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Lykos Chapter 3 (Primal Moon)

The chemistry lab was as clean and sterile as ever. The crisp white walls were contrasted with the pitch black material that covered the long tables and the counters. Rows of beakers were set up in precise configurations and the flicker of Bunsen burners gave a slight ambiance to it all. Marco stood before one of the rows of beakers, glancing between it and the piece of paper before him. Chemistry had never been his strong suit. There was too much math, too little substance...He had always felt like he was shooting in the dark to get the answers, but today everything was coming easier. He felt his gut instincts offering up clues and suggestions; metal, acid, base, salt. The clues popped into his brain and it gave him enough to work off of. He made his way down the rows, filling in the bubbles on the scantron, feeling more and more proud of himself.

A quick glance up and Marco could see his classmates weren't moving as fast as he was. For once he was ahead of the curve. The thrill of that sent chills down his spine and Marco kept at it. All of the other students were testing with PH strips and solvents, checking for reactions. Marco was grinning ear to ear with confidence as he picked up the last vial. He gave it a sniff and for some reason didn't smell anything. In all his time since becoming a werewolf, he hadn't not smelled anything. Marco took another sniff, but this one was accompanied by an intense stinging pain in his sinuses.

Marco nearly dropped the vial, fumbling to put it back, reaching up to rub at his nose. He whimpered softly, his eyes watering as they started to get blood shot. Despite the intense pain, Marco had to figure out what he had just dosed himself with. Pushing past the pain, he pulled out his tools and he got to work. He dipped in the protein test strip and to his surprise it dyed the swirling fibers a purplish brown. One by one Marco eliminated the possibilities until he came across the inescapable solution. Marco leaned back in surprise, looking at the tiny vial.

"Silver nitrate..." He murmured.

"Mister Iona, silence..." The professor chided from where he sat behind the desk. Marco bit his lip a bit at that before he wrote down his answer, glancing back at the vial every so often. He had wondered if he was going to react poorly to silver. It seemed that he had gotten his answer after all.

****

Fletcher watched as the thumb tack sunk into the cork board, pinning the neon green photo copy outside his dorm room. He turned, looking at Seamus curiously.

"A dungeons and dragons retreat? On the sixth... You do know what day that is, right?" Fletcher asked. Seamus smirked at that.

"I know what day that is. It gives us an excuse to save on money for the field trip though. Group sponsored." Seamus replied.

"What do you do with the guys that want to come who aren't... like you?" Fletcher asked. Seamus paused at that, considering.

"You know, we never thought about that. It hasn't happened yet." Seamus replied.

"Well that's comforting. Fletcher rolled his eyes.

"Just make sure Marco signs up." Seamus said, turning to move on.

"What about me?" Fletcher asked. Seamus said nothing, continuing on. Fletcher took a few steps after him, "What if I love D&D?!" he shouted down the hallway.

"I thought you did like it. Don't you do that online with Silas?" Marco asked, coming up the steps.

"No, that's Bunkers and Badasses... But that's not the point. Apparently Seamus is arranging a field trip on the sixth." Fletcher said. Marco paused, considering.

"That makes sense, get everyone away from the campus, make sure no one is around to bother them." Marco said.

"Yeah, well their cover is a bit nerdy. I don't see Yom as part of the dice crowd." Fletcher replied, pausing, looking at Marco's blood shot eyes, "What happened?"

"I... inhaled Silver nitrate. I shouldn't use my powers to cheat." Marco said.

"You were sniffing out your chemistry test? Do you have any idea how bad that could be?" Fletcher asked, pushing Marco down the hallway toward the bathroom, "Reminds me of my first biology class. They had a segment on chemistry and we were testing the PH of stuff. Some of the students figured out the first few vials were different kinds of juices so once they wrote down their number they started drinking them."

"But they weren't all juice?" Marco asked with concern.

"Well, lets just say the teacher wasn't all that pleased when they started running around and gagging. Thankfully she was smart enough to keep it non-toxic." Fletcher shook his head.

"I already washed my eyes out on the way back." Marco said as he was pushed through the bathroom door by his roommate.

"Well, better safe than sorry. Don't want to miss anything." Fletcher said with a smile.

****

Thursday had come and classes had finished for the day. Fletcher moved with Marco down the brick lined path between the science building and Hall Hall toward the street beyond. Marco moved along, re-reading the neon green piece of paper over and over again, trying to siphon out every detail that the document might have offered. Fletcher, however, seemed to be doing his best impersonation of a merry go round as he spun and glanced around, looking at everyone walking in the same general direction, wondering which of them were werewolves too.

"I suck at this sort of stuff... The rules and the numbers." Marco said. Fletch shot him a quick look of disbelief.

"You do know that you aren't actually going to be playing... right?" Fletch asked.

"What if someone asks? What am I supposed to say? They'll be able to tell I don't know what in the hell I'm talking about." Marco complained.

"I get it, I get it. We've wandered into a secret society of mythical beasts and they've chosen the ultimate nerd escape as their cover. You want to fit in, blend." Fletcher said, contemplating the options, "Say you're a level three werewolf and then up the number every few weeks." Fletch said. Marco's brows dropped and he gave a look so disapproving that Fletch flinched, "Okay, then say Orc or elf, take your pick... Though you're getting pretty fluffy, might be best to say orc."

"Fluffy?" Marco asked.

"Yeah, scruffy, fuzzy, take your pick. You've got bed head right after you comb it." Fletch shrugged.

"It isn't growing like it used to. My parents both have straight hair..." Marco admitted.

"Well looks great both ways man." Fletch grinned. Marco grimaced.

"We sound like girls, talking about hair." He said.

"Ah, but would you rather talk about that or table top strategy games?" Fletch grinned. Marco looked up as they emerged from the narrow passage between buildings and into the grass. Both teens came to a stop, looking at the two school buses that had been parked. Students were filing up into both buses, filling up the seats. Some had backpacks loaded down with items, others were wearing nothing but t-shirts and shorts.

The mix was eclectic, but for Fletch it was a smorgasbord of information. His caramel colored eyes peered out from behind his glasses, searching for familiar faces. He stopped momentarily on a classmate from debate team, a tall and lanky black boy with a smooth shaved head. Next to him was a lanky blond boy wearing all black, his pants lined with far too many pockets and an insane number of straps, the boy chewing on his fingernails.

"Ethan and Udo are werewolves? Udo... He's not fluffy." Fletch said in surprise.

"Maybe we don't all have to be fluffy." Marco replied. Both men jumped as two large hands came down on their shoulders. Marco spun out of the grip and brought up his hands while Fletch merely tipped his head back, seeing the wide beard lined grin of a Russian man that was far too pleased with himself.

"So you're coming into the wild? Did you bring enough to eat Marco, or is this your snack?" Artyom joked.

"Ha ha ha, funny stuff. And what are you going to eat? Let me guess, moose and squirrel?" Fletch replied.

