Plead with Tegan to be released

“We must get out of here,” Adella says. “Do you see any sign of Tegan?”

“Is that him?” she answers, pointing toward to the stable. The ladies look and see Tegan’s form emerging from the darkness. He walks with difficulty, as if overcome with pain. As he gets closer, they see him pull off his shirt and throw it to the ground.

“Tegan, please release us,” pleads Adella. “We know what you are, and I beg you, do not do this! We are but innocent travelers!”

Tegan speaks through labored breathing. “It’s nothing personal, ladies. I’m very sorry. You both seem to be very nice, and any other time of the month, I’d be most content to spend a pleasant evening with you. But what is happening now is beyond my control, and your arrival can only be fate. If you had not stumbled across my path, I would have **** but to prey upon someone else, and far better that it be a stranger to these parts than a neighbor whose family might take ****.”

As he speaks, he removes the rest of his clothing and casts it aside like his shirt. The ladies can see the moonlight reflecting off the perspiration of his skin. His chest heaves as he struggles to breathe. The nearby horses, apparently aware of what is happening, grow increasingly louder in their expressions of fear.

“He’s coming toward the door,” says Courtney. “Help me block it!” She scrambles to find anything in the home she can move in front of the door. Even as she does, Adella realizes it is a pointless exercise; anything light enough for them to move could be easily cast aside by a werewolf.

“Give me my sword,” she says. Courtney retrieves the sword, and, handing it to the princess, says, “It is of no use. Unless the blade is made of silver, it will have little effect on him and will only serve to enrage him.”

Adella unsheathes the sword anyway, brandishing it and preparing for combat.

They hear a sound at the door and realize that Tegan has unlocked it. Again Adella cries out to him. “In the name of all that is decent, have mercy on us, Master Tegan! Tell us what you want — what you need — I can get it for you!”

The voice that responds can hardly be recognized as Tegan’s. It is far deeper, raspier, and animal-like. “I know you have what I need!” He then cries out in an anguished howl. The ladies look out the window and see Tegan drop to his knees, doubled over in **** physical distress.

All attempts at escape cease for a moment as they watch, transfixed, by the sight before their eyes. In the light of the full moon, they see ridges form along Tegan’s spine. Muscles obscenely expand beneath his pale, sweat-covered skin, and for a moment, it appears as if his flesh will explode, unable to contain the additional bulk.

They see hair sprout and grow rapidly all over his body. Soon the pale body is replaced with a dark, furry, morphing mass of limbs. He stretches out on the ground and lifts his body with his hands and feet. His knees bend in the wrong direction, and the women are certain they are about to hear the sickening sound of bones breaking, when suddenly the legs transform into those of a wolf. Tegan stands, looking upward at the moon, and at that moment his face transforms with a snout jetting forward from his mouth and nose and his ears morphing into canine form. He opens his mouth, and they see a long tongue emerge as long, sharp teeth extend past his lips.

A final wave of transformation passes through his body, from head to toe, as muscles complete their formation. When that wave reaches his waist, they watch, transfixed, as his genitals expand and thicken. For once, Courtney makes no vocal observations about a penis, despite the fact that she now sees the largest one of her life.

When the transformation is complete, the creature shakes itself and faces the house, its eyes glowing green in the reflected light of the moon.

It takes a few tentative steps toward the front door when a sound from behind distracts him. It is the horses, bucking and kicking at the side walls, trying to free themselves.

With a speed that is almost too fast to follow, the werewolf spins around and bounds toward the stable. The ladies hear a crash, a snarl, and then the ear-splitting sound of a horse’s scream and flesh being torn to shreds. Moments later, they see the dark shape of the werewolf dragging part of the corpse of one of the horses toward the trees.

Thinking quickly, Adella says, “The door is unlocked. We can get away now if we hurry while the beast is distracted.”

“We cannot outrun a werewolf!” says Courtney.

“Not on foot, perhaps, but we still have one of the horses. Surely a horse can outrun the beast if we get enough of a head start.”

“I don’t know,” answers her friend, doubtfully. “Perhaps it will have more than its fill by eating the horse. And if not, it may eat the other one when it comes back. Perhaps we will be safe in here.”

“But you said that once it eats, it will be driven by its compulsion to mate. Isn’t that true?”

“That’s what they say,” says Courtney, “but perhaps that is just legend, intended to scare young children. You saw that thing! There was no reason in its eyes — it is a wild beast!”

“Well, we must do something,” says Adella.