My loud complaint only barely took the attention off of the rising hostility, all three of them seemed to be circling each other like tigers would, heads low, eyes trained on them, never quite touching the central point between them, the prickle of electrified aggression filling the room.
I ran in front of them, ignoring the tingling in my skin, the warning that left my hair on end and my fingers trembling slightly. "I said no!" I snapped at all three of them.
Lowell growled even louder, stepping closer to me, as if telling me to get out of the way, with possibly the use of a few more expletives.
Soon the entire house seemed to be filled with the low rumble of their mixed growls, their teeth bared every other second as the massive creatures shifted about the limited space.
Once glance at their fangs did indeed manage to make a man feel stifled, the canines alone were not just large and sharp, it was the knowledge of the power in those jaws that would probably allow them to sink their teeth into flesh as though it were warm butter.
The father, I believe, took a step forward and the sons growled in unison, louder, their heads low, their teeth bared.
"No!" I shouted suddenly, mustering the entire use of my vocal chords and chest.
There was a beat of silence.
"You're not going to transform on my grandparents Persian style carpet that isn't due to be washed for another three years! I promised to take good care of their house! You might transform on your carpets in your home, that's all well and good, but in other people's homes..."
It wasn't like I didn't recognise how ridiculous the situation was, how naturally worrying it was, the massive beasts swaggering about with death in their eyes, it was a matter of standing ones ground for the sake of a near century old carpet.
So when their faces turned back to look at each other and the low rumble started again, the pungent feeling of anger already stifling in the room, nearly brimming with aggression, I was not going to let it go.
"All of you!" I snapped at them, filling my voice with outrage. "Either transform back and we will continue this conversation over tea and biscuits or get out, right now!" My voice got uncommonly loud toward the end, nearly booming across the room, even causing my own heart to slam a little harder in my chest.
It took me a moment longer to even realise that all eyes were on me.
But with the attention on me it took me a moment longer to realise that Jeffrey was half way to to the door, like a ghost trying to blend into the walls, I'd never seen him look so sickly as he tried to edge out of the room, but the moment the door opened the wolf I believed was Bazile swung his head around and growled.
The kind of growl that indicated someone wasn't interested in a civilised discussion, loud enough to fill the room and see Jeff stumble back in shock from the door and nearly trip backwards over the shoe rack.
Griffith turned as well, naturally also competing with Bazile's growl, and just for fun my phone started ringing.
My home phone was a little older than the usual one, though still functioning great, and its remarkable ability to ring so loudly that my grandfather, when he lived here, would complain for the next two weeks for me calling him when he was in the shower or having his breakfast.
And as the loud jangle rang out into the living room, a soundtrack to the growls and mixture of fear and anger and frustration stifling everyone, I saw Jeffrey close to cowering in the corner of the room.
I'd never seen him so petrified before, and while part of me had been indoctrinated into the believe that if they were mated, perhaps they were meant to be, because I could tell no matter what Lowell thought of his brother that was how he felt deep down, I finally realised without a doubt, what an abhorrent predicament my friend was in.
I saw the heavy footsteps of the wolves, Bazile stepping in front of him nearly brushing against him, massive bodies that looked designed to kill, large heads and slanted eyes, a snout transformed by the baring of fangs. I felt the fear coming off of Jeffrey as his eyes became softer, the sweat on his brow.
Everything became very sharp to me.
And suddenly I moved on instinct, leaping between the three wolves and driving myself between them at their level, between even Jeff and Bazile, between him and anyone.
In the forefront of my mind I thought I had to let Jeff get away so he could breathe, because I knew the look he was giving me.
The softening gaze, like he was no longer looking at the scene in front of him. The sweat on his brow and the posture that was deadly still.
If I gave it a moment he would begin to crouch and look up at me with that soft gaze, his face flushed, and if I asked him what the problem was, he would not manage the first consonant of any word through the stuttering.
My friend very rarely had anxiety attacks, and when he did, I had learned what to do, bring him to a quiet isolated area and wait with him while he dealt with it.
But I noticed the changes a moment later than I should have, because the first thing that seemed odd to me was not the fact that the world had shifted into an altered view, but that everyone's eyes were on me.
