Moon Phase 8

"It's an enhancer called Houndstooth," the vendor explained. At Wellesley's blank look he continued.

"It grants you the ability to transform into your wolf form on nights outside of the full moon. It is strictly only to be used in emergencies. Situations you can't get out of using your human form." The vendor explained as Luciana focused on gingerly packaging the box holding what looked like four more containers of the same liquid.

'The opposite of what Lucifugus gave me, I see'. He blinked dully.

"How long does it... Last?" He asked carefully.

"It depends on your stamina and the dosage. On average it lasts two hours. No one's ever needed that long of course. You might last two hours with a swallow. Or if you can handle it and you're lucky, you might last four." He said with a not-so-kind smile.

Wellesley gulped nervously. He almost started to hand it back.

"You can make a list of things to pick up from your home tomorrow." Luciana noted carrying most of the stuff she'd bought as they headed to a small coffee shop. The name read Ghéiradelï, which made him recall the similarly spelled expensive winter food (chocolate) supply store his father used to take him to. Thinking about all the spending she was doing and that she expected him to keep some of it made his head spin. He gently squeezed the bottles in his pants pocket. The Houndstooth and the more or less gift from Lucifugus.

"Hi Felicity, the Regular for me, and a orange slushy for him," Luciana said.

He blushed as he realized that she remembered that one time he bought a orange slushy on a school field trip. He wondered if it would be bad to ask if she thought he was childish for liking that.

The girl, Felicity, likely a werewolf too, smiled gently and placed the order.

"Oh! also a giant pretzel and an apple pie," Luciana added.

"Oh? Stressful day I take it?" Felicity asked with a friendly smile. Her green eyes reflected the lights in the coffee shop brilliantly.

"A little," Luciana nodded. Wellesley just looked between them. 'Seems like she definitely knows everyone here,' he observed. He didn't even know half the people at the arcade, much less why they were really attacked.

"What about all my stuff that was still at the Arcade?" Wellesley asked.

"It'll be held by the Supernatural Investigators." Luciana remarked. "After you're registered properly you can probably go get it," she said as she paid and handed the barista a tip.

He touched his face to facepalm at his situation and suddenly became aware as he sped ran the memories of the attack at the arcade that he never got his glasses.

"My ... My glasses??! I'm not wearing them?" He started to panic. "How could I possibly have forgotten them?"

"Have you had any problems seeing without them since the attack?" Luciana asked.

Wellesley looked horrified. Then his expression relaxed in amazement and confusion.

"Well no..." Wellesley muttered.

"Then you don't need to worry about it," Luciana commented. She had folded her napkin into an airplane. Wellesley had fidgeted his into one of those paper boats.

"But what about when I need to put this day behind me? What about keeping up appearances of being normal?" He demanded.

At that moment the orders were done.

"Blackwater! I have your order ready!" Felicity announced.

"Just say you invested in contacts to see if they work for you," Luciana stared as she left to go retrieve the desserts and drinks.

"But what about my mother? I don't have money for contacts!" he protested.

How was he going to explain that he lost some two hundred dollar glasses?

Luciana came back with a tray holding a partially wrapped steaming pretzel, a equally steaming container from which he could smell from the aroma as apple pie and two drinks. One was of course the orange slushy, in a medium sized cup, the other was a

He picked up the straw and peeled off the wrapper, dimly poking it into the top of the cup.

He swallowed and tried to enjoy the drink Luciana bought him.

He watched as she placed the apple pie in the bag which he could see through the cellophane plastic window on it.

*You're not going to eat the apple pie?" he asked after having watched her wolf -pun intended- down the pretzel.

"It's for someone whose weakness is apples," she remarked cryptically.

Wellesley blinked owlishly.

"Um is there a specific drug like.. Houndstooth that does the opposite? That weakens werewolves or their abilities?" Wellesley tried to ask as innocently as he could manage. It wasn't that he distrusted Lucifugus. He simply wanted to be sure he knew what he was consuming.

"Sure there's a drug called wolfsbane. It's perfectly legal and is even medicinal. Different types of the medicine, different modifications of it have different strengths. Some only weaken select abilities, some target all and some can temporarily nullify everything that paints you as a werewolf," she supplied.

"It's usually in shades of light purple or blue," she said, opening a zebra print compact makeup mirror.

"But people only take wolfsbane if they are unhappy with their lives as werewolves, on the run, have a minor illness or are just like my brother," Luciana shrugged and looked in her compact mirror as she wiped her mouth.

"yeah speaking of that, why is everyone telling me to avoid Lucifugus- um the guy I was talking to earlier," Wellesley asked then clarified at Luciana's blank facial expression.

Luciana looked at him. "My brother? How did you know his name?"

"He told me when I asked..?" He said nervously. He bit back the fact that that was what she called him.

"Lucifugus is ...avoided because he's not a normal wolf like the rest of us. Not anymore,"Luciana frowned.

Wellesley looked curious. "How so ..?"

"He harbors and is little more than a vessel to a strange entity known as Bandersnatch." She answered then shook her head as if to shake away the bad memories. Or the subject altogether.

