“Lindy! That was the song playing in the Farmers Arms in Cardiff when we met, remember? The first time I met your dad he got me completely shitfaced on port and we had to keep pulling over on the way home so I could throw up every 5 minutes! He never let me live that down! We went to Cornwall for our honeymoon! I wanted to go to the Azores or Tunisia but you wanted to visit Tintagel so we stayed in Penzance! We went sailing for five days then came back and we spent three days wandering around the ruins at Land’s End! What do I need to do to prove that I’m still me, love?”

Lindy looked out of the window and saw the thing standing on the gravel drive, well back from the house but out in the open with its hands in the air like it was surrendering.

“You’re not him!” she yelled back. She moved the gun into position to fire through the window at it. It couldn't be Owain, all the adrenaline and emotion had locked her mind into a certainty that bordered on sacred. But what if it is, a tiny voice whispered in the background of her thoughts. She clamped down hard. She had to protect the children.

“I am! I’ve got a courier coming later today to pick up Dusk over the Menai Straits, my newest painting! It’s going to Caernarfon for display and hopefully sale! You were going to a jewellery craft fair in Bristol for a few days and were going to set off this morning! Petey hates Marvel and loves DC but he secretly likes Marvel as well. Claire named her pony after the Harry Potter character! Sam’s girlfriend is called Mary and Claire thinks she’s an idiot! I am me!”

“You can’t be! I can’t be carrying the child of a freak, a monster!” Lindy screamed out through the window. She couldn't stand the thought of giving birth to a new life and having it be a freak like that thing.

“You’re pregnant? Since when, Mum?” asked Sam, shocked to learn he might have another sibling on the way.

“The system told me this morning,” she muttered.

“Bloody hell. No wonder you freaked out so much.” Lindy turned an angry stare on her son who flinched and raised his hands. “Dad, what did you get me for my thirteenth birthday?” he shouted.

“You're pregnant? That's amazing! Love, we need to work together for all the kids!" He smiled happily at the thought of being a father again before the situation came crashing back and he refocused on what Sam had said. "Sam? Please talk to your mum Sam! And I don’t know where you learned to fight but you’ve got a mean right straight!”

“What did you get me?”

“Christ son, I can’t remember that! Your mum does the presents, not me! You know that!”

“He’s not wrong. Mum, maybe it is still him?”

“I can’t be carrying- what if the baby is like that… I just…” she fell into silence and her shoulders began to shake slightly.

“Look mum, please put the gun down. If you are preggers again it would be from before Dad got changed, right? We need to let him in. The writing said we’d be attacked soon. We need to work together.”

“No, it can't come in here,” her voice became steel once more and her body stilled but her emotions resonated with what Sam was saying.

“Then let me go out and talk to him. You can cover me from the door with the gun, ok?”

Lindy drew in a deep breath and fought for calm. She needed to protect her children, not the other way around. The thing that might be Owain hadn't hurt the kids and it could have done at least twice if it had wanted to.

“No, I’ll go and speak to it. Him. Help me move the dresser back out of the way. If it is him I know what his priorities will be. If it's not...” She swung the shotgun up and held it in both hands.

Sam moved the dresser effortlessly and stepped to the side. Lindy took a deep breath and stepped out to face the beast that might be her husband.

***

Owain stood very still as he saw the front door open. The first thing he saw was the barrel of the shotgun and he damn near took to his heels right away but he fought down the urge and stood his ground, hands above his head. Lindy stepped out, looking disturbed. Her eyes were wild , her movements were jerky and lacked her normal easy grace. She walked slowly towards him and stopped a few metres from him. His tail twitched behind him.

“Hi love,” he said gently. “Bit of a weird morning eh?”

“Is it really still you?”

“Yeah, my body changed but I’m still me, most of the time.”

Her brown eyes locked on his large green ones, they had vertical pupils now. “Most of the time?” she demanded in acidic tone.

“When I heal I use this thing called Bloodlust. It makes me aggressive but I can control it. I had to use it when Sam went for me in the barn but I didn’t hurt him.”

“What happened to you Owain?”

“My ability. I’m now a Weretiger, permanently. The bloody system did this to me.”

“You can’t change back? You’re- stuck like this?” she waved a hand in the direction of his new physique.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“I don’t know love. I hope not. It’s going to make gallery tours really awkward.”

Lindy looked at him steadily for a moment before she lowered the gun to her side.

“I’m sorry Owain. I just- I don’t know, how can you be the same man as before?”

“I know love. Can’t say I’m too happy about this change or getting shot a couple of times but I’m so proud how all you thought of was protecting the kids. I hope I'd have done the same sweetheart but you know me…”

“Wouldn’t hurt a fly. I remember you insisting on throwing the spiders out of the window when Claire found one in her room. Ha and Sam has to harvest the chickens, you went green when you broke the first one's neck,” despite herself she smiled a little.

“That was Tilda! I'd known her for years!” Owain protested. “She was practically family.”

“You soft bastard.” She looked him up and down. “This is going to take a lot of getting used to. Come on, I suppose we'd better go have a coffee and try to figure this out.”

“You won’t shoot me again? It really does sting.”

“Getting shot stings? Bloody hell. No Owain, I won’t shoot you again. I’m- I guess I’m sorry about that. Really sorry.”

