The Lycanthrope Tails. Chapter Three.

Story by Roofles on SoFurry

, , , , ,


The Lycanthrope Tails

Chapter Three

By Roofles

Jared was a nervous wreck all the way back into town. He hadn't been in a single fight in his life, let alone a life or death struggle which he was sure that had been. There had been a shotgun in his face! That doesn't just happen any average day. Jared need a good drink, so he stopped by "The Black Rooster" a homely little drive thru coffee shop just to calm himself down.

Jared and his two best friends, Andrea and Lucca, came here often. Usually calling it the big black cock for the giant rooster on top of the small little coffee store. Their slogan had been "wake up with delight in your mouth" and it was easy to go from there. The sun was beginning to shine as noon just began to tick by and with it a soft warmth to the cold wind of the day.

It wasn't the best coffee but it was damn cheap for the quantity. And it always did help Jared calm his nerves. Something he desperately needed right now. And so he bought two to go just for good measure.

Even before Jared had managed to pull away there was a loud thump in the back of his car. He jerked his head around before jumping once more as his phone buzzed loudly in his pocket. "Fuck," he shook his head and took a nice long chug of black cock's coffee. "Needs more cream..." He grumbled setting it down and looking at his phone.

The plastic back was of sound make and you could take a sledge hammer to it without putting much of a dent in the thing. Jared had gotten it at a steal and it had lasted him longer than he even owned the truck. However the smallest of twigs or nuts falling from a tree made the whole thing sound as if someone was knocking from within it. Jared just shook it off and replied to a few text messages he had gotten before stashing the phone in his pocket.

It was a nice day out with the clouds parting, the rain slowing down to a drizzle and the sun finally poking it's head above the mountains. And damnit it all, Jared was going to have a good Saturday! He didn't get ones off often and had requested this one off particular so that they could go to the party, they never ended up going too. So he was going to make the best of it. Come hell or high water.

He caught up with Andrea, a rather bosomy woman that liked to wear far too much black leather and Lucca, a taller thinner man that had a crew cut. The three were around the same age having gone to school together in the past. They split up for a bit during college but had regrouped in the past couple of months and had been inseparable since.

"Then this crazy woman goes flying past me with that knife of hers trying to chase the dog." Jared just said still unconvinced that it was a wolf. They hadn't been sighted around here in years and only recently did their population begin to increase so they weren't on the endangered species list anymore. It was just easier to call it a rather large dog instead. "And then she goes all crazier and smacks me in the face before her big lug of a boyfriend stops her. Or partner. Or whoever the hell he was." Jared did chuckle after glad for the company and the fact it was in the past now.

Lucca whistled at that, taking a sip of the second coffee. "Damn, that's messed up." He just nodded.

"Yup." Jared agreed looking over at the two. "And your guys night?"

"Long." Andrea said stretching and resting back. She yawned covering her mouth and it hadn't looked like she had even slept yet. That or only gotten in a few hours at most after passing out. "I don't remember half of it."

"And I got a splitting headache still." Lucca chuckled. He winced and held his forehead muttering under his breath a bit, a few choice words.

"Lucky." Jared laughed turning down a side street. "I'll drop you guys off then. We should hang out this week. I got Thursday off. Only have classes in the morning." Jared just said as he pulled over to the side of the road and the door opened up.

"Sure." Lucca said giving him a wave and heading to the house he rented with Andrea and another guy from craig's list.

"Text me." Andrea just said exchanging a hug with Jared who saw them to the door. They said their farewells and with a yawning stretch Jared headed back to the truck. That had not gone as planned.

"Long day. Long boring ass day." He just said spitefully as he shut the door. "The fuck am I suppose to do?" And he nearly kicked the steering wheel in front of him. Jared groaned loudly resting his head back against the seat. His one free Saturday in months and this is what he had to show for it. Helping some stray dog get away from the Cruella De Vil wannabe.

There was another thump behind him. And he looked over his shoulder at the plastic cover over his truck.

"Dumb thing." He just muttered, turning the engine back on and heading home. Jared could at least grab some things for Tess before heading back to the animal hospital and could at least help clean up the place. Planning on making dinner anyways for the two of them. It was wise to get on Morris's good side. And the best way, Jared had learned in the past, was with food. It's hard to be in a bad mood when you have a full stomach.

Jared backed his truck up into the driveway of the house Tess and he lived at. It once belonged to their parents ages ago and thankfully had been left to them in their name. It was a decent size three room one story house. It had a garage, in which Jared soon opened, which was one reason why he alone kept the thing instead of selling it outright.

