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A Tracy Secret

A Tracy Secret

Chapter Four

Dining Room

Tracy Island, That Same Time

Gordon Tracy sat lost in thought at the breakfast table no really focused on the world around him. A half eaten plate of bacon and waffles - at which he was idly picking - sat in front of him on the table. Although he was still hungry he found his heart wasn't on breakfast, instead his heart was a few thousand miles away with his little brother.

Ever since they had received that call this morning from Scott and John he hadn't been able to think about anything except Alan and what had inevitably happened to him last night. Learning that you were a werewolf was never an easy thing, and Alan had found out in perhaps the worst possible way, he hadn't been told he had just transformed.

Gordon could only imagine what that would have been like for Alan to experience that pain and not know what was happening. The first transformation was both very scary and very painful, Gordon remembered it all too well, but at least when he'd gone through his first transformation he had known what was happening to him. Alan hadn't had that luxury. Dad shouldn't have let Alan go on that school camp, he thought, he should have insisted that Alan come home. Then we would have had time to prepare him for his first change.

Gordon sighed. There was no point in thinking about what might have been or what they should have done. They had to now deal with the reality of what had happened to Alan last night. I hope he's all right, Gordon thought.

Sitting opposite Gordon Virgil finished his breakfast and looked over at Gordon and at his only half-finished breakfast and frowned in concern. It wasn't like Gordon to only eat part of his food; normally he would devour it all in short order.

Looking at him it was obvious that Gordon's thoughts were elsewhere, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what Gordon was thinking about. He was thinking about Alan and what had happened to their baby brother last night.

Virgil would be lying if he said that he hadn't been thinking about it himself. He had been thinking about Alan all morning. Thinking and worrying about how Alan was taking the revelation that he - and the rest of them - was a werewolf. And how he had found out in less than ideal circumstances. Hopefully he wasn't taking it badly but Virgil knew that they had to be prepared for the possibility that Alan was taking it badly. We shouldn't have let him go on that camping trip, Virgil thought almost completely and unknowingly thinking the same thing as Gordon.

After a moment Virgil sighed and stood up from the table. He knew that all they could do now was wait, wait for dad to return with Alan and Fermat. Plus Scott and John if I know them, he thought, especially Scott. Virgil walked around the table to the entrance and paused on the way out to lay a comforting hand on Gordon's shoulder, then he left the room completely.

Gordon barely noticed and continued to sit there idly picking at his breakfast while thinking and worrying about Alan.

After a few moments Tin-Tin came in to pick up the empty breakfast dishes to take them to her mother Onaha in the kitchen so they could be put in the dishwasher. She went around the table and picked up Virgil's empty plate and the glass, which had held orange juice. Tin-Tin looked over at Gordon still idly picking at his half-eaten breakfast though it was probably stone cold by now.

Tin-Tin was surprised to see that there was still some bacon left on the plate, normally since he was a werewolf Gordon would eat all the meat first then the waffles.

"Are you finished with that Gordon," she asked. Gordon looked up startled by the sound of her voice he clearly had not heard her come in.

"Yeah take it," he said softly offering her the plate. "I'm not that hungry."

Now Tin-Tin knew that something was seriously bothering Gordon it wasn't like him to refuse food. She couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with Alan and why Jeff accompanied by Brains had left the island with such urgency this morning, not even stopping for breakfast.

"What's wrong Gordon," she asked. Gordon looked at her in surprise and then realised that Tin-Tin did not know about last night.

"It's Alan," he replied. "You know that because of a mechanical breakdown Alan and Fermat had to stay at the school camp for another night."

"Yes," Tin-Tin replied.

"Well dad told Alan to stay inside as it was the second night of the full moon as it was around the time for Alan's first change." Tin-Tin frowned as Gordon was speaking in the past tense.

"Did he," she asked already getting a sneaky suspicion that the answer would be no.

"He tried," Gordon answered. "But Tin-Tin the call of the full moon at the time of the first change is stronger than at any other time. Alan couldn't resist it, he went out and Fermat went with him. You can guess what happened then."

"Alan transformed into a werewolf," Tin-Tin said with absolute certainty. Gordon nodded. "And now your worried about how Alan's taking the discovery that your all werewolves?" she guessed. Again Gordon nodded.

"It's not an easy thing to learn at the best of times," Gordon replied. "And Alan has learned out secret in perhaps the worst possible way. He didn't get told he just changed."

