The life of a lycan isn’t easy. It’s long; it’s filled with strife; it’s a life that everyone handles with differing degrees of success. Yet to some it’s still alluring. We need to ensure that those who want to become one understand all the risks. The bureaucracy of registering in the national lyko registry. All of these things and more must be explained before the bite. For the love of all that is holy, please explain to them what it means to be a lyko before you share bodily fluids with them. Let me elaborate, Semen and blood entering the boy in any way will transfer the virus that is responsible for supernatural lycanthropy. Spit is safe. However, do not bite someone unless they understand the risks, because like a snake, our canines will inject a virus laced venom into the bloodstream of the recipient of the bite. The venom is a minor paralysis agent and ensures humans bitten on the full moon won’t be able to move until the virus takes effect. Why am I telling you all these things first? Why not just show you what it is that can happen if you don’t follow these advices?

***

“So let me ask you one more time: What did you tell those noobs?” Javi asked Nikola. “The normal spiel about all the plusses. The same Gabriel gave me. You know, ‘hey kid want to live longer than you ought to? Want to experience the world in a whole new way? What if I told you I can provide you with these?’ That sort of thing.” He said with an entirely unnecessary nonchalant air. As if this entire conversation was extremely boring to him. “So I can assume that you did not warn them about the potential for the body rejecting the virus? Is that something that you told them?” “Why is this so important, Javier? You can plainly see that their bodies did not reject the virus. Besides you have a larger pack now. Isn’t that what you want?” “No what I want is to live in peace with the humans and make them feel that that is a perfectly possible idea. You going around biting people is not a good way to do that.” “Hey it was just going to be my football team.” “Yes that’s a huge amount of people.” “Actually not entirely. It’s only up to fifty-three people on the roster.” “That’s a lot of people.” “What were you thinking?” I asked exasperatedly. “I was trying to fill a hole in my heart. I was such an idiot, Gabriel. I’m sorry.” “Why didn’t you try to just get me back?” “I wasn’t exactly thinking clearly… I bit them because I felt lonely. They are my pack. Even if I’m part of this pack they are loyal solely to me. Apparently…” “God, how can you be so idiotic? You are a fucking quarterback. So please act like you have a brain in that god-forsaken head of yours.” *** So you want to become a lycan? Well I’ll provide the bite, but first I need to tell you what the risks are. First there’s a chance that your body could reject the bite. In other words you die. Then there’s the chance that you and your wolf don’t get along. Again you die. Then there’s the chance that my wolf doesn’t like your heart. Another death. Of course, we’ve gotten to the point where we’re past the last one. I like you and my wolf is me and I am him. However there’s still a forty percent chance that the bite will kill you. Are you absolutely sure you still want to go through with this? That’s the typical gist of what we tell people when they ask for a bite. The choice always lies with the recipient of the bite. If they want the bite then they become known as a convert until their first change. Converts are usually treated with a lot of respect. They survived the bite and gave up their humanity. It’s a huge choice and one our community doesn’t take lightly. Anyways, let’s get back to the story at hand.

