A new story, my longest so far at ~9000 words. In a cold, gothic metropolis, a mysterious doctor seeks to aid a woman who's husband has fallen victim to a terrible curse. A story about self-acceptance, dealing with new instincts, romance, social justice, and of course, werewolf transformation. I hope people enjoy!

CW: Some themes of self-loathing and oppression

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1

The howling winter wind was deafening, even from inside the carriage. The cramped, twisting city streets amplified it's power, and the tall, dense stone buildings blotted out most of the remaining sunlight, leaving only the warm glow of gas lamps as the only reliable source of visibility. Doctor Lach felt terribly guilty sitting in the relative warmth and comfort of the carriage while, her coach driver Matias navigated these dark, cold streets from up top. Though she didn't feel as bad for him as the doctor felt for her next client.

The carriage rounded a tight corner and came to a halt, and a pounding came from the carriage roof, indicating they'd arrived.

Doctor Lach sighed, and opened the carriage door. She was immediately met by resistance from strong winter wind, and had to force it open the rest of the way. She set out one foot, her boot crunching in the snow, and called to the coach driver. "Are you sure this is the right place?"

"I followed the directions precisely," he shouted back, "though the damn snow has covered near everything, so I can't be certain."

Doctor Lach looked up at the gray stone rowhouse in front of her. She certainly hoped this was the right place. What she came here to do wasn't strictly legal, so the less attention she gave herself, the better.

"Thank you Mr. Matias, you've done admirably. If this is the right place, I'll signal you to come in. We will additional passengers later if this goes well." Doctor Lach grabbed her bag, and trudged her way through the snow and wind up to the entryway of the dour building, and knocked on the door.

The woman who answered the door was short, on the younger end of middle-aged, and wore worry like a mask. She opened the door only enough for her to get a good look at the doctor. "Are you Doctor Lach?" a meek voice asked.

"I am. You must be Elizabeth?"

"Yes, oh thank you for coming, please, come in," she opened the door invitingly. Doctor Lach turned back and motioned for Matias to follow. She passed into the warmth of the home and wiped her snowy boots on the welcome mat, finding herself in a quaint foyer.

"Thank you so much for coming, Doctor Lach" the woman squeaked, bowing deferentially.

"It's my pleasure to serve," the doctor said. "This is a lovely home you have, Ms. Elizabeth. I appreciate the-"

She was cut off by a guttural, beastly growl echoing through the house. It emanated from somewhere below them, and was loud enough that it must have been made by something very large.

"Ah, it sounds like something, or someone, heard me. Might that be Gregor?"

"Yes," Elizabeth softly sobbed. She took off her headscarf off, revealing messy copper hair, and wiped her eyes. "Is it true? Are you able to help people like my husband?"

"I don't want to make promises," she admitted. "I can't make things like they were before. But yes, I should be able to help. Might I ask, where he is now?"

Elizabeth pointed to a corner of the room, where a pantry was lying on its side. "In the cellar. The last thing he did before he... when he... when I saw him last, was go into the cellar, and make me promise to block the hatch. I moved the pantry over the cellar door. He's... he's been in there for a couple of days now."

"Have you seen or heard anything from him since then?"

"Just noises, not unlike the one you just heard. Horrible, inhuman noises, sometimes growls, sometimes it sounds like he's eating something... oh doctor, are you sure he's still in there? Please tell me you aren't feeding me false hope."

"I know it's unsettling to hear those sounds, but I promise you, contrary to what City officials have to say, your husband is still with us, he just needs to be... brought back out. I'd like to enter your cellar and make a quick assessment. A diagnosis, if you will."

"Enter the cellar... with him? Is that safe?"

"It's not without risk, but I promise you it's safer than you think. I have tools to help." She pulled a rod out of her bag, and unfolded it into a cane that ended in a double-pronged neck catcher. "This has saved me from more than one bite."

Elizabeth reluctantly agreed, and with Matias's help, they removed the pantry from the cellar hatch. The doctor held her cane in one hand, and readied her hand lantern in the other. Matias lifted the hatch door, and she started taking her first cautious steps down the stairs.

The cellar was completely dark, her lantern not quite reaching the opposite wall. It was lined with freestanding shelves, some of which had been knocked over, spilling what appeared to be sacks of flour onto the floor. When she got about halfway down, there was another deep, feral growl, warning her from treading further. Holding up her lantern in the direction of the noise, in the corner of the room, she could just make out two bright, reflective eyes, framed in the silhouette of something massive.

"Hello there," she said in as calm a voice as she could muster. "I'm Doctor Lach, and I'd like to help you."

The creature snarled suspiciously.

"I understand if you don't believe me, but I assure you I'm not from the City Watch." The creature ceased growling, and she took the opportunity to take a few more steps forward to see more of the creature.

It was a Lycan. The creature stood on two legs, though it's massive arms and fore-paws could easily help it run on all fours. He was hunched over, the 8-foot ceiling of the cellar not quite high enough for it to stand at full height. He was covered in a thick coat of brown, messy fur, and on it's back, she saw the remains of what she suspected was once a human coat. He watched her intently, fierce canine jaws curled back in a snarl.

"You have me at a disadvantage, I'm afraid. What's your name?" She knew this creature's name was Gregor, but asking this was part of her plan. The creature tilted its head quizzically, as though asking 'do you expect me to answer you?'

