A Naughty Moon

He took out his cell phone and dialed the number.

"Hello?"

"Hi mom."

"Ashton? Is that you? We've been worried sick, your father and I. Are you alright? Where are you?"

"I'm with a friend."

"That Trevor fellow?"

"Yes, mom. That Trevor fellow."

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, mom. Honest. But you shouldn't have gotten the police involved. You shouldn't have put my picture on the front page. You-"

"How dare you take that tone with me? After all you put us through. For all we knew, you were lying in a ditch somewhere, perhaps bleeding to death. You never called. You, you, you- oh what the hell is the use. I can't believe you would put your own mother through that hell."

"I'm gay, mom."

"So your father told me. I can't say I approve, but at least you should have let me know you were alright. I was worried sick!"

"I was running off with Trevor. I didn't know how to tell you. Looking back on it now, I suppose I should have told you. I suppose it was very stupid of me not to say anything. I was afraid. I guess I was taking the easy way out."

"You guess? You guess! Did it never dawn on you that I might be crying myself to sleep every night wondering whether or not my son was alive or dead? Or why he had just vanished into thin air? And another thing, this number you're calling from, I don't recognize it. What happened to the cell phone I bought for you?"

"I tossed it away mother. I didn't want you calling me. I didn't want to have to tell you why I was leaving with Trevor. You didn't know I was gay. I was trying to keep it that way. As I said, looking back on it now, it was an incredibly stupid thing to do."

"You think? Honestly Ashton, I don't know what to say. I thought I raised you better than that."

"I can't help being gay, mom."

"I'm not talking about being gay. I'm talking about being a son that breaks his mother's heart, that lets her be worried sick for days on end, without telling her that he's alright. I carried you in my womb for nine months, and took care of you for twenty-two years. I think that entitles me to at least a phone call to let me know you're not hit by a car or kidnapped or, or-. I can't believe you put me through such hell and Detective Mirswell, the one handling your case, I'm sure he would never believe a son would do something so stupid and uncaring either. And, and what's the use. If you can't see how much misery you've put me and your father through by making us worry sick about you, then there's not sense even talking about it."

The click on the phone had a certain finality to it. She had hung up in disgust! He had wanted to cut off all ties to his family, and if that's what he wanted, then her broken heart was only too happy to accommodate him. He had gone about things the wrong way. He had merely up and vanished without a trace. He had also put the pack in danger with his foolish way of thinking. He suddenly panicked in his own mind. Had his decision to run off with Trevor been a foolish one? Had his decision to goad Trevor into biting him, been unwise? Some things you couldn't step back from once you stepped into them. Becoming a werewolf and stepping out of the closet were just two of those things.

He next dialed the police department number. He asked to speak to Detective Mirswell.

The detective was on the road, but they offered to page him. Ashton asked them not to bother. Instead, he left a message instructing the detective to call his mother, to get confirmation he had spoken to her and that he was alright.

Ashton hung up and sighed wearily once more. The detective might still want to know where he was, but at least, for now, his phoning could get him off the front pages, and take Trevor, and the rest of the pack, out of the public spotlight. He only hoped it was not too late.

The sound of approaching footsteps alerted Ashton to peep below to see if Trevor might be on his way back. He was. But there were also three other pack members with him. He strained his eyes and noted that one of the men was Gordon, one was Byron, and one was Jarred.

Ashton took one nervous last look at the dwindling night sky. The blanketing midnight blues, and swirling blacks had now transformed into mere tiny splotches of navy blue and graying shadows, all that remained of the Texas evening. The rising yellow orb now breathed even greater heat on to a dry and fiery desert, enveloping cactus, dry brush, and parched, cracking top soil. A lone, green lizard marched out boldly onto the hillside, only to have Gordon's foot slam down mere inches from his head. Not to be outdone by the changing sky, the tiny creature changed colors also, discarding all shades of green for a light brown hue that blended perfectly into the light brown ground. It then scampered to safety under some rust colored brush and waited for the men to pass. Ashton waited also, becoming nervous at the sight of four grim faces, without even a trace of mirth. Ashton sought to break the ice first.

"Hi Trevor. I was waiting all evening for you to return. It didn't cool off last night as it does on some nights. I had trouble sleeping."

