I watched him expand into his huge, hulking, hairless European Werewolf body.

  (Small Fry Chapter 4)

I watched him expand into his huge, hulking, hairless European Werewolf body.  His hands and feet grew into claws, which left heavy imprints in the snow, as his skin hardened into hide over ripples of supernatural muscle.  His bones creaked and cracked, as his bipedal human body adjusted to a four-legged form, with his skull growing a short, stubby snout over razor-sharp jaws.  His eyes were glowing green with his circular pupils turning into narrow slits.

He fell forwards from standing in an upright position on his hind legs, to all-fours.  But before he could run away, I instantaneously phased to stand directly in his path.   I appeared in a bright flash right in front of him.

“Declan!” I cupped his beastly head in the both of my hands.  My dark blue eyes desperately tried to hold his glowing green ones.  “Declan please, let’s just talk about this.”

He snapped his dangerous jaws to try to make me move aside, but I refused to budge. 

NOT NOW! - he thought my way.

“I’m not going to pack my bags and leave.  You just scare me sometimes, especially when I see your behaviour is the same as your kind.  But ultimately I trust you, I do.”

LIKEWISE, B - He emitted a dissatisfied growl, as he replied –YOUR ONE-TRACK MIND DOESN’T JUST SCARE ME, IT PISSES ME OFF!

“Then let’s talk about this -” I tried again. 

But he rose up onto his hind legs so he could tower over his wife.  Like this, he was almost twice my height and three times as wide.  However, I stood my ground, as I looked upon his monstrous appearance.

ADMIT IT, IF YOU EVER HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN ME AND THE BABY – he thought bitterly –  I WOULDN’T GET A SECOND GLANCE!

“No…” my eyes watered from my emotional pain as well as the icy air, “…Declan, you’re my mate always and forever.”

THAT’S SUPPOSEDLY WHY YOU CHANGED ME INTO A CIRCULATOR, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY SIGN OF THIS! – he let out a vicious snarl.

“Then lets go inside and talk about this properly.”  I pleaded, as I started to shiver.  “C’mon Declan, please?”

This gave him pause when he saw me rub my arms to stave off hypothermia.

He picked me up in his two front claws, to lift me into a tight embrace.  I appreciated being squeezed against his hot, hard body, whilst I struggled to wrap my arms about his huge, hulking shoulders.  His hot, wet tongue even licked my stinging cheeks.  But just as I was starting to warm up, he lowered me to my feet again.

GO INSIDE AND SIT BY THE FIRE – he left as his parting thought.

Suddenly, in the speed of light, he bolted off on all-fours out of the snowy yard.  I barely managed to catch a bush quake, from where he brushed past.  The snow sprinkled off the leaves to join the rest on the ground beside.

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“You saw what other male European Werewolves were like and you immediately cowered from me.”

  (Small Fry Chapter 4)

It wasn’t long afterwards I instantaneously phased the three of us back to tribal lands.  Ki picked up his medicine bundle he had left in our lounge area, as Declan crossed his arms and glared at him.  I wasn’t sure why at first, but I soon found out. 

“I suppose you’re going to give Caesar the news of what you saw in the Viewing Room today?”  My husband asked knowingly.

Ki paused on his way out the front door, to look his way.  “Yes, I’ll be stopping by Caesar’s house on my way home.”

“Isn’t that just peachy,” he grumbled.

“What’s wrong?”  I queried, looking from my husband to our Medicine Man.  “Why do you have to tell Caesar what you saw?”

Ki looked from me, to my husband then back my way.  “He’s not only our First, but he’s your family, Aunt B.  After our check-ups, I give him updates of both the mother and baby’s progress.”

“What?” I looked taken aback.  “Doesn’t privacy or confidentiality mean anything around here?!”

“YOU’RE pissed off?”  Declan arched his eyebrows.  “I’m the one who’s about to be branded a baby killer!”

This made me feel bad as I sensed my mate was starting to feel like he was being punished for a crime he hadn’t committed.  It seemed like we were taking one step forwards then two steps back, with this pregnancy.  Having so many people involved let alone the parents-to-be, only made things worse.

“Ki,” I walked up to him, so I could look him right in the eye as I said this. “I DON’T have any bad feelings about this pregnancy.  Also, I don’t have any warning feelings that I’m in danger from Declan, either.  So can you please stop running to Caesar and blabbing about us?!”

I could see my words affected him as he momentarily looked on, guiltily.

“I’m sorry Aunt B, but I’ve been given a direct order from my First to tell him everything that occurs with this pregnancy.”  He said softly, before he passed my mate a knowing look.  “Uncle Declan appreciates this, especially since he’s Second.  When our First gives an order, we follow it.”

The two exchanged a long look, before my mate said, “Let Ki go.”

Then our Medicine Man along with his medicine bundle departed via the front door.  I watched him go before I looked defeated, towards my mate.

“How come every time I speak up in your defence, you side with the pack over your wife?”  I asked, hurt.

“Then how come you side with the baby over your husband?”  He returned.  “You saw what other male European Werewolves were like and you immediately cowered from me.  B, you looked at me today like I was a monster, when all I’ve done was try to keep you safe.”

I marched over to where he was standing so our eyes could clash, as well as our words. 

“Declan, I got scared because I saw you do exactly what those other male European Werewolves did; you tried to eliminate your young!”

“No B, I tried to protect my mate.”  He said firmly.  “If I was acting like the males of my species, I would have knocked you up and disappeared.  Then I’d come back after the baby was born and I wouldn't care if you lived or died, when I came to eliminate my young!”

We stood there in a tense manner, with the both of us so angry, neither of us could back down.  Or so I thought, until after a moment he abruptly turned around.  He walked towards the backdoor whilst undressing.

“What are you doing?” I watched warily.

“I’m going hunting,” he spoke as he stripped.  “I’m so angry right now, I have to tear into something!” 

“Hunting?”  I echoed.

“While I’m gone, I’m sure you’re going to pack your bags and run away as usual.  Right now, I’m so sick of this pregnancy that I wouldn't care if I returned to an empty house!”

“Declan -” I started after him, but he flung open the door and stepped naked, out into the snow.

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