As soon as the sun began to rise, the pack's forceful transformation ended and they were all able to turn back. Finally, after a month trapped as a wolf, Izaya was once more human…. But he was also completely naked.

"This is so embarrassing..." Izaya grumbled from his spot in the basement, a blanket wrapped tightly around his unclothed body. His cheeks were bright pink, and his lips turned down in a petulant frown.

Next to him, Mizuki was trying to comfort him. "Everyone's first transformation is like this. Your body isn't able to keep your clothes the first time because it's busy adjusting you to having two forms." She gave him a wide grin. "So don't worry, Izzy! We've all gone through it!"

Jinsei let out a croaked chuckle from where he was by the staircase. "I remember how mine went! I was just a young man, barely fifteen when I spent my month as a wolf in the countryside with my friends! They were werewolves too, you see, so they taught me everything I knew…"

He heard Mizuki snort next to him. "Oh no, now you've done it," She whispered in a low voice. "When Jinsei gets started he doesn't stop!"

"And I was very concerned with school, I didn't want to miss a single day! The school day started on the day I changed back! But how was I supposed to make it to the welcoming ceremony on time? Well, my friends helped me sneak into the school with my uniform, but when I changed back I didn't have time to put it on before one of the students came into the supply closet!"

The old man let out a loud bark of laughter. "Word spreads quick! Let's just say I didn't have any luck with the ladies until college after that little incident!"

Izaya allowed himself to chuckle a little as well. "That is pretty embarrassing!" He looked around at the basement they were seated in. "At least I was in here when it happened, I suppose."

Mizuki nodded in agreement, a mischievous glint appearing in her eyes. "Exactly! Now the only people who can make fun of you for it is us! Did you hear the little yelp that you made when you were human again? I swear you sounded like a pup!"

"Mizuki!" Jinsei admonished, but Izaya could see the smile threatening to appear on his face.

"What about you, 'zuki?" A new voice asked, making the three werewolves in the basement turn to the stairs where Shiro was descending, carrying a bundle of clothes. "I seem to remember one summer night when you just turned back… You were so shocked you tried to run to get clothes from my closet to wear, but you had been walking on four legs for a whole month so you fell over and cracked your forehead on the dresser. I think that you needed… four stitches? Five?"

His wife gasped and grabbed a pillow to throw at him. "Hey! You can't tell him about that! That's not fair!"

Shiro was not threatened by the plush object she held, and sent her a satisfactory smirk. "Oh? Like when you told him all about the stupid shit I did as a teen? Was that fair, my dear?"

Mizuki froze mid-throw at his mention of her hypocrisy. She quickly hugged the pillow to her chest and pressed her mouth against it, grumbling to herself.

The white haired man tossed the bundle towards Izaya, and it landed in his lap. "Here, I managed to find these. Some spare clothes from when I was as short as you." He motioned his thumb to the door under the stairs. "That's our spare bathroom, you can change there."

So, Izaya awkwardly shuffled to the door with his new outfit. Once he got inside and turned on a light, he found a nice sized bathroom with tile floors and warm lighting. In front of the polished sink was a mirror. For the first time in a month, Izaya was able to see his human form.

He looked the same, but there were some minute differences. His sharp canines remained, even after his month as a wolf. His eyes looked nearly identical, but anyone purposefully looking would see the feral glow they seemed to have. But the most noticeable change of all were his scars.

His once unblemished face now had a single scar. It was about the width of his thumb, right underneath his eye, and it went from under his ear to right before his nose. He knew what it was from, when that damned farmer attacked him after Mizuki stepped in his trap.

He stepped back the slightest bit and found the other two scars. The one on his arm, where he was bitten, and two thick scratches right where his hips met his lower stomach. That damned pitchfork again.

Seeing the scars reminded him of the events soon after his battle with the old farmer: When he took Mizuki and Shiro to meet the grey wolf. Their mysterious mentor had explained that their healing, while powerful, had some limitations.

"Remember this well, all wolves have the power to heal. Some are stronger at it, some are weaker. But your power is also dependent on the moon. When there is no moon, your powers will be weaker. As the phases of the moon pass and she grows larger, as will the amount of power you can use."

"As much as you would wish for it to be so, you cannot heal yourself," He told them in the dark of the night. "Packs are important for our powers. You need packmates to heal you, and you need them for healing wounds that are more deadly. A wolf on their own may be able to heal a bad wound, but it takes longer and is more exhausting for the healer. With the help of a pack, you can heal faster and heal better."

