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LykosSecond Skin Chapter 11 (Hidden Beasts)

Grand Mesa University was, like many college campuses, an ever changing, evolving and growing organization. New buildings sprung up once a decade, older buildings seemed to be frequently renovated, and yet Fletcher found himself on the ground floor in a corner classroom that had seemingly been forgotten by time. The lighting was so poor that the overheads were frequently left off, instead relying on the ambient light coming in through the ancient windows overlooking the rose garden at the edge of campus.

Fletcher slouched in his desk, his beanie cap tucked down over his messy brown hair, his caramel colored eyes peering through his thick black frame glasses. He was somewhat aware of the other students reading from their assignment, his finger keeping track loosely. His thoughts were elsewhere, on other things, on other yearnings - though he knew the rest of his pack mates were sitting through classes of their own.

"Rayne?" The instructor asked, eyes narrowing, "Mister Fletcher." he repeated. Fletch blinked quickly and looked down at the textbook before him, grunting at how blurry it was. He took off his glasses and set them aside, the text clearing.

"Uh... oh." Fletcher murmured, finding the most likely spot that the previous reader would have left off. He cleared his throat, "The holder of charisma seizes the task that is adequate for him and demands obedience and a following by virtue of his mission. His success determines whether he finds them. His charismatic claim breaks down if his mission is not recognized by those to whom he feels he has been sent. If they recognize him, he is their master - so long as he knows how to maintain recognition through 'proving' himself. But he does not derive his 'right' from their will, in the manner of an election. Rather, the reverse holds: it is the duty of those to whom he addresses his mission to recognize him as their charismatically qualified leader."

"Now, these words written by Weber in nineteen-forty-six have far reaching implications in our modern world." The instructor said, moving away from the archaic chalkboard at the front of the room, moving around the desks. As the instructor kept talking, Fletcher was looking not at his book but instead his glasses. He was going to have to find an eye doctor in Echo Creek. He had been having problems all semester. No doubt he had grown out of his prescription. He reached up and rubbed at the bridge of his nose where they rested, leaning back, exhaling slowly.

The murmur of the teacher carried on, but in contrast to his voice, Fletcher heard a thousand things more distinctly; the rustling of pages being turned, the shifting of bodies in old creaky chairs, even the breathing of those young men around him, falling into a half-daze as the words poured over them. Fletcher reached over to pinch the flesh on the underside of his wrist, trying to force himself to focus back into the moment. The mild pain worked as his eyes came back to the instructor.

"Weber went on to say 'It is the fate of charisma, whenever it comes into the permanent institutions of a community, to give way to powers of tradition or of rational socialization.' That brings us to your assignment for Wednesday. You are to write a two page essay on charisma and if it still exists in our rational society. Remember to support your theory with your reading. Class dismissed." The instructor said as students wrote down their assignment and started gathering up their possessions, scooping things into their backpacks and scurrying away.

Fletcher scribbled the assignment down in the header of his notebook paper like he always did, though the reality of the due date hit him after the fact. Wednesday... Wednesday morning. The morning after the morning after a full moon. He'd been dreading the October full moon for falling between a Monday and Tuesday. It meant he had one more thing to pack for their trip to the box canyon. Hopefully Kenji would understand if he was reading up for a sociology paper instead of the history of the Keepers. Fletch stood up as he slipped his notebook into his bag, though his glasses fell from the corner of the desk, clattering to the floor.

"Shit." Fletcher cursed, though the instructor turned from where he stood, erasing the chalkboard. Fletch blushed and gave a nervous smile, sliding his glasses into his pocket as he fled out of the classroom, eager to get some fresh air.

`

---

The lime green walls of the Hawk's Nest seemed almost an affront to Artyom's eyes as he stood in line in the campus convenience store. His white button up shirt had been countered with a black leather jacket with many zipper pockets, complimenting his torn black jeans and his hair pulled up into a top knot. He glanced back down to his basket full of sports drinks, the wire handles straining under the weight of them all.`

The line moved forward and Yom followed, lifting the basket up onto the counter. The blond clerk started ringing the bottles in, looking back at the line that curved around the convenience store floor, his eyebrow arching a bit as he looked back to Artyom.

"Is this some kind of frat thing? Alpha Tau Sigma? You guys clear me out at least once a month." he commented. Yom looked over his shoulder, realizing that the others in line were also campus wolves. Yom forced a bit of a smile before he looked back.

"It's a club thing. Different activities. Want to stock up." Yom said. The clerk nodded, though it didn't make his job any easier - though the manager would undoubtedly be pleased. Little by little the shelves were cleared of drinks, snacks, and various essentials. The energy drinks were gone before Yom had even shown up, but the Keepers tended to procrastinate less than the werewolves. Yom paid for his drinks and dumped them into a reusable bag before he left the convenience store behind.

As he made it out of the building and through the doors, he exhaled a sigh of relief. The wind blew through his hair and his beard and he could smell the changing leaves, the distant trees, the creek, even a falcon in one of the larger trees behind the Walden building. Yom realized that his senses - his wolf senses - were waking up. The full moon was on its approach. Yom trudged up the steps, navigating down the outdoor hallway at the edge of Keller, and into the parking lot beyond.

The hatch back of the Mazda hoisted up easily as Yom added the drinks to their stockpile. An ice chest had been crammed full with raw slabs of meat and a few select cheeses, Yom's bag of recovery drinks was one of three, and a backpack had been set to the side with treats for Fletcher. Yom smiled a bit as he unzipped the bag and peeked inside. Udo had given him yoghurt covered pretzels, graham crackers, and some of the strangest flavors of energy drinks. Marco had packed him a coffee flavored protein drink, a sandwich wrap, and a bag of trail mix. Yom reached into the bag he'd gotten from the grocery store and pulled out a huge bag of jerky and added it to Fletcher's care pack.

