Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2013 23:16:57 -0000 From: Ryan Subject: The Wolfish Stalker Chapter 09 Hi there guys well time for another chapter again. This chapter hasn't taken as long as you might think you see I didn't notice that I hadn't posted it to Nifty until about five days ago mostly due to my own stupidity but in that time it has given me time to finish chapter 10 as well which I will also be posting. Anyway I hope you all enjoy this one and if you have any comments, questions or concerns then please feel free to write to kasaihowler@gmail.com. Mike felt the branch sink into the side of his body as he felt the sharp pain jolt through his body. He hadn't felt anything like it before, he would have howled at any second. However before he could really feel the pain for too long it healed pretty quickly, almost instantly. Mike stood on his feet a little shakier than before but still ready to fight. The black wolf had completely forgot Derek now and was focusing on Mike and the two of them had been fighting for nearly five minutes. Mike had managed a couple of hits but nothing much. He didn't have experience with this body yet and he reacted too slowly. However Mike had been able to hit the black wolf a few times, more so by surprise. Mike couldn't explain it but it felt like there was someone else in this body aside from himself actually showing him what to do. Was that the wolf side of him acting with him and guiding him now? If so it couldn't have come at a better time. The black wolf leapt toward Mike intending to once again sink his teeth into Mike's neck. Mike being smaller got out the way by going down as far as he could by leaping out the way. Mike landed almost where the black wolf had been near Derek. Derek had managed to get up and looked at Mike with eyes of both pride and admiration. Mike would have loved nothing more than to go up to Derek and wrap himself in his fur but he dared not do anything except focus. Mike ran toward the black wolf while it was distracted slightly and grabbed his leg. Mike then used all the power in his teeth to quickly take the black wolf off its feet and onto it's back. The beast snarled at this but Mike used the opportunity to try to bite into the wolf's stomach intending to rip it open. Mike could not help but notice that the choice to go for the stomach had not been his alone but through the other half of his mind, the wolf half. Within the space of a fraction of a second Mike felt pressure on the side of his head as the black wolf had taken to head butting. The impact stunned Mike for a second as he shook his head to try and clear away some of the pain. However this was all the time the black wolf had needed to sink his teeth into Mike's neck again. Mike felt blood coming from the now open wound that the teeth marks had left. The wound had not yet healed from the previous time he had been grabbed. Mike struggled for a second trying to kick the black wolf with his feet missing every time with the angle he was at. Mike felt his head begin to get really light. It was obvious that he was losing way too much blood. However as Mike began to go a little limp he felt a large impact as he felt the black wolf let go of Mike's neck. He fell to the ground too limp to get up, his wound was bleeding heavily now. Why wasn't it healing was Mike's immediate reaction. As he looked around and seen that Derek had managed to get back up and was now fighting with the black wolf again. He appeared to be holding his own but whenever the black wolf even slightly touched the wound on his left side of the body Derek either cringed or whined slightly. Mike wasn't sure but he guessed that wounds from kendo sticks took longer to heal than anything else due to their almost mysterious properties. Derek finally got to his feet away from the black wolf, he was covered in scratches and bites on almost all parts of his body. The black wolf didn't have as many wounds that hadn't already healed except for the one on his head and his lip. Which Mike guessed was the same story with Derek's, with the kendo stick. Mike supported Derek as best he could despite being ready to fall over himself. Mike was angry, how could it end like this he had somehow tapped into a part of himself that he didn't know he had and what for so that he could be used as a slave by this black wolf. No he would sooner die than allow that to happen. Mike's strength wasn't good at the moment, he knew that unless he was given time to heal he might have some terrible injuries for life but he also knew that the wolf wouldn't let them leave. He had both Derek and Mike right where he wanted them. Mike took his weight from Derek and ran toward the black wolf intending to rip out his throat. As Mike approached the black wolf he felt his teeth sink into the wolf's throat very lightly. However as he tried to clamp his jaws shut he felt he couldn't no matter what he tried. His throat was too think, something was blocking him. When Mike began to take his teeth off he felt the black wolf put his teeth easily into Mike's back. Mike felt immense pain by this. He knew that he wouldn't be able to take it for too long. Derek was not going to take this no matter how had a shape he was in. Derek snarled and ran toward the black wolf his teeth bared. However as he did Mike felt himself go further up off the ground and then he felt his body go flying toward Derek. With a large thud Mike felt his body crash into Derek. The two wolves fell to the ground in a heap, Mike's back was bleeding badly now. The black wolf must have had bigger teeth than Derek and Mike together for the damage he had done. Neither wolf could get up now as Mike raised his head slightly to see the malicious face the black wolf had made. If the black wolf had a human face he would have thought they were going to get stabbed or shot right now but the black wolf simply stood over them as if gloating at them. Mike's head began to feel weak again this time as he felt the effects of the blood loss. Slowly he lowered his head until he began to feel unconsciousness pulling at him, beckoning him to sleep. Derek noticed his boyfriend was unconscious now, it worried him because he knew that the healing factor wouldn't have fully kicked in. He didn't even know how Mike had become a Moon-Born, however that wasn't the issue right now. Derek got up and slowly and painfully managed to get to his feet to fight back. At this the black wolf licked his lips with a savage look on his face. It was obvious he had a fate in