Izaya had tilted his head at that. "But if that is the case, then how did you heal Shiro's wound all by yourself? It was horrible!"

The grey wolf let out a small chuckle. "You may not have known at that moment, pup, but you helped with my healing. You were his pack member, and your presence alone saved him from a long and painful process. Your own power did that. I was quite impressed, you have the makings of a powerful healer."

In the present day, a blush dusted Izaya's cheek at the compliment. Once again it seemed so ironic to him. He danced around Ikebukuro causing chaos and ruining lives, and now he was a healer? Bizarre.

Unfortunately, his own battle wounds had already healed by the time he was able to bring his packmates to the grey wolf. Although he knew that it would be hard to explain these to anyone who knew him when he was human, he didn't particularly mind the scars. It was a reminder of when he defended Mizuki, his packmate and sister.

With a happy sigh, Izaya changed into the clothes Shiro offered him. They fit pretty well. A simple white shirt with a black leather jacket and light blue pants. The shoes were a little too big, but he could bear it until he got back home.

Izaya folded the blanket and emerged from the bathroom. He was led upstairs by his packmates, who walked him to the back door.

"Now remember if you ever need anything or just want somewhere to read, my bookstore is always open," Jinsei kindly reminded him.

Mizuki nodded in agreement as she pulled a piece of paper from her pocket, with phone numbers written on it, and gave it to him. "Yeah! We don't just meet up once a month. We do stuff together all the time! You'd better be there, Izzy! I'll call you over and over until you're forced to show up!"

Shiro reached out and ruffled his hair affectionately. "Don't be a stranger, little brother," He ordered as his eyes looked at Izaya's outfit. "And you know what, keep the jacket. It looks good on you."

The informant felt the heat return to his cheeks. "I will, thank you." He promised. With one more wave goodbye, he headed out of the alleyway to make his way home.

As he walked down the familiar streets of Shinjuku, he took a moment to breathe. Now that he was in tune with his enhanced senses, the sounds and smells weren't as intimidating as they once were. He could pull apart different scents and hear conversations from a mile away, but it didn't phase him.

His mind returned to Mizuki's excited words, and Izaya felt happiness in his heart. They wanted him to come, they wanted to hang out with him. It felt amazing to know he would get to spend time with people who cared about him, his very own pack. Everytime he thought about it, that warm feeling in his chest returned. He wouldn't trade his new family for anything.

Izaya made it back to his apartment around eight in the morning. He awkwardly explained to the woman in the lobby that smelled of strawberry hard candies that he had locked himself out of his apartment and needed a new keycard. She gave him a firm chastising before giving him one, and he was finally able to go home.

As soon as he entered the familiar apartment, he was greeted by a layer of dust that made him sneeze and the smell of rotting food. "Ugh, disgusting!" He quickly covered his sensitive nose with his shirt collar. "Why didn't Namie keep this place clean?"

When his eyes landed on his broken computer and desk, he sobered. "Hmph… Well of course she wouldn't. I vanish for a month without warning? Everyone probably thinks I got kidnapped or murdered!" He scratched his cheek thoughtfully. "Well, I suppose it is a quarter true. I almost got murdered."

He put himself to work cleaning up the messy apartment. He threw away all the rotted groceries, leaving his fridge nearly bare, dusted everything, and threw away the damaged remains of his computer and desk. Thank goodness I had everything backed up the day before I changed.

When everything was clean and his sensitive nose was no longer stinging at the smell, he made his way upstairs to change into some of his own clothes. He had several other fur coats just like the one he lost during his first transformation. Although that one was a favorite, he would get used to the others easily enough.

He put on his usual attire and looked at himself in his full length mirror. A frown graced his lips. His outfit did not give him the usual feelings it used to. It was his trademark outfit… But the Izaya in the present and the Izaya from a month ago were very different people.

The informant shed the outfit as if it disgusted him. He looked through his closet for a few more moments before his eyes caught sight of the pile of clothes Shiro gave him. He knelt down and picked up the leather jacket. That warm feeling returned to his chest as he caught the scent of his pack member that lingered. Shiro had said he could keep the jacket. It was a gift from his pack member, a gift from his brother.

Izaya had promised Shiro and Mizuki he would be better. After such a promise, he knew that he couldn't go back to the way things were a month ago, he didn't want to fall back into his old ways. He was a different person, someone more genuine.

He stood up and gently set the jacket out on the bed and went back to his closet. He dug around until he found something that would compliment the new clothing. A red flannel, one he hadn't worn in a long time.