"Oh, I understand," the doctor replied. "Many new Lycans assume they can't talk when they first turn, but that's just propaganda from the authorities. You just need to get used to the shape of your new mouth! Give it a try!"

The creature looked contemplative. After a moment, his first attempts at vocalization escaped his canine muzzle. "Rrrrrr rrrrrr... Rrrrgrrrr.... Grrragggrrrr. Grre-grr."

The doctor smiled. "Gregor, then? It's a pleasure to meet you Gregor." She put down her cane and reached into her bag, and pulled out her second tool: a paper-wrapped sandwich. "I understand you've been here for a couple days, and must be hungry. You've grown a lot, and your body needs food to support that growth, after all. Here, take this, I hope you like turkey." She placed the sandwich on one of the stair steps. "I'm going to go back upstairs and have a word with your wife. You keep practicing your talking, and we can continue our conversation in a bit." The creature continued to watch her as she slowly made her way back up the stairs. His demeanor was still not entirely free of suspicion, but his temper much improved. Before she shut the cellar hatch behind her, she saw a thick, hairy hand-paw reach out and grab the food she left on the stairs.



2

Two Days Earlier

Gregor bristled against the cold as he made his way down the familiar streets. The foreman had once again demanded the staff stay late to meet production quotas, and now he was making his way home in the dark and the chill. The thought of settling down in a warm bed next to Elizabeth was all that kept him going at this point. He had purchased a small bouquet of tulips from a poor flower girl outside the factory on his way home; he hoped this was a sufficient recompense for his wife for him coming home at an ungodly hour yet again.

As he rounded the corner by the pawn shop and onto his street, he was unpleasantly surprised to see a huge mass of people blocking his way home. A huge crowd had gathered around something in the center of the street, with a City Official in the center, standing on some kind of platform and barking some kind of political nonsense. With no other way around, he started forcing his way through the mass of people. Against his better judgment, his couldn't help but give some attention to what it was the crowd was facing.

A large cage, built into a carriage, with the official standing on atop while speaking to the crowd. Inside the cage, there was a large, hairy animal. Gregor assumed it was a large wolf or a small bear, but then he overheard what the official was saying.

"Take heed, for what better representation for the corruption and degeneracy that fills this city! Ordinary citizens, turned into mindless beasts, who want nothing else than to corrupt and convert their fellow citizens to the same gruesome fate. This is the fate our enemies want for the good people of our city!"

That's when Gregor realized: the creature in the cage was no mere beast, but a Lycan. Once human, Lycans were transformed by a curse into a mindless, wolf-like beast. He'd never seen one in person before, but he'd heard plenty about them through rumors and City Watch propaganda. He was surprised to see that, rather than roaring and snarling at the crowd, it seemed more scared of the humans as they were of it. It huddled in the center of the cage, ears down, wide eyes glancing nervously around. Someone in the crowd in the crowd threw a rock at it through the cage bars, and it winced in fear. It certainly wasn't the bloodthirsty beast he had expected it to be. Even if this creature wasn't a person anymore, he couldn't help but feel sorry for it.

The official continued: "If not for the good and noble members of the City Watch, this filth would run rampant. Just as we put a stop to gambling, prostitution, deviancy, criminality, and ALL other forms of degeneracy from spreading like wildfire in this city, so to do we keep you safe from this disease!"

In front of Gregor, a young boy carrying a stick moved through the crowd up to the cage, stuck the stick through the bars, and began prodding the creature. Gregor watched with horror as the creature's temperament changed to what looked like, if he didn't know better, righteous anger. In a flash of instinct, he dropped the bouquet and grabbed the unattended child just as the creature leapt at him. It's massive claws slashed as far as they could go through the iron bars, just barely scratching Gregor's hand as he moved the child out of the way.

"For goodness' sake, do not agitate the beast!" the Watchman cried, finally noticing the situation. "They are violent and unpredictable, and can spread their curse with a bite!"

The child wrestled his way out of Gregor's grasp. "Let go of me you brute!" He scampered his way through the crowd, leaving Gregor bewildered. He looked down at his hand. The sharp claws had just barely left a mark, but it was still just enough to break the skin and draw a small amount of blood. He quickly wiped the scratch off on his coat, trying to keep it clean. Once the curse was spread, the transformation was rapid and irreversible. But the curse is only transmissible through a bite, he had been told. A scratch wasn't anything to worry about, right? He could trust what the City Watch said on the subject... couldn't he?

He picked back up the tulips and hurried through the rest of the crowd, and finally made his way back to his humble home. Stepping through the front door, he saw Elizabeth look up from her knitting. Seeing her face alight with the warm glow of candles and the relief of seeing him home, almost made all of his worries melt away.

"Thank goodness you're home! I was getting worried!" she said, getting up from her chair and embracing her husband. He pressed his face into her shoulder, taking in the comforting scent of her skin, the sweet smell that reminded him of lilacs and cherries.

"Here, these are for you," he said, handing her the bouquet. "An apology for being late again. The foreman is still obsessing over his damnable quotas."

Elizabeth graciously took the flowers. "Oh these are lovely! And you don't have to apologize, I know you make it home as soon as you are able. Sit, sit, I kept a pot of stew warm for you."

Gregor smiled. "Oh Elizabeth, what did I do to deserve you?" The thought of a warm bowl of Elizabeth's stew was enough to make him ignore the fact that his scratch was starting to itch.

