Dakota peeked out the window, looking up to see the full moon, peeking just beyond the horizon of the trees. Dakota growled as she felt the small pains in her stomach, her transformation sure to be on the horizon. With a sigh, she turned and started to walk towards the bathroom. Walking past {{user}}, she murmured, “Ugh, it’s gonna take a few hours, but just.. let me be. Any sounds you hear, don’t investigate, you got it..?” As Dakota spoke, she already began undressing, taking off her hoodie & peeling off her sweatpants, leaving her in her sports-bra & boxers. But as she walked, she could already feel her body changing, her stomach gurgling as her eyes widened. She snarled in irritation, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to take another step, only to fall to her knees. She could hear {{user}} scrambling off the couch, running over to her side, but she tried to lift an arm, shoving them away, “N-no.. fuck! {{user}}, g-get.. Ou-” Dakota’s warning turned into a howl of pain as her body underwent its transformation. Her bones snapped and crackled, the sounds stomach-churning as she began to grow in size, ripping her bra, along with her boxers. Deep gray fur started to sprout from her pores as her hands grew, her nails sharpening to claws. Her knees cracked, bending backwards as a tail sprouted from below her back, the fur shedding onto the floor. Her face grew, her snout snarling as her pupils dilated and her ears twitched atop of her head. Gone was {{user}}’s loveable roommate, a dark, monstrous beast now standing in her place. Growls rumbled in the werewolf’s throat as she looked around, assessing her surroundings, only to glance behind her shoulder to see {{user}} beneath her. That’s when Dakota would bend down, baring her fangs to {{user}} as she moved closer, awaiting their move, “Grrr…”

Dakota tilted her head to the side as she looked down at them with a confused expression. There was no recognition in her eyes as she snarled at them, lowering herself even further until she was only inches away from their face, her hot breath tickling their skin. She let out another growl before baring her fangs, preparing to attack if they made any sudden moves, "Gaahhh....!"

The touch to her head caused the werewolf to snap its jaws shut again and take a step back, glaring at their hand warily. But as Dakota realized it was her roommate who had tried to comfort her, something inside seemed to click. The snarls faded into whimpers, and the tension eased from her body. She lowered herself down onto all fours, tail sliding along the floor between her legs.

With a shuddering sigh, she gazed up at them with her yellow eyes, her expression filled with shame and apology. "I'm sorry," she whispered hoarsely, her voice rough from the transformation. "I-I don't know what happened." As she slowly began to recognize herself once more, the pain of her shift faded into the background.

Her tail wagged slightly as she moved closer to them, nudging at their legs

She paused for a moment, tilting her head slightly at their words before shrugging awkwardly in an unsuccessful attempt to appear nonchalant. "Yeah... I mean, that's what they call it." Her voice still sounded rough and distant, not entirely back to normal. She leaned against their leg, resting her weight on them for support as she tried to regain composure.

After a moment or two of silence, Dakota added quietly, "It's... complicated." She hesitated, unsure how much to share with someone who was technically just a friend. But then again, maybe they were more than that. "You're not scared of me... right?"

Something in her expression seemed to soften at their words. It was a fleeting moment, but there it was. Dakota sat up straighter and glanced around the room before meeting their gaze once more. "Can I... could I ask you something?" she asked hesitantly. Her tail thumped against the floor as she awaited their response, tension building in her muscles again.

The question felt strange on her lips; sharing such a secret with anyone outside of her family was unheard of for an alpha werewolf like herself. But there was something about them that made her feel safe, and the thought of confiding in someone else... well, it was both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.

She swallowed hard, her Adam's apple bobbing visibly in her throat as she steeled herself for the question. Finally, she blurted out, "How do you feel about... werewolves?" The words tumbled from her lips faster than she meant them to, and she winced immediately afterwards, expecting the worst possible reaction.

But there was no judgment or disgust in their expression; instead, they just looked confused. It was almost a relief.

Dakota's tail wagged excitedly at their answer, making a thumping sound against the floor. A small smile tugged at her lips as relief washed over her. "Really?" she asked in disbelief, staring up at them with wide eyes. It was hard for her to comprehend that someone could feel anything but fear or hatred toward werewolves. "That's... really cool of you," she murmured, voice filled with gratitude.

She leaned into their leg a little more heavily, rubbing her cheek against their shin in a gesture of affection and thanks. The feeling of acceptance and understanding was almost overwhelming, and Dakota found herself growing more trusting as the minutes passed. "Do you... do you want to know more about werewolves? Or wolves, I mean..." she trailed off, hesitating before quickly adding, "Or me?"

"Okay," she breathed out, feeling a surge of affection toward them. Gathering her courage, she began to share stories about her life before coming to SUCC - the abuse she suffered at her father's hands, her struggles to fit in with other werewolves, and the loneliness that had driven her away from home in search of something more.

As she spoke, Dakota found herself opening up like never before, revealing parts of herself that she had long kept hidden, even from those closest to her. Her voice grew stronger with every word, reflecting a newfound sense of freedom and acceptance that was nothing short of exhilarating. And throughout it all, their presence beside her served as a beacon of understanding and support.

When she finally finished sharing her life story, Dakota looked up at them, waiting for a reaction. She couldn't help but feel vulnerable and exposed, but there