It was while Connie was having her first session with Xander that someone began to get a clue that maybe something had happened to him too, during that accidental triggering of the animal possession. The way he spoke wasn't normal. He talked about patrolling his territory, guarding his friends, protecting those he had a responsibility for because they were in his territory. He mentioned that the vampires were unnatural and didn't belong. His language was concerning. His way of thinking was concerning. Tracing it back, that ritual seemed to be where it all started. For Xander, what he was saying and thinking seemed normal. To Connie it wasn't. How had Rupert missed this?

Connie called a meeting of the whole gang.

"Rupert, back when this animal possession you mentioned happened, where you aware that Xander had also been in the circle when it triggered?"

Jenny froze when she heard that, eyes large.

"Yes, he mentioned it. But he wasn't possessed."

"How do you know?" Connie asked. "Did you check?"

"No, why would I? He was fine."

"Rupert, he was in the circle at the same time!" Jenny exclaimed. "Just because he looks fine doesn't mean he is. He may have been affected in a totally different way."

"I think he was." Connie said. "We were just having our session together. His way of thinking, of reacting isn't normal. He talks about patrolling his territory. Did you know he's been going out on his own patrols since that event? He tracks vampires by scent and dusts them. He's had no issues in going head to head with vampires. For him, it appears to be perfectly normal. He also seems to have developed a way of sensing them. Can either of you do magical evaluations?"

"Yes, I can." Jenny said.

"Then I suggest you do one now. It's possible, he may be possessed, just not in a noticeable way."

"Drusilla! The vampire seer! She said Xander was not like them and not like us, that he was something new!" Willow exclaimed.

"I'll get my supplies. You're right, this needs to be checked." Jenny hurried to get her supplies and quickly returned.

"Xander, why didn't you mention you were going out on your own?" Giles asked.

"I don't know, Giles. It never occured to me. It just seems like that's what I'm supposed to be doing. Patrolling my territory so the unnatural ones don't hurt my friends, my family. I have to keep Cordy and Willow safe. Patrolling makes sure, those things never get them."

"You see Willow and Cordelia as ones you need to protect?"

"Well, Oz loves Willow too now, like I love Cordy, so he helps protect her. Cordy's just learning how to protect herself from them, but it's my right to make sure she's safe, because she's mine. She let's me love her, so that means she my Queen. And my Queen has to be protected."

"Your Queen?" Cordelia asked.

"And how do you see me?" Buffy asked.

"A friend, but you like the unnatural ones, it's wrong, it's revolting! They prey on those we're supposed to protect. You let a monster loose because you ignored the fact that he was one of the unnatural ones. People we're supposed to protect died because of you. That makes me angry and revolted. I know Angel had a soul, but he was still unnatural. That made it wrong."

"I see what you mean, Connie. The way he's speaking isn't normal."

"It's normal for him, Rupert." Connie told him, as Jenny arrived back with her supplies. She quickly set up a containment circle around Xander and did a spell to determine if he was possessed.

With a sigh of relief, she said. "He's not possessed. Whatever this is, it's going to require more diagnostics. But there's no demon, spirit or animal controlling him."

"Well that's good to know. If there was I'd expect you guys to either get rid of it or if you can't, then kill me so I don't hurt anyone."

Further diagnostics revealed something very interesting.

"That ritual did effect him in a totally different way. He's somehow become a hybrid. Part human, part animal, likely hyena, because those were the kind of animals being used in the ritual. It's kind of like Oz being a werewolf, but in Oz's case, he's two distinct beings in one body. Xander's genetic structure has been altered. He's one whole being, half human, half animal. Both parts are perfectly natural. There's no undoing this either. He can't transform or anything. He hasn't become a shapeshifter, like Oz. But like Oz, it's permanent." Jenny told them. "We need to determine the full extent of how he's changed. You told Connie, you can smell the vampires and sense them. Can you describe that for us?"

"They smell like they're rotting. I don't know why Buffy can't smell it, because it's bad. I get a wiggy feeling in my gut when one's around, but I feel it around demons too. The one in the first house. When I was in there, I could feel something."

"Well that makes sense, animals can sense vampires and demons." Giles said.

"Does this make Xander a demon?" Buffy asked.

"No, he's in no way a demon. In fact, he's not supernatural at all. Science might eventually be able to do what Magic accidentally did. And it hasn't made him a danger to anyone. It's amped up some of his own instincts. He's naturally protective. I suspect Cordelia will never have to worry about a roving eye. It doesn't seem like this is anything to worry about, but we'll keep an eye on it, just to be safe."

"Good, because I don't want to ever hurt any of you or anyone else for that matter."