Casual werewolf chill

“Alright. Let me get your order to the kitchen,” said the waiter, then she nodded politely and hurried off.

Teagan and Oliver were sitting together in a little café, in a quiet part of town next to a small park, sharing a table and facing each other. Having lived in Ridgewood, Oliver had recommended this place—it wasn’t a fancy restaurant, but it had a calm, clean ambiance, and he’d assured her that the food was tasty but affordable—which was all that it needed to be fully satisfactory for Teagan.

She had been the one to order for both of them, because there were certain foods werewolves couldn’t eat—garlic, onions, grapes, chocolate, milk, and more—Oliver was still learning the full list. Unfortunately, most cuisine was not tailored to be equally edible by both humans and wolves, or those who were both human and wolf. Oliver had seemed decidedly displeased that all sorts of tasty foods were now considered inedible.

He frowned hesitantly at her but asked something else. “Are you sure we can finish that much food?”

Teagan grinned. “We can do it. Aren’t you hungry? I’m famished!”

“Me too. But I did tell you the portions are large, and you’ve ordered enough for… at least three people to eat. Not that we can’t afford it after the gold that the town guard gave us, but I don’t want to waste food.”

“Don’t worry. I guess you haven’t realized it yet because you were living in the forest and haven’t been eating well? This is your first proper meal in your new werewolf life. We eat more than regular people.” Teagan smiled reassuringly. “It’s like… it’s eating for two, right?”

Right at this point the waiter had come back, carrying two glasses of water and a bowl of breadsticks on a serving tray. She overheard Teagan’s last sentence and entirely misinterpreted it. “Oh, wow! Congratulations! When’s the due date? You’re not showing at all.”

Teagan made an awkward squeak, while Oliver just smiled cooly. “Not anytime soon,” he said.

“I see. Very exciting! Congratulations to the both of you! Have some bread while we’re cooking up your food.” The waiter put down their glasses and the breadsticks, then gave them a kindly smile before going to serve other customers.

Teagan put her elbows on the table and then her hands around her face. She threw a mortified stare at Oliver. “That’s not what I meant!” she hissed. “I meant… I meant that I, or we, have two forms, so it’s… there’s an energy requirement for the lycan magic. You need more calories,” she said quietly.

“I get what you mean.” Oliver looked very amused by her embarrassment. “But you did phrase it in a way that was open to misinterpretation.”

“I realize that now, yes…” Looking for a distraction and also hungry, Teagan snatched up a breadstick and munched on it.

Oliver also took a breadstick and started eating. He glanced away, his smile fading to a serious look. “How does that even work? If I could ask… what happens if you do get pregnant?”

“Oh, it won’t happen because it’s supremely difficult for two werewolves to have a child together. My parents tried for seventeen years before they had me. Very difficult. I don’t mean they knew each other for seventeen years first—I mean they were actively planning and trying to conceive for seventeen years before they had me.”

“That’s a long time.”

Teagan shrugged. “That’s how it is. As a wolf, fertile season lasts for one week per year, and as a woman, it’s around one or two days each month. Put those together, and essentially since we’re both werewolves, there is around a single day out of every four years when it could happen.”

Teagan spoke quietly, and she leaned over the table towards Oliver. She gestured with her breadstick. “Oliver, I really like you and I feel there’s some great chemistry between us, but we would absolutely not be doing certain bedroom activities if there was even a small chance that would happen. I am so not ready to be a parent.”

Oliver nodded, making eye contact. “Yes, of course. I concur completely. It such a big responsibility.”

“Good that we’re clear on that.”

“I was just… I was only curious. We can talk about something else if you like.”

“No, no. Curiosity is good. No topics are off limits.” Teagan fiddled with her long hair, curling some of it around a finger. “If you’ve got questions about being a werewolf, I’ll explain as much as I know. Ask away. Ask about anything you want.”

“Ok then. So when you or I change, it’s only the physical body that changes, yes? It’s only the body itself—skin and bones, nails and hair, everything that counts as your body—which changes. But clothing, dirt, or soap remains the same. Dirty human becomes a dirty wolf, soapy wolf becomes a soapy human. Even the food in the stomach doesn’t change, which is why now we have to avoid certain types of food because that would cause trouble in wolf form.”

Teagan nodded. “Yep.”

Oliver hesitated. “No topics off limits, you said?”

“Yep.” Teagan winked. Like most people, Oliver possessed this layer of polite formality that he presented to strangers—but the more she got to know him, and he got to know her, the more they really uncovered each other’s personality and mind. “Ask whatever you’re curious about, and I’ll answer if I can. Is it a weird sex question? Because you can ask!”

Oliver laughed. “I have many, many questions about being a werewolf. Yes, some of them are weird questions. Side question—if we have sex while both in human form, and I finish inside you, then you changed into a wolf, would it… would the fluid still remain inside you?”

“Definitely.” Teagan grinned. “Listen here, wolfy boy—if you have a problem with your fluids being inside a wolf, you shouldn’t be making love to a werewolf.”

