Chapter 19. The first transformation.

Gavin felt electrified all over. His emotions and instincts were going haywire. He felt an unbridled rage, a determination to cause bloodshed and violence. He sat on the stump across from Erza and violently shook all over as he struggled to get hold of himself. 

"Veronica, what is going on?" Gavin asked internally. 

"You are experiencing violent emotions from your inner wolf. The first time you shifted, these emotions are what consumed you and the fear of your acknowledged mate being harmed is what triggered the shift. These are the emotions that you must gain control of. Unfortunately, I am unable to help in this regard. The strength to do this must come from you." Veronica's cool presence filled his mind with her answer as she pulled away. 

Great, so much an all-powerful sentient AI, Gavin mused to himself as he struggled on the stump. He focused back on the breathing techniques Erza just went over with him. 

"Gavin, you have to calm down. You have to focus. Control your manaflow. Calm your emotions or the wolf will take over," she urged him. Erza was worried, and almost afraid at what she saw. Gavin was visibly shaking as he sat on the stump. His eyes were closed and a bead of sweat fell down the side of his face. He was struggling to remain in control. His mana was going everywhere. The very energy was surging through the campsite. Aria and Lyla stood nearby to intervene if necessary and Tessa looked on in horror at what she could feel coming off her best friend. 

Gavin took a deep breath. He inhaled through the nose. He held it for a few seconds and then exhaled through his mouth. He would gain control over this. He would beat down his wolf and obtain the power of this beast. He remembered back to the night in the studio. When Erza and he went up against three armed men. It had been coming back to him in bits and pieces. He remembered the feeling of fear. The sounds of the gunshots echoed in the apartment as the shots rang out back and forth. He took another breath, held it, then released it slowly. He felt his heart rate coming back down. His blood pressure was lowered. His body was calming down as he relieved that memory. 

He recalled the smell of sweat and blood in the apartment. The sight of Aria, lying face first on the ground, unmoving, a pool of her own blood underneath her. Erza's angry shouts as she took shots at the men. Gavin shook his head as he recalled the surge of anger and wrath that overtook him as he witnessed a gunshot almost hit her in the head. Then he remembered the feeling that took over him. 

He felt that electrical energy surging through his body. His manaflow was wild and chaotic during that first shift. But his muscles and nerves vividly knew what to do. He took another breath. He focused on his surroundings as he kept his eyes closed. Erza kept trying to offer soothing words to walk him through this. He heard the sound of running water in the nearby river. The rustle of leaves as the wind picked up through the trees. His own hair brushed across his forehead as he sat on the tree stump. He felt his manaflow freely inside his body and moving through his nerves. 

Erza sat there somewhat surprised. She witnessed Gavin's attempt at gaining control over the emotions. His wild and chaotic mana was slowly pulled back internally, and the pressure in the area had lessened. Her own feline cat recognized his power and strength, and he hadn't even shifted yet. She recognized that he was a powerful and fearsome beast. One to be watched. She fought against her own animal instincts as she watched him go through the breathing exercises. He was struggling and fighting to gain control, and she thought he was succeeding. 

Gavin opened his eyes as he looked at Erza."I think I'm getting this under control. Is it always this much of a struggle?" he asked her softly as his face was laced with mental exhaustion. 

Erza shook her head. "Maybe it has to do with the different species, but when I was taught, this didn't happen." she said softly as she watched him curiously. 

"The wolf is so angry, so wrathful. It wants nothing but blood, destruction and carnage," Gavin said softly as he focused his attention internally. 

Erza nodded, "It kind of makes sense. The wolf is alot more of a feral beast than my cat," she said trying to make sense of this. 

"Here, I want you to try something," she said and paused, waiting for his attention before she continued. "I want you to close your eyes, and visualize your inner canine. Let it rise to the surface. Imagine the sensation of fur growing over your body. Feel the bones shifting, your muscles reforming to adapt to your new form. It will be like awakening a dormant part of yourself." Her voice dropped to a soothing whisper, and she closed her eyes as she continued to guide him through the mental transformation, her own mana and energy resonating with the primal power of the wild wolf inside him. 

Gavin closed his eyes again. He remembered what happened that day all over again. He pictured in his mind's eye what they had all described to him what he looked like. A large terrifying black wolf. He stood tall on two legs, his shoulders broad and imposing. His arms and legs are lean, long and fit. It was a body made for speed and agility versus brute strength. 

