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The Werewolf Next Door / Chapter One

He ran through the woods, panting for breath and feeling his heartbeat against his chest. He could have sworn he heard it crushing dead leaves and sticks behind him. The thought made him push himself harder right before his foot got caught by an exposed root sending him toppling down a steep hill. Minutes passed. He groaned as he tried to regain his sense of balance from the tumble.

Then a howl filled the air, breaking the silence that settled over the forest. The teen looked up at the shadowed figure standing at the top of the hill. Golden eyes locking onto his own. It stood on its hind legs like a man, but it wasn't. It was a beast, a monster of legends and myths. Then the beast crouched low, leaping down the hill towards his prey.

Oliver gasped as he sat up in the car seat, his seat belt keeping him secured. His mother Gwen looked over from behind the steering wheel surprised at her only son's reaction.

"Honey, you ok?," she asked as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

He took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself while nodding his head. "Yeah, just a nightmare," he said before giving his mom a shy smile.

His mother smiled back, then squeezed his shoulder before nodding at the view that filled the windshield. Oliver looked ahead and saw they had parked just at the crest of a hill that overlooked a small town. Harper's Edge was Gwen Stevens-Cromwell's hometown before she left home to attend a college out west. Since that day until now, she'd made a life for herself. School, work, marriage, a child, a painful divorce. She mentally wished her ex was happy with his secretary wife and their daughter. She looked over at her son and thought about how much it hurt him when he found out. He loved his father until he heard about what he was doing. With a heavy sigh she took her foot off the brake and began to move down the hill and to an uncertain future.

As they arrived Oliver took in the sights of this New England town. Hidden away from the world by the hills and forest that surrounded it. A harbor at the heart of the town allowed sailors and fisherman to journey out into the Atlantic by day, and return home by night with the bounty the sea gave up. All around the downtown district were bakeries, delis, cafés, and all other kinds of shops a place like this offered. A place that would be fairly quiet during the week, but come the weekend it would be jammed with tourists and out-of-towners. All around them were the houses built over time from when Harper's Edge was an English Colony. Forward to the American Revolution, the Civil War, all the way to modern times. The town was too far away from the big cities like Boston, but close enough that many in the cities kept a second or vacation home here. There were beaches and hotels for tourists that liked to visit during the summers. A small high school that Oliver would be attending.

All of this was surrounded by a thick forest of trees where in the fall would draw the 'Leaf Peepers'. Reds, oranges, yellows, all marking the passage of the seasons.

Oliver had just turned sixteen. Although he had his driver's license he didn't own a car. He did have his bike strapped to the back of the small station wagon filled with boxers of their belongings. After another 10 minutes, the mother and son found themselves pulling up to the home of Ruby Stevens, recent widow and mother of Gwen.

Her home was Victorian in style. It was painted light and dark blue with white trim and black roofing tiles. It was 2 stories and still held onto it's regal charm thanks to the upkeep of Ruby's late husband and their next door neighbor. The screen door banged behind her as his grandmother rushed from the house to hug and kiss her family. The elderly woman was shorter than her grandson. Her long white hair tied up in a bun and her hazel eyes gleaming with joy at seeing her daughter and grandson.

"Come inside you two, I have lunch ready and after that we'll get everything unpacked." Oliver made his way into the house. Up the ornate stairs to the master bedroom, which was now his new room. His grandmother didn't want it anymore, saying it was too big for just her. Besides, the downstairs den was the perfect size and she didn't have to climb the stairs multiple times a day. The walls were a freshly painted off white, with the wall facing the windows painted a dark blue. A large queen-size bed sat against it, while a dresser on the other and a desk placed against the windows.

He dropped his backpack and duffle bag onto the bed. Looking around he noticed the windows that faced the neighbor's house. Stepping over to them, he looked out the open window. There was a hand that was pulling down the slats on the blinds of one of the windows. Suddenly the boy felt a shiver run up his spine. Funny considering it was a warm day and the room was even warmer. He stepped back so that he could no longer be seen. Closing his eyes he felt his heartbeat racing. Placing his hand on the bedpost he sat down to regain his composure.

A minute or two passed. He opened his eyes and began to focus on the room he was in. On both sides of the windows were built in bookcases. Perfect for the multitude of books he read on a constant basis. He even had his own bathroom which was accessed at the back of a walk in closet. Oliver couldn't wait to make the space his.

"Ollie, come down and meet our neighbor," called out his grandmother from downstairs. He took in a deep breath then letting it out slowly. Standing, he exited the room and proceeding down the stairs.

