Harry did his best to try and stay out of the way as Jenny and James Jr. had talked with their mother at the hospital and even interacted with John and Janice. In many ways he privately felt relieved with the fact that her siblings seemed to be okay with Jenny's marrying him. It made some things a bit easier, though he privately was pretty sure he hated James Sr. for his threats to Jenny. He wasn't quite sure what to make of Elizabeth Harper. There were moments when she did seem almost willing to push back against her husband's demands and yet at the same time there were times when she seemed more than willing to support his odd ideas on parenting. Harry supposed that meant that the marriage between James Sr. and Elizabeth Harper was loving, which in itself wasn't a bad thing, but it'd also confirm that nothing was truly perfect. Though, for the moment, all Harry could do was be there for his wife, his bonded mate, and who he wished to have a family with.
And for the moment, some things were moving away from the main confrontation while they waited on some of the medical news. John and Janice had even asked about Moon Lake, which left Jenny a bit nervous and she glanced to Harry and to other parts of the waiting room where both Harry’s parents and Samantha and Frances Twist were quietly seated. Harry guessed this related a bit to Moon Lake’s secret, which Harry knew would need to be told to at least Janice and John if the emancipation plan went forward.
"Well... Moon Lake is a special place," Jenny said slowly, "very close to nature and home to the most wonderful man I've ever met."
"That would be the guy here in the tux?" James Jr. quipped as he moved around his younger siblings and actually offered Harry his hand, "Sorry about everything my dad has put you through..."
"It's no problem," Harry spoke. Privately, he felt it WAS a problem, but he didn't want to antagonize those Harpers that actually HAD behaved themselves. "Harry Jenkins."
"James Harper Junior," James Jr. spoke as he and Harry shook hands, "and I'm sure you guys did have concerns over my dad... I'd hoped that dad would be able to see the light and make a turn for the better... particularly with Wilhelm getting arrested right after he walked in... but... I guess some things can't be helped."
"Perhaps not," Harry spoke, "though in the end... my real concern is Jenny's happiness and safety. What she wants... I want."
Harry watched as James Jr. gave him a warm smile and then pulled him into a hug. He heard the man give a soft "thank you" as he held Harry in an embrace, not too unlike when he was with Huck when they were both younger. He returned the hug.
"Just be good to Jenny," James Jr. told him.
Harry nodded and was soon drawn to Janice who stood between him and Jenny at the moment. John stood beside her and seemed to trade glances between Harry and Jenny.
"We heard on the phone about you wanting to be a fireman," Janice said to Harry, "Firemen are good guys and heroes. They save people."
Harry smiled at that, as "saving people" was partially why he'd been interested in the Moon Lake fire Department. He'd had good connections with them and volunteered to help with some things over years, so when he graduated High School the Fire Chief told him one of the department's human employees was due to retire in four years. As an adult and one who was familiar with how the Moon Lake Fire Department operated, Harry had an inside track to fill that spot. He'd still need to formally apply and so on, but Harry pretty much knew that he'd have the job, which gave him some pride as it would let him essentially be what he'd envisioned himself being when he grew up.
"Yes," Harry nodded, "I plan to be a fireman and save people if need be. Though a lot of what the Moon Lake Fire Department deals with is also related to the forests around Moon Lake as well as protecting homes in the town."
Harry then turned to gesture to his parents, "And these are my parents, Henry and Lisa. If Jenny's plan for emancipation goes through... you'll get to see a lot of them... as for the moment, I've still been living at home." Harry paused his parents waved politely and then continued. "I also have an older brother, his name is Henry, but you can call him Huck..."
"Was he that guy with a cane?" John asked, "the guy Dieter shot?"
"Had shot, yes," Harry answered, "thankfully our doctor's here were able to save my brother's life."
Harry didn't mention that the only reason Huck lived long enough to get medical attention was he was a weredog and the worst of the gunshot wound that he took began to heal naturally fairly quickly. He had the sense that Moon Lake's secret may need to be told, but for the moment he put that off.