Erza's eyes fluttered open, her amber rises now glowed with a soft, ethereal light. She gazed at Gavin with an intense, yet gentle expression, sensing the shift once again in his energy. "That's it, Gavin. You're getting closer. Feel the change happening within you, the surge of power and vitality. The wolf's image is vivid, isn't it? Let that vision consume you, become one with it." she encouraged as she reached out to give his hands a comforting squeeze. This time the energy wasn't as chaotic and malevolent as he focused on the image of his wolf. 

Gavin felt his senses sharpen. His hearing became more acute. His sense of smell was stronger. Then a new pain started spreading throughout his body. It felt like his very blood was on fire as his body began to shift. He felt his legs elongate, his chest and back growing in size and muscle mass. His arms became long and lean with razor-sharp claws at the end. A thick fluffy tail sprouted from his lower back. His head grew in length to a wolf's canine snout, his teeth razor sharp like a predator. Black fur erupted over his entire body, soft and warm to the touch. 

Gavin shook from the physical drain of the transformation. He was able to stay conscious and in control of his emotions this time. The wolf's anger was still ther, palpable in its intensity. But Gavin was able to maintain a calm mental clarity as he sought control over this inherent power. He opened his eyes to look at Erza. She had shifted in response to the primal energy she felt from him. She sat on the stump, beautiful white as snow fur covered her body as her glowing amber eyes fixed on him with concern, and something else. 

Erza gasped in surprise as Gavin opened his eyes. No longer were they the piercing blue she had fallen in love with. Now they were a horrifying crimson red, the color of blood. They glowed with a primal, animalistic intensity, as if in response to the power contained within his body. Aria and Lyla had also shifted. Unsure if Gavin was the one in control or not, they moved to step in front of Tessa, their red and brown fur-covered bodies providing a small measure of protection for the normal human girl. "Gavin, is that you in control?" she asked softly as she stood up from the tree stump and walked the few feet over to her partner. 

Gavin swallowed hard. He had never felt such power and freedom before in his life. His body felt riddled with untouched strength. Like he was top dog. Top alpha. He shook his head to clear it of those idiotic thoughts. He had some power, he would not let it change him, or make him act out because of it. He didn't have the training or experience to be a cocky jerk to others. He looked at Erza and saw her beautiful feline form. She didn't shift all that often, and every time she did it took his breath away when he looked at her. 

She stood there in front of him. Her fur was white as snow under her clothes as she looked at him with concern, love and worry in her amber gaze. "Baby, are you in there?" she asked him again. 

Gavin realized he was gawking at his girl and he grinned woflishly at her, flashing his canines as he did so. "Yeah baby, sorry. I got distracted by your shifting," he said sheepishly as he admired her beauty. Her tail swished back and forth in irritation at his response as her eyes narrowed. 

"Get your mind out of the gutter, we have work to do." she chastised him, but there was no venom in her words. She smiled warmly though at his words. He always knew what to say to charm her. Maybe that was part of why she fell in love with this boy.

Her feline senses were on edge as she stood so close to the feral beast in front of her. The animal in her appreciated the magnitude of his aura that was radiating off his body. She purred in deep satisfaction as she appreciated that this beast was hers. 

Gavin leaned back in surprise as he looked at her. Did she just? No... No way she just... "Did you... just purr at me?" he asked with laughter and mirth in his voice. 

She stood there, mouth open, small little feline fangs shining in the sunlight. "Oh my god... Shut up. That did not happen," she said, embarrassed at both what she did and being caught. 

Gavin laughed as he looked at her. He felt a good deal in control of his wolf's form. He could feel that shift slowly draining his manaflow over time. But it wasn't anything exceptional at the moment. He looked down at his arms and body and took note of what he looked like. It was strange to see black fur covering his body. He rubbed his hands up and down his arms, getting a feel for it. His fur was so soft to the touch. "Damn, I should just shave off the fur and make a blanket out of this," he jokingly said as he looked up to see Aria and Lyla walking over with Tessa behind. He noticed the apprehension as they hesitatingly walked forward closer to Erza and himself. 

"It's alright guys. I think I have control of the wolf now," Gavin said and offered them a playful grin. The wind started picking up, and his fur rustled against his body. "But holy cow, everything is sharper. All my senses feel like they are electrified on a whole other level," Gavin said as he walked around camp and got a feel for his new form. 

Erza walked over with a grin on her adorable face. "Wanna go for a run baby?" she asked him as she reached out to take his hand.

