Ronan the Werewolf: Part One (complete)

I’m tucking Marshall into bed when I hear Beau come home. The door downstairs squeaks and closes gently, because Beau knows it’s bedtime. Marshall had a big day, having gone to the doctor for his checkup. The doctor was amazed by his growth - almost three and already a tank, he’s often mistaken for being older than he is.

Once Marshall is asleep, I go downstairs to find Beau at the kitchen table with a somber look on his face. As I step through the door, his expression brightens and he puts on a smile.

“He asleep?”, he whispers.

I nod. “Out like a light. How was the meeting?”

He frowns again at the inquiry. Billy called this afternoon right as Beau came in from work. The elders of the pack held a meeting about something Mrs. Locklear wanted to discuss. The look on Beau’s face reads as more worried than anything.

“What’s going on?” I take a seat at the table with him, giving his arm a gentle squeeze  “Is it bad?”

Beau huffs and scratches at the back of his neck. “Mrs. Locklear has had some of her chickens go missing. She never thought much about it. It happens when you live in the woods. But then she started noticing other things, like tracks. Jasper mentioned things happening with his mate’s chickens as well. Said he woke up one evening to find the cage clawed and nearly opened up.”

I press my lips into a tight line. Things like this in Hearthway Hollow could be anything, but from the way Beau looks I have a feeling it’s something else. “Is it an animal?” 

Beau shakes his head. “They think it could be a lone werewolf in the woods. We’re going to take turns searching at night. I’ve gotta talk to Daisuke about better protection measures for the animals tomorrow. Do you think you could...”

I smile at him and place my hand over his. “I’ll open the shop tomorrow. I can take Marshall too, if it helps.”

He shakes his head. “I can handle him. As long as Remi is around I’ve got my babysitter.” He grins, then takes my hand and kisses it. “I just want to go to the farm and check on things tomorrow. If there is a werewolf out there eating chickens, this would be its buffet.”

I lean in and kiss him. “Want me to heat up some leftovers for you?”

“Nah, there was food at the meeting. I think I’ll take a shower.” He stands from the table and takes off his coat. “I’ll meet you in bed.”

“It’s a date,” I chuckle.

I check on Marshall again when I go upstairs. He’s sleeping soundly, his head of curly hair smashed into his bed, and his legs kicking as he dreams. I continue to the bedroom and crawl under the covers, listening to the water run as Beau takes his shower. 

When he comes out, he slips under the covers and pulls me close. His strong arms hold me tightly as he rests his head against my back. I know that this werewolf in the woods is frightening for him. After all, he’d been one of those wild werewolves. When he was younger his pack turned on him and left him for dead in the woods. He isn’t the only one in Hearthway Hollow with this kind of past, but it seems Beau is the most haunted by it.

In the morning, Beau gets up and brings Marshall into bed with us. Marshall is a cuddler, clinging to me or his father as he wakes up, wriggling and squirming like a puppy. He soon gets up and is scampering around the bed, climbing over Beau and I as that boundless energy comes to the surface. 

“Mama, Mama, Mama,” he says in a breathless chant. “Up, up.”

I smile at his dimpled cheeks. “Tell your Papa.”

Marshall flops over, going to Beau and tapping the top of his head. “Papa, up.”

Beau grabs Marshall and holds him up in the air, making him squeal and cackle. Then he drops him back onto the bed and covers him in kisses. “We’re up, Marshmallow, we’re up! And guess what? You and I are going to spend the day together, just the two of us.”

“Mama?” Marshall giggles.

“Nah, just us boys! And Uncle Dai too.”

Marshall grins, scrunching up into a ball. “Okay.”

Beau looks at me with a smile. “Now, since Mama has to work at the store today, you and I are going to make breakfast.” He scoops Marshall off the bed as he gets up. “What would you like?”

“Eggs!” Marshall announces loudly. “Eggs! Eggs! Eggs!” He swings his legs back and forth as Beau walks towards the door. 

“Oh, I guess we’re having eggs then.” Beau smiles back at me before he and Marshall go downstairs.

I get up and ready for the day, having breakfast with the boys before I head out to work. As I’m heading to my car, I notice something strange; Remi hasn’t come to greet me. Usually he’s right at the door waiting on someone to come outside, but today I don’t see him.

I look around, hoping to find some sign of Remi. I grow more worried when I can’t find him.

Beau steps out on the porch. “What’s going on?”

“I can’t find Remi!”

A look crosses Beau’s face, and he immediately steps off the porch. He darts around the side of the house, heading towards the barn. I go inside to get Marshall when I see Daisuke walking up the path with a big black mass in his arms.

Terrified, I stand on the porch waiting until I see Remi’s head pop up from Daisuke’s shoulder. “Oh, thank god!” I gasp in relief.

“He was on my porch this morning, which was weird,” Daisuke snorts. “Poor guy looked a little beaten up, but I got him bandaged and taken care of. I’ve already given Freddie a phone call. He’ll be over as soon as he drops the triplets off at daycare.” He sets Remi down on the porch, and I can see bandages wrapped around his legs and another one on his back.

