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Lykos

Second Skin

Chapter 14

(Stormfront)

Purple, orange, yellow and blue... all the colors of Houston at dawn were being filtered through a haze of rain and water. Naomi stood at her window, looking out over the city. Even at the early hour, the roads were full of cars heading to their destinations in endless streams of white and red lights. Everything seemed so orderly, so controlled, so fluid... but in the midst of it all, Naomi could sense the chaos. She saw the flashing lights of the police cars speeding through town to address the emergencies that did not wait for the sun to rise.

Naomi's lips twitched a little as she heard the elevator doors open to her office, but she saw the familiar pale grayish blue of Chad's suit reflecting in her window. Chad approached, though he slowed a bit. Naomi was still wearing her clothes from the day before, and her strawberry blond hair was loose in a few places, disrupting the crisp perfection that she usually maintained.

"I assume you heard, then?" Naomi asked. Chad moved over to the table to set the water kettle on to make her some tea.

"Senator Moore's assassin was found... with a confession letter." Chad said, getting out the nice cups and setting the tea bag in place. Naomi still looked out of the window, through the hexagonal metal framework that shielded the outside of the building, looking to the glow that filled the city like a fog.

"And they all fell for it... Hook, line and sinker..." Naomi murmured, turning around, "They don't understand, this is exactly how they do it. They dismantle their enemies from within and use their strengths against them."

"The werewolves?" Chad asked, pouring the hot water over the tea, adding in a bit of fresh clover honey from a glass canister. It melted into the hot water, swirling around, diffusing into the golden liquid.

"Not the werewolves, their guardians that kept them hidden. They are probably the ones that assassinated the Senator, so everyone would turn on Senator Jensen. Even his own party isn't voting for the registration act now." Naomi said, shaking her head.

"How long has it been since you slept?" Chad asked, setting the tea cup down on her desk. Naomi looked at it, then him, her eyes blinking as if they didn't understand the question. She smiled a bit fitfully.

"I am not sure... But here you are, rested and ready for another day's work?" She asked.

"Not quite, at least not yet." Chad replied, "But I try to be in the right place at the right time." he smiled. Naomi's stress eased a bit at that as she nodded.

"You've always been there for me, for almost my whole life... Before I ever heard stories of werewolves." Naomi said, sinking down into her chair. She lifted the tea cup and sipped from it, closing her eyes for a long moment. Her muscles relaxed a little, she leaned back, exhaling slowly. The floral scent of the tea was just enough to help her bring it all back into focus.

Naomi opened her eyes again, looking around her office. It was orderly, it was meticulous, it was set up precisely how she wanted it. Futurza had been built in the same way, piece by piece. Everything was part of a plan set in motion years prior. She looked at Chad, at how tall he was, his broad shoulders, his clean cut hair and chiseled jaw. If things had been different... but they weren't. They were in the here and now.

"I want to move ahead with the Luna project on schedule. These distractions can't inhibit our understanding." Naomi said.

"Is that... wise, given everything that is going on?" Chad asked, "People are going to investigate the missing packs soon, and if anyone connects the dots, they are going to come here. to look for them." Chad said.

"Media scrutiny was inevitable from the start. If they come at this point, they will not find the missing packs, only research participants that are delighted to understand their condition better. I also have a sneaking suspicion that the Luna Project will make them feel even better about their time with us here." Naomi replied. Chad nodded weakly before he stood up and turned to move for the door. Naomi watched him go before she lifted her tea cup and sipped from it, exhaling slowly as she let the colors of dawn pour in through her windows and fill the office with growing light.

``

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Marco hunched forward in his cell, feeling the stress and the anxiety congealing in his body. He had to hold his jaw open because of the tightness in his cheeks. His forearms and ears and cheeks burned with the circulation of his blood. He had to exhale slowly, trying to let out the pent up pressure in his chest. It felt like he had a headache shooting just behind his eyes and up into his temples, but somehow the pain was muted, remote, disconnected… and through it all, it felt like his heart was just beating harder and harder with every pump.

