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Cafe Garou By Lykanos Wulfheart

I was so excited when they legalized lycanthropy. Well, I guess it would be better to say that being a werewolf became socially acceptable. It has been for a few years now, actually. Still, humans fear us despite the laws that keep both sides safe. Well, as safe as can be. It's still frowned upon to go wandering around in the fur, at least in most places.

There have been many benefits to my kind stepping out from the shadows and joining the human race. For me, one of the biggest was finally getting to tell my friends. Like a few in the younger generations, I hid what I was by being so overt that it was covert. I played the werewolf online, joined the furry fandom, hell, I even made a fursuit as a fallback plan if I ever got spotted in the fur. And, oddly enough, it all worked. Still, nobody was surprised when I finally came out, shortly after the "Wolfman Accord" was signed. Stupid name, I know. I didn't come up with it. But, being what I was, some of my friends were so let down when I said I couldn't turn them. One of the many regulations was the ridiculous amount of paperwork and background checks involved in getting a Bite-In License, a government document that stated a werewolf had permission to turn you. Usually, there would be a little ceremony where a friend or public servant would bestow the gift of our people. However, all the red tape led to a new discovery, one the humans both loved and hated, all based on the person.

Usually the bite of a werewolf was permanent, the human changing within a couple days of infection. However, with lycanthropy going mainstream, science stepped in and made some shocking discoveries. A group of werewolf researchers figured out a way to distill our venom, and then treat it with some enzymes that broke certain bonds. This altered strain could then be diluted and ingested by humans and werewolves alike. For werewolves, it forced our transformation, locking us in our bestial form for a little while. For humans, it led to a temporary, yet very real transition to our lycanthropic state. They could have all the thrill with none of the drawbacks for a few hours, all based on the amount consumed. Least to say this discovery had mixed opinions. It took a lot of lobbying, but eventually the concoction known as "Wolf's Venom" became legal, though taboo in most circles. Still, coffee shops led the charge, popping up in the larger cities. They were highly regulated, though they quickly became a hotspot for werewolves and werewolf enthusiasts, though most of the masses either didn't know or just didn't care. This is where my story truly begins, with one such cafe and a furry friend with an obsession for transformation.

Corey Volpe, that friend of mine, was one of the people who were both overly excited for my reveal yet equally disappointed that I refused to share that gift. I knew it hurt, telling a transformation enthusiast that I couldn't give him the power to turn at will. He was crushed at first, but slowly came around, more than eager to hear what it was like. It even went so far as him wanting to visit, not only to see me show off, but to just generally hang out. Still, I knew he'd be jealous, though I had a plan to fix that.

When Corey arrived at my place, I wasn't surprised with his attire. Just like his fox fursona, he was wearing a green t-shirt under his black summer jacket. He'd gone with shorts on account of the recently warm weather and a pair of rugged black shoes. Honestly, it put my outfit to shame. I was planning to show off a bit for him, so I made sure to put on one of my ratty, old shirts, a dark green three wolf moon tee. The seams were already half frayed with age, so it would be perfect to rip out of, one of the transformation stereotypes he loved. I also wore my typical dark grey shorts and black belt combo, the size baggy enough to allow me to shift into them without destroying the legwear. As a werewolf, you go through enough clothes as it is. I wasn't about to destroy another pair of shorts. Another reason I stuck to sandals. Corey liked toe explosions. I did not. It was hard enough finding shoes that fit. I wasn't about to go through that process again!

Sorry, got a bit sidetracked there. So, anyways, he came over and we chatted for a bit in my entryway, mostly catching up on recent conventions, transformation artists we both liked, and the elephant in the room: me. I knew he was going to ask, but I had to applaud his restraint. He kept that topic for a little ways in, and it almost embarrassed me when he started asking such personal questions, like, "Does it hurt? How big do you get? Are your senses always sharpened or is it only when you wolf out?"

I tried to keep my replies short, a torrent of questions obviously on his mind. "A bit, but not too bad. I gain almost a foot or so, unless you mean down there, you dirty fox. And, yes, everything is heightened, though it gets sharper in my other form." I then sniffed and blew his mind with the precision of that power. "Like how I can tell you had a fast food taco on the way over... with lettuce."

