Claire wandered up and down the streets, not sure what to expect. It was Sunday night, and the sky was almost crystal clear. She saw a few couples walking, but they looked like regular people. Her walk took her into the more residential area of the town. Almost every house was backed against the thick forest where she’d been camping in.
“Easy access.” Claire thought. She wondered if there were any weres that lived in the lake. The Moon Lake Guide Book had said there were several different species of seafaring were. Claire already knew there were a least a handful of menfolk in town.
“They probably can’t change on land. Well they could, but that would be like trying to use a boat in the middle of the street.” Claire let her imagination run a bit wild, picturing some poor weremer flopping around on the sidewalk. She was so caught up in her thoughts she almost didn’t notice the two couples approaching her.
All four, three boys and one slight girl, looked like they were high school age. Claire was only mildly surprised to see that the second couple was two boys. The guide book did mention something about there being a large amount of gay were couples. Claire hadn’t really paid it much mind, but was now wishing she’d read that section more carefully.
She didn’t have any sort of problem with same sex couples. But she wasn’t used to seeing people openly expressing their affections in public. She grew up in Alaska. Which got a bad rep from people like Sarah Palin, but was still inside its own bubble. And the vast majority of Claire’s family considered homosexuality, or anything of that nature, taboo.
Claire couldn’t tell if they were weres or not. They all looked like they weren’t quite done with puberty yet. As she got closer, even with her normal nose, she caught a faint dog-like smell. So either one of them had a pet, or…
When Eric and Cassie saw Claire coming down the street, they didn’t recognize her at first. They’d only glimpsed the back of her head running away. But once they caught her scent, they instantly recognized her. Neither knew what she was doing strolling down the sidewalk. Nate and Eric were walking their respective lovers home.
Eric stopped dead in his tracks and stared at Claire with obvious confusion. His first instinct was to protect Cassie, even if the slightly older girl in front of him was completely unarmed. He put himself between Cassie and Claire. Which drew odd looks from Nate, Alex, and Claire. Cassie was flattered Eric was being so chivalrous, but told him to stand down.
“What’s wrong Eric?” Nate asked, his eyes going from the normal in front of them to his suddenly defensive brother.
“That’s the girl from the woods last night, the one who saw us.” Eric said flatly. Both Nate and Alex mouthed “Oh”, while it took Claire a minute to put two and two together. She vaguely remembered the mayor saying that the two werewolves in the picture she took were named Eric and Cassie.
“I never thought they’d be so young.” Claire thought, looking at the two. Now that she was closer to the couple, Claire realized they couldn’t be more than sixteen years old, if that old.
“What are you doing walking around?” Alex asked as politely as he could.
“It’s a long story. But don’t worry, I’m not going to spill the beans or anything. Just wanted to see the rest of the town.” Claire said, most of her words directed at the still protective Eric. And they did calm him some. Eric’s greatest fear was that Claire would do something to jeopardize their life.
“Are you staying then?” Nate asked. More to the point, was she going to join them in were society. Based on town law, she should have just been turned. But here she was, still normal.
“I’m not sure. Probably.” Claire shrugged. She’d come to the conclusion earlier that no matter what she decided, she was probably going to have to stay in Moon Lake. Whether as a normal or were remained to be seen.
“Well, sorry you had just a crappy start. I’m Alex. This is my boyfriend, Nate. And his brother Eric and his girlfriend Cassie.” Alex introduced them.
“Claire, and thanks. But it’s mostly my fault I guess. My curiosity that night got the better of me.” Claire admitted.
“Sorry if we scared you.” Eric apologized, having finally relaxed.
“It was more shock than terror I think.” Claire lied. Truthfully she had been scared. More at the thought that they would have wanted to eat her. Which now seemed ridiculous seeing that the two “monsters” were just two teenagers clearly in love.
“So does that mean you two are like them? Werewolves I mean.” Claire asked Nate and Alex.
“Yes, but it’s a little more complicated than that. When our family moved here we were normal like you. And then we each made the change on our own time. Alex and Cassie were both born weres, and in town.” Nate said.
“Huh. Is everyone in your family a werewolf?” Claire asked Nate and Eric.
Nate shook his head, somewhat surprised how many questions Claire had. After his parents and Eric found out, they spent most of the first week in town denying the truth and in Eric’s case, acting quite skittish around other people. Claire seemed genuinely intrigued.
“Just the two of us. Our mom’s a werecat.” Eric added. He purposely left out their father. Claire didn’t need to know their life story (though Ryan had already told her, but not specified who the victim of the rogue werefox was).
Claire wanted to ask a hundred more questions, but Cassie reminded them that it was a school night, and they should probably get going before it got too much later.
“Oh sorry if you get in trouble on my account. Again.” Claire blushed.
“It’s alright. You’ve got a lot of questions, that’s understandable. Did they give you a copy of the town handbook?” Alex asked. Claire nodded, and explained that the book had answered a lot of her questions, as had Ryan.
“You mean Ryan Connor?” Alex knew Ryan as a member of another wolf pack in the area. One entirely made up of “service canines”. Weredogs, and wolves who went into the police force, became firefighters, or enlisted. Technically if Eric joined the police he would be able to leave Austin’s pack for that one. But Alex doubted he would.
“Ya, you know him?”
“Only as a fellow werewolf. How do you know him?”
“Oh, uh they let me out of the station, on the condition that Ryan makes sure I’m behaving myself.” Claire said.
The four werewolves noticed the slight lilt in Claire’s voice when she said Ryan’s name. They parted ways then, Claire wishing them a goodnight, and they the same. She almost skipped down the street after.
“Gee, Ryan sure worked his magic on her.” Alex said, after Claire was far enough away.
“I’ll say. But I guess that’s a good thing. If she likes the guy she wouldn’t want to tell anyone the town’s secret.”
“I’m glad she’d taking this so well. I can’t imagine what it must be like for any normal to be brought into this world in such a way.” Cassie commented, holding tight to Eric’s arm.
“It always works out.” he whispered to her alone. Cassie giggled as Eric kissed her ear. Alex and Nate smiled behind them, and then proceeded to share a kiss of their own. All four fought the urge to take the other right there and then. They’d have plenty of opportunities later.