"He's got a bite on him... Reminds me of my little brother. Maybe you aren't so bad at picking out a keeper after all Marco." Artyom said, letting Fletcher go, heading for the buses. Fletch watched Yom disappear into the front bus before he turned, looking at Marco.

"See, I knew I was a keeper! Seamus tried to keep it all elite and stuff, but yeah. The Russian punk said it!" Fletch grinned.

"You don't even know what they do besides keeping secrets." Marco reminded him. Fletch bit his lip.

"I bet they... keep... you in line?" Fletch considered.

"Come on, let's grab a seat." Marco said, leading Fletch to the back bus. As they approached, Seamus looked up from where he was standing. He grimaced a bit and moved toward them. As Marco was climbing on the bus, Seamus stepped behind him, blocking Fletch's path. Fletch skidded to a stop, looking at the very large bearded man.

"Hey, I was just trying to find a seat with Marco... But you wanna go first? That's cool with me." Fletcher said, knowing Seamus was an alpha.

"I don't know if this trip is going to be right for you... It's going to be a pretty wild night." Seamus said.

"I've been in Alpha Tau Sigma when they were in pledge week. If you can survive ATE during something like that, you have to have a pretty strong stomach." Fletch replied. Marco came back down the steps of the bus, standing right behind Seamus.

"I'm not doing this without him. I don't know any of you yet. He's been around me when I've changed. He's the one I trust." Marco said. Seamus held up his hands.

"I know the bond you have is strong, but this is going to be a primal moon. It's going to bring out the animal in us. You won't be fully in charge. Since this is your first moon, you probably won't be in control at all. You might do things that you don't want Fletcher to see." Seamus said.

"What do I want to hide from him? Don't keepers keep all the secrets?" Marco asked. Seamus took a breath.

"We do different things during the full moon. Some of us hunt, some of us mate, some of us eat and a few just wander." Seamus said, turning back to Fletch, "What if your friend rips the throat out from a deer? Or what if he cuddles up to someone that isn't you? How are you going to cope?" Seamus asked.

"Do you have any idea how many movies I've watched? I've seen the absolute worst prosthetics, goriest hack and slash movies, brutal nature documentaries. I don't know what Marco's going to turn into, but I know what he'll be when he's done. I'm coming even if I have to tape myself to the hood of the bus." Fletcher said before pausing, "Please don't tape me to the hood of the bus." He added. Seamus said nothing for a long moment before he looked up at Marco and then back down at Fletcher.

"If you come, you'll have to stay with the Keepers. Learn from them, help them, do whatever they tell you to do... No matter what." Seamus said. Fletcher looked up at Marco but he could tell Marco was trying to see how things would pan out. Fletch gave a long, exasperated sigh.

"Alright, fine. Its an educational field trip, I'll take notes." Fletch said. Seamus nodded at that before he gestured into the bus. Marco hopped up the steps again and Seamus followed with Fletch coming shortly behind. Once they were aboard, Seamus stood near the front before pointing.

"Ethan will be your mentor for this. You'll learn everything you can about Keepers from him." Seamus said. Fletcher's eyes brightened up at that.

"Ohhhh, Ethan's a keeper." He paused, his brows furrowing again, "Is Udo a keeper?" he asked, looking back at the slight goth boy. Seamus shook his head.

"He's a wolf." Seamus said, looking into Fletcher's eyes. He looked in for a long moment before he moved to the back of the bus to take a seat where the aisle was open and gave him the most room. Marco and fletch moved down the aisle, feeling the bus start to vibrate as the engine puttered to life. Fletch came to a stop, looking at Ethan, giving a bit of a grin.

"So hey, secret wolf underground. Who knew?" Fletch shrugged before moving to sit down.

"I bet you're pretty happy... Didn't you do that speech about misrepresentation of mythical creatures in common lore?" Ethan asked.

"You remembered!" Fletcher beamed, unaware that Marco was standing behind him, his friend taking the only open seat on that particular bench. Marco glanced around before sliding down into the empty seat across the aisle from Fletch. He turned, seeing that his seat mate was the thin blond goth boy, his head now obscured almost entirely by the hood of his sweatshirt. It didn't seem like he was going to be that talkative. Marco leaned back into his seat, facing the front.

"You're new, right?" came a meek, gravely voice. Marco turned, realizing it was the goth boy.

"Yeah. Name's Marco." He said, offering his hand. After a bit of hesitation, a hand with black painted nails emerged from the over-long sleeve, taking Marco's. Marco was surprised at the grip the thin boy had.

"Udo." The goth boy said, "You ever been to the canyon before?"

"No... Actually, I don't really know anything about where we're going or why. Do you guys always go to the same canyon for full moons?" Marco asked. Udo nodded.

"Yeah. It's a huge box canyon. It's got waterfalls and wild life and lots of open land. Only one way in or out though. That way we can do what we have to do, but we don't get loose to terrorize the villagers." Udo explained.

"So what do you do when.... The moon strikes?" Marco asked. Udo's blue eyes drifted down to the floor.

"Whatever I feel like I guess." He said softly. Marco felt a little bad for asking, though he wasn't entirely sure why.

"Well, thanks for sharing that with me. I hate going into things blind." Marco said. Udo smiled a bit at that.

"Not a problem." He said, sounding a bit more encouraged.

****

Twenty minutes into the ride, it still seemed as though it could have been any standard field trip for any of the clubs on campus. Many were texting and playing apps, a few had managed to turn their laps into workspaces and were doing homework and several were taking naps. Fletcher had been nearly spastic trying to observe every minute detail and he was starting to get quite disappointed. He finished another sweep around the bus, slightly elevated off his seat before he flopped back down with a sigh. Ethan chuckled a bit at that, running a hand over his smooth scalp.

"You're really digging the whole werewolf thing, aren't you?" Ethan asked.

"I've been waiting for something like this my whole life, and now that it's here its hard that everyone's just so... cool about it all." Fletch said.

"You want something to sink your teeth into? Something to fill that busy head of yours?" Ethan asked.

"Yes. Please, god, yes. Anything." Fletcher begged. Ethan nodded a bit at that.

"Alright then. We still have a few minutes before we get there. I'll tell you a story." Ethan said, leaning back against the seat. Fletcher reached out and swatted Marco's arm, trying to get his attention. Marco looked up from where he had been talking with Udo.

"The legend starts in ancient Greece, a place called Arcadia. The highlands had always been a bit different, standing out in good ways and bad. It was a cultural refuge, holding on to its own identity when uniformity was the law of the land. One of the most... unique... people of that time was Lycaon." Ethan began. Marco looked surprised.

"Lycaon? Like... Lycan? Lycanthropy?" Marco asked. Ethan nodded.

"Exactly." Ethan replied, "Now Lycaon was a pretty active man. They say he had over fifty sons with various women and almost all of them were as lecherous and ruthless as he was. Lycaon was so stubborn and so self absorbed that he decided to test Zeus and see if he really was all knowing. He killed one of his sons, Nyctimus, and hid his blood in a feast for Zeus on the night of the full moon."