store for Derek now and it would be different from Mike's. However before either of them could move any further both Derek and the black wolf perked their ears at a howl which came from a little further away from them both. Derek tried to get a scent of where the wolf could be but he couldn't detect anything. It must be too far away. Instead of reacting with surprise the black wolf looked with what could only be described as an annoyed look on his face. It was like the howl had interrupted him while he was about to win. The black wolf looked back at Derek with the same malicious "grin" as before intending to strike but the howl came again. Looking more furious in his facial expression the black wolf looked in the general direction of where the howl was coming from. Turning on its paws the black wolf snarled at Derek and then began running into the forest toward it. In a flash the black wolf was gone. Derek waited almost a full five minutes, not moving not even breathing heavily despite how painful it was for him to stand. Derek listened out to the wind, scented the breeze for the littlest indications of any wolves coming toward them. When he was certain enough that nobody was coming he decided to turn back to his human form. Derek shifted in less than a second to four legged and furry to human again. As he stood on two legs he shook slightly and had to grab the tree to steady himself. He was frail, much more so than he had ever been. The fight had taken it out of him. He felt his shoulder where Mike had hit him and felt how painful it was. It would take at least a couple of hours to heal. His healing had already kicked in but he needed rest more than anything. Quickly as he could he made his way over to Mike and looked at him. The wounds on his neck and back had already sealed but they still had very sore looking scabs and blisters. Although they healed quickly didn't mean they were immune to pain. Derek noticed how beautiful Mike was as he picked up the wolf and slung him on his back. Mike was also very heavy in his wolf form. It was obvious that he would need to eat more than he did before. Derek, by some miracle had managed to find his way back to the cabin with Mike. Mike was still in his wolf form as he wouldn't change back until he forced his body too when he awoke. He didn't know how long that would be as this was still Mike's first time transformed into this new body. Derek made him as comfy as possible and put bandages on his more serious wounds as well as a few on his kendo stick wound. When Derek was sure that Mike was comfy and sleeping he went into the other room and got his phone and dialled Dimetri's number. "Hey mate, you enjoying your trip with....." was as far as Dimetri got before he was rudely interrupted by Derek. Derek's voice worried Dimetri with the urgency of it. "Dimetri, you and Bobby have to get here now, I don't care what you're doing but get here now. This is important. Our lives may depend on it" said Derek as he went onto explain where they were and how to get here. "Ok boss man, we'll be there within the hour. Hang tight" said Dimetri as he put down the phone. Derek was glad that the two of them would be here soon enough because too much had happened and as much as he wished he could, he couldn't do it alone. He thought about the black wolf and how he knew they were there. Was Mike's scent strong with the black wolf that he could follow it that much. The other thing that kept on going through his mind was how, how on Earth could Mike be a Moon-Born. The condition couldn't be spread from one person to another and Mike couldn't have been born as a Moon-Born because he would have changed anywhere from 4 to 6 years earlier based on what they knew from themselves. Derek just sat on the seat and watched Mike sleep on the bed. Mike seemed much better now but he still needed rest to heal properly. Derek knew he needed sleep as well but it could wait for a while. Derek came to a start when he heard a knock at the door and heard Dimetri shout "Hey Derek, Mikey you in there?" Derek quickly got off the chair and raced to the door to let them in. How could he fall asleep, he moaned at his own laziness. He looked at the clock, it had only been 25 minutes, not too long. He was glad he had told them to come wolf form for speed despite the risks of being seen, as this was too important to miss. Derek opened the door with a gaunt face at Dimetri and Bobby. Both of them were wearing light clothes, a pair of shorts, a pair of sandals and a shirt for both of them. "Guys, thanks for coming" said Derek as he brought them both in. Both of them looked around the little cabin trying presumably to find the new smell that both of them, as well as Derek could detect. "It's cool mate but what's going on where's....." said Dimetri as he looked around and then finally laid eyes on the bed where Mike was sleeping. Dimetri nearly tripped over his own feet as he looked not completely trusting his eyes. "Who is that?" asked Bobby as he pointed to the bed, keeping his distance from the intruder. Derek took a deep breath before he showed them his body a little letting them process all the information from what they could see. "Mikey was attacked by that fucker again, that bastard wolf" said Derek as he seen both of them tense at the mention of the black wolf. "I came and helped Mike and I thought we were going to kill that fucker when Mike smacked him with the kendo stick but then he accidentally smacked me" said Derek as he gestured at the wound on his left side. Dimetri studied it for a second and then seethed at the look of it despite it having scabbed over and nearly full healed by now. Bobby merely looked but waited on Derek continuing the story. "I was caught by the fucker and Mike lost his fighting....and then..." he said as he pointed to the bed where Mike slept. Bobby and Dimetri looked at the wolf again and then looked back to Derek as if saying "what?" "Fuck, no what did you do?" asked Bobby as he finally realised what Derek meant by what he had said. Dimetri however still seemed to be lost judging by his facial expression. "That's Mikey boy" said Derek to Dimetri as he pointed to the wolf on the bed. Dimetri's shock was obvious on his face. "How. The. Fuck" was Dimetri's only reaction as he went over for a closer look at Mike. He studied him for a second before saying "If that is Mikey, he is a beaut" and then put his hands in the air to Derek saying "I'm not meaning that in a sexy way mate, but he is a really good wolf". Derek rolled his eyes and