A grin crossed Yom's lips. He and Fletcher hadn't exactly been on the same page at first, and they had been a bit jerky to one another. It seemed only fair now to feed him some. Yom was pleased with how far they had come as a pack and he reached into his pocket and pulled out something else, a new beanie. Instead of his usual grey, it was a rich harvest gold color. Yom had been carrying it around for three days to make sure it had his scent on it, an added bonus for his Keeper. Yom stuffed the beanie into the backpack and zipped it up before he pulled the tailgate down.

****

The growl of the battered school bus's engine echoed on the street as it warmed up, students piling in after stuffing duffel bags under the bench seats. A few cars lined up behind the bus, easing the burden, but it was an effort to keep the pack exodus from seeming like a caravan. One of the hardest things about being a werewolf in the modern age was that full moons could fall on any day of the week, and the October moon was landing just before sunrise on a Tuesday morning.

The glow of laptop and cell phone screens reflected on the school bus windows as everyone tried in desperation to fend off the inevitable - that turning into werewolves mid-week was bad for homework. Several professors were aware of the nature of Grand Mesa University and the homework load was light for most classes, but some of the newer staff members were still zealous in their efforts.

Metal clanked as Duncan locked the ramp into place in the back of his truck. He blushed a little, realizing how much his arms were already bulging. His last encounter with the Alpha had left him feeling stronger and bigger than ever, and with the full moon getting close, the thought of it had his heart fluttering all over again. Duncan grabbed onto the handlebars of Liam's dirt bike and helped the smaller wolf get it up into the bed of the truck before he turned to help Kieran get his up. The twins watched Duncan work, their grins obvious even if their shaggy strawberry blond bangs hid their eyes.

"Dude, you've been working out." Kieran said. Duncan nodded.

"More or less." Duncan replied.

"Looks good on you, so does the beard." Liam replied.

"And the smell of the alpha's not bad either." Kieran added. Duncan winced a little, looking back at them. Liam grinned brighter.

"Hey, we don't blame you. You're the lucky dog that got into his bed... We've barely got any action and we've been trying for a year." Liam said.

"You were trying with Fletcher." Kieran said.

"And you were trying with Thackary!" Liam snapped back.

"You both were going after Keepers?" Duncan asked. Liam brushed his bangs back, his eyes already turning golden as the sun slowly dipped toward the horizon.

"We realize the error of our ways, and we'd much rather have the company of someone that would have us... Someone big." Liam offered.

"Someone strong." Kieran added.

"Someone like you." Liam concluded. Duncan shifted a bit, taking a breath before he shrugged, gesturing to the cab of his truck. The twins grinned before they sprung into action, darting up to hop in. Duncan latched down the dirt bikes, using straps to lock them in place. As Duncan grabbed the lift gate and brought it up, he spotted someone he hadn't expected to see, at least not on campus.

Standing on the far side of the street was a nineteen year old with rich coppery red hair almost down to his shoulders and dark freckles across his nose and upper cheeks. His brown shirt was a bit worn in places, and his nails were dark, already trying to be claws. As the wind shifted, Duncan got a whiff of his scent. It was different, more animal than most of the wolves on campus. Duncan had only seen him at Ren's museum. Duncan glanced one way and then the other before he crossed the street.

"Can a stray tag along?" Silas asked softly. Duncan looked at him with a bit of pity.

"How are the changes going?" he asked.

"They're... getting a little easier, but I'm still what some would call a Dark Wolf. I go straight to feral pretty easy." Silas said.

"Well, tonight that's going to be all of us. I can't promise there'll be much room, I've already got the twins riding with me, but you're welcome if you want to." Duncan said. Silas grinned a little.

"You're going to have three red heads crammed into your truck? I think that sounds like fun." Silas said with a smirk, giving Duncan's shoulder a rub as he jogged across the street toward the big truck. Duncan watched him go, feeling an odd bit of selfish glee at the sort of night that seemed to be unfolding in front of him.

****

The sun was almost set and the stars were coming out in full force. Even with the growing darkness, the atmosphere filling the box canyon was festive. It was the third full moon of the new school year and Marco's influence had taken root. The wolves were being respectful, fair, open, and very... horny. Marco stretched from the long car ride, working his neck and shoulders, looking around. He spotted Duncan, mouth agape as he moaned. He hadn't even made it out of his truck before the twins were giving him a ride for his money. While Liam bobbed his head up and down on Duncan's huge shaft, Kieran was busy sucking and biting on his nipple. Marco smiled a bit and rounded the car, trying to give their friend what privacy he could.

As Marco came around the back of the Mazda, he saw Yom lifting up the tailgate. Marco grinned more, knowing what was in store. Fletcher spilled out of the passenger seat and grabbed his own tote bag, but Marco swept an arm around him, guiding their Keeper to the back.

"It's going to be a longer night than usual, and we wanted to make sure you were well prepared." Marco said.

"Yeah, and to show you some of our appreciation." Udo added. Yom grabbed the backpack and pulled it forward.

"This is for you." Yom said. Fletcher looked a little confused but smiled.

"More homework?" he asked with his mirthful tone. He opened up the backpack and looked inside, his eyes widening a bit at the sheer variety of treats and snacks. He looked at them all in aw before he pulled out the harvest gold beanie and looked at it, "Wow, you guys... You really are thoughtful. Werewolves do everything big, don't they?" he asked before pulling off his old beanie and sliding on the new one. With just a few tugs to adjust, he was satisfied with the fit.

Marco grabbed Fletcher and pulled him in, leaning down for a warm and romantic kiss. Fletcher melted into his boyfriend's strong arms, his lips parting, accepting the big tongue. His face tingled from where Marco's beard rubbed against it. He savored the flavor of his boyfriend's saliva, his mouth, and the kiss. The two enjoyed their closeness for several moments until reluctantly they broke.

"Have a good night." Marco said. Fletcher nodded, blushing a bit as he pulled his new backpack up onto his shoulders.