Just as expected, his jaw dropped as he stated, "Wow." He then shook it off and got to what he really wanted, adding in a bit of a guilt trip with his banter. "So, when do I get to see you, you know, change? I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to, but I'd totally take a bite and go through it myself."

I knew that was coming. He understood the rules, the reason behind my refusal. Still, I couldn't blame him. It was something people wanted, though most couldn't get. The red tape and cost of the tests put it out of reach of many, though several still tried, some losing it all just to be rejected in the end. Others took matters into their own hands, hurting innocent werewolves to steal that power for themselves. I knew he'd ask, though it was still frustrating to constantly have to turn him away. "Corey, you know the law. I can't, even if I wanted to. I'm sorry... but a display, that I can do. Even wore a shirt to rip off, just like you like."

I'm pretty sure he sensed the initial annoyance in my voice, so he turned his badgering down, his tone smoothing into understanding. "Yea, I know. I know. Sorry about that. It just kinda sucks, you know. Here you guys have this gift and people like me just get to watch. I mean, no offense. I'm just a bit jealous is all."

I knew the pain, well, the reverse. Unable to shift for fear of death or discovery. Years before, my kind thought this more a curse, forced to hide in plain sight. Now, we could treat it as a boon, and I knew that was eating him up inside. "How about I take you out for a coffee," I asked, putting my plan into motion. "I know this local cafe that's a werewolf hotspot. I'll get to shift in public and you can get your quota of real world transformations." To seal the deal, I'm pretty sure I gave a wink as I said, "There'll be girls there, likely in the fur."

I couldn't help but laugh as his reply rang out, eager and pleased. "Deal!" It improved his mood as we walked out, the cafe no more than a mile trek. It didn't end the barrage of questions, though, the majority of the trip spent with me explaining lycanthropy. He seemed particularly fascinated with how the curse was transferred. It wasn't magic, but science that governed how we spread. You could be born one if one of your parents were a werewolf, though that wasn't any conciliation to him. Still, that's how I came to be, acquired from both my mom and dad. It also explained why I was so hairy, especially the bushy beard I always sported, brown like my hair with a fiery red tint. The other way, the one he was desperate for, was a bite. It's not like in the movies, where it relies on claw or tooth, though teeth play a large role. Technically, it's in our saliva. A werewolf's venom is secreted as they salivate, which generally covers the teeth. When it breaks skin and enters the bloodstream, that's when it changes the new host, altering them on a genetic level. Blood tends to be the easiest, the human body actually being fairly resilient to infection. Their own saliva and stomach acid tends to break it down before it has an effect, though that engineered Wolf's Venom bypasses this, albeit temporarily. I did not tell him that, though, as that was going to be the surprise.

When we finally arrived, I had him hold a seat outside, the day beautiful and mild, a gentle breeze moving the casual clouds across the sun. Since it was already barely afternoon on a Saturday, the place was fairly packed, five of the eight outdoor tables taken, that is including ours. Before I left him to defend our seats, I told him a little about the shop. "This is Cafe Garou, the best werewolf owned coffee shop in the city. It's also one of the places I like to hang out." Pointing to some of the other customers, I made it a point to mention, "As you can see, it's a gathering place for other weres." He was in luck, one table occupied by a human woman and her wolfed out partner. Another had two werewolves and a man sitting around it, the trio bro-ing out about recent conquests. Corey couldn't hear them, but I could. None were true werewolves, save for the husband to my back. Behind my friend sat a couple of women, the pair just starting into their coffees. From the little bit I accidentally caught, I could tell they were lovers, here for a bit of a rush. Both were human, though I did recognize them, repeat customers like myself. The trouble with super hearing is that you can't really turn it off. I wasn't trying to eaves drop, though it's exactly what I did. Because of that, I knew that the lesbians were planning to have a bit of fun after they finished their shifts, though Corey was still blissfully unaware. Before leaving him, I pointed over his shoulder. "Keep an eye on those two. They're likely about to shift. And with that, I'm off to get us something to drink. How do you like your coffee?"