I suddenly felt as though I could better read the expressions of the wolves, the posture and the intent, that I turned my head and saw Jeff looking at me with wide eyes, not terrified but filled with shock.
I was on all fours, I looked down at my feet and saw paws, the angle of my head was different, seeing the house from a perspective I had never seen before.
I felt the dread somewhere deep in my chest, but shifted back quickly. I did not know how I did it, I only willed myself to, being stuck with shock meaning instinct was carrying my limbs at this point.
The room was quiet.
"Shift back." I told them, my voice quiet and shaken, and Lowell was the first to storm back over to my side.
I looked up at him, now possibly a similar shade to Jeff, though he was naturally a little darker skinned than me.
I shuddered out a breath as he slipped his arms around me, apparently immediately under the impression he needed to hug me, which was definitely not the wrong thing to do. The warmth nearly made my legs weak, and I pushed him back lightly, looking at Jeffrey.
Jeffrey was watching me, not speaking, I wasn't even sure if he could speak or if I'd shocked him out of the attack.
My head felt dizzy. I saw Bazile and his father shift back behind us and I swallowed.
"Sit down everyone." I told them quietly, indicating toward Jeffrey to sit down as well, walking forwards, glancing back at Lowell as he matched my step too closely. "Sit down..." I exhaled.
I looked at Lowell and faced forwards. "You're... You're clearly a bad influence..."
It was meant as a joke, but my words wavered as I aired my shirt and marched toward the kitchen.
Neither of them actually sat down, as I could see from the corner of my eye as we entered the kitchen, but Bazile's sharp gaze stayed pinned on Jeffrey.
"I'm a wolf?" I asked in a quiet voice as I filled the kettle and opened the cupboards to get some biscuits.
"Uhh..." Was Lowell's informative response.
"Is that you?" I asked, finding it suddenly hard to voice my thoughts coherently, or speak above a whisper. "You biting me? That did that? How did I do that?"
Lowell was silent behind me, an image of power yet apparently lost for words watching me as I set some biscuits on a plate, my hands shaking.
He flexed his shoulders as he stretched and took a deep breath, running a hand over his face. "Max, you know both your parents right?"
I felt like I was swimming in water as I turned around to face him, pressed back against the kitchen counter as he stepped up and closed the gap, his legs touching mine as he looked down at me.
"I know them both, there is no way they are anything other than human."
"How... would you know?" He replied carefully, like he was trying to think of a less offensive way to ask, his eyes sharp as he watched me.
I took a shuddering breath. "My mother left early, but she doesn't behave anything like this, and my father... he's... Just no, to either of them, they're terribly normal people, I know my grandparents on both sides. The grandparents from my mothers side I knew less well but one was a communications officer in the navy and another a taxi driver, my fathers grandparents spent their lives working in their pharmacy in Kent. They haven't.. They can't..." I was getting breathless.
"No, you're right." He nodded. "I get it." He put a hand on my shoulder and leaned further in.
I wrapped my arms around him in an instant, burying my face in his chest and inhaling deeply, the irresistible spicy scent, it might have been like every cologne on discount and yet so delicious and so unusual. My heart soared as I breathed in in, his arms wrapping around me, a tickle in my chest, overwhelmed by the relief, some wetness at the corner of my eyes I would blink away before anyone saw.
The kettle clicked loudly and turned to get it and pour it into a teapot with teabags.
"Get some teacups." I ordered him.
He dutifully got them, albeit slowly, with his eyes watching me.
"Your dad is for sure the father though?"
I blinked wide as I looked at him and I saw the regret on his face before my eyes even landed on him and he looked down at the teacups in his hand. "Uh..."
I looked at the clock to the side of him. "I can't..." I took a long inhale and exhale, still shaken. "I can't believe it's only five thirty."
He exhaled slowly and looked at the pot. "I don't think my father's going to want to drink tea."
I swallowed, taking the teapot and the plate with me as I headed out the door. "If he doesn't I'll throw it at him."
[A/N] Thank you warmly for the support from my patrons ! ♡ ৻( ˵˙ᵕ˙˵ ৻) ✧
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