then sat back down on his chair while Dimetri and Bobby shared the couch leaving Mike to sleep. "So, what happened next?" asked Bobby remaining relatively calm regarding everything. "After that Mikey fought with the black wolf and I helped him but with me being injured and Mikey not having any experience or his full power we failed. That fucker was about to kill me but something made him back off" said Derek as he remembered the annoyed look on the rouge Moon-Born's face when he retreated. At the mention of this something Dimetri looked at Derek with a little worry and Bobby looked more ready for a fight. "I don't know what it was but it howled like a wolf and when it did the black wolf backed off and fled into the forest" said Derek as he pointed out the window in the general direction of where they had come from. "We didn't smell anything crap on the way over here" said Dimetri as he pointed the way they had come from their home town. All three of them sat in silence for a few minutes as Derek kept a watch on Mike. "So what's our next move?" asked Dimetri to Derek. Derek considered what he had said for a few seconds before he answered it. "Well we have to get out of here today, we have to protect Mikey because I think that fucker seems to get stronger with every meeting" said Derek as he smashed his fists together showing what he wanted to do to the black wolf. "After that we're going to have to tell Mikey.....everything and he is going to have to learn about himself" said Dimetri as he crossed his arms taking in the full extent of what they had to do. "Should we invite him into the pack?" asked Bobby to the two pack mates. Derek took a second to consider it while Dimetri looked ready to say something but had decided to wait for Derek to go first. "We'll have to if he decided he wants to be a wolf, but Mikey might decide to not shift again after this time" said Derek to the others. "I think we should invite him in if he decides to, I mean we can't leave him out he is a friend to us, and your better looking half mate" said Dimetri trying to lighten the mood. Derek simply rolled his eyes as he was hardly in the mood for jokes. "I still want to know what triggered the change, I mean Mikey didn't show any signs of being a wolf before. Even his scent has changed. He reeks of wolf now" said Bobby as he took a sniff of the air. Out of habit Derek did this also, he could tell Mike's scent was in there now. Bobby had a very masculine scent which reminded Derek of the scent of someone who had worked out, Dimetri's was a little more like sand on the beach and Mike's was something like a very subtle minty smell. Moon-Born had a very distinct scent that marked them for who they were. "I don't know why Mikey changed, he hasn't shown any signs of change over the past few months and I don't even think he was born on the night of a full moon" said Derek as he brought up everything that they themselves knew about their species. All three pack mates then went quiet for a while as they generally grabbed both Mike and Derek's personal things for the trip back. Derek wouldn't be more than about ten feet away from Mike as he watched the wolf's breathing go painfully slow. Mike wanted to help Mike through every moment of this painful transformation. Everything he knew about himself was going to change and he wanted to be there with him for every second. As Derek got up to check some of the drawers to make sure he had gotten everything from them. As he turned to put a pair of loose socks into the bag he happened to look at Mike. He was startled for a second as Mike's eyes shot opened to reveal his green eyes. Derek was shocked to see this as he immediately noticed that something was wrong. Mike picked up his head and looked around his nose sniffing the air slightly. He noticed Bobby then Derek and then Dimetri. As Dimetri noticed this also he smiled quite broadly and then said "Hey, our resident nerd is up and awake. How you feeling buddy?" Dimetri walked toward Mike with his hand extended toward Mike's head. Derek quickly said "Wait, stop!" and then put his hand up to stop Dimetri from going through toward Mike. Derek put his hand down when Dimetri had stopped with a rather annoyed look on his face. "Look at Mike's eyes" said Derek as he pointed to Mike who was now staring at Dimetri in a pissed off look. Dimetri and Bobby stared at Mike for a second and noticed that his green eyes, his iris' were almost diamond shape, instead of the usual round shape. Derek gestured for Dimetri to back off from Mike to which he did. As the three pack mates did nothing but look at each other Mike got up from the bed and stood up with all four of his legs. He still had the marks on his back from the black wolf's teeth penetrating him but overall he looked in much better shape. "Mikey, your alright here. Nobody is going to hurt you" said Derek trying to reassure his boyfriend that he meant him no harm. He began to extend his hand toward Mike's head intending to pet him to show that he didn't need to be afraid of anything. Mike turned to see the hand moving toward him and then immediately backed up toward the back end of the bed to get away from it. Derek took his hand away slowly and then put it back to his side. He tilted his head as he could not figure out what Mike was afraid of. Mike continued to turn around but his fur kept on bristling whenever he even moved slightly toward any of the three jocks. He sniffed the air and sometimes made a slight growl noise. "What is wrong with him?" asked Dimetri silently as he could to the others. At this Mike's ears pricked in the direction Dimetri was standing and growled slightly. Derek replied to this but didn't make any attempt to be quiet as it would make no difference anyway. "I don't know, it looks like he is more animal than human now. I can't understand it" he finished. "Maybe it's got something to do with the transformation. We each had to go through the side effect like aggression and things but Mike hasn't, this is his first time. God knows what's going through his head" said the big wolf Bobby. Derek looked at him with anger as if daring him to say it again. Bobby replied with a concern that said "What?" Derek then said "Mikey, focus on my voice. You have to turn back to your human form" and then began extending his hand again. Mike's ears flicked in Derek's direction and he noticed the hand. He had been sniffing the bed but began to retreat closer to the corner. Derek pressed on despite Mike's louder growls as if forcing him to accept the