Richard Van Direstag lay uneasily in the master bed that the movers had brought to the house. Normally it was relatively comfortable, perhaps a bit harder than he personally preferred, but it was something that made Rose comfortable. However, at present with everything that had gone on, that harder mattress didn't help him that much. He'd come to Moon Lake to make things easier for his eldest son, Frank who'd been accepted to the local college and on a good scholarship. True, the small college in Washington State was a long way from Michigan, but what scholarships that Frank had been offered from closer colleges were lower and the tuition to those colleges was higher, and while Richard had done okay with his sporting goods store in Ann Arbor, it wasn't going to be enough to put Franck, Rachel, and then Rob through college.
Thus the scholarship was a good opportunity financially and at the same time, when Frank had toured the campus in the past summer, it looked clean enough and small enough that Frank wouldn't be overwhelmed by a mass of students that needed help. It'd mean a better educational experience for Frank, which Richard was willing to pay for. Moving to the town was mostly to make the college commute easier for Frank as well and had been made without really finding out the full details of the town in which Moon Lake College was located. It was the revelation on the town's secrets and the apparent rules that went along with it that unnerved him and that was what he was thinking about now as he lay on his back in the med, staring at the ceiling as he did so.
The fact that Moon Lake was a secret haven for were-beasts and that they had an active law on the books that said at least one member of every new family had to become a were. None of that sat right with him, for whatever reasoning might have been given, normal people didn't go around killing others because they were different, at least not so far as Richard saw it. He might have some willingness sign something that would assure them he wouldn't tell anyone else, as some of that seemed reasonable, but giving up his humanity was not something reasonable and he didn't want to give up who he was to make people in this Washington state town feel safe. And a real part of him was more than willing to run, pack up as much as they could and get to a hotel in Seattle and then figure out what to do from there... and it'd ultimately mean driving all the way back to Michigan and starting over where people were normal and didn't make such demands.
The one thing that made things with this whole issue worse was that both Frank and Rose seemed at least willing to look into things a bit more and that there was no outright rejection of giving up who they were. Rose seemed willing enough to go with what he did, which would mean if he decided to run, she'd go along, but that Frank had seemed to give things a chance, at least after looking through the guidebook that Samantha Twist had left them. In some ways it was sort of mind-numbing and Frank Van Direstag was left lying in bed trying to sleep as some sounds from the woods behind the home he'd rented reached his ears. They sounded almost like a cross between a sexual moan and the roar of some great beast and that made him nervous as he drifted off to sleep... And even that wasn't easy...
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"You're doing quite well, dear," Richard's eyes opened to the sound Rose speaking to him, though her voice seemed a bit deeper to him.
He opened his eyes to find something he really didn't expect. He was on his back found his wife practically sitting over his face with her vaginal lips right over his mouth and with clit pointing out and ready to be teased and nibbled on, something they'd never really engaged in in all their sexual encounters as a married couple. However, there were some other differences. Her muscles seemed larger and more athletic and she was covered golden colored fur as she gyrated her hips forward so that he got a good taste of her sexual juices as she smiled down to him with leonine eyes and larger breasts.
"We're getting close, my dear," Rose said to him again with a smile.
"Whuu…?" Richard managed as he now got the sensation that his penis was not only erect but was sliding in and out of a wet and muscular space. He managed to look past his wife to see a female werelion riding his erect shaft while also transformed and with her back to Rose. This surprised him even more, but the biggest thing was the brownish-gold muzzle that extended from his own face.
"We're almost... there..." Rose answered half moaned to him, "Your lioness and her pride sister... you, my big lion... have nearly gotten us to cum..."
Richard couldn't fathom how he and Rose became werelions or why they were having a threesome with some unknown werelioness, as if nothing like that was odd. Their marriage had been happy and with its fair share of excitement, but it'd never been so open, but yet Richard found himself unable to stop thrusting into this other werelioness.
"But the kids..." Richard began.
"Frank is at the college, Rachel is visiting Melissa, and Rob knows not to come in when we're having our were time," Rose answered, "and... ooooooOOOOOOOAAAARRR!"
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Richard sat up in bed to find himself in the master bedroom and alone with only his wife laying next to him under the covers. He brought his hands up to his face and found it still human, though he was sweating a bit. Of course dreaming of being a were and engaging in things that he and Rose had never done before and with their roaring climax being what actually woke him up.
"Mmmm?" Rose rolled over to face him, likely feeling Richard move in bed.
"Sorry dear... I just had a bad dream," Richard spoke as he then looked over his shoulder to a nearby bedroom window. It's shades were down for the moment, but the big thing was that the sounds that had been coming in from the woods or possibly other houses nearby had ceased, which meant that whatever had been going on was powering down. That was a bit of relief, but it didn't remove the unease that he felt regarding the dream. He loved rose and would never cheat on her and he also didn't think she would be the sort to go for a threesome, yet for some odd thing that was what came to mind.
"About anything in particular?" Rose asked her husband, reaching over to touch his
"Just all the weird stuff here... what we'd have to give up..." Richard answered, which technically wasn't untrue but not the full truth either.
"It is a lot to spring on people... but from what Frank has found in that guidebook... and what Rachel said her friend told her there could well be reasons to accept it and go for it," Rose spoke, "and we're coming into this not knowing much in that regard. We'll need to do some reading and ask the right questions and thus learn more."
"And give up who we are?" Richard asked, "a happily married couple?"
"And you'd think that if one of us became a were our marriage would end?" Rose shook her head, "I know you're frustrated on this dear... but please. We'll always be together. Just lay back and rest... there is a lot to learn and we really won't learn anything staying up worrying."
Rose pulled him back down so that they lay side by side and then pulled the blankets over them and Richard drifted off into easier slumber with Rose's arm around him.
