The Beast I Have Become

Chapter 9

        I wake up and put my glasses on. I open up the blinds and let the sunshine through the window.
        What a beautiful morning! I thought to myself. I brush my hair and slide on my favorite beanie. I like wearing them, to be honest. I walk downstairs and make some coffee for the both of us. Mark is still asleep from the looks of it, so I decide to just sit on the couch and let him sleep. I read some of the comments from yesterday's video. A lot of people thought it was super fun to watch Mark react to the treacherous game I Am Bread. Some commented on how it funny to also see Mark's reaction to how easy I make the game look compared to mark actually doing it himself.
        "Yep," I hear a rumbling voice from behind me. "That game's control piss me off. And yet, here you are making it look easy and doing all sorts of acrobatic move with that stupid slice of bread."
        "Holy shit, Mark!" I yell. We both start laughing. "Ya scared the shit outta me! The fuck is wrong with ya?"
        "A lot of things, Jacky Boy," he replies. "I lot of things." I roll my eyes and set my phone down next to me.
        "The coffee maker is makin' coffee," I reply. "So, what do ya wanna do today? Make another video? Chill out? Go somewhere?"
        "Whoa there!" Mark chuckles. "I just got up Mr. Bright & Early. Let me get my coffee first and let my brain wake up." I laugh.
        "I didn't get up that early, you fuck," I replied playfully. Mark gives me a look telling me that it's on, a smile on his face.
        "Sorry 'bout that, douchenozzle," he replies back. "Would you like me to get you a dildo to suck on to quench the thirst?" Oh, game on!
        "No," I reply. "I would offer ya one, but I know you already had your share of the dildo last night."
        "How would you know?" Mark asks with a smile. "Do you stalk me in my room?"
        "Every night," I reply. And though that isn't that funny, we start laughing anyway. It's fun having some guy time and insulting each other just for fun.
        "About being a werewolf," Mark says some time during the day. "How do you see it? Like, to me, it's just a curse. A burden." Mark is staring off before looking at me for an answer.
        "Well," I reply. "I've always been taught that it's more of God's gift. Since I was born, my parents (my dad especially) have always told me that I have a special privilege that not many people have. He said that I'm special, just like him." I end with a smile, my thoughts going back to the day.
        "Hm," Mark replies. "The way I see it is as a curse. Like I was punished. It's painful to me and it gets in the way. I fear that I could kill someone if I get mad or if I forget about the upcoming full moon."
        "Well," I reply. "Maybe you see it like that since there hasn't been anyone to teach you how to master it. I had days where I fuckin' hated being a werewolf. My dad would train me and I remember gettin' so fuckin' mad that I would have to take a break. Sometimes, my dad would push when I'm pissed since I was just a youngin' at the time and he was the alpha of the pack. The pack was really just me, my mom, and the family. Just the alpha of the house really."
        "Maybe you could train me," Mark says. "But the thing is, is that you live in Ireland. I know you can't stay here forever."
        "No," I agree. "But, I could come over every couple of full moons to help you. Other than that, just tie yourself up, lad. Try at least. Imagine keeping control of the wolf or keeping it back. It'll seem impossible at first, I admit, but keep trying and it should work. Don't let the wolf get stronger. It's your damn body and you'll do whatever the fuck you want."
        "Yeah!" Mark replies with a fist pump. We both start laughing afterward.
        "Do Matt and Ryan know?" I ask.
        "Yeah," he replies. "Ryan went right to work after I came through that door with the nasty bite. He called wolf in no time."
        "Man," I reply with a chuckle. "Ryan got it right?" Mark smiled a bit and looks away.
        "Yeah," he replies. "The bastard got to prove me wrong. I kept on denying it and that it was bullshit. I kept saying that until transformation day."
        "Well," I reply. "Technically it's transformation days. Plural. The full moon technically lasts two or three days."
        "Hm," Mark says. "I didn't transform on the others."
        "Because it was your first," I reply. "Ya will the next time."
        "How the fuck does that even make any logical sense?" I chuckle.
        "Werewolves themselves don't make any logical sense, lad," I reply. Mark smiles and nods his head in agreement.