hand. When Derek went too close however Mike had enough. Mike sprang from the bed and clawed Derek's hand with his forepaw. Dimetri managed to get out the way of the leaping wolf but Bobby was clawed also for not moving fast enough. The wolf moved from the room and then found the nearest window and leaping into the air higher than any normal wolf he jumped through it. Mike was not gone who knows where. Derek got up from the ground and then helped Bobby also. Bobby had a scratch on his chest where he had been attacked and Derek had a large one on his hand. However they would both heal in time. "What the fuck was that about?" asked Bobby to Derek in a rather angry tone. Derek looked at him with equal anger and then growled "I wanted him to sniff my hand to that he could get the scent. I was hoping it would have helped him remember" said Derek as if annoyed by the question. The smaller Dimetri came between both of them and then put his hand on both of them. "Listen, this isn't going to solve anything. We have a runaway wolf out there and he needs us. Bobby and I will finish cleaning up and then I'll call Mikey's Mom and tell her were planning on staying another night but that we'll be back tomorrow. That should buy us some time" he said as he looked at Bobby. Bobby nodded and then grunted while he moved away from both of them and continued to pick up things from the bathroom. Derek nodded also and then said "Thanks man, I have to go look for him but clean up and then call his Mom for me". With that Derek made his way to the door and took off his shirt. Before he left however he turned to Bobby and then said "Hey, this means a lot to me you helping me to get him back. I don't want anything to happen to him" and then turned to go out again. Bobby stopped what he was doing with a bottle of shampoo in his hand and then said "It's cool man, I know he means a lot to you but we'll get him back. Now go get him". Derek did so and then turned to the door. He felt his breathing quicken slightly as he breathed faster and faster and then feeling the aura of the wolf within him he leapt into the air and then in a single second he came down again in his wolf form. Derek was pleased with himself, it took him almost ten seconds before and now he could shift in a single bound. Not a lot of other Moon-Born could do it he wagered. Derek continued running for dear life, he did not know where but he was following the familiar minty smell that he had scented in the cabin. He knew it to be Mike's as no Moon-Born could hide it's scent from him except the black wolf and Mike was too new to attempt to know how. He passed by numerous trees not really knowing where he was going but the scent was getting stronger. Poor Mike didn't have a clue what he was doing or what had happened to him. He should have known that and expected it. Derek was angry at himself for allowing Mike to shift, the requirements must have all been there but he had not seen them. To shift a Moon-Born needed one of their parents, or ancestors to carry the wolf gene. This couldn't have been proven either way but obviously someone in Mike's family did. The second requirement was that the person in question had to be born on the night or day of a full moon. Only during that period would someone have a chance on becoming a Moon-Born. The last condition was the hardest though because for someone to become a Moon-Born they needed to be around another Moon-Born who was already shifting in order to change form. Derek wasn't sure why but it must have had something to do with packs. If Derek had known Mike was a Moon-Born then he wouldn't have went near him but the point was that he should have changed through puberty, when he was anywhere between 12 and 16, eighteen was far too late in life to change. This was one of the things that made Mike's change so unexpected. However as all these thoughts buzzed in Derek's head as he ran it didn't change the fact that it had happened and he needed to find Mike before someone seen him or worse the black wolf found him. Derek quickly came to a stop as he suddenly scented the minty smell a lot more pungent in this clearing. He quickly scanned it with his vision but seen nothing. Taking a quick sniff he could almost home in on Mike, he was about 100 yards ahead. Derek cautiously walked forward. As Derek scanned the clearing he turned his head from side to side rather rapidly. However as he did he beheld what he had come for. Derek quickly changed back to his human form, naked but healthy and ran. "Mikey?" said Derek as he approached Mike. Mike was laying on his side next to the tree and he too was naked like Derek. It was obvious that he had a really bad experience as a wolf as he was clutching his head and did not even seem to have noticed Derek. As Derek approached Mike turned his head toward him and then looked at him with his normal human eyes again. Normal green and round, just the way they were supposed to be. Derek was glad he was human again but the battle had clearly hurt him a lot as his back still had what was unmistakably teeth marks in it. Although they were faded you could tell what had happened. Derek lay down to Mike and cradled him with both his arms and then said "Mike, I'm here you're not alone in this". Mike looked up at him and then said "Derek my head hurts, it feels like there is something else within me wanting to take over. How do I get rid of it, I never wanted to be a wolf" he finished as he looked at the ground still holding his head. Derek looked at Mike and then said "Mikey, the wolf you have become is still within you. It's in your family, in your blood. You were destined to become one". Mike however didn't seem to take this comment too good as he shouted "No, I refuse" and with one of his arms knocked Derek to the ground five feet from Mike. Mike got to his feet and then made an inhuman growling noise. "Mikey, don't let it control you. Show your wolf who is in charge" said Derek as he too got to his feet. Mike however seemed not to have heard Derek as he changed shape once again into his brown furry form. He landed on his four paws and clawed the ground before turning and growling at Derek. Derek looked at Mike and put his hands up and said "Mikey I'm not going to change or fight you. I don't want to hurt you" he said as he moved toward Mike slowly trying to assure him that he meant no harm. Mike looked at Derek while still growling. He looked as if he were going to charge at Derek and take his head off but he didn't seem to do it. Eventually Derek got