As always – I don't own Kelley's characters or locations. Just In case you're likely to forget lol
16. First Change
A couple of days later Belle and Matt sat in Clay's room, where he was sleeping for the duration of their stay – there not being enough rooms and not wanting to intrude, Savannah and Paige had left the evening of the Packs return from Wisconsin. Antonio had doubled up in Jeremy's room, whilst Clay had no objections to staying in Elena's room. Belle and Nick continued to stay in the spare room that once belonged to Malcolm Danvers. The twins being the only unmoved occupants in their nursery, next to Elena's room - They had however, taken an immediate liking to Matt and hounded him at almost any opportunity – mostly first thing in the morning where they would pair up and break out of their room, and let themselves in to give Matt a wake up call that consisted of stealing his quilt and playing with the ornaments that Clay had scattered around in a very noisy fashion.
"So what do you think of it up here?" Belle asked sitting cross legged on the bed with a hot chocolate. "I know, the last couple of days have been a bit hectic – but you seem to be getting on with everyone okay. The kids defiantly seem to like you." Matt smirked. "You're very good with them."
"It's alright, I guess. Nick seems like a decent guy." He shrugged, looking down at his healing injuries. "You know, this crap that Paige has put on me is doing a good job. I feel better already." He beamed poking places of his stomach, and then winced at a place that was a bit worse off.
Belle laughed. "Well don't go entering any sports events just yet baby. You may feel better, but don't over do it." They were silent for a few minutes as the television in the background held their attention for a while.
"You know I've got Aunt Anita's wedding to shoot next week in Chicago?" She reminded him turning away from the moving images. "I seem to have forgotten my work in all this mess lately… If you want baby, I don't mind if you want to stay here for a few days whilst I head off." She suggested.
"Don't you want me to come with you?" He asked innocently.
Belle chortled. "Nothing like that – silly. I just though it'd give you some time alone with Nick… Get to know him without me hanging around."
"How long will you be gone?" He asked his 'thinking' face present again.
"Only three days. I don't mind if you want to come back with me." She smiled blowing on her hot drink to cool it.
He hesitated. "I'm not sure… I just don't want you to go back home by yourself." He explained flexing his sprained wrist, testing his limitations – it defiantly felt better than the day before.
"All I'm going to do baby is get home, grab my equipment and jump in the car. I'll be at the house no more than a couple of hours." She explained. "Stay here, I'll be fine. I promise." He gave her a sheepish smile as she thought for a second, warming her hands up around her drink.
******
"Are you sure you're alright to go home by yourself? I'm not comfortable with you being alone." Nick admitted as they walked up the departures lounge the following evening. "I could come with you, if you want? Or, I could call Antonio – he wouldn't mind."
Belle shushed him. "But I would, you need to spend time with Matthew – I want you to spend some time with him. Teach him all your pearls of wisdom, or whatever it is you Pack guys do." She laughed, a smile playing on her lips before sobriety returned.
"Well can you at least take this with you?" He asked placing a black instrument in her hand.
Belle scrutinised the device and raised an eyebrow. "A stun gun?"
"Please."
She laughed out a breath and pushed it firmly back into his grip. "Relax, I'll be fine. I'll call you as soon as I touch down and when I get to the house." She gave him a peck on the cheek as the announcer came over the intercom for boarding her flight. "Take care of our boy." She smiled, and gave a little wave as she walked through the security barriers, leaving Nick behind feeling rather helpless.
******
Two days later, Nick had taken Clay and Matthew out into Bear Valley to show his son around. They stopped by the music store as Nick offered to buy Matt a brand new guitar, as his own one back home was not in the best condition. Clay looked over the instruments with a mild interest as Nick spoke to the salesman. Matt, in the meantime was scanning through some song books, ever so often glancing around nervously, and scratching at his arms.
Clay narrowed his eyes in concern, after watching him for a few minutes before approaching him. "Are you okay?" He asked standing next to him, picking up another booklet, casually flicking through the pages.
