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Ethan could feel every hair on his body, as if ants were all crawling up and down. He growled in annoyance, scratching up and down his arms. He couldn’t sleep anymore, his bed showing the restless sleep, with the covers strewn around the room, and his doona on the floor. He slowly descended the stairs of the pack house, and stumbled into the kitchen. His arms unbearably itchy, he couldn’t stop the scraping. Jack and Robin making something nefarious, his nose twitched in response.
“Yer finally awake, nice that you’re up sometime this century.” Jack laughed at the boy, with Robin grinning beside him. Ethan grumbled in reply, too focused on his burning body, as if now fire ants were marching across his skin. He hadn’t even noticed that his claws had unsheathed, and blood was dribbling down his arms. A frustrated growl echoed in the kitchen.
“Okay Eth,” Jack came over to the younger wolf, still ignoring him. “Stop hurting yourself, your gonna scar yourself.” He grabbed Ethan’s arms, and pulled them from his arms. He was met with a sour looking face. “What’s up?”
“I feel… unsettled. And incredibly itchy, and nothing makes it go away!” He groans in frustration, his voice growing louder with every syllable.
“Well there’s a simple reason for that.” Robin coincides holding a mixing bowl, he points to the calendar with a wooden spoon, that drips some of the unidentifiable mixture on the floor. Jack turns to the calendar and makes an affirming noise.
“That makes sense, the full moon is coming. No wonder why your feeling crabby.” Jack grins cheekily at his words. Ethan only manages to get more annoyed, and gives out only a huff in response. “Don’t be like that now, it requires only a simple solution, you just gotta shed your skin and go out for a stretch.”
“Did you have to describe it like that?” Robin grimaced, but had a light tone in his voice. Jack gave him a knowing eye, and jumped his eyebrows in amusement. “Maybe, it would be good to go out, have a little bit of a run about? Maybe grab a snack on the way?”
Ethan piped up. As much as he was very reluctant to adopt the new werewolf lifestyle, he had enjoyed going out with the boys, running and mucking about. If he had to shift into his other form, this would at least be a decent way to go about it. He was about to agree, when Jack interrupted his open mouth.
“As much as I would love to muck about in the woods, we can’t. It’s the elder’s hunt day. They’ve said none of us ‘youngsters’ can interfere.” Jack sighed bringing the bad news.
Ethan’s shoulders sagged, then what was he supposed to do now? He wasn’t just going to sit here and suffer.
“Oh wait!” Jack surged up from thinking. “ I have the BEST idea, but it’s going to be a surprise! Ethan go get your shifting on, I’m gonna make your day!”
“What?” Ethan startled. “Uhhh, I dunno.”
“Come on! You’ll absolutely love it. Well… your wolfy-self will, anyways.” Jack cocks his head to the side and makes his eyes go all big and shiny. It’s impossible to resist, especially considering there’s a strong instinct to please his alpha. Ethan slowly pulls his head away, not able to stare down Jack, he sighs with a very quiet ‘fine’.
“Hey, don’t be so down, if you’re really not comfortable, we won’t. But, it will soothe your itching and you will have a possibility of having fun. I promise.”
Ethan became aware that he was still absentmindedly scratching his forearms. He sighed loudly. He wasn’t comfortable, but he’d do anything to stop this infernal itching. He nodded quietly, and turned away. The boys staying in the kitchen giving the younger boy a minute.
He went into his room, and yanked off his hoodie. There was a long oval mirror standing in the room, and he stared at himself, his red irritated arms stood out. He scrunched up his eyes, holding them tight. When he slowly released them, his reflection showed a boy with golden eyes, with a glowing aura about them. He almost couldn’t recognise himself, but every time he tried make it a part of himself. Lycanthropy may have saved him, but I didn’t stop him feeling so abnormal.
He closed his eyes again, and sucked in a large breath. He imagined a large grassy area, and pictured himself expectantly sitting on the grass. In a matter of seconds, a wolf was there, tan brown in colour. It stared expectantly at him, as if waiting for a formal invitation.
“Look,” he thought to the wolf. “I’m still finding this very hard to get used to. But we can develop a partnership. One where we can work together equally. I just need time.”