"That's disgusting..." Fletch whispered.

"Being a god, Zeus was horrified by the whole thing. He threw over the table, he destroyed the house with his lightning bolts... and he cursed Lycaon and all of his sons, turning them into wolves." Ethan said slowly, "Despite all that rage, though, he had one act of mercy. He restored Nyctimus, gave him back the life that had been taken."

"But he was alone..." Marco said, feeling even more sad for the poor boy.

"For years the wolves traveled the highlands. The farmers killed them off for eating livestock, hunters killed them whenever they came too close to where the children played. Their former lives were forgotten until they were nothing more but a fairy tale, except to Nyctimus. After everything they did to him, he still had pity for what they had become and decided to protect his brothers." Ethan explained.

"Wow..." Fletch said, mesmerized by the story.

"With Nyctimus protecting them, the wolves didn't have to struggle so hard to survive. They behaved better and became more domesticated, and as they behaved better the curse began to weaken. They became more and more human, though the animal was always there, just waiting for them to give in to their instincts. The wolves that regained their humanity, the ones that were ruled with their mind and smart enough to use their paws and claws became what we call the claw clan. The wolves that remained as brutal and vicious as their father, are the direwolves, the fang clan." Ethan said.

"It all started with a single family?" Marco asked.

"A horny as fuck family..." Fletch added. Ethan chuckled again before nodding.

"Family is family and Nyctimus gave them a way to survive. He watched over them, cared for them and kept their secret. He knew if Zeus found out, he would finish what he started and wipe them all out. He was the first Keeper."

"Keeping the secrets, keeping them safe. How did he keep up though as it spread? I mean, it all started form one family but... there are a lot now, right?" Marco asked.

"Some passed their condition on by birth, others with the bite. No matter how many werewolves were created though, there almost always is someone that cares about them. Keepers are almost always brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, friends, cousins. They do what they do because they want to keep their family safe, just like Nyctimus." Ethan said.

"So not like... boyfriends?" Fletch asked with concern.

"Well, it is usually frowned on for Keepers to be involved with werewolves romantically because it almost always means the keeper is turned into a werewolf or dies, but there would be no way to keep it from happening so it isn't forbidden." Ethan said.

"And what about you? How did you become a keeper?" Marco asked. Ethan's eyes dropped to the floor and he said nothing for a long moment. Marco realized he'd struck a nerve. Ethan took a breath before nodding to himself that he could continue.

"My little brother was bit in his freshman year of high school. He did everything right. Every night we trained... for four years. He learned how to master his abilities, I learned everything I could about the Keepers... Even the ancient magic Nyctimus used." Ethan said, shaking his head, "It would have worked. We would have been able to live normal lives, but ten days from graduation a direwolf came to Conrad's school, smelling a wolf it wanted to fuck." Ethan said with disgust.

"A fang? It came to the school on its own?" Marco asked.

"The direwolves don't care about society or rules. When they ally into packs, they are more likely to kill each other than their prey and there are more lone wolves than packs. They live by impulse, getting just as much glee out of killing as they do fucking." Ethan said, "Conrad kept the direwolf back, let the other students get out. When I got there... there was blood all over the halls." Ethan said softly.

One of the students sitting behind Ethan and Fletch reached around the edge of the seat, giving Ethan's shoulder a squeeze and a rub. Marco turned, seeing it was a member of the football team, giving comfort to the keeper. Ethan took another long breath. It was hard, but he knew his brother's story deserved to be told.

"He stopped the direwolf, managed to kill him, but the injuries were too severe. I tried to get him to safety but he died in my arms. The last thing he said, the last thing he asked, was that I make sure that they were protected. I asked who, who he wanted me to protect. He said everyone." Ethan said gently. The bus was silent. Fletcher and Marco sat there in stunned shock, trying to imagine what it would have been like to experience such things. Ethan lingered in the memory a moment longer before he pushed on, "I'd heard about this place when I was studying the keepers, I knew there were a lot of wolves here so I applied and got in, and I've been busy since then." Ethan said.

"He's done a damn good job too." The tight end football player said from where he sat. In the midst of the story, the bus began to turn, pulling off the winding road and heading down an even narrower path. The bus pulled up behind the first one and came to a stop before the door hissed and opened. Fletch and Marco looked out the windows at the view.

The two buses had arrived at a gigantic box canyon. The walls were sheer, completely vertical and rising hundreds of feet. Near the back they saw a hint of a waterfall dropping down before being obscured by trees. The sun was setting though, casting a long shadow into the canyon. The students began packing up their things, getting their gear and heading out of the bus. Fletch stood up and let Ethan get up, following after him as he moved.

"Thanks... for telling us all that." Fletch said softly. Ethan nodded as he moved down the steps.

"It needed to be told." Ethan replied. Fletch got off the bus with Marco right behind him. Yom had already gotten off the other bus and was moving around, talking with some of the others. Where the gravel parking lot ended, a lush green field started. Two rugged dirt bikes were sitting on the grass, and sitting on the bikes were the shaggy headed twins.

"Liam, Kieran, what's the word?" Seamus asked as he moved over.

"No humans in the canyon, but plenty of animals." Liam replied.

"Alright." Seamus nodded, looking at his watch, "We have an hour until sunset. That'll give the Keepers enough time to get into position. Everyone else, head to your favorite spots." Seamus said. With that command, the students dispersed. Most headed into the canyon, carrying their bags, slowly fanning out into various directions. Others, however, headed for the edges of the canyon, moving to begin the climb up the slopes on the sides.

"Ethan, are you going to the ridge point?" Kieran asked. Ethan nodded.

"And I've got a student coming with me. Think you boys can ferry two?" Ethan asked. Liam looked at Ethan carefully and then at Fletcher before grinning.

"Fuck yes. Grab on tight tasty boy!" Liam said, licking his lips.

"Woah, woah... I... Can't I walk or something?" Fletch asked.

"We'll never make it to the top of the canyon by sunset if we walk. We need their bikes, and we can't waste much time. They have to get back down here after we go up." Ethan said, moving over. Kieran climbed back onto his bike and started it up as Ethan slid onto the seat behind him. Kieran revved the engine a few times before they sped off, rolling out of the grass and into the gravel, passing the other keepers in their ascent up the canyon edge.

Fletcher stood behind, looking at Liam hesitantly before he groaned and gave in, moving over. He awkwardly swung one leg over the bike and settled down on the seat, though the slope made him slide forward, his groin pressing against Liam's ass. The boy moaned, his nose and mouth the only thing visible between his long bangs and his fluffy goatee.

"You do realize if you did that in bed, you wouldn't have to worry about becoming a wolf. You could fuck me all you want..." Liam whispered, starting the dirt bike. The engine hummed to life, filling both men with a heavy vibration.

"Yeah, I'm taken..." Fletch said uncomfortably.

"We'll see how you feel after today. That whole monogamy thing won't be so easy." Liam smirked before he pushed off. Fletcher grabbed on around the teen's waist for dear life, though he felt even more unsteady.

