In the Doghouse

As promised, Paul kept their 'date' casual. The quaint Italian pizzeria was a great spot for homemade pizzas made to order any way you wanted and they split one. Sarah, who always enjoyed doing things a little out of the ordinary, had fun creating her own meal and then laughed about keep to their own side of the pie until it was done.

Still, she couldn't help but notice the way he was looking at her. Not always, but on occasion she felt his gaze zone in on her in a more heated away. In a way that said he was interested in a lot more friendship. Not wanting to spoil dinner she said nothing, but on the ride home, his hand grazed hers, picking it up and linking their fingers. She smiled softly, not fighting it, but not feeling whatever it was he was feeling. Instead her mind kept wandering back home to her new dog. She wondered if he was bored, if he'd peed on the floor or chewed up her favorite pair of shoes. She'd heard all sorts of horror stories in the past about puppies and dogs doing things when their owner's weren't home.

Finally reaching her driveway, Paul switched off the car and turned her. This was the moment and she knew, she had to speak to him. "Thanks for dinner. It really was fun." She told him, giving him a genuinely look of pleasure and then gently pulled her hand away. "Paul. I don't want o mislead you, but...I'm not really looking for anything heavy right now. I like you. I like doing things together and you're a fun guy to be around. I consider you a good friend, but I'm not looking for romance."

To his credit, his expression didn't change much as he gazed at her and then put on the biggest pouty look she'd ever seen. "So no kiss tonight?"

She let out a startled little laugh and shook her head, "Not tonight...I can't promise a kiss ever. Except for maybe on the cheek...I just wanted to be upfront with you."

"No worries Sarah...you're worth waiting for." He responded again and took her hand again, but this time kissed the back of it. The urge to suddenly wipe off the sensation was fierce and she was once again surprised.

"OKay then...I'll talk to you soon. Good night."

Out of the car, Sarah palmed her keys and quickly let herself in the house, locking the door behind her and giving a small wave through the glass before realizing that the house was just as quiet as it always was. Curious, she forgot all about Paul and started searching for her pet. "Hey big guy, I'm home!" She called out, realizing she was more excited to see him than Paul himself.

She searched downstairs and found no messes, no nothing and felt a surge of pride. Then went upstairs. Still everything looked the same. Finally she found him on her bed, completely gone to the world and sleeping deeply. Her heart warmed as she gazed at him and went over, slowly running her hands through his hair, ruffling it as she did. "Well you fail as a guard dog...I could have been a burglar wanting to burgle and you'd sleep through it."

Shaking her head, she kicked off her shoes and padded to her dresser. Without thought, she again stripped off her clothing down to her panties and then pulled on a long floppy night shirt that hit her knees. Unwinding her hair, she let it loose and then decided for tonight, she was done. The bed looked too inviting. Slipping under the covers, she made herself comfortable, glad for once that she had a big enough bed that he left her some space.

Even deeply asleep, Remus was aware of Sarah's return to the bedroom. His nose caught her scent, and he felt her get into the bed beside him. He felt more at ease, as he didn't smell much of Paul on her as he drifted back into sleep.

He woke with the sun. Remus raised his head, seeing Sarah still asleep. He got off the bed carefully, heading downstairs in search of food. There was kibble left from the previous day, which he finished off very quickly. He proceeded to nearly empty his water bowl, before returning to the bedroom. He sat at the end of the bed, deep in thought, his tale slowly swinging from side to side on the floor.

With a single bound, he landed on the bed. His snout was close to Sarah's face and he woke her with an enthusiastic display of canine kisses. Once Saarah was awake, he leapt off the bed standing near the bedroom door, barking ( 'come on, get moving' ) and moving around with too much energy that early in the morning.

Once Sarah surfaced from under the covers, Remus sat and watched. Foggy memories, feelings and urges he remembered linked to his human form crashed and barged through his body, causing confusing reactions within him.

'Now I understand why Paul was after her so strongly. I'm surprised she's not fending them off with a loaded gun. Damn it, I need to piss now.'

As soon as she got close to him, he dashed to the top of the stairs, looking back at her intently until she go close to him again. He dashed down the stairs and stopped at the back door. He looked at her, his expression clear that he wanted to get out as soon as possible. He even used the saddest, pleading face he could muster.

Sarah was a little bleary eyed the next morning, she but managed to get out of bed and stumble after the dog. He seemed extremely eager, so she did her best to hurry and finally unlocked and opened the door, watching him dash out. Stretching, she inhaled the crisp morning air and sighed.

"Coffee." She muttered and spun on her heels, padding barefoot to the kitchen to start her habitual morning pot of dark mana. While she waited on that, she took a moment to refill his bowl of water and add kibble to his food bowl. Then decided that today would be a catch up day. Time to buckle down and get some work done.

Her small compact off near the kitchen was the perfect spot. It was big enough to be comfortable, but also had a nice large window over looking the back yard which she often left open to enjoy the fresh air. It was one spot she hadn't thought to show off, but now opened the door which was often mistaken for a pantry opening. Inside held her writing equipment, computer, papers, and a variety of art supplies for her drawings.

Shoving her fingers through her wild curls, she tried to finger comb the mass into some semblance of control as she returned to get her cup of java, adding a generous amount of cream and a little sugar.

Remus was out the door like a rocket, taking the edge off the pressure on the nearest tree. He spent the next half hour making sure that there was little doubt that the yard was his, as well as taking a complete olfactory inventory of outside Sarah's home.

Satisfied with his outdoor activities, he headed back inside and sought out Sarah. He found her in a little room off the kitchen, drinking coffee. He scrunched up his nose a little. 'I forgot how bad that stuff smelled to my nose in this form. Well, it's going to take some getting used to since she's probably going to drink it every morning.'