With a satisfied nod, Izaya put on the flannel along with the leather jacket from his packmate and his black pants and shoes. It was much different than his usual attire, but it felt just right. He smiled at his reflection, feeling more sure in himself than he had in a long while.

After he was all dressed, he cleaned up the rest of his clothing, put it back in his closet, and headed back down the stairs.

As he descended, his mind raced through the large list of things he needed to do now that he was back home. I've been gone for a month. I need to contact everyone so they know I'm not dead. But I need to come up with a convincing story about where I was first. He looked at his empty desk. I also need a new computer if I'm going to get that job done for Shiki. I can contact him tomorrow, that should give me enough time to come up with a fake story about where I've been.

The sound of knock on the door reached his sensitive ears and interrupted his speeding thoughts. He lifted his head and looked towards the door. Instinctively, he twitched his nose and smelt the air. But he couldn't catch a scent from behind the door.

Cautiously, Izaya walked over to the heavy door, and opened it up. As he saw who was on the other side, he felt his heart speed up as vicious anxiety overtook him. Oh shit…

Behind the door was none other than Shiki and Akabayashi. His boss had a deep frown and anger in his eyes, while his companion merely looked amused by the whole situation.

His heart beat against his chest as he stepped backwards. "A-ah Shiki-san! Akabayashi-san! I wasn't expecting you!"

While Shiki's face remained sour, Akabayashi just smiled and walked in, his cane clacking against the wooden floors.

"Ah we were just passing by when we got a call from our men. Imagine how surprised we were when he said our missing informant suddenly reappeared after a month! We just had to come see for ourselves!" Akabayashi cheerfully announced.

Shiki nodded in agreement as he made himself comfortable on the couch. "And I am very interested in what could have made you vanish on me after I just gave you an extremely important job."

Izaya shut the door behind him as he moved to join the two Awakusu-kai executives. "I-I'm sorry, Shiki-san. I didn't mean to suddenly vanish like that…"

The executive gave him an odd look. "I don't want your apologies. That doesn't explain anything to me, Orihara. Where were you? I want the truth."

Shiki was a perceptive man, Izaya knew this for a fact. After all, that was the only reason that he was willing to work with Izaya when he was fresh out of high school. He could see the promise of a good informant.

His perceptiveness was already putting Izaya in danger. He saw the odd look the older man was giving him. He was confused by Izaya's behavior.

He wanted the truth, but Izaya knew that telling him the truth was impossible. Even if he could, there's no way Shiki would believe him. But lying to an Awakusu executive was a dangerous choice… Damn it… I don't have any other choice.

Izaya dusted off his old facade, and let his sadistic grin climb on his face. "Oh, it was just awful Shiki-san! The dog bite got infected. I was so sick, I could barely think straight! I was lucky I made it to the hospital in time! My lovely humans helped me there, that's why I love them so much!"

Shiki's odd look disappeared and Izaya felt relief wash over him. There we go, he thinks he's dealing with the old Izaya, that should calm his suspicions a little.

"The dog bite is the wound on your arm from a month ago, correct?" Shiki asked him.

Izaya nodded as his right hand squeezed over the left arm, where his werewolf bite scar was. "That doctor cleaned it well, but that dog must have had some sort of disease!" He made a sad noise and held his cheek in his right hand. "That's why I hate dogs. Nothing but flea-bitten mongrels!"

Akabayashi tilted his head and raised his hand. "Then how about your other scar, Izaya? The one under your eye? Where'd that come from?"

The informant broker thought quickly. "The hospital wasn't safe for little old me, Akabayashi-san! I have too many enemies, they tracked me down quickly!" He waved his hand dismissively. "I took care of him easily, but after that I had to disappear for a while and lose them. I had to leave Tokyo and find another doctor to help with the bite, it only got worse after that."

He leaned back and crossed his legs, giving a carefree smile. "But I'm back now! Although, I will need to get a replacement computer before I can work on that job that you gave me."

Shiki's eyes remained on Izaya for an uncomfortably long time, to the point that the informant had to struggle not to squirm underneath the heavy gaze. The tension in the room was so thick he could probably cut through it with a switchblade.

Then, just as Izaya was starting to panic, the older man removed his piercing gaze with a sigh. "I see… Well, luckily for you the gang that has been squatting in our territory still hasn't moved. They are very cocky."

Akabayashi nodded in agreement. "We've tried to get rid of them without your information, but they seem to disappear anytime our men show up to try and chase them out. Your... covert tactics would probably be better for this."