close enough to Mike in order for Mike to be able to sniff his hand. Mike took a long sniff up his hand and then up to his arm and up his neck. Mike took his nose away and then sat on his haunches on the ground, he didn't do anything except just sit and look at Derek with his big green eyes. Derek tilted his head and then looked at Mike and said "Is that you Mikey?" At this the wolf did a small nod toward Derek and then licked his hand. Derek wiped his hand on his leg and then said "Are you....alright Mikey?" Mike nodded again and then slowly closed his eyes looking very sombre. He was obviously very sad about what had happened. He was having trouble controlling himself and he couldn't even tell anyone why he was going out of his mind. "Mikey listen to me, you are in control of your wolf not the other way around. Remember I told you that it is a part of you and helps you control your wolf form, but you need to show it that you're not going to be pushed around by it. That's the same with all Moon-Born. I had to do it also so did Bobby and Dimetri. If you don't then you'll become a wild animal" said Derek trying to get Mike to change back to his human form. Mike listened to this speech but it was obvious he didn't want to listen. "Mikey change back for me" said Derek partly as a command and partly as a plea. At this Mike growled at him again and very quickly howled toward the sky within a couple of seconds. However as his muzzle came down again Mike began to change back again to his human form. About five second had passed and Mike lay on the ground on his hand and knees back in his human form. He appeared to be breathing quite heavily but otherwise seemed a little better than before. "Mikey, is that you?" asked Derek as he put his hand on Mike's face and pulled it up. Mike's eyes still looked normal thankfully which meant he seemed to be controlling his wolf form for now. "Derek, I....I think I'm OK for now but that thing is still inside of me" said Mike as Derek felt tears streaming from Mike's eyes. It was the first time he really remembered him crying. "Mikey, you'll be alright. I promise I won't let anything happen to you" said Derek. Just the strength in his voice made Mike feel slightly better. He still felt his head very sore and that if he even so much as lacked concentration for even a second then he would become a wolf. "That's all in practice Mikey. It will always be inside of you but not always this painful. It is a part of you and perhaps one of the biggest parts. You fought beautifully against that black wolf you wouldn't have thought that was your first time shifting, you're a Moon-Born to be proud of" said Derek smiling at Mike and trying to get Mike to do it in return. Mike couldn't manage it however as he felt in his heart that he was going to die by this if he didn't kill himself first. "Derek I can't do this. I don't want it" said Mike as he shook his head as if trying to rid himself of a horrifying mental image. Derek made his way over to Mike ignoring all the potential risks of the young Moon-Born. Derek knew how to handle himself with Mike although he felt like he shouldn't have been so impulsive before with his hand. Mike wasn't totally out of control he just needed someone to show him how to control the animal within him. "Derek, please if you can then take this away from me" said Mike as Derek felt tears coming from his eyes. He was clearly in pain but Derek knew he had to battle back against it. "Mikey I'm gonna shift and I want you to shift along with me. Feel your inner beast, confront it and make it yours, you're in control of yourself not the wolf" said Derek as he let go of Mike for a second. Derek did what he had said he was going to do and then in a second or two he was now on four legs again silver in the light. He then growled at Mike with the loudest growl Mike had heard. It made him lose concentration for a second in his pain. This lose of concentration was all his inner wolf needed though as he too shifted into his Moon-Born self. It took him about five seconds this time as it looked like Mike had been fighting it the whole time. When both of them were changed they both stared at each other and did nothing. The blue eyes met the green eyes as they both surveyed each other, neither moving not even blinking. Derek then went toward Mike step by step carefully. Mike didn't react to this in the way that Derek would have expected. He allowed Derek to get close to him. Derek then put his head over Mike's shoulder which Mike allowed for a few seconds. However as Mike grew more uncomfortable with it he let out a small growl which quickly escalated. Derek didn't let go of Mike but let out a small whine which quieted the younger wolf for a few seconds. However Mike eventually turned his head and bit full force into Derek's shoulder/neck. Derek let out a whine of pain at the sudden attack on his flesh. However he didn't attempt to fight back, that wasn't his plan he wanted Mike to be in control not the other way around. Mikey, this pain come on you are in control not your wolf thought Derek to himself as he struggled with the pain. If it had been any other wolf he would have put them out of their misery by now but he couldn't do it with Mike, not only because he had provoked it but because he wanted his boyfriend to become a Moon-Born in full. Derek let his body go limp as he felt Mike let him go and he fell to the ground. His neck was in extreme pain now he didn't even want to attempt to move it but he had to get up. When he got to his feet Mike looked like he was in pain, he kept on shaking his head left to right and back again and his eyes were closed. He paced back as if trying to get a fly off of him. Derek looked at this with pain in his eyes. Mike finally ran at Derek with his eyes closed and teeth bared but when he ran Derek dodged it quite easily and Mike continued running until he finally ran full force into a tree. The crash could be heard for quite a way away since it was so loud. Mike lay on the ground not like he could not get himself up. Derek took a second before going over to Mike to checking to make sure he was OK. Mike didn't get up but instead began changing back to his human form once again. When Derek seen this he too changed back and went over and cradled Mike like before. "Mikey, you have to believe me your a lot stronger than the wolf within you and you can control it" said Derek to Mike while he heard Mike let out a small sob. Mike then looked up at him before saying "I can feel it Derek and I think I