He found himself a spot on the floor that would catch a little of the sunlight at some stage during the day, and laid down. He did so in a way that allowed him to watch her as she worked.

'So why is it that she's alone? Why isn't there a man in her life already? Or a woman if she's that way? She's friendly enough. She's definitely got the looks. He sister has found someone and like him enough to mate with him twice.'

Remus started to image Sarah with the telltale belly of a pregnant woman, and how the look on her face would be. He got faint echoes from his human mind of feelings from trying to get a woman pregnant, which confused him in his canine form.

'I think I can hang around here for a while. At least until she starts talking about that operation, then I'm out of here. Pity I can't show her the other me. Sarah would not take too well to that. Very few people if any would take well to that.'

He spent the morning just lazing, enjoying watching her go about her day thinking that she was alone. People were so much easier to observe when they were relaxed, feeling safe. He liked how she moved. The little things she did, such as how she tucked her hair back, and tilted her head when working on one type of project. Not to forget how she would talk to herself occasionally.

He got up, quietly padding over to her, and waited until he knew he wouldn't cause any mistakes with her work and nudged her elbow with his nose. He gave her a look of "pat me, I'm loveable" as he looked up at her.

Sarah found herself engrossed in her work, which is how she usually got when she was engrossed in her work. It felt good to get back at it – having been distracted by the past couple of days with her niece. Before long, words were flowing and pictures appeared under her skilled hand. Towards the afternoon, her back began to ache, but she didn't want to stop and then she felt a gentle nudge at her elbow and glanced down.

A smile brightened her face. “Hey handsome.” She said softly and slid her fingers over his big head, ruffling his hair gently and caressing his soft ears. “I should paint you, but not today. I have a headline to get to.”

Distracted enough from her work, her stomach rumbled and she sighed. “Lunch time I guess. Be nice if you could make it for me so I could keep working, but at least I am in good company.”

Pushing away from her desk, Sarah went to the kitchen and rummaged through her fridge. Nothing sounded too appealing, so she settled for a can of soup warmed up in the microwave. She made sure he had kibble in his bowl and water, poring the contents into an oversized mug to sip on.

With hip propped against her kitchen counter, Sarah gazed outside, prepared to work through the rest of the day when a knock at the door startled her. Glancing at her pet, she raised a brow and moved to see who it was, even more surprised when she saw Paul standing there. “Its just Paul.” She told Remus, almost her voice clearly portrayed that she wasn't expecting him.

Opening the side door, she forced on a smile. “Hey – what's up? Please tell me I didn't forget another date!”

He laughed and grinned. “Nope. But I know how you artistic types are...” She quirked a brow and he grinned all the more. “Always forgetting to eat and such. I thought I'd bring by a little take out...make sure you're fed before I left you to your work. I hope I'm not out of line.”

While the thought was sweet, something about his action grated on her nerves a little. It seemed like something a little bit too personal...something a boyfriend would do, but she hated to be rude. “Well...I was drinking soup – but I guess a little something extra wouldn't hurt. I wasn't expecting anyone...but, come in.”

Remus received his contact from Sarah, almost sighing as she ran her fingers through the fur between his ears.

“Lunch time I guess. Be nice if you could make it for me so I could keep working, but at least I am in good company.”

He followed her, tail gently wagging as they headed into the kitchen. He saw that she filled his bowls, so he started munching away noisily and happily on his kibble. He did wonder if he could possibly score another sandwich again, and started looking on with interest until he saw the dreaded can come out of the cupboard. Cans of human food weren't good news for dogs. He turned his head back to his bowl, looking forward to the next time.

The normal sounds of the kitchen sounded, along with the more familiar smells of warm food. Sarah was leaning against the counter, gazing outside while Remus was looking at her again, getting the confusing mix of canine and human thoughts and feelings tumbling through him.

The knock at the door startled him as well as Sarah. He readied himself to pounce on the intruder when the door was opened. Normally, he would have run up, barking at them to tell them off, but this time he wanted to lay in wait and surprise them. If he was really good, not only could he get them to wet themselves, maybe they'd shit themselves too.

“Its just Paul.”

He was still tempted to carry out his plan, particularly because it was Paul, but he thought better of it.

“Hey – what's up? Please tell me I didn't forget another date!”

He seemed polite, but like Sarah, there was something different underneath. Both of them were not showing their true selves, which Remus thought was bad.

“Nope. But I know how you artistic types are... Always forgetting to eat and such. I thought I'd bring by a little take out...make sure you're fed before I left you to your work. I hope I'm not out of line.”

“Well...I was drinking soup – but I guess a little something extra wouldn't hurt. I wasn't expecting anyone...but, come in.”

Paul smiled, tentatively putting a hand down to ruffle Remus' fur. "Hey there fella. Looking after her well I see." He stepped around the dog carefully and put the food on the counter. "The more I see him, the less scary he gets. Oh, I brought along enough for me as well. I hope you don't mind."

He got out the food. The took his lunch, along with the plastic utensils, and started to eat. Paul waited a little while, then started talking to Sarah about her work, showing a keen interest in what she was doing, and how things were progressing overall. Soon, the conversation devolved into general chatting about a meandering series of topics while the lunch disappeared, coffees were had, afternoon snacks were shared and the later part of the day disappeared.

"I'm sorry, Sarah, I didn't mean to take up the whole afternoon like that. Tell you what. I'll go get us dinner. As soon as it's done, I'll leave you and... the wolf here, in peace. My way of saying sorry."

Remus smelled a rat. A 5'9" sandy haired rat that was too interested in Sarah for his own good. He wasn't sure what it was, but his gut was telling him that something wasn't going to go well. He padded his way over to sit next to Sarah, resting his snout on her thigh.

'Yep, not interested in the least.'

"Is that OK with you? Dinner, then I scram?"