"What do you mean, after tonight?" Fletch asked.

"A whole bunch of feral wolves trapped together in a canyon? There's only one thing they can do to avoid killing each other, and its not exactly what you'd call being part of a loyal relationship." Liam said. Fletcher felt his heart sink at that, but he thought back to what Seamus had said about seeing things he didn't want to see. He couldn't go back on his word, he had to get through this.

****

Once again, the actions of the hidden werewolf pack mystified Marco in how normal everything seemed on the surface. The buses had parked, the Keepers had headed out, but it seemed like the werewolves were just setting up for a camp out. Some were hiking to the waterfall, others were opening up the bags and getting out food - though that was the first real sign that things weren't quite normal. The bags of food that had been brought were full of copious amounts of uncooked meat, and there wasn't a barbecue implement in sight. Marco continued to walk with no real destination in mind, watching the other students fanning out, dispersing into the wilderness. He turned, looking around curiously.

"Artyom, have you seen Udo anywhere?" Marco asked. Yom stopped where he was, giving a bit of a surprised smile.

"You won't see him until later tonight. He picks a different spot every full moon." Yom said before he resumed his course. Marco felt a bit disappointed. He was still uneasy around Artyom and Seamus and he hadn't had time to get to know any of the other wolves. What little he had talked with Udo about on the trip made him feel a connection. He had been hoping to go through his first full moon change with someone he felt safe around.

Marco looked upwards toward the horizon, watching the sun sink lower. The shadow filling the canyon spread wider and longer, but the sun wasn't just disappearing behind the canyon. The skies above were taking on the rich and colorful tones of sunset. Crickets were chirping, the steam running through the canyon was babbling along. Marco closed his eyes and just listened to the sound of nature. Even the wind blowing through the long, untamed grasses was relaxing.

When Marco opened his eyes again, he was alone. He looked around for a moment in shock before he sniffed the air. He caught many different scents on the wind. He could tell they were near by, but it seemed that by sheer random luck he'd been given his own space. Marco looked around, a little uncertain of what to do at first before he wandered toward the nearest tree. He turned and put his back to it, leaning down to untie his shoes. He slid one foot out and then the other before peeling off his socks.

As his bare feet touched down in the grass, he felt a sense of relief. Part of it was from the fact that he wouldn't risk tearing through expensive shoes, but he had become far more appreciative of being barefoot than ever before. Marco considered for a long moment before he pulled off his t-shirt as well, revealing his muscled abdomen. He'd never been that unhealthy, but after becoming a werewolf it was as if his metabolism had jumped into hyperdrive. His pecs were firm, his abs defined and his arms strong. The realization of that only confused Marco more as he tried to figure out why the alpha of the pack was so big and overweight. Surely his metabolism would be strong as well.

Marco draped his shirt over the branch and tried to memorize the spot. He knew come morning he'd want to find his stuff again. Marco ran his hands over the waistband of his pants but decided to leave them on for the time being. He'd take them off when the change started, or failing that he'd tear through them. Either way, he wasn't going to wait for sunset naked. He sat down slowly in the grass and laid back, looking up at the sky, watching the stars come out one by one.

****

The drive up to the peak of the box canyon had been harrowing, but Liam and Kieran had returned with their bikes down below and everything had fallen into an almost serene quiet. Fletcher held his arms crossed as he watched Ethan prepare, occassionally glancing down along the slope. The horse shoe shaped walls of the canyon were dotted with Keepers every seventy feet or so, just enough to remain in eye shot of one another... and it seemed that each one had brought a backpack with them.

Ethan knelt on the ground with a small mortar and pestle. He mixed blue clay with a rusty colored liquid and some dirt from around them, grinding it together to make a fine paste. Once that was done, he stood up and turned to face Fletcher. Fletch watched Ethan dab his finger into it before he reached out for Fletcher's forehead.

"What?" Fletch murmured before he felt the cool dark orange pigment on his forehead. Ethan carefully drew a line and then two half circles beneath the line.

"The moon unascended. The symbol for a Keeper initiate." Ethan said.

"And what is that stuff?" Fletch asked.

"The soil from my home, the blood from those I protect, and the ground we will use to keep them safe." Ethan replied, dipping his finger back into the pigment before drawing a curved x on his own forehead with a slight curved line between the upper half of the x. Fletch looked at the symbol Ethan had given himself.

"And that?" He asked. Ethan put the bowl back down and knelt on the ground, reaching out to draw more symbols in the dirt.

"It is the sign for a keeper who has failed, but will not fail again." Ethan said. Fletch bit his lip at that, feeling worse and worse about asking so many questions. He slowly lowered to his knees next to Ethan, watching what he was doing but saying nothing. After a long moment Ethan gave a soft smirk, "Only now you choose to shut up? Aren't you going to ask what we do next?" Ethan asked.

"Is there anything I can do? I mean... I've only been a keeper for a day." Fletch said. Ethan shook his head.

"You aren't a keeper yet, not quite." Ethan replied, "But you can still help. I want you to think about Marco, focus on him in your mind. I want you to think about how you want to keep him safe, how you want to keep the world from finding out and exploiting him. I want you to use those feelings and imagine keeping him close, like you are hugging him." Ethan said. Fletch listened and closed his eyes, thinking about when he had first met Marco, his crush on the man, how everything had exploded when he had become a werewolf.

Ethan closed his eyes as well, his lips moving as he silently started to recite words. He reached out and took a hold of Fletcher's hands, putting one on top of the other and then bringing them down to rest o the dirt before them. Fletch opened one eye long enough to see where he was putting his hands before he closed them again. Ethan continued to recite the words in silence, overlapping his own hands before he put them down. This continued for several moments before the glyphs in the dirt shimmered gently, almost as if glitter had been dropped into the finger traced designs.

A soft pearlescent light began to ripple and spread out in front of them, creating a curved line. The line snaked out longer and longer, leaving a few feet of cliff top on the other side of the barrier. The line curved and wiggled, growing longer and longer, stretching out toward the next Keepers - each of whom had their own lines. The growing barrier looked almost like it was made out of moonlight, sparkling in such simplicity.

Sixteen keepers in all were focused on the task, and one by one the barriers began to touch. There was a flash as the left side of Ethan's line touched the next, then another flash as the right connected. As the thoughts and words melded together into shiny white light, what started as a line began to stretch upwards and curve out, crossing the last bit of cliff before spreading into open air above the canyon. The sides of the barrier soon connected as well, stretching inward in all directions like a dome spreading over everything. Fletcher opened his eyes slowly before gasping, watching the dome growing more and more complete by the moment, the gap above the middle of the canyon shrinking away.

"What if someone sees this?" Fletcher whispered.

"Magic is easier to hide than werewolves... People can't see what they don't believe in, and even those that are looking for it wouldn't be able to see it until they are right on top of it like we are." Ethan replied.

"Am I actually helping?" Fletch asked. Ethan nodded.