Mark's POV

We talk a bit about werewolves and things I might need to know.
        "Do werewolves really go on killer rampages when they transform?" I ask once I imagine it from Matt and Ryan's point of view.
        "Eh," Jack says. "It kinda depends really. It depends on your feelings. If you're pissed that day, then so is the wolf. If you're happy, then the wolf will be a little nicer. If Matt and Ryan let you get their scent and see that they aren't gonna cause harm, then the wolf won't harm them. It'll probably just go along with its business once it sees them as friends."
        "And what is that 'business' that it does?" I ask, imagining going back to a dead human body.
        "Uh..." he trails off and looks away. "That depends also. If you're hungry (which ya will be if end up puking), then you'll go hunting. In this case, any living meat that walks across your path. Except for your friends though. If it's your friend then it'll probably try to offer some."
        "So," I reply still trying to wrap my head around this. "Then I'm basically like an oversized dog to them?" Jack nods while raising his eyebrows.
        "Basically," he replies. "Just try not to get pissed. If you get mad enough, then you'll actually transform. It can be any time. Even if the full moon is a month away."
        "Not get angry?" I reply with a chuckle. "Easy peasy."
        "Don't get your hopes up, lad," I reply. "It's a lot harder than ya think. Werewolves have short tempers, Mark."
        "Short temper my ass," I mutter under my breath while looking away.
        "Ey!" Jack points out. "I heard that ya little douche," I growl involuntarily. I look away, not wanting to show that jack was right, the feeling pissing me off even more. I act like a five-year-old with a problem the way I turn my head with a 'humph'. I glance at Jack and see that he has his hand on his hips and his eyebrows raised with a small smirk. I glance away.
        "Shut up," I reply.
        "Ya know I heard ya when ya muttered, right?" Jack says with a smart-ass tone. My eyes widen for a second the new information and immediately change to a grunt and I fold my arms and pulls my shoulders up a little.
        "Aw, come on Markimoo!" I reply with a playful tone. "Don't be a drag down little grumpypoo." I turn my head to him and automatically unfold my arms.
        "Whaaat the fuck was that?" I ask with a chuckle, raising my eyebrows for effect. Jack just started laughing at the bullshit that just came out of his mouth.
        "I have no idea!" He says with his regular loud, accented voice. "I was literally saying what was on my mind." I couldn't help but chuckle.
        "You better be careful," I say playfully. "Your ass is probably jealous because of all the shit that comes out that mouth of yours." Jack keeps his big smile and tries to think of a comeback.
        "Well," Jack says. Let's see what he's got. "Your ass isn't probably jealous. It is jealous. You got to load and loads of bullshit that comes from your mouth!"
        "Well," I reply. "If it's bullshit, would it be the bull's ass that's jealous?" We both start laughing. It was a bit cheesy, but I'm as hell he didn't see that coming.
        "Dammit!" Jack says. "Fair play, lad. Fair play." We end up getting some lunch and decide to get burgers. I couldn't help but look at the moon phases on my phone. I actually got an app for it so I won't have to look on the internet every time. The full moon isn't until the next month. On the inside, my other half is just thinking, "Why must it be so far a-fucking-way.".
        Oh shut the fuck up, you bastard, I told the wolf in my head. I'm not sure if it can even hear me, but whatever. I say whatever the fuck I want. I don't get a response, (I didn't expect one anyway), but I just hope that it got the message.

***

Matt and Ryan get back on the day Jack leaves, which, unfortunately, is today. I'm not saying that I don't want Ryan and Matt to stay away forever, but Jack is pretty fun to have around.
        "Hey," he says to me before leaving. "I'll see you during one of the full moons, lad. We can transform together." We smile and wave before heading back home.