Werewolf Boyfriend: Dean (complete)

Female Reader x Male Monster (both cis)

Aside from the hassle of getting up, you’ve been enjoying early mornings. The town you live in is right near the ocean, so each morning during your jog to the gym, you get to see the sun rise over the sparkling water. You had always been a sleeping-in type, but when you decided to lose weight, it became clear that early morning was the only time you could work out. After work you’re always too exhausted, or far too busy.

It was a struggle in the beginning, especially when you started the early-morning gym visits. Your body ached throughout the day, and mornings were harder than ever, but you kept telling yourself it would be worth it in the end. You’ve grown to enjoy weight lifting, and it’s become a regular part of your morning routine. You’ve even made a few friends to work out with, which helps to keep you on track.

“Look over there,” Rosie hisses, giving you a nudge that nearly makes you trip on the treadmill.

“Hey! Careful!” you huff. “What are you talking about?”

Rosie nods over to the corner where a guy is standing, adjusting the braces on his knees before he takes to the dumbbells. “That guy. The one I’ve been telling you about.”

For a while now Rosie has been talking about a guy she’s been seeing around the gym. Unnervingly silent and always dressed in black, he’s inspired her to call him the Shadow. She also tells you that his face is partially covered by a red marking, and the way she goes on you expect the Phantom of the Opera to slink in. But this guy looks very normal, with no hint of murder-basement tendencies. Aside from his all-black attire and prodigious man-bun, nothing seems out of the ordinary.

“That’s not the Shadow,” you scold her. “That’s some guy.”

“No, no,” Rosie insists. “That’s him. Wait for him to turn, you’ll see.” She keeps her hand on you so you don't turn away.

You roll your eyes and smile. “Have you ever considered trying out to be the nosy neighbor on TV?” You start to go back to your workout, but then the Shadow turns. Rosie gives you a smack on the arm, and you see that the right side of his face appears bruised, red and purple. The blemish seeps down onto the side of his neck and shoulder, and even the hair on the right side of his head is discolored white and gray.

“The Shadow!”

“Don’t be rude,” you warn her. “It’s a port wine birthmark.”

Rosie looks mortified. “Like his mother drank wine during pregnancy? Oh my god, that’s so sad!”

“It has nothing to do with wine! It just looks like a wine stain. It happens like any other birthmark.”

“Sorry,” Rosie glances back at the Shadow. “But see? He’s so cool in a way.”

You give her a look. “Are you twelve?”

“I mean, he’s this loner and everything. Wears all black, always cleans up, holds open doors.” Rosie blushes slightly.

You smirk at her. “You’re married, Rosie. Do I need to have a word with Mikey?”

Rosie pouts and returns to focusing on the treadmill. “He can fantasize about the florist on Gum Street, so I can do it too.”

You laugh at her, taking one last glance behind you at the Shadow.

One morning, while taking a breather from your regimen, you’re sifting through your bag looking for a mint when someone comes to stand over you. “Do you work there?” he asks, pointing to your bag.

Your bag is a tote emblazoned with the logo for Audrey Dental Clinic along with a little tooth and toothbrush design, which you’ve been using forever rather than actually buying anything new. “Yeah,” you answer, and look up and see the Shadow standing over you.

“Do ya’ll take new clients?” He has a Southern accent, which is unexpected. “I’ve had this toothache for a while now, and I can’t ignore it anymore.”

You fumble a bit, nearly dropping your box of mints. “Yes, of course. I don’t have any of my cards with me, they’re back in my purse. But I could leave one at the front desk for you.”

“Thank you. I’d appreciate that,” se says with a smile. He starts to turn away, then stops. “I don’t have insurance…”

“We take payments,” you quickly reply. “And we have flex rates too, so…” You smile nervously again and tell him your name. “I’m a dental hygienist there, so just tell them I referred you and they’ll get you in as quickly as possible.”

“Dean,” the Shadow replies. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too, Dean.” For the Shadow, Dean sounds like such a plain name.

You leave one of your cards at the front desk, telling the guy there that Dean will come and pick it up later. Work is like any other day. You perform cleanings, and assist Dr. Audrey with a few procedures and x-rays. Aside from talking to Dean the Shadow that morning, nothing is different. Once at home, you get into a shower immediately, as is the routine. Shower first, dinner second. While you cook, you browse through your phone to check emails, the news, and then one of your favorite guilty pleasures - a supernatural blog called the Spoopy Forecast. It tracks hauntings, cryptid sightings, and various unexplainable phenomena in the world. You grew up in a supposedly-haunted house as a kid, so these things have always fascinated you. Today though, there’s a surprise.