Sarah wasn't sure how she's gotten so distracted by Paul. Truth be known, half the time her mind had wandered off to work, wanting to finish things up and yet he continued to talk. She didn't have the heart to kick him out after he'd gotten her dinner and the night before, had gotten her dinner. Still, it was mildly irritating that he kept inserting himself into her life this week without much notice.

"Um...that's fine. But why don't I just whip us up something, alright? I think you've gone out of your way a few times...it's the least I can do." She told him, gently caressing the top of the 'wolf's' head.

Paul smiled and nodded, "Sure thing! I haven't had a home cooked meal in forever."

Sarah laughed, "Well, I can't say that my culinary skills are all that grand. So you may just need to suffer through it." She teased.

He chuckled and sipped on his drink, eying her intently as she moved, gently nudging the dog aside as she got up. "Do you like salad?"

"Sure....why not. As long as there is meat involved later."

Sarah dug through her fridge for the fresh lettuce and picked out some veggies to join the mix. With her back turned, she began to chop, pulling a bowl out to fix the greens together. "Do you mind opening my back door for the dog? Sure he'll need to go out for a little bit. Just leave it open though."

"Yes ma'am." His eyes slid down to the canine and he forced a smile, moving along to open the back door.

She smiled down at Remus who didn't seem too keen on leaving her side. "Hopefully he'll be gone soon." She whispered and winked. With the bowl filled, she fluffed the mix and then pulled out several different dressings, putting them to the side. Back in the fridge, she pulled out some freshly thawed chicken and set it on the counter.

From behind, she heard Paul enter the room again, his body near as he watched her cook. She stiffened as he slid his hands over her hips and gave them an affectionate squeeze. "Need any help?"

Trying to relax, she shook her head, keeping her head down as she seasoned the chicken. "No, I'm good thanks. You can just sit and relax."

"I like watching you." He murmured, his voice dropping to what was supposed to be sexy and husky, but to Sarah it fell flat and made her cringe. She then felt his hips press against her bottom, his face moving to nuzzle her neck. She jerked and tried to pull away, but he held fast. "Paul. Let go please...I told you last night I just wanted us to be friends."

Paul chuckled, "Oh come on Sarah, I know you want more. We've been talking for months. I've taken you to lunch and dinner and movies. We've gotten to know each other fairly well. I think I deserve a little something in return. Don't be a tease."

Sarah felt anger and a twinge of fear roll through her, trying to pull herself away, but he had her pinned to the counter with his bigger body, his hands taking liberties as she squirmed. "Paul please! Let go! I said NO!"

Laughing, he eased off and then spun her around. She stumbled and he caught her, pressing her back again, this time his front to hers, his mouth coming down to mash against her mouth. She struggled, going into full blown fight mode as she pushed and shoved, trying to bring up her knee to hit him where it counts.

"I'll make it nice for you, just relax." He urged, going in for another kiss only to have her bite his lip. He cried out and closed his hand around her slender throat, squeezing until she let go. Tears filled her eyes and she clawed at his wrist, trying to break free.

Remus listened to the exchange between them, noting the off tone in Sarah's voice, which Paul either didn't hear, or chose to ignore. At the mention of the back door, Remus got a reminder from his body he had to go outside and deal with some calls of nature, and as much as he wanted to hang around, he shot outside to do his business.

While he was out there, he caught the scent of another canine nearby, and went to check it out, completely forgetting the humans in the kitchen as animal instinct kicked into full gear. Sure enough, the house next door had a Jack Russel that had updated his markings, blitzing some of Remus' markings on the way. Remus re-did his over the top of the older dog's recent ones, and rechecked all of his other boundary markers just in case.

Remus was heading back to the house when he heard Paul cry out in pain, and he smelled fear coming off Sarah. Remus picked up his pace, coming in quietly. He saw Sarah fighting off Paul while crying. Remus wasted no time at all.

His opening back echoed loudly in the kitchen, causing both humans to jump in response to it. He jumped in between them, turning himself in the impossibly small space to face Paul, baring his teeth and growling deeply. Paul's face went white and took a couple of quick steps back into the lounge room, putting both hands forward to protect himself. Remus crouched down, his ears flat against his head, every single tooth exposed for Paul to see. With a growl that terminated in a bark, Remus jumped, knocking Paul flat on his back.

To the surprise of both himself and Paul, Remus then lunged from his spot between Paul's feet, bringing his jaws down right around Paul's groin. Paul showed wisdom beyond his years, and stayed still, rather than risking the dog following through with the bite.

"OK," Paul squeaked, "I'm sorry. I'll go now, and I'll leave you in peace as long as you call off the wolf."

Remus let go of him. Paul scrambled back immediately in case Remus changed his mind. He got to his feet, walking backward to the front door, opening and closing it behind him. Remus watched him the entire way, his entire stance was one of poised ready to attack.

Once the sound of the car faded, Remus resorted to the normal dog he was, turning and sauntering back with a casual wagging tail. He sat down before Sarah, looking up at her with a "I'm a good doggie, Mom" look on his face, the tail wagging more enthusiastically.

He then laid down, and rolled onto his back, presenting his tummy for scratching.

Sarah sank to the floor and pushed her fingers through his thick fur after a moment of belly rubbing. She laughed, the sound coming out a little strained as she fought back a sob. "Good boy. You're such a good boy! I'm going to feed you steak tonight."

Still trembling and more than a little upset, she sat next to Remus for some time, just caressing him, rubbing his tummy and thinking. Should she call the police? Should she tell her sister? She felt as though she should do SOMETHING, but then again, her pet had scared him pretty badly. Perhaps that was enough. She wasn't a 100% sure of anything, her mind still in shock that he had the balls to do something like that. What sort of man forced himself on a woman and why hadn't she realized what a sleaze he'd been?

