A hungry wolf {Alexander Barett}

[Connie Lynn Marshall]

Connie was relieved at how quick he was to get into the car. She shut the door behind him, and climbed back into the car and pulled out. The snow tried to keep her car still, but she managed to get going with a jerk of tires and started off towards home. Glancing back behind her in the rear-view mirror, she saw the wolf curled tightly in her back seat. She turned the heat up as high as it would go, not caring that her car was going to smell like wet dog for the next few weeks. She could get it shampooed or something.

It didn't take long for her to get home. She only lived about ten minutes away from the forest, and it made her happy this time how close she was. She hit the garage door opener that was on her visor, and drove into the garage. Turning off the car, she hit the button again and watched as the door slowly slid back down. When it was close to being down, she hopped out of the car and popped open the back seat.

"No need to let the nosy neighbors across the street seeing me let a huge wolf out of my car. Then again, the reaction might have been funny..." She smiled a little as she went up to the door to the house on the other side of the garage and unlocked it. "Come on in. Do you want to eat first, or get changed? You can get a shower too, if you need one." She smiled at him as she held the door open with her hip. "If you want food, go on into the kitchen. It's just down the hall here on the left."

[kahira]

Alex almost fell asleep on the short drive, but thankfully it was as short as it was otherwise he didn't think this woman would ever get him out, when Alex fell asleep he was pretty hard to wake up. When he heard a strange noise from outside the car, his head lifted up lazily to see a garage door opening. He watched it close behind them when the car got parked. The heat had felt good, he was sad to see it shut off, but knew he'd be inside a warm house soon enough. He squeezed around in the car to the opened door and got out, careful not to knock anything over that could be leaning against the wall. He never realized how difficult it was being a 6' tall werewolf.

He followed the woman to the door and peered in as she spoke, giving him options of what he could do. He figured he'd eat first, he'd rather not risk collapsing from lack of energy in the shower, that would be painful and embarrassing beyond anything else for sure. He carefully entered the house, perfectly content to just collapse in the middle of the floor and sleep, but he wasn't dumb, he knew he had to eat, and best to do it while he was a werewolf with a big stomach rather than a man with a... slightly smaller one. When Alex wanted to eat, he could eat. It was a miracle he hadn't been fat back in the previous years, of course the periodic work-outs he did as well as having a fast metabolism helped quite a bit.

He trotted towards the kitchen, but didn't enter it, he'd easily take of the whole space probably and he certainly wasn't going to try and open cupboards and the fridge doors as a wolf. Sure he could shift back and do it, but he'd rather not expose his dirty, nakedness in front of a woman, even if she was a werewolf and probably saw enough naked people in her lifetime. Alex was to self-aware to do something like that. God... he'd probably have a heart attack when he sees himself in the mirror. It had been quite some time since he had shifted back to a human, no doubt he looked just as scruffy as he did as a wolf.

[Connie Lynn Marshall]

Connie shut the door and walked swiftly towards the kitchen, then paused. The massive bulk of werewolf wasn't about to fit into her kitchen, as big as it was. "Hmm... That's a problem," She said, looking at his size. "Go down the hall and take a left. My living room is a lot bigger than this." She smiled at him before she slid into the kitchen past him. She went to the deep freeze, propping it open and pulling out a huge hunk of beef roast. Considering he just ate a dead rabbit, she didn't think he'd mind raw meat, but it was frozen through. Popping it in a pan, she threw it into the oven and found something else he could eat in the meantime.

A few minutes later, she found a handful of raw steaks she'd stuck in the fridge for her dinner tonight. She shrugged, and took them into him on a platter. "Sorry they aren't cooked," She said. "But I don't think you'll mind much after the rabbit. Anyway, I have a beef roast cooking so you can eat these, and have that after you get cleaned up and that's at least mostly cooked."

She set them on the floor where he could get them and stood up, tilting her head as she thought. "I think I left those close upstairs... I'll be right back." She smiled and ran up the stairs, looking for a large t-shirt and the sweat-pants she'd cleaned recently. She didn't think he'd need anything big, considering how skinny he was right now in wolf form, but it was better safe than sorry.