“West Coast Beach Beast Spotted Again!” A few years ago, someone snapped a photo of what looked like a hunched, hairy creature on a beach not far from your town. Ever since, people have been sending in equally blurry photos, hyping up the Beach Beast myth so much that shops around here sell merch featuring it. It appears that the Spoopy Forecast has gotten a photo that’s much clearer than the others. Just as you’re scrolling down to see the supposed ‘definitive’ Beast Beach photo, your phone rings, and you nearly chuck it into your dinner.

“I saw the Shadow buying Orajel at the pharmacy,” the text from Rosie says.

You sigh as you text back. “His name is Dean.”

“How do you know that?”

“I talked to him this morning. He has a toothache, so I gave him my card.” You step away from the stove to let your dinner simmer. “He seems very nice.”

“Well, that explains why he was buying Orajel. Why didn’t you tell me?”

You wish you could roll your eyes at Rosie. “Because I’m not in high school.”

Rosie instantly changes the subject. “You’re still doing the new yoga class with me on Saturday, right? I don’t wanna go alone.”

You check on your food and stir it, turning the heat down. “I’m planning on it, although I don’t know why. Don’t you have more flexible friends?”

“I don’t want to be the only chubby girl in a room full of skinny white women. We have to stick together! Bubble butts for life!”

Rosie is a lot, but you’re used to that by now. “I’m still going, don’t worry. I even got a new mat and leggings that supposedly don’t show panty lines.”

“Yay! You’re the best!”

You set your phone down and happily plate your meal. As you eat, you return to the Spoopy Forecast to try and see the picture of the Beach Beast. At first it looks like an innocuous photo of the beach at dusk, but when additional graphics point it out, you’re shocked. What looks like rocks in the corner actually appear hairy, and you can just barely make out a grotesque, wolfish face. But it’s the caption that rocks you most of all - “Taken near Orin Beach.” That’s the beach you run past on your morning jog! You quickly set your phone aside. There must be some photo manipulation involved. There’s no way!

The next day, you take a different route to the gym, trying your best to avoid the beach. Once at the gym, you relax. No way the Beach Beast would get away with attacking anyone here, with all the heavy weights and muscular bodybuilders around. You settle in to start your workout for the day.

“Good morning.”

You nearly choke on your water. You hadn’t heard anybody approaching you, but suddenly the Shadow is there. Dean looks instantly apologetic. “Oh, shit, did I scare you?”

You keep your mouth covered as you try not to spit out your water. You shake your head, then nod as you gulp. “I didn’t hear you at all!”

“Sorry, I‘ve been told I’m quiet. I didn’t mean to sneak up on you like that.” Dean rubs the back of his neck.

“It’s okay,” you cough. “You didn’t mean to.”

Dean’s soft smile returns. “Thanks for the card. I’ve got an appointment today, so I’m hoping I can get this toothache fixed. I’ve got something pretty important coming up on Saturday, and I’m a bit nervous about it.”

You stand and pop your knuckles. “Don’t worry about it. Glad you got an appointment so fast. Hopefully it’s an easy fix.”

“I’m scared it’s gonna be a root canal.” His Southern accent and shy tone are really cute.

You return his smile. “If that’s necessary, I can help you through it. We’ll get you adequately prepared.”

“Well, I just wanted to thank you. I’m usually pretty anxious about these things. But I saw your bag and took it as a sign, so…” Dean stops. “Sorry, I ramble when I’m nervous.”

“I have a friend who rambles as long as she’s breathing, so it’s okay.” You motion to the weight bench. “Mind spotting me?”

“You lift?” Dean asks as he follows you over.

“I think it’s fun. When I started trying to lose weight, I never thought I’d be doing this,” you chuckle.

Dean smiles. “You look great. How long have you been at it?”

Your cheeks burn from the complement. “Thanks. It’s been over a year now. I’ve lost quite a bit, but I’m still trying to get to my goal.” You put weights onto the bar, and when they’re secure you lie back on the bench.

Dean gets behind the bar, spotting you as you start to lift. “My brother back home does weight lifting professionally, all the contests and stuff. He even started holding his own Halloween-themed contest, since that holiday is so important back home.”

“Oh, really?” you grunt. “Where are you from?”

“North Carolina,” he says proudly.

“You’re awfully far from home.” You start to get your rhythm. “What brought you all the way across the continent?”

Dean helps you replace the weight on the bar, and you let your arms drop to your sides while you take a breather. “Work, mostly. Got a good job up here thanks to a friend. Then I just fell in love with the water.”

“You see the Beach Beast picture that was taken on Orin Beach?” you ask.

Dean snickers. “Oh, come on. You don’t actually believe in that, do you?”

You smile at him. “And you don’t? No Bigfoot? No Mothman? Not even the humble Loch Ness Monster?”