"You made me fall in love with you," Elizabeth answered, and gave him a peck on the cheek. Gregor made his way to the kitchen and poured himself a bowl of the stew, and began ravenously scarfing it down.

"You must have been hungry!" Elizabeth commented. "Oh dear, what happened to your hand? It's swollen!"

Gregor looked down and saw that the hand that had been scratched was indeed swelling up worryingly. "Oh... I was scratched by an animal," he said, not wanting to worry her by telling her it was a Lycan. "The City Watch had captured some kind of wolf in a cage up the road, and some foolish child got too close, I got nipped pulling him away."

"That was very foolish! But also very brave. I'm taking you to the doctor tomorrow, I don't want that to become infected."

"It's fine, I'm sure I just need to keep it clean."

Gregor put his bowl away and went over to the wash basin to clean the wound. He scrubbed the site of the scratch, but the swelling wasn't going down. In fact, it was still swelling. No, not swelling... changing. It was becoming thicker, his fingers stubbier. It almost looked like... no, it couldn't be... it was looking more and more like a paw.

"Oh no... I... Elizabeth,” he stammered, struggling to accept what this meant. “I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Dear, what's wrong?" Elizabeth started moving over to Gregor to comfort him, but he quickly moved away.

"No, I'm not safe! The creature that scratched me, it wasn't just a wolf, it was... it was a Lycan."

Elizabeth froze, her eyes growing wide. "No... no, that can't be. It must have been something else." But she could already see her husband's ears growing pointy and furry.

"Get rid of the water in the wash bin, I don't know if it can spread that way. I... I'm going to go into the cellar. I want you to lock it behind me. No, don't just lock it, barricade it. Whatever happens to me, I don't want what's left of me to hurt you."

"No, Gregor, please!"

"Oh god, I want to kiss you one last time, but I can't risk it... Lizzy I'm so sorry. I love you."

"I love you!" Her husband turned, and she noticed a hairy tail starting to poke out from above his trousers as he made his way to the cellar hatch.

Gregor opened the door, noting with horror that he had accidentally scratched the handle with the claws that now protruded from his paw-hands. "Barricade the door behind me!" he reiterated, and then shut the door. He ran down the stairs, made it to the farthest corner of the cellar, and doubled over as his muscles tightened and flared in pain. He collapsed onto the floor, no longer able to stand as the bones in his feet and legs started shifting, stretching into digitigrade form. He shivered as what felt like a jolt of electricity ran across his skin, as hairs erupted all across his body. Tears began to form in his eyes as he felt his face, mouth, and teeth start to shift, and the last thing he thought before collapsing into unconsciousness from the shock, was begging for it all to stop.


3

Gregor awoke several hours later, terribly sore, and feeling as though he had just had a terrible nightmare. Only dim light reached him from the small half-window near the ceiling of the cellar. He reached up to wipe the sleep from his eyes, only to realize something was terribly wrong with his face. He looked down, and where his hand should have been, saw a large, stubby fore-paw, covered in brown fur and wielding terrifying black claws. His stomach sank as the last hour of the previous day started to come back to him. He found a jar of preserves on a nearby shelf, and pulled himself up to examine himself in the reflection of the glass.

An ugly, terrifying beast looked back at him. Two beady, soulless eyes peered at him above a monstrous fanged muzzle. A tuft of brown hair still crowned his head, but there was little to differentiate it from the fur on his face and neck. Looking down to confirm the reflection hadn't lied to him, he saw the body of a monster. He was standing on what were once the balls of his feet, now huge clawed paws. This was now his natural stance. The brown fur he saw on his face covered his entire body. And humiliatingly, he saw he had a canine tail hanging from his lower back.

He couldn't believe it. And what made it all the worse was that this was his fault. He didn't have to save that damnable child. He was a spry little thing, he probably would have gotten away without a scratch. But he had to help, and now he had ruined his own life, not to mention Elizabeth's. How could he have been such a fool?

In a fury of anxiety and without thinking, Gregor dropped down onto all fours and began a sprint. His mind and body told him he needed to escape, but he didn't know what from. In the tiny cellar, he could only run in tight circle, knocking over shelves and smacking into walls. He wanted to be in the forest where he belonged, in an endless expanse of trees, not in this cramped, concrete box. He needed to get out.

As suddenly as he had started, he stopped himself and pulled himself back up on two legs. What was he thinking?! He couldn't let himself escape. If he left the cellar, he would be hunted down in the streets of the city like the dog he was. Even if he did manage to escape to the wilds, he didn't know if he would be able to do so without hurting anyone. He couldn't risk that, especially when Elizabeth was one of the ones he could hurt.

And why had the idea of escaping to the woods seemed so appealing?

He snapped out of his train of thought when his sensitive ears detected something in the cellar with him. Something small. He sniffed the air, and amidst the smell of flour and damp wood, was the scent of something alive. Then he saw it; behind one of the shelves, a small furry shape. A rat. It wasn't surprising; at this time of year, rats would be making their way into dwellings as they tried to escape the cold. Normally finding a rat in the cellar induced dread and frustration, but this time, he found himself thinking about how to best approach the creature without alerting it; about whether it would be quicker to strike with jaws or claws; about how hungry he was.