[kahira]

Alex seemed to chuckle almost at her comment about him not fitting in the kitchen. He followed her instructions to the living room where he patiently sat and waited until she returned with some steaks. Oh god he hoped he wasn't drooling. He didn't feel anything, but he was 90% damp to wet anyways so he would hope if he was, it wasn't showing. He seemed to bark a thanks before leaning down to gobble up the steaks which didn't take long at all. One steak took him two bites to finish. He knew he shouldn't be eating so fast, it could make him sick, but he couldn't help himself, the food was just too tempting. Hopefully after he got cleaned up and when the roast was ready he wouldn't be as starving. He was sure after the roast he'd have his fill for the day.

He gave the platter a good lick to clean it of any remaining morsels before sitting down, now finally getting a good look at the place. He had almost forgotten what the inside of a home looked like. It made him miss his old life. His eyes dropped to stare at the floor. It was a sad past though, thinking about it never did him any good, and most of it had involved Julia, which only made it worse. Part of him missed her, part of him hated her guts. He always told himself to focus on the future, but up till now it had seemed fairly bland and bad. Perhaps things would get better now.

[Connie Lynn Marshall]

Connie jogged back down the stairs, hair bouncing with each step. She rounded the corner and smiled when she saw him licking the plate clean. Maybe she should have found something else to give him before she ran off to find clothes. Then again, she thought everything else was frozen in her deep freeze, and it would take awhile for it to thaw enough to be eaten.

"Hey, I see you're finished," She said as she walked in. "Do you want a shower?" She held up the clothes. "I don't know how big you are in human form but it would probably be better to shift and clean up before you eat much more or you'll get too sick to eat anything else." She shrugged. "I can get more food but I think everything else is frozen anyway."

She glanced down the hall towards the bathroom. "I can show you to the shower and put the clothes in there for you if you want. It's big enough even you shouldn't have a problem shifting. Does that sound okay to you?" She hadn't had to do something like this in awhile. Most of the pack went to the pack house, and she wasn't really ever sure what to do about strays. But this one obviously needed help.

A thought occurred to her, but she would have to wait until he was human to ask. How long had he been a wolf? Most of those who had been a wolf for few years got used to being one and wouldn't let themselves get so thin. And besides that, what about the person that turned him? She turned her back, moving down the hall so he didn't see her eyes shift to golden yellow before she managed to calm herself. Whoever had turned him had done a bad job of helping him learn how to cope with being a wolf.

Pity she didn't know who it was. Connie would like to have left a flea in their ear about it.

[kahira]

Alex looked up when the woman came back with clothes, his head tilted a bit to the side as he tried to judge how big they were. Well, if he was anything like his wolf form, the size shouldn't matter too much. He huffed as the woman finished speaking and stood up, touching the clothes lightly with his nose before his eyes followed hers to look down the hall, his ears firmly forward. He stared down that way before looking back at the woman. His tail wagged a few times. Yes, a shower would be quite nice.

As the woman showed him to the bathroom, Alex was nice to see it was in fact, decently sized. He watched her put the clothes on the counter before leaving him be. His ears twitch slightly and with a breath, he began to shift back. He hadn't shifted a lot since his time as a werewolf so the experience was still new to him. He had to clench his teeth to hold back any noise and as he grew more human, he had to use the counter top for support. A shiver ran from head to toe and slowly he let out a shaky breath. He didn't think he'd ever get used to that. It felt so weird to stand on two legs again after so long walking around on four. It took him a few minutes just to get his bearings before he finally looked at himself in the mirror.

God he looked awful, like a mix between a homeless man and a wild man. He was glad no one had to see him like this, he couldn't even stand to see himself like this. His hair wasn't as long as he thought it would be, but he'd still have to get it cut somehow. Though he still had muscles, they were barely noticeable. He was 32, but he looked like he was 60. Hopefully after the shower it would be better. It took him a minute to remember how but afterwards he fared much better. The hot water felt wonderful, but he didn't want to stay in too long and use up the woman's hot water, though she'd probably say she wouldn't mind, Alex was too polite to do that. The shower only lasted around 15 minutes, but when he got out, it felt like an hour. All the chills in his bones were gone and he felt more alive, not to mention clean. Squeaky clean to be exact. He didn't do to well with the thought of being dirty, it bothered him.