After his interrogation, Marco had been returned to his 'kennel' in a storage area in one of the cement rooms. The smell was overpowering, only adding to the list of sensory sensations overwhelming Marco. As he opened and closed his jaw to try and relieve the pressure, exhaling slowly, he couldn't help but notice one scent was stronger than the rest. It had the distinctive aroma that most werewolves did, some variation of a wood scent, but the other smells were a bit more exotic than Marco was used to. It almost smelled like seaweed, reminding him of home.

Marco lifted his head, looking around and then up, realizing another kennel had been slid into place just above his. Inside was an eighteen year old with sun-bleached blond hair and overly tanned skin. He'd seen many boys fitting that description back in Hawaii, but in their new prison he seemed far more out of place. Marco felt a sting in his neck from trying to look up, but he managed to slowly rotate himself around before grunting, landing on his back with his knees bent and pulled against his chest. Green eyes peered down at him curiously from above a freckled nose. Marco smiled.

“Hey neighbor." He said with a smile, though given his large size, thick black beard and wild hair, it was almost as if the wolf itself was grinning upwards. Thankfully the other prisoner chuckled a bit at their predicament.

“Hey…" he replied, his voice a bit hoarse. Marco smiled a little.

“Name's Marco. Glad to meet you." He said, trying to encourage the other werewolf. The blond boy did smile a little more.

“Tofino." He replied. Marco's eyebrow rose a bit at that.

“That is a VERY cool name. What's it mean?" Marco asked.

“Actually, it's a Canadian surfer town where my parents met." Tofino replied. Marco nodded and grinned.

“Then it's not just a cool name, it's a history. Very cool. Do you surf?" Marco asked.

“Not well." Tofino replied and Marco laughed softly.

“Me either, at least not anymore. I'm a lot bigger than I used to be." Marco said. Tofino slowly leaned forward and pulled his legs back, trying to get a better look at his proverbial cellmate.

“You were turned recently?" He asked with a hint of doubt.

“Well, almost a year-" Marco started to say by instinct, but his voice softened as he struggled to figure out the date. How long had they been in this hellish place? Was it Halloween already? Marco felt his shock settling in fresh again. Tofino shrugged, unaware of Marco's mental paralysis.

“I've been a wolf all my life." he admitted, “I'm not any bigger yet."

“Do you come from a big pack?" Marco asked, recovering a bit. Tofino nodded.

“Four brothers, and about ten more wolves." He replied. Marco was about to ask a question about that when he heard someone coming. Marco closed his eyes, and Tofino did the same. The hunter walked by slowly, looking at the prisoners, a firearm hanging off his shoulder. The werewolves in the room all looked like they'd passed out from exhaustion. He lingered a moment but kept going. Marco didn't say anything until the sharp, acrid scent of his body-spray dissipated down the hallway.

A slight scraping sound came and Marco opened his eyes, realizing that Tofino's claws had come out and were hanging down through the grooves in the cage. He had done his best to play dead, but thick fuzzy blond sideburns had pushed through his cheeks and his eyes had turned an orangey-yellow. Marco reached up, pressing his hand against the tips of Tofino's claws. Slowly Tofino started to relax, his breathing slowing down.

“It'll be okay. We'll make it through this." Marco said. Tofino shook his head slowly.

“Even if we do… what if they just come find us again? Take us back?" Tofino asked. Marco's lips tightened. He didn't have an answer, at least not at the moment. Their capture was a major blow, and there were werewolves from all over. Somehow they'd been found out, but that was a problem for another day. The first challenge was escaping. That was what Marco had to set his sights on.

``

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The windshield wipers swished back and forth at full bore, throwing waves of rain to the sides as the Mazda crawled along the highway. Artyom had finally traded with Fletcher as the drone of the tires had faded away, replaced with the sloshing of rubber through water. Fletcher sat in the passenger seat, frantically swiping at his phone, trying to navigate through the labyrinth of orange diamonds and triangles blocking all routes.

“I thought Houston was supposed to be dry." He cursed, leaning back in his seat as he pulled off his glasses to wipe the fog off of the lenses. Artyom let out a grunt from where he sat, his long hair hanging out of one of the knit hats he'd brought just in case.

“I guess no one told the hurricane that." Yom commented. If anything, the change in the weather had made his thick beard seem even frizzier, something that was mildly distracting to Fletcher as he tried to concentrate on where they were going.

