Chapter 2

A Day in the Life of a Not So Average New Immigrant.

Virginia was cooking breakfast, one of the little tasks around the house that she loved doing because of the reaction she always recieved. Wolf loved food, especially crispy bacon and sausages and his growls of pleasure as he sat expectantly at the kitchen table every morning were nothing short of endearing to her. Wolf's diet was almost purely carnivorous and his metabolism lightening fast, meaning food or the accumulation of it was never far from his thoughts. She just wished he would stop drooling so much.

Virginia had gotten her old job back shortly after returning to NY, somewhat surprising given her abrupt departure and unexpected return. Virginia wasn't entirely sure that her bosses' "No problems, great to have you back" attitude was all his own. She strongly suspected some magical involvement, but wasn't about to complain about it. Not only that, but she had gotten Wolf a waiting job their also. He had the natural charm that only a crafty predator might have and soon had a long list of regulars who came in, insisting on him waiting their tables. Tom the dishwasher also liked it when Wolf was on, because the plates came back to the kitchen scrupulously clean, as if the patrons had licked them right there in the restaurant.

Wolf cleaned up the dishes while Virginia got ready for her shift at the Grill. He was staying at home today and tomorrow due to the full moon. He had no intention of repeating the commotion that had happened at the Grill last moon time.

Virginia bounced out of the bathroom, dressed and ready for work. She really looked delectable, he thought to himself. A pity she insisted on covering her natural scent with that smelly fake stuff that hissed out of a can every morning.

"I'm off, sweet puppy" she announced. " Are you sure you'll be ok here for a few hours today?" She did look concerned.

"Of course, little cream-puff" he tried to placate her worries. "I have a whole pile of books to get through, and the fridge is stocked to the brim"

"Well, you know you can call my mobile any time, if you need me"

"Straight away I will if I need to" Wolf assured her, though he secretly loathed telephones and would avoid them if he could. They were a strange magic he still didn't comprehend, and just not natural.

"You'll stay inside, won't you?" Virginia knew he would never harm her in his moon state but she was still unwilling to risk the general population at this time. She hoped a pesky salesman wouldn't come to the door today.

"Can I look out the window?"

"Of course, but please, if you're going to hunt the pigeons, don't eat them on the bed"

"I won't, I promise" He looked sheepish, but she wasn't fooled.

"Can I surprise you in the Park tonight on your way home?" he asked, eyes flashing over her.

"You can" she replied, holding his stare with her own.

"And will you run for me?" he whispered, drawing close.

Wolf leaned out the bedroom window, watching his Beloved ride away on her new bicycle. He sighed. It would be a long day indeed. Almost immediately there was a familiar knock on the door. Same time every day. He opened it to find (surprise!) Mr Murray and various relations standing there expectantly.

"Good morning, Mister Wolf" they chorused in unison. "Has The Master yet returned?"

"Sadly, no" he replied, trying not to laugh at the disappointment in their faces. The Murrays had been on their doorstep several times a day every day since their return. They had accepted Virginia and Wolf as pseudo masters, so great was their compulsion to serve. Virginia found it distasteful, Wolf knew, but he himself had to struggle hard not to misuse Tony's first wish. The Murrays had repaired the Troll damage done to the apartment and had thrown the beer spewing fridge into the harbour, where it had quickly found fame with the local scuba divers, who kept it's location a secret, of course. The rabid vaccuum cleaner had disappeared one morning after having devoured nearly all the furnishings. No one knew where it had gone to, though Mr Murrays elderly mother swore she could hear it's sinister little wheels rumbling around in the basement.

This same little old lady came to clean the apartment every morning at 11. She was here now as a fact, decked out in her apron and carrying her basket of horrid chemicals that made Wolf's eyes water. He knew he shouldnt really let her in today, given the state of his blood singing already. He looked at her, considering. Well, maybe just a little scare. Wouldn't really hurt her or anything. Just tie her up in a baking pan for an hour and fantasise a while. Oh, he was a naughty wolfie, he thought, opening the door just wide enough to allow Grandma Murray access but prevent sundry other Murrays from entering.