His eyes looked at the clothes as he unfolded them and held them up to inspect. Yes... they should be fine. Even if he wasn't skinny the baggy shirt probably would have fit like a normal shirt for him, though perhaps just a tad bit tight. He slipped on the shirt and the sweat pants before looking at himself in the mirror. He looked a lot better with the clothes to hide his bones, but his face was a bit tight. He hoped he can regain his body weight quickly, but he knew better than to rush it and risk getting sick. Dressed, he opened the door and cautiously stepped out. Alex made his way down the hall to find the woman, he hoped he wouldn't look too bad, but whether he looked bad or not, he was just glad he was finally clean and had food.

[Connie Lynn Marshall]

Connie was in the kitchen, putting the beef roast together a bit better now that it was thawed. It would take awhile to cook, but she could have that for dinner instead of the steaks. She listened for the shower as she cooked up some more food, some bacon and eggs though it was midday, it was about all else she had that would cook fast. And all that mattered were calories anyway.

She heard the shower going off, and smiled a bit. She wouldn't have minded if he'd stayed in there longer but he was probably still hungry. Well, at least there was a plate of food ready for him. She heard him walking down the hall and tilted her head. "There's a plate of food on the table ready for you," She said, not turning yet. She didn't want the bacon she was cooking to burn, or the eggs to burn either.

It only took a minute, but soon she had another plate full of bacon, and some more eggs cooked. She turned, glancing at him. He was handsome, but so thin still. The shirt was almost too small, despite it being the largest one she had, but it fit well enough. "Here," She said, leaning over to put the plate of bacon and the one of eggs on the table. She sat down, and scooped some onto a plate for herself. She was hungry, though maybe not as hungry as he was.

"Eat your fill. There's more where that came from." She smiled as she nipped off a bite of bacon. "I'm a pretty good cook if I do say so myself." She wanted to ask him about him being a werewolf, but she didn't think now was the right time. He was still shy, still a bit scared she thought, and didn't want to spook him. He didn't seem like he was used to being human anymore.

[kahira]

"Thank you..." he answered kindly but his voice sounded off. He couldn't remember the last time he had spoken to someone. He coughed a bit to clear his throat and hoped that would help. He walked over the the table slowly even though he was still hungry, he did notice the woman finally look at him. She didn't gasp or yelp so he figured he didn't like all to bad. Well, that was good. Right?

He took his seat and picked up the fork for the eggs. Thank god he still remembered how to use silverware, he hadn't gone wild yet. He ate quietly and even though he may have looked as if he was ignoring the woman as she bustled about, he wasn't. In fact he was quite aware of every move she made, from what foot she stepped with to when she sat down and filled her plate with food. He finished a bite of food, eating much more slower now instead of scarfing down the food like he had done as a wolf, and he paused to look up as the woman spoke. He smiled, actually glad she was trying to make conversation, this probably could have gotten really awkward. He was glad to hear a human voice after so long as well. "Well it's certainly better than anything I've done." he answered, his voice a bit more normal now as he went back to eating.

He only took a few more bites before he stopped though, he looked up from the plate and gave a shy smile, "Thank you for all this. I don't know how much longer I would have survived out there..." he mumbled and looked back down though didn't continue to eat, "I'm actually surprised I lasted as long as I did..." he sighed as he pushed around an egg. He was still hungry, but his mind was busy thinking now and he couldn't focus on eating as well as thinking at the moment.

[Connie Lynn Marshall]

Connie smiled when he said thank you, his voice rough as if he didn't use it often. If he'd been in wolf form for awhile, though, that would explain it. She could tell he was watching her, every move she made as if she'd turn and attack him despite the fact that she'd just made him breakfast for lunch. But she didn't mind, she was used to dealing with wary wolves, and it didn't bother her any.

She munched on some bacon, and took a bite out of one of the eggs on her plate, letting him pick up the thread of the conversation as she left it off. Connie glanced up at him when she spoke again and let out a little laugh. "Hey, you just need practice at it. It isn't hard once you get the hang of it." She smiled and took another bite of egg, finishing off her plate.

