HUNTED-Chapter 346: Strange Transformation

Inside the bar, Aldric rushed to Rex’s side. By now, his forehead was covered in sweat, and his brown locks stuck to it. He could see the fear and stress that Rex couldn’t understand what was wrong with him or the agonising pain evident on his face. His hand was squeezing Elissa’s tightly, and he could see her cringing in pain.

Aldric kneeled before them, slipping on Harry’s jacket, making him look all the more ridiculous in his outfit, but he didn’t care. Rex was showing signs of shifting at a young age, and Elissa’s hand was going to break if he continued to hold it.

"You did really good protecting your sister," Aldric began and slowly wrapped his hand over Rex’s. "But I need you to let go now. You’re hurting her."

Rex’s eyes widened, and he looked down at his younger sister. He snatched his hand away like he’d been burnt, and worry filtered into his eyes. "Lissy, are you okay? I didn’t mean to!" More tears spilt from his eyes, both from pain and worry that he’d hurt his sibling.

Aldric shushed his boy soothingly. "Elissa is fine. See?" He gently pinched his girl’s cheeks, and she smiled, still not aware of what had happened in the garden. Aldric did check over Elissa’s hand and wrist, noting a slight discolouration.

She was going to bruise, but his girl was strong and hadn’t even cried out. Now he knew Elissa was fine. His attention returned to Rex.

"Harry.. take Elissa," Aldric ordered quietly. Harry was quiet for a moment, and Aldric realised it was because he ordered the rogue again, but he was used to dealing out commands, and he wasn’t thinking clearly about such things right now.

Harry’s hesitation was only for a moment, though, sensing the urgency of the situation. Harry held his hand out for Elissa to take, and he took her towards her cousins who also watched on, confusion forming on their features. He sat Elissa down on one of the sofas before ordering juices for the children and placing a blanket over Cathy’s shoulders.

His sister-in-law watched her husband unconscious on the ground, only sparing Rex and Aldric a glance occasionally. The owners of the bar were about to call the cops, but Harry was already on it, telling them the hunters would be coming to collect him. At the mention of the Hunters Association, the man’s gaze turned wary, looking at the remaining group of children and parents.

Aldric didn’t care about the human, and the fear started to waft off him. His son was before him, looking scared. Rex removed his jacket and then stared at his hands, pain turning his face red.

"Rex, what hurts?" Aldric asked, looking down at his hands.

"My hands and.. and.. my ears." Panic filled his voice, and his breaths quickened. "My back! Agh!"

Rex clutched at his ears then his head flicked back, hips jutting forwards as his veins strained against his temples and up his neck.

"Breathe," Aldric said calmly. "Take slow, deep breaths. Everything is going to be fine. The pain is temporary."

Rex’s breathing still came out quickly, like he was hyperventilating, the panic evident on his face as he scrunched his eyes shut. "What’s happening!?" Rex screamed loudly, and he toppled over onto his knees, continuing to clutch the sides of his head.

"Take his pain," Callan growled. "You can take his pain away!"

Aldric blinked at his wolf’s command. He didn’t think it was possible because Rex was only half a werewolf. Parents could help take the pain away from their pups until the age of twelve. They couldn’t heal them or help with emotional pain, but if their pups were in physical pain from injury or illness, they could take it from them.

"Do it now!" Callan roared in his mind.

Without thinking further about it, Aldric placed his hands on the back of Rex’s head and placed his forehead to his. "Breathe. Everything will be fine," Aldric whispered to his son and closed his eyes.

Rex was sniffling, tears and snot running down his face. Aldric focused on his son and started to probe the areas he was in pain with his mind. Like cold water rushing through his son’s blood to check the areas that hurt. Once he found them, the cooling effect reduced the pain, and slowly, it started to sink into Aldric.

It was painful, reminding him of the first time he shifted. But it was different to what he was used to. When he transformed, his whole body was in agony. It seemed Rex was partially in pain, the same stretching, ripping and stabbing pain that normally affected them all over, but it was only to his ears, lower back and hands.

Rex sighed, but his body continued to shudder. Aldric winced slightly but opened his eyes to see the sides of his son’s ears growing, pointing out as fur formed on them. He could feel his own ears throbbing as he watched some blood trickling down the side of Rex’s wolf ears.