“Remi, oh no!” I gasp in alarm.

Beau comes running up and shakes his head. “No, no, not Remi.” He kneels beside the goat and pets the top of his head. “What happened, buddy?”

Remi grunts and tosses his head from side to side. 

Beau grimaces and looks at Daisuke. “We’re going all around the property today,” he says. “We’ll discuss the best measures to ensure the safety of our animals.”

Daisuke nods. “You got it, boss.”

Remi nudges his head into my palm as I pet him. I wait until Freddie arrives to head into work and open up the craft shop late that day. That afternoon as I’m cleaning up behind the counter, Mrs. Locklear comes in.

“I heard about Remi. How is our own personal demon?” She places her palms on the countertop. 

“Freddie says he’s fine,” I say with relief. “He says, from the looks of things, whatever tried to fight Remi got the worst of it. All Remi’s cuts and scrapes look self-inflicted.”

Her gaze is pensive. “He was off all the way at Daisuke’s, right? Does he usually ever go out that far?”

“Sometimes, especially when Daisuke’s mushroom crop is in full swing. He likes to skim off the top, so to speak.” I frown. “But no.”

“Seems like he knew what he was looking for, then.” She shakes her head with a small smile. “A whole town of werewolves, and the one who tracks down our culprit is a goat.”

“Beau mentioned that last night,” I murmur.

Mrs. Locklear leans on the counter. “Billy has been worried sick about him. He knows how these things get to Beau.”

“I can tell that it's getting to him. Last night he was shaking at the table, and when we went to bed he held me like I was going to float away.” I bite the inside of my cheek. “Whatever this is, I hope we deal with it soon, or at least find out what’s going on.”

“Whatever it is, the thing is fast. Outran Jasper, and I can never keep track of it.” Frustration paints her face as she knits her fingers together. “I’ve dealt with wilds most of my life.” She points to the scar on her forehead. “But this... I don’t know how to explain it, Shauna. The air feels different with this one. Something ain’t right.”

That’s probably the biggest warning sign of all, if Mrs. Locklear feels strange. When I come home that evening, I find Marshall on the porch feeding apple slices to Remi. He’s so cute in his overalls, but even more so as he tends to his best friend.

“Are you making Remi feel better?” I kiss the top of his head. 

Marshall nods. “Remi saved us.”

“Did he?” I sit down beside him. “Well, that’s why we have Remi. He’s a hero.”

Beau steps out onto the porch and comes to join us. He sits down beside me and places his arm around my waist. “Marshall did a good job today.”

“Did he?” I lean into Beau and kiss his cheek. “What about you? What did you do?”

“We found a hole in the fencing at the orchard,” he says quietly. “And signs that looked like something had been sleeping there.”

At this time of year we don’t really go to the orchard, so it would make sense that  we never would have known if something was hiding there. “Did you find anything?”

Beau grimaces. “They’d taken some of the old tarps and sacks to use as bedding. There were also some spots outside the fence that looked dug up - probably where they buried the stolen chickens after they had their fill.”

“Why would they hide it?” I murmur. “That seems so strange.”

“I’m not sure,” he huffs. “Whoever they are, Daisuke and I are going to be out looking tonight. We have a scent, so we know what we’re looking for. Billy agreed to come help, so he’s going to sit here at the house.”

“Is there anything I can do?” 

Beau finally smiles and gives me a long, warm kiss. “Just stay here with Marshall. Lock the doors and stay safe, okay?”

“I will, don’t worry. You stay safe.” I pat his leg. 

Billy arrives that evening and plays with Marshall until they have to go out on patrol. Daisuke and Beau go to search the area around the orchard, while Billy keeps guard on the porch. I put Marshall to bed and make sure he’s fast asleep before I go out onto the porch. I see Billy sitting there, leaning forward with his large arms resting on his knees. Remi sits beside him, watching the yard with an intense glare. I sit down beside Billy and listen to the breeze rustle through the trees. Everything is quiet and dark.

“You should go back inside, Shauna,” Billy rumbles. 

“I’m worried,” I murmur. 

“I know. That’s why I’m here. I know how these things affect Beau, and I’m not going to leave him alone right now.” Billy glances down at me. “It’ll be alright.”

“I know. It’s just...”

At that same instant, Remi rises from the porch, eyes wide open, nostrils flared, and tail standing stiff. He lunges across the yard, flying through the air as something skitters from the woods. Remi screams, tackling the dark form and knocking it aside. Billy races from the porch as Remi corners the creature. Billy gets Remi to back off, but the creature runs again, evading Billy with shocking speed.

It comes onto the porch and stares at me, poised to strike should I move or breathe. It keeps itself lowered to the ground, almost completely flat. The way its eyes bulge makes it look like some strange creature from another world - but it’s a werewolf. A very small, very thin one.

Remi screams again, flying at the porch, but the strange werewolf darts under the wicker seat. Remi kicks and screams at the wicker chair, trying to toss it despite it being anchored to the porch. Billy starts to run up the steps, but I block him. “No! Stop!”

“What?” he hisses. “What’s the matter with you?”

“I think it’s a child.”