The wolf approached him slowly, as if regally and bowed it head in return. Ethan still with his eyes shut in reality, thought for his hand to tentatively reach out, letting the wolf sniff his hand to gain consent. Immediately the wolf lent into his hand, and closed its eyes. Ethan felt a shiver go down his body.
A gasp echoed out of Ethan’s mouth, it was powerful and with its mighty shock forced him to the floor. His body ruptured and convulsed. It was on fire, infinitely more than before, but now like individual pinpricks with each hair, as it grew out of his skin. His gums were tight as the fangs grew out his elongating mouth. A large growl rumbled travelled through his body, and with a large shake he felt his body become different
He took a hazardous step, and another. Slowly he approached the mirror, where a tawny wolf stood, looking like the one he saw in his head. His eyes still his human colour but now on other sides of his face. He felt every new scent and sound rush over to him at once. It was overwhelming and powerful.
Something inside his head was drifting away. Ethan couldn’t understand what it was, but it felt important, but he couldn’t stop thinking about how all he wanted to do was run. His legs felt stiff, like he’d been idle for too long. He trotted towards the door, but he had accidentally pushed it closed by placing his paws on it. Unsure, the scents in his room was still overwhelming, he felt calm honing in on one. It smelt of authority, of coffee beans and joy. Confusion filled his head, how could he smell joy? But this scent he knew was his alpha’s. Ethan couldn’t remember names, or objects, his new language was that of scents and smells. It made sense in his head, but when he was human it became lost on him all over again. He felt emotions and thoughts like that of a wolf, but the echoes of his human mind would help bring answers when confusion arouse. That’s how he knew he was in trouble when the door was closed.
Immediately in action, he howled. It was louder than anticipated. The sound burst from his throat and into the air. As he finished the door opened and a gasping alpha entered the room. He smelt stressed, the air was wavered with sticky emotions. Ethan emerged forward and began to brush against the legs of his alpha. He even went as far as to try and lick underneath his chin, but was denied the action by his alpha moving backward.
“Ethan?” His alpha said. Now that sounded familiar, that must be his name. But he didn’t need names, that’s what his scent was for. “Ethan, can you understand me?”
Another pack member entered the room, the beta. Ethan seemed to understand that he himself was a lower member in this pack. He didn’t mind, he was still young and had plenty of time to work his way up in the ranks, but respected the authority of the second in command. He lowered his head to his beta.
“I think your question is answered with that motion.” Robin answered Jack, who sat there a little worried, the wolf instinct calming down in his chest. Hearing his youngest pack member howling with fear tinged in his call, made him have surge of anxiety, and needing to protect the pack mate. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” Jack answered. “Now I understand why he’s not keen to transform. He’s not sharing with his wolf side. That’s why it’s coming out like this.”
“Well, he’s not a born wolf, it makes sense. He’s a pup. Gotta treat him like a baby.” Robin shrugged, and Jack nodded looking back to Ethan. “That’s probably why he’s so small.”
Jack turned to Ethan, and noticing him again he did look smaller. He didn’t look like a wolf his age, they were usually much bulkier and taller. He looked like a young adolescent, skinny with added baby fluff.
“Well this actually helps us.” Jack said turning with a smile, rubbing the top of Ethan’s wolfy head. “Cause we’re going on a trip to the dog park!”
~~~
Jack had a very old dusty orange car. The backseat was laden with towels, which anyone would immediately think he was a beach boy, but in fact it was due to having too many baby wolf accidents in his car. But he was hoping Ethan was more trained than them. Robin was in the passenger side, with the window open so Ethan could stick his head out, completely obvious that just mere moments ago he was human.
“So, the dog park?” Robin said, trying to organise his hair back into place from the wind.
“Aha yeah,” Jack laughed fondly, his eyes looking straight ahead. The pack houses were quite deeper in the woods than much of the other pack related buildings. It would be a far drive to the town, but worth it when they got there. “Me ma, would always take me, my siblings, and my cousins down to the nearest dog park, cause she couldn’t handle the ruckus we caused. It was good though, we all got to run around, and ma knew we were in an enclosed space. We’d all look after each other way, and walk home in a big group.”