Aldric continued to hold his son, letting the waves of pain slice into his lower back and hands, but he pulled away to watch Rex. He was still fearful, but his breathing was calm as he watched Aldric and then looked down at his hands. They watched as the skin on his hands started bubbling until patches of fur sprouted out of his pores, and his nails slowly transformed into sharp black claws.

While they watched his hands, Aldric winced again, feeling the strange pain in his lower back. Then it was suddenly gone. He slid his hands down the sides of Rex’s arms, keeping contact with him in case there was more to come as he slowly turned his son around and looked at Rex’s trousers in surprise.

They were tight on his backside, but it was bumpy and moving.

"What is that?!" Daisy called in alarm from her seat. Jack peered around her, curiosity in their expressions instead of fear at Rex’s strange transformation.

"Ow, it hurts," Rex whined. Aldric knew it was uncomfortable, not real pain.

He frowned further when he saw fur poking out of the top of his trousers. Then it clicked, and he had to hold back a chuckle. There was no more pain radiating through him, so he released his son and told him to turn around.

Elongating his claws, he made a small hole in the back of Rex’s trousers.

"Let’s go to the toilet."

Rex didn’t hesitate to rush to the bathroom. Aldric shared a look with Harry, who also seemed just as confused by his son’s shift before he pushed open the toilets and waited outside one of the stalls.

"Dad?" Rex called to him, sounding unsure. "I’ve grown a tail."

"I know, son. I’ve made a hole for you to push the tail through. It’s the best we can do for now," Aldric replied as he closed his eyes, wondering if Rex would shift into his wolf more or if this was something else.

"Dad?"

"You can ask me anything, Rex. I can help you." Aldric hoped anyway.

"There’s a voice inside my head.." He sounded scared again.

Aldric sighed and wiped a hand down his face. It was Rex’s wolf. "That’s completely normal, Rex. I’m sorry, son. I didn’t think this would happen to you so young."

He didn’t think Rex would ever shift.

He certainly didn’t expect this. "Don’t tell anyone your wolf’s name. I’m sure he is just as frightened as you. He will mature with you, but I will help you both. He will still know some basics to help you. But we will get through this."

"Okay.." Rex still sounded uncertain. Aldric started to hear some more tearing of material and realised he was probably cutting into his underwear as well.

It was only temporary. Wasn’t it? He honestly didn’t know. Surely, he wasn’t the only werewolf to have a human mate? But it wasn’t like there was some type of online platform he could ask others who also have half-human pups.

Like how he just so recently found out, it would put their families at risk. Not only from humans like Mark but other werewolves. Having a human mate meant they were weaker, and so were their pups.

"How are you feeling?" Aldric asked as he leaned against the counter sinks, crossing his arms.

Rage was still bubbling under the surface of his skin while Callan seemed to pace. His wolf was restless because of the man lying unconscious in the bar and because they didn’t know what was going to happen to their son.

"I’m okay. I don’t want to come out, though. I look like a freak."

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

"You are NOT a freak," Aldric growled, his eyes glowing brightly. He took a deep breath in, calming himself and Callan. "Do you think I’m a freak then?"

The door opened, and Rex looked at him wide-eyed. "No! You’re so cool! You turn into a beast! I’m.." He turned to stare at himself in the mirror.

Rex looked cute. That was what. A bushy brown tail wagged lazily behind him, his ears stood on end, pointing out past his brown hair, alert, and his hands had claws. It was like he’d stopped shifting halfway through, and this was the end result.

"Perfect," Aldric finished for his doubtful son. "I don’t know if you will shift fully or not, but either way, son. You are fine."

"T- I mean, my wolf said we will shift when I’m older," he muttered, still unconvinced as he looked at himself, perplexed. "H-he said the urge to protect Lissy and to get re.. re.. venge? Prompted an early shift."

Aldric blinked at that. It was possible. Rex’s wolf seemed quite bright, but Aldric wouldn’t promise anything in regard to his son shifting into a full werewolf. His wolf might be convinced that they would still shift, but he was only half a werewolf. Either way, he would support him and Elissa if she ended up shifting.

Aldric pulled his son into a hug, patting his head and avoiding his ears, aware they were most likely still tender. "You did a good job protecting her son."