"Ours were the first to connect, weren't they? But it'll work more if you keep focusing on those things I told you about." Ethan said. Fletch nodded at that before he closed his eyes and continued to imagine. As the barrier spread and grew, the sun dipped down behind the horizon behind them. The last light outside of the barrier faded away, leaving violet skies... and a rising moon.

****

Marco's eyes opened slowly from his peaceful meditation. Something felt different. He looked up at the sky and the stars, at the fading sunset. He felt a nagging sense that something was changing, but all he could see was a perfect autumnal sky. Marco slowly got up and rose to his feet, feeling the cool breezes blow across his chest and arms. He moved out from beneath the cover of the Hawthorne tree, looking around more. There still were no visual signs of other wolves about, though he knew they were there.

He took a few more steps before he paused, feeling something warm on his arm. Marco looked down and realized that he'd stepped into a patch of light. He turned, looking up at the edge of the box canyon. Peeking up over the rim was a sliver of the moon, and it was rising. Marco's heart started to beat faster right away and his hazel eyes began shifting, turning brighter and brighter until they were amber. Marco grinned slowly, feeling the hot tingling rush of his lycanthropy.

As Marco's hot breath passed over his teeth, they pushed out into wicked sharp fangs, his mouth distending around them. His ears throbbed and ached, climbing up into points and his nose crinkled and widened... but the tingling was growing strongest in his cheeks. It seemed with each change that the hair retracted less and less, giving him the look of messy mutton chops on most days. The hair pushed out of his cheeks, black and thick, lustrous and longer by the second, but it didn't stay just on his cheeks.

Hair pushed out down his jaw line and across his chin. It grew up the edges of his mouth and across his upper lip. The hair eased out centimeter by centimeter, curving down over his upper lip. The hair on his jaw grew out to an inch, then two, then three with no end in sight. The hair grew across the entire underside of his jaw and part way down his throat, forming a full beard... but the facial hair wasn't the only hair growing.

Marco tipped his head back slowly, feeling amazing. It was like he was getting a full body massage, a massage he never wanted to stop. Even his scalp tingled before his black wavy hair began to push out, dropping down to the middle of his neck, then his shoulders, growing longer still. Marco panted hard, his hands flexing, feeling his claws emerge longer than they ever had before. He felt like he was alive for the first time, and he wanted more.

Clawed hands caressed his chest as his pecs firmed even more and his nipples went as hard as diamonds. The claws traced through wispy black hair as it thickened, curling and growing bushier, spreading out across his chest with growing intensity. Marco huffed and growled under his breath. The change was like a drug and it was the most intense high he had ever felt. He growled even more, though the sound suddenly fell short. In fact, every sound disappeared.

Marco winced as his ears popped and throbbed in deaf silence. He felt something moving through his hair and he reached up, but as his hands touched the side of his face, he didn't find the ears. He felt nothing but hair and scalp. He groped around in aroused shock before he felt them settling in at the top of his head - and growing fur. The ears had taken point on the top of his skull, aimed forward and fuzzy black all over. After a moment his hearing returned, stronger than ever before.

Relieved that his hearing came back, Marco returned to maximizing his pleasure. He reached up to comb his paw through his hair, then his scruff. He let out a low, rumbling growl of bliss as he raked his fingers through six inches of beard, then eight. Marco's yellow eyes were glazed with lust and self pleasure. He didn't understand why the fang clan lived as they did if the harmonious existence with one's wolf could be so good... But in that moment he knew he'd never want to be anything but a werewolf.

Marco growled harder, continuing to pet his beard... but of all the hot tingling on his body, it seemed to be focusing in on his pants. His cock was achingly hard, tenting out the fabric tightly. Marco reached to remove his belt, but with his claws it wasn't easy to adjust the clasp. Marco fumbled with it and kept trying, feeling a bit more urgency as his cock started to swell longer and wider, pushing to ten inches, then eleven.

The changing werewolf grunted and growled, this time in frustration, trying to free himself of his belt. The growl was interrupted by a gasp as his bicep suddenly surged larger, then his tricep. Marco barely had time to react before his back popped next. The sounds of bones and ligaments adjusting continued as his spine expanded. His bare torso grew out and up in every direction. Even his ribs began pushing apart, making more room between them.

The hair that had grown down past his shoulders began spreading out more as new hair emerged from his spine, trailing down toward his waist. Marco suppressed a howl as his chest fur spread up over his shoulders and began trailing down his arms to meet up with the hair that was already there. Inch by inch, his skin was disappearing beneath pitch black fur. Even his beard was expanding. Marco's thick black eyebrows grew thicker, creeping across the bridge of his nose to form a unibrow, but the fur was unrelenting.

Fur surrounded Marco's nose and eyes, covered his forehead and finally slipped down the nose itself. The tip crinkled and popped as it turned upright, the flesh darkening and growing moist as the nostrils flared. Marco panted even more at that before the most disconcerting feeling filled his skill. His bones began to throb and pulse, feeling as if breath by breath his face was getting inflated. His jaw bone extended and as it moved out, so too did his nose. His mouth pushed forward two inches, four, then six.

As Marco's face emerged into a muzzle, the slope of his nose to his forehead became shallower, slighter, and far more canine. The humanity drained away from it and the canine emerged, leaving a very shaggy black wolf head with a thick bearded mane... but the changes didn't stay with his head. His neck widened several inches, his shoulders broadened quickly until they were as wide as football gear. His entire torso had taken on an exaggerated V shape, tapering down to his hips that flared out again.

In desperation Marco gave up hope of saving his belt. He sliced through it with his claws and yanked it out, tossing it to the ground, though he looked at his hands. His fingertips and palms were swelling, the flesh rounding out and darkening. As the paw pads formed, the hair on his arms grew further out, covering his wrist and the back of his hand, even filling in the gaps between the pads.

Marco had stopped focusing on his pants as he looked at his real, true werewolf paws. His jaw hung slack, a long tongue sliding out over the fangs, dribbling a little. Life felt too strange and too good. His brain was awash with impossible stimuli... and then he heard a slow tearing sound. Marco tried to look over his huge shoulders but failed. Without seeing it, he knew what had happened. He felt the seat of his pants stretched to its limit before the fabric split open and a fluffy black tail emerged, growing out with its magnificent plumage.

The next tearing came from an unlikely place, his knees. Marco looked down, watching his pants distort and stretch over growing furry legs. Every muscle, every joint he had was changing. The pants weren't able to catch up. They split out just as the fur spread over Marco's feet. As the brown skin was enveloped, the feet throbbed and began to grow almost painfully quickly. The toes elongated, the arch increased and the foot widened everywhere but the heel. If anything, the heel was shrinking.

The change in foot shape forced Marco's center of balance forward, making him hunch his shoulders, looking far more deadly. Each breath made his torso rise and fall as he exhaled steaming hot breath into the evening air... and then his pants gave out again. The zipper popped and the button flew off, the pressure on the fly relieved as his package burst out of its confines. A shiny, wet, red fifteen inch wolf cock sprung out, flinging clear wolf pre out across the grass.