"Bandersnatch is a horrible monster, probably created as an experimental Nosferatu vampire. Or by them, they are always experimenting with other creatures. The point is, he's dangerous. Even the elders and the Lycan monarchy don't know what to do with him," Luciana remarked.

"Your brother doesn't act scary or dangerous," Wellesley remarked.

"That is just him trying to be on his best behavior. You might say my brother is a strange wolf. Not too many people can say they're a werewolf with a near obsessive fondness for apples," Luciana remarked with a short laugh.

"I should get you home it'll be dinner in a while and I'll be scolded for the snacks and desserts,"

"Home?" His heart almost leapt into his throat. He could tell his mother about everything and they could work out this new shift in their lives-

"Yes your new home, the cabins where all the Transmogrified ones and new wolves reside," Luciana affirmed.

His heart sank.

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"I'm Freya, I'll be taking care of you and the other new pups," Freya stated. She was a light brown skinned woman with a face that implied she enjoyed smiling and did it often. Her hair looked thick and curly, barely contained under the dark teal ribbon holding it. Her dress was a matching dark teal with sleeves that came to her elbow. Her dress was just over the knee, allowing view for her brown calf length boots. It was obvious Freya wasn't around his age, but he wouldn't call her old.

He felt like he could tolerate the pup nickname, if it was said with as much warmth and kindness in the tone used by Freya.

"This is your temporary cabin until you can move into your rental apartment and make your own living." She guestured to a well kept cabin with bushes and honeysuckle around the front.

Wellesley collapsed on the free bed on the bottom, noting the other three had some toy or book on them signifying they were taken.

"What a long painful day," he sighed.

His eyes closed for a short nap, he felt tired and he'd be too frazzled to think of doing much else.

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It was the next morning when Wellesley awoke and he knew this by the scent of morning dew on the outside of the cabin. He grimaced as he changed out of his pajamas. He didn't remember putting them on but he likely did "I totally slept through dinner last night, I hope no one expected me."

When Lucifugus approached he stared at Wellesley's face curiously. Wellesley felt nervous at the intense gaze and began to back up.

"You might want to take that medicine I gave you," he said still staring.

"Oh-- " Wellesley grabbed the vial in his pocket wondering what was wrong.

He swallowed the tart drop as it slid down his throat, unconsciously grimacing as the few powers granted to him already were quickly nullified.

"What was wrong? Is it gon-" Wellesley tried to ask.

"Hey Wellesley! Have you eaten breakfast yet?" Luciana asked in the distance, stoping Wellesley's question.

"Oh shit...!" Lucifugus blurted stepping back a few steps and tried to look only mildly interested in what Wellesley was doing. Startled, Wellesley replaced the vial quickly in just enough time to see Luciana walk up, a mildly cross look on her face.

"Hello.. Luciana, did something happen..?" He asked, purposely sounding only half interested. Wellesley wanted to compliment his acting skills.

"Oh I see you're able to talk now." Luciana muttered.Wellesley flinched on behalf of his new.... associate. He wasn't sure if they were really friends yet.

Lucifugus clearly heard it too because he winced.

Next to her was another werewolf who smiled warmly at Wellesley. He was similar to the werewolf that attacked him in that he had his ears and tail out. But this one had lighter brown fur. He wore a aviator jacket over a brown shirt decorated with white paw and footprints.

Gulping down the odd association his mind made, Wellesley started to return the smile but caught the warning of Lucifugus who was frantically shaking his head.

"I'm Holter Parris," Holter smiled nonchalantly. "You must be the new pup, Wellesley Guillotine,"

Wellesley bristled at the pup comment. He didn't like the nickname "um. Yes. Hi? Don't call me that, maybe?" He tried.

"I see you've met our resident oddball Lucifugus," he remarked slinging an arm around Lucifugus's shoulders.

"Ugh get away from me, you invasive fu--" Lucifugus protested disgusted. He deadpanned and started to push the arm off himself.

"Now, now none of that," Holter smiled.

Wellesley just watched cluelessly as the two three barbed comments at each other.

"Don't you have some girl to annoy?" Lucifugus asked Holster.

"Don't feel jealous because of my natural charisma, charisma you would have if you weren't like this--" he commented.

"What charisma? I thought you had harassment charges that your dad had to come buy off," Lucifugus glowered hatefully.

Wellesley stepped backwards. His eyes widened.

"That was a rumor, one I suspect you started, Lucifugus," Holter returned.

"Why would I waste my time and energy talking to people about you?" Lucifugus narrowed his eyes.

"We've had the same argument before! You know why."

"No tell me," Lucifugus demanded. Wellesley couldn't help but wonder if Lucifugus was genuinely angry or if it was part of the act.

"Don't you have somewhere to be, beta Lucifugus?" Holter returned.

Luciana looked at her stacks of papers. Not objecting to the comment or agreeing.

Wellesley felt like the word had significance given the time but he honestly had no idea what it meant.

Lucifugus in question bit his lip and looked like he was thinking about it.

"I can't leave the official community grounds without supervision, where could I possibly go?" He asked casually.

"That's your problem," Holter huffed indignantly and reached for Wellesley who automatically recoiled.

"It's yours since you opened your mouth and let nonsensical air come out. And don't throw around my gender like it's an award announcement," Lucifugus huffed. He shoved past both of them.