***

“So what you’re saying is that I can’t go back to the way things were?” Jerome Andrews asked. “No that should be obvious. You can have a normal life…sort of. However, you cannot go back to living your life as you did before. Especially with your career. You’re in the spotlight constantly. You must handle your wolf better than most.” The lineman stared at Alfonso. “Goddammit! Nikola, what the fuck have you done to me?!” “I made you the best you can be and more. I gave you seven times as long to be an athlete at your prime. I gave you something that few ever get to experience: a broader sense of what the world is. Don’t you ever doubt that what I gave you is a gift as much as some believe it’s a curse.” Nikola replied with some force in his voice. “This is why we as a pack try to minimize our sexual interactions with human females. It is a curse beyond reckoning to be with child when that child is a lyko of some sort.” I but in to the conversation. “I’m still angry with you Nik. You didn’t explain to me everything. You also told me that I’d live forever not just seven times as long. Sure I like the changes to my body, but come on! I could have died. Why didn’t you tell me what the risks were? Do you want to lose your best mate?” “No never. I just never had it explained properly. I knew the risks, but I was sure that you would survive the bite, and you did. Andrews trusting your leader is just as important in packs as it is out on the gridiron. I’m no longer your alpha. Javier Patrón del Lobo is your alpha now. Respect him and he’ll treat you right.” Javi broke into the conversation and said with more calm than was due the situation, “Pues, Nicola Stevenson, desafortunadamente no puedo permitirte continuar a vivir cuando tú me das ninguna razón porque debo salvar tu vida. Por tú está este hombre convertido en un licántropo y saliste esta manada demasiados tiempos para mi conciencia. No puedo permitir un solo-lobo vagar en el campo.” I looked at Javi in shock. I knew that that is what the pack law dictated, but I cannot imagine the amount of publicity this would create. Sure the lykos were out in the open, publically known and semi-accepted, however if a quarterback of a well-known football team was executed at the hand of one of our alphas the amount of publicity our pack would receive would be detrimental. I couldn’t allow that to happen. “Espere Ud. Mi alfa. ¿Quiere Ud que nuestra manada esté en todas las noticias? ¿Quiere Ud. que nuestra justicia esté preguntada? Me responde Ud., por favor. ¿Quiere eso?” I interjected. Javi looked at me with golden eyes in a way that made me immediately shut up. “¿Por qué me preguntas, Gabriel? ¿Quieres juntarle? Las justicias de los licántropos es inmóvil es perfecta para nuestra manada y nos salvó muchos más tiempos que tú ha visto.” “¿Conoces que él es? Él es el quarterback de un equipo conocido de la Liga Nacional de Fútbol Americano. Si le mate Ud., vengan todos los reporteros de todas las canales.”

***

“I must apologize to my fans, my teammates, the coaching staff, and the city of San Francisco. I have committed the greatest Lycan sin: Biting people without informing them of all the dangers of said bite. I’ve abandoned my pack alongside of this and as such my original alpha is calling for my resignation from the San Francisco 49ers. As such I must and will resign effective immediately.” Nikola finished his speech. I looked at him from the back of the stage, he looked defeated. His head hung low and his body looked about as dull as could be. He slowly stood up and walked off the stage with a million camera flashes following him. I followed after him and was also a victim of the cameras’ hunger. I tried to console him, “I know how difficult this must be Nikola, but you are doing the right thing, here. I really wish that Javi hadn’t called upon Dike, but he has and now you will be brought in front of the Tribunal: Javi, Myself and Dike’s priest. They will decide your fate. Javi wants your head for this supposed crime. I will not allow him to take your life Nikola. I still love you. A part of me still loves you.” “The Justfyr will call for blood, also, Gabi. I’m doomed to death. Or so it would seem.” “You must make your case. Make them understand that the blame needn’t fall on you, but the man who changed you. Me. The blame should fall on me.” “No, I will take the brunt of whatever they throw at me. Gabi, you aren’t at fault for this. I love you dearly. You shouldn’t take the blame for my mistakes.”

***

“Let this court come to order. In the case of the Patrón del Lobo pack against Nikola Stevenson it has come to my attention that the defense has made his plea. He has plead guilty. As such Nikola Stevenson is sentenced to death.” The Justfyr slammed down his gavel and the meeting of the tribunal was at an end. I headed over to Javier and said, “Javi, ¿crees que esto es la decisión correcta?” “Por supuesto. Él pudo convertirse en un solo-lobo. No puedo permitir eso. Es una decisión necesaria. Él salió la manada, Gabi. Por él están dos hombres convertidos en licántropos. Esto es la sola manera en que puedo estar seguro que él no puede convertir más personas. Lo siento Gabi.” *** I miss him still. Nikola, that is. It wasn’t until five days after the trial that the execution took place. Soon after his death I told Javi that I just couldn’t date him anymore. He understood. That is what ended our relationship in reality. I’m not going to lie, after Nikola’s death I ran to the highest point in San Tomas and I howled out my sorrow. I changed that man. I changed him and promised him a longer life. Through his own idiocy, though, his life was cut short. I understood why he was sentenced to death. I understood the decision that Javier had made, but my instincts made me want to cry myself to sleep at night. This is why you must always explain in full detail the risks of the bite and what it means to be a lycan or a werewolf. To not explain these things is punishable by death under lycan law. Let Nikola’s death be a lesson and a warning for all lycans: Explain the Risks dammit! Don’t end up being killed by the alpha of your pack.