“Your childhood was so much more different to mine.” Robin wondered, turning out to look at the trees whizzing by. Jack simply looked quickly at his pack-mate, silently encouraging him to continue. “Pretty much as soon as you’re able to turn, you’re put into training. There’s no time for play or anything. It always training, and then school, and maybe other activities like sport, if you were lucky.”
Jack laid a soft hand onto his beta’s knee quickly and smiled sadly. Robin nodded softly back, and let out his breath.
“You’re safe and respected here Robs.” Jack lifted his shoulders up in glee, communicating through his whole body. “Aint that right Ethan?”
Ethan whose face was out the window, turned to hearing his name, and seemed to register what they were saying, and he agreed. He gave Robin a big lick on the cheek, who shoved him lightly in response.
~~~
The dog park was a large field in the shape of circle, with a wired white fence enclosing it. There were a few dogs running around in it. Jack walked with Robin, and wolf Ethan in between them. Easily, Ethan was the biggest canine there, equalling to the size of a German shepherd or slightly bigger.
“Okay Ethan,” Jack crouched in front of the wolf. “you behave now, alright? No playing rough.”
Ethan barked back in reply. The alpha, beta and by default, omega entered through the gate into the park. Immediately Ethan was bombarded with a sense of unease, he didn’t feel normal around these dogs. He wove his way in between Robin and Jack, trying to find safety within his pack.
“Oh Ethy boy, don’t tell me yer shy now?” His alpha shook his head down at the wolf. Ethan huffed in annoyance but made no effort to move. “Oh man yer really putting me to work as alpha aren’t ya.”
Jack then bolted over to a group of dogs, standing near a group of people as well. Robin walked over as well, leaving Ethan vulnerable and in the open. Jack bent down to the dogs, with a joyful greeting, and catching their attention, within seconds he was bombarded with all types of dogs. All their owners turned towards the ruckus.
“Oh I’m fine.” He calmed their worries, with support of Robin’s nods. “I’m actually trying to get my dog other there to be less shy.” The owner group turning their heads to Ethan, who had his tail slightly tucked, and looked at the group. “Ethan! Come on, they don’t bite.”
Ethan slunk over. As he grew near the group, the other dogs slowly walked towards him. Ethan almost wondered if they knew he was something more than a canine. Immediately instinct took over, and he was overpowered by scents. These smells giving every sort of information he never knew he needed, age, gender, location, which owners was whose. Even weirder, just by being close with this group, it was as if they were all having a conversation.
“… and he just looks at me, expectantly! I don’t want that damn ball, I thought you did, that’s why I brought it back!” A black scruffy looking dog barked.
“Too right there! I’m tired of playing that game, but it makes my person happy, and I’d do anything for them.” A yellow lab yipped.
Then they turned to Ethan, about five other dogs in the group. Their nostrils opening wide to his scent, which he was unsure to what it was. Something in the back of his mind was telling him to panic, thinking maybe it was his human side, but he decided to ignore.
“Your scent is weird, were you a stray?” A female black greyhound snuffed in his ruff.
“No,” He huffed, he wasn’t even sure if his words were coming across, but he hoped to anyway. “I’m a wolf.”
“Oh, I see,” An older dog ‘spoke’ from the edge of the group, looking like Lassie. “You’re one of ‘em people dogs. That lives further out the town.”
Ethan nodded, but then cocked his head to the side to the lassie dog. The other dogs waggled their bodies, seeming to understand that this was something outside of their scope. It didn’t seem to worry too much, because they quickly said their goodbyes to Ethan and the old dog, in favour of playing chase.
“I’ve seen one y’ur kind before.” The collie answered his question. They started to trot lightly around the enclosed space. “You guys have a particula’ scent, kind of wild and unnerving to our kind. But I don’t think you guys mean too much harm, you kinda stick to ya ‘selves mostly. Y’alright kid.” He seems to turn away, then comes back. “You ever want to find me, I know most the information on this town, look for a Johnson, most of the local dogs know where I am, ‘kay kid?”
Ethan was well chuffed by the kind gesture of the old man. It seemed like he passed an initiation test from the respected dog of the town. He bowed his head, like he would Jack or Robin.
“Thank you, sir.” He yipped quietly. Johnson nodded back, and returned to an older man, who seemed to be in conversation with the group of owners Jack and Robin were situated.
