Jessie DeRose slowly opened her green eyes, and what she saw made her bolt upright in bed. Her surroundings were completely unfamiliar, all pristine, sterile white. It took her a moment, so disoriented she was, but as she glanced around nervously she suddenly realized that she was in a hospital room. Her bed had wheels and handles so it could be quickly moved, the plain desk next to the bed had a control for adjusting the mattress, and there was a chart hanging just beyond her feet. She blinked, confused. Apparently she wasn’t in critical condition; she wasn’t even hooked up to a machine that would keep track of her vitals.

What she was, however, was alone, scared, and without even the faintest idea why she was hospitalized. Her heart pounded heavily behind her hospital gown as a sudden gripping anxiety seized her. She had to know why she was here, what had happened to her. When she reached down for the call button, she saw that there was plain white gauze wrapped around her right arm. With a start, she slowly reached down to touch it, and winced. Whatever was under those bandages was still very tender. This didn’t do a lot to soothe her urgent need to know what was going on, so she jabbed the call button several times, before laying back in the bed and trying to calm down. Obviously she was alright, right? Just one bandage, and nothing hooked up to her. Yeah… She was going to be okay. That didn’t mean some reassurance was going to go a long way…

Blessedly, Jessie didn’t have long to wait; not a minute after she’d pressed the call button, a motherly looking nurse with frizzy hair had entered the room. She had a bright white smile, and a manner about her that took some of the edge off of Jessie’s near panic.

“Welcome to the world of the living, sweetheart. Good to see you woke up.” Leaning over Jessie, she placed gentle hands on her forehead, and it was immensely comforting that the nurse didn’t seem concerned. “You must have been exhausted. You slept for quite some time, especially with just that little nip on your arm.

“Nip?” Jessie asked nervously. “…I… I don’t know why I’m here… Please ma’am, if you could-?”

The nurse’s warm brown eyes were filled with concern at that. She placed her hand against Jessie’s forehead again as though she might have missed something the first time, looking her over. “…I should really let Dr. Patterson explain, honey,” she said after that agonizing pause. “Don’t you worry your pretty head, I’ll get him right away,” the nurse promised, before sweeping out of the room.

Agonizingly, the doctor wasn’t quite as on top of things as the nurse had been, and without her comforting presence, Jessie found herself panicking again. Nervous hands worked at the blanket covering her as she chewed on her lip, a cold sweat beading on her forehead as she tried to recall just what had happened to her. It was no use; she’d lost the entire night, as hard as that was to believe. That left her mind, bereft of any leads, to wander to the worst case scenarios, weaving nightmares all on its own. The minutes dragged on, and by the time the tiny, balding doctor came into the room, Jessie was ready to kiss him... or throttle him.

“Ah, you’re awake,” the doctor said in a surprisingly strong voice for his size. Jessie could tell instantly that he wouldn’t flinch from telling her what needed to be told. “We weren’t certain just how long you were going to sleep. It was very atypical for-”

“Please,” Jessie interrupted, her voice breaking with tension. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. A little steadier, she continued. “Please just tell me what happened to me.”

Dr. Patterson simply nodded his head. “You were found naked on the side of the street, your…”

Jessie’s mouth hung open, the rest of the doctor’s words diminished to a low buzzing sound as everything flooded back into her head. A party, wild and loud. She’d always dreamed of such parties since she’d moved to New Orleans from the country. But things had quickly gone sour. The men, laughing, urging her to take another drink. Her whole body going limp, as strangers whisked her off into their car. Their hands tearing at her clothing, while she couldn’t even struggle, their alcohol-laden breath making her want to vomit.

“I… I was raped…” She breathed, tears coming to her eyes.

The doctor stopped speaking words she’d never hear, his eyebrows raising, his unflappable demeanor very suddenly absent. “Miss…? Raped? There… There was no evidence found of any rape.”

“Wh-what?” Jessie said, her lip quivering as she looked at the doctor. “But…” The images were still racing through her head, all so real. She could still feel their hands on her skin, grabbing greedily and clumsily. She couldn’t slow her breath, and tears spilled down her cheeks. She swallowed. “I remember so clearly, I…”

The doctor gave a surprisingly grandfatherly smile and placed a tiny hand on her shoulder. “You must understand, Miss. A young woman brought in with no clothing but what the one who found her provided… Rape was the first thing on our mind. But there was no sign of it. No fluids, no trauma. If you were raped, if you’d even just had intercourse, something would have shown up.”

Jessie fell back against the bed, thoroughly confused, unable to shake the stark images of what she’d been sure had happened last night. “I don’t understand. Why am I here, then?”