Oliver laughed again. “True, that’s fair enough. I’m still not used to the concept that you’re both a wolf and a human… or that I’m both a wolf and a human.”  His brow furrowed as another question occurred to him. “Is it even possible for you to transform while… while we’re having sex?”

“Oh yes, of course. Just because you were inside me wouldn’t stop me from changing. It’s no different that say, if you were to stick your finger in my mouth. I could change into a wolf, and back.” Teagan gestured, putting a finger through the clenched fist of her other hand. “Not that I’ve ever tried doing that before. Why do you ask? Do you want to try that?”

“Maybe. I don’t know. I think I do enjoy it when I’m a human and you’re a human, or I’m a wolf and you’re a wolf, so we’re the same.” Oliver shrugged. “Wait, no that wasn’t my main question. If it’s not too weird for me to ask—what happens if you… or no, not you, let me rephrase. What happens if a werewolf gets pregnant? Like if there’s a… a child in the womb, but the mother transforms, does the child transform too? Or does it count as not part of the body, but as something different…? Is it something external like food or dirt or clothing that doesn’t change, or is it considered part of the body?”

Teagan tapped her fingertips against the tablecloth. “That’s a very perceptive question. Uh, in that scenario the child transforms too—and there’s folklore about that! There’s a superstition that if a pregnant werewolf mother spends too much time as a wolf, the child will end up loyal, family orientated, instinct-driven, and good with body language. And if the mother spends too much time as a human, the child instead ends up more calculating, independent, and better at language communication.”

Oliver looked impressed. “That’s very interesting!”

“Oh no, it’s nonsense.” Teagan waved her hand dismissively. “That’s all a myth. Both wolves and humans are highly intelligent social animals, so it’s nonsense that staying as a wolf or as a human can affect a pregnancy. And it doesn’t even matter anyway, because natural-born werewolves like me are very rare. Almost all werewolves are humans who get lycanthropy contagiously—like you—though it’s usually a deliberate, authorized transmission, not accidental as in your case.”

“Fascinating.” Oliver smiled. “Can I ask—as a natural born werewolf, were you born as a baby, or as a wolf?”

Teagan sat up straight and raised her head. “I was born a wolf pup. Not that I remember, but my parents told me I was born as a cute little puppy with a fur coat that was almost black, which eventually lightened up to my current tawny colour. But it was a practical choice for my mother to give birth in wolf form instead of human.” Teagan gestured down at her waist. “Human hips are narrow so that we can stand up on two legs, which makes it difficult to squeeze out a baby. That’s why childbirth takes so long and can kill a woman. It’s much easier to give birth as a wolf. Or so I’ve been told. I don’t plan to find out for myself anytime soon.”

“Wow. That is so interesting to think about. Wolf vs human.” Oliver’s gaze went distant and thoughtful. “It’s an entirely different way of thinking. All along I’ve been wishing that I could control my transformations to stay human as much as possible, but that’s not what you do, is it? You’re perfectly comfortable as a wolf too, and you know how to use that body form to your advantage.”

“Exactly. Although… I have to admit to you, that’s just my way of thinking. It’s how I live my life, but there are other lycans who think differently. There are other philosophies.”

Oliver leaned forward curiously. “Other werewolf philosophies? Elaborate?”

Teagan nodded. “There are some who behave like you described—I like to call them human purists. They stay human as much as possible, and some completely resist ever turning into a wolf. They are still werewolves with the longer lifespan and the regeneration, but otherwise they try to act completely like normal humans.” She paused and looked at Oliver. “Would you want that?”

“If you’d asked me that last week, I’d have said yes. I thought I wanted a cure for my werewolf-ness, but if I couldn’t be cured, then at least I wanted control of my transformations so I could stay always human. Always normal. But now I don’t know.” Oliver smiled. “Having met you, for the first time it’s been fun for me to be a wolf.”

Teagan winked. “It also goes the other way around too. Just as there are human purists who are werewolves but only stay human, there are wolf purists. They stay in wolf form all the time, and live… strange lives, out in the wild like animals. Weird!” She shook her head. “There are also the lunar followers—um, these aren’t official or strict categories, by the way, just generalisations that I’ve observed. But the lunar followers are human during the new moon, and wolf during the full moon.”

“Sort of like me right now…”

“Precisely. Either they haven’t learned how to control their transformations, or they just can’t be bothered to use the energy and willpower to transform. Instead they follow the natural cycle of the moon.”

“Strange how something so distant as the moon is directly affecting the state of my body,” Oliver said.

“It’s not too strange. The moon’s gravitational pull affects the flow of magical aether, just like it controls the tides. That why magicians adjust their spells depending on the lunar phase.”

“Fascinating.”

“But wait, I haven’t finished telling you about the different types of werewolves. The last category is switches—like me!—who switch form to wolf or human whenever it suits them. I’m mostly human, but I also turn into a wolf whenever it’s useful and when no one else would notice. Like back in the inn room, when I just wanted to go sniffing around at everything. Or on cold days, being a wolf with a fur coat keeps you naturally warm. Or… this is an overly specific example, don’t judge me, but sometimes I get bad period cramps so instead I’ll spend the entire day as a wolf, because wolves don’t menstruate and, uh, my life is so much easier that way.”