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Meanwhile, on North Street, Melissa Jenkins slept calmly in her room. Her red hair laying out in various ways around her head and the fact that her blankets being almost wrapped around her at the moment gave some indication that while she slept soundly, she'd also rolled around a bit in her sleep. Largely as her thoughts and worries about her best friend was fairing at that moment was doing had been at the forefront of her mind when she went to bed.
Her father and Virginia being in their fursonas for dinner really hadn't been that much of an issue. It was a surprise, as even after he became a weretiger, her father had often stayed in human form at dinner, but it wasn't necessarily a bad surprise. A part of her even agreed in a way in that she'd much rather be in her werecow form. It was something that floated in the back of her mind, her Canadienne Werecow form was the real her. However eating steaks in her wereform didn't quite sit right with her, as her teeth in that form were geared more to eat vegetables other plants. Thus, since humans were omnivores, she wouldn't look out of place eating steak in her human form, and so she preferred to remain in her human form for that. It lead to some question on how the stories of the Minotaur eating people came about when her own fursona seemed to prefer vegetables.
But that hadn't been on her mind. What had been on her mind had been Rachel, her best friend from Michigan and as she dreamed, it seemed like a very familiar figure came to her...
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"You're worried," said her familiar mirror friend.
"Well... yeah..." Melissa answered as she looked to the young woman that looked in many ways like her own mother, "I mean... Rachel's been a good friend for years... and..."
"And now she's in a new place with new experiences," the figure in the mirror finished.
Melissa nodded as she looked to the figure as the two stood in the dreamscape they were in. Presently they were standing in a field that had the grass brushing against their legs.
"And experiences that are vastly different from Michigan and what she and her family knows," Melissa spoke as she looked forward and toward the horizon as her mirror friend stood up beside her, "and I'm sure you have some idea on what my dad and I went through before I became as I am now... You've always shown up to talk to me and help with questions... though saying I'd have an udder as a werecow was a bit wrong."
"That was more a joke... sorry," the figure spoke, "I couldn't show anything that would make it seem like I was pushing you. Not to mention that that was one of the things that you and dad always told me was part of how you two fell in love."
Melissa again nodded, remembering the first meeting with Trevor's mother and then their first moment where Trevor could have potentially taken advantage of her and didn't. It was all something that helped her learn about were society and werecows in particular and seeing Trevor be a perfect gentleman. It was all part of what drew her to him and let her confirm her decision that had been building in her heart.
"It's okay," Melissa assured the figure, "but without Trevor and the others... I might not have been able to really accept things and see them for who they are, regardless of what kind of were they are. That while the town's laws on being a were are rather old fashioned... that doesn't make being a were lose who one is. And so far as I know... Rachel seems to have only me and I'm still rather new at being a were right now. It's not like I was born a were like Trevor and thus grew up knowing who and what I was and that being a were didn't change that. Nor am I like Roy who's had more time to acclimate being a were and thus know more about where he's changed besides his appearance."
"And now you want to help your old friend, just as your new friends helped you," her mirror friend spoke, even though in the dreamscape it was more like they were standing side by side rather than looking into a mirrored reflection.
"And she seemed to take it fine... which is good," Melissa commented, "but her dad can be a bit... excitable on things. Often with sports and that sort of thing... but I remember hanging out with Rachel and her dad came home after Michigan lost a football game or a basketball game and he'd be venting a lot because the loss meant fewer sales of the team's apparel and that sort of thing. And while he'd never hurt Rachel... if he's responded to the Mandatory Were Law in the same way... he might do something that by rule Moon Lake would have to enforce, which would mean forcibly turning them... and that's where so much of Moon Lake's laws would fit more in line with the middle ages than today..."
"That would be quite the pickle," her mirror friend spoke with a nod, "but the answer is pretty much what you already gave your old friend. Information on the town and weres and the means by which the Van Direstags can contact you and grandpa Jenkins... let them see on how you're still you where it counts and that your dad hasn't turned into some monster."
"Yes... but her parents really only know that we're friends," Melissa spoke, "not enough that they'd know everything about me... Rachel would, but her parents wouldn't. Which means if they respond negatively... they might see me solely as I am now. And I'm happy as I am... but it's making Moon Lake look friendly and welcoming, regardless of its rules... and I doubt they know my dad really at all... Maybe some general stuff, but nothing that would say that they are friends..."
"As I said... a pickle," the figure said to her, "because talking and sharing information is always helpful... and showing you care. That's always big. You always said to care for everyone... because you're a kind and caring person. You find a way to show that... and I'd be sure you'd be fine."
"So... I should just invite the entire family over for dinner or something to show that I care?" Melissa asked, "that I understand what they're going through now? Would that really work?"
"It couldn't hurt," her mirror friend spoke, "and it would at least be a start... something that would give the Van Direstags the willingness to take things slowly and not rush into any decisions... particularly with some of the other stuff going on."
From there though, the dream seemed to fade a bit, as if either she was waking up or her mirror friend was.
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Melissa slept quietly on the dream providing her with some ideas on what to do when it would come to dealing with the Van Direstags, particularly Rachel's parents. A part of her was pretty certain that Rachel would get along fine with things, and much like Melissa had earlier, would begin to move toward a decision once she'd fully processed the facts that related to Moon Lake. The big thing would be looking for a way to provide some assurances that Rachel's parents wouldn't panic at something and force something. Her mirror friend... her spiritual advisor... seemed to agree with some of the loose planning ideas that had thought of, and for the moment that seemed to work, and all they'd have left would be to wait and see what would happen in the next day...
With that, Melissa's tossing and turning in her sleep seemed to settle down and was hopeful of being able to help her friend.