“There's a multi-level parking garage about five blocks from where the Futurza tower is, that way we can park above sea level in case the flooding gets any worse." Fletch said. Yom grunted as someone cut in front of him, forcing him to slow down even further.

“I still don't know if they'll keep our pack there. It seems too… exposed." Yom mused.

“Yeah, you're probably right… but Auel's source linked Futurza to the gear the hunters had, and they're already bringing in wolves. If our pack isn't there, it's at least a good place to start. It's not like we have a lot of options here in Houston." Fletch said. Artyom's eyebrows lowered, furrowing as he tried to recall something. When he finally did, his face contorted into a very uncharacteristic expression. Fletcher paled, “What, what is it?"

“Didn't… Marco say his parents were moving to Houston… for his dad's work?" Yom asked. Fletcher's eyes grew almost as wide as his eye sockets.

“His dad worked for a big pharma-company." Fletcher whispered, “Oh my god. Oh god. Oh no, no, no…"

“Maybe it's good?" Artyom asked.

“It's terrible, it's awful. I mean, sure, maybe he's not involved, but what if he is? Even if he's not, what are we going to say? Hello Mister Marco's Dad, we lost your son to a band of ravenous hunters intent on doing who knows what?!" Fletcher asked, “He doesn't even know his son is gay!" Fletcher exclaimed. The car jerked a little as Yom looked over at Fletcher.

“He… doesn't? Still?" Yom asked, his voice lowering an octave.

“Marco told his mom, but… not his dad. Neither of them know about… you know." Fletcher said. Yom's hands tightened on the steering wheel while his shoulders slumped lower. He tried to focus on the road, though his eyes shifted from brown to amber for a moment before shifting back.

Fletcher grimaced, realizing the impact the news might have had. Yom always carried his heart on his sleeve when it came to Marco. Fletcher looked down at his phone, seeing even more orange diamonds popping up as new detours were put into place to navigate around areas of flooding. It seemed they weren't just coming against Futurza, they were going to have to go head to head with mother nature herself.

``

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The monitors inside of Doctor Neer's office flickered from section to section, showing the werewolves in captivity and the hunters that monitored them. The radio crackled every so often as some of the engineers checked in. The doctor was hearing more about water pumps and backpressure than he ever had wanted to, but such was the nature of their 'state of the art' facility. It was a hastily constructed covert installation placed in a spot no one would think to look, but no sooner had they started operations when the ravages of a spent hurricane tried to complicate issues.

Doctor Neer stood at the window, looking out over the observation area. His tall, thin frame cut an imposing figure, enhanced by his slicked back black hair with the shaved sides. The weather outside had complicated issues. They had to take risks to keep their facility from flooding, risks like pumping water back into the swamp they were hidden beneath. Taking such risks also meant that he needed answers fast.

The first experiments had been particularly rewarding, answering questions Naomi's scientists had only guessed at. They understood healing factors, reactions to silver and wolfsbane, and they had even seen the rather unfortunate and astounding reaction when one of the guards was bitten and died moments later from anaphylactic shock. A buzzer sounded from the desk, disrupting Doctor Neer's thoughts.

“Sir, we have your… witness." The voice commented. A sharp, predatory smile crossed Doctor Neer's lips. He leaned over and pressed the button.

“Bring him in." He said with authority. There was movement down below as a door opened and Wes appeared, stepping through the door before moving to the side. The next figure to step through took up the entire doorframe. Marco had unfolded from his captivity, stretching back to his full height. His black shorts and muzzle blended with his long hair and beard. Neer noticed, even from the second story, that Marco's feet were tipped with sharp brownish black claws. It was certainly something to keep in mind.

Two strong guards moved behind Marco, keeping a hold on his leash. He was brought to a small cargo elevator that rose up to Doctor Neer's office and rumbled open. Wes entered via the stairs, walking over to take Marco's leash and affix it to a reinforced panel on the wall. A second strap was added to the cuff on his legs, locked in place. Doctor Neer gave a short nod, dismissing the men until they were alone.

Doctor Neer reached over and pressed a button on his desk. A buzzing sound came from the muzzle around Marco's face before it unlocked, falling to the floor. Marco growled, exposing fangs from the middle of his bearded face. Doctor Neer looked at him curiously. Tall, muscled, broad shouldered, an incredibly strong specimen. The doctor reached up to adjust the glasses resting on his nose.