Instinctively, Gregor quietly slipped down onto all fours, his padded paw-hands landing silently on the stone floor. He crept closer to the tiny morsel, a silent killer, navigating around shelves and sticking to the shadows, until he judged he was close enough to strike. He readied himself, and then leaped upon the tiny creature, grabbing it with his claws before wrapping his jaws around its head and crushing any remaining life out of it.

His brain flooded with dopamine, rewarding him for a successful hunt. Without a second thought, Gregor picked up the vermin in his mouth, and began to eat it. Any fear he might have had about the taste vanished as the refreshingly warm blood dripped down his throat and bones crunched satisfyingly against his teeth. After a mere few bites, the animal was gone, and Gregor rested happily on his haunches.

After a few moments passed, the rush of the successful hunt faded, and Gregor pushed away the instincts that he had let take control. What the hell had he just done? He had just killed and eaten live vermin. And he had enjoyed it. What would his past self think if he saw himself do this? Oh god, what would Elizabeth think?

The fact that he could commit such a grisly act in one moment and lament his wife the next was a special kind of evil. He had once assumed Lycans lost all sense of self, devolving into mindless animals. Then when he first woke, he thought he might have somehow kept his human mind. Yet now, it seems like somehow he is forced to have the worst of both worlds; remembering the man he was as his instincts forced him to take part in debasing, animalistic behavior. It seemed like it was even crueler than if his mind was simply destroyed by the transformation.

He would forever be an animal, and he would forever remember the man he was.

He curled up in a ball on the floor, and began to sob. But instead of the sobs of a man, they came out as mournful, canine whines.


4

Hours passed. With little else to do, he drifted away into his thoughts. He thought about what his wife was going to do without him. Would his if his life insurance policy would cover Lycan transformation? And short term, he wondered about how she would deal with the monster in her basement; would she bring a squad from the City Watch to apprehend him, or would she just let him starve down here? Sometimes he forced himself to suppress thoughts about how good it would feel to run freely through a forest on all fours, or what other prey he might find in this basement. He mind oscillated between anxiety-inducing human thoughts, being tempted by beastly thoughts, and self-loathing for thinking said beastly thoughts, until he collapsed from mental exhaustion. Then, he would wake, and the cycle would repeat itself. He lost track of how many days had passed. At this point he was just waiting for death to find him, one way or another.

Suddenly, he heard a noise coming from upstairs. And a new scent. He instinctively let out a low, guttural growl, warning the intruders away, then immediately feeling shame wash over him for engaging in such savage behavior. He heard more shuffling above him, and then the scraping of a large object being moved from the cellar door. This was it, he thought. They've come to put me out of his misery. He ought to have welcomed it, and yet, he couldn't help himself but back into a corner in fear. The hatch opened, letting light pour in from upstairs, and an unfamiliar scent entered his domain. A woman slowly walked down the stairs, carrying a lantern and some kind of cane. It wasn't Elizabeth, and he let out another involuntary growl.

Strangely, the woman spoke to him, and not in the way one typically speaks to animals. She introduced herself, then asked Gregor for his name. This confused him, until he heard her claim that Lycans could speak, actually, with a little practice. He was skeptical of this, though he hadn't actually attempted to speak since the transformation. He tried to sound out some words, making a growl that *almost* sounded like "Gregor". She gave him some more pleasantries, and then placed an actual sandwich on one of the stairs, before retreating up the stairs. Still extremely hungry, he snatched the sandwich as soon as the lady went upstairs.

He scarfed down the sandwich, reveling in the flavor. His sense of taste had changed, but turkey was turkey. And what was more, it was a meal prepared by a person, made for him. It was a level of respect he hadn't been accustomed to in what felt like ages, respect he didn't consider himself deserving anymore. Animals didn't get sandwiches made for them (except perhaps the spoiled pets of the extremely wealthy). Gregor still wasn't certain that this was not a trick; an attempt to get his guard down so they could more easily capture and kill him. The sandwich could have easily been drugged. And yet, to be spoken to like a normal human being, to have a person give him advice about being a Lycan as though it were perfectly normal, was immensely cathartic. She even spoke about his beast-hood as though it was merely analogous to a health condition, or a career choice, rather than a dangerous curse. For the first time since he had locked himself in this cellar, he felt like a person.

"Grrreguuur", he growled to himself after finishing his sandwich.

"rrrry... nnnnane... is... Grrregor."


5

"You're sure my husband's still in there somewhere?" Elizabeth asked hopefully, pouring the doctor a cup of tea.

"I promise you, Lycans do not lose who they are after the transformation. There are several reasons why people believe that they do." She took a sip of her tea. "First, the transformation can be terrifying to witness AND experience. Many stories of transformed men and women devolving into animals is in fact just a misidentified panic response. Second, Lycans need to relearn how to speak, so many cannot make their case before they are hunted. And lastly, misinformation. The City Watch has their own version of reality that suits them, but it's not a reality that applies to actual Lycans and their family members." She took another long sip, finishing her cup. "Thank you for the tea, Elizabeth."

"If that's true then, oh no, he's been locked in that dark cellar for days!"

"It's good that you're concerned for him. That shows you still think of him as a person."

"If he's my husband then of course he's still a person!"

"You'd be surprised, many people can't see past the fur, including the Lycans themselves. Which brings me to my next point, he's likely enduring a strong sense of shame right now, so it's important we avoid any words that could make him feel ostracized."