Matt seemed irritated, his brow glistened with sweat and he kept tugging at his clothing. "I need to change…" He admitted, almost embarrassed.
Clay nodded and protectively pulled an arm around the younger werewolf's shoulder and escorted him to the front door. He caught Nick's attention, who nodded in understanding, apologising to the store clerk.
"How long?" Nick asked leaning across his seat to look in the back, as Matt's face paled.
"Not long." Matt winced, rubbing at the back of his legs as Clay tore from the parking lot.
They got to the Estate and Nick's initial reaction was to get Matt into the woods where he could change in privacy. Kicking off his shoes in the car, Matthew bolted with Nick not far behind as soon as the vehicle stopped.
"I won't be far." Nick smiled, with a glint of fondness in his eyes. He stepped back a couple of feet and disappeared into another thicket.
Desperately Matt threw off his clothes as he felt the change begin, as the itching in his legs turned to a dull burning, his face beginning to contort as he gasped in pain. Just as his jeans were kicked aside Matt threw himself down onto all fours watching in the usual horror as his fingers pulled back into themselves and a fresh wave of itching begin as hair gradually sprouted from his pores. Thank god his ribs had almost completely healed; otherwise he was sure he would have vomited over himself from the additional strain on his body.
A half hour later, panting as he lay catching his breath he heard a scuffle just beyond the boundaries of his thicket.
He snorted, stiffly pulling himself up to his feet and sniffed the air. A wet black nose protruded with a concerned whimper as Matthew jumped back in surprise, letting out a faint growl; he raised his hackles defensively to add extra weight to his slight frame.
The nose came closer still to reveal a very dark brown wolf, its head at a questioning angle. Matthew recognised the scent from somewhere – the human part of his brain telling him everything was okay. He was safe – be curious.
He tentatively stepped forward prodding his nose against the older wolfs flank, giving out a snort in agreement as the younger wolf shook his head as the coarse hair tickled his nose.
Nick moved his head a little closer, sniffing his son's muzzle and gave it a prod with his nose, before sharply skipping back; tail wagging in a playful gesture.
Matthew took a step forward and Nick replayed the same action, getting close to Matthew, pushing him a little and jumping back playfully, laying down on his front paws whilst his rear stayed aloft.
Matthew pounced forward seeing the game for what it is, and gave a little yip as Nick pushed him over. A whimper from Matthew, and Nick jumped over and began snuffling at his head, giving him the occasional lick making sure he was okay.
Matthew reached forward submissively and nipped at Nick's front paw. As Nick jumped back in shock, Matthew leapt to his feet and ran from the thicket deeper into the forest.
The teenager had gone about half a mile when he heard steady rhythmic thuds behind him. Before he had a chance to turn and look, a gold blur shot past him, followed by another - slower than the first and pale blonde, almost white. Matthew slowed to a halt, his breathing short and laboured. Resting his nose to the ground, the scent he recognised as Clay, followed by Elena. After catching his breath he heard another set of soft footfalls and saw a large black shadow of a wolf stand in front of him, nearly twice his size - with two darker wolves behind him.
Instinctively Matthew cowed away; laying flat on his belly, resting his head on his paws watching intently. Jeremy stepped closer to him – and like Nick before him, sniffed along Matt's flank taking in his scent before pulling up sharply and stared down at him, scrutinising him. Jeremy projected the authority of being Alpha heavily on Matt's consciousness, as he towered above his form. After a couple of minutes he stopped, gave a resolute snort and bounded off into the longer grass to hunt with Antonio following.
Nick watched his Father and the Alpha leave and returned to look at his son. Matthew also watched them leave, distracted by a sound catching his ear, twitching as he listened; A rabbit.
Nick lifted his nose to the air and smelt the prey for him self. Snorting, Matthew tore off in the direction of the scent.
Nick started after him, taking his time – ears twitching for some sign of Clay and Elena. He could smell they were near, and recently passed this way, but right now his priority was following his son.
