FicWad

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Green River Cabin

Next Morning

Alan awoke from his sleep with a sharp gasp. He sat up in bed and looked around in confusion wondering where on earth he was. This wasn't his and Fermat's tent at the school camp; instead it looked like one of the bedrooms at the cabin they sometimes stayed at, at Green River.

How did I get here, he thought as he climbed out of bed and then he remembered what had happened last night, he remembered it all, turning into a werewolf, everything. Did I dream all that, /he thought, /or did it really happen? Am I really a werewolf? Or was it all a very strange and realistic dream. After all werewolves are myths, and if werewolves are mythical creatures then there is no way that I, or any of my family, can be one.

Alan had almost completely convinced himself when he felt a tingle in his mind along with a faint buzzing in his right ear, which was facing the door. Alan Shepherd Tracy you are imaging things, he told himself trying to ignore the buzz.

The bedroom door opened and Alan realising that he was completely naked reached for a blanket to shield himself.

"Relax Alan," John's voice said sounding amused. "You haven't got anything I haven't seen before." Sheepishly Alan lowered his guard. "How are you feeling this morning?" John asked.

"I'm fine," Alan replied. "John do you know what happened to my clothes? And how did I get here?"

"Your clothes were shredded last night when you transformed, don't worry though you can borrow some of mine until we retrieve your stuff from the school camp," John replied watching Alan carefully. "As to how you got here Scott carried you after you collapsed."

As John spoke Alan's shoulders slumped as reality dropped on him like a ton of bricks. Last night hadn't been a dream at all, it had really happened; he really was a werewolf.

"I had hoped that it was all a dream," Alan said with a sigh. John took a quick step closer to his little brother and put a comforting hand on his arm.

"I understand," John said. "I didn't take it that well when I found out. You see I was there when Scott turned into a werewolf for the first time, I don't think I've ever been that scared before or since. And then when dad told me that I was a werewolf as well I kind of freaked out."

"You freaked out," Alan exclaimed looking at John in shock. His blond haired older brother was one of the calmest and most level headed people that he knew. John did not freak out. "I can't believe that John."

"Believe it," John replied. "It wasn't until after my first change that I realised that being a werewolf isn't so bad. Its actually pretty nice once you have got used to it."

"I don't think I will ever get used to it," Alan replied with a sigh.

"Trust me you will," John answered. Alan couldn't help but smile at the absolute certainty in John's voice. Maybe just maybe John was right; maybe he would come to like being a werewolf.

"Does it hurt everytime," Alan asked. "The transformation because is sure hurt last night."

"No it only hurts the first time, why I don't know," John replied. "Next time you change - which will be tonight since it's your first cycle - you will find that it doesn't hurt at all. I can't really describe the feeling as it happens but its not pain."

"That's something I suppose," Alan said as he absentmindedly rubbed his chin and his blue eyes widened when he felt stubble on his chin for the first time in his life. John smiled at the look of surprise on Alan's face.

"I guess I should have told you. After the first transformation there are a few changes in your body."

"Like what," Alan asked and noticed for the first time today that he still had a deeper voice though it was now a normal adult voice and not the inhumanly deep voice he'd had when he had been in the process of changing into a werewolf. "I know about my voice but is there anything else I should know about?"

"Quite a bit actually," John replied with a knowing smile. "Turn around and look in the mirror."

Curious Alan raised an eyebrow but decided to follow his brother's suggestion. He turned around and looked at full-length mirror that hung on the wall, and gasped in surprise. His body had changed; it was still his body, but at the same time it was different, different in a very nice way.

"Wow," Alan said as he eyed his new physique in the mirror. His muscles had gotten bigger and were much more well defined but were in perfect proportions, he looked like he had been lifting weights for a few months, and now that he thought about it he did feel stronger and more powerful. A patch of short blond hair covered his upper chest around the breastbone and the hair on his arms and legs was a bit thicker.

"Pretty nice huh," John said.

"I'll say," Alan replied. "This happen to you as well?"

"Yes it happens to all male werewolves especially the muscle and hair growth. You will find that your athletic performance has greatly improved and that pound for pound you're stronger than a normal human your size would be."

"Wow. But John why do I get the impression that there is more?" John smiled.

"Because there is," he replied. "Your senses are sharper now especially hearing and smell. Your eye sight the same in normal daylight but at night you will be able to see much better."

"Wow," Alan said but didn't comment further as he could tell that John wasn't finished.

"You will also find that we heal faster than normal people," John continued, "our bodies have greater regenerative abilities than normal so we don't scar or disfigure easily. It also gives us longer life span almost double the average. We can still get sick though but not as easily as normal people. So you see being a werewolf isn't all bad."

Alan nodded as he had listened to John he had begun to think that maybe he would like being a werewolf after all. Not that he really had a choice, as he had been born a werewolf just like his brothers and possibly dad as well. The more he thought about it the more he realised that he didn't mind being a werewolf - though it would take him awhile to really get used to it and learn what it meant to be what he was.

"Um John can you get me some clothes please," Alan said realising that he was still naked, and while it probably wouldn't bother him when he turned into the large and powerful werewolf form it certainly bothered him now.

"Sure I'll be right back," John replied and left the room closing the door behind him.

Alan turned back to the mirror and studied his changed physique. He had to admit that he really liked this part of being a werewolf, his altered body sure felt good. If I like this, he thought, then maybe I will like everything else that comes with being a werewolf. Not that I have much choice, I'm a werewolf and nothing can change that fact.

