I call a doctor who does not report anything worthwhile, recommends only giving an antipyretic and monitoring the condition. I'm watching. All day I measure the temperature every hour, read fairy tales, stroke on the head and kiss. Nicholas had never been sick before, we were past all childhood ailments, even teeth erupted quite easily and quickly. That's why I'm afraid to see my son like this. He is lethargic, quiet, refuses to eat, constantly complains of pain in his body, cries and asks to hug him. It seems to him that when I hug him, the pain goes away. That is why all day I lie next to him in bed, hugging him to me, I try not to leave, longer than for a few minutes. I still can't feed him, pushes away the spoon that I bring to his mouth, refuses his favorite dishes. Even sweets, which are usually delighted because they are very limited in his diet, today have no effect. By evening he gets worse and worse. I cry with him, dreaming of taking away his pain and strange illness. I'd rather suffer like this, but not my child.

Almost at midnight, with trembling fingers, I dial the ambulance number and explain the situation, they promise to arrive soon. Nick thrashes about on the bed, as if delirious, moaning. I don’t know what to do, I try to hug, but he pushes me away with a force that is impossible for a child of almost five years old. Suddenly, he begins to violently tear off his pajamas, the silence in the apartment is cut through by a heart-rending childish cry, more like an animal. I watch with horror how the child arches on the bed in convulsions, I run up to him, but I can not stop this nightmare. Nick pushes me away again, so hard that I fly and hit my back against the wall, sliding down it to the floor. I continue to sit and cannot believe what my eyes, widened from fear and misunderstanding, are seeing. Nicholas screams and growls and groans, his bones seem to change, break and splice again, in a different form. Inhuman. The naked body begins to slowly become covered with thick black hair, the face changes, the chin and nose lengthen and move forward, the eyes begin to turn yellow. I stare in shock, unable to move. Because that doesn't happen. This does not exist in our world, my brain cannot find any logical explanation for this. I hear banging on the front door. She literally shakes under powerful blows. Probably the neighbors or the police. Nick screamed so much that one could assume the worst: that he was being tortured or killed here. my brain can't find any logical explanation for this. I hear banging on the front door. She literally shakes under powerful blows. Probably the neighbors or the police. Nick screamed so much that one could assume the worst: that he was being tortured or killed here. my brain can't find any logical explanation for this. I hear banging on the front door. She literally shakes under powerful blows. Probably the neighbors or the police. Nick screamed so much that one could assume the worst: that he was being tortured or killed here.

Ignore the beats that seem to be getting stronger. I can't fully comprehend and accept reality at all. Because something is happening in front of me: my son, my pride, my handsome boy, before my eyes turns into ... a wolf cub? I shake my head. It's incredible. Irrational. No, am I going crazy? Maybe we have contracted some new virus?

The front door hits the wall, swinging open under the next, most powerful blow. Two men enter the room. One of them, I already know, I saw him yesterday morning. This is the same brown hair. And the second... Tall, powerful, dark-haired. His gray eyes focus on me. I peer into his face, so similar to the face of my son. The same shape of the lips, the same nose, the same eyes, reminiscent of molten steel. Even the hair is identical, dark, slightly curly, I'm sure it's silky to the touch.

- Brandon, we made it, - says the brown-haired woman, pointing towards the bed. I shift my gaze and see that an exhausted black wolf cub is lying on the bed with his eyes closed. It looks like he's just sleeping. But with some sixth sense, I understand that he is unconscious.

- Who you are? What's happening? - I ask hoarsely, finally dying.

But the men don't pay attention to me, the dark-haired one comes to the bed and bends over my child.

I don’t know where the strength comes from in me, but the only thought flashes through my head, that these men can harm my son. I, like an angry tigress, throw myself on the dark-haired man's back, trying to pull him away from the bed. From surprise, he backs away, trying to intercept me and throw me off him. But I cling tighter to his neck and growl softly but menacingly in his ear:

“Don’t you dare approach my child,” I try to pinch my throat with my forearm, feeling the iron muscles roll on the man’s back. Yes, I'm like a feather for him! Throw it away and not notice.

- Hush, girl, calm down, - the brown-haired woman says evenly, - We will not harm you, we have come to help.

When the man I'm hanging on turns his back to the bed once again, I jump down and quickly grab the wolf cub in my arms, hugging him to me.

- Go away, - I firmly say, retreating with my back to the opposite wall, - We don't need help.

“Calm down, this is my son,” the dark-haired man answers in a low, velvety voice.

- No, - I shake my head, - This is MY son. Get out.

I see how the men look at each other, the dark-haired one is clearly trying to contain the rage rushing out. I think I can even hear his teeth grinding.

- Girl, what's your name? I'm Alex, and this is Brandon, - the brown-haired woman says with a friendly smile.

- Arina, - I automatically answer, - But this has nothing to do with you. Get out of my apartment, leave us alone.

Rina, - the dark-haired man, who was introduced by Brandon, enters our dialogue, - you need help. You do not know how to act correctly when a werewolf first turns.

- Werewolf ... - I exhale in shock, snatching out only one word from his speech, - My son is not a werewolf, leave.

- Then why do you have a wolf in your arms? - Brandon is still mildly interested.

- He just has ... increased hairiness! I am sure that modern medicine will cope with this problem. I called the doctors, they will arrive soon! - I deny the reality, which, like a puzzle, has already formed in my head. Werewolves exist. But ... these are fairy tales? This simply cannot be! I'm sure it's some kind of virus.

- Wait, Brandon, do you feel it? - Alex stops the man, who has already taken a couple of steps in my direction, - Again there is no smell.

Brendon takes a deep breath, puzzled, and stares at me.

- How do you do this? he asks sternly.

- Doing what? - I specify with parched lips.

- Hiding odors. That's why it took us so long to find you." His face takes on a thoughtful look, but he almost immediately shakes his head and continues, "It doesn't matter now. Give me my son. I'll take care of him myself.

I feel a traitorous moisture build up in my eyes. All the emotions that I had to endure tonight are looking for a way out. Horror. Shock. Fear. Awareness. Anger. They roll down my cheeks in salty trails of tears.

- This is only my child, - I shout, - Where were you, father, these four years that I raised him? Where was he when he did not sleep at night, and my hands fell off, on which I rocked him? Where were you when he took his first steps? When did he cry, breaking his knee? When did you first fall in love with a girl?

- Arina, calm down... - the brown-haired woman says warningly, - There is no need to anger the alpha.

- I don't care! Alpha, beta, even the Pope! I raised my child myself! She coped with all the difficulties! This is my baby! I love him even if he is a werewolf! Leave, - I don’t understand anything anymore, I just continue to convulsively press the wolf cub to me. - You left it to some aunt who shaved it off for me in a dark forest! And then he didn’t even look for him, didn’t apply! You can't call yourself a father!

I look into gray eyes and notice that they are rapidly turning yellow. I blink, thinking I'm imagining things, but the obsession doesn't go away. The shape of the body begins to change, quickly, almost imperceptibly. And, in a moment, a huge black wolf is already grinning at me. Its size is amazing, it seems to me that I can safely ride it, and my small apartment feels even smaller. Yes, this wolf can bite me with one movement of the jaw! I have a vague feeling that I've seen him somewhere before.