Feeling stupid, she dried her tears and blew out a long breath, slowly getting back up on wobbly legs. Moving to the door, she locked it, then made sure the other entrances were secure and all her windows were locked.

"Aren't I a lucky girl, hmm?" She murmured to Remus, gazing down at him lovingly. "I rescue you, you rescue me. I kinda like this deal." Going to the freezer, she pulled out a steak and put in the fridge. "Tomorrow I'll make you steak and maybe we can do something fun...like go to the park. But for right now..." She pushed her fingers through her hair, unsure of what to do with herself. "I guess I'll call it a night. Figure out what to do in the morning."

Pulling herself together, she padded upstairs and took a moment to brush her teeth and wash her face, examining the red marks on her slender neck and frowning. Changing into a comfortable, old oversized shirt, Sarah crawled into bed and tried to forget about Paul's mauling and squeezed her eyes shut.

Remus felt a little better as her fingers moved through his fur, mainly from the laugh. Even if it wasn't completely natural.

"Good boy. You're such a good boy! I'm going to feed you steak tonight."

His ears perked up, and a rear leg started to go through the motions of a scratch as she reached the magic spot. He didn't care about steak at that point. He protected his pack, and they were bonding in the victory. Feeling his tummy being rubbed like that was the best reward he could imagine.

But the tummy rub ceased, and he looked at her with a concerned expression. She slowly got to her feet, with him following her lead. He quietly trailed her as she secured her home, first the doors, then the windows.

"Aren't I a lucky girl, hmm? I rescue you, you rescue me. I kinda like this deal. Tomorrow I'll make you steak and maybe we can do something fun...like go to the park. But for right now... I guess I'll call it a night. Figure out what to do in the morning."

He calmly watched her wander around the kitchen. He sat a little straighter hearing her talk about them rescuing each other. But there was something missing from her that made him feel a little sad and angry. He stayed sitting in the kitchen as Sarah went upstairs. He looked at the back door, seeing his Human form dealing with the man that was hurting her. He felt his hackles rise and his lips curl back, exposing his teeth in silent rage.

He shook his head, then went upstairs to join Sarah in her bedroom. He leapt up onto the bed landing with surprisingly soft paws, and settled himself down beside the still Sarah. He gave her a silent sniff then laid his head down and slept.

During the night, his mind went back over what happened. He saw how he wished he had dealt with Paul. Dealt with him as a human. His body reacted to the thoughts, shifting slowly and easily while he slept. Come sunrise, the large canine that laid down beside Sarah on top of her bedding was no longer there. Instead, a large, naked, muscular man lying on his belly was there. His head at the very top of the bed, and his feet hanging over the edge of the other end of the bed. But around his neck was the very same collar that Sarah had placed around her dog's neck.

Exhausted by her nightmarish evening, Sarah slept deeply and woke up in a groggy haze the next morning. She rolled and stretched, a little confused when she hit something large and solid. After a moment, she smiled and sighed. Her big furry hero must have bedded down with her again. Still half asleep, she shifted and went to slide an arm around him when her hand came across smooth solid warm flesh.

Dread filled her and her eyes snapped open. There above her blankets lay a very large, very naked man. Her eyes couldn't believe it and her body jerked at the shock of it as her eyes darted down the length of his body and a scream made it's way up her throat and soon filled the air as she scrambled frantically out of the bed.

She hit the floor and stumbled, almost slamming right into the wall. From the bed, she watched him shift slightly and turned his head and her heart slammed against her chest as she took in his handsome face. Confused by her bodies reaction, she frantically looked around for a weapon, any weapon to defend herself. This wasn't Paul! She didn't know who the hell he was, but he was naked in her bed and God knows what he had planned for her.

She heard rather than saw him move and panic took hold. "Oh god! Oh please, no. Please don't hurt me." She squeaked out, bolting for the door and swinging it over as she made a mad dash for the stairs, her pulse pounding loudly in her ears as she tried to make a getaway.

Remus was deep in sleep, comfortable in the knowledge that he protected Sarah, and that she was grateful for his protection. The thought of steak, and somewhere new and safe to go was just what he needed. He shifted slightly, working a few kinks out of his back before settling down again.

Sarah's scream rent the air, and he felt her scramble from the bed. Remus Started to react to the alarming noise, knowing Sarah was in trouble, but he was so tired it was difficult to get himself moving. He saw her face. She was scared witless by something behind him. He felt himself frown as he started to turn his head in the direction of the danger.

"Oh god! Oh please, no. Please don't hurt me."

He heard her running out of the bedroom as adrenaline started to blast away the tiredness. He finally turned his head to see nothing behind him. He leapt to all fours and fell out of the bed with a loud crash.

"Shit!" Remus only then saw he was in his human form. Even then it took him a few seconds to make the mental connections about his form and Sarah's reaction. He scrambled to his feet, lacking coordination initially as he slammed into the walls trying to follow after the screaming woman. By the time he reached the stairs he was in bipedal mode and went down the stairs two at a time.

He reached the bottom of the stairs, and saw Sarah standing in the kitchen, trying to decide which of the overwhelming number of options she would go with first.

"Sarah. It's OK. I'm not going to hurt you. It's me." He paused for a moment, thinking how stupid that statement was. "It's Remus. Uhhh. Crap!" He lunged for her, stopping her from grabbing the phone. He slapped a hand over her mouth, and easily lifted her off the floor. He carried her into the lounge room and dropped her on the sofa. He half squatted, half knelt in front of her, one hand still over her mouth as he looked at her right in the eyes.