Snitching another piece of bacon, she sat back in her chair to munch on it and watch him at the same time. He didn't look as wary as he had before, good food and warmth as well as a hot shower probably took away what wariness he had. At least for the most part.

When he spoke again, though, her eyes softened and she reached out across the table to put a hand over his when he went still. "Hey, I know it can be hard. Can... Can I ask you how it happened?" She asked softly. "You're obviously not a born wolf. So how were you turned? You don't have to tell me, if you don't want. But you need to talk about it to someone. It will help you come to grips with what you are."

[kahira]

The nervousness and weariness was slipping away now, he had seemed more comfortable as the woman and him conversed. It was and old, yet a new feeling to be able to actually talk to someone again. He glanced down when she put a hand atop his though, it didn't bother him, or frighten him, but when she asked how this all happened, he grew still and silent. If he was a snail, he'd be slowly tucking himself back into his shell right about now. He wasn't a snail though, he didn't have anywhere to hide. Sure he could run but he'd seem childish doing it, and he didn't want to go back out into that world again.

Alex swallowed hard and set down his fork, withdrawing his hands to place them under the table upon his lap. He stared down at his plate, here it was, his life story coming out after what, 7 years? "I was 25 when it happened... I had been with a woman for 5 years. She was... sweet... kind, wouldn't hurt a fly on the wall. She read me like no one else ever had." he mumbled and his eyes looked up but away, "We were engaged..." he shook his head as he huffed a short laugh as if he couldn't even believe he had done that now, "She kept... disappearing during full moons... I didn't understand why and I was too dumb to put the pieces together. She always looked like she wanted to tell me, but whenever I asked she'd get defensive. I had learned to deal with it... over the 5 years... but... my curiosity got the better of me one night..." he sighed and looked back at the woman, "Guess you can tell what happened next." he said, his eyes looked pained before he looked away again, "I had ran away that first full moon... frightened of what had happened... what I'd become. I haven't seen her since. I've been wandering around... trying to find answers for 7 years... but everywhere I went... no one wanted to help me... I... I just stuck to myself after that, figuring it would all come in time..." he sighed heavily.

He felt so exposed now, like a little puppy, still blind and deaf from birth with no idea of what was going on around it. He had just told this woman about his past, a woman he barely knew... but her help had gained some of his trust. The way he looked at it, if she wanted to know what had happened, she deserved that much after helping him like she had.

[Connie Lynn Marshall]

Connie sat, hand still covering his as he told her his story. So, the person who had turned him hadn't just left him, he'd left her. If she'd gone after him, he'd have either fought her or ran. She could understand on a visceral level why the other wolf hadn't tried to help him. But still, she should have tried something. Sent another wolf after him, one she trusted to help teach him instead of kill him.

"You've been a wolf for seven years?" She asked softly. And he hadn't killed anyone? Or killed himself yet? That was simply amazing. Maybe he had exquisite control. "You have so many things you need to learn," She said. "You seem to have expert control over your wolf." She let go of his hand, and stood up. "You're still too thin though," She told him. "Eat some more." She moved to go get him a drink, then paused and placed a hand gently on his shoulder.

"I can teach you what she didn't," Connie told him. "It will help." She smiled and walked to the fridge, pulling out a can of coke. "Do you want a coke? I have milk too, or some orange juice. I hate the stuff, but some of the pack likes it so I keep it in case they stop by." She turned and smiled, popping the top off the coke and taking a drink. "Any preferences?"

[kahira]

Alex just looked down at his plate as the woman spoke about how he had a lot to learn but he seemed to get a bit embarrassed when she said he was still to thin. All this food... he'd feel so fat. Fat was better than horribly skinny though for sure, so when the woman removed her hand and stood he began to focus on his food again but paused when she placed her hand upon his shoulder. She could teach him. What was there left to learn? Obviously there was something otherwise she wouldn't have offered. When she asked what he wanted to drink, "Oh.. no.. heh I've gobbled up enough of your food, I'll feel bad if I do it anymore..." he gave a short pause, "A glass of water would be nice though..."he smiled.