Marco moaned at that before he brought his paw to his puppy pecker, giving it a squeeze and then a grope. As hard as it had seemed, as firm as it looked, it felt almost as if he was half limp. Blood began to flow into his cock, turning it redder and making it grow. Each pump of his hand encouraged another inch to come out, either in length or in girth. The cock swelled magnificently in his hand and Marco reached up to comb his other paw through his mane fur.

Claws, fangs, fur, cock, tail, muscles. Marco was intoxicated by his power. He jerked himself off quickly and messily, panting and drooling, feeling the moonlight wash over him. His pants became more desperate, his twitches more insistent before he tipped his head back and let out a resounding howl that echoed into the canyon. His huge werewolf cock pulsed and thick yellow cum sprayed out all over the grass before him in a hot torrent.

The orgasm had felt amazing, wonderful, the best of his life - but somehow Marco could tell it was just a prelude. Perhaps it was because his knot hadn't swollen, or because his peach sized balls were still heavy in his furry sack, but Marco needed more. He needed a mate. Marco sniffed at the air before he dropped down onto all four paws and began moving through the grasses. What started as a trot soon became a full run. Marco darted back and forth between the trees, heading toward the very back of the canyon.

****

As the hours ticked by, the night was getting colder. Fletcher rubbed at his arms a bit, trying to stay warm, looking out across the canyon as he sat cross legged by the barrier. Every so often they heard howls. Some were deep, some were not. Some were close, some were far away. It was interesting and strange. It felt almost like being at a wild life preserve, but the animals were Fletcher's friends and classmates. He was so lost in thought that he nearly jumped when something was draped over his shoulders. He turned, seeing that it was a sweat shirt Ethan had pulled out.

"Oh, thanks... I guess I was stupid in what I packed." Fletch said with a smile. Ethan smirked gently and sat back down, opening up his backpack. He rooted around inside before he pulled out a ziplock bag and opened it up, withdrawing a toasted piece of sandwich practically oozing over with peanut butter and marmalade.

"Thankfully I brought enough to share." Ethan said. Fletch quickly pulled on the black sweatshirt and popped his hands free of the sleeves before he accepted the sandwich, bringing it to his lips. He took a hearty bite, though a thick dollop of marmalade fell down onto the shirt and left a streak. Fletch cringed a bit, looking at Ethan.

"Sorry..." Fletch said softly. Ethan shook his head.

"It's alright. Its like camping for all of us." Ethan said.

"So do we have to reinforce the shield thingy at any point?" Fletch asked.

"Sort of... We need to keep focused on what we're doing, keep that urge to protect somewhere in our minds, but its mostly self sustaining." Ethan replied.

"So this happens every month? Everyone comes out here, the wolves get locked up and the keepers camp out on the edges? Tomorrow is a school day. Don't you all get tired?" Fletcher asked.

"Well the wolves tend to nap from sunrise to the start of class and then feel like they had a whole night of sleep. As for the rest of us, its usually copious amounts of caffeine to get us through the following day." Ethan said.

"Well that isn't fair... I mean you guys are doing all the hard-" Fletch stopped as he heard some rocks knocking together on the other side of the barrier. He turned, looking at Ethan, "Nothing can climb up that cliff face, right?"

"Nothing ever has before... It's a sheer cliff face, straight up and down..." Ethan murmured. Fletch slowly stood up and moved closer to the barrier. The invisible shield began to glimmer a pearly white as he got close to it. He peered into the darkness for a long moment, seeing nothing, but then from the shadows the massive beast lunged upwards. Fletcher fell back onto his ass as the shaggy black werewolf hit the shield, his front paws resting against the barrier eight feet up in the air.

"FUCK!" Fletcher gasped, looking up at the wolf with wide eyes. The black werewolf clawed and pawed at the shield, panting and drooling. Its eighteen inch cock wobbled between his hind legs, glistening in the moonlight. The wolf growled and snapped, trying to get through the barrier. Fletch slowly sat back up, looking at the wolf. It lowered its head and began to lick and slurp at the barrier, even its tongue unable to penetrate. The wolf gave it a few more tries to get through before it growled and dropped down onto all fours, breaking into a sprint.

Fletcher sprung back up to his feet, watching the black wolf run around the edge of the canyon against the shield, taking advantage of the small space between the barrier and the edge. Several keepers gasped as the wolf came running by, making it half way down the slope before he jumped off the ledge and disappeared into the trees below. Fletcher was left there staring in shock.

"He really must like you..." Ethan murmured. Fletch turned, looking at the keeper.

"He... THAT WAS MARCO?!" Fletcher screamed. Ethan nodded. Fletch reached back to cover his ass with one hand, "If he'd put that thing inside me he would have killed me." Fletch whispered.

"As a human, yeah... One of the reasons keepers aren't supposed to date wolves." Ethan said. Fletch was silent at that, though he soon blushed as he started imagining the massive black beast laying on him, pinning him to the ground, covering him in cum. Fletcher had serious doubts he'd be able to respect the separation rule.

****

Marco's paws hit the ground and the black wolf used his inertia to keep going, barreling through the trees at high speed. He was frustrated he couldn't get to Fletcher, but he still felt amazing... though that pleasure seemed to allow rational thought to ebb and flow. One moment he was operating purely by instinct and the next he was making rational decisions. Marco turned, heading back toward base camp. He passed the thick grasses and the abandoned dirt bikes before he slowed down, sniffing the air.

The black wolf's mouth began to salivate heavily. He smelled meat... and lots of it. Marco began to lick his lips, picking up his pace again, pushing toward the clearing. He reached top speed and burst out of the tree line, heading for the piles of meat before he skidded to a stop, quirking his head to the side as his fluffy tail drooped. The pile of meat was currently being guarded by a black werewolf the size of a bear. Deadly, dangerous fangs sliced into the meat as the wolf gulped it down, eating raw beef roast and pork chops by the second.

Blood from the raw meat soaked into the thick fluffy mane of the giant wolf as he consumed it all, moving from one pile to the next. Realization slowly started to dawn. The werewolves hadn't brought all that meat for themselves... They had brought it for their alpha. Seam was consuming it all for himself. Despite his great metabolism, he had an unholy appetite. It was why he was so large in both human and wolf forms.

Marco felt a bit of disgust at the inequality, feeling more positive about his decision to avoid typical pack mentality. He turned and started moving off again, leaving the alpha wolf with his feast. Somewhere deep down he felt alright with just running, just experiencing what it was to be a wolf. He didn't have to hunt. Marco used his wolf ears to listen, sniffed the air... and what he heard, he didn't expect. It was a whimper, a mostly human whimper.

The smaller black wolf moved toward the sound, moving between branches and bushes, honing in. His search brought him to a thicket near the canyon walls. Some trees had fallen and some bushes had grown, making a perfect hiding space. It was a hiding space that Udo had apparently been trying to use, but it had recently been torn apart. Udo was on his hands and knees, grunting and groaning. The blond was bleaching out of his hair, leaving it as white as snow. The same white fur was spreading over his face and arms, his torso and his legs. Even his cock was being enveloped by a fuzzy white sheath.