"Why would he be feeling shame?"

"His entire sense of self has been turned upside down. He likely doesn't feel like he can be your husband anymore."

"I'll be damned if he isn't my husband anymore!"

"Of course, but we need to make sure he feels and understands that. He is also like feeling shamed from the new instincts and sensations he's experiencing."

"New instincts?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes; he will likely find himself wanting to smell new places and people, he will have a prey drive, and other instincts and emotions we associate with animals, not humans. But humans feel instincts too, we just don't think of them as instincts. Like a mother responding to a baby's cry."

"Or the urge to punch another woman for eyeing your husband?"

"Exactly. And we need to make sure that your husband understands that feeling these new instincts shouldn't be a source of shame. Just because he's no longer human, doesn't mean he's no longer a person."

"...I think I understand." Elizabeth decided.

"Excellent. This will be our first step; helping him overcome his fear and confusion, and getting him back to the land of the living, so to speak. Once he's comfortable in his own skin and talking to you again, the second step will be to figure out what your lives will look like in the long term. But we will cross that bridge when we come to it. So what do you say, are you ready to meet your husband?"

Elizabeth nodded.

"Excellent. First, let's go over some ground rules for talking to a new Lycan. After that, we can go say hello..."


6

Gregor was practicing "she sells seashells by the seashore," when he heard the door open again. He detected the scent that he now recognized as the doctor become stronger. He looked up, and saw her silhouette at the top of the staircase.

"Hello Gregor, I hope that speech practice is going well. I have someone I'd like you to talk to!"

There was another scent, one he'd enjoyed many times before but amplified like never before with his newly powerful sense of smell. A bittersweet scent. A rich scent that reminded him of lilacs and cherries. Elizabeth. It was such a pleasure to the senses after being locked in this dank basement for two days, but the thought of her being here now was too much to bear. He hated the thought of her seeing him like this. He wanted to hide, but there was nowhere to go.

He curled up in a corner and looked at the floor, like a child who knew he had done something bad. He winced when he heard two sets of footsteps making their way down the stairs, one of them in an all-too familiar cadence. Elizabeth was approaching.

Elizabeth stopped when she first saw the Lycan; she wasn't quite prepared for the size of the creature in their basement. A massive animal, just shy of bear-sized, rested on the floor of their cellar. To think this creature was Gregor caused immediate cognitive dissonance; besides remnants of a coat draped over it's back, and the brown color of the fur that reminded her of his hair, there was scant that she saw in this animal that reminded her of her husband. Still, she put her faith in the doctor's words, and spoke as though she saw the man she always knew hiding in their cellar.

"Oh Gregor, it's so good to see you. I'm so sorry you've been trapped down here." Elizabeth was careful with her words. Per the doctor's advice, she wanted to make sure she focused on what he had endured, rather than what he now was. Even hinting that she was less than pleased with what he was now, as obvious as that seemed, could be devastating to him in his current state.

Gregor did not respond the the query. Doctor Lach continued down the stairs to the cellar floor, and motioned Elizabeth to follow. When she reached the bottom, she asked, "Won't you please answer me Gregor, if you can? Please don't be ashamed of your voice."

The creature stared at the floor and let out a barely audible growl that only somewhat sounded like a sentence.

"I'm sorry dear, I didn't quite catch that."

"...I ate a rat." the creature grumbled, not moving his gaze from the floor.

"Oh, that's..." She stopped to think of the best way to respond. "I'm sorry you had to do that. You must have been dreadfully hungry being trapped down here."

"There's nothing shameful in eating live prey," the doctor helpfully chipped in. "You have a prey drive now, though I'd imagine you'd prefer fresh venison to basement vermin."

"She's right," Elizabeth added. "Please don't feel ashamed."

Elizabeth began cautiously approaching the great animal, making sure not to make too much noise. He continued to stare at the floor and didn't make any sudden movements at her approach, though he did withdraw slightly more.

She eventually got within arms reach of the beast. Seeing his massive frame move up and down with each breath was intimidating. She reached out her hand to place it on him, then caught herself not asking permission. "May I touch you, Gregor?"

Gregor was silent.

"If you are not ready I understand, but it's been two days since I've been able to touch my husband, and I would very much like to." To her pleasant surprise, Gregor nodded slightly. She felt a little proud that worked. She pressed her hand against the outside of his massive fore-paw. It was surprisingly soft to the touch.

At her touch, the great beast finally looked up and met her gaze. Elizabeth almost gasped; looking into the creature's eyes at this distance, she could suddenly see a soul there she hadn't been able to see before. No, not just a soul; her husband's soul. Despite the obvious canine likeness of the visage before her, she recognized how this creature looked at her; any doubt in her mind that this was Gregor evaporated. Her eyes dampened. "Oh Gregor, I thought you were gone!" she sobbed, and wrapped her arms around her husband as best as she could, embracing him. As she cried tears of joy, Gregor began letting out a mournful canine whine.

"I was so scared," Gregor gasped between whines, "that I would never see you again... or that I would hurt you..."

"It's okay Gregor, it's okay, I am here, we are with each other again now!"

"But... what are we to do? How can you love me like this? I'm an animal! I eat rats, I crave blood!"

