Stalk

THE PARK WAS QUIET, SAVE FOR A FEW BIRDS STILL RESTLESSLY CHIRPING. It sounded like maybe there was a raccoon rooting through the trash. It was the only place that she could think to bring him. He promised he wasn’t going to freak out. The background noise of rock music could be heard back at the trailer park. The streetlight was flickering.

He had eyes only for her, slightly aroused with the wonder of where she was taking him, what she had to “show” him. He was hoping at her intent. “This way,” she pulled him along, their fingers interlaced. She wore a white prom-like dress with his leather jacket over her arms and shoulders. The Winter Formal was the best time for something like this to happen.

It had rained earlier and that brought a chill. All he could do to get up her skirt. He smiled as she yanked him into a darker pocket of tree cover. Trees formed a line around the back end of the park, separating the trailer park from the main road. A swing, hanging by chains, screeched skriiiiiiit-scraaaaaat as is slowly swung with the breeze. There was something wild about where she was bringing him and it only made him want it more.

“Where are we going?” He playfully asked.

“You’ll see. You promised you wouldn’t freak out.”

He wondered if he still had that condom in his wallet. He was silently praying that it hadn’t melted over time like that last one. “I promise.”

She stopped, palms sweaty, especially the one interlaced with his fingers. “I think this is a good spot.”

<Yes it is,> he thought.

She looked around, unsure. The clearing was big enough to put some space between them. The thick tree branches fanned over them as cover. She took a deep breath. “You promise you won’t freak out.”

“Of course not. I love you baby. This makes you no less of a woman.” He leaned into her and put his hand around her waist.

She wasn’t sure what he’d meant by that last comment, but she put her hands out to stop his advance. “I need space.” He seemed to be slightly taken aback by this, but it lasted for only a second. He covered his reaction to her slight rejection quickly.

<Don’t press too hard,> he thought. <In her own time. It’s always on their time.> “Of course,” he replied, stepping back. “Show me.” Maybe she had planned on a striptease. The thought excited him more, and his body began responding. He tried to hide it. Girls didn’t understand guys can’t control their physical reactions, but she’d blame him as if he called it to attention! <On her time.>

She took a deep breath — again. She was nervous. She slowly took off his leather jacket. She didn’t want to ruin it. He smiled at her, devilishly. She handed him his jacket. He let it fall to the ground, it fell open, like a blanket. He thought he was being clever. She had no idea.

“Ok.” She breathed deeply. She’d had her share of gems today — but the gems were just to keep control. They didn’t prevent what she was about to do upon her own control. “You ready?” She could feel her insides twisting. Her stomach was in knots.

“Yea,” he cooed. He gave her those eyes that a guy gets just before sex.

<Does he think?> It was the same predatory look she’d worn on her face countless times — but as something else. He was in for a surprise.

He went to close the space between them, but she put her hands up again and he stopped. “Watch.” The changes were already happening, though internal. “Stay there,” she growled.

<Growled?> “What’s wrong?” He’d thought for a moment that he’d fucked up. So precious that boundary, so fickle.

“Just, watch.” Her voice sounded too deep. He thought something was seriously wrong and took a step towards her. “Stay!” She roared! Her eyes were glowing red.

Now he was scared, his hard-on beyond flaccid. There was a chill creeping up his arms and down his back — and he wasn’t sure if it was just fear or was it getting progressively colder out? He took a step back as she twitched. The first snap of… <Bone?> He couldn’t tell, but it sounded like a thick branch snapping, fast and dry. He’d broken his leg skateboarding once. It was like that, but not as muffled — sharper. More snaps quickly followed. It was hard to see in the gloom, but she was twitching, changing!

Inside, with her mind’s eye, she could see the sanctuary. At least, that’s what Airess called it. Hers was a forest, and in the middle of this forest was a glade that was bathed in light. Standing there, with the light dancing off her rust-colored coat…

She was not a neert’se, her change was not fluid or instant. Her teeth came first, with the taste of blood as they expanded, elongated, and sharpened into the jaws of a predator. Her molars simply fell from her gums to the ground, replaced by sharp predator’s teeth. She was sure her eyes took on the glowing luster of any of her kind in shift.

“What the fuck!?” He stepped back even more.

“No...!” Was all she could grumble in the elongated muzzle that was forming as her lips.

His breathing was quick. “Brez?” He whispered, concerned.

He knew what she was — what she was becoming, but the intelligent part of his brain was hiding him in denial. However, the primitive part of his brain felt fear, sensed predator! She felt like retching, but it was just her insides changing shape, reorganizing. She fell forward onto all fours. Her skin seemed to peel off like the rotting rind of an orange. Underneath was thick wafts of fur.

