The Dehumanization of Ethan Brown

Ethan put his arm around Ria from the back and kissed her forehead. “Baby, put Anna down.” Ethan stroked her long hair. Ethan removed his clothes he was starting to understand why the other hated dressing for guests; clothes were nothing more than a nuisance. Ethan licked Ria’s milk swollen breasts. “You’re so beautiful. Let’s fine an unoccupied room.”

“Not if you’re going to think about being with my father,” Ria said.

“I’m over him.” Ethan hadn’t thought about Juan in a romantic sense since he was hurt. “I only want you.”

“And when my father puts moves on you.” Ria licked his face and covered him with small kisses.

“I don’t think he will. He didn’t look at me with hungry in his eyes when I came to the kennels last night,” Ethan explained. “I want to talk about you not him.” Ria pressed her lips against his and scratched his back as they kissed deeply. Ethan’s mind was on only pleasing her as he smelled her odor and kissed her deeply clawing her back with his nails in return. Ethan pulled away breathless. “Ria, I love you and I want us to have a honeymoon. I want you to pack your things and the baby’s things.”

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“Does it matter? All we need is a tent and some food. I wanted to go into the woods and eat squirrels and chase rabbits,” Ethan said. “I don’t want human thoughts for at least a week.”

“Honey, if that is what you want,” Ria said. “Would you like Nici to wet nurse or should I bring the baby?”

“I could never ask you to leave the baby.” Ethan filled the truck of his car with the kibble resealed tape. He put two sleeping bags and a two-person tent in the backseat. They could get human food if they need it and Ethan could stop at a restaurant on the drive to the mountains and didn’t intend to spend much time as human once he got there. He doubted that he would ever sleep in the tent or sleeping bag but he brought it just in case he changed his mind about being in wolf form the whole time.

Ria would need to change back time to time to nurse her baby in her delicate human form, but Ethan didn’t have such worries. She could keep track of time so he could get to that class. Ethan’s mind drifted, as he smelled the country air as he drove. Ethan stopped a small homestyle restaurant near twilight. Ria nursed as Ethan got them a table. Ria smiled as Ethan ate several large meals as she worked on her one frequently interrupted by their daughter’s need to nurse.

Ethan pitched the tent near a stream for Ria so she could wash the baby frequently. She didn’t want to carry hundreds of nasty diapers back with them and neither of them would litter the woods with disposal diapers. The small amount of human feces and urine put out by a baby wouldn’t harm the environment like the gel-like substance that disposal diapers were made of. Ethan pulled out a bag of kibble and changed. Ria would seal it so the wildlife wouldn’t eat it. He ate some kibble and then ran about on his four strong legs feeling healthy and happy to be alive.

Ria played with the one-month baby until she fell asleep and then she joined her husband exploring the open territory. Ria couldn’t roam far; she needed to keep an ear out for her daughter. Ethan needed off time to recover from his injury. She was happy that he wanted her company and didn’t go off alone or ask one of the men to accompany him. She suspected that Ethan found Ryan attractive and that was why he lost interest in her father but she didn’t want to start a fight with him. Ria’s baby cried. She returned to human to care for the baby’s needs.

After Ethan, with his tail wagging, returned to the tent with a chipmunk in his mouth, Ria returned to wolf form and ate the gift before falling asleep beside him. Ria ate more kibble than Ethan’s offerings but she was happy to see him so happy. Ria wouldn’t be in heat until she stopped nursing so Ethan only nuzzled her and play fought with her. Ria liked sniffing him and snuggling near him. She could see that the time with nature was doing him good. She hated to tell him that he had to return to civilization for his truck driving lessons the following day.

Ethan returned to human mid-afternoon. He felt a little unstable on two feet as he put the remaining kibble in the car and rolled up the sleeping bags and tent although he didn’t use either during the trip. Ethan opened his mouth to say, “Thank you,” to his wife. The words felt funny in his mouth. He had never stayed in wolf form that long before.

“You’re more than welcome. Is your leg better?” Ria asked.

“Great. I got much needed rest.” Ethan put the last of their things into the truck. “You might need to take the second shift.”

“Sure.” Ria kissed his cheek. “Maybe I should drive first. You need to adjust to having a human mind again.”

“Thanks. I could use an hour or two to refocus.” Ethan put the baby in her car seat and joined his wife in the front seat. “I’ve never done that for more than a day before.”

“Did it feel good?”

“Wonderful.” Ethan leaned back in his seat and saw the baby had fallen asleep in her seat.

“I’ll need directions back to civilization,” Ria said.

“Of course.”

Ria pulled over at a diner as they entered a small town. “After we eat, you can take over.”

“Sure. Honey, have you ever done that?”

“No. Al’s daughters and I dared each other to see how long we could stay in wolf form but since we weren’t in the woods; Louise gave up in a few hours. After the baby is weaned, we’ll do it for a week.”

“You’ll be pregnant.”

“Not necessarily. Anyway, it wouldn’t hurt the unborn child. I could even conceive your child that way. The children are werewolves if I’m human or not when I conceive.”

“Are the half-wolf cubs werewolves?” Ethan asked.

“No. My father wasn’t the first to do that. They’re normal wolf cubs. I don’t understand the magic, but that is the way it is. I need to use the bathroom. Get us a table.”

“Sure, Honey.” Ethan stepped out of the car and stretched his legs a moment. Ethan shook out the right leg; it felt completely normal; there was no residual ache.