Marco took a few steps closer to see if Udo was alright before he stopped in his tracks, pulling his head back. Marco's nose wrinkled up and an ammonia like smell assaulted his senses. It had a nasty tang, a specific musk and the acrid scent of urine. Marco moved away from the spot, only to find another with a different scent, then a third. Marco eventually ran and jumped over the urine spots and landed on the other side, panting for fresh breath.

"No, please... I'm not ready..." Udo begged, groaning as his face extended outward into a muzzle, his tail pushing out from above his tight pucker.

"Ready for what?" Marco asked, though his speech was hard to understand.

"To... To fuck me..." Udo grunted. Marco's amber eyes widened and he turned, looking back. The wolves had marked their territory, or at the very least marked their place in line. Udo's reluctance to come on the trip, his hiding spots. He was the pack's omega, the weakest and the most taken advantage of. Marco felt rage build up inside him.

"No one is going to fuck you tonight... I'll protect you." Marco said, turning to face away from the white goth wolf, facing outward.

"You'll protect me?" Udo asked in shock before groaning, falling onto all fours. His hands twisted and grew out into paws, his feet following after. His legs shifted next, everything covered with glorious white fur. His tail flicked about as his muscles grew and he tipped his head back, trying not to howl... but the sound escaped from his lips anyway. It wasn't long before there was a response.

The trees ahead parted and a huge silver and brown wolf emerged, padding along with confidence and swagger. A huge cock was dangling between his legs and he was licking his lips, but upon seeing Marco the wolf lowered his head slowly, his lips curling back to reveal his fangs. A deep and rumbling growl came from the silver wolf. There was no attempt at diplomacy, not even a show of force on Marco's part. The black wolf lunged forward, all claws and fangs. The silver wolf yelped as the claws went through his fur and the paws hit him, knocking him off his feet.

The silver wolf rolled over and sprung back up before lunging back. The white wolf panted where he sat, watching the other two fight him. He felt like running, finding a new spot, but they always found him. Wherever he went, they found him... But this was the first time anyone had offered to protect him. Udo watched and waited, rooting the black wolf on with hope.

****

The sound of soft licking filled the thicket, though it was far from anything sexual. Marco had fought off three werewolves. In the process he'd gotten several gashes and bites. Blood was leaking into his fur, but the smaller white wolf was licking at the wounds, ensuring they were clean. Marco knew as much as he'd gotten hurt, he'd given better than he got and the three wolves had all given up... but as a branch snapped out in the darkness, Marco nudged Udo back with his head. The final wolf was approaching to claim his quarry.

The branches quivered and shifted before the largest wolf yet emerged. His fur was a deep, dark brown and there were silver fur tips on his ears. Pale amber eyes searched out for the white wolf but froze when they met Marco's eyes. Unlike the others the brown wolf didn't growl. He started padding forward, panting gently, moving to circle around Marco.

Marco moved to intercept the brown wolf, blocking his path, lowering his head and growling. The brown wolf faked left and then ran right, trying to get around. Marco chased after him quickly. Just as the brown wolf started going in one direction, he darted in another. He lunged under a branch, over a log, zig zagging erratically. Marco was shocked at how much more intelligent this wolf was, how much better he was at strategizing... and then he heard Udo's yelp.

The brown wolf had caught Udo by the scruff of his neck and was moving to mount him. Marco charged with full speed and rammed into the brown wolf's side. There were growls and snarls as the two tumbled. Udo ran back and jumped up onto a tree stump, turning to face the two, growling himself. Somewhere deep down he felt strong for the first time. He felt like he didn't have to be the pack's bitch. Marco had defended him, but he wasn't defenseless.

Udo growled louder and louder before he jumped down from his perch and charged. The black and brown wolves were tumbling, scraping with their claws and gnashing with their teeth. Udo got in there, biting at the brown wolf too. The brown wolf was on his back and saw the white wolf get close. With a surprising amount of strength, Marco was knocked back. Once more the brown wolf tried to mount Udo, getting his front paws up on his back. Udo yipped in dismay, trying to get away.

Marco felt such rage and anger filling him. He had promised to protect Udo and he wasn't about to let this wolf prove him wrong. Fighting wasn't going to work. He had to try a different strategy just like the brown wolf. He had to find a way to keep him in place, to give Udo time to get away. Marco searched for a solution before one simply popped into his head. Marco lunged forward, jumped up with his front legs and slammed into the brown wolf.

Both Marco and the brown wolf gasped as the black wolf's hard, aching red cock pushed into the brown wolf's tail hole. Udo managed to get free in the confusion, running away a few steps before he turned around, seeing Marco mounted into the brown wolf. Marco felt shivers run down his spine. The brown wolf was motionless. Slowly Marco pulled back a few inches and then thrust in again, ramming to the hips. Eighteen inches of wolf cock were buried in a hot, tight, virgin ass.

Marco pulled back and slammed in again, and again, and again. A look of lust swept over his eyes as he fucked the brown wolf by instinct. His rational mind was fading away. The brown wolf tried in a feeble, subtle way to pull away but Marco growled and moved to give a warning bite to the back of his neck. The brown wolf stopped where he was. Marco kept thrusting, faster and harder, grinding and humping and fucking.

Whether it was resignation to his fate or actual enjoyment, the brown wolf lowered his front legs to the ground, nuzzling the grass beneath his chin, hiking his ass up for the black wolf mounting him. Marco drooled as he mated the beast, slamming in and out without restraint. It was an intoxicating mix of being dominant and giving the brown wolf his own medicine.

Udo stood near by, watching, contemplating. He hated being taken advantage of and he loved having a protector, but he was worried. What if Marco got to love fucking so much that he was worse than the other wolves? Would he be able to maintain his noble sentiments, or did he have someone else to hide from? Still, seeing the brown wolf get fucked felt like divine retribution. Even if he was at risk, Udo remained, watching the whole thing.

Marco kept at it, the sound of his wet cock slapping into the ass echoing off the cliffs. He growled and grunted and felt the brown wolf's ass quiver around his meat. It felt amazing and wonderful - and then suddenly it felt strange. Marco went to pull back but he couldn't. The passage had grown too tight. Marco tugged again and again, making the brown wolf whimper loudly. Marco tried to thrust in deeper and then felt a huge wash of pleasure over the incredibly tight base of his cock, a base that was swelling thicker and thicker.

Like two inflating balloons, the base of Marco's cock was swelling into his first knot. The tight pressure had locked his cock in place, tying him to the brown wolf. Marco tried a few more feeble attempts to dislodge, but it was no use. His balls tugged up, his cock pulsed and he began pumping his hot lycan seed into the brown wolf's ass. Marco lifted his head and let out the loudest howl yet, ensuring the entire canyon could hear of his victory.