"You guys too." he said with a smile before he turned and started the hike up for the rim of the canyon. Udo watched him go and leaned his head against Yom's shoulder. Yom patted the blond wolf on the back before he turned to stake out their favorite spot. Udo followed after, trying to keep up with Yom's longer stride. Marco closed the tailgate and started his own walk into the canyon, his eyes peering around at those that had gathered.

It was far more comfortable to see the wolves in their current state. The adversarial and unjust system that his predecessor had maintained was a natural fit for wolves, but they were werewolves, they were the claw clan. They brought together the best of what both sides had to offer. Marco stretched a little more, feeling the tightness in his shoulders. The moon was going to be at its fullest near dawn, making their transformations a bit more compact.

As the werewolves headed into the canyon, Fetcher moved up the rim, following the well trodden path. Some of the keepers had tried scattering some grass seeds to help make the path less obvious, but once a month new sets of boots and shoes came trotting down on the same spot, making it grow a little differently. Fletcher looked at the gathered keepers, though he felt the absence of Ethan.

"Hey, Fletch!" Riku called out from where he'd set up a blanket, a lantern and a space heater. The heat wouldn't go very far, but it had to provide some comfort. Fletcher moved over, slinging his pack down from his shoulders as he sat. Riku pulled out a thermos of tea and started to pour it as Fletcher unzipped his bag.

"Whoa, you get all that from your boys?" RIku asked. Fletcher grinned at that.

"You mean my men? Yeah, you could say they love me. This care package was lovingly packed by all of them." he said with pride.

"Aww man, of course you'd get all the luck." Riku smirked. Fletcher smiled a bit, looking out as the keepers started to draw their symbols in the dirt, the whispering of their spells barely audible.

The keepers closest to Fletcher and Riku raised their arms from the symbols and held them out as pearlescent light spilled forth, arching out high into the sky. Eighteen more sparkling strands of light reached outward, groping through the darkness before it all met. The light washed from the center out, washing back over the canyon, spreading outward and thickening into an actual shield. The energy descended downward to touch the lip of the canyon, descending downward down the slopes all the way to the grassy mouth where the energy snapped down.

"Shield complete, all wolves accounted for." One of the keepers commented. Fletcher looked back at Riku.

"So, what sort of homework do you have?" Fletcher asked. Riku shrugged.

"Nothing too much, some diorama work though." he replied. Fletcher winced at that, shaking his head.

"Diorama work on a full moon? I'm so sorry, bud." he said softly, trying to imagine just how difficult such a thing would be.

****

Tiny rivulets of water cascaded down the canyon walls, collecting in a small pond that fed into a tiny creek that connected to the larger one meandering through the space. Lush ferns clung to the rocks around the waterfall, catching the mist and feeding off of it. Wildflowers waved in the faint breeze coming down the rock face, kicking up the mist that drifted out over the willowy grasses and the bodies of three young men sprawled out in a tangled web of their own bodies.

Marco laid on his back, breathing in and out rapidly, feeling Artyom working on his neck; sucking, biting, nipping. He pushed things to the edge of comfort and just past, all while fondling Marco's balls, feeling their girth and size. Udo had taken a different approach, kissing Marco's nipples, licking them lightly before slipping down lower, kissing down his abdominals before finding his way to his Alpha's shaft.

Udo's lips wrapped around Marco's head, tasting the contours, finding the tapered edge, teasing the slit, and then diving deeper. Udo worked down inch by inch, adjusting his position to let Marco's rod bump the back of his throat a few times before finally sliding down into that tight, welcoming throat. Udo bobbed his head up and down, picking up speed, forcing Marco to whimper at his affections and then grunt at Yom's assaults.

Yom grinned, sticking out his tongue at Marco before biting it with his sharpening fangs before he dove down for the other side of Marco's neck, biting and sucking and teasing. His clawed hand slipped down between Marco's legs, teasing the taint before coming up the other side. Marco growled softly, feeling the dangerous claw push between his cheeks, testing his hole. He nipped at Yom and Yom growled back happily.

It was hard for Marco to think at the moment. He was a carnal being pleasured by carnal beings, all while more of their kind had similar fun... Well, some of them. Some of the campus wolves were straight, some preferred to eat the raw meat that was brought, to hunt toy targets, to run and romp... but most, most of them were having fun like Marco was. Even in the midst of his lust, he was satisfied by how far he'd brought the campus pack. They weren't fighting for stature, fighting for scraps or struggling to get by.

Marco grunted again as Yom's teeth broke the skin on his neck, ever so slightly. Marco reached up and slapped his boyfriend's head, but Yom just grinned and licked at the wound until it knitted itself back together. Yom kissed his way up Marco's neck, then brushed their beards together and came down for a true kiss. Their lips tangled, their tongues wrestled, and Yom felt the tiny pinpricks of fur started to break out across his shoulders. The moonlight was coming.

Yom kept kissing his Alpha, his own erection throbbing with need as he felt the power of the moonrise coursing through him. His back started to pop, the sound echoing through his lungs, sounding louder than it should have. His spine began to lengthen, his shoulders broadening. Marco felt Yom getting heavier on top of him, his mass increasing... but Udo was growing too... the throat he'd been thrusting into was getting farther and farther away as Udo's jaw dislocated, stretching out, giving room for his teeth to stretch and grow into fangs.

Marco moaned again, arching his back, feeling his boyfriends change and grow on top of him. As he came slamming back down to the ground, he looked up and saw the moon rising higher, its light washing down over them, sinking into his eyes, washing the brown away to leave only the amber. He moaned more, his teeth sharpening, his ears stretching into points... but this was more than a hybrid shift. This was the moon, the reminder of the curse, the feral change.

Yom seemed to be bearing the brunt of it, perhaps because he was the most exposed to the light, perhaps because he had once been a direwolf. His back kept widening, his shoulders expanding. His hips popped and shifted, bringing his legs down more to his side. His arms rippled, the shoulder joint reshaping. Yom growled, panted, and howled as his bearded face began to contort, pushing forward as his lower jaw extended, then his upper jaw and nose pushed forward to match.