The informant nodded quickly. "Don't worry, Shiki-san. I can have Celty grab the parts while I pick up a computer. If everything works out, I can get started within a few days!"

"Yes… If you don't disappear again…" Shiki sighed and stood up. "Update me often on your progress."

He motioned for his companion to follow him as he left the apartment without another word. The other Awakusu-kai executive was more cheerful as they waved away, waving goodbye as he opened the door.

"While we'd love to stay and chat, we must be on our way. Important meetings, you know." Akabayashi looked at him as he held onto the edge of the door, and gave him a smirk. "Welcome back, Izaya."

It wasn't until the door shut and the lock clicked that Izaya dropped his facade. He flopped face first on the couch and groaned into the cushion. I should have expected that he would be watching this place! He flipped over and ran a hand through his hair. I had hoped that I would have had more time to make up a convincing lie, but I guess that's the one I have to go with now.

He committed the lie to memory. If anyone else were to ask where he was, he had to make sure his answer perfectly resembled the one Shiki gave him. If his boss ever heard anything different, Izaya had no doubt he would quickly realize it was all fabricated.

Perhaps if he had been a different person he would have told his boss the truth, but he was Orihara Izaya. Even though his packmates helped him become a better person, it didn't change the fact that he had many enemies. Enemies that would do everything they could to destroy him. If they found out about his pack… They would do whatever they could to hurt them if it meant Izaya would be hurt too.

At the mention of his pack, Izaya's mind wandered. He thought about the job Shiki had just given him, and the day he got bit. He had been investigating the same area, when he got attacked by a big canine. There was no doubt in his mind, that was a werewolf… A werewolf who had been in chains… A werewolf who was shot with a tranquilizer and dragged away by two humans.

Izaya remembered that stormy day when he had rescued Shiro. Before he had said those cruel words and the white wolf had run off, Mizuki had revealed to Izaya that many wolves were going missing… Could this be related?

That was why he had been so relieved to know he could still do the same job from a month ago. He needed to see that wolf again, to see if she was in danger. He would be able to understand her now, even if she was in wolf form.

But he couldn't tell his pack, not until he had enough evidence to prove or disprove his theory. He was very lucky that they hadn't moved in the time he had been gone, he needed to get his parts as quick as possible, before he lost his only lead.

Reinvigorated, Izaya grabbed one of his many phones, and quickly wrote out a message to the best courier in all of Ikebukuro.

[Celty, I'm back. I have an important job for you, I'll provide more details when you're ready.]

In the black, indiscreet car, Shiki and Akabayashi sat silently. The red haired man glanced at his companion as he tapped his hand against his cane.

"Well, Izaya-kun seemed well," Akabayashi casually stated.

Shiki, ever the silent type, did not respond.

Akabayashi shifted in his seat and pointed to his missing eye. "Do you think he's trying to compete with me in terms of facial scars? Because I have to say, mine looks better. It has a better story behind it too."

Shiki folded his hands in front of him. "Your story is only better because it isn't a total lie," He grunted in his usual, calm tone.

The redhead raised his eyebrow. "Oh?" He asked, gleeful that he managed to steer the conversation in the direction he wanted. "You think Izaya was lying?"

"His story is believable." Shiki tapped the gold ring on his finger. "I probably would have believed it if it weren't for the way he was acting. It was a subtle difference, but it was there. You saw it too, right?"

Akabayashi hummed and shook his head. "Not really. He did seem a little caught off guard when we showed up. He was pretty jumpy, but I would be too after a bad infection and getting attacked at the hospital." He looked back towards the window. "Maybe the kid finally got a reality check."

His comment made Shiki snort in amusement, but he quickly tried to cover it up. "We can only hope." He shook his head. "It would be nice to work with an informant that doesn't act like a child on a power trip."

The car came to a stop, and their men opened the doors silently. Shiki remained where he was for a few moments, quietly contemplating what his companion's words. Maybe Akabayashi's right… I'm looking too far into this. He climbed out of the car and towards the art gallery. I doubt anything is going on. Izaya will probably be causing problems within a few days, just like he always does. I have more important things to worry about.

He may not have admitted those thoughts aloud, but Akabayashi could tell his partner wasn't as focused on Izaya as he was a few minutes ago.

Despite what he had told Shiki, he had easily seen through Izaya's quickly constructed facade. Even when the informant had started on his usual spiel of how much he loved humans, it seemed forced… As if the informant's heart wasn't truly in it.

Something had happened to Orihara Izaya. But unlike Shiki, Akabayashi knew exactly what it was.