Billy’s whole posture goes slack. 

Beau and Daisuke run from the woods, both in wolf form. They start to come towards the porch, but Billy stops them in their tracks.  He makes them stand back while he comes onto the porch, as I get Remi away and inside. 

Billy kneels before the sofa, while the werewolf under it shivers and snarls. It lashes out, hissing and squealing in terror as Billy just sits there watching. Then Billy looks at me with a nod. “Call Maria. Get her to call Dr. Wahl, she’ll know what to do.”

I go inside to make a call to Maria. I go upstairs to check on Marshall, but when I peer inside his room he’s no longer in his bed. I search the entire upstairs and can’t find him. Then, I hear a long, pitiful howl pierce through the night. The sound is oddly sweet.

I bolt back downstairs, nearly tripping. I find Marshall outside, fully shifted in his pajamas, howling at the werewolf under the wicker sofa. The werewolf is poking their head out, looking up at Marshall with a wide-eyed, strange expression.

“Shauna!” Beau yells at me.

The werewolf darts back under the sofa, curling into a ball at the sound of Beau’s voice. I sit down, pulling Marshall into my lap. It’s so early for him to be shifting. Barely three and it’s his first time that we know of. He wriggles and pants, trying to get closer to the wicker sofa where Billy is kneeling.

“Be quiet!” I hiss at Beau. “You’re scaring him.”

“I’m scaring...” Beau clams up as Daisuke gives him a warning look. I know he wants to panic right now. His son has shifted, a werewolf is on his porch, and he has no idea what could happen. I’m panicking as well, but I understand now what Mrs. Locklear was trying to say. The reason this feels so very different is because this werewolf is just a child.

Maria arrives later with Dr. Wahl, the head of pediatrics at Hearthway Hollow Hospital. Billy removes himself from the porch so Dr. Wahl can take the lead. She’s wearing thick gloves to protect herself from bites, but other than that, she speaks calmly and gently to the little one. 

“I need a blanket,” she says softly.

I go inside, fetching the quilt I had made myself. Dr. Wahl then wraps it around the young werewolf and sits back. “We’ll let him get calm before we do anything else,” she says. “He’s exhausted and panicking, we need to show him he’s in a safe place.”

After a while, Dr. Wahl looks at me. “This blanket smells like you, in his mind, this scent is going to be a comforting one for him. He’ll smell you and recall this moment of security. He will probably bond to you.”

I nod. “That’s fine, doctor.”

Close to dawn, the werewolf falls asleep and Dr. Wahl is able to pick him up. The little boy she brings out is so young and small. I go with her and Maria to the hospital, where they get him checked in. Dr. Wahl tells me to go home, and that she will keep me informed about the boy’s progress.

“He looks to be around eight or nine, I’m not sure which. He’s malnourished and has some injuries that need taking care of. Once I’ve done a full checkup, I’ll know what needs to be done.”

I nod, exhausted but willing to do what I can. “Please let us know right away. I’ll do anything to help take care of him.”

“That could prove to be difficult, Mrs. MacAllister,” she says. “But we’ll know more in time.”

I go home to find Beau and Marshall asleep in bed. I crawl in with them, lying there as Marshall kicks his legs in his sleep. Eventually, I’m woken by him gently patting my face. It’s bright outside, and the light hurts my eyes.

“I’m hungry, Mama,” Marshall whimpers.

I sit up, rubbing my eyes as Beau slowly comes to as well. A lot has happened, some things we should be excited about, and others that we needed to worry over. 

“It was a kid?” Beau whispers.

“A little boy,” I nod. “He needs our help, Beau.”

“Mama, hungry,” Marshall starts to whine.

Beau presses his lips into a thin line. “I know we do,” he replies. “We will, somehow.”

I gather Marshall into my arms. “And what about this one?”

Beau smiles. “Shifting already. What are we supposed to do with that?” He picks up Marshall as I get changed.

“I’ve never been so scared,” I murmur. “Seeing him shift on the porch last night probably gave me a few more grey hairs.”

We go downstairs and I make eggs in a basket for breakfast, even though it’s closer to one. As I’m cutting up Marshall’s food the phone rings. I pass Marshall over to Beau and answer.

“It’s Dr. Wahl. The boy is awake and alert, but he hasn’t spoken. We’ve got him relaxed enough, but he’s already taken to your blanket as a comfort object. Could you come down to the hospital today?”

“Yes, of course. Is he alright?” I ask urgently.

“He’s malnourished and dehydrated. He also has some injuries that require stitches. He’s also going to need therapy, so he’s going to need a loving support system. I’m not saying you, but it’s something he will need in the future.”

“I’ll come down and we can discuss this. Mrs. Locklear or Billy will know the right way to go about this, too. I’ll see you soon.” I hang up the phone, then look back at Beau.

“I know what you’re thinking, Shauna,” he murmurs. “But what about Marshall?”

I shake my head. “No, I know that. But I feel responsible in a way. He came here, of all places.”

Despite his apprehension, Beau smiles. “We’ll discuss this when we know more. Okay?”

I return his smile. “Okay.”