Marco licked his lips before he grabbed Yom by the waist and pulled him up higher. Yom wasn't sure what was going on until he felt a hot, wet tongue slathering as his cock. Artyom groaned, his ass cheeks parting as his tailbone wriggled free of his pelvis, flicking out as fur began to sprout. His face continued to snap and click as it grew forward, his nose darkening and tilting upward, his pointed ears migrating up his head slowly, pushing out from the hair on the top of his skull.

Udo growled as well, the vibrations from his throat rippling down Marco's cock and into the rest of his body. Udo's face pushed out little by little into a muzzle, his teeth softening and reshaping into fangs. He carefully slipped up and down around his Alpha's member, the thrill of danger only adding to the excitement. Udo's shoulder broadened and his hair bleached out from blond to sand to white, growing down the nape of his neck, following his spine lower as it started to fan out across his toughening flesh.

Artyom snarled, craving more. He clawed and pawed at Marco, thrusting his hips faster, harder, more urgently. Marco did his best to accommodate his lover, feeling his rock hard tool stretch longer, the human shaped head tapering and contorting, reshaping as it came to a point. The flesh got hotter, wetter, thicker. Marco sucked and slurped, tasting Yom's flavor, savoring it as the balls slapping against his throat got furry and bigger... but soon Marco felt something getting bigger all his own.

A pop echoed through Marco's chest cavity, then a creak. Each breath he took, his chest rose up, but when he exhaled it remained the same size. His lungs were expanding which pushed his ribs outward, giving his stomach more room to grow. Marco writhed, feeling his spine lengthen, each vertebrae increasing in size. Marco shuddered, his fingers flexing as they got tight. His fingers started to blunt and shorten, but his palms grew wider and longer. The change was upon him.

Yom lifted his muzzle to the sky, the moonlight pouring over it as his hair and fur grew out across his upper cheeks, his nose and his forehead. His eyes gleamed a brilliant shade of amber, his black wet nose sniffed at the air, and finally his muzzle parted and he let out a loud, resounding howl. As Yom howled, his balls seized up and his cock throbbed before unleashing its load into Marco's mouth.

Marco gulped at each squirt of the musky, spicy wolf cum. He let it splash across his tongue before taking it down, draining Yom of what he had to offer. He took down hit after hit, his own cock starting to drool down into Udo's throat. The white wolf guzzled at it greedily, nursing on his Alpha's shaft. The nutrition seemed to do him well as Udo's tail grew out and fur spiraled down his arms and legs, joining with the fur pushing out from the back of his knuckles.

It was surreal, each and every time, to lose one's self to the curse. There was pleasure from the heightened senses, pain from the wicked twisting and warping of the body, and a sense of powerlessness as so much shifted outside of each werewolf's control. They could speed up or slow down the process, but it was inevitable. Udo shook his body as his change completed, his white fur coating a beast fit to run on all fours. Yom was far darker, taking on dark brown hues with silver tipped ears and a little bit of silver along the chin fur.

Both werewolves panted happily, Udo pulling off of Marco's rod and Artyom pulling back. They gazed at their alpha adoringly, watching as his bearded face contorted and twisted, clicking and popping as his mouth pushed forward, his nose followed the slope, and his ears started moving up to the top of his head. His pectorals had swollen to an impressive size and his arms were already shifting.

Marco rolled over onto his stomach. It was more comfortable, more natural as his arms and legs twisted, taking on their animal configurations. His chest grew more, his ass cheeks pried apart as his fluffy tail started growing in. He shook one way, then the other, his black hair and beard growing out into a thick furry black mane. He shook around, his body jiggling, his thick black fur almost bouncing.

Little by little, the sounds of changing bones and ligaments shrank away until the three wolves were left in their animal glory. Marco looked around, amber eyes gleaming. He moved over and gave some loving licks to Yom's muzzle, then Udo's, before he pushed along, large paws carrying him into the rest of the canyon. Udo and Yom fell close behind to follow their leader, knowing another round of fun was imminent.

****

The moon slowly sank toward the horizon, bright and full, gleaming so bright it was practically a sun on its own with a faint haze around the edges. It seemed too big to Fletcher as he watched it drop into obscurity. Already the sky was taking on the faint pink and red hues of a new day. Somewhere down below, the wolves were reverting back to human as the curse was drawn to a close by a new day.

Fletcher had to admit, he didn't envy the werewolves as the winter months set in, he could already feel the cold nipping at his joints. Still, the new hat had been perfect and the snacks had kept his stomach full. He'd shared much of his bounty with Riku, and a little with a blond keeper named Simon that was reinforcing the shield closest to them. Fletch looked down at the notebook on his lap. He'd finished his paper, though the handwriting wasn't the best. Still, it felt good to have that part out of the way.

A sudden, loud crackling sound startled Fletcher, forcing him to sit up and look around. A few of the other keepers had been surprised as well, but it was a Junior named Keith that looked the most concerned. He brushed his dark brown bangs out of his face and looked down at the ground. He had scattered small white flower blossoms across the grass, trailing out into the trees when they had first arrived. Fletcher had seen him do it a half dozen times, but this was the first time that the blossoms had snapped open like popcorn. Keith looked as white as a ghost.

"There's someone at the perimeter..." He said softly. Riku rose up to his feet, shaking off the fatigue of the night. He gestured to one of the other Keepers to head down the ridge line. He took a step and then paused. The ground was glowing, pulsating as throbbing orange veins of light came branching out from the tree line, faint at first, but growing brighter. They shone like the veins of the Earth itself.

"What is going on?" Fletcher asked.

"At least four that way..." Simon said, feeling conflicted between keeping the shield in place versus taking action.

"Every Keeper develops different ways of telling if we're safe, if we have any uninvited guests... Those alarms are going off." Riku said, turning. Fletcher reached out, grabbing his arm to stop him.