Doctor Lach had advised Elizabeth on lines of questioning such as this, but at this point Elizabeth felt no need for psychological tricks, and embraced the love she felt for Gregor. She grabbed his great canine head and looked him squarely in the eyes. "I promised you when we married that I would love you in sickness and in health. I don't truly know which is a better descriptor for your current state, but I haven't broken my vows. You are still the man I married, and so long as that is the case I shall always love you, and I shall stand by you whatever tribulations you endure."

Elizabeth then bore witness to the site of a gigantic, fearsome predator utterly breakdown. Gregor collapsed onto his haunches, burying his head into the floor before her, gibbering and crying. "How can I deserve one such as you?"

Elizabeth laid herself on top of her large, furry husband and embraced him. "You made me fall in love with you." Gregor continued to let out cathartic sobs, and his wagging tail betrayed the warmth filling his heart.


7

This heartwarming moment was one Doctor Lach had seen play out several times now in her career. It was a relief, as it didn't always go so smoothly. Sometimes prejudices ran too deeply, and loved ones weren't able to accept that the beast was still the person they knew. Other times the fear, anger, and sadness of the transformed was too much, and they acted like the mindless beasts they expected themselves to be. The conditioning of the authorities was a powerful force indeed. And so Doctor Lach was grateful to see that Gregor and Elizabeth's story had a happy ending, or at least as happy as it could be. Soon, it would be time to discuss the second, bittersweet part of the session.

"Gregor, this is Doctor Lach," Elizabeth told her husband. "She's the one who helped me help you."

"We've met. Thank you, Doctor Lach. You saved me." Gregor said in a still trembling voice.

"You're quite welcome," Doctor Lach bowed.

"So doctor, what comes next?" Elizabeth asked.

"Well, this is the less happy part. Unfortunately, despite the fact that Gregor is clearly in control of his faculties, and no threat to society or those around him, the law has deemed his existence illegal, and he will be captured or killed on sight by City Watch."

"But surely Gregor is proof that this law is unjust!" Elizabeth protested.

"You are not wrong, and I am fighting for change when I can. But unfortunately it's not that easy. Cognizant Lycans have been demonstrated to the City Watch before, and it always has ended in tragedy. That leaves us with two options."

"What are those?" Gregor hesitantly asked.

"The first option is to keep him hidden away somewhere, such as this cellar. I do not recommend this, as it would be misery for you both. Not only do I suspect Gregor has little wish to remain trapped here in this box, but he would be unable to provide for you or himself, and his new metabolism would require constant meals of expensive fresh meat. Not to mention, he would continually run the risk of discovery."

"What's the second option?" Elizabeth asked.

"The second option is the lesser of two evils, in my opinion. I am in contact with a tribe of civil Lycans that roam the wilderness outside the city. I have helped several new Lycans escape the city and join them. I can help you escape the city gates and take you to the wilderness, though you will have to find them yourself, as they are nomadic, and difficult for humans to track, especially in this bitter winter. Gregor would be able to live a happy, carefree new life among his fellow Lycans, running and sleeping and hunting. Unfortunately, it would mean a goodbye for you, Elizabeth."

Gregor and Elizabeth were silent for a moment. "Would I ever be able to see Gregor again?"

"It will be possible, though difficult. The tribe is constantly on the move, and wary of scheduled meets with humans due to the threat of Lycan hunters. I only meet with them once every several months, and you will likely only be able to do the same."

For a minute, husband and wife looked at each other. She placed a hand on his large, furry cheek, then closed her eyes.

"What if... what if I accepted the cursed as well?" she asked.

Gregor perked up. "What? Lizzy, what do you mean?"

"Doctor Lach said it was a happy, carefree life. If that's good enough for my husband, it's good enough for me. And anything is better than a life where I barely get to see you."

The doctor considered for a moment. "That... that could work. Gregor could transfer the curse to you. I have heard the transformation is faster and less painful if you welcome it, though I haven't actually seen this myself."
Elizabeth turned to her husband.. "Is this something you would want?"

"I don't want to leave you, but Elizabeth, are you sure?"

"If the price of staying with my husband is a little extra hair, that's a price I'm willing to pay."

"I would recommend that we wait until we escape past the city gates," the doctor added. "Breaking one Lycan out of here will be hard enough. And of course, we should settle my fee first. Fighting for Lycan rights isn't cheap."

"Of course, let's get that settled," Elizabeth said, and then took her husband's fore-paws in her hands. "And then let's start our new lives!"


8

Matias signaled that the coast was clear, and Gregor squeezed himself through the relatively tight front door and into the snow. He made his way through the snow to the carriage under cover of night, and entered the large cargo space in the back of the carriage. Elizabeth followed and closed the door behind them. The cargo space lacked proper seating, so Gregor sat on the floor, with Elizabeth in his lap. Outside, they heard Doctor Lach speak to them through a window to the front seating area. "Are you two comfortable in there?"

"I'm fine," Gregor growled.

"Perfectly comfortable," Elizabeth responded.

"Excellent. I apologize, it's a little stuffy in there, can't afford any windows for the guards to see through. When I tap on the window, keep quiet. We don't want them to hear you too."

Matias cracked the whip, and they took off. Gregor wrapped one of his arms around her to keep her steady in the jostling carriage. Elizabeth held onto one of the dinner plate-sized fore-paws, and let out a contented sigh. As monstrous as it was, she felt nothing but a sense of safety from it's grip.

"You seem awfully happy in the arms of an ugly brute." Gregor commented.