“As I was saying, we weren’t quite sure why we couldn’t rouse you. Even your toxicology test was completely clean. We supposed it had to be something to do with that bite on your arm,” the doctor explained, nodding his shiny head at her bandaged arm. Jessie gripped it tenderly.

“This… is a bite?”

“Yes, and a nasty one at that. Deep. Appears to be canine. We treated it, as you can see, and though we’ve yet to test for nerve damage…” The doctor gave her that warm smile again. “Well, it seems it’s doing well. Just look.”

Jessie realized she was clenching her fingers, and relaxed them with a soft sigh of relief. “So then this…?”

“We don’t believe it’s serious. We’d like to run some tests, but at this time we don’t think you’re in any danger.”

She remained torn on how to feel. The trauma of the rape was real, there was no doubt about that. Her breath quickened just thinking about that night, her heart clenching in her chest. When she looked up and saw the doctor so certain, though, she couldn’t help but believe him. His tests did not lie, and they said she hadn’t even had consensual sex. Except for her arm, she didn’t even feel sore. But if that was the case, then why had she been found naked? Was it some sort of prank, or…? She didn’t know, but her mind latched on to something the doctor had said.

“Found? Who found me?”

Doctor Patterson shook his head. “A young man, who left without giving a name. We don’t even know who you are, but he was insistent. He’s already covered your bill, if you don’t have insurance. Now, if we could just have you fill out some paperwork?”

The rest of the morning passed by in a daze. There were a lot of blanks to fill, and that meant a lot of scribbling on paper. And of course, all the while she couldn’t shut her mind up. What had really happened? Who had brought her in? Had some dog been at her arm while she was unconscious? All she wanted to do was get out of this hospital and go home. Thank god she still had two days of three-day weekend left, because she wasn’t quite ready to go back to college yet, regardless of what had happened to her.

At last, she told them everything, and all that was left to do was get a ride home- and some clothing. The only thing that had been left for her was a light brown jacket provided by her mystery savior, and she wrapped that around her for extra security. It was too long, so it provided a nice amount of cover as she sat in her hospital gown and dialed her best friend. She fiddled with her auburn hair as she dialed, taking a deep breath and getting ready to explain everything.

Jessie had only met Wendy a year ago, when she had first moved to New Orleans. A country girl, she had been lost in the city, overwhelmed and a little scared. It was pure luck that she’d ended up roommates with Wendy, a quintessential sassy New Orleans black woman. Beneath her seemingly tough and intimidating exterior, Jessie had found a true friend, and one with street smarts that she had been in sore need of. Wendy not only knew all the best clubs, she also looked out for Jessie, and had quickly grown to be both her best friend and something of a mother hen. If Jessie had gone out with Wendy last night, maybe nothing would have happened, but her friend had been cramming for an important test and Jessie had finally gotten the confidence to go out alone. She didn’t think she would dare do that again for quite some time…

Stammering and trying not to cry, Jessie explained to Wendy what had happened- the doctor’s version, anyways, and not her wild suspicions- and how she couldn’t remember any of it. As fast as she mentioned she needed a ride, Wendy was off the phone. Though the wound wasn’t anything serious, it was just like her to notice the strain in Jessie’s voice and realize that she was needed. Faster than the doctor had managed to get to Jessie’s room, her friend crossed town by car and came to pick her up. Just seeing her step into the hospital room with a baggy of clothing was enough to chase away the bulk of Jessie’s fears and send warm relief through her body. Her friend strode over to the bed and quickly wrapped her arms around Jessie. “Come here, girl. Don’t worry, we’re gonna take good care of you.”

The weekend with her supportive friend was very relaxing, and she was sure to thank Wendy for her help by treating her to coffee in the morning- for a straight week! Wendy fussed over her perhaps a little more than was necessary, the protective mother hen instincts going in overdrive, and to Jessie’s embarrassment she seemed to have had the same thought about letting her go to clubs by herself again. They were as inseparable as ever, and by the end of the weekend, Wendy’s support left Jessie more than ready to head back to school with her worries lessened, if not completely eliminated. Now and then, she still had nightmares of those horribly vivid events, but she brushed them off as best she could and returned to a normal life.

Back at college, things weren’t just like they’d been before- they were better. She found much to her surprise that she was just bursting with energy all day. It was never a struggle to get out of bed in the mornings anymore; exhaustion seemed to melt off of her a few minutes after waking up. Wendy commented on it several times, amusedly asking Jessie to hook her up with a hit of whatever she was on, but Jessie herself was baffled. She didn’t understand it, but the new energy was the least of it.