“You are Alpha. I am Sigma." He said. Marco's back stiffened at that, though his fangs slowly retracted, shrinking back to human teeth.

“So you do have a face." Marco growled. Doctor Neer chuckled at that.

“Oh yes… I am more than a pretty voice." He replied, “I have brought you here for one reason, Alpha. I seek answers, answers to questions large and small."

“What do you mean witness?" Marco asked, the hair on the back of his neck standing up, “I… I'll take their place. Do it to me instead." Marco said, feeling a dread settle into his bones. What if they were going to do something to Udo? He couldn't let anyone face that pain if he could stop it. Doctor Neer's expression of mirth seemed to grow narrow.

“This is not something you can volunteer for. You, dear Alpha, are one of the variables. You will witness. That is your purpose here." He stated clearly before pressing another button on his desk. Far below, a slot in the wall opened as one of the metal kennels began to slide into the observation chamber through a short tunnel. The sound of the metal cage rattling along the track in the passage had to be deafening to its occupant, and in moments Marco could see just who it was.

The occupant in the kennel was clearly male, his hair a rusty reddish brown with a frizzy, wavy texture. He was muscles, strong, almost as big as Marco, and the dark black ink of tattoos on the backs of his arms stood in stark contrast to his skin in the artificial light of the observation room. Duncan snarled as he was delivered like so much cargo. He looked down the dark passage to where the light was, gleaming in contrast at the end of the track.

The grating sound of metal on metal suddenly diminished as the cage slipped out into the larger room, the back edge clicking into place flush with the wall. The front opened up into the round, arena like space. Duncan was torn. The cage was humiliating, degrading, confining... but this new room? This was what his captors wanted. He was a guinea pig and this was the maze.

Duncan thought about staying put despite the cramped conditions, but it seemed that was an eventuality they were prepared for as well. The back of the cage clicked as metal pegs and slats changed places. The cage started to retract while the back remained locked in position, extruding Duncan out of the front as the walls around him pulled back. He braced a leg on the floor and awkwardly stepped out of the kennel as it retracted the rest of the way, stumbling a bit as he stood back up to full height for the first time since his capture.

His muscles ached, his bones throbbed, and his lungs... smelled something oddly sweet, something oddly familiar and yet foreign at the same time. He took a deeper breath, trying to identify the smell. There were hints of vanilla, of candle wax, of milk and young healthy plants. Duncan looked around at the large, round room. He saw the blue liquid circulating around the outer walls of the room just beneath the grates, and he realized that the air was thick with some kind of vapor, some fog - a fog that was seeping into his mind... It was the smell. His mind tried to think what his keepers had taught him, what he'd learned, but instead he got a flash in his mind... of Marco knotting him in the canyon, waking up connected and bonded.

The twenty year old grinned despite himself, blood rushing to his extremities. His mind drifted from that to the frat party he'd organized, to kissing Marco, to sucking him off, tasting his seed. Duncan growled a little, his beard pushing out thicker as his eyes turned gold. It was so easy to get lost in memories in the fog. Duncan's ears picked up another sound, metal on metal, something moving - something rising. It was coming from below, lifting up higher and higher until it came to a stop, just below the surface at the center of the room.

“What is this, what's going on?" Marco asked, looking down at Duncan. Neer said nothing, grinning to himself. Duncan moved over to the center of the room, uncertain what the sound was. He approached the metal circle in the middle of the floor, one of the few parts of the room not covered with a metal grate. The werewolf crouched down to examine it carefully, reaching for the metal as his fingernails pushed out into claws. Before the claw tips could touch the metal rim, there was a blast of thick green vapor. Duncan coughed and sputtered, stumbling back away, unaware that the metal cover at the center of the room was retracting, revealing its precious cargo.

A pale, pearlescent white light began to radiate up from the small elevator platform, causing the fog in the room to glow. The light came from fractured crystal shards, broken selenite powered up with the light of the moon. Duncan had only made it a few steps before he stopped and turned, laying eyes on the crystals. The blood that was already flowing in his body started to speed up, his lungs burning and tingling from the combination of vapors he'd been exposed to. The yellow from his eyes grew milky and then white as he lost himself in the thoughts of his alpha, of Marco, of being the perfect Beta.