A high pitched squeal and another yip came from Nick's left and he bounded over to a piece of brush to see the back side of Matthew hunched over. Letting off playful growls and throwing his head from side to side. There was a scent of blood in the air as Nick walked around the thicket. Matt turned to face him with a large rabbit hanging limply from his jaws, blood splattering the nearby grass and foliage.
A moment later Clay and Elena came crashing through the grass, following the scent of fresh meat, as Clay licked his lips appreciatively. He went to take a step forward but was cut off from a growl from Elena.
'This is his meal. Let him have it.' Her body language suggested as she pushed his muzzle away to the side. Clay glared at her, for the longest of seconds before snorting and turning away.
The two pale haired wolves slunk back to where they had come from as Matthew passed his gaze at Nick; the sound of another foraging animal caught his ear as he loped off to find it. Returning not five minutes later with a sand-brown coloured Hare freshly killed in his jaws.
Once he was finished, Nick stepped over to his son and started to lick the blood from his snout. After about a half hour, the pair settled down – joined shortly after by Clay and Elena. Blood flecked her muzzle and paws as she lay down heavily with a sigh, Clay set to work cleaning her muzzle, as they all lay down and drifted off to asleep.
******
They awoke, some hours later as the sun was beginning to set. Matthew stretched out; startled as his arms glided across skin - noticing his return to his human form he observed some of the figures around him. Everyone had reverted back to their human form. Realising just what he was looking at, he quickly averted his gaze - especially from Elena, her scent alone in his wolf form had nearly made him do something he would sure regret.
Pushing himself up to his feet, the other's stirred at his movement, and started to wake up. Gradually they got themselves together, whilst Nick explained to Matthew that it was a common occurrence going to sleep in wolf form, and waking human. There not being any specific explanation: It just happened - it was one thing that had always bugged Matt - As not having a mentor around, a lot of his questions had gone unanswered.
Nick guided his son back to his clothing and waited for him to return before walking him back to the house, where they were met by Belle waiting in the garden.
"Oh thank god. I was wondering where you had got too." She gasped hugging Matthew.
"When did you get back?" Nick asked placing his hand on the small of her back before releasing her.
Belle pulled back from her son and pulled the hair from her face. "About an hour ago - Jeremy said you were taking a run so I thought I'd wait until you were ready to come back… Are you okay baby?" She asked worriedly looking over Matt's face, and rubbing at some stray flecks of blood, as he swatted her hand away.
"This one here caught himself a rabbit." Nick declared wrapping his arm around Matt's shoulders and playfully brought him down into a headlock.
"Really?" Belle asked.
Matt nodded as he struggled free from his fathers grip as Elena and Clay walked past hand in hand. "Certainly gave his Dad a run for his money." Clay quipped ruffling the teenager's hair as he walked past.
"Well, I hope you've left some room. I roped Antonio into giving me a hand getting dinner ready for you all." Belle said walking back with them into the house.
"Hey," Nick whispered catching her around the waist, as she turned to face him. The colour of her eyes glowed warm in vibrancy from the light of the setting sun.
"And what do you want mister Sorrentino?" She asked cocking an eyebrow.
"I thought you wouldn't be back until tomorrow. How did the job go?" He asked, holding her hand as they returned to the house.
"It wasn't so bad, Anita - the bride's - cousins got into a bit of a fight, but other than that; it was alright. Beautiful day for it – got some great shots." She smiled as they sat down at the table waiting for Jeremy to sit down out of respect before they started their meal.
"What was that of - The wedding or the fight?" He teased.
"Ha ha." She replied sarcastically watching Jeremy take his seat.
Nick reached over to grab a dish of vegetables. "How about going out for dinner tomorrow night?" He whispered into her ear.
"What's the occasion?" She replied, scooping some roast beef from the dish in front of her.
Nick shrugged. "If you'd rather stay in… just say the word."
Belle rolled her eyes. "How about we go… as a family?" She suggested looking over at her son who was talking avidly with Antonio, their attention distracted by Katherine throwing a spoonful of creamed potato in Clay's face. Elena joined her daughter in a fit of hysterics – more flying potato soon followed.