Fun fact: My sibling helped me decide on what kind of wolf Eliot would be. We ultimately settled on a maned wolf (hey his hair is like a mane, okay?) but they are a bit too tall and thin for me so I thought I would make him a mix. He has the coloration of a maned wolf but has the build and thicker fur of a tundra wolf. Also I would like to thank multiple guests for being awesome and reviewing. One of you said the song references were monster by skrillex, but it is actually skillet. Maybe a typo?

Maybe it's inside of me?

Eliot threw himself down on his bed. He was exhausted. Kind of like the "I've been running around all night last night as a wolf, attacking and mutilating everything in sight" kind of exhausted. It wasn't an ideal feeling. That and he was angry for being so tired so much lately. This sucked. Eliot didn't want this. He growled at his luck. He needed to go do something, like remove that tracker from his ankle, but he also felt like he could sleep for a year. Is this a wolf thing? Is this normal? Eliot laughed at that thought. Normal. Yeah that boat sailed a long time ago. Even before the attack, his job wasn't what kids wrote down on what they wanted to be when they grew up. A sudden itch behind Eliot's ear interrupted his thoughts. He went to scratch the spot and found that it felt really good to scratch there. Like really good. Almost sighing with relief, the hitter abruptly paused when he saw Parker looking at him from the air vents. Slightly embarrassed and angry at himself that he was caught doing something so ridiculous, Eliot lowered his arm. Parker on the other hand was practically beaming at the hitter and she dropped down from the vents. Moving over to the bed, Parker sat down and looked at Eliot with thoughtful and downright delighted eyes. Sitting up in the bed, Eliot gave Parker his attention no matter how reluctant.

"I always wanted a dog. Had an overprotective brother, but never a dog. But now, now I can have both. Isn't that awesome?"

Eliot wanted to yell at her that he wasn't a dog, but his anger really wouldn't matter. In his best calm voice, Eliot tried to explain.

"Parker, I'm not a dog and I don't need you to think I am one."

Parker gave him a look.

"Hmmmm. Really? Cause what I just saw could persuade otherwise."

Eliot stopped the growl rising in his throat as it would only give to her case. Parker continued.

"And I didn't say you were a dog. You're a fluffy wolf. A werewolf. The teams guard dog."

Ok she said and called him dog multiple times now. But it was Parker. Eliot could only grumble his weak response.

"I'm not fluffy."

Parker huffed and whipped out her phone. On it she pulled up a photo and showed it to him. Eliot's eyes adjusted to the image and he was baffled at what he saw. A horse sized, almost human like wolf was standing in the clearing he went to last night. It was actually nothing like he'd ever seen before. It resembled a maned wolf as it had the black mane and legs with the rest covered in red fur with a fluffy white tipped tail. However it had a stronger build and thicker fur that more resembled a tundra wolf. But it was definitely humanoid, that was for sure. It was dazzling to say the least. Parker pulled the phone away from Eliot's gaze.

"Yeah. You're fluffy."

It took a moment for Eliot to register what Parker's sentence meant.

"Wait. That's me?"

Parker patted Eliot's head in his confusion as she answered.

"Of course that's you, silly. Who else would it be?"

Eliot took this moment to think. How did she get that photo? Hardison. Eliot's anger rose too fast for him to even think. He was a lose canon with his short temper, but he strictly remembered telling the team to not set up cameras. If they had video... No. If they watched the video... He didn't even know what he did, much less did he want them to see.

"Parker, best be time for you to leave."

No sooner did the sentence leave his mouth did the hitter launch for the door. Angrily flinging it open, Eliot didn't even flinch when he heard the crack of the hinges. Barreling down the mini hall and stairs, the hitter stopped once he reached the downstairs living room/office. Nate and Sophie must have been out doing whatever, cause they were not in sight. Finding Hardison fiddling on his laptop, Eliot was on him faster than a lightning strike. Throwing the hacker up against the wall, using only his forearm to pin him in place, Eliot's voice was low and threatening.

"You. set. up. cameras?"

Hardison's voice came out broken and shaky at the surprise and utter fear that was taking over him.

"It was Parker's idea."

Parker popped up behind Eliot and started tugging on his arm that was currently keeping Hardison prisoner.

"Yes it was so let him go!"

Eliot dropped Hardison after a few seconds. His anger was getting out of control and he knew it. However, he had no real intention of hurting Hardison or any of the team for that matter. He backed up and turned on Parker. The hitter's voice was angry and confused.