Duncan's memories became blurred with fantasies, all of it slipping into the present. He dreamed of an alternate history where he dropped the basketball team, finding Marco as a Freshman, luring him to the life of a werewolf and then biting him, giving him the gift instead of Artyom. He growled to himself, a clawed hand tugging his shorts down before wrapping around his shaft. He wrapped his fingers around his rod and started to stroke, his eyes glazed over completely, looking unearthly as even the blacks of his eyes grew milky and white.

“What are you doing to him?!" Marco demanded, tugging against the restraints that held him. Doctor Neer's hand moved to hover over a switch that would activate the chip on Marco's neck and render him unconscious if necessary.

Far below, Duncan kept pumping his hand around his swelling cock, feeling it stretch longer and thicker as he lost himself in his imagination. He pictured Marco growing bigger, and stronger, and hairier... Just as he already had, but faster, with even more success... And as Marco took his rightful place, Duncan would be there to serve him, to serve his Alpha, his master, his boss man. He would give his alpha everything, and he wouldn't rest until he was the perfect beta. He would do anything for Marco, be anything for Marco.

A snarl left Duncan's lips as his teeth started to sharpen. He could feel then soften and ooze thicker before hardening into bigger, sharper, longer fangs. His lips could barely close over them. His ears throbbed and burned as they pushed into tall, angled points, and with his enhanced hearing he could hear pops and snaps coming from his back as his spine started to lengthen. Inch by inch, Duncan stretched taller. He pushed past six feet, then six two, then even six five. His ribs pushed apart from one another and his chest rounded, giving him more capacity.

Pearly cum splattered out of his swelling shaft - a shaft that had remained until that moment rather human, but as Duncan's legs thickened and his arms strengthened, his cock was changing as well. Blood rushed into his appendage, turning it from pink to red and then almost purple. The round, mushroom shaped tip began to stretch and contort, curving and honing into a point. The loose skin around the base grew tighter and tighter as the member elongated until it was as tight as a drum, veined and furious.

Duncan hissed as his calloused hand slipped up and down his very sensitive member, the base bloating out and the entire shaft changing until it was distinctly canine, just like the animal he was. His balls sagged and rounded, the balls swelling larger, filling out and bloating. His sack was heavy and full, and soon covered with fur as a sheathe developed at the base of his cock... a cock that was still growing. His hand slipped back and forth, feeling the burn of friction as it surpassed eleven inches, then thirteen, fifteen, more. The dribble of pearl colored cum became a steady flow of yellowed, bestial cum that fell, splattering and splashing across the grated floor.

Duncan groaned, his pert muscled ass cheeks slowly prying apart as they rounded and thickened, gaining more definition. The cooler air hit his sphincter, the pucker undulating as it contracted and relaxed. The ring of flesh pulsated, growing puffy, swelling. As it rounded and darkened, a tingle settled in around it. The flesh shifted, developing two new scent glands independent from the ones that Duncan developed as a wolf. The glands slowly settled in, hooking up to his system before a woody, musky scent began to waft into the already thick air in the room.

The werewolf's snarls became more desperate, his thoughts more primal. He could feel the heat growing in his loins and his ass. He could feel his colon undulating, contracting, trying to milk something that wasn't there. His nipples were hard, his muscles hot. He was in heat, he needed his alpha, but... he still wasn't quite ready. Ducan added a second hand to his already sensitive cock, working it fast and hard as he snarled, throwing his head back, panting, grinning, moaning. His face started to tingle and he knew this was the moment.

Duncan's eyes gazed at the ceiling, the irises nearly indistinguishable from the rest of his eyes. His pupils had gone completely white. He grinned, cock dripping yellowed lycan cum as the cells in his face began to transform and grow at an accelerated pace. He had already taken on the look of a werewolf hybrid with his changed ears and claws, but his brow bone pushed out, swelling a little as his eyebrows thickened, the tingling in his face only getting stronger.

He could feel the sickly fog lick at his face, kissing his beard, drops of vapor condensing on his skin. He also felt the tingling in his cheeks nearly so hot it burned. His brown beard had hints of red and copper tones to it, and the color only seemed to become brighter. Duncan's swollen, hard, aching cock throbbed, but it was nothing compared to the burning in his face, a burning that only started to feel better as dozens and dozens of new hairs broke through the surface of his cheeks.