"Sarah, look at this." He lifted his chin, pointing to the collar with his free hand. "Remember this? You got it for me after you got me and the little kitten from the Doggy Prison. I'm the one you called Big Fella and Handsome. Ahhh... I conned you out of a sandwich when you gave me the kibble the first time." He voice dropped a bit with a trace of anger, "And I really wanted to tear Paul's balls off after what he did to you last night, but I knew you wouldn't have liked that."

The anger melted away to a look of pure concern. He took his hand away from Sarah's mouth. He sat down on the floor and shuffled back a little to give her some more room. He sat cross legged, with his hand resting in his lap. His eyes flickered from her eyes to the floor near her feet back to her eyes again, bouncing between the two but not staying on her eyes for long.

"Sorry, I didn't mean for you to find out this way."

Sarah's heart was hammering wildly and she could let out another scream as Remus picked her up and pressed a large hand across her mouth. She tried to fight, but the heat of his body against her own was a pure shock to her system. She shuddered and groaned, helpless to do anything as he dropped her on the couch.

His voice slowly filtered through her mind and her eyes darted to the collar that he showed her. She heard his words and all that he said, but it didn't seem to register. How could he be her dog? There was no way. No such thing happened. That wasn't reality. She'd lost her mind.

Afraid to move, she watched him take a seat in front of her and hugged herself, trembling as she drew in soft panting breaths, trying to calm herself. “I've gone insane.” She finally said out loud, her voice wavering. “Or maybe this is some strange sick joke.”

A small hysterical laugh burst past her lips. God his eyes were amazingly blue and trained on her and for some reason, she was having a hard time looking away. “How can this be? How can you know all of that? What...what are you?”

The gears in her mind began to spin again. She's stripped in front of him, shared her bed and treated him like a pet! A deep flush colored her face, embarrassed, confused, at a complete loss as she stared back at him. He seemed to be having a hard time holding her gaze and every time he looked away, her eyes slid lower down his body, unable to stop staring. “Maybe we should um...get you something to wear...”

Remus was extremely nervous. He hadn't planned on this, not yet. He had little idea of how to deal with it. He could see that Sarah was scared, in shock and capable of doing something bad, dangerous or both. But she curled her self into a ball, hugging herself trying to gain some comfort from holding herself.

“I've gone insane. Or maybe this is some strange sick joke.”

"No, neither." Remus shook his head. He was feeling sad about what he had done to her, after all she had done for him. She had shown him kindness that he had only know while he was young with the pack. He felt his own eyes start to water.

“How can this be? How can you know all of that? What...what are you?”

He tried to think about how to answer her, with words. But they failed him, like they did when he was in his other form. He was caught by the way her face darkened, and she grew embarrassed. Every time her eyes looked away from his, they slid down his body, before snapping up again.

“Maybe we should um...get you something to wear...”

"Hmmm?" He looked down, seeing that there was nothing wrong with him. He frowned, looking back at her. "Get me something to wear...? Oh! I forgot. Humans need to have parts of them covered when in the company of other humans. I thought that there was something wrong with my body."

His brief smile disappeared as he looked back at her. "You asked me what am I. Well, I think I am a human, who got what he wished for. You're not crazy. Please, let me show you. I promise, you wont get hurt."

Remus shuffled back a little from Sarah. He stayed looking straight at her eyes as he focused on his other form, desiring to change to that. He felt his body respond, this time with a fluidity that was almost graceful. He felt his view point shift, and the colour faded from the world, but in return his hearing grew sharper and his sense of smell eclipsed his hearing. In only a few seconds, he was once more the big fella that Sarah saved from the doggy prison.

He sat on his haunches, giving her the "I love you" look, while his tale wagged gently behind him. She just sat there, stunned by what she saw. He whimpered, switching to the universal puppy dog face. Deciding that he needed to roll out the big guns, he laid down on the floor and rolled over enough to present his tummy to her. As he did, he lifted his chin to show her that he was still wearing the collar she gave to him.

'Please, Sarah, it's still me. Please, rub my tummy.'

His tail wagged hopefully.

Sarah gazed at Remus in total disbelief. She couldn't believe this was happening before her very eyes, but there it was. Evidence that the man who had woken up in her bed was in fact, her dog. His soulful eyes begged for her affection. For her love and her heart went out to him despite her fear.

“I...” She breathed, “This is crazy.” She laughed again and slowly shifted until she was tentatively rubbing his belly. When she was done, Sarah pulled her hand away and sat back. “Can you shift back?” She asked and then felt silly. Of course he could.

With a groan, Sarah stood and stumbled a little. “I adopted a dog who is a man. I've shared my bed, my home and I've done things like strip in front of you. I haven't even named you. What is your name?” She kept rattling off, now pacing the room. “And what does this all mean? I don't know how to take this...you're not my...pet. I mean, you're a man! In doggy form it seems when you want to be.”

Another hysterical laugh followed and she snorted. And he'd thought there was something wrong with his body?! Hell, his body was perfection. He was the perfect manly specimen when in 'human' form. Oooh what was she going to do?!

He saw her gaze change, and he was certain that she fell for him again, as the canine she adopted. His tail wagged a little harder at the change in her facial expression.

“I... This is crazy.”

Her laugh sounded so wonderful to him. She was returning from the shock, and accepting him for who, and what, he was. Sarah got closer, and her hand slowly went to his tummy and gave him a half hearted rub. It didn't stop his tail wagging furiously at her touch. When she finished, he just lay there, enjoying the lingering feel of her touch. She sat back with a contemplative look on her face.

“Can you shift back?”

Remus rolled onto his tummy, and gave her a confused look. He tracked her as she stood up, stumbling as she started pacing around the room

“I adopted a dog who is a man. I've shared my bed, my home and I've done things like strip in front of you. I haven't even named you. What is your name? And what does this all mean? I don't know how to take this...you're not my...pet. I mean, you're a man! In doggy form it seems when you want to be.”

