5

He gestured for Murray to join him on the couch. Murray sat down close enough to touch. "Since when do you act like that? Panting after some human?"

Adrian grabbed his hand, clutched it tight enough to hurt. But he didn't say anything," Andrea is not some human! Watch your words!"

Adrian had no right to speak to him, to speak about Andrea, like that. But he had a point. One Adrian could not acknowledge. He loosened his grip but kept hold of his hand. "Is that why you came here, Murray?" 

Murray looked at him, leaning in slightly. Adrain stared into his bright green eyes and couldn't help but wish it had been Murray that had brought up those feelings in him. They had tried to make

ago of it years before, and it had been fun, but there was none of that wildness that he had felt from the moment he laid eyes on Andrea.

Andrea what? He didn't even know her last name and already he wanted to make room for her in his life. That was crazy.

Murray dropped his eyes, his breathing deepening, but he stayed still as Adrian took him in.

Adrian circled his thumb slowly on Murray's wrist, feeling his pulse speed up. Oh yes, those days had been fun. But even this close, the scent of Murray's budding arousal seeping into the room,  Adrian felt hollow. He dropped the hand and pulled away. Whatever this was, it was too much for him.

He couldn't think straight.

"Did you get her information?" He asked.

Murray continued as if he hadn't felt the moment between them.

"Andrea Sheldon, her book belonged to a Bar Virginia facility in town." He set down a driver's license on the table.

"I lifted it while she was out."

Adrian tamped down the growing rage within him. Had Murray touched her? No, that way lay even more madness. "What is in the book?"

Murray shrugged, "Looked like something about figures, I didn't have much time to glance through between you storming out and, well…" He trailed off.

She said she felt fine, but maybe we have someone drive by her place in a few days? To make sure nothing is wrong. You know we have to be careful with elders, a few of them don't like you for no reason and you know it so if try to check on her, we should be able to counter any false allegation." 

Adrain should have been the one to suggest that. He picked up the license and studied it. It was an Elkton license, so she was probably new in town. He hoped she wasn't here on business. That would be unfortunate. Twenty-three years old, blond hair, blue eyes, everything he had seen earlier, though with none of the punch her presence brought. Even from her license picture, he saw that she was beautiful, but he felt no compulsion. Perhaps it had just been something in the air, some strange smell that caused him to go temporarily insane.

"Are you even listening to a word I'm saying?" Murray's voice broke in, his hand waving in front of Adrian"s face.

"Yes," Adrian said, "Someone will check up on her, everything will be fine."

Murray looked at him for a long moment and Adrian wondered if he had missed something. Instead, Murray stood and bid him farewell as Adrain continued studying Andrea Sheldon's license photo.

Someone would check up on her.  Adrian was sure it would be him. he Lee his business is unfinished with Andrea and he didn't need to explain that to Murray. 

Adrain stood and calmly disrobed, folding his clothes and setting them on the couch as he walked out the door to his backyard.

There were no neighbors for miles to see his nude form, and

he would not be nude long enough for anyone to get a good look. 

Slowly he breathed in, clearing his head of all thought and focusing on the wolf that lived within him. He felt for the fur of that beast, running his hands over it, felt it lap at his hand. He could hear wolves howl in the distance. The change took him quickly once he caught the feel of the wolf. And where once stood a man stood a huge beast covered in gray fur.

He padded away from the house, gaining speed as he entered the forest. An owl hooted in the distance and he ran towards the sound, the joy of the run surging through him. Small game

fled, but he gave no chase. This night was simply for the speed. 

He couldn't wait to show this to Andrea.

His pace stuttered and his wolf shivered with that thought. There was no room for anything besides the wolf right now. But with a shudder he collapsed into his human form, unable to hold

to the concentration he needed. He lay shivering on the ground, a naked human exposed to the harsh night air.

Adrain stood. That was unacceptable. One by one he cleared his thoughts once more and focused on the wolf. His form shifted and he ran. Flying down the path as naturally as if he was born to it. He was fine now, no outside thoughts intruded into this wolf's head.

He circled back to run from where he came. With a calm sort of defiance, he padded to the edge of the woods and deliberately thought of Andrea. She is sure a concern to him now. . For one second, Adrian's wolf was fine. He held his concentration and remained that gray beast.

But with a whine and a whimper he convulsed, falling to the dirt on all fours and once more transformed into his human shape. Adrian had no energy to stand after that, and lay there, feeling the damp earth all around him. Andrea was a distraction, a huge one. That was alright, he had handled distractions before. All he needed to do was figure out why and then everything would be fine.

Adrian did his best to convince himself of this as he lay on the ground.