"However, Huck's fiance, Betty took him back home to rest," Harry spoke, "if you stay with us... you'll get to meet Huck and Betty later."
John and Janice nodded.
"A nice family," James Jr. commented, "and on many levels... not one that I would think would be involved in anything... illicit, though that also raises some questions."
"About what?" Jenny asked.
James Jr. looked back to Jenny, "About you. You look great, Jen... but... uh..."
Jenny signed and looked down to her body and then up and over to where the Twists were standing. In this, she knew she couldn't hide the truth, especially since John and Janice would need to know anyway. She looked to Samantha, as if asking permission and the werecat did nod and moved to approach them.
"It's about the new me, isn't it?" Jenny asked.
James Jr. nodded.
"Well... I suppose that's a part of what makes Moon Lake special," Jenny said slowly, "something that someone like dad would criticize as some sort of "devil worship" or some sort of corruption..."
"It isn't like that, is it?" James Jr. asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No, but people throughout history have seen it like that," Jenny answered cryptically, "so... if I tell you... I need your understanding and the promise that you won't expose it to ANYONE outside of Moon Lake. Not even Mom or Dad."
James Jr. looked to Jenny and then to Janice and John. He noted that they both looked rather curious about all of this and then looked around to find that the darker haired woman who had given him and his younger siblings a ride to the hospital was standing nearby. He remembered her name as Samantha and that Frances was her wife. James Jr. was quiet on his judgement in that regard. He wasn't necessarily a fan of gay marriage, but neither did he really think that anyone had the right to legislate on who one could love. So he just let that go. Eventually he shrugged. and nodded.
"We won't tell," John promised with Janice nodding beside him.
Jenny sighed and then continued her answer, "Well... you see, Moon Lake is a very special town and one that is a sanctuary for were-beasts of varying kinds. They are real and come in all sorts of species... but they aren't quite like you see in the movies or old stories."
"Weres... like werewolves?" John asked.
"They are the most common were," Samantha spoke, "though many creatures from human mythology are often confused for weres... though human myth and stories, particularly those that paint weres in a unfairly negative light are usually the result of a few bad eggs and NOT the case for weres as a group."
"Weres..." James Jr. said slowly, "Jen... that's ridiculous."
"It sounds so... but it is real, I know... as... I AM one now," Jenny spoke.
James Jr. wanted to argue, but found himself being unable to answer as he saw Jenny's features began to shift and change. As her eyes blinked they went from a soft blue to an almost pure scarlet with a vertical pupil. Cream colored fur clearly began to blossom and cover her skin as she then stood up and slipped off her shoes. Short claws grew out on her toenails and finger nails and James and his younger siblings could only watch as Jenny's feet began to lengthen to put her into a digitigrade stance. The most surprising thing was that they could see Jenny smiling as her body continued to change.
"Jen..." James Jr. gasped.
"I'm... sstttthhhiiill... me," Jenny slurred as her face pushed forward and soon formed a short but very pointed muzzle and as her pointed ears moved toward the top of her head.
"Huh?" Janice wondered, a bit in awe of what was going on.
"For many animal based weres, speaking while transforming can be difficult, largely as the changing jaw and teeth haven't settled into their animal or human form," Samantha spoke, "She'll be fine once the transformation finishes.
"Animal based..." James Jr. asked.
"As opposed to weremers... which I suppose could be more "myth" based," Samantha answered.
"Weremers... like mermaids?" Janice asked.
Samantha nodded. James Jr. though he heard an "oh" from Janice, but kept his eyes on Jenny. Her hips flared out a little more and her breasts swelled slightly larger, but the biggest changes was in the growth of a cream furred tail that lifted up the back of her dress and soon twitched side to side a bit and in her ears. They were already pointed and on the top of her head, but once there they grew bigger and bigger and bigger. They were soon huge when compared to the rest of her head.
"There," Jenny said slowly, "See... I am a were... a werefox."
"I've never seen a fox like that," John commented.