 Gavin smiled as he saw Erza's outstretched hand. He was actually excited to go for a run as a werewolf. He loved going on runs. That was the main reason he took cross-country as a sport all four years of high school. He enjoyed the peace and serenity that came with a good long run. Nothing but you and the path, no stress, no worries, everything melts away as you put your feet to the ground. 

He looked over to see Aria and Lyla grinning as they stepped up. They both seemed to admire Gavin's fierce werewolf form. Tessa, on the other hand, looked absolutely terrified of Gavin. She stayed hidden behind Aria's red werecat form as best as she could. Gavin said softly as she approached, "Hey it's still me, buttmunch." He thought teasing her softly like he normally did might relax her and ease some of the fear from her eyes. 

The barest hint of a smile played at the corners of her lips as Aria, Lyla and Erza all turned to look at the frightened human. Erza reached her hand out to gently grab Tessa's in her fur-covered hand. "It's alright, Tessa. Our boy is in full control at the moment, aren't you baby?" Erza asked quietly as she offered her friend a reassuring squeeze on her hand. Gavin stayed where he was. 

He didn't want to make any fast movements. The last thing he wanted was to frighten his oldest friend. The fear slowly faded from her eyes as she took a step forward, Erza right by her side. The smell of her body wash and shampoo filled Gavin's sensitive nose. Tessa always favored a fruity smell when she showered. She had showered at his house plenty of times growing up when she crashed over for study sessions or their weekly hang out nights. Gavin tried to offer her as soft and comforting a smile as he could. He was still getting used to moving in this new body of his. He hoped the flash of fang wasn't too much for her at the moment. 

Tessa swallowed hard, her mouth and throat incredibly dry as she looked at the towering beast in front of her. She knew Erza and the others wouldn't let anything happen to her, but she couldn't help but feel a tinge of fear at the overwhelming size and primal power that was emitted from him. She was only a human, yet she could still feel the energy his body radiated from every breath he took. She raised her right arm, her left hand still gripped Erza's soft hand tightly. She reached out to feel Gavin's soft fur against her palm. The fur on his body tickled the skin of her hand. "So soft, you feel like the ultimate cuddly teddy bear," she said quietly as she stroked his cheek with her hand. She couldn't believe how soft his fur was. 

Gavin grinned as he looked at Tessa. He had the sudden, childish urge to jerk forward and scream, "BOO" just to mess with her. But he knew she would be all kinds of unholy and angry over that little stunt. So he stayed where he was, opting to give her the time she needed to reassure herself that this was her best friend still. This was Gavin, the boy she had grown up with since sixth grade. Tessa suddenly blushed as she realized everyone was watching her stroke Gavin's soft fur along his snout. "Sorry," she mumbled out in embarrassment as she pulled back her hand.

Erza squeezed her hand softly as she looked on at Tessa. "See? He's just a big scary dog, all bark and no bite," she said to Tessa in a teasing way about Gavin.

"Hey!" Gavin said in protest as he wiped his head in her direction. The childish protest and action caused Tessa to smile widely, and a laugh bubbled up from inside her. 

"Okay, yup. That's definitely the annoying jerkface I know." Her laughter was infectious and did wondrous things to lighten up the mood of the campsite. 

Gavin walked around camp slowly. It was going to take a little bit for him to get comfortable in his new body. His legs and arms were longer, he realized, he was standing taller than he did as his normal body. Surprisingly, his jeans still fit around his waist, though they were a bit tighter than they should have been. He looked down and noticed his feet were larger as well. His claws ripped straight through the sneakers he had on. So he couldn't wear shoes when he wanted to shift. Good to know. He would store that knowledge away for use later on. 

Lyla looked over to watch Gavin walk around the camp and suddenly burst out laughing. Erza, Tessa and Aria looked at her confused. "His shoes... He ripped through them," she said as she pointed at Gavin's feet that were poking through the material of his shoes. The others just started snickering at the absurdity of a big bad werewolf that tore his shoes apart with his own feet. The image was, indeed, quite hysterical. 

Gavin turned at the sound of their sneakers and laughter and noticed they were pointing and looking at his feet and the shoes that were now ruined. "Oh ha ha, very funny you guys," he complained at them as he walked back. He felt the slow drain of mana as he kept up his werewolf form. It wasn't super drastic like last time were he only kept the form up for a few explosive minutes while he neutralized the threats against his mate. He got a feeling, an emotional response from his wolf every time he looked at Erza. It was as if even his wolf recognized Erza as his chosen partner, or in the wolf's eyes, his mate. Perhaps that was how they forged such a strong and unique bond over the years. Things to ponder another day. Right now, he wanted to enjoy this feeling of strength and power in his body as he worked to get stronger and learn to control this form one hundred percent. 