Remus got up on his haunches, watching Sarah as she paced lost in her thoughts. He focused on his human form, the shift occurring in a moment, so fluidly that he felt no pain, heard no sounds of his body changing. He was sitting on the floor, legs crossed, hands on the floor behind him, leaning back casually as Sarah continued to pace.

"I can change whenever I choose to, Sarah. Again, my name is Remus. If it makes you feel better, Sarah, you have no need to be worried about stripping in front of me. I have seen nothing wrong with your body. It is a very good body. One to be proud of." He paused for a moment. "Oh, I forgot." He leaned forward, sitting up straight and resting his hands in his lap, obscuring his crotch from Sarah's sight. "Humans... people don' like being naked around others, unless they are family. We're not family, are we?" He went a little red in the face.

"Sorry. Been a canine too long. When you got me from the 'Doggy Prison', I came to see you as part of my new pack. Which is sort of family in the mind of a dog. It kind of carries over to my thinking when I'm like this. Plus, I haven't been with humans... people, sorry, for a long time. If it makes it easier for you, I can go back to being your favourite four legged big fella. I found I like being around you, even before I remembered I was a man." He looked at the floor, feeling his face heat up with the very noticeable blush.

"Remus..." She tested the name on her tongue and found she liked it. It suited him she realized and was just what she was missing. "Remus." She said again and smiled, then flushed at his compliment. "Thank you for the erm...compliment. We people don't usually strut around naked when we're adult in front of anyone except for maybe a lover. And I can assure you, it's been a long time since I've had one of those."

She pursed her lips, thinking about Paul and frowned. "As you can tell, I have bad taste in men...very poor judgement. I tend to attract the weirdos." She felt herself pause again and then reddened. "And I don't mean that as a jab against you...but...well, you are definitely unique."

Grabbing a throw blanket from her couch, she tried to keep her gaze from traveling over his nakedness. But goodness was he ever attractive...his muscles hard and his body lean. Yet he was broad shouldered and tall and looked like he could have easily fit on the cover of some fantasy romance novel. Breathe, Sarah! She reminded herself. "Here, um...just put this around your waist. Just to cover the erm...goods." She said lightly and giggled nervously, feeling a little like a school girl with a silly crush.

"Tell me...are there more of you out there? That can shift like you?"

Remus liked hearing Sarah speaking his name. It somehow sounded right in her voice. He smiled, mainly to himself, at that thought.

"Thank you for the erm...compliment. We people don't usually strut around naked when we're adult in front of anyone except for maybe a lover. And I can assure you, it's been a long time since I've had one of those."

He frowned at her admission. He wondered why a woman who looked like her had not had a lover for such a long time. She certainly appealed to Paul, and he made it clear he was very interested, though Sarah made it clear too that she was not interested in him. He started to take in his breath to ask her about it when she spoke again.

"As you can tell, I have bad taste in men...very poor judgement. I tend to attract the weirdos. And I don't mean that as a jab against you...but...well, you are definitely unique."

Remus laughed. "You adopted me, remember."

He found himself with a blanket in his lap, dropped there by a rather nervous looking Sarah. Her eyes were darting everywhere, and even in his human form, he sensed that she was not comfortable about something about him. It took him a few moments to start to realize what the problem was.

"Here, um...just put this around your waist. Just to cover the erm...goods."

The giggle that followed was not like Sarah at all, and Remus was getting confused by it. He started to open up the blanket, getting a feel for the size of it and how to fit it around his waist.

"Tell me...are there more of you out there? That can shift like you?"

"Not that I know about. I didn't see anyone else wish on the same start as me."

He stood up, with the blanket held firmly in one hand, leaving nothing covered once he was fully upright before Sarah. Still frowning, he gazed down at her.

"What is wrong, Sarah? You keep looking away from me. Why do you do that? You asked me to cover up. Why? Is there something bad about me? Please, tell me, Sarah, I don't understand."

He moved to wrap the blanket about his waist, and after a few different attempts to secure it, finally got it to stay anchored around his waist, with the blanket parting to show off his muscular right leg.

He squatted down in front of her, the blanket falling between his legs, still covering the part of him causing her the most embarrassment. But while it hid it, it still outlined it clearly enough to remind Sarah of the relevant dimensions.

"You say you attract the wrong men. Well, now you don't have to worry. You have one." He smiled innocently. "I'm loyal, easy to maintain. I'm even house broken." He laughed at his own jokes.

"Plus, I am hungry and I do know that human form doesn't do well on dog kibble. Can we have breakfast together as people?"

Sarah was trying to retain his words and understand them, but his body was a total distraction. Still, she hung on to the words as best she could and moistened her lips. "So...you wished this?" She said slowly, her brow creasing as she thought and tried to make sense of this.

When he stood, she jerked her gaze away again and cleared her throat when he spoke again. "What is wrong, Sarah? You keep looking away from me. Why do you do that? You asked me to cover up. Why? Is there something bad about me? Please, tell me, Sarah, I don't understand."

She felt badly for her behavior, realizing how silly and strange she must be acting. She watched him fumble with the blanket, which looked small against his large frame and inwardly groaned and then squatted and she almost laughed again. Oh man, she was in trouble!

"You say you attract the wrong men. Well, now you don't have to worry. You have one." He smiled innocently. "I'm loyal, easy to maintain. I'm even house broken."

His laugh was warm and rich, making her smile in return, finally finding her voice again. "So, maybe I have good taste once in a while." She said and then added. "And there is nothing wrong with your body. I'm just not used to having beautiful naked men so comfortable with their nudity. I hate to say this to you Remus, for fear that you'll suddenly become full of yourself, but...you're a very attractive male. It's hard not to stare."

She felt her face heat up again and glanced down at her baggy shirt, happy that it came to at least her knees. Eating breakfast sounded good to her. "I would love to eat breakfast...and I have no issues with you joining me as a um...man."