A few hours later, Wolf was sprawled across the lounge room floor, feeding yet another appetite. Books. A somewhat disheveled Grandma Murray had left him in peace at last and he had gorged on a fresh raw chicken Virginia had thoughtfully thawed for him the night before. Since acquiring a library card soon after his arrival (and his sweet Mate really didn't want to know how he got it), Wolf had accumulated a large pile of books chosen from many catagories.

The first week he had devoured many tomes regarding his new Kingdom, New York. Many of the things he read about were incomprehensible at first, there being no equivalents to be found in the Kingdoms of his birth. For example, high rise buildings, subways, taxi's, convenience stores, aeroplanes. Then there were psychiatrists, athletes, janitors, businessmen, actors (well there were actors in the 9 Kingdoms, but these were a strange sort only appearing on thin silver screens and in blaring electronic boxes).

Many strange folk lived in this kingdom, he had percieved.

The next week he devoted himself to the study of human women, since he had one for a mate after all. Anatomy, psychology, womens magazines, magazines with naked women in them (a mistake he insisted!), even books on cubbirth caught his eye.

Thinking about his little cub brought a smile to his face and a warm mushy feeling inside. Only this week he had been able to hear his cub's own faint heart beat, skipping along in it's ancient rythum. Both he and Virginia were waiting eagerly for the first physical signs of the cubs presence, but as yet her tummy was still smooth and would remain so at least another moon cycle.

These last two weeks Wolf had started reading about the wolfs who lived in this Kingdom and how they were percieved by the humans. It made him realise that the people in this world had lost a great many of their natural instincts. In the kingdoms where he had lived all his life, people were more attuned, especially to danger. Folk feared him instinctively even if they had no real evidence of his being a half-wolf. He half suspected that in this Kingdom he could walk down a main street with his tail hanging out and the people here would automatically try and find some rational explanation rather than perceive him for what he truly was. Not that he had any real intention of trying out his theory. His years of hiding his true nature were far too embedded in his soul. But still, it was an unusual situation for an alpha male of any species. At least in the 9 Kingdoms he had a status of sorts. Here he was just another man on the street.

Returning to his wolf studies he learned that a great many had been murdered over the past century. Now, too few remained and these scraped out a dangerous existence in the reserves and parks, ever in trouble with the human laws and boundaries. The pictures of the piled bodies, killed by an as yet not understood weapon made Wolf shiver and whine. He had obtained a video tape of wild wolves being studied by humans and he found that he could understand their language. The howls, yips, growls and whines were all perfectly understandable to him and he suspected the same would be true in reverse. He himself had the full vocal range of full blood wolfs, though he had little used it for many a year. He talked to Virginia often in his own wolf language but he percieved that she could grasp only the basic sounds, and many her human ears could not even hear. No matter to him, he was equally fluent in human speech, if a little superfluous from time to time.

Picking up almost the last book in his current pile, he came across a term new to him - werewolf. What was this creature then he wondered, flicking through the pages. A man who could turn into a wolf! A man who became a ravening monster every full moon. A man whose bite would transfer the same process to his victim, thus creating another werewolf. Wolf's brows knit together in consternation. He did not understand the concept; you were either a full wolf, a man, or a half or quarter wolf. There was no changing involved. He wondered if it were fiction, a story perhaps, but there were many many references to such creatures, so surely such a thing had existed in this world at some time. Many of the tales originated from a place called "Europe". Maybe they could visit this Europe tomorrow he thought, since they both had the day off. Wolf had studied the atlas but still hadn't quite grasped the concept of distances as yet.

Putting his little library aside in a pile, Wolf stretched out on the sofa. His blood was hot and the sun was going down soon. He felt the first beginnings of the cramping that came on with the moon. He stripped off his clothing, observing how his tail was full and fluffed out. He dunked himself under the shower, allowing the cool water to ease some of the heat building up inside. His long canine teeth, usually tucked up in his upper jaw were aching for release. Stepping out of the shower he shook himself dry, a wolf manner and went to kitchen where he attacked a large leg of lamb. Despite Virginia's trust in him that he wouldn't hurt her, he knew he should be well fed before their tryst in the Park tonight. The sun was now completely set and most sensible humans had vacated the forest. He dressed quickly, red shirt, loose trousers, bare feet. His vision was become sharp and tinted with red, all senses afire. His Delectable Mate was on her way, innocent girl lost in the woods. His breathing quickened as he headed out the door and into the night. The Hunt was on.