“Sure, I think they’re fun to speculate about,” Dean laughs. “But don’t you think if there was some sort of monster lumbering around on this very beach, we’d have better evidence than some blurry photographs? Surely someone would have better evidence by now.”

“I just know I’m avoiding the beach for a while. The new photograph was terrifying!”

Dean stiffens and frowns. “What new photo?”

“You’ve not seen it? Really?” You reach for your phone and show it to him. “See? You can actually see the face! It’s so creepy.”

Dean looks hard at the picture, a deep frown on his face. “You sure it’s not just a dog?”

“I’ve never seen a dog like that. Look, it seems like half the face is missing, too.” You point. You then hesitate, wondering if that came off as weird or offensive to Dean.

But Dean’s expression is a little hard to read. “I think these things can be made up so easily these days.” He hands you back your phone.

“It’s just fun.” You put your phone back into your tote bag. “I like the idea that there’s more out there than just us. I like that we don’t and can’t know everything.”

Dean grins. “Okay, Mulder. Ready for another set?”

“I suppose.” You lie back down.

That afternoon at work, you’re finishing up with a patient when you see Dean sitting in the waiting room. You give him a smile and a wave. Later you see him sitting in Dr. Audrey’s office, leaning back in a chair and fidgeting with his hands. His x-rays are on the board, and you see the cavity, but you also see the odd shape of his teeth and jaw. You can’t quite describe what unnerves you, but it’s different.

“See?” You poke your head into the office. “No root canal, just an everyday cavity. Dr. Audrey will have that taken care of in no time,” you tell Dean brightly. “You’ll be pain-free within the hour.”

“I’m scared,” Dean says shakily.

This is a surprise. Slouched back in his all-black garb, you would assume Dean would be as fearless as Batman. “What’s to be afraid of?”

“I hate needles,” he mutters. There’s sweat on his furrowed brow. “It’s not as bad as when I was a kid, but I still get nauseous about them.”

“That’s probably the worst thing about getting a cavity filled,” you tell him. “I remember when I had to get a wisdom tooth removed. The injection site hurt more the next day than the pulled tooth did! But it’s only for a second that you have to see it. And Dr. Audrey will numb the gum, so all you’ll feel is a bit of pressure.”

Dean breathes out slowly. “I guess if I keep my eyes closed…”

You take a seat beside him. “I’ll stay as long as I can and try to help you calm down.” You try to think of a change of subject. “You said you were from North Carolina, right?”

“Yeah,” Dean sighs.

“Where in the state?”

He swallows. “It’s a little town called Hearthway Hollow, near Asheville. Have you heard of it?”

You nod. “I have an aunt in Charlotte. I’ve never been to visit, but she posts all sorts of pictures.”

Dean sighs again. “It’s a beautiful place. I miss it a lot.”

“You said Halloween was a big deal. Why is that?”

He smiles nervously. “It’s hard to explain, but all month people get ready for it. Stores compete with their window displays, and different little celebrations are held. And like I said, my brother started a weightlifting competition that’s Halloween-themed. One event is to see who throw these massive pumpkins the farthest.”

“Sort of like a Highland game?”

“Yeah.” Dean smiles at you. “It’s great.”

“Any other family besides your brother?”

Dean shakes his head. “Just me and my brother. We mostly had cousins, and we spent a lot of time with my aunt Maria’s family as kids. My uncle used to have us work at his tool shop every summer, and that’s where we got into the gym stuff.”

Unfortunately, you have to get back to work. You don’t get to check on Dean before he leaves, but hopefully you’ll see him at the gym tomorrow. That evening you decide to look up Hearthway Hollow. When you run a search for it, to your surprise, several articles from the Spoopy Forecast are among the very first results.

“Small North Carolina town the epicenter of paranormal activity.” “Small town becomes bloodthirsty hunting ground.” “Hearthway Hollow: Small-town haven or gateway to hell?” This is a bit of a shock. Does Dean know about these articles? You decide to read a few about the town, just to see what;s up.

“Locals report strange occurrences, including dead animals being left on their front lawns and porches. Others have reported sightings of huge, monstrous creatures in the woods. One such anonymous tip states that the wolf reserve that made the town famous is actually a sanctuary for werewolves.”

“Werewolves?” You whisper to yourself. You switch to another article. Werewolves. You go to another. Werewolves. You do another search, this time typing in “Hearthway Hollow werewolves”. A site for the wolf reserve comes up, and a couple of articles from various news sources. “Locals interviewed about werewolf rumors.” “North Carolina town besieged by paranormal investigators.”

Then you find a picture that was taken in Hearthway Hollow, and to your shock, it looks almost identical to the one taken on Orin Beach. You wish you knew Dean’s number so you could message him and ask him directly about the werewolf rumor. Unfortunately, all you have is the internet and the many articles on the Spoopy Forecast.