A couple of weeks later, Jessie found that one of her shirts was hanging loosely on her body, obviously just a little bit too big. It had always been her favorite shirt for how well it fit her. If anything, she’d worried about someday outgrowing it! When she stepped out of her room and asked Wendy’s opinion, her friend gave her a look and asked her if she was trying out some new diet. She’d simply embarrassedly stammered that she wasn’t and retreated back to her room. Now Jessie had never been an enormously fat girl, but she had been a bit on the chubby side. Enough to look at figures like Wendy’s and be a little jealous. Next to her, she was average at best, and the boys didn’t show her any special attention. But as the days ticked by, she continued to shed pounds without even trying. If she hadn’t felt so damn fantastic, she’d have worried she was getting sick!

With each passing day her stomach was a little bit flatter, her legs a little more shapely, her breasts and butt more firm and defined. That wasn’t all, though. Even her red-brown hair seemed to get a little shinier, her face- or more her eyes- gaining a strange spark that seemed to draw guy’s attention in a way she’d never been able to before. Nowadays, she often found them looking at her in the halls or out on the street, and it was difficult to be at all upset by it after being out of the spotlight for so long. When it was mixed with the bright, dazzling smile she’d had even before the accident, she just seemed to be able to make them melt like Wendy always seemed able to.

The changes really hit her one morning when she stepped out of the shower, rubbing the fog off of the mirror and gasping at the sight that met her. The dripping body before her, with firm round breasts, slender waist and full hips looked like it belonged on the front of a magazine. There was no mistaking it; she’d even picked up a bit of muscle tone, making her body tight where once it had been flabby. With her damp auburn hair falling wetly between her breasts, her hands on her suddenly petite body, she understood that she was, for lack of a better word, hot. She blushed at the mirror, turning away. Though it was like all her prayers about her body had been answered, it was more than a little unnerving. It was impossible not to be pleased, but…

She hadn’t done anything to lose weight or exercise. If anything, she’d caught herself snacking more. She’d never been a big meat eater before, but now it seemed like a meal wasn’t complete without something savory as part of it. Wendy suggested that it might be all the protein and laughed when Jessie said she might be sick. She was probably just a late bloomer or blessed by the heavens. What did she care! She was sexy as hell now, and the guys were gonna be drooling. Jessie had to agree, and once more she filed her worries neatly away.

Despite all her newfound energy, the attack- whether by animal or man, she still didn’t know- made it difficult to focus on her schoolwork. She always got it done, and always did her best, but the worries weighed heavily on her. As much as she tried to dismiss them, she found that simple assignments were taking her hours longer than they should, and focusing enough in class to take notes was a nightmare. What really didn’t help was when Wendy teasingly invited her to race her across the campus to their cars, and Jessie absolutely annihilated her. Wendy had been interested in running since she was a little girl. When her friend had trotted up panting and laughingly called her a freak, it had struck a little too close to home. No one got that fast in just two weeks, especially not from her starting point.

She was wondering just how she was going to cope with it all, but again Wendy came to her rescue without ever needing to be asked. She mentioned- apparently off-handedly, but Jessie knew better- that her parents were out of town on business. Wendy came from an affluent family, with a very modern home outside of New Orleans’ city limits. There, it would be quiet, and they could rent a few cheesy horror flicks and eat some pizza and popcorn. Though their normal weekend routine would have involved clubbing and joining parties, Jessie was silently thankful for her friend’s offer. This time, she just needed a couple days of peace and quiet, away from all the hectic activity where she could blow off homework and people for once. Gratefully, she accepted.

With time away close on the horizon and her wound all healed up- it had been surprisingly quick in doing so, and hadn’t even left a scar- things really seemed to be looking up for Jessie. She found herself in high spirits, and finally began to let herself enjoy her new body without pointlessly worrying about it. She bought herself some new clothing- many outfits fitting a bit tighter and showing a bit more skin than she’d have dared to before- and strutted her stuff a little bit. With her shapely body showing much more clearly outside of her baggy old clothes, guys didn’t just look anymore- they stared, and Jessie was learning to like it.

Friday came, and with it the night that she was going to get away to Wendy’s and relax. She was even more full of energy than usual, practically bursting, and in the hot New Orleans air she had dared to wear her most daring outfit yet: a low-cut tank top that flirted just by being on her, skinny black jeans that hugged her rear and hips nicely, and tall cowboy style boots. She was walking down the hall from her last class for the day, more than ready for the weekend, when she was approached by a man that made her tongue stick to the roof of her mouth.