The garage had half a dozen boxes of spare parts. A quad was pushed up into one corner and two mini-bikes were next to it. They had been mostly scraped for parts however. The motocross bike next to them was something he and Tess had been working on for years. It looked like a junkyard of spare parts from other bikes and that's exactly what it was. Their franken-bike. It ran great and they had souped it up. Jared had even won a few of the local races with the thing. His uniform hung on a hook next to the bike. Black with dark blue stripes running down the arms and legs.

Beaming over his pride and joy, Jared didn't even think about it as he opened up the back of his truck and stuck a hand under the sheet searching for the gym bag he had stuffed in the other day. It'd be soaking wet but it was the only backpack he really owned.

Dakota lifted up one front paw as that hand blindly searched inside. It grabbed to one side then the other and the wolf sucked in his gut, holding his breath until finally those fingers brushed the edge of the strap of the gym bag. Dakota scooted it over with the tip of his nail, closer and within reach and soon Jared snagged it and pulled it out. Dakota deflated in relief, drool trickling down onto the retreating hand.

"Ew," Jared looked at his hand at the drool on the back of it. He shook it off and headed into the garage, wiping it on the back of his pants. "Nasty." He'd have to hose out the whole back of his truck down after the freak storm that had hit. He was just glad he hadn't accidentally put his hand into any of the blood from the wounded animal stored in the back from the night before. "Home sweet home." He sighed heading through the garage door and into the pantry. Only silence greeted him. He already began stuffing things into the gym bag as he went not even paying attention to the deafening sound of the empty house. Jared turned the radio on as he went by.

Dakota looked out from under the sheet before slowly taking his first step out. His massive paw pushed the back of the truck down and the whole vehicle groaned at his heavy weight; the wolf had to keep himself curled up the whole uncomfortable ride. He winced as his back hind leg throbbed in pain at such a small movement. The wolf snarled, gritting and baring the pain as it climbed down the back of the truck and onto the pavement, it's back hind leg hugged up next to it's body. Dakota had to take a moment as his wound ached as if that silver was still biting at his very flesh. The wolf didn't take that moment however and moved inside not wanting the slightest of chance to be seen out in the afternoon October day. Dakota sniffed around the room trying to find a possible place to curl up in and found very little. It stunk of oil and grease from the vehicles, the only pleasant smell was that of Jared's uniform hanging from the wall. Dakota snorted looking away and growling at himself to keep his head; then he spied the switch for the garage door. Lifting up a paw he pressed the button and shut the garage door before slipping further inside the house as silent as a whisper.

He'd use this man. This house until he could recover. So long as he stayed as a wolf he'd be fine. Dakota had recovered from worse than this. That strange metal however was another story. He hadn't felt anything like that before as if fire was eating away at his very insides. Thankfully these humans had taken care of the wound, thinking him nothing more than a stray. Still this left him stuck in this form until he could fully recover, not daring to risk turning back. In human form his regenerative properties were far weaker and the task of shifting in the first place might be too taxing for his tired, injured body. Once recovered then he could just slip into the town and disappear like a tree in the forest until the pack would circle back for him. That was it, only reason why he had come. To use this man. Dakota nodded at the sound logic. And nodded once more.

Dakota limped down the narrow back hallway trying not to bump into or bleed on the walls. Walking on three legs with a body his size was not an easy task. Every few steps he'd stop, listen and from the sound alone he could pin point the location of the man like a mouse buried deep under the snow.

The scent was stronger here, of this man, and it muddled his own perception of the place. It stung his nostrils and he pawed at his snout from it. Dakota couldn't afford to let his guard down again. The last time the hunters showed up. This time as well. Each time he had let himself get comfortable somewhere they'd show up. They could track as good as any wolf and that worried Dakota as he looked around the house, stepping into the living room aware the man had slipped into one of the back rooms. If they came here... Dakota shook the thought from his head, convincing himself it would be bad if they came here because he needed to hold out here for a while.

This place smelled of the man, of his sister he could tell but of very little else. Neither belonged to a pack, just the two of them. The place didn't even smell of the other two that the man had given a ride too. They had used him for a lift and then gave nothing in return. Dakota growled at the thought unsure why it bothered him so. Until his eye caught something on one of the side table, distracting his thought. His ears lifted up and his eyes widened slightly as he moved over, still hunched and limping on three legs.