A forest of stubble emerged, coming in between his already established hairs and filling in spaces never before claimed. Centimeter by centimeter, then inch by inch, his beard was growing with an incredible speed. It filled out across his chin, his cheeks, and his jaw. His mustache pushed out forward, thickening and becoming bushier. His cheek hair swept out, and the hair pushing out of his chin grew out forward before eventually curving down, creeping little by little along his throat.

One hand left his cock, rising up. Duncan plunged his claws into his beard, stroking through the hair, amazed by how much more was there - and by how sensitive it was to touch. Just ruffling against it, touching it, sent shivers through his body so strong that he nearly fell to his knees. As he got a little more used to it, he closed his clawed hand, getting a grip on over four inches of new beard beneath his chin. He pulled on it a little and stroked it until he felt five inches, then tugged on it until there were six inches, seven, eight. Duncan came harder, sending out rope after rope of cum across the arena floor, the air growing strong with the musk of his seed.

Duncan's shoulders popped as they broadened, expanding to an inhuman width. Patches of fur sprouted from his elbows, the backs of his hands, and his chest. The hair under his arms grew longer and softer, taking on a more fur like texture, and his undulating hole soon was shadowed over by his growing tailbone. Each segment pushed out to make room for more, ligaments and muscles encasing them all as dark brown fur sprouted from the tail nub.

Marco looked down, watching it all unfold, his own heart racing… and his own shaft throbbing. His shorts were cheap and did nothing to hide his erection. Marco looked down at Duncan with a mixture of terror and elation. He looked amazing, absolutely amazing. He truly was the epitome of everything Marco lusted for, and yet his humanity seemed so distant, especially with the vacant eyes.

Duncan worked his huge canine cock with one hand, the other playing with his beard as it stretched down past his Adam's apple, then the base of his neck, and eventually his sternum. His body was creating mass seemingly out of nothing, converting an ancient magic curse into a tangible reality. In moments he had grown a beard that humans struggled to achieve over the course of years, and it was still growing. Duncan tugged on his beard, stroking it with his clawed fingers, feeling it trailing down his stomach, pushing past his belly button until he felt the coarse tickle of the hair at the base of his very sensitive shaft.

His thick tail flicked out, the hair standing up at full attention, growing bushy and heavy. It hung all the way to the ground, swaying back and forth. It was almost as big as the tail of a feral werewolf, but the muscles anchoring it to Duncan's hips were incredibly powerful. He shuddered, taking a step, moaning as his beard and tail finally stopped growing, at least for the moment. He stood in the arena looking like some cross between a werewolf and a bigfoot, a man with preposterous proportions. He looked around, sniffed the air and snarled loudly - loud enough that Marco could hear him even with the video muted.

Marco stood at the window in Doctor Neer's office, looking down at the corrupted, exaggerated physical form his pack member had taken on. The beast before him lacked Duncan's careful movements, his thoughtful gestures. He was an animal, a beast, a monster… and it was turning Marco on. Marco's cock was rock hard, just like his nipples. Duncan slowly turned around on his large, clawed feet. His solid white eyes started to scan the room, searching... until they stopped and slowly looked up. Marco felt a jolt through his soul, a quiver in his cock, and a tightness in the pit of his stomach.

Marco inhaled softly, involuntarily, feeling as if air was being forced into his lungs. Slowly, ever so slowly, his chest was pushing out larger, his pectorals thickening. He felt his face starting to tingle, his cock aching as it began to grow more. He could feel the connection, the curse… stronger than he'd ever felt it before. Sweat beaded across Marco's brow as he moaned, his fangs sharpening in his mouth. He stumbled back away from the window, dropping down, panting hard. He winced, feeling pain from breaking the connection, from pushing it back.

“So it IS true… The Alpha, the Beta, influencing one another… an ebb and flow just like the moon itself." Doctor Neer nearly hissed in excitement.

“What did you do to him?" Marco asked, keeping his eyes closed, feeling them nearly burning against his eyelids.

