Not even a minute after we rolled the cart up to the small cottage we called home the other two members of our family were already rushing over to see us, concern etched clearly on their faces since we were a bit later than normal.
Mother was a shorter, hardier woman that wore her age rather well; those lines on her face that would have normally been a sign of weathering instead looked like an accessory to her mature beauty, and her pale blue eyes always shone with mischief whenever it was just us.
Her dark brown hair was streaked with grey while her simple robe and apron helped hide most of her curves - at least when they were dry - while also offering a fair amount of warmth and comfort in these harsh lands.
Dirt caked her knees and sleeves, and yet she didn't mind it at all as she walked up to us and looked at the cart curiously, those pale eyes widening in surprise when she saw the raw slab of good meat that was resting there.
"I'll get the oven going. Quick, inside! Leo, get the tea ready! Quick boy, quick!"
My younger brother was staring at us in awe as well, his lean frame and shorter height always causing people to see him more as a girl rather than a man, something that had apparently long since stopped bothering him as he instead worried about our garden.
His dark brown hair framed his fair face, his plump lips curled into a welcoming yet confused smile as he waved at Giovanni and I, clearly wondering what had happened that we had meat resting on the cart.
Yet he just rushed back inside at Mother's request, and for a very brief moment I couldn't help but admire his surprisingly wide hips, though a shake of the head and a bite of my tongue cleared my mind of any ill thoughts quite quickly.
Where Giovanni was handsome and refined, Leo had always been a pretty boy, his dark blue eyes glittering with mischief just like our Mother whilst his slender frame was nowhere close to being akin to our older brother or our Father.
Helping haul everything in, I just grunted softly as Father told us to go clean up before dinner, this moment of reprieve giving me some time to think things over as I slinked into the small room that was entirely my own.
The somewhat dirty and cracked mirror that hung on the wall showed my equally dirtied and cracked features, which never looked anything like Mother or Fathers, or like my brothers; that had been a horrible few weeks when I learned the truth when I was a girl, but... now I didn't care that we weren't related by blood.
The sharp silver eyes that stared back at me was the clearest proof that I wasn't related to them, because silver, gold, bright blue or dark green eyes belonged to the Werewolves that prowled these mountains.
No one in this family had pure Werewolf blood like me, and the closest was Leo with his dark blue eyes, but even then that only came about because Father's Mother had been a Wolf, whilst Mother was about a quarter Wolf herself.
The other key difference was the shape of the eyes; everyone here had rounded, gentle eyes - even Father - whereas I had sharp, hooded eyes that only made the silver all the more striking, especially against the black hair that glittered purple in the right light.
Even in a place like this my skin was rather pale, though after so many years in the mines the dirt had almost become mixed with my flesh, leaving me just a tad bit lighter than most, though having seen Giovanni upon his return I wondered if he had me beat now that he was getting properly washed up there in the city...
I stared at my reflection for a few moments more before grabbing that green pouch and staring at it, wondering if it was just the Spirit Jade or if there was more; since we were home I didn't bother to hide the beautiful stone that was inside, and I couldn't help but grin as that light washed over me.
It felt so... soothing, so refreshing on my skin, and just running a finger over it sent shivers tingling up my arm and throughout the rest of my body, almost drawing a moan from my lips as I made another decision for later.
For now though I took the Spirit Jade out and set it inside my chest before looking through the rest of the small pouch, finding a few coins as well as a now soggy candy that was still in its wax wrapper.
I chuckled and quickly unwrapped it, appreciating the dark red sphere in my hands before popping it between my lips, that sweet and tart flavor seeping onto my tongue and making me nod a few times happily.
With that small bit of candy slowly dissolving on my tongue, I tore off my grimy clothes and stared at the mirror again, appreciating the two mounds on my chest before dragging a hand over the abs that had appeared after so many years of physical labor... and my own training.
Then there was the last thing I was quite proud of, something that further proved I was a full blooded Werewolf; the heavy sack covered in thick hairs dangling between my legs, whilst the long, tapered cock slowly slid out of me, my earlier arousal returning with a bit of a vengeance.
Just because it felt so good I leaned back and closed my eyes, basking in the rush of heat that washed over me as I got fully erect, my knot throbbing in the cool air as it informed me that I was really, really backed up...
That was going to change tonight, but for now I just admired my body in the mirror - flexing and wondering which of the village girls I could sweet talk into a bed tonight - before toweling off and then tossing on a loose robe that hid everything.
By the time I was finished my erection was gone, and sauntering over to the table I plopped down and grinned at Leo as he handed me a warm cup of tea, enjoying the soft smile I got in return as he told me that dinner would be ready sometime soon.