"You should have listened to me," Trevor whispered ominously, as the men stopped at the cave's mouth. "I begged you to contact your parents, to let them know you were alright."

"I realize that was a mistake now," Ashton, managed, feeling foolish and immature.

"A mistake? Is that what you call it? On the verge of bringing a state wide manhunt of Texas rangers down upon us," Gordon shot back angrily.

"I finally did phone my parents a few hours ago," Ashton offered hopefully. "And left a message for the Detective in charge of the case."

"Too little too late," Byron insisted. "A reward of $30,000 was already posted days ago by your parents, and flyers put up everywhere by volunteers, offering all that cash for info on your whereabouts. Every private eye and bounty hunter will be out looking for you, and beating the bushes state wide for Trevor as well. If they do find Trevor, and stumble upon us twenty-five black males living alone in the wilderness, they're bound to get curious, and bound to dig deeper. We could all be detained or brought in for questioning. You've put this pack in grave danger."

"I realize that now," Ashton whispered remorsefully, a growing pool of moisture developing in the corner of his reddening eyes. "And I'm truly sorry."

"Being sorry doesn't cut it," continued Byron. "Trevor had no right to become romantically involved with a human in the first place. And he certainly had no right to bite your shoulder in the second place. You're obviously not prepared or ready to become one of us. Trevor has shown extremely poor judgment. We're having a vote soon to determine whether or not you two should be exiled from the pack. Obviously if the authorities find you, they'll find us. We can't let that happen. We may banish you two even if it means the rest of us have to pack up and move elsewhere, perhaps even another state."

"There's no need," Ashton protested. "I told you I phoned my parents and that I-"

"You haven't been listening to a word I said. People will still wonder why you just up and vanished like that. They'll wonder if we're some kind of dangerous, brain washing cult that needs to be investigated and disbanded."

Trevor was still reluctant to say a word. In his heart he knew that as much as he hated both Gordon and Byron, they were, in this instance, one hundred per cent right. And now the entire pack was now lined up firmly against him.

"Until that vote materializes, there is one more matter we must dispose of. And that is the matter of the honor duel that Gordon has requested. Even though Trevor insists that infidelity played a role in his breaking off his engagement with Gordon, and even though Gordon has admitted he strayed, it has been decided by our ruling council to let the honor duel proceed. And I see no need to delay the undertaking of that request. We are to have the honor duel immediately, right here, right now!"

The declaration sent shivers up Trevor's spine. He had hoped to avoid such a nasty battle with Gordon. He abhorred fighting and hated the idea of injury even more. The realization was finally starting to sink in, however, that Gordon was determined that if he couldn't have Trevor, nobody could. Still, a sense of rage permeated his weary mind. Gordon was obviously not going to rest until Trevor was either seriously injured or dead. Perhaps beating the stuffing out of Gordon would put a rest to the ongoing enmity once and for all.

"I'm ready," declared Trevor, as Jarred helped Byron draw a circle around both Byron and Gordon.

Gordon eyed Trevor carefully and in disgust. "My honor duel request was not for you and I to resolve our anger in battle. Rather, my request was to butt heads with white boy Ashton here."

Trevor was at once enraged. "Absolutely out of the question," he blurted out angrily, his whole body at once trembling. "If your quarrel is with me then your honor duel must also be with me."

Gordon smiled broadly, knowing he had finally gotten Trevor incredibly upset.

"He's not even a werewolf, but only human. Even when not under a full moon, we have werewolf strength when in human form. Everybody knows that. Gordon would be at least three times as strong as Ashton in the ring. I can't allow it."

"It's not up to you anymore," Byron informed him. "The council has decided. Ashton either fights Gordon here and now, or is banished forever from the pack."

Trevor sighed in utter anguish. Obviously the pack was hoping Gordon would beat him up so badly, that he would never want to stay with the pack. In a perfect world that would be all find and dandy. But in the complex world of werewolves, the fact that Ashton was bitten, really muddied the waters considerably. A fight to the death might be an outcome much more palatable and desirable to the pack. If Ashton were to be dead and buried, then the pack would be forever rid of the mess, especially since Ashton had phoned the detective and his mother to diffuse the tension over his missing person status.

