"Argh... What the hell is this?" Bruce exclaimed. He clenched his teeth as he falling off the bed. Henry heard a loud thud in the room, which echoed through the whole house. He said to Cerci and Gloria, "I guess he's woken up." He rushed to the room with the two not far behind. "Bruce, Bruce, what's wrong?" Gloria asked with worry on her face.
"This shouldn't be happening. He should either be dead or a full Lycan by now... But the way he is, I'm not sure what he is... one thing is sure... he isn't human," Cerci remarked, astonished by Bruce's state.
"Hey Normie... tell me... What's wrong," Henry talked to Bruce in a calming voice.
"Hey Shithead... Henry, is that you... dude, I can't open my fucking eyes... I don't know why, but I can see like a bajillion miles ahead... I can focus on stuff that's far away... it's disorienting, and I don't know how to completely turn it off... Same thing with my ears, I can hear you as well as two couples going at it—one is a human couple, I can tell, and the other I think are dogs... help me, Henry... I think I'm going crazy," Bruce replied to Henry closing his eyes and covering his face in desperation.
"What's happening to him is what happens to newly turned Lycans or prepubescent natural-born Lycans... he may not look like one, but he sure does have some of our traits... don't worry about him... go, I'll take care of him... we'll be down in a sec and get ready to show me your panties when I'm done, you too, Madame Cerci," Henry said, giving an assuring smile. That encouraged the ladies to leave. They both left Henry and Bruce together, hoping for the best, or at least that's what they thought.
"Okay, time for Sensei 'Henrei' to teach you the way of the Lycan... now tell me, young Padawan, are you ready?" Henry said, striking a stupid heroic pose while still backing Bruce after closing the door.
"I said are you 'readei' for Sensei 'Henrei'?" Henry repeated, growing physically tired from striking his stupid pose. "Bruce... You've got to answer your sen.. and he's gone... Gloria's gonna kill me," Henry said, swallowing his spit with his hands on his head.
He heard playful screams and whistles from girls outside the window and rushed to check what was going on. To his dismay, he saw Bruce trying to talk to a group of girls with no clothes on but his underwear, looking stoned and high.
"Meat, I need meat... I'm hungry... I need to eat... No, I need to find my daughter... hey, do you know where my daughter is?" Bruce was gasping for air while talking, inhaling and exhaling deeply, talking in a confused tone.
"Hey, he's fucking stoned... but what the hell... I'd do him, he's pretty hot," one of the girls remarked while the others were shrieking and laughing. "How the hell did he get down there?" Henry said, lowering his head in disappointment.
He rushed to meet him, grabbed his arm, and spoke to the ladies, "Oh, I'm so sorry. Did my brother disturb you? Sorry, he had too much to drink last night."
"Oh, both brothers are heartthrobs... hey, we're having a party in the evening, and you and your hot older brother are invited. We live next door... we'll be expecting you," one of the girls spoke in a low, seductive way as she approached the two and whispered the last words in their ears.
Henry controlled himself, but Bruce, not fully being himself, looked at the girl like a hungry wolf as she walked to her car with her friends, arousing not only her but all her friends as they giggled and drove off.
"Hey, slow down, big guy... It's the hormones working right now... you're literally a big bad wolf now, or at least half of it... let's go inside, you'll be fine... but first, start by just focusing on this conversation and tuning everything out... it shouldn't be too hard for you," Henry told Bruce, and he gently guided him back into the room.
"Okay, I think I'm doing it... it doesn't hurt that much... I don't hear that much, I don't see that much, and I can only feel what I want to feel at the moment... but tell me, what's happening to me, Henry? What am I right now?" Bruce asked, still feeling a bit confused after finally gaining a bit of control.
"You see, leave it to Sensei 'Henrei' to make things okay, but that was a little too okay... You instantly adjusted... like a natural-born Lycan would... hmm, that's strange... Anyway, you're aware you got bitten by not just any Lycan, but an alpha S Lycan, and survived... that's pretty rare... You'd need some time though to fully adjust. I'd reckon a few hours; you won't be allowed to go out... trust me, it's for your own good. Normally, a newly turned Lycan requires an absurd amount of one of three things: food, competition, or sex... I don't wanna fight, you're not laying a hand on my queens, but don't worry, I'll have them prepare a feast for you," Henry replied with a smug look on his face.
"So basically, I'd be in this room stuffing my face until I'm fine? Henry, I am hungry, and I do adore food very much... but I do have someone waiting for me at Impel Rosa, scared... I need to go rescue my daughter, please, let's go, I'm fine," Bruce pleaded with Henry.
"Bruce, trust me, you're not fine, at least not yet... just stay here for a while... I promise you we'll go to Impel Rosa together to rescue your daughter and exact my revenge on Magellan... Just wait, Normie, I'll get you food myself... it's best you don't see any female species for a while," Henry smiled as he left Bruce in the room.
Bruce started to feel the effects of the Lycan blood in him, and although he had control of his senses, he had a monstrous appetite and couldn't figure out why. Henry fulfilled his promise and occasionally brought him large meals every 30 minutes. As nighttime fell, Bruce's hunger for food had died down, and he seemed more normal, but Henry was shocked when he came to check on Bruce again.
