chapter 7:

Felipe was forced down on hands and feet the moment the moonlight filled the cave. Victoria hid her face into Zorro's neck the moment she heard the first bone break. It wasn't the last bone though, every bone in his body broke but not at the same time. The hands and feet came first. Finger by finger turned into wolf claws one by one. Toes were next to break one by one and slowly they took the form. It was a very slow process.

The sight was gruesome his hands not fully claws yet but no human hands either. He knew that the first shift could take up to six painful hours. His arms and legs were the next to set form. It took almost two hours for his limbs to be formed.

Zorro turned his face away when his back was next he couldn't handle seeing Felipe in this much pain. The fact that he couldn't yell in pain made the sound of the bones breaking deafening. His spine took the form of that of a wolf inch by inch. It took another two hours. Toronado tried to calm Felipe down, be there for him in mind. He was the only one who heard the young man's painful yellings. It became so bad that the stallion placed his ears in his neck, not that it would help the yelling he heard in his mind. The neck and the head were the last to shift. The head alone took an hour and a half to shift for the very first time.

After five and a half hours the werewolf fell from exhaustion. Zorro looked worried towards the young man he started seeing as a son by heart.

"It's alright, he did well. It can take up to thirty minutes before he wakes up again." Dorian said softly. He understood how hard it was to watch this. Even he couldn't get used to it and especially because he had been there himself but at the right age. He didn't want to know how much pain Triston or Felipe like he was known with his family, because that is what they were to him. They raised him when nobody wanted to take care of him. He also knew that Zorro and Diego were the same, they carried the same scent

It felt like the next thirty minutes took hours. Zorro, Victoria and even Toronado had been watching worriedly towards the cage, even with the reassurance Dorian had given them. He could know right, he been there himself.

The wolf in the cage slowly opened his eyes and tried to get on his legs but was a little wobbly.

"Easy, Felipe, you have been through rough hours." Toronado thought softly to the new werewolf.

Felipe's head felt heavy, he shook his big head briefly to clear it from the dizziness. He looked around and jump to the cage, the chains pulling him back against the wall. There was only aggression in his eyes, the hunger for hunting. Even though deep inside he knew this was family members. It was something he couldn't control.

"This is where his mother figure comes in. She needs to give him his first pile of meat. It's important to have good control over his instincts. The love of a mother heart works wonders with us werewolves, it's something not known to humanity yet." Darion said while pointing to the pile of meat next to the cage.

Zorro looked from Victoria to the meat and the cage to end his gaze at Felipe's uncle, "Isn't it dangerous?"

Dorian shook his head, "If you are right and she is like a mother to him, she will be safe."

That made Victoria sigh and nod her head that she was ready for her task. She walked towards the cage and like wonder, Felipe's behavior changed completely. The fresh werewolf's eyes were now full of trust. He sat himself down patiently waiting for his mother figure to give him his midnight snack.

Victoria smiled this was unbelievable. She took the pile of raw meat and placed it before the cage a few times. She never saw this much meat in one place and she owned a tavern.

Zorro looked nervous, not knowing what was going to happen and needed to be restraint by Dorian to keep himself and Victoria safe. His eyes wide and his heart beating in his throat.

Victoria opened the cage with the key she had received from Dorian while Felipe was still down on the floor. Felipe still sat patiently against the wall. The young woman looked at Dorian what to do next.

"This is the important part, Victoria. It's obvious you are like a mother to him. You take a small piece of meat and present it to him and say that you all love and accept him." Dorian said.

This made Zorro even more nervous, even when he knew that this all needed to happen.

Victoria took a small piece of meat and crouched down in front of Felipe, "Felipe, We love you just the way you are. I love you just the way you are, so does, Zorro, Diego, Toronado and your uncle Dorian, as well as everyone who loved you before this."

Felipe bowed his head and carefully took the piece of meat out of Victoria's hand and started eating it.

"Okay Victoria, your job is done," Dorian said when he noticed that Felipe was eating without growling everything went perfect.

"Is there someone in this room who doesn't know your identity. I sensed she knows so Zorro you have the next task and before you say something I noticed by your smell who you are so no need to deny it. You will need to unchain Felipe while he is eating. You are closest to him." Dorian said in a serious tone.

"You know just by my scent?" Zorro asked curiously

Dorian nodded, "our nose is ten times better than yours. So it's best to unchain him without the mask on. Only this first time."

Zorro sighed "Not something that would normally do but if you know it I will do it for Felipe." He took his mask off before walking towards Felipe who was eating. He briefly looked up but went to his dinner again without a growl.

The unmasked fox unchained Felipe's paws first before freeing him completely.

"You are still like a son to me, Felipe. This doesn't change anything." Diego said softly before walking out of the cage. Felipe's eyes were still friendly.

"I think now it's time we all leave the cave, everyone besides the one who is here to calm him down," Dorian said giving Felipe the clothes, Diego had given him earlier.

"That's your job, old boy. We are waiting just outside the cave." Zorro, who had put his mask back on, said to his stallion.

Toronado nodded briefly.

"It's important that he calms down and sets his mind on shifting back," Dorian said giving tips to Felipe and the stallion.

It only took a few minutes for Toronado and Felipe to walk out of the cave. The morning was coming soon now.

"How are you feeling, Felipe?" Zorro asked.

"Tired but fine now." Felipe signed in response, "Thank you, Victoria and Dorian. Thank you, Zorro and Toronado." He continued.

"Give a howl, if you need me." Dorian smiled before shifting in a wolf again and disappeared into the night.

"You go rest up in the cave, I will be there the moment I brought Victoria home." Zorro smiled at the young boy. "We will start to practice the shifting tomorrow evening."

Zorro placed Victoria in the saddle but he only jumped on the stallion's back the moment they left the small path behind them and where at the top again. She placed herself against his chest. She knew she would have to start to distance herself from him but she was so tired at the moment that she just didn't care. For once she could fall asleep against his strong body with Toronado's fluent movements rocking her even faster to sleep.

Zorro smiled while he continued the road towards the pueblo, enjoying this as much as she did. The ride was way to short for his liking.

"Victoria, preciosa, you are home." She said softly.

"Thank you, Zorro. Now go. Felipe needs you. We will talk tomorrow evening about us." She smiled softly.

"I love you so much, Victoria," Zorro whispered before he kissed her hand.

"I love you too. Now go before the soldiers find you." She whispered back.

Zorro turned Toronado around and galloped away letting the reins freely to let the horse stretch his legs.

Victoria kept watching until he was out of sight before entering her tavern and get a few hours of rest.

TBC