The hot flood pumped into the brown wolf for ten seconds, twenty, then thirty. Marco's brain was flooded with endorphins of the longest orgasm of his life. The brown wolf went completely limp, spent as his ass was filled with so much wolf cum. Being connected, Marco was pulled down on top of the brown wolf as he collapsed, going limp on him. Marco gave an odd wolf grin, but the blood had left his brain and headed to his cock. He felt an extreme case of fatigue sweeping over him. Slowly Marco's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he passed out, laying on his conquest with Udo to watch over them both.

****

The earliest rays of sunlight sparkled through the drops of dew on the grass like tiny jewels. There was a sweet smell in the air and a bitter coldness. As the sun climbed higher in the sky and the heavens turned from salmon pink to a pale bluish purple, the students in the canyon began to stir. Marco felt awareness coming back to his body, first in his toes and feet. He rotated one ankle a bit and wiggled his little toes. He then flexed his fingers, human fingertips grazing through grass.

Marco murmured softly. He felt like he was on an incredibly lumpy mattress. As more feeling returned to his body after sleep, it seemed that one part was not soft and rested. Marco felt an almost painful hardness in his cock. He'd had morning wood before, but this was ridiculous. Marco moved to roll over, but as he tried to move he couldn't... and worse, his attempt to move elicited a moan from near by.

Hazel eyes snapped open and Marco looked down, seeing the sublime muscled back of what could have been a male model. His eyes trailed down to a perfect ass, the cheeks held apart by a very large, very red looking cock. Marco gasped softly, the memories coming back to him bit by bit. Marco tried to pull out again, but he felt the muscles around his cock clench tighter.

"What's your hurry Marco?" Came a disturbingly familiar Russian accent, "I thought we could go for another round..." Artyom murmured. Marco tried to pull himself free but his knot was still there. Marco pulled back and Yom clenched tighter, moaning. Marco grunted fiercely, putting his hands onto Yom's back.

"I'm going to get myself out of you and we're never going to speak of this again." Marco growled.

"What have I done to earn such a terrible fate? Marco, that was amazing. You're so strong, so big, so amazing. If I had known that when I changed you, I never would have tried to fuck you. I would have let you do this to me since night one. Come on Marco, let's go another round. Fill my belly with your cum." Artyom growled. Marco didn't know if he was being sadistic or he had actually come to like it that much, but Marco had enough.

With one more push, Marco gave it everything he could. His knot popped free and eleven inches of wolf cock pulled out along with a flood of warm, spent wolf cum. Marco stumbled back before he turned, panting. He broke into a sprint and headed back through the trees, intent to get to what remained of his clothes. He wanted this full moon to be over. As he disappeared into the tree line, Artyom laid in the grass, closing his eyes. Ever so slowly he lifted his hips into the air, pushing them back and forth, daydreaming about the epic mounting he had gotten the night before.

****

Fletcher's mouth opened into a very wide yawn, his arms dangling by his sides as he fought his exhaustion. He blinked a bit as he opened them again, watching the pearlescent barrier withering away into a web of light. One by one the strings dissolved until the shield was no more. The spectacle still amazed Fletcher, but after being up almost twenty six hours he was very tired. He glanced over at Ethan and the other keepers standing by the buses. It seemed they too were worn out. One by one, the students began to emerge from the wilderness. Some carried empty backpacks, others their torn clothes. Most had wild hair and smudges of dirt on them.

"There may be a few stragglers. Some are reluctant to leave, we'll have to go into the back and find Udo." Ethan said. Fletch looked a bit confused at that.

"But he's right there." Fletch said. Ethan turned around in surprise, looking at the tree line. Sure enough Udo had emerged, wearing his black hoodie and pants with too many straps. Ethan's eyes slowly widened in wonder. Udo was walking with an odd expression of pride. There was confidence in his steps, and his lips betrayed a subtle, sly smile. Ethan's shock turned into amazement and slight relief.

"Good morning Udo." Ethan said as the blond goth boy passed.

"Good morning to you all." Udo said before hopping up onto the bus. Ethan glanced back at the other keepers and they too were surprised by the change.

"What in the hell?" Fletch whispered. Ethan turned and saw what Fletch was looking at. Marco had emerged from the trees, pantsless and looking far more rugged. His hair was still down to his shoulders and while his full, long beard had retracted somewhat, it was still thicker and bushier than Artyom's. Fletch shivered a bit in delight, "My boyfriend is a were-pirate..." he whispered before he sprinted out into the grass.

"Fletcher, you-" Ethan stopped and gave up.

"Marco, you look so totally bad ass! When can we pierce your ears? Say its soon, please!" Fletch grinned, doting over Marco. Marco looked at Fletch with a forced smile though he was blushing as well. He felt awful about what he had done, even if it was for the right reasons.

"Fletch, I just... need to find some pants and get some sleep." Marco said. Fletch nodded at that, reigning in his enthusiasm.

"I think they brought some sweat pants just in case, I'll get you some." Fletch said before jogging of toward the buses. Marco slowed to a stop, taking a slow, long breath. Being a werewolf was going to be far more complicated than he thought.

****

The bus ride home was turning out to be almost silent. There was the sound of the engine, the tires on the road, but not much else. Every keeper was passed out cold. Ethan was curled up against the window and Fletcher had his head drooped against his chest, wobbling side to side as the bus went over bumps. Most of the werewolves were asleep as well. It seemed almost creepy how peaceful it was, at least to Marco.

Marco sat in his seat, looking at the teenage and twenty year old men around him. He wondered which ones he had fought off to protect Udo, which ones had been taken advantage of by Seamus' gluttony... and he wondered if Fletcher would ever forgive him. He would have to tell him, but once they were both better rested. Marco leaned back slowly, trying to come to grips with it all. He had done shocking things, but what was most shocking about it all was how good it all felt.

"I really like your beard." Came Udo's soft voice. Marco was startled, having assumed everyone was asleep. He turned, looking at the eighteen year old next to him.

"Uh, thanks. Fletcher does too... I guess I won't trim it." Marco smirked. Udo grinned at that.

"Cool, very cool." Udo said, pausing for a moment, "Thanks again for, uh, saving me." He commented. Marco smiled a bit at that.

"Don't worry. I hate to see people taken advantage of." Marco replied. Udo nodded at that.

"Well, there's a difference between it being forced on me... and offered freely. If you ever feel... so inclined, I wouldn't hide from you." Udo said gently. Marco blushed sharply at that.

"I... have a boyfriend, I mean I know... what happened last night, but... Thank you." Marco fumbled for words. Udo grinned softly.

"You are so cool... Most werewolves would jump at the chance, but you're so loyal and devoted. Well, I hope we can be friends." Udo said.

"Of course we can be friends!" Marco said in surprise, a bit exasperated that the offer of sex had come before friendship. Udo, however, seemed quite content with how things had turned out. He curled up into the corner of the seat and closed his eyes, smiling as he rested. Marco slowly leaned back in his seat, taking another long breath and exhaling a sigh. Being a werewolf was going to be VERY complicated.