Corey hadn’t always been such a hunk. Like Jessie, he’d never been bad looking, but never really the stuff to stun, either, no matter how hard he tried. A skinny guy with thick black hair and a nervous smile, Jessie had once thought there was a lot of possibility between them. One day in the beginning of her first year of college, he’d nervously approached her and mentioned that they’d gone to high school together. Jessie, embarrassed, hadn’t remembered, but he laughed it off, and they’d soon escalated from shy words to outright flirting. She’d thought that it couldn’t be long until he asked her out, and had been ready and eager to say yes, when suddenly Corey had vanished from school for more than a month. She’d sent him cards and e-mails, but had never gotten a response; for all she’d known, he’d been dead.

And then when he’d come back… Well, he had been well out of her league, to say the least. Over those weeks, something big had changed in him; his formerly skinny body had become toned with attractive muscle, his meek looks becoming something more mysterious and smoldering. Jessie had tried to continue talking to him, hoped that even with his new looks he was still interested in the chubby country girl, but no dice. All he would tell her was that he’d been in an accident, and beyond that she got one word responses and the cold shoulder. It had been a blow to her self-esteem and honestly a little heartbreaking, but thank god for friends like Wendy. It was some consolation, at least, that Corey hadn’t found someone good enough for him yet; he hadn’t dated after ignoring her, that she knew of, and it wasn’t for the lack of girls trying.

That he was approaching her now sparked immediate bitter thoughts in her. Was it just because she looked good now that they were on speaking terms again? But when she met his powerful dark eyes, it was hard to stay mad. She determined she would be courteous at best. Oddly, Corey was looking almost nervous, dragging his heels like standing in front of her right then was the last place her wanted to be.

“Jessie… we need to talk.” He said seriously in his deep voice.

The severity of his words surprised her, and she blinked innocently. “…About what?”

Corey glanced around, but the hall was empty except for the two of them. This was getting more and more suspicious; what could he have to tell her that couldn’t be said in front of other people. “I heard you were bitten… by a big dog.” He began awkwardly.

Jessie nodded slowly, wondering where this was going. She didn’t much like the subject, with her mixed feelings on it. “That’s what they tell me… But it wasn’t a big deal. It’s already all healed up, see?” She said showing him her the smooth unbroken skin of her arm.

“That was… awful quick, don’t you think? Just a month for a wound that deep, and no scar?”

Jessie frowned, her heart racing suddenly. What was he getting at? “Well, the proof’s right here if you don’t believe it.”

He lowered his head and looked at her through his shaggy dark hair. “You sure have lost weight. And toned up. It’s been less than a month, hasn’t it?”

She laughed, trying to turn the conversation to a lighter angle. “Was that a compliment? You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“No. You look good. Great even.” He said so matter-of-factly that she blushed a little. “But… It’s not natural.”

“I promise you it is. I haven’t had any work done.” She said, a little defensively. She supposed she’d take it as a compliment that she looked so good as to make people question if it was real, but that didn’t mean she wanted rumors of lipo going around.

“No! What I mean is…” He ran a hand through his dark hair, looking frustrated enough that Jessie couldn’t help but be a little alarmed. “Didn’t you ever wonder how I got so good-looking so fast?” He asked pointedly, his eyes looking as though they were trying to hammer what he was saying into her skull. He was so good-looking, in fact, that her heart raced for an entirely different reason with him looking at her like that.

“We all just assumed you started lifting weights, or…”

“Jessie. I’m a werewolf.” He blurted suddenly, cutting her off. “And I’m the one who brought you into the hospital. I gained muscle so fast because it’s part of the curse! It changes us even without the full moon, forever.”

Jessie only gaped at him, and his dramatic revelation, her mouth working silently before she said: “Us?”

“Us.” He said, a deep and very convincing shame in his eyes. “When I woke up last full moon, you weren’t far off, and you had that bite, and…” He was running his hands through his hair almost compulsively. She had to admit, he was a good actor; he looked truly panicked. “I must have bit you, it’s the only explanation! I wanted to tell you sooner, but I… I couldn’t…” There was anguish on his face as he looked up at her.

“You’re saying… I’m a werewolf.” She said slowly, incredulously.

He simply nodded.

A sudden anger flared in her. That night was still a tender spot for her, still a horrible uncertainty. No matter what the doctor said, there were still morning’s she woke up weeping and gasping, recalling the brutal beating and rape at the hands of those shadowy men. The changes happening to her body, Wendy calling her a ‘freak’ no matter how she meant it, it all boiled over, and she’d been fretting about it for a straight month. And now, here was Corey, making fun of her with some stupid prank! If he thought this was the right way to talk to her after breaking off their friendship and giving her the cold shoulder for the better part of a year…

“So now you’re making fun of my hospitalization?” She said dangerously, some of her old resentment burning in her chest.