He turned back to his food, but then remembered something that had just occurred to him. He didn't even know this woman's name. She didn't even know his. He swallowed his bite of food before speaking, "I just realized... we don't even know each others names." he chuckled, "Alexander Barett... but... I usually just go by Alex." he said with a small smile. He figured he should at least know this woman's name, otherwise he'd keep referring to her as "that woman" or "ma'am" or "her", he didn't quite like it, and it seemed rude to him, but he supposed if she didn't want to tell him that was fine too.

[Connie Lynn Marshall]

Connie waved a hand at him, but got him a glass of water. "I feed the pack a lot," She said. "And I'm not exactly broke. I can get more food, and you need to eat." She walked back over the to the table and set down the glass gently, before she moved to go sit back in her seat, her legs pulled up under her in a criss-cross style. She smiled at him, and snitched another piece of bacon. "Besides, I'll help you eat it. I love bacon."

She munched on it, then jolted when he offered his name in exchange for hers. "Oh god, I can't believe I forgot to introduce myself," She sighed and rolled her eyes at herself. "I'm Connie Marshall." She smiled a little sheepishly. "Sorry about the lack of introductions, I'm usually better at that. I guess I just forgot in the need to get you some food." She munched on her bacon some more, thinking about everything he had told her.

"What do you plan on doing next, then, Alex?" She asked him suddenly. She needed to know what he planned on next. He probably didn't have any money, meaning he needed somewhere to stay. She had a spare room or two, but she think it would be a good idea if a strange man, even one she helped, stayed with her alone in her house. Maybe one of the other members of the pack would take him in? Or maybe he had somewhere to stay out in the forest. She knew there were plenty of caves out there, but she wished he wouldn't stay in one.

[kahira]

Alex smiled as Connie, he now knew, plucked at the bacon. He had gone back to eating after her introduction but of course stopped again when she asked what he planned to do with himself. He had no idea. What would he do? Alex gave a hopeless shrug, "I don't know, honestly. I don't have any money... well... I do technically in my bank account but I doubt I can even get out. I don't have my wallet anymore which means no idea, I've... long since forgotten my account numbers..." he mumbled. He was as broke as they came. He had nothing... literally. "I'd hate to cause you anymore trouble, you have your... pack... to look after." he explained and rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't really want to continue to wander around anymore though... I might find some place to offer me a job... start a life for myself again. 7 years gives a man a long time to think over." he chuckled but it was hardly humorous.

Even if he did find a job though... where would he stay. He supposed he could live out in the forest until he came up with enough money to get his own place but that would take a long time. He had no college degree so a job would be difficult to find that paid decently, but some money was better than none. Perhaps... he could contact Julia? No... what would he do then anyways? Beg for money? Was she even still where he left her? Thinking about her made him hurt. It was hard to hate someone you loved, no matter what they had done. He knew now that it had just been an accident, and it had been his fault anyways... When he thought about it like that he felt guilty, he wanted to crawl tightly into a whole and just waste away but he was too much of a fighter for that, it wouldn't work to well. Ooooh... he had no idea what to do about that situation.

[Connie Lynn Marshall]

"Hmm, that is a problem..." Connie murmered softly as she wondered how they could get his money out of his account without his numbers. "I don't know if anyone int he pack can hack into it and drain your funds into a new account. Even if we did do that, it'd set off red flags." She sighed. "There's always work to be found around town. But you would need somewhere to stay." She sighed. She couldn't offer her place, as much as she might want to. Maybe she could talk to Jason.

Would Alex go with staying at the pack house? No, not unless he was willing to be part of the pack. This was a bit of a conundrum. "I'm not sure where you could stay if you had no money though... The only thing I could think of is at the pack house, but I don't think that would be a good idea, since you aren't pack." She sighed, tapping her fingers on the table.

She knew of a few strays around town, but knew that none of them would want to have another stray in their territory. She sighed. She should offer a room here, but didn't like the idea. She didn't mind helping strays, didn't mind giving them her own food and some clothes but... This was her territory, in a way. Even she had problems offering another wolf to stay in her territory. "Maybe we could work something out at the hotel or something?"