"Jeffrey, it's so nice to see you again," Gwen said before accepting the cherry pie her neighbor and former boyfriend had brought her. Standing there on that broad shaded porch. A place he had spent many days and evenings on.

How long had it been since he stood looking into a face that now seemed both familiar yet foreign to him. "The years had been kind to her," he thought. She had a level of maturity that only enhanced her beauty. Jeff felt a pang of loss. Had it not been for his 'heritage' maybe the two of them could have had a life together.

Had it really been over twenty years since the last time the two of them had seen each other. It seemed like another world, another reality. Memories from the past came flooding into his head. Memories of an eighteen year boy, just on the cusp of manhood. Looking down at a girl telling her that even though he was going away, he still loved her and that they would always be together.

Her looking up at him with furtive eyes. Trying to believe that what he was telling her was true. Then he was gone, out of her life. No longer the constant companion that had shared her every experience, every thought, every secret, long before she could remember.

Jeff, lost in his reverie slowly returned to the present. A voice was talking to him. "Jeff, you ok?" He refocused on the person in front of him.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I must have spaced out for a moment. Gwen, yes of course, it's so glad to see you again, how have you been?"

"Well I'm fine but I'm not so sure about you," she said laughingly.

"I'll admit, I was surprised when your mother informed me that you were moving back to town after all these years of being away," he said clearly.

"I was a bit surprised as well when mom told me you had bought the house next door and had moved in."

Jeff responded, "That part was just a fluke, I've always loved this neighborhood and when the house next door came up on the market I didn't hesitate to buy it. Plus I love the way it backs up against the forest."

Gwen opened the screen door "Well come on in so we can catch up on what we both have been up to." Jeff stepped through the door and into the house. Gwen followed, leading him into the kitchen. "Sit down, I'll pour us some milk so we can have it with this wonderful pie. I assume it came from your father's bakery?"

"Well I sure as hell didn't make it," smiled Jeff. Gwen shot back "As I recall you had trouble boiling water."

"You'd be surprised what I can do in the kitchen these days, I'm quite the chef now," Jeff proudly announced.

"Really now," Gwen said in a mocking manner. "Not only can I boil water, I can microwave a TV dinner with the best of them," he said with a smirk.

"Well if I ever need tips on microwaving food I'll be sure to come to the food miester." They both laughed at her comment which helped break the ice that was hanging heavy over the room. Gwen busied herself on getting out the glasses, plates and forks. She pulled from the drawer a large carving knife and began to slice up the pie. Jeff helped by pouring milk into the glasses.

"By the way where is this son of yours that I keep hearing about," Jeff asked. "Oh you mean Oliver, he'll be down in a moment," she said.

Moments later, a brown haired teen entered the kitchen followed by his grandmother. "Oh, there you are, Ollie, I want you to meet an old friend of mine."

Before Oliver could react there was a large physical presence looming over him. He looked up and gazed into the eyes of a very handsome man.

Oliver took a step back as the larger man stood before him. His eyes traveled over the other's physic, the muscles that could be seen under his shirt, and then his blue eyes met a pair of hazel green eyes. The intensity of them made the teen look away. In a quiet voice he spoke, "Um, h-hi."

Jeff looked the boy over. He was sizing him up, much like a predator stalking its prey. He liked what he saw. That creamy skin, so full of youth and vigor. The way his hair fell over his clear blue eyes. His baby face, still boyish, but there was a hint of a man behind them in slumber waiting to be awaken. His physic was slight with a hint of muscle. The man thought to himself "with the right training it could be so much more." He felt a stirring in his loins.

Jeff continued to meet his gaze until the boy finally looked away. "That's it pup, your already learning your place." Finally Jeff spoke, "hello, you must be Oliver. I'm so glad to meet you. My name is Jeffrey, Jeff to my friends". The man reached out to shake the boys hand, his smile showing off his bright white teeth. "I hope we can be very good friends."

Oliver took Jeff's hand and felt a spark shoot up his arm. It wasn't painful or anything, it just left him with an odd tingling sensation. Oliver again looked up into the older man's eyes. He could have sworn he saw a flash of gold in them. He also notice how the man's canines seemed a bit longer then normal.

All this close contact with the man caused his body to heat up as perspiration began to form on his skin. His heart rate was rising, and the realization the cock in his pants was rock hard.

END OF CHAPTER ONE / In the next chapter Jeff and Oliver will get a chance to know each other a little better.