I woke up the next morning back in human form. Lauren was sitting up, wrapped in a heavy blanket, her eyes wide.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"That really happened," she said slowly. I sat up slowly, my joints aching in places that I didn't even know they could ache. Even though the trace of the wolf had disappeared, I felt a lingering muscularity.
"It really happened," I confirmed.
"Where did you go...the first time?"
"It was right after you left. I wasn't prepared. I was chased out of a doctor's office and ended up at the beach. I remember staring at the moon and then it happened." I swallowed hard. "I almost killed Brian and Leighanne."
Laur gasped. "What do you mean you almost killed them?"
"I was hungry. I wasn't prepared like this time. I went prowling the streets. They walked by. It took all my strength to let them pass."
"Nick, this is insane."
"I know."
"And what about this?" she asked motioning to her belly. "I think my mom's going to wonder how I ended up delivering quadruplets when she just saw me three months ago. And what if they're not...human?"
Sometimes I had horrible sense of humor. The corners of my mouth twitched.
"I guess we buy one big cage instead of four cribs."
It was the ABSOLUTELY wrong thing to say. Lauren a mask stared at me angrily, her face a mask of hurt.
"I'm sorry," I said quickly. She turned her face away from me.
"We'll figure it out," I promised.
"How can we figure it out?" she asked. "You're going to be busy recording."
"At least it's here in L.A.," I argued. "I'm not going to leave you."
A loud sniffle rent the air. "Promise?"
I squeezed her shoulder. "Promise."
"Hey, where's Lauren? I figured she'd be bringing you tofu-based lunches," AJ joked.
It had been the daily question for the last two weeks. Lauren wasn't even able to get out of bed anymore. we were too scared to go to the doctor. Anyone that cross compared her charts would have her sent to Area 51.
Of course, every other wife/girlfriend had stopped by. Lauren was M.I.A. I took a bite of my french dip sandwich and chewed a long time, contemplating.
"She's not here," I finally said. "She's judging one of the fitness competitions in New York."
"Hence the french dip sandwich," Bri teased. He wrapped his arm around my neck and squeezed my affectionately. I jabbed him in the ribs.
"Well, something's working for ya," D added. "You've got something more than a six-pack. I don't even know what they would call it."
My muscle tone was continuing to develop. In a way it was a blessing - Lauren's newfound penchant for any and all food had me eating alongside her. The whole sympathy thing was true. Yet, I continued to look like I spent hours in the gym.
"Some of us are just naturedly blessed," I said with a grin. I dunked the last bite of my sandwich in the au jus and stuffed it in my mouth. I crinkled the deli paper and shot towards the trash can.
"Nothing but net," Bri sportscasted.
It was officially June. we were slowly recording new songs. Jive was back to its normal dictatorship. Anything remotely radio-worthy was quickly getting nixed.
"Max is coming in June 7," Howie called out. His nose was inches from his blackberry. "He says he has a bunch of good stuff for us."
"Which will probably never see the light of day," Bri scowled. Leighanne, the Backstreet wife of the day, nodded in irritation.
"June 7?" I asked. I glanced at my phone. A large round circle stared back at me on that date. The next full moon. "I don't think I can--"
"All four of us have to be here," Howie said. "He's coming in on the early morning flight."
"So we'll be done by say...seven?" I asked. I needed time to lay out steaks. I needed time to prepare for a possible wolf puppy birth. I rubbed my neck nervously.
"Why? You got a hot date?" AJ teased. I smirked.
"Lauren's coming back that day," I said. "So, yes."
"We'll be done by seven," Howie said. "Just don't oversleep."
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, sergeant."
"I don't like this."
"I think you should eat something other than--"
"I WANT IT!"
The wolf in me might have faded during the rest of the month for me, but for Lauren it was a constant. She stared at the plate resting on her stomach. I picked it up, looking at the medium rare steak.
"I'll be right back."
I ran down the stairs, back to the kitchen. Our freezer and refrigerator were stocked with steaks. I picked up a package, wrapped in white butcher paper, and snipped the string. I paused to scratch the fur on my hands.
The plump steak oozed. I took the first steak as my own, and brought the uncooked meat up to her. Her face lit up. "Better."
I knew now how I must have looked in South America. She greedily sucked at the juice on her fingers. No fork or knife was needed; her teeth were already elongating. The hair on her neck was coming in rapidly. The days had moved to quickly. The moon loomed again.
"I have to work tomorrow," I said slowly. She glanced at me, chewing vigorously.
"But tomorrow--"
"I know."
"But the hair..."
"I'm going to shave the mitts," I said. "I'm wearing a hoodie."
"In June?"
"I don't have a choice."
"But you'll be back before--"
"Of course. Nothing's keeping me away. We're locking ourselves in the house again and waiting it out."
"And if they come?"
We both looked down. I could almost see her skin moving from the tangle of arms and legs.
"Then we'll do what we can."