Shaking her head in lingering disbelief, Sarah moved around him, making a bee line for the kitchen. For a moment, she stared at her kitchen, wondering what to make, where to start. Finally moving to the fridge. Eggs and bacon...that was basic and filling. A little toast on the side.

Sarah started to relax, since she was smiling again. This made Remus feel better, since he didn't like seeing her look so uncomfortable.

"So, maybe I have good taste once in a while. And there is nothing wrong with your body. I'm just not used to having beautiful naked men so comfortable with their nudity. I hate to say this to you Remus, for fear that you'll suddenly become full of yourself, but...you're a very attractive male. It's hard not to stare."

While he heard everything Sarah had said there was something in what she said that confused him greatly. "Full of myself?" He blinked a few times while he tried to connect the phrase with a meaning and came up with nothing. "What does that mean?"

Sarah moved around him, her face turning slightly red. She looked at her own bed wear, which was a long shirt which was almost a dress on her. Again, he was confused by her looking at her own clothing as she walked past him.

"I would love to eat breakfast...and I have no issues with you joining me as a um...man."

"Great." Remus stood up, leaving the blanket behind as the means of keeping it in place failed as he stood. He bent down to grab it and continued into the kitchen, attempting to get it to sit around his waist again.

"Did you say I was handsome?" His tone was neutral, simply trying to confirm what she said. "I have no idea how I look compared to other humans.. people... I mean men. I don't really think that it is important. I know I am healthy, I have no illnesses and there is nothing wrong with my body... at least I think there is nothing wrong with it." He looked at Sarah with some slight concern. "There is nothing wrong with it that you saw, was there?" When he flexed his torso, the blanket fell from his torso yet again.

"I can't make this stay about my waist, Sarah. I have tried, but it hasn't worked. I'll just sit down and cover myself with it. Now, you don't want to look at my... groin, is that right? That is what makes you uncomfortable?"

He fixed his gaze on her, ready to lock on hers when she turned to look at him. "What is it about that part of my body that makes you so uncomfortable looking at it? I am honestly unsure why it does. Could you tell me?"

"Full of myself? What does that mean?"

Sarah soon realized that he wasn't quite used to certain sayings. “What I mean is, I don't want you getting cocky. You know, to feel like you're better than others because you're more attractive than the average man.”

"Did you say I was handsome?" Sarah gave him a quick glance, her face still heated and nodded. "I have no idea how I look compared to other humans.. people... I mean men. I don't really think that it is important. I know I am healthy, I have no illnesses and there is nothing wrong with my body... at least I think there is nothing wrong with it." She saw his concern as he focused on his body. "There is nothing wrong with it that you saw, was there?"

Unable to stop herself, Sarah watched as he flexed his torso and the blanket slid off his body again. “Remus.” She squeaked and quickly looked away with an embarrassed laugh.

"I can't make this stay about my waist, Sarah. I have tried, but it hasn't worked. I'll just sit down and cover myself with it. Now, you don't want to look at my... groin, is that right? That is what makes you uncomfortable?"

She slapped her hand to the back of her neck and hung her head slightly. He was so damn innocent it was sorta sweet and cute, but lord he had no clue what he was doing to her. And he was full of questions. “Remus, there is nothing wrong with you body.” She started slowly, moistening her lips as she started frying up the bacon, trying to distract her mind. “It's just...you're a very attractive man and you're a naked attractive man in my house. While I understand why you're naked, it's hard not to look. It's...” She paused, trying to choose her words without making a fool of herself. “It's a pleasure to look at you, but in our society, we are taught that it's wrong to stare at others, especially naked bodies. And you and I aren't...familiar with each other in a sexual sense...” Ah crap, she was rambling now, she thought, trying to focus her thoughts. “What I mean to say is...I...you...that is...”

She laughed again, blowing out a breath. “See? You have me all flustered. Trust me. You're very attractive...more attractive than the average man. I'm having a hard time not looking at you, but when I do, I feel it's wrong and it's embarrassing that I can't seem to control myself from doing so.

Turning the bacon over, she glanced back again and found his stare...so blue and intense, it kept her locked in place for a moment. Feeling as though he was looking right into her soul. It made her insides quiver and clench and a need so raw and hot it pooled low in her belly and made her ache. It shocked her. Never had she felt such...desire and lust for a man she barely knew. “S-so...you're fine. More than fine. I bet you don't even have fleas.” She added lightly, trying to make a joke while her body flushed and her heart rate sped up.

He leaned forward, resting his chin on the counter looking at Sarah while she tried to answer his questions. She seemed so uncomfortable even trying to do that. He was wondering if he had done the wrong thing staying in his human form around her. The last thing he wanted to do was cause her to feel bad.

“Remus, there is nothing wrong with you body. It's just...you're a very attractive man and you're a naked attractive man in my house. While I understand why you're naked, it's hard not to look. It's... It's a pleasure to look at you, but in our society, we are taught that it's wrong to stare at others, especially naked bodies. And you and I aren't...familiar with each other in a sexual sense... What I mean to say is...I...you...that is...”

Remus found himself smiling shyly at the way she spoke of his body. He was trying to figure out why he felt so good when she spoke that way about him. She said he was handsome, and it sounded like that was a good thing, for her at least. Remus honestly didn't know or care before Sarah mentioned it. Then, it seemed that he did care.

He smiled more as she laughed. He knew it wasn't to do with him, but not what it was truly about.

“See? You have me all flustered. Trust me. You're very attractive...more attractive than the average man. I'm having a hard time not looking at you, but when I do, I feel it's wrong and it's embarrassing that I can't seem to control myself from doing so.”