"We have to warn the wolves, we have to..." Fletcher trailed off. He wasn't sure what they were supposed to do. There was a panic in not knowing, but Fletcher knew Riku would know. He had to. Riku opened his mouth to speak, but Fletcher's skin suddenly beaded into goose bumps. In a fit of instinct, Fletch grabbed Riku and threw him down to the ground, narrowly avoiding the small object that shot past where his head had been. The tiny object sailed out over the box canyon before falling, hitting the top of the shield and bouncing until it slid to a stop. The invisible barrier suddenly rippled with pearlescent light, the energy holding the dart mid-air.

Fletcher turned to look around, watching as Keepers reached up, touching their necks where they had been hit. Instinctively they pulled the tiny darts out of their flesh, but the damage had already been done. Some managed to make it a few steps, but others sank to the ground where they stood. Those that had been maintaining the shield broke contact with their runes in the dirt and the magic began to weaken.

The dart that had been suspended in the air began to wobble, shaking before it sank through the shield and fell toward the bottom of the canyon far below. The invisible shield rippled, turning milky white before tiny tears began to appear, branching out toward the center. The barrier rumbled like thunder, echoing across the canyon below, the closest thing to a warning that any of the werewolves were likely to get. Simon had been fortunate. The weapon meant for him had missed, but it was clear now that the barrier was a failing endeavor. He pulled his hand up from the dirt and turned, refocusing his energy to make a shield for himself.

The attack had been swift, and apparently from multiple vectors. Fletch looked across the lip of the canyon, watching the barrier fracture from multiple points. He also saw movement around the rim as Keepers reacted and responded to the fall of their comrades, but their aggressors had not yet been spotted. Fletcher's mind struggled to get up to speed, to deal with the sudden threat. He thought about what Riku had been teaching him, about Keepers without magic resorting to other means. Fletcher thought about what he had at his disposal, what the hunters would have had to rely on. It was dark, very dark, and their targets had been precise.

Fletcher ducked down, reached into his bag and pulled out his camping flashlight. He flicked it on to high and then swept it through the tree line. There was a distant scream as someone using night vision had been blinded by the enhanced lighting, though more darts came right at Fletcher from other angles. Fletch dove to the side, but Simon whipped out his hand. Moisture in the air compacted, forming tiny ice shards that whistled through the trees. Several different grunts sounded as they found their marks.

Riku didn't hesitate either, snatching up his own arsenal. Fletcher and Simon had given him a range on their enemy. He unfolded a cross-bow like object from his bag, loaded it with a pouch and aimed it up over the tree line. It fired, the object hurtling up into the air before it burst, a fine mist falling down through the canopy. After a brief silence, there were more shouts of pain echoing through the trees.

Fletcher ran over to where Riku was, helping him look through his bag. Riku clutched more small Ziplocs, tossing them toward the closest branches. When the bags were pierced, they erupted into a smoldering red cloud that billowed outward, growing into a fine fog that obscured the view of their would be attackers. Riku grabbed onto Fletcher's arm this time, tugging him down the slope of the canyon, heading toward the only escape the werewolves would have. Simon followed after, flinging more ice into the trees.

"We've gotta get down there." Riku said. Fletcher had no objections, running down with Riku, moving past their collapsed classmates. He tried not to think about what might happen to them, but his mind reeled. Were they dead? Were they knocked out? Would they be picked off in an unconscious state? He felt his cold, tired feet hitting the dirt beside Riku's and he heard Simon coming down the path behind them until suddenly, he didn't. Fletch looked back over his shoulder, watching the blond freshman topple, a dart in his shoulder.

Fletcher pushed at Riku, trying to speed him up, though as they descended it was becoming clear that the air was thicker, fouler. There was something wrong. There was too much sulfur in the air, too much metal. It burned at Fletcher's eyes. He looked around, trying to figure out why. Riku shook his head, his own eyes watering a bit from the smell.

"They're trying to confuse the wolves, throw them off..." Fletcher said. Riku nodded at that, though he nearly slipped on some moss. Fletcher grabbed onto him to steady him as the two moved down. With one last thunderous clap, what fragments of the shield that remained had collapsed. The werewolves' sanctuary had turned into their prison, creating a choke point. Fletcher grabbed onto Riku's waist, pulling at it to slow him down. Riku looked up, seeing the long beams of flashlights sweeping through the smoke at the mouth of the canyon. Their attackers were slowly advancing inwards, closing the gap.

Riku looked at Fletcher and then moved toward the edge of the path. They were still a few dozen feet up from the base, but the slope down was even enough. The two slipped over the edge, skidding down the rock face. Fletcher took a breath and followed after, feeling the ground rocky and coarse beneath him as he slid down toward the bottom of the canyon. The tiny twigs and branches lining the slopes slashed at his skin, but he soon felt the relief of even ground beneath his feet. He pushed himself up and moved after Riku, knowing that time was running out. They had to find a way through enemy lines, and to do that they had to find their wolves.

****

Marco's head throbbed with a dull ache that radiated down his neck and into the rest of his body. The thunder had woken him, but barely. He had to force his eyes open, to push himself up out of his slumber with every ounce of will power. When his gaze turned skyward, he saw the shield breaking, the flash of fire. The air was growing thick with smoke that only added pain to his fatigue, but there was no doubt that they were under attack.

"Everyone, up! Hunters are here!" Marco called out into the woods. He wanted to howl, but his throat was aching. Werewolves were weakest after turning back after a full moon. It had been his intention to crawl back to the car at sunrise and take a nap, then quite possibly skip his first Tuesday class so he could sleep some more. These hunters had picked that moment to attack, knowing the wolves would be easy prey. Marco wouldn't give them that.