"He'll be alright Gordon," Tin-Tin said with absolute certainty. "Once the initial shock has worn off Alan will be perfectly fine." Gordon stared at Tin-Tin in surprise, while he wasn't telepathic outside of wolf form he could tell that Tin-Tin really believed what she said.

"How can you be sure," he asked not really expecting an answer. Tin-Tin just gave that mysterious Belagant smile.

"Trust me," she said. "Alan will be fine."

"I hope your right," Gordon answered.

"I know I am," Tin-Tin replied with a smile. It was infections and Gordon found himself smiling back and thinking that maybe, just maybe Tin-Tin was right and that Alan would be all right with the whole werewolf thing once he had gotten over the shock of it. Gordon quietly sighed to himself, only time would tell.

***

Green River Cabin

A Short Time Later

Alan shifted his plate off to one side after finishing breakfast, it had tasted so good maybe because of what Scott and John had said about him noticing the taste of the meat more now. Though the pancakes had tasted better as well.

He'd been thinking over breakfast and something about this whole werewolf thing puzzled him. Weren't werewolves supposed to transform in the light of the full moon, like he had last night, yet he had seen his father brothers out in the full moon in their normal human forms on a number of occasions.

"You look like your thinking about something Alan," Scott said noticing the thoughtful frown on Alan's face.

"A little. Something is confusing me about all this werewolf stuff," Alan replied. Scott smiled he could guess what Alan was thinking.

"Your wondering about the full moon aren't you," Scott replied knowingly. "And why we can go out in it without changing."

"Yes."

"Well that's easily answered," John said joining in the discussion. "After the first cycle we don't have to change everytime there is a full moon. You only change if you want to after that."

"That isn't completely accurate," Scott pointed out. "Remember we do have to change once in every three months."

"Oh yeah," John replied.

"Why is that," Alan asked now that he thought about it he remembered that there were some nights during the full moon when he had been on the island that he hadn't seen dad or one of his brothers all night. The reason why had always puzzled him until now, now that he knew that they were all werewolves it was obvious that they'd just changed into their werewolf forms and gone off somewhere on the island.

"No one really knows," Scott admitted. "Just that we have to do it to stay healthy. If we don't we get really ill and trust me Alan its not worth it. I did it once when I was your age didn't change in three months even though both mom and dad told me to. The result was inevitable I got really sick and was really weak for the next month. Next full moon I had to change all three nights of the full moon to recover."

"I remember that," John said smiling. "You weren't any good to anyone that month Scott."

"I guess that's something that I won't be doing," Alan said. "If I have to change once every three months then so be it."

"You'll probably end up doing it more often like the rest of us," John replied with a knowing smile. "Its great stress relief." Alan smiled.

"I'll keep that in mind," he replied then he stood up. "Now if you don't mind I'm going to go and have a wash."

"Sure squirt," Scott replied. Alan laughed good naturedly at the affectionate nickname all his brothers called him by. Then he left the kitchen.

Scott and John watched him go and waited until Alan was out of earshot for even a werewolf's hearing before speaking again.

"He seems to be taking it quite well," Scott said.

"Indeed. He did hope earlier that it was all a dream," John pointed out. "Though I admit he is coming around to the reality of what we are and adjusting more quickly than I thought he would."

"True," Scott replied, John wasn't the only one who was surprised by the easy acceptance of the reality of being a werewolf that Alan was displaying. He was as well. But then again none of them really knew Alan as well as they would have liked - what with there responsibilities in International Rescue and the fact that Alan was away at boarding school most of the time.

"I think dad will be surprised when he gets here," John commented. Scott grinned.

"Definitely," he replied.

***

Alan came to the top of the stairs and began walking along the landing towards the bathroom, which was right down the other end of the cabin. This whole thing still seemed a little unreal yet Alan knew it was real. He wasn't dreaming he and his family were not human or at least not entirely, and strangely he found that he didn't mind at all. One thing is certain being a werewolf is sure going to make my life even more interesting than it already is, Alan thought.

A sound abruptly caught his attention and Alan stopped dead in his tracks and listened trying to identify and locate the sound with his newly improved hearing. The sound was coming from the room where Fermat was sleeping, and it sounded like Fermat was having a nightmare.

Alan immediately opened the door to Fermat's room and went inside. Fermat lay on the bed tossing and turning in a restless sleep. Alan looked worriedly at his best friend as Fermat started to talk, stammering heavily.

"P...p...please l...l...leave me alone," Fermat stuttered. "S...s...someone h...h...help me."

"Fermat," Alan said crossing to the bedside and reaching forward and shaking his friends should to try and awaken him. "Fermat wake up."