He stood up and placed a paw on the small tabletop looking at the picture of the man, his sister and two others that had to have been their parents. They were at some theme park or other. They looked happy. Dakota could smell there scents still here but they were faint even to his sharp nose and knew they were long gone.

A shower turned on in the other room and if he listened he could hear that same man humming to himself. The very one that had made him breakfast. Dakota moved over towards the hallway and towards that sound, his body swaying back and forth with each lumbered step on heavy but quiet paws. The sound came from the first door on the right and he could practically taste the water coming from it, steam rising from underneath the door. It had been so long since Dakota had the luxury of using a shower. A stream or pond served just as well and he moved past.

He looked at one door and didn't even need to sniff to tell it was the sisters. The far master bedroom was closed and he could make out the faded paint on the door, the dust on the knob as if no one had been inside for years. There was somehow an empty silence to the room that made even the wolf's ears fold backwards. A solemn expression washing over his face. He chose not to disturb it, it'd be too suspicious anyways. And then he found the man's room, more on accident as he stared at the master bedroom walking towards the last door, past the small hallway closet.

The door was slightly ajar and even before he moved closer the strong smell came to him. It was like the one on the scarf still wrapped around his large neck and brought solace to his tired heart. The cloth, this scarf had served him well in stopping his wound, but Dakota hated the idea of wearing it like some sort of collar. And still the large wolf found himself having it over his shoulders and it felt like a gentle touch that alleviated his spirit and dulled that of the pain still in his leg.

Dakota could recall a voice in his nearly unconscious state that told him "It'd be alright." He had been running for so long, he just wanted to find a place to rest. To heal and lick his wounds. Somewhere he could sleep without having to wake up every couple of minutes just to make sure it was safe.

Using the top of his head Dakota nudged the door open. Even before he took a step inside he knew it was a bad idea. It'd be smart to find somewhere else to go, to hide himself in one of the other rooms but the allure of this place was too strong and it was so easy to get lost in that intoxicating musky scent that felt like a summer breeze running through his very fur. The room was a mess for such a meticulous person like this man, Dakota thought shaking the nagging voice that warned of danger in the back of his head away. This was Jared's den and it smelled of that. It had been a while since anyone else had even stepped into this room and Dakota felt a jolt of delight shoot up his leg as if he had stepped on a stray electrical current when he first placed one paw inside of it.

A threshold was a funny thing. It was the boundaries of someones home and the more one was attached to the place the stronger it would become. And this den here and now was nearly overpowering, the smell alone told the wolf that much. It was a... sanctuary. And he might have wept if a wolf even could as he limped inside.

It had been so long since he knew what it felt to be at peace.

His chest rose and fell heavily and he found himself panting. Dakota narrowed his eyes trying to force the gears into his head to turn. They felt so sluggish right now. "Why?" He practically snarled as he took another step inside his fur rise up before fall. Why was this bothering him so much? Why did it haunt him so? Why was it so... right.

It was smart to back track when the hunters gave chase once more and yet there had been a half-dozen other places, other spots he could have easily hid himself in to recover, to hide from view. Instead he had crawled into the back of this man's truck, into a dead end practically. Seeking sanctuary within it like a pup would to his mother's embrace.

This only made the blood boil in his veins as he looked around the room, turmoil washing over him. Dakota should be out in the wild, beneath the trees with the grass and mud between his toes, the stars above his head and only the firefly's to keep him company. That was where he belonged. Yet, he had never felt such a sense of tranquility in his life since he came down from the North.

A large messy bed with far too many blankets and pillows for any respectable man to own rested in the far corner taking up a good portion of the room. The desk adjacent to it was a mess of dishes, cups and school work. The computer was buried underneath books and paperwork that had fallen off over it. The monitor had to have been shoved all the way against the wall as several things cluttered in front of it. The dresser was on the far wall, several of the drawers still open but other things had been shoved inside each one. Instead the cloths had been scattered haphazardly around the room or hung up in the closet without doors.

Posters hung on the walls and there were oddities and trinkets of bands and other unnatural interests in others as the wolf would put it. Dakota could never understand the fascination with the pop culture most "modern" day youths were so obsessed with. He found the whole thing to be trivial and pointless. If one was to be proud of such achievements it should be their own. Or of that of someone very close to one. He shook off that last thought.