"You are not an ugly brute! You are my husband, and you have a beautiful, noble visage." She wanted her husband to feel good about his appearance, but she wasn't entirely untruthful. Once she recognized her husband within this creature, she saw a certain handsomeness and majesty in his canine face. "Besides, I will soon look not entirely unlike you, so I hope you don't think Lycans innately ugly."

"It's something I've been struggling with lately," Gregor admitted.

Elizabeth reached into her handbag. “Here,” she said, holding out a pocket mirror. "Take a look for yourself and tell me you aren't a handsome creature!"

Gregor indulged her and looked at his reflection in the tiny mirror. To his surprise, he recognized himself in a way he hadn't when he had first seen his reflection post-transformation. Where he had seen a soulless monster before, he now saw a person, not just a beast. He saw himself.

Gregor was both shaken out of his contemplation when two sharp taps came to the window. The carriage slowed to a halt, and they tensed up. They were at the city gates. They heard a guard mumble something indistinct. The carriage driver responded, and what sounded like a tense conversation unfolded between the two. Suddenly, they heard footsteps approaching the cargo hold. Something metal, likely a halberd, tapped the outside, which resonated terribly through the cargo hold. Elizabeth and Gregor held their breaths. Then, they heard a muffled voice from outside the carriage:

"Seems sturdy enough, alright, you can go."

They heard another crack of the whip, and the carriage resumed. Masked by the rattling of wheels and horses' hooves, they both let out a sigh of relief.

Once enough time had passed for them to be clear of sight, the doctor spoke to them through the window."Sorry about that, but we're through the gates! Just an hour now until the drop-off point."

"Thank you doctor," Elizabeth replied. Gregor and Elizabeth wrapped himself tightly around each other and waited out the remainder of the carriage ride in a peaceful embrace.


9

Even inside the stuffy cargo hold, Gregor could detect the scents of the forest as they neared the drop-off point. "I think we're getting close," he told his wife.

"Oh, this is exciting!"

"I'm relieved you feel that way!"

The carriage came to a halt. "We've arrived!" the doctor announced through the window.

The carriage door swung open, and the sudden gust of forest air caused a flood of new instincts to fill his thoughts. Bounding between the trees, finding a pack, hunting wild game with tooth and claw, all flashed in his mind. The thought of Elizabeth joining him in this, of living a fulfilling Lycan life alongside his wife (or his mate, as he kept finding himself thinking) sent a rapturous chill down his spine.

"Welcome to the woods!" Doctor Lach announced. "This is one of the few places the local Lycan tribe is known to roam that intersects with humanity, so you from here you should be able to use your Lycan senses to find their trail. Not something I'm capable of, but you two should do fine. Tell them I sent you, and they should accept you without a fuss."

"I do hope they're friendly" Elizabeth added.

"I assure you they are. Now, as far as transferring the curse, I recommend a light bite that pierces a vein on the arm. I will help you align the bite, Gregor, and then I will give you two some privacy."

"Are you sure you're ready?" Gregor asked

"I've never been more sure about anything."

Gregor's tail wagged. "What did I ever do to deserve you?

"You made me fall in love with you."

Elizabeth smiled, and held out her right arm, palm facing up. Gregor opened his jaws and let her slide her arm in. Doctor Lach took Elizabeth's arm and adjusted it so that Gregor's right canine would pierce her vein. She gave a nod to Gregor, and he bit down as lightly as he good. Elizabeth gave a slight wince, but did not cry out. Doctor Lach then gave a small bow, and then trudged back to the carriage.

"You'll hold me the whole time, won't you?" Elizabeth asked.

"Of course," Gregor wrapped his large arms around her, and held her tightly against his furry chest. "There is rarely a time I don't wish I was holding you." Elizabeth let out a terse laugh. For a while, they stood embracing in the snow. Gregor took the time to appreciate this would be the last time he ever held her human form. A small tragedy, but in the context of the last few days, hardly the most tragic thing that had happened, or could have happened.

Elizabeth felt a sudden shiver down the lower half of her spine. "Oh Gregor," she gasped, "I think it's starting. My... my back." She reached her arm around her tailbone and felt the new appendage starting to form. "I... I think it's my..." Before she could finish, Gregor reached down and lifted her jacket with one paw, and gently, slightly slid her pants down with the other, giving just enough space for her new tail to free itself from the confines of her clothing, and wag freely in the winter air. After just a few seconds, it reached it's full length, and Gregor noted it had auburn fur the same color as her hair.

"It's your tail," Gregor finished for her, looking down at her. "And it's beautiful."

"Oh, you're just saying that."

"I'm not, it's a beautiful red color, it matches your hair". Elizabeth blushed slightly. Gregor also noticed that her ears had started to take on a more wolf-like form. He gently reached up a hand-paw and held it against her face, (careful not to be too forceful as his paws were still much larger than his human hands ever were) and gently caressed her ears as they grew out to their full length.

"That feels nice," Elizabeth cooed. "If I'm to be a dog, I suppose I should enjoy scratches behind the ears." Gregor let out a chuckle. Hearing his wife make jokes was a sharp contrast to his own transformative experience, and his relief was palpable.