have it under control for now but I can still feel it trying to claw its way to the surface". Derek smiled and nodded to this and then said "It'll always be there but it can't come to the surface unless you tell it to" he finished and then pointed at himself as if to emphasize something. "Mikey, I feel it within me all the time, but my wolf is under control because I don't let it control me. Of course it isn't easy but I'll help you. Dimetri and Bobby as well" he said as he got up and then extended a hand to Mike to help him get to his feet. Mike accepted the hand and let it pull him up from the ground. Mike's legs were still very shaky and he was not sure they could support his weight. It was obvious that the transformation had taken its toll on him but that wasn't what he was focusing on. He was focusing on not letting his wolf take over his mind, this was easier when he was in his human form. Mike was guided by the hand toward the cabin with Derek, he didn't even seem to notice where he was going. All he could think about was what would happen if he lost control again. He was about to fight and able to control the wolf during the first fight but that was when the wolf within him had sensed a challenge approaching. Finally after nearly an hour of travelling Derek and Mike made it back to the cabin where Mike had first left. Mike looked around the cabin and was disgusted with himself, he had made a big mess of the cabin and although Dimetri and Bobby had tried to clean it slightly it was still in bad shape. The things were all over the ground, including the glass from the broken window. The bed was clawed to pieces along with claw marks all over the furniture and the floor and walls where Mike had escaped. Overall it was not pleasant to look at, how was Mike going to make this up to Derek. He was going to get killed when Derek's Dad found out. Dimetri looked at Mike when he came in almost studying him to see what kind of temperament and mood he was in. Mike couldn't even bring himself to face Dimetri, like he was ashamed of what he had become. This seemed to sting Mike a bit more considering how close that he and Dimetri had become over the last weeks. Bobby on the other hand sounded a bit more pleased to see him. "Mikey, how you feeling?" he asked as he too looked concerned with Mike. Mike didn't say anything to them but listened as Derek explained the situation to them both, starting from where they had vanished and going to when they had come back. "Yeah it's insane, Mike was nearly swallowed up by the wolf within him. It's because he didn't have the time that we did to prepare for it all through puberty" said Derek to his pack mates. At this Dimetri let out a small sigh while Bobby remained silent silently observing him as if waiting for him to do something else wrong. Mike helped Derek to clear up the mess and pack their things while Bobby and Dimetri did the same. He was sure that they were mentally judging him for what he had done, his lack of control. He didn't know how he was going to face everyone when he got home, not with this thing still within him waiting to come out again. How could he go to school or home or anything, his life was over now. "What are you thinking Mikey?" asked Derek to his boyfriend as he studied him for a second, Derek had a pair of Mike's underwear in his hand and was pulling at it trying to make Mike laugh. It didn't have much effect though Mike didn't look like he would laugh again. "Derek, my head hurts I don't know how to trust my own senses because every time I try to listen to things, even you now I hear people nearby breathing, even animals in the forest. I try to take a breath through my nose and all I can smell is either a sandy beach or some sort of work out smell" said Mike as he closed his eyes and made a face that looked like he was in pain. Mike felt his hands being taken by Derek as he felt the chest of his boyfriend, he noticed that Derek didn't feel quite so warm anymore. He noticed that Derek still felt warmer but also that he himself was getting warmer and warmer now. Was this another part of the Moon-Born part of him, this part didn't seem as bad. He could feel the heat through both his own shirt and Derek's as they had both gotten some clothes on when they came in, Mike wearing the bare minimum in case he had another accident. "Listen to me Mikey, you see the sandy smell and the work out smell. Those are nothing more than Bobby and Dimetri" said Derek smiling at Mike, not in the evil smile but a smile that made Mike feel a little better just by looking at it. "To me you smell quite minty" said Derek to Mike which got him a very strange look from Mike. "Your shitting me" said Mike as he tilted his head back and forth curiously. "What do you smell from me?" asked Derek as he kissed Mike on the lips in order to let him get the scent. Mike felt Derek kissing him and nearly lost control again, he kissed Derek back like something possessed him to do so. Derek had to pull himself gently away from Mike. When he did Mike seemed to wake up as if from a nightmare. "My god I'm so sorry Derek" said Mike looking at himself in horror for what he had done again. "It's cool Mikey, don't worry this is why were going to teach you to control yourself. This is a part of you and were going to help you get the best of it....and maybe let you enjoy it" said Derek as he picked up a pair of jeans from the bedroom floor. "I trust you Derek, it's me I don't trust right now" he said looking at the floor ashamed. "What did you smell from me?" asked Derek in a rather out of the blue way. He raised his eyebrows as Mike looked at him curiously as if he had grown two extra feet. Mike was still a little startled at the question as he flipped through all his feelings of the last few minutes. He couldn't really rely on his memories to do this since he couldn't rely on what he remembered for the last couple of minutes. It was made a lot harder as he tried to keep the new scents and sounds out the way. Mike thought for a couple of seconds and then he found it, he remembered what he sniffed for a few seconds at Derek's body when he was close to him. "Derek I think you smell kind of like grass, well freshly mown grass" said Mike although he wasn't one hundred percent sure. Derek nodded as Mike said this and then said "Thanks for telling me, you see nobody ever told me. Dimetri and Bobby have this little game where they don't tell me. It used to piss me off but it doesn't now, good of you to let me know. I don't need those fuckers to do it