Fermat's eyes flicked open behind his glasses and the moment he saw Alan he screamed. Instead of seeing his best friend standing there Fermat saw a huge humanoid creature, rippling with muscles and covered in silver-grey fur, resting a large clawed hand on his shoulder.

"Fermat what is it? What's wrong," Alan asked puzzled by Fermat's behaviour. Hearing Alan's voice coming from the creature Fermat blinked and the creature vanished to be replaced by his best friend looking at him in concern.

"S...s...sorry Alan," he said apologetically feeling like a prize idiot for screaming like that. "I s...s...saw s...s...something else not y...y...you." Alan nodded in understanding guessing that Fermat had seen a huge, powerful and fearsome looking werewolf instead of him, and waking up to see a werewolf right next to you with a hand on your shoulder would be enough to scare anyone.

"It's okay," he replied. Fermat smiled and nodded in gratitude even as his brain processed that Alan was talking in an adult's voice, his voice obviously having broken over night. Looking at his friend Fermat noticed that his voice wasn't the only thing that had changed about Alan, other things had changed and quite dramatically. Alan was considerably taller and more muscular than he had been yesterday and there was stubble on his jaw.

"Wow. A...A...Alan w...w...what's h...h...happened to y...y...you," he asked. Alan looked uncertain and Fermat could tell that Alan knew what had happened but wasn't sure how to tell him. "D...d...does it h...h...have anything to d...d...do with l...l...last n...n...night." Alan sighed.

"Yes," he replied.

"W...w...what h...h...happened last n...n...night Alan. You c...c...changed," Fermat asked. Though seeing Alan transforming into something else had honestly terrified him he needed to know and understand what had happened.

"I know I changed Fermat," Alan replied. "Or rather my body did my mind remained the same. It was the first time that I have ever changed that's why it hurt. My father and my brothers knew it was coming since the moment I turned fifteen, they almost didn't let me go to the school camp because of it."

"W...w...what do you mean Alan," Fermat replied not yet understanding what had happened.

"It's not easy to say Fermat so I will just say it," Alan said taking the plunge.

"S...s...say what Alan," Fermat asked. "Y...y...your not m...m...making any s...s...sense."

"I changed because it was a full moon last night," Alan replied. "I'm a werewolf Fermat."

Fermat stared at Alan in shock and disbelief, stunned beyond words by what Alan had just said. Alan was a werewolf! How could that be? Werewolves were mythical creatures, existing only in books and horror films. So how could Alan be a werewolf? It was impossible and yet he'd been there last night he had seen Alan changing. A transformation that according to all scientific laws he knew should be impossible. Finally he found his voice.

"Y...y...you're a w...w...werewolf," Fermat exclaimed. Alan nodded.

"So are my father and brothers," he replied. Again Fermat was stunned, all the Tracy's were werewolves, whatever next.

"H...h...how can this b...b...be?" Fermat asked. "H...h...how c...c...can you c...c...change into a m...m...monster."

"Were not monsters Fermat," Alan replied. "You're thinking about the werewolves of human mythology. We change form but we remain ourselves."

"Oh. S...s...sorry if I upset y...y...you," Fermat said realising he might have upset Alan by calling him a monster. To his relief Alan smiled.

"It's okay you didn't know," Alan replied. Fermat sighed in relief.

"T...t...that d...d...doesn't c...c...change my q...q...question though. How c...c...can you c...c...change into a w...w...wolf Alan? That k...k...king of m...m...metamorphosis s...s...should be i...i...impossible." Alan shrugged.

"I don't know Fermat," Alan replied. "All I know is that we exist. There are still many things that science has yet to explain, we are one of them."

"T...t...true," Fermat replied the experience with the Hood over spring break and seeing the Hood's mental powers had forced him to realise that science could not yet understand all of natures mysteries.

Alan smiled and was about to speak when he again felt the tingling in his head and directional buzzing in his ears that came with sensing another werewolf. He spun around to face the bedroom door as it opened and Scott poked his head in. Scott smiled when he saw that Fermat was awake.

"Morning Fermat," Scott said. "Glad to see you back in the land of the living."

"M...m...morning Scott," Fermat replied. "T...t...thanks." Scott's smile broadened for a moment then Scott turned to Alan.

"I guessed you wouldn't make it to the bathroom on the first go," Scott said. "We've just received a call from dad."

"And," Alan asked nervously, despite what John had said earlier he was nervous about facing dad after last night.

"He's at Frederick's Pass," Scott replied giving Alan a look that said everything would be okay. "He and Brains will be here in ten minutes."