Thank you so much for stopping by! Here we have chapter 2 of Full Moon Family! Similarly to chapter 1 this story is a gay romantic drama with mentions of supernatural elements but no actual werewolves. Everyone involved in sexual situations is well over 18 years old. All characters are mine. I hope you enjoy!
Full Moon on Friday: Full Moon Family
Chapter 2
August 2029
Night of the Full Moon
The noise that night was unbearable. The echo of multiple howls punctuated occasionally by harsh yips and yelps a rang out for hours. Aric stood at the window staring out at the dark forest. There was too much noise, this was weird. He'd never heard a full moon like this one. A soft knock on his door made him jump.
"Yeah?" he said quietly.
Claire cracked the door open.
"You doin' alright hon?" she asked.
"I guess so," he said with a shaky sigh.
She pushed the door fully open and stood next to her tall son, wrapping an arm at his torso.
"Have you gotten any sleep?" she asked. Aric shook his head. "Come on hon, get into bed. It's late," Claire said.
She turned Aric towards the bed and got him settled under the blankets.
"I'm worried, mom. It's so loud tonight. It sounds like there's a bunch of wolves out there," Aric said softly.
Claire climbed onto the bed next to her son. He put his head in her lap, and she stroked his hair slowly.
"Darin will be fine, sweet boy. He can hold his own," she said. "He may be a little guy, but he's huge in his wolf form."
"I know," Aric said. "I hate this."
"I know, hon," Claire said quietly. "Just try to sleep. He'll be home in the morning."
Claire continued to stroke Aric's hair slowly, just like she used to do when he was young and feeling sad or stressed out. She continued until he fell asleep on her lap, his breathing deep and even. She leaned her head back against the wall and looked out the window, listening to the howls and yips, silently worrying until her eyes slid closed.
Day After the Full Moon
It was just after 6am, the sun struggled to push through the stubborn clouds that had trickled rain all night. The forest was misty and silent until a harsh cry of "ARIC!!" echoed through the branches, breaking the silence and sending birds scattering from their perches in the trees.
The scream was hoarse and rough, with a sob behind it. Aric jolted up and was across the room in seconds. His mother sat bolt upright on the other side of the bed where she had fallen asleep.
"Darin?!" Aric shouted.
He didn't bother to pull on a shirt or shoes as he ran to the door. Wrenching open the locks on the back door he flung it wide to find Darin hobbling forward holding a bundle in his arms.
"Help me!" he shouted. His skin was streaked with mud and blood, which ran from his nose down his chin and neck. "Come grab her, I can't..."
Aric ran forward, barely noticing the damp ground beneath his bare feet, and took Darin up into his arms along with the wrapped bundle.
"What the fuck is happening Darin?" Aric asked panicked, his breath fogging in front of him.
"Darin?! What's going on?" Claire yelled from the porch.
She had pulled on a robe to fight the early morning chill. Pulling on her gardening boots quickly she whisked down the back porch stairs. Darin let out a sob as he pushed the bundle into Aric's arms.
"Mom..." Darin sputtered as his eyes rolled back and he fell heavily forward.
"Fuck! Fuck! Mom here, can you take..." His shout trailed off as he glanced down at the bundle. A small girl was there, wrapped in one of the blankets Darin kept at his wolf camp. "Shit, mom it's a little girl," Aric said.
"What?! Here give her to me," Claire demanded. "Is she alive, what is happening?"
"I dunno, I dunno, just..."
Aric held out the girl to his mother with one arm, while trying to support Darin with the other. Claire cradled the girl in her arms holding her close. The girl shivered and whimpered slightly.
"Get her inside, I'm right behind you," Aric instructed. He crouched down and hoisted Darin's heavy frame up into his arms. "Come on pup, wake up," Aric muttered as he followed his mother up the back porch steps.
"What happened?" Jim asked as he hobbled down the hallway.
"We don't know Jim. Darin just showed up with a little girl and then passed out," Claire said.
"What in the..." Jim trailed off as he watched Aric, face a mask of panic and devastation, carry Darin inside. "Darin? Is he?"
"He's just passed out," Aric whispered desperately. "God fucking dammit."
Aric took Darin to the sofa and laid him down. His skin was cold and clammy, so he pulled the knit blanket off the back of the couch and tucked it around his husband. He turned and checked the wood burning stove.
"Here, Aric, I'll get a fire going," Jim said. He handed Aric a warm moist towel for him to clean up Darin's face. "Claire, sit down before you drop that girl."
Claire nodded her arms shaking with the weight of the child in her arms. Jim got the fire going in the small stove, and it gradually began to warm the room.
"This blanket is soaked; can you get her a dry one Jim?" Claire asked as she shifted in a rocking chair by the stove.
Jim nodded and hobbled as quickly as he could to the linen closet in the hallway. He returned with a dry, warm quilt. Claire held the little girl close to her as she unwound the dirty, wet blanket from her small frame and wrapped her in the warm dry one. The girl seemed to relax a little as the soft warmth wound around her.
"There now, doesn't that feel better?" Claire murmured quietly. "Poor sweet girl."
Claire rocked in the chair, holding the girl close to her. She looked worriedly over at Darin.
"Pup? Darin, come on, wake up," Aric said, his voice cracking slightly.
Aric had rubbed some of the dirt and blood off Darin's face and was brushing his hand through his hair now, dirt and twigs falling to the floor.
"Wake up, pup," Aric said shakily. He kissed his cheek, his temple, his cool lips. "Come on Darin."
He rested his forehead lightly on Darin's for a second.
"Aric," Darin croaked out.
"Fuck," Aric sobbed. "God, fuck, I thought you were dead."
He scooped Darin up, clutching at him.
"It's OK, baby. I'm OK," Darin rasped.
He weakly tried to grasp at Aric, who pulled back and wiped his hand roughly over his cheeks.