A loud bark sounded behind him as the yellow lab crashed into him. “You’re it!” he yapped and raced off. Ethan ran off after them, his paws feeling powerful as he bounded across the grass.
At first, he couldn’t seem to grasp the point of chase, it seemed an odd running and bumping into each other. But, then the concept came to him, the dogs all seemed to try and ‘hunt’ each other in a loose fashion, that’s when he saw the fun in the game.
In the middle of chasing after a Dalmatian, he heard someone shout his name. He stopped suddenly, and saw Jack waving and Robin whistling loudly. He barked at the Dalmatian, who seemed to understand that the game was over and rushed off in another direction. As he was trotting over, his tongue lolling out his mouth, he saw the sun had dipped lower in the sky. It was almost sunset, he hadn’t realised how much time has passed from this morning. Panting, he came to the knees of his pack-mates, dropping on the grass with a ‘boof”.
“Seems to me, you had a fun time. Didn’t ya bud?” Jack grinned at him, and Ethan preened at his alpha praising him. As Jack crouched down to pet his fur, he turned and licked the man under the chin.
“He’s gonna be so embarrassed after this, isn’t he?” Robin chuckled, with a dark undertone.
“Probably, but it’s his life now.” Jack shrugged, petting further into the belly of Ethan.
“Becoming a family pet, where we take him to the dog park, and not let him on the couch?” Robin smirked, and earned a light swat from his friend, but jumped back before dodging it.
“Baby steps, baby steps, alright.”
Jack stood up and dusted of the dirt, but then quickly lunged for Robin. Robin just barely escaped, and rolled out of the way, landing in a crouch. He saw the glint in Jack’s eye.
“You’re gonna have to try harder than that, if you wanna catch me.” Robin stuck his tongue out and ran off.
Jack, who was on getting off the ground, stared at Ethan, who was wagging his tail incessantly, ready for the chase.
“Let’s get him.” They both charged after the red-haired man. The dog park becoming less occupied as the sun began to set, leaving more open space for the wolf-boys to race about.
Ethan was now being chased by the human boys, yipping with glee. He was just ahead of them as four legs were much faster than two, but it didn’t seem to stop the boys. He turned his head slightly seeing if they were still chasing, but it was only Robin behind him. He started to slow, as he searched for Jack. When he turned his head to the front, the man lunged for him, and tackled him to the ground. Ethan yelped as he went down, but admitted defeat. Robin soon jogged over and joined the tackle pile, all the boys puffing together in a heap.
Slowly, they got to their feet. “Let’s head off, it’s getting dark.” An agreed huff came from Robin and Ethan.
Ethan, was feeling tired, so he lay down in the back of the car. His head laying restfully on his white tipped paws. The car radio hummed with light acoustic tones, which lulled Ethan to a restful daze, his eyes tracing the dark shadows outside the car. However, when the car stopped, the window outside didn’t reveal a familiar wood, it looked way more open.
“Ethan, buddy?” Jack soft tones turned him to the front of the car. As he looked out the front window, he saw the ocean. His human brain seemed to chime in the back of his head again, telling him that’s what this big water puddle was.
He turned his head towards his alpha, and something interesting was in his hand. It seemed cold and sweet. He inclined his head to inspect it further, but Jack pulled it away.
“Now, you have’ta be careful, ‘cause I aint cleaning dried ice-cream off the floor of my car.” His voice stern, but not harsh. The object was pushed closer towards him, and it seemed like something edible, he took a tentative lick. It was amazing! Something he never encountered before, or maybe he had, but not like this! Eventually he grabbed the whole thing out of Jack’s hand and crunched on it heavily, his tongue grew cold, and he yelped as it didn’t fade.
His pack mates only seemed to laugh at his pain, but after panting for a couple of minutes it started to fade. He settled back on the towel in the backseat, his eyes growing heavy.
~~~
A soft rubbing woke him up. His eyes focused lightly, he was still in the car, but the outside was the woods he was growing more familiar with. Robin was standing outside the door, with his passenger side seat folded forward, Ethan leapt out sluggishly. He followed he boys to the lit-up house. When they entered, his walked up the stairs and into his room, he immediately jumped on his bed. Turning around a couple of times, he then flopped on his sheets and doona, and immediately fell right back to sleep.