From her sanctuary she could see the red wolf running straight for where her mind’s eye was watching from. This was how her father had always trained her to envision the change. To bring it on. The beast would feel free!

There’s a moment in every relationship where you learn something about your partner. Something that you didn’t know before that tests your identity as a couple. It completely changes what you were to what you will be from that moment forward. It’s usually revealed within the first year, sometimes it can take longer. Typically it’s something simple, like a sixth toe or they’ve somehow been hiding that they smoke or maybe something more trivial — they have kids or are still married, but separated…Or worse.

Tobias had a choice to make.

<At least he hasn’t run yet,> Rachel thought.

The bone crunching and the squishing stopped. The trees were horrifyingly silent. “R-Rachel?” Tobias asked, wiping his arm across his mouth. He’d just thrown up — again. He reached… He meant to pet the over-sized wolf sitting before him, but then realized how ridiculous that was. He wouldn’t pet Rachel if she was sitting in front of him, still in her white dress!

The grass was scorched beneath Rachel’s paws as she stepped towards Tobias and lifted her wolf-head into his hand. He realized that he was sweating from the heat wafting off of her fur. Tobias hesitantly touched her. Her fur didn’t look wet, but there was a slick substance falling away from it. It was warm to the touch, and red, like coagulated blood. Wolf-Rachel stepped forward and began licking his face.

Suddenly, Rachel’s ears went flat against her head! She released a soft growl from between her lips. “What in the hell is going on here!?” The man wore overalls without a shirt. His chest was patched with white curling hairs. At one time in his life he was definitely more muscular. There was a shotgun in his hand.

Rachel barked at the man. She was barking at her father.

The shotgun was pointed square at Tobias’ chest. “I’m sorry son, but she made a mistake in telling you our little family secret.”

“Sir! Please! I won’t tell anyone!” Tobias’ erection was long gone. His hands were up. Rachel stepped before him, between him and her father. She let out a warning growl.

“No one will ever come down here searching for you.” The man said, ignoring his daughter’s growls. He seemed unfazed by the giant wolf standing before him, teeth bared.

“Please, no, please...” Tobias continued.

“We’ll eat you tomorrow. Best way to get rid of the evidence. Easier to swallow in fur.” He said nonchalantly. He never moved his shotgun from Tobias’ chest.

<Eat me!?> Tobias thought, he knew his body was slowly going into shock. Things were starting to move slowly, but faster. His palms were sweaty and his armpits were humid. He was crying now, pleading for his life. “You can’t do this,” he cried.

“You’re wrong son. I have to do this. Can’t be havin’ no one comin’ down here to check out my family. You understand. You know what they do to us.”

Rachel lunged at her father’s shotgun imbued arm. In the weak light, Tobias watched as his arm became hairy. His skin fell away in peels. It happened so fast! His arm was a claw. He easily shook Rachel away. It didn’t even appear to be bleeding. Rachel whimpered and immediately rolled onto her back, tail between her legs. Tobias could see her father’s eyes glowing amber.

“That’s the thing you have to learn about alphas son. But she needs to do what I ask or I can force her. She pays fealty to the pack and I am head of that pack.” Rachel’s father did some sort of gesture and Rachel’s body twitched in a way that looked like bones were breaking. She was morphing back. Her fur was falling around her like the leaves in autumn. Hidden underneath the fur was her fair skin. “And that’s another fact that will die with you, son. I’m dreadfully sorry.”

“Rachel...” Tobias breathed when her transformation was done. It was quicker this time, perhaps something to do with her father controlling the change.

“She’ll sleep. The change makes us weak and tired. She can’t go from form to form like an alpha can. And now she can’t save you,” his arm was human again. He seemed to take aim again.

“Tobi...”

Without realizing it, Tobias was on his knees holding Rachel’s head up. Her eyes were slits, but she was definitely talking. “Tobias.”

“Ra...!”

The shot rang so loud. Tobias had never been so close to a gunshot. He didn’t even feel it as it pierced him. A single tear fell from Rachel’s exhausted eye.

Her father stepped over them. Forbidden lovers. Tobias’s pool of blood was like a warm coat around Rachel’s sleeping body. “So you are getting stronger. Maybe thinking of taking the ol’ man out as alpha, huh bitch?” Her father spat. “That’ll be the last skinner you tell ‘bout us.” He walked out of the glade, small puff of smoke still smoldering from the end of the shotgun.