"So you're a private investigator?" Mary asked.
Serenity nodded.
"And you were a football player for Glendale High?"
"Yes," Trevor admitted.
"And the two of you spend your time investigating this Game, that most only consider to be a myth," Mary finished.
"We've been trying to stop it," Serenity spoke, "it robs people of their lives and worse."
"So you can turn me back?" Mary asked hopefully, not wanting to remain a humanoid lion cub for the rest of her life.
"Trevor and I can't," Serenity sighed, "None of us here can. I am a victim of the game, but the man who transformed me worded his transform so well that while I can sense the game, I can not use it. I still have my turn, but I can not use it. Trevor has already used his turn in a ill conceived plan to restore his own humanity, and Father Micheal and Paul here have made the conscious decision to live with their cursed forms and have ended their turns through "white magic"."
Mary felt her head swimming a she looked down at her hands. Black pads covered the underside of her fingertips and thumbs, and a portion of the inside of her hand while red-gold fur, with some spots (lion cubs have visible spots that fade away as they age into adulthood) in places. Unlike the members of the Big Bad Wolf Pack, she was under no mental transformation. Only her form was changed, though she didn't know if she would also gain a lion's instincts as well.
"So I'm going to be like this forever?" Mary asked.
"Maybe not," Serenity spoke, "It's partially why we needed to talk with you, since we know you hold a turn in the game."
"But you said it doesn't affect you," Mary gasped.
"It doesn't," Serenity nodded, "but I'm not wanting you to use it on me. You see someone else has gotten his hands on the game. A man named Jensen. He has taken over the Smith Estate and turned the Smith family, himself, and likely their workers into humanoid wolves, with probably all but Jensen being female."
Part of Mary's mind flashed to Ulysses, wondering if he was caught by this Jensen or not before he moved.
"He's also gathered, I believe some others from elsewhere in Glendale," Serenity continued, "The Perkins family, a policeman named Daryl, his partner Frank, and his family. He has been establishing a pack at the estate."
"Why?"
"Cause he's a pervert," Trevor grumbled.
"We can't be certain why he's doing what he's doing," Serenity sighed, "I had first thought he was merely a pervert gathering a harem. But given reports Trevor has said to me when he found them and what I've recently learned about a real wolf's behavior I don't think that's entirely it. He's operating more like he's being influenced by a wolf's natural instinct to form packs and work with those other pack members. And some things I've even seen today would confirm that. These wolves are intelligent, whereas most of the people caught in the harems I've broken in the past have had their intelligence whittled down to nothing. But these wolves aren't like that... which could make them dangerous..."
"Dangerous?" Mary asked sounding nervous, and praying that Serenity wasn't going to ask her to fight these wolves.
"They have children... pups," Serenity explained, "Now, operating under a wolf's instincts and having some intelligence, these wolves will fight, quite possibly to the death to defend their young and might be able to anticipate many perceived strategies. Which makes subduing them difficult."
"And how do you plan to do that?" Mary asked.
Serenity glanced at Trevor in her arms and Paul standing beside his brother.
"We're still working that part out," Serenity sighed, "but regardless, we still need a turn in the game to at least begin turning those wolves back into their normal selves. Once they're changed back and de-brainwashed one of them could likely turn you back to normal as well... although we'll likely need the exact wording of the "transform" you were given, just to be sure."
"The real question is, will you help?" Trevor asked.
"Sure, I guess so," Mary promised, "So long as we can clear it with my folks first."
+++++++
Pearl slowly made her way through a hallway in the manor to find Beatrice in the manor's study. Zack had been busy with Alice for the wording of the "transform" for his parents, which left her and June alone for a bit. June had gone to the female's den where there appeared to be much discussion about the new gem colored wolves and Caroline's mutation into Cobalt, and while Pearl was curious about that, that wasn't the thing on her mind at the moment. She found Beatrice quietly reading from a book of poetry in the Pack's study.
"Hi, Beatrice," Pearl said politely as she entered the room.
"Hi, Pearl," Beatrice answered.
"Can we talk?" Pearl asked.
"I don't think there's much to say," Beatrice answered, "You messed up and used your turn without the Master's permission... and on June, no less. Regardless of why you were with Zack at the time, I'm sure the Master would be angry with you if he found out you had wasted your turn for whatever reason. You must be thankful that when our wolf forms were locked that you were not called on to use your turn, meaning the Master will never know you disobeyed him."
"I know, and I am grateful for that," Pearl sighed, "but I'd told you everything. You could have ratted me out and Alpha Female would likely want me made into a statue."
"That's right, I could have," Beatrice answered, "but I didn't."
"Why?" Pearl asked, sounding guilty, "I'd done something wrong. I know that... it's partially why you found me as plastered as I was."
"Because we're all supposed to be a Pack an extended family," Beatrice said, "What kind of Pack mate would I be if I ratted you out? All it would make me look like is like some snitch seeking to be rewarded for rather sneaky behavior. I felt that there had to be some way that things could be worked out... of course, now with Zack being brought back into line by Alpha Female's copies, it isn't that much of an issue anymore. And you've gained your turn back, so it isn't like I could get you in trouble. My only hope is that this has become a lesson for you to follow and you won't take such a risk again."
"I don't intend to," Pearl sighed, "It's just that... well... maybe I've been wanting punishment for it or something. I only did it because Zack's pheromones distracted my mind from what I had originally gone to do. It makes me feel so wrong. That I'd agreed to do what Nicole said, and then went and did the exact opposite."
"I can understand," Beatrice spoke, "but I'm not one to judge, and as I said earlier, Zack's been "fixed" into being a more loyal member of the Pack now. No one will question you or June giving him a "second chance". You know that."
"You're not mad at me?" Pearl asked.
"Not really," Beatrice sighed, "Disappointed maybe that you didn't come to us and we could have figured something out when all of this started, but I'm not mad. Mostly I'm relieved that everything worked out well in the end."
"Me too," Pearl agreed.
+++++++
Jasper and Goldie went along one portion of the island near the coast. It had very little in the way of a real beach. Much of it was many hard rocks that came straight out of the surf surrounding the island. It made some interesting angles for diving into the water, but Goldie made a note not to try anything until they knew how deep the water was there, and if anything like jellyfish or sea snakes frequented the area.
So far, they hadn't come across anything, although that could be because Amethyst was now half way through "My Favorite Things" from the Sound of Music.
"At least she's on key," Jasper commented as they moved along.
"Don't give me that," Goldie answered, "we all saw you drooling over her. We're not blind."
"Neither am I," Jasper smirked, "she has a couple of things rather hard to miss."
"Typical," Goldie shook her head.
"What?" Jasper replied.
Goldie only shook her head again and then turned her head and saw something scamper along the rocks in front of them. They both focused on it, in case it was something that might threaten them or the pups at night if they had to relocate here. They moved forward and saw something that looked like a lizard swimming off into the ocean. It was covered in blackish scales and had a single row of small spines rising from its back.
"Marine Iguanas," Jasper identified them and then found himself licking his lips, "I wonder what they taste like."
"Master is raising a heard of deer for us," Goldie told him, "There is no need to make yourself sick eating them. Plus it's swimming out to sea. And I am not going around this island with you smelling like a wet wolf."
"I would be a wet wolf if I jumped in," Jasper joked.