Gordon removed his shirt, and flexed his biceps and chest. He then flashed his amazing musculature, in Trevor's direction. "You still have the hots for me, don't you Trevvy. Well tell you what. Once I dispose of white boy here, you and I can get back together under the next full moon like we belong."

Ashton was suddenly incensed and leapt to his feet. "The only one making love to Trevor under the next full moon will be me."

Gordon now laughed uproariously. Ashton had responded to his goading, and promptly taken the bait.

"When I'm finished with you, there won't be enough left of you to put into a teacup."

Ashton ripped off his own shirt. Although much thinner than Gordon, his flesh did appear hard and muscular as well.

"Ashton, you mustn't fight him," Trevor pleaded, having to be restrained by both Jarred and Byron, as Ashton walked past the confines of the circle in the dirt that now held Gordon.

"You mustn't interfere, Trevor," Jarred warned him. "As much as I hate what's happening too, you can't go against a council rule. To do so would make you enemies of the entire pack. You must let them fight, even to the death if necessary."

Trevor's mighty shoulders slumped. He now understood what Gordon was really after. If Trevor wanted to save Ashton then he would have to break off with him immediately and go back to being Gordon's mate. It was the only way to save Ashton's life.

As much as Trevor hated Gordon's guts, and as much as it made him sick to think of making love to him, in order to save Ashton from being beaten to pulp, Trevor knew he must surrender to the werewolf he hated with such an intense passion.

"You win, Gordon," Trevor spat out reluctantly, tears formulating in the corner of his sorrow filled eyes. "If you cancel this fight I'll leave Ashton and allow you to be the one I make love to at the next full moon."

"Now that's more like it," Gordon perked up, slapping his hands together with unfettered glee. "I knew you'd eventually see things my way."

"I'll give you what you want, but I'll never be happy about it," Trevor warned.

Gordon laughed loudly as he stepped out of the circle. "Happy? Happy! What's happy got to do with it? I much prefer it if you're sad. That would make you more of my love slave then my lover. I'll own you forever and you'll have to do as I say, otherwise, the minute you don't, I'll be free to toss this white boy in a ring with me, and then I won't stop till I've decapitated him."

"Where are you going coward?" Ashton's sudden and unexpected words just hung in the air like a slap. Gordon's ears bristled at their utterance with contempt. Trevor's mouth flopped open in frustrated anguish.

"Stay out of this Ashton. It's already been decided. I'll mate with Gordon here at the next full moon. It's the only way to save your life."

"And what if I think it's a life not worth saving? I'd rather be dead then watch this mealy mouthed bastard make love to you. You already promised that I would be your one and only. Plus, Gordon already issued me the challenge to an honor duel and I accepted. He can't back out now. Not unless he's a coward, he can't."

"You don't know what you're saying," Trevor pleaded. "I told you how strong werewolves are, even when in human form. "You wouldn't stand a chance."

"We'll see about that," Ashton declared, defiantly. "All I've heard out of this dumb bastard so far is threats and warnings. Let's see if he can actually back up any of his words."

Gordon snarled angrily, his face reddened and seething with unfettered rage. He stepped back into the confines of the circle drawn in the dry, parched earth. "You had your choice, white boy. Now I'll tear you into absolute shreds."

Trevor strained against the clutches of Byron and Jarred, but could not break free to try and save Ashton.

Gordon struck first and hard, slamming a back hand into Ashton's surprised face, sending him to the ground. Blood spurted from above his right eye.

Ashton lay dumbfounded on the ground. He had supposed they would have shaken hands first, then come out fighting, or that there would have been given some kind of official signal to start to the fight. Ashton's mind began to realize the enormity of his situation. Obviously there were no rules, and obviously there was to be no fairness or mercy. He focused his eyes narrowly on the charging target. Kill or be killed, might just be the order of the day.

Ashton flattened his hands behind his head and flipped himself upright on his feet. It was a complex, agile move that both stunned and shocked Gordon.

Gordon kept charging, and in a split second more was nose to nose with his white nemesis. Ashton ducked with lightning speed and weaved to his left side, his hands latching onto Gordon's clothing and his left foot sliding under him to send him airborne.

Gordon was flabbergasted by the uncanny display of skill, and could not stop himself from being launched into the air by his own momentum. Gordon's arms flailed helpless until a large boulder on the ground made contact with his stunned head and shoulders.