Erza was delighted inwardly. Unlike the others, she had seen his first transformation at the studio. The wolf was so frightening and brutal in its fight. The armed men stood no chance against him once he had shifted. She still remembered the look of shock, fear and anger on the man's face as Gavin shoved his arm through the man's chest and exited through the back, clutching the still-beating heart in his black fist. She shook her head as she tried to dispel that memory. She feared she would never forget the events of that day, for a multitude of reasons. She shifted back to her human body. She grabbed a hair tie out of her pocket and pulled her hair back behind her in a loose ponytail. 

"Let's get the rest of the camp set up, then we can work on testing you for magic abilities," she instructed as she took off her hoody and threw it over one of the picnic tables. 

Gavin nodded as he stepped forward. She placed her hand out on his chest to stop him. "You, however, have to stay as a wolf for now. Get used to the feeling of your body shifted. The more time you spend in your shifted body, the less the mana drain affects you. You become more proficient, so to speak, to the point that you can last longer in your shifted body," she informed Gavin of his specific marching orders. 

Gavin cocked his head as he considered that information, "Yeah, okay, like working a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets, right?" he asked as he looked at her. 

She nodded in response. "That's right. The more practice you get shifting and being in your shifted body, not only will you gradually grow in control and strength. But the mana drain will also become less and less on your body. Until the point that you don't even notice the drain and can fight in your shifted body, even using magic as you do so," she told him. She had to force herself not to keep starring at him. Even as a wolf, she still recognized his handsome features. The strong set of his jaw, his lean and nimble physique. His eyes may be that terrifying crimson blood-red, but she still saw his blue eyes as a normal human body. 

"With your current manaflow level, I estimate that you can keep this form up like this for about another hour," Veronica informed Gavin. Her cool presence washed over his mind as she spoke. 

"Only for an hour?" Gavin asked her internally, disappointment crept into this mental voice. 

"Unfortunately, yes. That will be all your current level of strength will allow you to do. As you grow stronger, like she said, you will be able to keep your body shifted for longer periods of time," she responded to his questioning voice. The cooling water-like presence faded from his mind as she withdrew from Gavin's consciousness. 

The group began to walk around the camp. They set the coolers with the food and drink over next to the picnic table as they each picked up a spot to set up a tent. Gavin had never honestly set up a tent before, and it was obvious that he struggled. Erza laughed softly as she walked over and took the tent poles from his hand. "Here, let me help you," she said as she easily guided him through setting up the tent next to hers. 

He huffed in embarrassment. Or at least he tried to. In his wolf's body it came out more as a low guttural growl. The sound caught Erza's attention as it made the cat inside her purr in appreciation. "What kind of sound was that supposed to be?" she teased him. "You have struggles setting up a tent, so you sound like you want to burn and eat the fabric for daring to give you problems," she gently ribbed him to cover up her interest in him. 

"Oh shut up," he snapped at her before he cracked a wide toothy grin at her. "Not my fault," he said defensively as Aria and Lyla laughed over by their tents. Erza just shook her head as she walked over to her SUV and pulled out a wooden chest. She carried it over to the table and sat it down before she opened it. Gavin felt the drain worsen on his mana, so he decided to close his eyes and picture his human body, ending the expenditure of manaflow and shifting back to his normal appearance. 

Erza sucked in her breath as Gavin shifted back unexpectedly. She did not expect him to last as long as he did in all actuality. She was proud of her little wolf-boy. "Well done babe, that was longer than I thought you'd have lasted." Erza said happily as she watched Gavin walk over to the picnic table. She could see the exhaustion on his face now that he was human again. 

He nodded to her tiredly. "Thanks, I started to actually feel the mana drain. My limbs felt heavy, it was like I suddenly had no energy to move or do anything. So I figured that was close enough to my limit for now and wanted to play it safe, so I didn't pass out again," he said as he sat down on the bench at the table. 

She frowned as she looked at him. She could see the exhaustion written all over his face. His forehead had a small layer of sweat that glistened in the sunlight. She noticed the sweat stains on his chest and back of his shirt. "We should wait and do the magic test tomorrow, let your mana recover tonight," she said thoughtfully. She wanted to help him, but she wasn't going to let him put himself at risk for doing any training right now. 

Gavin frowned but kept his mouth shut. That alone told Erza just how tired he was from the mana drain. "Now, let's get a fire going and get us some food cooking," she said cheerily as her stomach rumbled loudly.