Still Dakota found himself pressing his snout against one of the large pillows as the massive wolf stood in the center of the room and a growl filled his chest, a foggy haze falling over his eyes. Even with his bad leg, Dakota moved up onto the bed that cried out in protest under his heavy weight. Turning to his good side, the large russet fur wolf just fell right onto the bed and began scratching his back all over it. Covering it in his own musk and scent. Scratching at the pillows and sheets with his good legs and turning over the best he could. It was soft, warm and comfortable knowing that this place belonged to the man just in the other room.

His leg objected to this loudly but it fell on empty ears as Dakota's eyes glazed over as some primal part of him just took over. He sniffed, snorted at the pillows and then slurped up over another, running his large fingers over it and kneading his very scent into its fabric, his claws tearing the fabric. He stood up and began rubbing his good side against the side of the wall, then off the bed to go mark something else.

The shower turned off and Jared wiped most of the water off before resting against the wall. "Nice," he muttered aloud to himself. He opened his eyes slowly not looking at anything as thoughts flowed through his head. About everything that happened. And soon it dawned on him. It was over, done with. He wouldn't have to worry about that. He could just do whatever he wanted today without a care in the world. Today was his day and there wasn't a damn thing that was going to stop him.

Then, with a towel wrapped around his waist, he walked into his room.

Jared wasn't even paying attention, without thoughts in his head as he walked in to see the giant wolf standing on three legs. "Don't pee on the soFA: " He found himself shouting before slapping a hand over his mouth, eyes widening as his brain quickly came up to speed. And then Dakota looked over at him and the two dropped their jaws as realization dawned on them.

Tess would constantly bring stray dogs and cats home and Jared first instinct was just that. Just some stray that had shown up after he had kicked it out. However those golden eyes weren't something you could so easily forget., let alone the gargantuan size of the wolf. And apparently his legs knew that better than any other part of him as they soon spun him around and began bolting down the hall. Jared nearly smacked himself straight into the hallway as he scrambled to get away. The wolf close behind.

If Dakota had all four legs working functionally it would've been an easy catch, yet they weren't and the tight narrow hallways made it hard for him not to slam his body into the side of them as he turned out of the room. Dakota had just been as startled as Jared had been and his own mind had been lost in that primal part of him that he neglected to sate. So instead of the chase the wolf growled deeply and snapped his jaws open and barked as loud as he could. Enough to startle Jared into freezing up in mid motion and tumbling over himself as his whole body responded to the sound.

Jared fell hard over the carpeted floor and groggily tried to sit up as his brain bounced around inside his skull. Turning over on his chest Jared pushed himself up with both hands, not even able to rise all the way before a drooling muzzle sealed it's black lips around the back of his neck, sharp fangs poking at the thin skin of it. Even swallowing made those teeth squeeze just a quarter of an inch tighter from his movement.

His voice caught in his throat as a slimy tongue touched the back of his neck, drooling over the side of it. A humid breath made his spine grow cold and every muscle in his body tightened, seizing as Jared just froze where he was.

It'd be easy, a simple twist of his jaws and Dakota could pop his head off like a barbie doll. It'd be easier to do that. To silence him now so that none would be the wiser to the wolf's location. And it was the most logical thing to do. Another, louder, part of him forced such reason out and told him he was no threat, he was just a simple human that couldn't even defend himself. That and the fact it seemed to only then click to the large wolf that Jared wasn't the only naked one here.

Jared could only whimper as he closed his eyes, tears in the corner of both of them as he shook noticeably in fear. He was about to be killed, ripped apart. And worse thing was? The wolf had mounted him! What kind of animal does that. That's sending mix signals here both of which Jared would love to say no too.

"I don't wanna die like this." Jared sobbed, tears running down his face yet he tried to crack a smile. "I can't die a virgin." And Dakota's ears perked up at that and his eyes widened looking down at the man. "T-Tess would never let me live that one down." And it was then Dakota could hear the... humor to his voice? This man was about to wet himself in fear and was trying to do everything he could to make the situation lighter; he had even tried to make a joke of it. This man sounded a bit hysterical but it was all he really could do in Dakota's vice like jaws. He was just a helpless human under him that couldn't even put up the slightest amount of resistance. If the time came, Dakota could easily take him out.

So instead of snapping his jaws shut around the poor man's neck, Dakota let him go, placing a large paw on his back and shoved Jared against the ground. The wolf closed his eyes and took several moments to collect his thoughts. Two very different things had just ran through his mind there. The survival instinct of silencing this man that could alert others to his presence and the even more unsettling survival instinct of...