“What, no! I’m being completely-”

“Don’t push it Corey! I really can’t handle this right now! If you want to start talking to me now that I’m pretty, fine! Whatever you want! But playing a prank like this is just… just mean!” Her voice broke a little. The nightmares were really leaving her too emotional, and she knew she was taking it out on Corey and his stupid prank, but she wasn’t in the state of mind right now to care.

“You don’t understand! It’s a full-moon tonight, you’re gonna transform, and when you do-”

“Stop it!”

“Please, just come with me! I’ve got a place a few hours outside of town, if we head there now-” He grabbed her arm, and she reacted on reflex, her hand crashing jarringly against his cheek. It was enough to make him let go of her, and blink dizzily after it landed.

“I said stop it.” She repeated in a dangerous whisper. “I’m going to take a rest I really need, and if you try to touch me again, I swear to go I’ll scream. Then you can spend the full moon in a jail cell!”

“Please Jessie, I don’t have time for this, we need to go now before it’s too-”

But he didn’t try to grab her again as she stomped away from his stupid prank, wiping tears from her eyes only when she was far enough away that he couldn’t see. After she cooled down, she would regret just how mean she’d been to him. He didn’t know the stress she was under, or just how cruel it made his stupid joke, but she was too stubborn to go back and make things right. If he really wanted to talk to her again, he was going to have to be the one to apologize. She had a date with popcorn and a movie, and she couldn’t keep Wendy waiting.

Of course on the car ride over to Wendy’s parents’ house, her friend noticed the foul mood she was in. With that effortless talent of hers, Wendy made a few jokes, said a few key words, and soon Jessie was laughing like nothing had ever happened. Thank god for friends like Wendy.

They pulled into the driveway of the house. Jessie was always amazed by it; it was out of the way so the city noises didn’t disturb, but even out in the country it was distinctly modern. It was much too small to be a mansion, but nevertheless its sharp angles and interior were plenty to make most people jealous.

“You sure it’s alright if we stay here?” Jessie asked as she stepped into the sleek, futuristic kitchen, tossing her bag on a chair.

“Hell girl, I haven’t even told them we’re staying, but they didn’t tell me it was gonna be empty for nothing. I’ll restock their fridge before we go and tend to the garden. Ma hasn’t had a whole lot of time for it, traveling, so she’ll be grateful I crashed here.” Wendy was already rooting around in the cupboards, producing instant popcorn with a grin on her face. “Buttered popcorn and greasy pizza will ease your worries.” They both knew she wasn’t just talking about the worries of intruding on Wendy’s family.

Before long they had a big pepperoni pizza- extra cheese- and a bowl of popcorn in front of them on the glass coffee table, seated in front of the big flat-screen mounted on the wall across from the stylish couch. Wendy jaunted up to the T.V. and produced one of the rental movies she’d picked up on the way, grinning as she returned to the couch.

“What did you decide on first?” Jessie asked, smiling with anticipation.

“It’s a werewolf flick! ‘Night of the She-Wolf’. It’s a full moon out tonight, so I thought that’d be a great place to start.” Wendy’s grin faded as she looked at Jessie’s less than thrilled face. “What’s wrong? You’ll love it. Gore, suspense, and horror, just what horror movie night is for!”

“Yeah.” Jessie agreed mutely, putting on a smile. After Corey’s prank, she wasn’t really in the mood for any movie to do with werewolves, but the rest of the pile seemed free enough of the furry beasts so she’d grin and bear it. Besides, it might be good.

The film started off with the busty heroine walking through the park on a full moon night. Wendy hooted and hollered at the obvious werewolf attack, but seemed a little disappointed when Jessie didn’t join in like usual. She simply stared with a shiver at an all too familiar scene; the lead actress woke up in a hospital bed with no idea of where she was and a bloody bandage over her arm where the wolf had bit her. That didn’t sit well at all.

Soon enough, though, Jessie found herself getting drawn into the film. It was surprisingly well done, with a convincing wolf and was one of those rare horror movies that was actually good. After a while, the two friends were munching popcorn and pizza in silence as they gazed intently at the screen, the only joking comments short and nervous for the next time the movie would make them jump.

Soon it was time for the obligatory scene. The voluptuous heroine was stepping out of the shower, her curvaceous body wrapped with a bathroom towel that clung to her body in a way that only movie magic could make it. The scene cut away to a picture of the full moon, dark clouds blowing away to reveal its bulbous surface.

“Ooo, I wonder what’s gonna happen.” Wendy joked nervously, before taking another bite of popcorn.