Owain was pretty sure he gave really good hugs now he was so furry but clearly that level of rapprochement was going to take some time, if it ever happened. He’d take what he could get. She had fallen in love with him when he was a human. This change would take a lot of processing for his wife. He silently wished with all his heart that they would work something out. “My husband turned into a giant cat and I want a divorce” would be a first in the courts and really he didn’t want to set that precedent.

He slowly followed behind Lindy, not getting any closer, he didn’t want to spook her out of this delicate new balance between them and would avoid the topic of pregnancy until they both had some time to think. He ducked his head to get through the door and took in the kitchen. The bars on the windows were new and he thought it was a good idea, the dresser was out of place and there was his eldest son, standing behind the table staring at him.

“You’ll catch flies like that Sam,” Owain rumbled.

Sam closed his mouth. Then he opened it again, “Dad? Is it really you?”

“Yep. No hard feelings about before ok? I’m sorry if I scared you.” He tried to smile gently and saw Sam flinch before straightening up and closing his hands into fists. Ah right. Fangs. Might need to be careful with the smiles until they get used to it.

“Pax! Peace ok big guy?" he raised his hands in surrender. "I don’t know what I look like but I guess it’s pretty bad. Where’s Pete and Claire? Are they ok?”

“In our room, after Claire’s escapade earlier I've got them watching each other while we, well while we tried to fort up downstairs. You know what Petey’s like, he’ll be off to one of his dens if he gets half a chance and Claire was adamant you weren’t dangerous so I thought she’d try to get out again and find you.”

“Maybe we should call them down and all sit down to talk?” said Owain quietly. Now he felt profoundly nervous. It sounded as though Claire was on Team Dad but if Petey reacted badly to his change it could destabilise his entente with Lindy. His wife looked uncertain for a minute. He hadn’t seen her undecided in years. She always knew her mind and knew what she wanted. Even more than getting shot, which he took as a very heavy hint at how upset she was, this told him how deeply unsettled she truly was.

“I’ll go talk to them and bring them down once I’ve- explained things, ok?” Lindy set off towards the stairs.

Owain moved over to the sink and filled the kettle. Another coffee would be really comforting right about now.

“What’s it like?” asked Sam.

“Being a monster? It’s great son.” Owain glanced back and gave him a lip closed smile. “I don’t know son, I feel really good if I’m honest. I can take both barrels to the chest and I’m fine, throw myself out of the second floor, land on my feet and not even lose a stride. I can hear and see so much better although the colours are a little washed out and strange.”

“You’re colour blind now?”

“Shit! The system screwed me on that too. Damn. Ha at least your Mum will get what she wants after all! Now all my paintings will look modern and experimental!”

“Silver linings? For even this? Yeah it’s definitely still you!”

“Where’d you learn to fight like that? Rugby is a game for thugs played by gentlemen but you're a winger. Prancing around at the edge and just legging it if you get the ball.” Owain began loading mugs with instant coffee before opening the fridge for the milk.

“There’s a bit more to my role in the team than that Dad as you damn well know!” He grinned. “It just came naturally. Sorry about the face by the way. I think it’s built into my ability?”

“It healed so no hard feelings. What did you get? For your ability I mean.”

“It’s called Flash, Ah-ah. Stupid system is apparently a fan of cheesy sci-fi films. Do you know how many guys at school tried to bully me with that? Parents should think very carefully before they name their kids,” he glowered at his old man. Old tiger-man?

“Really? That’s pretty funny! It was a dick with me as well. Made me like this because I’m too nice apparently. What does your description say?”

Sam sighed. “I’ll just read it out… but don’t tell the others what it says ok?” Owain nodded his head solemnly.

Level 1

Name: Sam Jones

Ability: Flash! Ah-ah!

Constitution: 100%

Reserves 100

Flash! Ah-ah!: Flash Ah-ah, He's a miracle, Flash, Ah-ah, King of the impossible, He's for every one of us, Stand for every one of us, He'll save with a mighty hand, Every man, every woman, every child with a mighty Flash

Guidelines:

Physical Enhancement: 100%

Overcharged Reflexes: Further increases speed and strength at the cost of reserves. Scales with reserves spent.

Owain started laughing. His laugh was half a purr but he didn’t care this time. It has been an accident that Sam had ended up with his name. He was named after Lindy’s grandad and it wasn’t until months after he was born they’d realised the coincidence.

“We need to get you some blond hair dye!”

“Sod off Dad!”

His rumbling, purring chuckle was echoing around the kitchen as Lindy came down the stairs followed by the smaller kids.

“What’s happening?” asked Lindy.

“Dad!” cried Clair, rushing past her mum to throw her arms around Owain in a fierce hug. “I tried to tell them! None of them listened to me! Wow, you’re so fluffy!” she stepped back and grabbed his tail, yanking it around to examine it closely. Having his tail held and unable to do its mind-of-its-own floating felt extremely uncomfortable but he fought back the urge to snatch it away.

“Don’t worry about it darling. We can work it out I’m sure.” He ruffled her hair and smiled gently at her, making sure to keep the fangs hidden.

“What’s it like being Sabretooth? Bah Marvel sucks but it’s the closest character I can think of.” Pete asked from behind Lindy, peering round her hip to look at what his father had become.

“Hey Pete, it’s really strange. I’m sorry if I scared you earlier.”

“I wasn’t scared!” the little boy said defiantly coming out from behind Lindy. “It’s so unfair! You guys all get super powers and I’m stuck as an NPC!”