Jack was in the kitchen heating up some cold spaghetti, when Robin entered. Jack leant against the kitchen countertop, his arms bracing his weight behind him.
“You want some spahget?” He chuckled. Robin nodded, and mirrored Jack’s posture.
“Are you worried, he hasn’t turned back?” Robin asked softly
“Nah,” Jack opened the microwave door before the timer reached zero. He took out the glass Tupperware and started eating out of it with his fork. “If he’s not back by tomorrow, then that’s a problem, but I’m not worried.”
Robin grabbed a fork and started swirling spaghetti strand around. They both ate quietly, enjoying the silence of the house and feeling their bonds tighten as they were together.
~~~
“I can NOT believe, that you ate the last meatball!” Jack growled playfully chasing Robin up the stairs.
“Hey, we’re not in Lady and the Tramp, it’s a dog eat dog world out here.”
They charged up the stairs in chase, Jack slightly behind. When Jack reached the top of the stairs, he saw Robin was standing outside Ethan’s door, he followed suit. Inside the room, was Ethan, still a wolf but curled up inside his bed fast asleep. They cooed slightly at the pup they treasured, a slightly paternal instinct heightened by their wolf behaviour.
Jack entered the room, and sat on the bed trying not to jiggle it too much. He quickly chucked off his shirt, and immediately shifted into wolf. It was something of awe to see how quickly Jack could shift, and Robin wondered how he learnt to do it with such ease. A black wolf was now on the bed with Ethan. It started to snuggle in next to him and turned to stare right at Robin and huffed gently as if to say ‘Hurry up lazy ass’ .
Robin rolled his eyes and quickly followed suit. He crouched down on the ground and closed his eyes as he took a deep breath in. His shift was not as swift as Jack’s, he felt his spine arch up, and the familiar tickle of fur spread across his body, instead of pain there was a dull ache that faded quickly after. He hopped onto the bed, settling in between Jack and Ethan. He felt the bond twinge comfortably as he lay with his pack. Jack shuffled closer to him and licked his ruff, while Robin settled next to Ethan’s side.
They all felt right and safe, as pack should feel. A restful night’s sleep passed over them
~~~
Ethan felt warm on this field he lay on. He’d seen it before, the one where he met his wolf prior to changing. He turned his head to the side and saw it trotting towards him. He sat up and it stopped before him.
“Hey.” The wolf nodded at him, seeming calm. Ethan held his hand out again, and the wolf laid his muzzle in his palm. A shockwave of thoughts passed through his mind, as he experienced what had happened through his day. So many things emotions passed him, that he woke up, his eyes opening to bright light. He closed them again as he blocked out the harsh brightness. Images and thoughts came to his head, and sat up at an instant. He was in his bed, and there were two wolves crowded around him, one black and one dark brown – red. The black one lifted his head with slitted eyes, and Ethan could feel his emotion, annoyed .
“Jack?” The wolf nodded, as his lowered its head, but kept his eyes trained on him. Ethan’s brain humming with activity, he was remembering things slowly.
“Did you take me to a dog park yesterday?” He tasted the odd flavour of the words on his lips. Jack yawned and started to stretch out the bed, before shuffling closer to Ethan, resting his head on his knee. More thoughts pressed into his head. “Oh my – Dogs can talk!?” He exclaimed, and Jack seemed to laugh in a bark. Robin beside him started to stir, and woke up. Jack snuffed as Robin nosed his back, laying his head there and cuddling close, hoping to gain more sleep.
“Johnson, oh my – heck, I made a contact with a common dog!” He placed a hand through his hair and fell back onto his pillow, earning a growl from Robin who was jostled from Jack moving out of the way.
“I can’t believe this! It’s – it’s wild!” He sat up quickly and looked at Jack. “Did you know?”
Jack blinked at him, but that seemed answer enough. ‘I can’t deal with this, I need breakfast.” He jumped out of the bed and travelled downstairs.
Jack stood up on the bed, Robin’s head landing heavily on the blankets. He turned and gave a slight nip on the shoulder to the red furred wolf, and dashed down the stairs. Robin rumbled slightly but followed suit downstairs. The house rumbling with their shenanigans, feeling warm, like pack – as it should.