Simon unlocked the front door and jogged around the house to the backyard. When he got to the woods at the edge of the property he paused, listening. He was fairly certain that if Chloe was with Derek, his overprotective brother would insist they stay close to the house in case of danger. As he walked quietly into the trees, he heard the faint sounds of voices somewhere to his right. He followed cautiously until he was certain of their owners, and softly called Derek's name. When he spotted Derek's huddled form, he took a deep breath and walked confidently towards his brother, reminding himself to keep his expression neutral.
Nothing could have prepared Simon for what he saw. Derek's transformation was already well underway: his body was contorted into an unnatural position, he'd sprouted fur and claws, and his face was horribly deformed. When Derek looked at him, Simon could clearly read the pain and terror in his eyes. For a minute he stared in shock, forgetting his resolution to stay calm and not let his brother know how frightened he was, but he was jolted from his trance by Derek's agonized yelps.
"It's okay; you're going to be fine, I promise," Simon told him as he knelt next to his brother.
"I'm glad you're here, and I'm sure he is, too," Chloe said softly.
Simon jumped, startled and turned around. He hadn't realized that she was there as he'd been so focused on Derek, and mentally kicked himself for not remembering that Chloe was always present for Derek's Changes. She murmured reassuring words as she massaged his brother's shoulders, seeming oblivious to the fur that elongated and receded as she rubbed his seizing muscles. Simon watched in awe. He knew that she was kind and compassionate- she'd defended Tori after the crawl space incident, hadn't she?- but this seemed excessive. Derek was bossy, condescending, and rude to Chloe (much less so than he was to others, but Simon doubted that anyone else could notice the difference). So why was she here, comforting Derek despite the danger?
Derek moaned again, arching his back as his arms and legs trembled. Simon used his arms to help support his brother and relieve some of the weight from Derek's shaking muscles. It seemed to help, and Derek shot him a look of gratitude before the next wave to seizures began.
Simon eventually lost track of time as he and Chloe alternated between whispering reassurances and holding and rubbing Derek while his body was wracked by spasms. He tried to block out the nauseating popping sounds of joints dislocating and ignore the feeling under his hands as Derek's bones re-arranged themselves. Finally, the seizures stopped, the fur disappeared, and Derek lay on his side breathing heavily as his body slowly returned to its normal appearance.
"I guess it's over. I'll go get your clothes, okay?" Chloe said gently, as Derek nodded wearily.
"See? No panic attacks or running away screaming in horror- next time you Change, you'll call me, right?" Simon asked after Chloe had vanished into the trees.
"Yeah. I'm sorry I tried to hide this from you- I just... I didn't want you to see me like this," Derek said hoarsely.
"You didn't mind having Chloe here," Simon reminded him with a touch of bitterness. He'd tried not to let it bother him, but it hurt that Derek didn't trust him enough to be able to cope with his transformation. He knew he wasn't the most responsible guy in the world, but did Derek really think Simon was such a liability that he didn't want him around? They were brothers, family, whereas Chloe was just some girl Derek barely knew... and yet when strong, self-reliant Derek needed help he'd turned to her instead of to Simon. Sure, Simon was glad that Derek hadn't been alone, but he was definitely upset that Derek thought he couldn't depend on his own brother.
Derek must have picked up on sometthing in Simon's tone, as he waited a minute before replying. "Look- the first time, Chloe found me. Believe me, you have no idea how much I wish she hadn't seen Frankenderek, but she did and I doubt she'll forget it. I know it's selfish and dangerous, but I... I just don't want to be alone when the Changes happen and I didn't see the point of traumatizing another person with the sight of me doing- that. That's why I didn't call you, Simon."
Simon could tell that Derek was lying, or at least was only telling part of the truth, but decided to let the matter drop for now given how exhausted they both were. Chloe returned with Derek's clothes- good thing Simon had brought the extra sweatshirt as his brother would've frozen out here in that tee- when Derek suddenly jackknifed off the ground. Almost as if in fast-forward, the claws and fur reappeared, Derek's bones and muscles shifted and twisted in conformation, and his face became more and more canine. The Change was over, and an enormous black wolf was standing where his brother had been.
If you liked it and want to find out how it ends, the rest of the story will be added in a few days. Also, I really want to thank everyone who read my first story (Monsters and Demons- yes, I know, I'm awful with titles), and especially those who took the time to write reviews- you totally made my day!