Back to the woman. She fell back against the bathroom door with a thud, letting out a low moan, her body glistening from the shower. The moan continued and grew louder as her body shook and heaved her hands clenching the wall.

“Is she changing into a werewolf or having sex?” Jessie joked weakly, but in truth the actress was good. Wendy and Jessie couldn’t help but stare, transfixed by the horror they knew was coming, like two people watching a train wreck and unable to look away.

Suddenly her hands reached up and she tore the towel away from her body, baring every inch of her naked Hollywood glory, D-Cups bouncing with every gasping moan, still wet.

Wendy chuckled a little, nudging Jessie. “They just won the male audience over.” Jessie laughed in return.

The movie cut to the full moon again, and then to the male lead outside the door, pounding on it with concern like every cliché Hollywood hero would. Jessie bit back a cry of don’t go in there, only because it flashed back to the nude actress as she collapsed to all fours with a moan that ended in a scream. The hair on the back of Jessie’s neck stood up, and by the expression on Wendy’s face, she was sucked into the moment too, and just as delightfully scared. Horrifyingly convincing crunches came from the actress’s body as she writhed nude on the ground, body shifting and morphing, hair poking up on pale skin. With the blinds drawn to keep the mood and the lead woman’s screams occupying them, nightfall had come unnoticed. The full moon was beginning to rise beyond the trees.

Jessie fell back against the couch, sweat dripping down her cheek, her eyes locked on the woman transforming into a monster on the screen. As her feminine cries began to degrade to growls and her unbelievable curvy body became monstrous, Jessie was finding it hard to focus on the movie. Even with her low-cut top, she could feel an invasive heat welling up beneath her tight clothing. Closing her eyes and leaning back, Jessie fanned herself with her hands, trying to get some air flowing over her exposed skin. It was no use. “Wendy, is it getting hot in here?”

Wendy tore her eyes from the movie and gave her a look. “Summer in New Orleans? I have the AC on full blast.” When she saw Jessie tensed and sweating, she looked a little concerned. “That was pretty graphic just now. It wasn’t too much for you, was it?”

“No no, I…” The heat was beginning to make Jessie pant, her chest rising and falling beneath her skimpy top. Sweat was beading on her shoulders and on the tops of her breasts, rolling down her arms and beneath her shirt. The top was quickly growing damp, sticking to her revealingly.

Wendy shook her head. “Damn girl, that is just not fair. Sweating like a pig, you only get hotter. You better breathe a little shallower or you’re gonna pop right out of that top.”

“I… can’t…” Jessie gasped, breathing like she’d just run a mile. If she weren’t running the fever from hell, she might have been flattered that Wendy was jealous of her, but right now she just wanted a cold compress. The moans and crunches of transformation on the TV weren’t helping at all, and Jessie’s svelte body hunched over on itself in her seat like she’d been punched in the gut. Her round breasts hung immodestly in her top as it fell, but she didn’t care. “I-I’ll be right back.” She gasped to Wendy, getting up and staggering over to the bathroom. Wendy rose to follow her, but Jessie waved a hand back at her. “C-cold shower or puke.” She informed, giving Wendy a wan smile. “I don’t need you for either.”

Wendy looked uncertain, and paused the movie. “Well, okay girl, but you holler if you need me, hear?”

Jessie nodded hastily and closed the distance into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind her. Stumbling to the sink, she immediately leaned heavily on it, her thick shiny auburn hair hanging down as she gasped and groaned, some odd illness gripping her petite body. The room seemed to be growing more and more stiflingly hot by the moment, her light top soon plastered completely to her perspiring skin, outlining her exquisite upper body perfectly. The flirty tank top was hardly even there, light enough to show the shape of her bra beneath and dipping low enough to expose a brave amount of sweaty cleavage. Yet for all its skimpiness, Jessie felt like the fabric sticking to her skin was as heavy as a full winter coat. That was without even mentioning her black jeans, tight to show off those long shapely legs she was still getting used to and much thicker than her breezy top. She was practically melting in them, even the thick denim beginning to soak through.

“Oh man… What is this?” She complained breathily, groaning softly as she tugged clumsily at her boots. She’d never had a fever this bad before. “I’m dying here…” Once her boots and socks were taken care of, hastily discarded on the bathroom floor, she unbuttoned her jeans and wiggled her full hips to free them of the confines of her pants, hooking her fingers in the hem to pull them slowly down. Apparently she’d been feeling particularly daring that day, for the black jeans slid down to reveal dark red panties with just enough frill that they oozed sexual appeal without losing an air of elegance. It was wonderful to suddenly be able to feel beautiful in such things, to be able to wear her showy new clothes and not feel self-conscious, but right now she just wanted the damn things off. As her jeans pooled around her ankles, she kicked them away, frustrated by the heat and sickening nausea trying to overwhelm her. Next came her low-cut top. Bending nearly double, she practically tore it off of her sweaty back and over her head, throwing it to the ground and revealing glistening breasts clad in matching red bra that was every inch as alluringly sensual as her panties.

