. Any way to keep the secret, to keep wolves safe, that's all it takes." Riku explained. Fletcher smiled a little, truly, for the first time in a while.

"Then... will you teach me your recipe for cocoa first, and them something a little cooler?" Fletcher asked. Riku grinned.

"How about we do both at the same time." Riku replied with a big grin.

**** The night was still young in Houston, the temperature outside falling slowly. The honeycomb hexagonal lattice hugging the outside of the building was visible from every room, offering a view of the skyline. I-45 was still full, traffic forming long lingering lines of red in one direction and white the other. Chad looked out of the window at all of those cars, wondering how many were completely unaware that the full moon was hanging above their heads, reaching out with its influence, warping the lives of those touched by an ancient curse.

"Sir, we're ready now." A doctor said in a lab coat near by. Chad turned, straightening his gray suit. He towered over the doctor, his muscled form barely fitting into his outfit, his head shapely and strong. His short buzzed brown hair hid none of the angles or curves of his skull. He gave a nod and the doctor pressed his thumb to the biometrics scanner. The inner door opened onto one of the core labs in the tower.

Chad followed the doctor, leaving behind the inspiring view of the city, replaced with a view of very large, very long labs running on either side of the central walkway. The laboratories were hermetically sealed, running off of their own internal air scrubbers for the moment. Numerous tests were being done, involving equipment for taking blood and tissue samples, running breathing machines, countless IV's set up... but there was one feature that no other laboratory in the world had, something that stuck out, that reached into the very core of those laying eyes on the proceedings.

Huge table like medical beds had been placed every twelve feet, and on each bed were massive furry creatures - werewolves. Muzzles had been slipped over and strapped into place, pumping them full of powerful tranquilizers. They ran the entire spectrum of the natural rainbow. There were wolves with fur in shades of black, gray, brown, white, red and rust. There were tan wolves, sand wolves, wolves with coyote colored fur. Some had stripes, other were solid... and as

Chad looked on, he started to notice that there were two distinct breeds. Some were very wolf like but larger, and others... others were gangly messes of muscle and teeth, requiring bigger muzzles. Their bodies were disproportionate and dangerous, their claws longer, and their requirements for tranquilizer much higher.

"Terrifying, isn't it?" The doctor asked under his breath, holding his clipboard to his chest, "Just a few hours ago these were ordinary people. Men, women, children. Volunteers coming from across the community trying to find answers." The doctor said, "It chills me." he murmured.

"Let us not live by emotion. Let us lead with science." Chad said softly but sternly, reminding the doctor of one of Futurza's slogans, "You have successfully knocked them out during what is supposed to be their peak strength. Have there been any complications?" Chad asked.

"No, not really... Some of the applicants didn't change at all, but their psych panel suggest that they may be suffering from a variety of mental conditions where they assumed they were werewolves. We had to take two of the so called 'direwolves' down to the lower levels, they are more immune to the tranquilizing agents and represented an escape risk." The doctor replied.

"And the sampling?" Chad asked.

"It's going quite well. The regenerative qualities of the werewolves is only helping the process. They just keep making blood for us to take." The doctor smiled.

"Just be careful... Internally, there are hundreds of experiments depending on this process. Externally, this is the first quiet full moon since April. Making sure our guests remain content and satisfied will go a long way in helping us with our goals." Chad said, turning to head back toward the elevator.

"And what of Miss Bennet? Will she be satisfied with the results?" The doctor called out. Chad smiled softly, passing through the doors back out into the hall by the windows.

"Is she ever satisfied?" He called back.