Ashton danced back and forth like an adept boxer, shaking his head from side to side, while he waited for Gordon to shake the cobwebs from his dazed mind. He didn't have to wait long. Gordon was now running on pure adrenalin, and charged a second time, his powerful arms outstretched to mangle the far weaker Ashton. All that was needed was for him to lay his crushing hands on him. Doing so, however, was proving to be a task far more easier said than done.

Ashton suddenly flopped down on his back and lift his right leg into the air, catching Gordon's stomach as he ran at him. For the second time in a row, Gordon's forward momentum was powerful and unstoppable. He went flying over Ashton's head, and landed hard on his back, with a loud, sickening thud. A cloud of dust ascended in the air.

"Your friend can fight," Jarred said to Trevor, letting go of him as both men's eyes widened like saucers.

Ashton danced some more, his legs prancing from side to side and his fist now clenched like balls of tempered steel.

Gordon was beside himself and made a third charge. This time Ashton didn't move. Instead his right hand shot out like lightning, catching Gordon off guard. His head snapped back but he kept on coming. Ashton unleashed three more punishing blows, smacking hard into Gordon's face with a force that would have easily flattened a human opponent. But Gordon was not human. Instead, his werewolf instincts allowed him to ignore the searing pain and wrap his powerful arms around Ashton's waist.

He then lift him off the ground like a rag dog, squeezing him maniacally. He did so in the hopes he might render him unconscious, then break his white back like a twig, leaving him vulnerable for a death blow. Such a hoped for scenario, however, was not to be forthcoming. Ashton slammed the side of his outstretched hand directly into Gordon's throat like an ax into tender wood.

Gordon dropped him immediately then clutched his own, throbbing throat with both hands. Ashton leapt into the air and flipped his right leg forward, flicking his foot hard off of Gordon's chin, until the larger man fell backwards, unconscious like a chopped down tree.

Trevor ran forward and kissed Ashton feverishly on his panting lips. "You were amazing. How did you ever learn to fight like that?"

"I've been boxing and studying karate since I was five years old. I always keep it a

secret though. Broadcasting that you can fight will only tend to bring more creeps out of the woodwork, looking to challenge you."

"Gordon will never dare challenge you again, that's for sure. To think, that I was ready to give in to that rotten bastard. But now all is well, and as it should be. In less than three weeks, as transformed werewolves, we shall make passionate, heart stopping love to each other all night long, when the moon is finally full, and stays full, for four long, glorious nights."

"Hmmm, when the moon is finally naughty," Ashton added, with a lusty smile and a teasing pinch to Trevor's already horny backside, as the two happy men stepped over top of Gordon's outstretched body.

Chapter Three

The next sixteen days passed by quickly, with Trevor spending each waking moment in Ashton's gorgeous arms, waiting for the moon to finally turn full. He found it impossible to sleep the night before his first blessed transformation was scheduled to take place.

"You were up the whole night last night?"

"I was too excited to sleep. My cock was stiff and throbbing. Just thinking of it gliding it in and out of your fabulous body made me sweat like a stuffed pig."

"Are you sure that wasn't just the oppressive heat?"

"Apprehension at finally reaching the most important day of my life. Tonight is the night I've been so desperately waiting for."

"Your first full moon!"

"My first naughty moon," Ashton playfully corrected. "Day is already starting to break. In just over twelve hours, I'll, I'll...oh shit, oh shit, I'm so damn excited I can hardly contain myself. Kiss me again, my love, and oh...oh...let's watch the sunrise together."

Trevor moved closer, his lush, full, chocolate lips pressing hard against Ashton's moist, handsome, vanilla mouth.

Sunrise was unfolding slowly and tentatively, the rising sun poking up on the horizon with a silver hue that transcended the foggy purple darkness.

"This morning we're watching the sunrise together but tonight, oh God, how heavenly tonight will be, when we'll finally watch the sun set and then, the rising of the naughty moon."

A sunflower yellow glow emanated from behind the sun, splashing ripples of red and brownish rust in a semi-circle about their heads. Fluffy clouds of dark grey wafted by, their intention to soon turn a marshmallow white, evident by the fading harshness of scarlet red into an orangey pink.