He wasn't in his room; his window was opened, but Henry let out a sigh of relief, knowing that at least he was fully clothed. He tried to figure out where Bruce had gone and remembered the invitation given by the group of girls they had met in the morning. Henry shook his head, locked Bruce's room, and took his jacket to go out.
"Henry, where are you going? How's Bruce doing?" Gloria's voice sent shivers down Henry's spine.
"Uhmm... Milk ...I'm going to get milk... for Bruce... Fresh lizard's milk... No umm bison milk... It's for the whole turning-back-to-normal process. Don't go into his room; he's not stable yet... give me a sec, I'll be back... by my love... Cerci, you too, my queen," Henry quickly responded, hesitating on some words.
"I hope he'll be fine... Oh God... it's my fault... I promised to protect him, but he ended up protecting me," Gloria said, her voice choked with tears. She couldn't openly admit that she hadn't fully adhered to the spell that was supposed to make Bruce fully normal again. She clenched her chest, holding a great deal of sorrow and guilt in her heart.
"Hey, it's okay, dear. He'll be fine... Let's just wait and hope... we've done our best... the rest is up to Bruce now... You can go, Henry, don't worry, we'll be fine," Cerci said, trying to console Gloria.
Henry nodded and left for the girls' apartment to get Bruce back. "Next-door party, next-door party... where would it... okay, that should be it," Henry located the house quickly, as it was so obvious that a party was going on in it. As he pushed open the door to the house, a wave of loud music and laughter engulfed him.
The air was heavy with the scent of alcohol, drugs, and excitement, and pulsating beats reverberated through his body. The room was dimly lit, slightly dark, and filled with college students and young adults dancing, talking, and engaging in various questionable activities. He scanned the chaotic scene, trying to spot his friend from the sea of faces, but the party was in full swing, and it seemed like an impossible task.
Unfazed, he moved through the crowd, skillfully weaving between people dancing and navigating through clusters of people engaged in conversations. Each room he entered was a riot of colors and sounds, with partygoers lost in their own world of fun. Everywhere he looked, he witnessed bizarre and amusing sights - people attempting outrageous dance moves, others laughing uncontrollably, some immersed in heated debates, and even a couple making out with a mounted deer. "Sorry to disturb... carry on," he shouted, attempting to convey his words amidst the overwhelming noise.
As he ascended the stairs, the atmosphere seemed to shift from wild abandon to a more intimate and secluded ambiance. Hushed giggles and murmurs emanated from behind closed doors. Peering into each room he passed, he glimpsed groups of friends playing drinking games, engaging in sexual activities, and even partaking in hard drugs.
Finally, he arrived at the end of the hall and spotted the room he was searching for. He cautiously pushed open the door and was met with an unexpected sight - a group of girls dressed in all sorts of quirky costumes, resembling characters straight out of a fantasy novel.
Amidst the throng of people, most were visibly worn out and exhausted, their clothes tattered and revealing suggestive glimpses of their bodies. As he scanned the faces, he couldn't believe what he was witnessing. There, in the heart of the chaos, was his friend, dressed in a wildly outlandish outfit, passionately engaged with a girl. He recognized her voice instantly - it was the same girl who had invited them to the party.
He was relieved as he approached his friend, who seemed both surprised and delighted to see him. "Dude, I hate to be a buzzkill, but you've had enough. These girls can barely stand, and she's passed out from ecstasy. You'll hurt them if you continue like this. I'll be waiting outside," Henry firmly advised Bruce before making his way out of the room. Bruce reluctantly agreed, realizing that the five girls surrounding him were now completely unconscious. Gently, he moved the girl he had been with to rest beside him and began to dress himself before joining Henry outside.
As they stepped out into the hallway, the pounding music and intoxicating atmosphere seemed less overwhelming. Bruce took a deep breath, feeling a plethora of emotions - guilt, confusion, and gratitude that Henry had intervened. "I don't know what came over me, man. This isn't like me," Bruce confessed, his voice tinged with remorse.
Henry placed a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder. "Hey, it happens. The Lycan blood coursing through your veins can mess with your emotions, your urges. But you're still in control. You recognized the line, and you stopped. That's what matters."
"Yeah, you're right," Bruce acknowledged, still grappling with the unfamiliar sensations inside him. "I just hope I didn't do any real harm to them."
"Let's just get out of here for now," Henry suggested, leading the way down the stairs and away from the chaos. "We'll figure out what's going on and how to deal with it. One step at a time."
"Don't tell Gloria..." Bruce whispered to Henry, his breath still heavy and heart racing. The pair left the wild party behind and returned to the house. As they entered, Gloria's surprise and relief were evident as she hurried to embrace Bruce.
However, he raised a hand to stop her, gesturing that he needed some space. "Please, I need to... take a bath... I'll be down shortly. I'm famished," Bruce said, his head slightly bowed, before retreating to his room.
"What's wrong with him?" Cerci asked, her concern showing on her face.
"Let's just say he got what he needed... I'm so proud of him," Henry replied, trying to inject humor into the situation with tears in his eyes and a smile, leaving Gloria even more bewildered by his response.
Inside the solitude of the shower, water cascaded down Bruce's forehead and torso. He was determined; refusing to succumb to self-pity as he focused on what truly mattered. "April... I'll bring you home, I promise," Bruce spoke sternly to himself, his senses now under control. He could hear the drops of water from the shower clearly and normally; he believed he had mastered control over his heightened senses, or so he thought.