for me now" he sniggered to himself a little before getting serious. "Come on lover boys, were going back to town" said Dimetri from the front room. Mike and Derek looked at each other but when the case was packed and the room looking half way decent they decided to leave. Mike closed the door and then adjusted the T shirt he now wore. Mike, Derek and the gang left the cabin and headed for Derek's borrowed car from his Father. They decided to let Derek and Mike sit in the back together, so that Derek could keep Mike calm and so that he could defend him if the Black wolf came again. All three of them had made a pact that they would not leave Mike alone at any time now. Although Mike was now faster, stronger and more powerful than before he was more vulnerable than before. His body was going through all sorts of changes not all of them obvious but he couldn't fight in his right mind to defend himself if the black wolf attacked him. They had to help him until he was calm enough to control his transformations. The trip home to White Valley wasn't as long as the trip there, Bobby who was driving had made a point to go as fast as he could without breaking the speed limit. "So we're not letting Mikey go home" asked Dimetri from the front of the car to Derek in the back. Derek was sitting with Mike on his shoulder lying on it, he looked quite uneasy even in sleep. "Yeah, that's why it was probably best that we took Mikey home tonight and let him stay at my house. It'll let him have some time to work on controlling himself, and his new power" said Derek while continuing to stare at Mike. "I see mate, don't worry Bobby and I will stay with you the night if that's alright your Mum and Dad know about us anyway" he said as he turned back to look out the front of the window. "We will?" said Bobby sounding a little shocked by the idea especially with how fast he had said it. Derek and Dimetri both stared at him with sarcastic gazes until he grew uncomfortable under the gaze. "Ok then you win, I'll stay after all I did say we would help you anyway we could" said Bobby. When they stopped the car outside the house all four of them went out the car and into Derek's home and shut the door. Dimetri, Bobby and Mike went up the stairs while Derek talked to his parents. After almost an hour of telling his parents Derek said "Yeah it's all true, he is Moon-Born". Derek's Dad simply said "I don't believe it, I mean I knew that this was always a possibility but I thought after all this time we wouldn't see another of you son. What are you going to do about it?" asked Daniel to his son. His mum Amy simply said "and more importantly what are you going to tell his parents, this isn't going to be the easiest thing for them to hear?" Derek cursed under his breath, he had gotten Mike's parents off his back tonight but they couldn't hide this forever, it would be up to Mike to decide what to do. He couldn't make that choice. "I don't know yet but he is here now and Bobby, Dimetri and myself are going to help him control himself. There isn't another way about it" said Derek as he thought up the plan for tomorrow himself. He was sure that it wasn't going to go as easy as that. Nothing about being a Moon-Born ever did but they would try their best. After the long discussion Derek made his way up the stairs to see that Mike was once again asleep on Derek's bed while Dimetri and Bobby had gotten sleeping bags from the cupboard. "So guys, we need to be up at the crack of dawn to help Mikey get a hold of himself. He's more than likely gonna sleep tonight but we need to be alert and ready at the slightest sign of trouble" said Derek as he lay down on the bed next to Mike. After a little discussion about tomorrow all three of them went to sleep, for Derek it was pretty uneasy knowing all that was at stake. The next morning Derek accidentally turned and was now face to face with Mike. He didn't immediately remember where he was but when he did he kissed him quite slowly. Mike responded in kind as his eyes opened and then said "I wish I could wake up to that each morning". He sounded a lot more normal than he had been yesterday, that could only be a good sign. "Morning Mikey, what do you remember about yesterday?" he asked Mike. Mike squinted his eyes trying to think, he did this for a couple of seconds before saying "Most of it, not much of last night. How long did I sleep?" he asked. Derek explained what had happened and what they had decided to do about it. "Shit my parents, I forgot, shit shit" said Mike as he got up from the bed. From here he quickly got dressed in some shorts, a t shirt, socks and a pair of trainers. "Mikey tell me how you feel?" said Derek as he came over to Mike and examined him for a couple of minutes. "Mikey, your muscles are coming through perfectly for the first day, it looks like your body temperature his higher and you're going to have a harder time getting sick soon enough. How is your sense of smell, sight and hearing?" he asked Mike as he watched Dimetri and Bobby get up and get ready without so much as a word. They were clearly on the alert in case something happened to Mike to trigger him. "I feel....I smell everything" he said as he looked like he had sniffed something unpleasant. "I can hear a lot to like cars, a lawn mower but I don't have as much trouble blocking it out" he said. "I don't see anything different" said Mike as he put his hand in front of his eyes to check. Derek nodded but it was Dimetri who put in the final report. "It looks like your eyesight will take longer but your nose and ears are going great" he said giving Mike the thumbs up. Mike however looked impatient to go out to see what he could learn today about his new life and what he could do with it. However as he was about to go out Derek grabbed him by the collar and yanked him back to the room. "Hey what the fuck Derek?" asked Mike as he spun around to see his boyfriend. Derek looked at him with a certain amount of dread as if he was doing something wrong already. "Mikey how do you feel right now?" was all he asked as he awaited an answer from Mike. Mike squinted his eyes looking at Derek as he felt his body, it was then that he got what Derek was looking for. His stomach gave a loud growl of hunger, Mike felt the need to hold it as his body had never done anything like that before, not even when his Mother made hew pancakes. "Mikey, you haven't eaten for hours now, since lunch yesterday and it can be dangerous if you don't. Your inner wolf might feel the need to eat if you won't" said