Dakota got off of him and tried to appear as if he hadn't just mounted the man as he took a heavy seat to the side, the pain in his leg bringing him back to the moment. He kept one paw on the man's back and desperately was trying to tell himself it hadn't been a love bite he had just given his wet dream. It was just a natural reaction to prey that ran away, was all. Dakota had been in his wolf form for too long. And Jared had run away. You don't run from a wolf, that was was just asking for it. Dakota folded his ears back, growling at himself for his action, letting himself be swept up in bliss one second and then in the hunt the next. Even if they were connected in a way...

The pack would know what to do in this situation. He? Dakota was just a lone wolf at the moment and he had never, in his whole life, been in such a situation before. Normally he'd just silence the threat. The pack would most likely end up coming to the conclusion too. And that idea was unsettling... Maybe Dakota should wait on informing them about the man. Just until he was sure things were alright.

Normally he would always just follow his gut on the matter when Alpha wasn't around. Just go with that primal instinct. Now? It was telling him two very different things to do here. On one hand this man was just another human. Taking it's life wouldn't even be a chore. Then there was that part of him that wanted to just... and that too wouldn't even be a chore either.

His nose twitched and he looked down at the man and Dakota folded his ears back as he understood something he was so hoping to avoid. This was the same man that helped Dakota off the road. The same one that had given his scarf to the large wolf. The same one that had made him breakfast, the same one that had smiled at him even though he had been so afraid. And the same one that had made him, for once in his life, feel at peace.

Dakota slowly took a step back looking him over to make sure he hadn't broken the man. He had began panting loudly again, his eyes a bit unfocused as his nails dug into the carpet, staring at the human still laying down in front of him. Jared took those few seconds to gather some of his dignity back and cover himself with the towel, trying to sit up and crawl away in the same motion, only ending up hitting his shoulder against the wall. He stared at the wolf that just looked back at him, tears still in his eyes as he clung to the wall and towel over his lap.

"G-good boy... No humping the Jared..." Jared somehow mumbled, a weak chuckle filling his throat before he coughed it out. Dakota smirked a bit at that as he took a step forward. Jared recoiled, closing his eyes as that wet nose bumped his cheek, sniffing him over. Then down his neck and over his chest and still more until Jared had to push the canine snout away. "E-easy, that place isn't for children." Or try too as Dakota checked over every inch of him before snorting and pulling back.

Dakota didn't take a seat and chose to stand on his three legs and look around the house. His ears were up, nosing twitching every now and then as the large canine listened. Listened to see if anyone had heard the commotion, that anyone was calling the authorities or worse if those hunters had somehow tracked him here, followed the truck. But everything was silent, other than the radio still in the kitchen still droning on.

"H-holy shit." Jared managed to say after a good minute had passed by. His voice drew Dakota's ears to him, soon followed by those large eyes. "I-It is you." Jared swallowed. "Holy shit." He just said again. "H-How did you even find me..." Jared wasn't asking the wolf himself but of the bad luck he seemed to be having these days. "T-the hell are the chances!" And he chuckled weakly at that, his shoulders falling and all but giving up on the matter. "My life sucks." He just muttered not moving from where he sat.

Tess had taught him to stay calm in these situations, to try and appear big and tall and to back away without removing eye contact. All of which but the last one was kind of hard to accomplish.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." Jared just said, trying to move back a bit but only pushed against the wall further. He still pushed his foot against the ground. "Why is this happening? Why me?" Jared rested his head back and thunked it against the wall, wincing. Dakota rolled his eyes. "I'm going to kill Tess..."

Then one of Dakota's ears stood up, swiveling and training towards the front door. His eyes narrowed on it.

"Damnit all. One Saturday." Jared continued to bitch, more under his breath now than anything else. "Just wanted to have one fucking peaceful night."

Dakota growled but the man either didn't hear him or care, as the wolf centered his focus on the door trying to figure out if it was someone just passing by or what.

"And, fuck, you still have my scarf!" Jared did move now making Dakota flinch and look over at him and then quickly back to the door as several loud knocks sounded.

Silence fell over the room and both of them froze. Both thinking the same dark thought until a voice sounded on the other side.

"UPS." The man said wrapping his knuckles on the door once more.

"See." Jared let out the breath he was holding, covering his heart with a hand. "It's just UPS. Fuck." He groaned trying to get up a bit. Dakota moved one way then the door knocked again and froze. "If you don't mind, I'll just grab that for you." Jared motioned.