"Oh, I can feel my boots getting tight," Elizabeth said suddenly. Elizabeth leaned against her Lycan husband and pulled her foot out from her left boot. Her arches were already lengthening, and her toes starting to swell to paw-like proportions. She placed it on the ground to pull her other foot free, yelping from the sudden cold on her bare feet. Thinking quickly, Gregor grabbed her under the arms and held her up off the ground, eliciting a second yelp from her.

"I can hold you aloft until your fur has fully grown in on your feet."

"Oh my, thank you, dear," Elizabeth said as she pulled her remaining boot free. Elizabeth pressed her swelling bare feet into the fur on Gregor's thighs. "I hope you don't mind," Elizabeth said. "My feet are so cold, and your fur is so warm."

"Of course not dear, do whatever you need to stay comfortable." Despite the circumstances, Gregor couldn't help but find the position slightly sensual, even as he felt her toes swelling and shifting into canine paws.

Elizabeth's felt the ends of her feet start to itch, and she looked down and watched as a fresh coat of soft, copper fur grew into what was now more more paw than foot. "I think I'm ready to try standing now," she said. Gregor gently lifted her down, and she winced slightly as her paws touched the snow, but the shock was brief. "Oh... it's still cold, but it's not terrible," she said.

"We are better at handling the chill now, I think." Gregor added.

“It's nice,” Elizabeth decided, "it's almost like a brand new pair of boots." She suddenly tensed up. "Oh, I'm starting to feel the change in my arms and legs," She bent over and wrapped her arms around herself.

"Your muscles and bones are starting to change," Gregor informed her. "Just hold on to me, this part isn't fun, but it will be over soon." She pressed herself into him as he wrapped his arms around her and hugged tightly. She started to writhe against him as new muscle began to form in her arms and legs, and her bones began to lengthening into their new Lycan size.

"It's not terribly comfortable," Elizabeth managed to say through clenched teeth."

"Just hang in there darling, it won't last long." He could feel Elizabeth's chest begin to expand and stretch out; he tried to get her coat off of her with his clumsy fore-paws, but she eventually tore itself apart as her torso exploded into it's new Lycan size. Elizabeth clenched her eyes and let out a growl-like shout with her massive new lungs. Hair rapidly sprouted all across the surface of her body until her entire body from the neck down was coated in a chestnut fur coat. Eventually the changes subsided, and Elizabeth was now almost as tall as Gregor.

"Is it... almost over?"

"Yes dear, though the last change, your face, is the toughest. Then it will be over though, and we will be able to start our new lives." He took one last look at his wife, taking in her beauty as much as he could, knowing with sadness this would likely be the last time he ever saw her human face.

"There's no one else I'd want to start a new life with. I love y-HNGH!" She suddenly grimaced in pain as the transformation began it's final stages.

Gregor embraced her once again and pressed held his canine snout against her cheek. "It's alright Elizabeth, it will be over soon, I promise." He felt her face slowly stretch out, lengthening to match his own muzzle. Her grunts of pain panged his heart, but just as promised, it didn't last long. Her pained grunts became pants of exhaustion. He kept her close until her panting stopped, and then he moved back to look at his wife's new form.

Elizabeth looked beautiful. He was undoubtedly looking at the wolf-like face of a Lycan. And yet, he saw the woman he married within this visage, clear as day. The gentle curve of her cheek was transposed onto her new muzzle. Her soft brown eyes still gazed at him as they had before, albeit in canine sockets. The face of the woman he fell in love with was still there, just different, like a favorite poem translated into another language. For a moment, they simply stood together in the snow, taking in the moment, and eachother.

"Hello Elizabeth," Gregor eventually said. "You look beautiful."

"Rrrrrrello, Gregor," Elizabeth responded, getting used to her new mouth. "You look y-yew-tul, too."

Gregor barked out a canine laugh, and Elizabeth blushed under her fur. "It's alright dear, you are much better at speaking than me when I first turned. You'll get the hang of it in no time."

Elizabeth smiled with her new canine lips, and pressed herself into Gregor. Gregor nuzzled her back, taking in her scent. She smelled not entirely unlike a dog. And yet she also smelled, even now, like lilacs and cherries. Another, newer part of Gregor's brain told him that she smelled like a mate. For a moment, the two new Lycans stood in the snow, embracing.

"rrrrrai... I... luth... I luph you." Elizabeth spoke through canine lips.

"I love you too."

Elizabeth wasn't sure how long Doctor Lach had been standing there, but when she realized it she blushed yet again.

"rrrrdoctor Lach, I- I- I'mmm sorry," she said, struggling with her M's. "I didn't rrrrealize you were there,"

The good doctor smiled. "I'm sorry for interrupting, I just wanted to say goodbye one more time. You've certainly been some of my favorite clients."

"How can we thank you enough?" Gregor asked.

"You've already paid my fee," the doctor smiled. "Besides that, just live your best lives. Help out the Lycan tribe, and tell them I say hello. Maybe help stranded travelers if you get the chance. The more people who tell tales of friendly, sapient Lycans, the harder it will be for the City Watch to spread their lies."

Gregor smiled and held out a hand-paw to Elizabeth. She took it with her own paw, now only slightly smaller than Gregor's. "rrrre will do what we can." Elizabeth said. "Thank you, doctor."

With that, the two Lycans got on all fours, and bounded into the snowy night, and the next chapter of their lives. Doctor Lach smiled, and returned to her carriage. "Another successful case, Matias," she said as she boarded, "let's go home."