"Fennec Foxes don't live in North America outside of zoos or as pets," Jenny answered, "Regardless, I'm still me. I'm not mindless or anything like in the movies."
James Jr. was startled and was unable to move, half out of fear and half out of surprise. This let Jenny approach him and she pulled him into a hug, being careful not to scratch him. In the hug, James soon relaxed and returned the hug. When the came apart, Jenny smiled to him.
"See?" Jenny smiled.
"I suppose..." James Jr. commented, "and Harry turned you?"
"Actually, I turned him," Jenny smiled, "the one who turned me was a rogue female... one of the rare bad eggs in were society, just as normal human society has its few bad eggs. She was caught and is presently serving a rather lengthy prison sentence for her crimes. And I was quite... unused to things at first, and it was Harry's love that helped me get used to it."
"And he's another Fennec Fox?" Janice asked, investigating Jenny's tail and soon marveling at the softness of Jenny's fur.
"I'm actually a Gray Fox," Harry answered, "and the werefox that turned Jenny is based off of the Red Fox. The exact how is something that Moon Lake's scientists have never been able to fully pin down."
"Do we have to become weres?" John asked.
"If you stay?" Samantha spoke up as Jenny stepped back and soon began to resume her human form and taking over the explanation as Town Chancellor, "Well... Moon Lake does have a law that establishes that any family moving too Moon Lake must allow one family member to become weres. It is a protective measure, as if another family member exposes weres to be hunted down... they'd betray their own family to those that would kill them for no reason. For those who work in Moon Lake but do not live in the city full time or are only here to go to college, there are waivers in which it is agreed not to divulge anything "odd" about Moon Lake to those outside the town. James... since you have stated that you have plans outside of Moon Lake, you'll need to sign that agreement before you leave Moon Lake. Should Janice and John remain... no they wouldn't HAVE to become weres, as Jenny would already qualify a the "family were" as it were."
"What if we want to?" Janice asked.
"That is up to you," Samantha answered, "though further discussion in THAT direction can wait for another time."
There were a few nods from all involved. Eventually, James looked back to see that Jenny had resumed human form and was seated and putting her shoes back on.
"And becoming a were..." James Jr. began.
"Gave me the body of a Playboy bunny?" Jenny chuckled, "Yes. Weres seem to be built to sexually desirable... likely to produce lots of babies. Though the exact form can vary with the specific were species."
"And you now desire to produce lots of babies?" James Jr. raised an eyebrow and joked.
Jenny gave a full laugh as James Jr. sat down beside her, "After I get through college and get myself on my feet with a career... probably."
"Still looking to be a vet?" James Jr. asked.
"Actually... I was thinking about psychiatry," Jenny said as she glanced to see Frances blink with some surprise, "It'll mean some changes with regard to my major and the specific post-bachelor's degree work I get into, but right now I'm at a point where I can make that change."
James Jr. sighed nodded and shrugged, "Well... hopefully things work out. I'll let you know when Aisha and I get things put together with regard to a wedding date. Hopefully by then... things will have calmed down with regard to mom and dad."
Jenny slowly nodded as Harry stood by and as the younger Harpers gathered around Jenny. Samantha remained vigilant, but moved back closer to Frances. Some of the reveal was necessary for John and Janice if this "emancipation plan" went forward. A part of Samantha did worry a bit, but it was a "risk" that would have to be taken and for the most part things had gone quite well in that regard. James Jr. seemed accepting and Janice seemed rather curious. John didn't show any particular sign of a reaction in either way, but he didn't run in fear and did remain close to Jenny, which gave Samantha some relief to her fears.
Things like this were the signs that weres and humans could get along and that perhaps Moon Lake's "secret" wouldn't need to be a secret, but that wasn't the present issue. There was still the fate of James Harper Sr. and the fact that the issue of emancipation would need either his or Elizabeth's cooperation if it was to be done quickly. If not, there would be the real potential of a lengthy custody battle. All of that depended on how things turned out with James Harper Sr.