Bobby in a very dangerous tone. Mike gasped as he knew exactly what that meant and he didn't even want to think about it. However at that point Mike smelled something cooking down the stairs, the smell was so good he felt like if he didn't get any of it he would murder someone. Derek smiled as Mike looked in the direction of the smell. "Yeah I was wondering how long it would take" he smiled quite broadly and then took Mike by the hand. "Do you know what it is" he asked as he let Mike go out the room hoping he would be able to restrain himself. Mike took another couple of sniffs which Bobby and Dimetri watched with interest. "It's bacon isn't it, I have smelled it when I was....human" he said and then looked at the ground almost ashamed that he couldn't be counted among this category again. All four boys went down the stairs and got some bacon, eggs and toast for breakfast. For some strange reason Derek's Mum knew to make plenty for them. It was so much that Mike didn't even feel hungry when he was outside. "Derek will I always.....attack other people if I'm not fed well enough" asked Mike almost dreading the answer. However it was Dimetri who answered all of this for him. "No way mate, you think Bobby or Derek here would still be here if we did?" he asked to Mike while winking at him. "Nope, we get to a point where we don't let out inner wolves get that much control over us. It's like everything, practice" said Dimetri. All three of them took a walk into the forest away from any and all travellers who might see them because it was important in Derek's mind that the way not be interrupted by anyone. He had even told his parents that he couldn't talk to them today. Over the course of the next couple of hours Mike and the other Moon-Born helped Mike to develop some self control. They took him through almost everything, like how to be startled and not shift fully, how to restrain his new strength, how to find different scents and sounds and even how to shift faster and faster. Mike soaked it all up like a sponge which pleased him as he knew exactly what happened should he not be able to learn it all. Derek had told him that his biggest challenges would both be at school, the crowds themselves and bullies. Bullies being the harder of the two as if Kevin or his cronies bother him he might not be able to control his inner animal. Finally as night began to fall Mike had to be taken home by Derek as his parents had already called him five times today. Mike didn't want to avoid them but he felt he needed the time he could with the three older wolves. As Derek and Mike approached Mike's house Mike took a deep breath and looked at Derek while he still held his bags. "Derek I'm scared, what if my mom accidentally provokes me and I burst into wolf in the middle of the house?" he asked Derek while seeking the cradle of Derek's arms. Derek made sure nobody was watching him but then took him in his arms. "Mikey, remember what we told you be calm, take it easy and you'll do great" said Derek as he kissed him on the lips. "I know Derek but....will I be able to call you if anything happens" asked Mike as he pulled away from Derek rather reluctantly. Derek nodded and then pulled out his phone and said "anytime Mikey, day or night it'll always be with me and always be turned on" and with that he returned it to his pocket. Mike nodded and then took a deep breath while he took a deep breath and then turned to his house. Mike kissed Derek one more time and then waved him goodbye. Mike was very hesitant to leave Derek and he knew this but he had to face up to his parents eventually. Hopefully everything would be OK though after tonight. Mike finally got into the house through the backdoor, after all the excitement it seemed like forever since he had been here. He could smell the flowers and the grass in the garden and something else. It smelled like food, he couldn't tell what yet though. "Mom, Dad?" said Mike as he opened the door and went inside. He looked around and seen the light in the kitchen and walked in to see who was there. "Mike, where have you been?" said his Mom as she took her hands out the sink with gloves on. She had clearly been doing the dishes a few moments before. "Hi Mom I'm alright just a little tired from the day" he said as he yawned a little loudly. He didn't even realise how loud he had been until his Mom made a face at him. "Sorry Mom it's been a really long day, we decided to stay an extra day because it was so awesome" he said trying to lie as smoothly as possible. Dominique took off her rubber gloves and then went over and checked the thing that was in the oven. It was a mince pie that she had been cooking. Mike mentally made a note to remember that smell. He didn't notice it before but he actually was beginning to smell all kinds of things and remember them. He could already remember some foods as well as Dimetri, Bobby and to his satisfaction Derek. "I wish you would have called Mike, I know you're responsible but I was worried. I would have appreciated it if you would have called" she said as she pulled the pie out the oven and put it onto two plates. She pulled out a third and then gestured to Mike for it. "No thanks Mom I ate already, if you don't mind I'm going to...." he said but he never got to finish it as in from the front door came his Dad. "Hi honey, hi Mike. How was your trip?" he asked as he kissed Dominique. So for the next five or ten minutes Mike went over the trip, or at least as best as he could with the parts he enjoyed. He made up a whole lot of other things about what they did yesterday, and for why Dimetri had called he simply said "I got lost in the woods Mom, and Derek called Dimetri to ask him to call you. I couldn't remember your new number" he said lying smooth as ice. "Yeah Mike, one more thing before you go, I looked into the name you gave me Giovanni Granger and my secretary is looking into it for me. She should have the results by Tuesday" he said as he pulled out a bottle of water. Mike nodded to this and then said "Thanks Dad" and went off to his room. When Mike got to his room he fell down on his bed after dumping his bag. He felt really glad to be back in his own room. He was also very glad to how well he had done tonight with his Mom and Dad. He hadn't felt that out of the usual with anything and his temper and senses held well for him. Maybe he would learn to control himself fully soon. His biggest test would come tomorrow, and he intended to be ready for it. With heavy eyelids he fell asleep and into his dreams.