"Will you shut up and let me concentrate for five fucking seconds." Dakota snapped back turning on his him and snarling loudly. A second past. Followed by another agonizingly long one. Then Dakota's face fell. "Oh." Was all he could say as his jaw hung open and the man was the one just staring at him now.

"Y-You talked." Jared said and then looked away as he stood up.

"No I didn't." Dakota just countered looking back at the door and folding his ears back.

"I'm drunk. No. Drugged." Jared nodded not even listening as he moved a bit into the kitchen to hold the counter for support. "They slipped me something in my coffee. Shrooms? Lcd? Something, anything. Something strong." He muttered to himself pulling down a glass of water.

"Damnit, stop moving!" Dakota growled over at him before looking back.

"Hello?" The delivery man said trying to look into the side window.

"One second!" Dakota called to him before folding his ears back and wincing. "Idiot... why'd you say that." And he mentally hit himself several times as he pushed his brain into overdrive to try and figure something out.

The UPS man was looking over his clipboard, frowning at the small box under arm. He had dozens of delivers this month alone of small props or last minute Halloween costumes. That was until a man opened the door, stark naked.

He was over six feet tall, with firm muscles that contoured to his arms and chest. Both of which were covered in coarse black hair. He wore little else as he frowned down at the man in the door way, not even seeming to notice or mind the fact he was all but naked with the exception of a towel half way around his waist.

"Yes?" Dakota growled at him. His very body ached, burned as if someone was pressing hot irons all over it from forcing himself the quick transformation. He didn't trust the man he had stolen the towel in the kitchen and didn't dare just leave the UPS man to wonder any further, unaware he would've just left the box behind. "Can I help you?"

"Well..." The delivery man said looking past him and at the other naked man waving at him from the kitchen. "I just need a signature. Is all..." He muttered looking back at Dakota who was clearly not amused.

Dakota had strong jaw line with a bad five o'clock shadow, messy wild hair and thick eyebrows. "Fine." He just said between clenched teeth, not even looking as he grabbed the clipboard signing it with the pen and tossed it back at the man. "Now fuck off." And without even taking the box slammed the door in his face.

Dakota rolled one shoulder, holding the wall for support as he panted heavily. Sweat dripped down his face and over his body, looking as if he had just gotten out of a shower or just gotten down with a triathlon. The man didn't even have time to let go of the towel as his arms twisted and legs bent, ribs snapping loudly and his skin burning hotter and hotter until sheets of flesh ripped from his very bones and muscle and fur protruded from underneath.

On all fours Dakota snarled, gasping and whimpering as his body shifted from that of a wolf to a man and now into something in between. He laid over the floor and just groaned, clawing at the ground and holding his thigh with one hand, bent over slightly. He cursed loudly, sounding more like a barking growl.

Jared watched him go from wolf to man and then to collapse into the middle of the living room, struggling just to breathe at this point.

"I'm so stoned..." Jared just nodded, assured beyond anything else that that was the cause for all of this. So that was why he wasn't sure why he filled the glass in hand with ice water and moved over to the twitching wolf-man. "Y-you need a drink?"

Dakota eyes popped open as if just recalling he wasn't alone. He looked up, teeth running up one side of the muzzle jutting from the front of his face.

"E-easy," Jared found himself saying wishing he had his towel on and decided to just grab a nearby throw pillow to cover himself. He tipped the edge of the glass just enough for water to splash on Dakota's mouth. The werewolf licked at it, weakly his eyes half-closing and his body relaxing, giving out. "Do you need...more?" Jared asked.

Dakota could only reply by looking up at him.

"Shit..." Jared swallowed moving an inch closer, sitting down on his knees and slowly took the side of the werewolf's head in one hand and turned it so the water could at least somewhat pool in his muzzle instead of just trickling out the other side. "What do I do... Tess?" He asked himself looking down at the pitiful creature. "Here." He just said placing the throw pillow under Dakota's head and quickly got back up and turned to move back into the other room.

A hand snatched his ankle and he almost fell as he stopped, looking down at him now.

"Don't... D-don't..." Dakota gasped, coughing horribly and unable to finish his sentence, worried the man was going to call the authorities. Instead he felt a hand touch the side of his head and pet over one ear.

"I won't leave you." Jared said misconstruing what Dakota had been asking for. "Let me just put something on, get some bandages and something to cover you with. I'll be right back." The hand stayed on his ankle. "I promise." And those two words Dakota recalled when he was on the brink of life or death. So his fingers weakened, lessening their grip just enough for Jared to slip by and run into the next room to get the bandages and a pair of boxers shorts.