Even clothed only in her undergarments, the feverish assault wouldn’t stop. With jarring suddenness, her whole body convulsed, painfully. “Aah!” She gave a choked, girlish scream, pitching forward to catch herself on the sink, sweaty chest heaving in her sexy bra. Perspiration made paths down her face, elegant neck, and swaying breasts, her heart suddenly thumping in her chest so ferociously that her whole body shook. The fabric of her undergarments stuck to her, and some part of her was becoming less and less tolerant of that. A quivering hand reached up to tug frustratedly at her bra, desperate to relieve some of this awful heat, the painful sickness deep in her clenched stomach bringing forth soft, beleaguered gasps and groans. Soon, it just became too much; she fumbled clumsily at her glistening back until she managed, half by luck, to unclasp her bra, allowing her breasts to spill free of their lacey prison. They bounced with every heaving gasp as she did her best to rid herself of her bra, shaking as she drew it over her shoulders and threw it to the ground. Compelled to rid herself of every last damn scrap, she leaned heavily against the sink. It was so blessedly cool against her chest and her cheek, easing her feverish sickness, but she couldn’t bring herself to rest. Slowly, trying not to collapse weakly as she shook with her affliction, she slid her slinky undergarments down her perfectly toned backside and long, shapely legs, stepping out of them as they crumpled to the floor.

Bracing herself against the sink, she bowed her head, her slim figure heaving with long, slow pants. She just needed a moment to catch her breath, to slow her heart, to calm herself down. Her body wasn’t in the mood to listen to her desperate pleas; no matter how she tried, sweat still slid down her naked skin, her bosom still rose and fell heavily with her labored breaths, and she couldn’t shake an unexplainable all-consuming dread. When she looked up into the mirror above the bathroom sink, a very sick Jessie stared back. Her face was drawn and clammy, her sleek auburn hair sticking wetly to her pale skin, the attractive, curvaceous body she still found so new and exciting huddled over the sink vulnerably.

“G… Gaah…!” She gasped, her petite form pitching forward, a desperately clutching hand pressing against her stomach. She doubled over, piercing pain gnawing viciously through her abdomen and lingering as a burning, twisting sensation. The heat nestled within her blazed its hottest yet, her legs buckling. Just barely, she managed to catch herself on the sink once more, still clutching at her gut, lips working soundlessly as she struggled even to breathe through the pain. This time when she gazed up at the mirror, the eyes staring back at her through her wet hair, full of fear, were not her own. There was only a moment to catch a flicker of predatory amber before a hideous wet noise from her stomach sent her at last to her knees as it brought with it another wave of twisting pain.

Reflexively, her slender arms wrapped around her stomach, crossing beneath her sweaty breasts as she tried to do anything at all to soothe the ripping pain in her insides. More awful noises came from her, sounds no body should ever make, and as they came closer and closer together she could feel her innards agonizingly rearranging. Her tiny form curled over itself, trying to ball up, involuntary tears mingling with sweat on her face, expressing all the agony her seized breath could not. All of her muscles were clenched as she quivered, begging in her mind for this sickness to run its course and just kill her already so she wouldn’t have to suffer.

Suddenly, those muscles spasmed, sending her down on one hand, the other arm still hugging her middle futilely. At last she found air, her perky breasts bouncing with her heaving chest as she gasped, every breath verging on a scream that never quite found volume. She could feel her hands and feet convulsing painfully, the joints beginning to pop slightly. It was so hard to focus on anything but the hurt! She forced her blurry eyes to focus, though, as the pops began to grow louder and the cramps in her hand grew nearly unbearable. She watched as her small hands clenched involuntarily, and began to emit dull cracks. Red hot knives of pain assaulted her digits with every sound, and slowly, against all laws of nature and common sense, they began to stretch. Manicured fingernails began to blacken and curl, lengthening into long, deadly claws that left deep gouges in the cool tile of the bathroom.

Jessie did not scream for the agony. She didn’t scream for the disbelief or the horror. For when she saw the little white hairs beginning to prickle over her fingers and the backs of her stretching hands, she understood what mattered. Gathering all of her will, she squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as she could, forcing a wordless, agonized scream into sense. “W-Weeeeendy!!” She managed to shriek, before muffled pops throughout her petite body muffled her back to quiet, feminine moans of pain.