Oliver looked incredulous for a second, then he snorted with laughter and covered his mouth. “Hahaha. You’re brilliant. Wow, haha. This is all really interesting. So out of all these different ways of behaviour, what are most werewolves like? What’s the usual?”

Teagan had finished her first breadstick. She grabbed a second one and snapped it into different length pieces, putting them down on the tablecloth. “Uh, I’d estimate that for the werewolf community in general… around 50% are human purists who want to stay human all the time, 5% are wolf purists who live as wolves all the time, um, 15% follow the lunar cycle to change back and forth, and maybe 20% are switches who change freely whenever they want. Wait, do my numbers add up to 100%? They might not. But you get what I mean?”

“I get what you mean.”

Teagan arranged the breadstick sections so they were in neat parallel on the tablecloth. “What of you? What’s your style—your philosophy about being a werewolf, now that you’re one?”

Oliver looked thoughtful, then he sat up straight and took a dramatic deep breath. “I… don’t know.” Teagan laughed, and he did too. “I’m new to this. I’m still figuring it out.”

“Sure, of course. And it’s not something that’s fixed or formal. Just be whatever you want.” Teagan smiled slyly, and she picked up the length of breadstick that represented 20% and she extended it towards Oliver. “Learn how to transform whenever you want, and then use your two forms to their advantage. Be free!”

Oliver smoothly plucked the breadstick segment from her fingers and tossed it into his mouth. “Be a wolf and sniff at things, then be a human and go eat food at a restaurant?”

Teagan grinned. “Hell yes! Werewolf life.”

Oliver grinned back. “Werewolf life.” He laughed again, then rested his elbow on the table and put his hand against his chin, staring at her. “I feel like I could listen to you talk about this for hours and never get bored. All this werewolf weirdness that I never even knew about.”

“That’s good. I like having someone to talk to.” With a smile, Teagan shrugged. She perked up as the waiter returned. “Oh, food is here!”

---

Time slipped by freely, greased by enjoyable conversation and tasty food. But as midday became afternoon, they finished lunch and paid for the meal. Teagan had been right—they could finish the food, despite the portions being large.

Stepping out of the restaurant, Teagan glanced around. “I’m full. That was a good meal. What now?”

Oliver put his hands in the pockets of his cloak. Because of the tattered state of his clothing, a bit of his hand was visible through a hole in the fabric. He didn’t notice until Teagan poked it with her finger. “Huh? Oh. Yeah, that needs to be fixed.” Between clenched teeth, he drew a sharp breath, then he sighed. “I’ve been putting this off long enough. I have to go.”

“Where?”

“Home.” Oliver gestured down the street, vaguely in the direction of the valley. “Back to my family, in their farmhouse just north of town.”

Teagan looked at him. “Sure. Are you… are you still going to come with me to Kadrin City?”

He nodded. “Yes, I will. I’ve always wanted to move to the city, and I don’t think I fit in this town now that I’m… I’m a werewolf. But I have to go get that cursed old book from my room, and then say goodbyes to my family. Hopefully they’ll be more understanding now that I’m back to being human.”

“Do you want me to come with you? I could help you explain lycanthropy to them, make them understand that it’s not a curse, and that we’re not monsters.”

Oliver shook his head, his gaze calm. “No, I want to do this on my own. I appreciate the offer, but I can handle my family. My brother, at least, will listen to me. I don’t know about anyone else. They are good people, but everyone thinks werewolves are monsters. I don’t know if I can change their minds, or even if I need to change their minds. But I have to say goodbye anyway.”

Teagan reached out her hand, then she placed it on Oliver’s shoulder. At first he was tense, but slowly he relaxed. Teagan gave him a hesitant thumbs up. “Good luck…?”

His solemn, serious expression cracked into a smile. He placed his hand over hers, on his shoulder. “Thanks. You can look around town while I’m gone. The market square has traders with wares, or you can go visit the Ridgewood Archive at town hall and take a look at all those artifacts and museum pieces that I spent a year cataloguing.”

“That sounds nice. I’ll do that. Uh, when will you be back? By tomorrow?

“I’ll be back by tonight. Probably by the evening. I’ll see you back at the inn room?”

Teagan reached into her pocket to check that she had the room key. “Sure. Also I’ll check out the train station, I want to know the train timings. Maybe we catch a train onwards from here to Kadrin tomorrow morning?”

“Sounds good.” Oliver slipped Teagan’s hand off his shoulder, but he kept hold of it for a moment and squeezed lightly before letting go.

“See you later then, wolfy boy.” Teagan waved her hand. After a few seconds to work up the courage, she stepped forward and gave Oliver a quick kiss, right on the lips, tiptoeing so their heads were at the same height. “Just for luck.”

The way he smiled in response made her feel warm inside. “Teagan…! See you later too.”

TO BE CONTINUED