"Why?"

Parker looked down at her feet.

"I was curious to see what you would look like as a wolf."

She paused, and got a little perkier.

"You are absolutely adorable by the way! The video of you is so cute!"

Eliot glared at the thief and yelled.

"Parker there is nothing cute about this! I didn't want this! None of it! I don't want to lose control like that ever again! I didn't even know who I was because I wasn't me!"

Eliot finished his much too revealing rant and shut his mouth abruptly, realizing what he had said.

Parker backed away from the hitter with hurt features flittering across her face. The room was silent. Hardison coughed to clear the tense moment. The hacker turned to the hitter with a question on his lips. He spoke so only Eliot could hear.

"Did you want to see? Parker only saw part of the video. The part I let her. I figured you should see it for yourself."

Eliot thought it over but nodded. Hardison pulled up the feed on the huge screens and backed away respectively. Eliot grunted his permission and the hacker and thief piled on the couch, the later slightly excited. Eliot slowly sat down on the chair as Hardison hit play. The video started with the hitter striping down. Slightly embarrassed, Eliot looked away from the screen, but his head snapped back when he heard screams. His screams. His very much not human screams. Eliot's eyes were glued to the screen to see himself bend over and transform. It was like a horror movie in real life. The screams intensified. His bones rearranged and cracked underneath his skin and then the fur sprouted outward. Eliot found it hard to watch himself, but then it was finished and a dazzling wolf stood where he once was. It was an exact replica of the picture Parker showed him. The wolf howled and took off out of the camera's view. The screens went black. Eliot gazed down at his hands and couldn't help but wonder if he was dreaming, having that... That beast inside of him. Eliot sighed in what he wasn't sure, but he didn't have time to figure out. The screens lit up again to show a different camera view of another area. The wolf ran on the screen but stopped abruptly before getting off screen. It sniffed the air and growled but it was more of a growl of irritation than ferocity. It plopped its hind end down and raised its leg to scratch a place behind its ear. Eliot was baffled at the simplicity behind the creature he thought was a monster. He also then had the sudden urge to itch the same spot the wolf did in the video. The hitter mentally growled at his ridiculous urge and resumed watching the video. However, after the wolf finished scratching its ear, it took off. Parker's voice brought him out of it.

"See? I told you. You're adorable."

Eliot gave her a look and Hardison seemed a little hesitant. The hacker spoke to the thief.

"Parker, can you go steal me some orange soda from the vending machine downstairs?"

The thief practically radiated happiness at the chance to go steal something. She left in a flash. Hardison visibly relaxed and pressed a button on his remote. His words came out fast.

"I knew you would want to see this but I didn't want Parker to watch."

The screen changed to yet another view of a different area. On the screen was a huge black bear. Eliot tensed as he knew where this was going. The moment shown on screen was almost peaceful. That was, until the familiar wolf lunged out of nowhere and attacked the bear. It's teeth sank into the bears neck and the wolf shook its head tearing at the flesh. However, it took more tearing and biting for the bear to go down. Once victorious, the wolf reared back it's head and howled. The sound was ominous and sent chills down Eliot's spine. The wolf then began to devour its kill. Hardison turned off the screen. The hitter realized that the hacker never looked once at the screen and looked five shades paler. Eliot almost felt sick himself. Almost. Usually he wouldn't at all, except there's that tiny little detail where HE is the wolf and HE ate the bear. But that's the thing, he tasted other species in his mouth that next day. Eliot turned his questioning gaze toward Hardison. The hacker seemed to read his mind.

"There's more. It seemed to attack everything in sight. Didn't go to waste either."

The hacker paused, debating his next sentence. He still looked sick but tried for some lighthearted banter.

"Pretty hungry huh? Skip lunch?"

Eliot growled at Hardison's attempt at a joke, as his stomach also clenched and rumbled under his realization of what and how much it contained. Eliot's halfhearted hostility was cut short though as Parker suddenly returned with an orange soda. She flopped down on the couch next to her hacker.

"What'd I miss?"

Hardison was silent as he looked away from his girlfriend. Eliot however, growled out his response as he rose from his chair.

"Nothing much. Just me eating half of the forest!"

His childish antics surprised the thief and hacker and the later's jaw was practically touching the floor. Eliot, realizing his very off behavior, decided it was time to leave. He bolted for the door before anyone could blink, much less give him a response he didn't want to hear.