Marco took a step, then another, then a third. With each step he felt his conviction filling him. His eyes turned from brown to amber, then a rich and potent yellow. His beard blew in the morning breeze, and the stubble started creeping up his cheeks. His ears pushed out into points, the points taking on a bit of fur. Even his forehead pushed out the brow ridge enhanced as he shifted. His fingernails turned dark, sinking into his fingers before erupting from the tips as claws. Even his rib cage pushed out, expanding slowly.

Marco's body rippled with strength, the true power of an alpha. It wasn't easy for his fellow wolves, but Marco smelled Liam emerge from the trees, his frame stretching taller and wider, his tail growing back out. Udo was close by as well, his blond hair blanching out to a crisp white as he snarled, his mouth filling with fangs. Marco could almost sweat he felt them drawing on him for power, for the ability to change so soon. As they advanced, they started to pick up different hints, different signs of their attackers.

Udo's nose twisted as he smelled the sulfur and copper, glancing up to see a burning pyre on the cliff edge. It was one of several, the powdered elements burning with bright blue and green flames as the gasses wafted out on the winds. Liam spotted the lights of the hunters advancing from the mouth of the canyon, growling and snarling as Kieran came out of the trees with Artyom and two other wolves. Marco growled, getting ready to charge when he sensed something, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end.

The Alpha turned suddenly, his clawed hand smacking a small metal orb that had been hurtling toward them. The orb bounced off his hand, flying back in a random arc before it erupted into pieces. The dark shadows of the canyon were chased back as bright crackling white light danced from each fragment to the next, creating a web of lightning that engulfed anything between them. Marco had been fortunate, but the yelping howl of other werewolves deeper in the canyon indicated that they were in the minority.

A deep roar rumbled from the heart of the canyon, growing louder and louder. Twigs snapped, limbs broke, and a massive pile of furry red rage sped out, paws hitting the dirt, fangs dripping with saliva. Marco had to step out of the way as Silas' huge lycan form bolted past. The hunters opened fire, sending dart after dart toward him. Silas dodged one, then the next. Even when one hit his hide, sinking through the fur and the flesh, he kept going.

More screams broke out as Silas reached the line, catching one hunter's leg in his maw before whipping his head, tossing him into the next. Claws slashed, scattering the humans. More dart guns fired, but then came a whistling buzz as thick steel cable was shot out with weighted tips on the end. The bolas latched around Silas' hind legs, sending the wolf to the ground. He snarled more, slashing at anyone close. The hunters opened fire with more darts. Marco felt his heart shrinking. This wasn't going to be a battle they could win. There were already losses... He looked up to Liam.

"We have to scatter... Break the line and run, get away from here. Different directions, get as many people out as we can. We can't let them get us all." Marco said. Kieran looked over to Liam and nodded before they broke out for the closest edge of the canyon. With luck they could climb up to the side path and break the lines that might be guarding the base. Marco looked back to Udo and Yom but Yom shook his head.

"Together or not at all." he said. Marco murmured before nodding.

"Do you think we could make it across the Mesa if we headed up? They wouldn't be expecting it." Marco said. Udo shook his head.

"We don't even have all our clothes... let alone anything for when we reach civilization." Udo said softly.

"I don't know if that's going to matter compared to what we're facing right now." Marco said, turning his head as he heard the hunters step on a branch. He signaled for Yom and Udo to retreat back into the canyon and moved after them, his eyes searching for any enemies.

****

In, out, in, out, in out. Controlled breath was essential. So was foot placement. Duck under the branch, avoid the pothole, dodge the trunk. Auel felt like he was back at the peak of his training. He cut through the brush with ease. The keepers on his side of the canyon had been taken down without so much as a whimper. No doubt it was because Ethan was gone. They had relied on his budding neuromancy too much. Was it dumb luck that the strike came because he was gone?

Auel reached to his belt and pulled out a knife, rounding a dense grove of trees. He saw the slight glint of dawn light off of the matte black mask of a hunter. They had on vests and belts full of gear, wearing matched camouflage. Auel counted four, then five just in this one remote region. The numbers were insane. It was a coordinated effort unlike he'd ever seen. Auel pressed to a tree and waited, letting the group move past him. Wolves tended to attack, and if they hid it wasn't in terrain like that.

Once the last hunter had passed, Auel swept out and came up behind him. One hand slipped over his mouth, the other wielding the knife. The hunter tried to call out and the others turned, raising weapons unlike anything Auel had seen before. Their shells were cast, rather than forged. Vents along the outer edge lit up and Auel felt a pressure on his eardrum. The hunter he was holding shook as he was hit with three different darts.

Auel pulled his knife from the hunter's back and then threw it, hurtling through the air to strike the leg of one of the hunters. He stumbled, staggering. The hunter Auel held elbowed him suddenly, but Auel had turned his hip to the man's spine and got the blow in the ribs rather than the stomach. He grabbed at anything he could reach as he was knocked back. A smile crossed his lips as he realized just what he'd snatched.

Pulling back, just as he had playing baseball in high school, Auel hurled the metal ball toward the group of hunters. They tried to scatter, but the ball hit the ground and bounced back up into the air, splintering out into its fragmentary pieces as bright bolts of electricity jolted from piece to piece, passing through the hunters as well. Some of their equipment smoked and popped as capacitors blew. Their fancy guns shuddered and went dark, and the four remaining men crumpled to the ground. Auel turned to the hunter he'd grabbed the gear from and grinned before he ran and charged at him, knocking him down to the ground and pinning his legs and arm. Auel punched him hard, knocking him out before he threw his head back, sweat flinging from the tips of his hair.

****

Fletcher panted with each step he took, feeling the host, raspy, metallic sting at the top of his lungs. It was the pain of over-exertion, exposure to the terrible smoke, everything. His ears were ringing, his extremities were tingling, his heart was racing. He followed after Riku, but Riku was getting ahead of him, the gap between them increasing. Fletcher thought about calling out, but they'd already had too many close calls. He pushed on to catch up, but Riku suddenly stumbled, reaching up for his shoulder as he spun from unexpected inertia.