Then he remembered that Fermat had been with him last night when he'd transformed. A worried frown appeared on his face as he thought about what his best friend would have seen last night. The metamorphosis had been scary for him as well as painful; he could only imagine what it would have been like for Fermat to watch it. Seeing him transform from a human into a creature from myth and popular horror movies would have scared Fermat out of his wits, and probably mildly traumatised him. He might think that I became the savage, bloodthirsty beast that Hollywood depicts werewolves to be, Alan thought, but I didn't become that. I changed physically but mentally I stayed me.

Alan decided that as soon as he was able to he would have to seriously talk with Fermat about last night.

Abruptly Alan felt that tingle in his head again along with a buzzing in his ears that was coming from behind him. He turned back around to look at the door a moment before it opened and John returned carrying one of his old NASA T-shirts and a pair of black shorts.

"Here you go," John said handing the clothes to Alan.

"Thanks John," Alan replied as he took the offered clothes.

"You're welcome," John replied as Alan slipped the clothes on. Alan was surprised by how well they fit him, in the past John's clothes had always been too big for him.

"Did I grow as well," Alan asked.

"As a matter of fact you did," John replied. "You're a good two inches taller than you were last night, you're now almost as tall as me, and of course there is the increase in muscle mass as well."

"I think I might have to get some new clothes. I doubt that much of my stuff will fit me now," Alan said then shook his head, "what are they going to say at the school camp when they see me like this?"

"Don't worry Alan we've already taken care of that," John replied. "We called your professor this morning and told him that you were sick and that you and Fermat are with us. When you return to school in a few weeks no one will bat an eye since they will assume you grew over the summer holiday." Alan sighed in relief at hearing that.

"Thanks John," he said. "Has anyone told dad?"

"Yeah we called him this morning just after we called the school camp," John replied. "He's on his way here."

"Is he mad at me?" Alan asked. "He told me to stay inside last night, I tried to but I just wasn't able to. He knew that I would change didn't he?"

"No he's not mad at you or disappointed in you," John replied. "As you might have guessed by now dad's a werewolf as well, so was mom. Dad knew when he told you to stay inside that you probably would not be able to, he knows how strong the urge to go outside is during the first transformation cycle."

"That's a relief I thought he would be mad at me," Alan said relief in his voice the last thing he wanted was to fight with dad about this. "One thing I don't understand is why I was never told about this before."

"That's easy," John replied. "You weren't told to protect you and give you a normal life for as long as possible. After what happened with me when I learned that I was a werewolf - two years before my first change - dad decided that he wouldn't tell you, Virgil and Gordon until he absolutely had to. Which was usually a day or two before the first transformation."

"But that didn't happen with me did it," Alan replied. "If he knew I was going to change then why did he let me go to the school camp?"

"Well you should have been home before the change came but your bus broke down. Still dad did agonise about if he should let you go on the trip, even though you wouldn't have understood at the time why he stopped you if he had decided to say no."

"Probably not," Alan admitted. "In fact definitely not, since it wouldn't fit in with what he had said in the past about school trips and camps."

As he spoke a tantalising smell drifted in through the door and Alan sniffed the air and smelt something that smelt delicious, it smelt like bacon and something else. He noticed John doing the same thing, sniffing the air.

"Looks like Scott is just finishing off doing breakfast," John said. "Come on we should go down he said something about making bacon and pancakes."

Alan smiled even as the mention and the smell of the bacon made his mouth water. John turned away and started to leave the room with Alan following.

"Bet that's got you salivating," John said as they walked along the hall beside the bedroom doors to the staircase. "One of the things you will find now is you have an increased desire to eat meat, or at least whey protein like you would get from a protein shake or bar."

"Let me guess that comes from the part of us that's a wolf," Alan replied remembering that wolves were carnivores whereas humans were omnivores.

"Yes," John replied as they descended the stairs to the ground floor of the cabin. As they came to the ground floor Alan again felt that tingle in his head along with a buzzing in his left ear only this time since that ear was pointing in the direction of the kitchen.

"John can you answer me a question," Alan asked.

"I can guess about what you've got a tingle in your head and a directional buzz in your ears," John replied.

"Exactly. You get it as well?"

"Of course. All werewolves get it, what it is, is that you are sensing another werewolf is near you. In this instance you are sensing Scott. You've already sensed me and since we are right next to each other you are not sensing me."

"Its weird," Alan replied. "Not annoying or anything just weird."

"You'll get used to it," John replied as they came into the kitchen/dining room.

Scott looked over as they came in from where he was dishing up.

"Hey squirt," he said to Alan smiling at his youngest brother. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Alan replied. "Though it's going to take awhile before I get used to all of this."

Scott smiled; he could understand that, though he knew from his own experience that it didn't take as long as one would think to adapt to being a werewolf. Soon enough Alan would adapt to it though, just like they all had.

"Understandable," he replied. "Why don't you two go and sit down I'll be done with this soon."

Alan and John both smiled and went to the table and sat down to wait for Scott. In moments Scott had finished what he was doing and came over with two plates piled high with a mixture of bacon and pancakes. Scott set one down in front of Alan and another in front of John before returning to the counter and picking up his own plate and returning to the table and sat down.

With relish the three Tracy brothers tucked into their breakfast and as he took his first bite of the bacon Alan found that it tasted slightly different to before, better somehow. John and Scott exchanged a knowing look as they saw the look on Alan's face.

"Tastes a bit different now doesn't it," Scott said to Alan.

"Yeah," Alan replied. "Tastes a lot nicer."

"It hasn't really changed its just your more aware of the taste now," John added. "I hope you never planned to go vegetarian."

"Oh why?" Alan asked curious.

"Because you need to eat meat or ingest animal protein like from a protein shake to survive now," Scott said.

"Oh. Well I never intended to go vegetarian anyway," Alan replied "But enough talking can we eat breakfast I'm starving."

Scott and John both laughed. Before all three brothers resumed eating their breakfast in silence content to be in each other's company.