The knocking at the door came almost immediately. “Jessie? Jessie!” The knob rattled. “Girl, what the hell did you lock this damn thing for?! Hold tight! I’ll get help!”

“No!” Jessie screamed again, falling to all fours, sweat glistening on her slim back as it arched towards the ceiling involuntarily, her long legs straining as she felt the muscles there clenching and her spine begin to pop. “AUUUGH!!” She shrieked once more. “Wendy! Go! Leave! G-Gaaaah! Puh-please!” Crunch. CRACK! “Oh god! A-Aaaah!” Her back jutted upwards, her cracking, twisting spine pressed clearly against her pale skin, body straining and quivering as it grew more and more hunched. Snowy fur was beginning to sprout in thin patches on her back as well, the slight burn of its intrusion completely lost amid the bone-wrenching pain that the rest of the change entailed. Her feet were joining her hands as they became more and more paw-like, her arches stretching wrenchingly until she was resting on feet that were more canine than human. The fur attacked there, too, covering her hind paws and beginning to sprout on the smooth skin of her legs, thighs and round, toned backside.

“Please stop please stop please stop… please…” She cried out in agony, her arms giving out as she fell flat on her chest, breasts pressed against the cool tile and her rump in the air. The never ending crunches and squelches grew yet louder, her body bucking and jerking as a new limb began to grow at the base of her spine. Crackling and popping, it grew with wrenching motions, each tearing another exhausted moan or stifled scream from her throat. Immediately, her tail blossomed with fur, and with its arrival the rest of her lower body seemed to decide it was time. Her thighs and butt twitched and clenched slightly, the muscles there burning and shifting with soft squishes. Her sizzling backside began to harden, losing feminine curves in favor of the sleek deadly muscle of a wolf. Her full, seductive hips swayed with a crack that made her scream like even the worst parts of the change hadn’t been able to yet. Those two lost their female beauty as her entire pelvis broke and shifted to accommodate her new legs. Once it was in its proper place, she collapsed, weeping softly, even the further adjustments of her insides and spine not able to bring more than that in the wake of such trauma.

Her claws scuffled uselessly at the floor as she felt the change mounting again, brushing through her skimpy shirt and slinky undergarments, the accessories of a gorgeous female body. They belonged on her no longer. She could feel her teeth beginning to grow in her mouth, becoming sharp and meant to kill. Her ears stretched painfully at the sides of her head, growing pointed, the muscles of her face convulsing. It wasn’t time yet, but she knew it would be soon.

The muscles of her midsection ached before they too began to change with the rest of her. Her slender upper body writhed and pitched, sweat dripping off her round breasts and down her toned stomach to her bellybutton. More sickening squelches, and her sinuous waist too began to build lithe, inhuman muscle, her hourglass shape obliterated in favor of a form more suited to kill. “Oh… Oh no… Ahhh…” She breathed, her clawed hands reaching up to grip her chest as it heaved forward, her breasts jiggling and her breath coming ever faster. With pain that nearly made her black out and a crack that Wendy must have easily heard through the door, her ribs jutted outwards, stark against her skin, pushing further and further into the barrel chest of a wolf. Her perfect breasts faded away with every pulse forward, fur prickling over them just before they disappeared, until her chest entire upper body was shaggy. Slowly, it crept up her neck, beginning to spread to her cheeks.

“Jessie, what the hell?! I’m calling an ambulance!”

Her wolfish eyes went wide. This was her last chance to save her best friend in the world. She could feel a haze beginning to creep upon her, dark thoughts that weren’t her own pressing at the edges of her consciousness. “Please, no, Wendy!! Run! Oh god please run away! I can’t… I can’t…”

Her speech became mangled, an animalistic rumble mutilating her words as silent tears rolled down her cheeks. Shifting muscles in her face edged towards the lupine, her lips peeling back from her long, sharp teeth. Her amber eyes stared straight at the door, begging, praying to god not to let this happen. Even as she bargained with any higher power that might be listening, though, her face began to push out to the most horrifying cracks yet. She let out a long, garbled scream, the last pieces that were Jessie dying as her voice degraded into something fit only for monstrous snarls and howls. Pointed ears shifted to the top of her head, her cute nose turning upward and growing wet. CRUNCH. CRUNCH. Crunch. Her jaw thrust forward, the last human traces of Jessie DeRose fading as white fur covered her face.

It took barely a twitch of the wolf’s unnatural muscles to break the locked door open, its cold, cold eyes locking immediately on Wendy. The black girl simply stared, mouth agape, her cell phone falling from her hand before she even had the chance to call an ambulance. The wolf closed in, and Wendy knew no more.