“Lomatium to encourage deep breathing, lotus blossom to bring the subject to another level of consciousness, moonstone to bring out the animal within… My team hypothesized it would help a werewolf connect to their ideal form, or at least what they thought their Alpha would want. Tell me, Alpha. Is he the beast of your dreams?" Doctor Neer asked. Marco said nothing, still feeling his heart race and his erection refuse to go away.

“What will you do to him now?" Marco asked. Doctor Neer slowly moved to his desk.

“He is too big to fit in our cages. He will be taken to a holding cell." Neer replied.

“And then?" Marco asked.

“That depends entirely on you." Neer replied as he slowly sat down in his chair.

“What… do you want?" Marco asked. Neer smiled.

“You are Alpha…" Neer said slowly. Marco's brows lowered.

“And you are Sigma…" he replied, feeling incredibly defeated. Neer, however, felt as if he was on top of the world.

``

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The sound of water falling was a constant in the lobby of the Futurza building, but the fountains endlessly dribbling water down the textured panes of glass had competition in the form of the excessive rain coming down outside. The windows were blurry with the long streams of water running down the skyscraper's glass exterior, and the metal honeycomb that covered the building was creating a splash zone of falling water that encompassed the entire sidewalk.

Chad walked through the lobby slowly, looking over at the metal cover that had been pulled down around the coffee shop in the back corner, at the empty benches and the displays playing videos on a loop for no one in particular. Outside the sidewalks were deserted, though there was still a significant amount of traffic, water sloshing up onto the sidewalk.

“Attention: All non-essential projects have been canceled for the day. Please check with your shift supervisor about modified activities." an automated voice announced over the intercom. It was a little more severe than that, Chad considered. There had been flash flooding across parts of Houston and Austin. The rain had been sudden and relentless after an already difficult week… difficult in more ways than one.

Chad moved toward the front doors to secure them, but as he approached their was movement outside. A figure pushed through the falling torrents of rain, swiped a key card and unlocked the front door before pushing in. He was imposing, tall and broad shouldered both. Long black hair spilled out of the hood, rain soaked. From a distance many might have assumed his heritage harkened back to the same roots that many in Houston claimed, but a small tattoo peeking out from the collar of his shirt betrayed his Polynesian roots.

“Doctor Iona, what are you doing here? Your project has been halted for the day, you should be at home with your wife." Chad inquired with intrigue. Haku flashed a smile and proffered a suitcase out from under his rain jacket.

“I know, I know, but all the research subjects are going to be cooped up for a while… Even when the scientists return, it'll take a bit to get the research back up and running. I wanted to loan them my movie library to help pass the time." Haku said, moving toward the elevator. Chad ran his tongue over his molar teeth, debating his options before he pivoted and fell into step with the scientist.

“That's most compassionate, though we do have an extensive multimedia library that our research subjects can access." Chad said. Haku scoffed.

“Yes, I've seen the archives. Sure, the historical section is amazing, but contemporary? Digital videos lack special features! No bloopers, no behind the scenes." Haku said. Chad's eyebrow fluttered slightly. He wasn't entirely sure what choices in life had led him to this conversation as the city flooded.

“And the kids will want to take advantage of these special features?" Chad asked. Haku looked at the tall, muscled man with the short shorn hair, eyeing him carefully before he smiled.

“They should have the choice, shouldn't they?" He asked as he pressed the elevator button, “Our research subjects are very far from home, sitting at the edge of a storm front, and almost everyone they've been working with the last few months are suddenly gone. Sometimes a narrative isn't quite enough to distract them from what's going on and you have to make an event of it. Special features and popcorn." Haku said. Chad watched the scientist for a moment.

“You must be a very good father." Chad said. Haku's eyes shifted slightly.

“Well, I could have been better… But sometimes mistakes are the best teacher." Haku said before he stepped into the elevator. Chad nodded.

“I'm sure they'll love it." Chad said, stepping back and letting the elevator doors close. Once more Chad was alone in the spacious lobby with the sound of running water all around him. He made his way back to the front and made sure that all but the first door were fully secured, locked and reinforced. He could leave a note for security to get the last one once Doctor Iona left. Chad took one last look at the Lobby before he pushed out the first door and stepped into the rain, feeling it fall in icy waves across his head as he disappeared into the storm.