"Riku!" Fletcher called out, watching Riku drop to the ground. He tried to push himself up but shuddered and collapsed. Fletcher looked at his fallen comrade and turned, seeing two hunters come out of the smoke, lights blazing from the scopes of their guns. One raised his weapon, the vents on the gun lighting up blue. Fletcher grunted suddenly, reaching up to cover his ears as a thumping, pulsing, ringing sound filled his senses.

"We got another one." The hunter said before he fired. Fletcher was too out of it to know there were darts headed for him, but he did notice the blur of movement skid between him and the hunters. Duncan winced sharply as he was hit; twice in the abdomen and once in the arm. He snarled, bearing his fangs, his eyes gleaming gold. The second hunter raised his weapon to fire, but a loud click came from the barrel and the cast casing suddenly cracked. It was the only opportunity Duncan needed.

The werewolf tackled the two to the ground, brandishing his claws before he grabbed the first hunter's weapon and smashed it against a nearby rock, breaking it as well. Duncan roared out before he came down, biting the hunter's neck. The hunter howled out, writhing as Duncan used the broken gun to cold cock the other hunter. He looked back at Fletcher and started to get up, but his body shook and shuddered, the sedative finally taking its toll. Duncan collapsed trying to get to Fletcher, leaving him all alone.

Fletcher's head was spinning, his lungs burning, his heart racing, his ears ringing. His pack was out there in danger, and they needed him. He had to push past the pain and the fear and the panic. He had to find Marco, Artyom and Udo. He would find them and he would protect them. Fletcher lifted his head, his eyelids opening to reveal gleaming amber eyes. Fletcher put one foot before the other and took a step, then another, the sensation filling his body faster and faster.

He broke into a sprint, heading through the brush, trying to find Marco. Each step became easier than the last. Fletcher's ears tingled as they stretched, contorting not to the points a werewolf had, but taking on a slightly rounder shape. His fingernails darkened from ivory to brown, oozing and growing out, thickening into claws that anchored deep in his fingers. Fletcher could barely process the changes. A small part of him was thrilled, another part excited, but most of him was lost in pure instinct.

Cinnamon, orchid, and wet wood... It was a unique aroma, a specific scent, one that Fletcher somehow knew was Marco. He sniffed at the air as his nose grew moist, the nostrils shifting, taking on an unusual shape. Fletcher's cheeks tingled as soft, willowy hairs pushed out, trailing down to his jawbone, flaring out into wispy sideburns. Fletcher followed Marco's scent, finding the spot he'd transformed, then his trail as he woke up. The scent was getting stronger, and so was Fletcher.

His upper lip started to twitch, getting pushed out of the way as Fletch's gums swelled. Fletcher was confused at first, but he felt his lips part as two powerful tusk like fangs began descending from his upper jaw, curving out in front of his chin. Patches of fur grew out from his elbows and blossomed across his chest, but it was lighter than his natural hair, taking on a sandy tone. It didn't feel quite right, it didn't feel like a werewolf... but Fletcher knew he was something, something that even Ren hadn't encountered before.

Fletcher sniffed the air and turned toward the path on the other side of the box canyon, realizing his pack was headed there. He sped up, trying to make up for lost time, but his round ear perked as he heard pebbles sliding down the rock face. His amber eyes turned and he saw why. Perched on the edge of a boulder, a hunter was trying to take up a new position. Fletcher growled and then let out a roar - not the howl of a wolf, but an actual roar.

"F... Fletcher?" Marco's voice called out across the clearing. Fletcher looked up and met eyes with the love of his life. Artyom and Udo were right behind him. Fletcher grinned and sped up, running toward them.

"On the cliff!" Fletch called out, pointing with a clawed finger. Artyom followed Fletcher's angle before he spotted the hunter. He growled, bearing his fangs before he broke into a sprint.

"Yom, no!" Marco called out, but Yom was set on target. He hit the edge of the canyon wall and slammed his claws into the rock before he pulled himself up one hand at a time. The hunter tried to aim in, but he felt trepidation as the wolfman ascended so quickly. He chose to turned, dropping his gun, trying to climb back up from his remote perch. Yom snarled, slashing at his foot as he got close enough. The hunter yelped, trying to climb higher. Fletcher ran over to Marco, sliding a hand around his waist.

"Yom, come on!" Marco screamed. Yom growled in disgust at having to be restrained, but he let go and slid down to the base of the canyon and stumbled, getting his footing back as he ran towards the others. They moved away from where the hunter had been, heading back toward the mouth of the canyon.

"That's a new look for you!" Marco shouted as they ran, leaping over fallen branches.

"Yeah, not really sure what's going on... or how I'm supposed to talk with these tusks either." Fletcher said, having to enunciate carefully. Still, it was hard denying the results. He felt a kinship with his pack mates that had been denied to him since Marco's conversion. They were supernatural, they were wild, they were on the run... They quieted down as they approached the mouth of the canyon, ducking down lower. The smoke was particularly thick, but that was as much of an advantage to them as it was to the hunters. Marco waved everyone back behind a boulder, waiting. They were quiet for what felt like an eternity before, finally, Marco made his decision.

Once more the pack was waved out from their hiding spot. They eased themselves up and pushed out again before advancing. Fletcher wished he had keeper magic to manipulate the smoke, but he didn't want to take his own gift for granted. Whatever it was, it had taken fear for his very life to wake it up. Marco tried to sniff the air but couldn't, his eyes watering from the smell before he nodded and made a break for it.

The air whistled with the sound of more darts firing, but they missed the members of the pack. They were fast, evasive, and ready to make their break. A beam of light swept through the cloud. Marco honed in, using the hunter's tools to target him.

