Philip struggled to catch his breath, just as the two brightly-hued wolf girls cautiously approached.
“Get BACK!” He pressed himself against the wall, his pulse jumping. He felt like he was inside a blast furnace. “Get the fuck back!”
The girls heeded his warning, stopping in their tracks. Each sniffed the air around him. Their faces wore stunned expressions.
“Shit,” Penny hissed. “His scent…”
“Answers that question,” Susan sighed.
Wendy looked past the two, inspecting the young man for the telltale signs. He was shaking in agitation, though it was difficult to tell if anger or the curse caused the tremors in his flesh.
“Oh, God,” she gasped. “I’m sorry!”
“Sorry? Sorry for what?” He wasn’t sure what was happening, but it felt strangely satisfying. He idly scratched at his right shoulder.
Wendy looked on the verge of tears. “I…I’ve infected you.” She rose on trembling half-paws and approached him. He was becoming much more rapidly from direct exposure. “You’re a werewolf now.”
The word brought him some comfort, for reasons he couldn’t fathom. “I’m…how’s that possible? I’m a guy!”
“Yeah, for now,” Penny grumbled. “Who knows if you’ll stay that way?” Wendy shot her a look, prompting her silence.
“Great,” Philip said, rolling eyes that were already flecked with amber.
“What’s your name,” Wendy asked, changing the subject.
“Philip Reardon. Ex-camera guru, WOLF Channel 5.” He couldn’t help but snicker at the irony. “Listen, I know this is kinda forward, but would you mind if I lost the shirt? It’s getting really uncomfortable.”
“Go for it. It’s not like you’d be the only one topless. I’m Wendy. The orange girl is Penny, and the multi-colored one is Susan.” They waved nervously. “How’d you end up here?”
Philip peeled his shirt away, knocking off the cap that had been pushed away by his growing amber hair and extending ears. “I was the camera operator for Laura Tierney. Or should I say, the werewolf formerly known as same.” He inspected his chest, already patched with soft amber fur and developing muscles. “Wow,” he gasped.
Susan retrieved the cap. “He’s got good taste in music, at least.”
Philip smirked. “Yeah, but in the end, it doesn’t even matter.” He continued, despite the groans. “I caught her change on live feed. Half the world probably knows about it now. I freaked, and didn’t stop running ‘till I got here. Today, it was like no one thought anything was wrong.” Light dawned in his mind, and he pointed a sharpening nail at Wendy. “Except you!”
Wendy nodded. “I know. I’m losing control, though.” Somehow, she felt warmer than before, more aroused. “Your scent isn’t helping. I’d better stand back while you finish getting undressed, or I might not hold out.” She stepped back, slower than she wanted to. She salivated at the thought of mating with him.
Philip sighed. He’d felt changes all over his body, from his ears to his mind. His crotch was stirring a lot, though he wasn’t sure if it was from lycanthropy or from close proximity to three naked…and very beautiful…wolf girls.
“Well, here goes,” he sighed, loosening his belt. “The moment of truth.”
He dropped the last of his clothing, exposing himself to the girls.
The white she-wolf snarled angrily from her vantage point. She had been content to observe, up until this revelation.
She has given the gift to a male! She was meant to be her mate! How dare she betray the sisterhood!
She rose to all fours, racing for the Administration building. She must inform the Queen.
“Ready?”
“Yes. As much as I can be.”
“How will we track the Alpha?”
“I saw one of them moving around the grounds. She took off like a bat outta Hell toward the Northern Quadrant.”
“She must be making her way to the Alpha Female. All we have to do is follow her.”
“Right. Hopefully, these silver bullets will do the trick.”
“Remember, aim for the Alpha first. There’s a chance that killing her will cure the rest of them.”
“I hope so.”
“Sheila? Are you sure you’re up for this?”
“I have no choice. I’ve already felt myself start to change. If I don’t go through with it, I’m lost anyway.”
“Okay.”
“James?”
“Yes?”
“If…if I turn…do what you have to.”
“It won’t come to that. C’mon, let’s go before we lose her.”