"Sarah, if you like looking at me, then look at me. I like it when you show me attention. That is a little carry over from the dog form. In a pack, there is the strong desire for contact and connection with the others in the pack. I still feel that you are part of my pack, so there is a desire to have that... connection with you." He broke eye contact, looking down at the counter. "I really like it when you've touched me. Rubbed my head and tummy while I have been your 'Big Fella'." He smiled wistfully before looking back at her.

“S-so...you're fine. More than fine. I bet you don't even have fleas.”

He laughed heartily. "No. No fleas on me." He jumped up off his stool, the blanket falling to the floor. "You can come have a closer look. Not a single one on me."

He noticed the look on her face, the deepening colour of her face. Just like he would as a dog, he canted his head a little, moved close enough for his hand to reach out and touch her cheek. The tips of his fingers gently brushed her cheek, feeling the heat coming off the pinkish skin.

"Sarah? I have seen your face do this many times, going pink or even red. Is it a sign of something wrong? Your skin is also warm, but you have not done anything to make yourself heat up, like running." Concern showed on his face, and in his voice. He wanted to get closer to her, to comfort her more as pack would, but his human mind was not sure that it was what she would want or need.

"Can I help, Sarah? What does a... friend do in a time like this?"

Sarah quickly pushed the bacon out of the pan and set it on a plate as he talked. Her mind whirled as he told her how much he enjoyed her touch. She was both pleased and a little confused by it all. Patting a dog on the belly was one thing, but the thought of rubbing his tummy now only made her burn inside.

"I really don't think I should be staring at you." She said, sounding a little flustered and then gasped when she turned to face him again, only to notice him moving towards her. No blanket in sight. "Remus, really..." She breathed and swallowed, her mouth suddenly bone dry.

Frozen in place, she stood perfectly still as he reached out to touch her face, looking clearly concerned for her well being. "Really, I'm fine." She managed to say, drawing in a quivering breath.

"People blush when they are...embarrassed or...a-aroused."

Reaching up, she clasped his hand and pulled it away, needing a little breathing room. For a lack of a better description, she felt as though she herself was on fire...in heat and needing him. His hand was so much larger than her own. Bigger, powerful and strong...always dwarfing her own as his fingers curled around hers.

"Can I help, Sarah? What does a... friend do in a time like this?"

"Nothing." She murmured thickly, her shirt suddenly feeling itchy against her over heated skin. "I'm fine, really. We should just eat...eat and talk and you can tell me more about you...."

Her voice trailed off, lost in his gaze and those amazing eyes that made her breath quiver as her pulse skitter with excitement.

When Remus reached out to touch Sarah's face, she reached up to take his hand with her own. While in canine form, her hands were normal, nothing out of the ordinary about them. But in his human form, just like her height, and her build, her hands seemed smaller than he expected, and more delicate too. But they were just as soft and gentle as he remembered them when they ran through his fur. Her touch again made him feel better, less uncertain about what was happening.

All the words she said filtered through his mind, while he tried very hard to make sense of them. It was becoming clear that Sarah believed that there were right ways of doing things, and he was not doing those things in the right way, which was making her uncomfortable. She was Alpha in this range, she had greater... knowledge of what was right and wrong to do. He needed to learn from her, like he learned form his previous pack.

"Nothing. I'm fine, really. We should just eat...eat and talk and you can tell me more about you...."

"OK, Sarah, but I have some things I want to ask first. You said, you should not stare at me. I do not care if you stare at me, Sarah. I am... I am in your pack now. I am not family, but... it is hard to explain in human terms. But, if it causes you to not feel comfortable, then I will do what I can to make you feel better when I am around.

"You also said, your face changes like that when you are embarrassed or aroused? Are you embarrassed or aroused?" He leaned he head forward a little. "What is aroused? Is that a good thing? Is it a bad thing? Can I cause embarrassed or aroused? Can I be embarrassed or aroused?"

Remus' nostrils flared a few times and his eyes darted to pile of bacon on the plate. "Aren't you hungry? Aren't you going to take a piece of bacon for yourself?" He looked back at Sarah, his eyes begging her while his fingers danced about in front of himself nervously.

Sarah felt a little better and felt herself relax just a fraction. He just wanted to make her happy...to understand. Which was fine.

"You also said, your face changes like that when you are embarrassed or aroused? Are you embarrassed or aroused?" He leaned in a little and she found herself that much closer to him and again, her heart picked up and her stomach dipped. "What is aroused? Is that a good thing? Is it a bad thing? Can I cause embarrassed or aroused? Can I be embarrassed or aroused?"

Oh god lord!! Her brain went blank for a moment as she stared at him in disbelief. How could he not know? He was a grown man...man/dog. The flush on her face seemed to burn all the more as he asked his questions with innocent curiousity. She decided not to answer the first questions out right and forged on. "Um...aroused is when some one is, you know...turned on?" She tried to think of terminology that he might understand and paused, pressing her lips together when he gave her a confused look. "When people find each other attractive and want to erm...mate. Then they can become aroused. I suppose it's a good thing if both parties are willing...then we have the Paul situation where I wasn't interested in him, but he wanted more. I'm sure you can be embarrassed or aroused and yes...you can, create it." She said and cleared her throat.

His eyes shifted to the bacon and she felt her lips twitch. "I'm not very hungry right now. Go ahead...eat up."

When he didn't jump right in, Sarah picked up a piece and offered it to him. "You're human, Remus. You don't need to ask me permission to eat. Go ahead...eat." She urged.

"Now...it's my turn to ask a question...." Leaning back against the counter, Sarah blew out a nervous breath and tried not to let all this innocent curiosity about sex embarrass her too much. "Have you never...erm...mated before? I'm only asking because I thought you would...know about all these things. Most grown men do...not all I am sure. But...in this society...well, men tend to want to have sex with all females it seems."