Marco lowered down, using something Duncan had taught him as he sped up. The hunter didn't have time to react as Marco burst out of the cloud and knocked him off his feet. The hunter opened fire into the air above, slamming into the ground with a grunt. Marco felt a moment of panic, not sure what to do. He'd never killed anyone, and he wasn't even sure of his own strength. He debated his options before he brought his fist down on the man's leg. The hunter screamed out as it was broken. Marco winced at that but pushed back up, making it past the choke point the hunters had arranged.

Yom looked at the fallen hunter as they passed. The pain in the hunter's leg was almost transcendental, slowing events down for him. He watched the werewolves pass, taken aback by their strength, their guile and their natural instincts. Fletcher looked at the hunter on the ground, realizing he was reaching for more of his gear. He dropped to one knee and delivered a blow to the man's face, knocking him out. He slumped to the side with a thud. Marco looked back at Fletcher for a moment before resuming their journey.

Outside of the clearing, it seemed almost too normal. The sun was starting to rise in the distance, a few birds sang. The school bus was there, as was Duncan's truck... but one vehicle was missing. Marco took a few steps toward where it should have been before looking at the rest of his pack. He shook his head with disbelief.

"It was right there... it-" Marco didn't have a chance to finish his sentence. One moment the school bus was intact, the next it had erupted into a massive plume of fire. A shockwave shot outward from it, scattering bits of glass and metal in every direction and knocking the werewolves off their feet. The tires burst next with loud pops, the hulk of the metal flipping over and rolling, leaving a trail of debris.

Once more Fletcher's ears were ringing, a bit of blood trailing down from one nostril. His amber eyes were dazed and confused as he lifted his head, seeing spots of blood welling up through his shirt. He forced his head up more, trying to see the others. He saw Artyom, passed out in the gravel, a hunk of metal sticking out of his arm, but where was Marco? Where was Udo? Fletcher turned to look the other way, but his eyes widened in pure shock.

Not only did he not see Marco, he didn't see the rest of his right arm... The sleeve stopped abruptly right above his elbow. Fletcher grunted in horror and rolled over, but as he recoiled, his arm reappeared inch by inch until his fingers emerged from whatever perimeter he had stumbled across. He hugged at his arm, then grabbed his right hand with his left. It was all there... Fletcher reached back out and watched his hand disappear, then his forearm.

Swallowing his fear, Fletcher leaned towards where his arm had disappeared. His face felt cold for a moment before emerging on the other side, seeing the Mazda that was not visible from the outside. The hatchback was open, Kieran and another werewolf from the school passed out in the back. A keeper with red hair was muttering the spell that was keeping the car invisible, blood running down his cheek.

Fear turned to hope. Fletcher turned and crawled back out of the field, making his way to Artyom. He crouched down and pulled one of the Russian wolf's arms up over his shoulder. He latched onto it with his own arm and tugged, and to his surprise, dragged him almost a foot. Fletcher was amazed with his newfound strength, but he wasn't in the clear yet. He pulled Yom another foot, then another. He felt the cool touch of the invisibility barrier slink up his right leg, then his back. With another tug, Fletcher got Yom half way through the barrier. Fletcher grunted hard, tugging with all his might, getting Yom the rest of the way through.

"Fuck... I need to work out more." Fletcher whispered to himself. He got Artyom up into a better position to try and get him to the car, but he stopped when he heard the gravel crunching a few feet away. Fletcher turned and looked toward the source of the sound, seeing two hunters walking toward the canyon. Fletcher froze where he was, looking back to where he'd dragged Artyom. He'd left a bit of a trail, but with the flaming wreckage of the school bus he hoped it would be a good enough distraction.

The red headed keeper kept whispering his spell, repeating it over and over again, eyes clenched shut, rocking back and forth. The hunters kept walking, coming perilously close to the edge of the barrier. Fletcher didn't move, holding Artyom up against him, too scared to make a sound. The hunters stopped abruptly, one reaching out to touch the other's shoulder.

"Do you see that?" he asked. The other nodded, lifting a radio.

"We need more help in zone one." the second muttered, raising his gun. Fletcher very slowly lowered Yom to the ground and took a step, moving toward the barrier. He had almost made it when he felt a hand come up to his shoulder. He turned to look, seeing Auel there. Auel shook his head no and then held up his hand, showing five fingers three times. Fletcher shook his own head and pointed at Auel and then at the car, then himself and the way the bus had been.

Auel gritted his teeth, looking back at the hunters. They were only two feet from the edge of the barrier, and they didn't seem to be in any hurry to leave. He knew the pain Fletcher had to be feeling, but if he raced out there, he'd give away their position. They had saved three werewolves and... whatever Fletcher had turned into. With luck there would be other keepers that knew how to hide their wolves, but if Fletcher left? They might lose everyone they were supposed to keep safe.

Another sound broke the quiet, a heavy thumping of the air. The pulsing wasn't a weapon, not like any of the ones the hunters had been using. It was the sound of helicopter props. Auel turned, looking back up toward the rim of the canyon. Three helicopters were lifting off, rising up from the tree line. They climbed straight up before they turned, heading across the mesa. Fletcher watched them go, realizing how outmatched they really were. He looked back at Auel, then at Artyom lying in the gravel, then finally down at his own claws. How fair was it to have his powers awaken just as his pack was torn apart? What kind of mate would he be if he didn't give everything for his Alpha?

Fletcher took a step toward Artyom and the car, but he watched Auel from the corner of his eye. When the hunter seemed to relax, Fletcher spun and sprinted toward the edge of the barrier. Auel winced at that and ran after him, lunging. He caught Fletcher by the shoulders, driving a purloined dart down into his arm. Fletcher snarled and growled, rolling onto his back, throwing Auel. Auel hit the side of the Mazda, denting the door before he fell to the ground.

Fletcher struggled back to his feet, but the world was spinning around him once more, feeling as if he was falling - only to realize that he was. Fletcher hit the gravel, feeling it numbly cut into his shoulder before the world went dark all around him. The last thing he heard was the thumping of more helicopter rotors coming from the canyon itself... and then silence.