"Black," he stated as he twisted around to see the women, his long brown locks flopping over his shoulder as he pushed up his glasses and awaited a show. I had left my own glasses at home. Since I was lucky enough to be far sighted, I often left them behind when I planned to shift. Just one less thing to worry about.

I should probably take a moment to describe this place. Cafe Garou looked like a new aged coffee shop, something similar to a Starbucks, but better kept. The windows and overhangs, as well as the tables, were all an inviting shade of green. The rest was a lunar tint of grey that fit the logo. Above the door was a full moon, the surface rounding outward. I had mixed feeling on it. Although I loved the look, it did add to an incorrect stereotype. Us werewolves could shift whenever, no moon required. Still, despite humanity knowing this for years now, the cliche still invaded werewolf movies... which had unsurprisingly picked up in popularity, especially with werewolf actors now taking the place of animatronics and CGI.

The inside was just as nice as the outside, though the occasional wolf portrait dangled above the booths, the cushions the same green as the squared tables. The seats were half filled, almost two thirds of the patrons either being natural werewolves or shifted humans, a few still in the process of changing. Moving to the back counter, I had to say hi to the owner. "Jake, how's it going, man?"

Jake was a natural lycanthrope like myself, though he had thirty years on me. Still, he looked great for being sixty. He kept his hair short, but it was a similar brown, though white was starting to creep in. Unlike me, he tried to stay clean shaven, though, like with most werewolves, he had a two o'clock shadow of greyish brown whiskers. Around his neck draped a green apron over a grey shirt, the full moon logo across his back. He was always happy to see me, though he often gave me flack. "Still going by Lykanos or are you finally going to switch over to what your card says?"

"Oh, come on, Jake," I teased, though he knew I was going to speak my usual truth. "I was Lykanos even before the Accord, it's just more official now."

He smiled at me, trying to seem the gruff old man. "Yea, yea. You pups and your Facebook Myspace stuff. How can I help you, Lyk? Here to donate some venom?"

"Twitter," I corrected as I joked back. "And you're calling people pups now? When did this start?"

His face lit up as he answered, "Have to get with the times. I mean, why not? Kids are goats, after all."

Both of us started to chuckle, his humor speaking to me. "Fair enough. But, no. Not today. Here to treat an unsuspecting transformation fan to a cup of your Wolf Venom Brew." I should probably mention that I wasn't only a customer, but in a weird sort of way, a bit of an employee. One of the regulations for these businesses was that they could purchase the enzyme mixture on the market, but werewolf venom was a non-tradable substance, the laws strictly enforced. Instead, these cafes relied on their local werewolf patrons, paying for saliva donations that were managed in house. They basically had you wolf out and drool into a sterile jar. Then, they'd centrifuge out the venom and add in the enzymes until the mixture turned blue. They'd then dilute to the proper consistency and use that in their drinks. All of this was documented and handled by a trained professional to ensure that the results would be, in fact, temporary.

Now, I should also note that not all of their drinks were made with this Wolf's Venom. Actually, on the displays above the counter, one was dedicated to food, mostly sandwiches and pastries, two were focused on normal beverages, and the forth on the far right was focused on "Wolf Venom Brew", transformative drinks for the adventurous patron. The panel was even dressed up to reflect its werewolfy nature. This is what I was planning to order from.

Jake's voice was pleased with my devious plan as he turned into a proper vendor. "And what can I get you? The usual?"

I looked up at the board despite knowing exactly what I was after, completely out of habit. "Off the Wolf Venom board, I'll do a cold brew frappuccino and a coffee, black."

He just had to smile at me as he restated my order, "Your usual and a basic coffee for your friend. Hope he enjoys the surprise. His first time?" Turning around, he got to work, still listening as I answered.

"It will be, yes. He doesn't know about Wolf's Venom, though he's a huge transformation fan. Keeps trying to guilt me into turning him."

Jake's huff was all too familiar as he turned parental on me. "You know you can't, right? You've told him that?"

Nodding to his back, I did. "Yes, I've told him. He knows, but he still doesn't like it. Kinda hoping this will ease it up a bit. Give him a taste of what it's like while keeping everyone safe in the process. Pretty sure he'll be hooked and have to find a local shop."

Finishing up my order, he started on Corey's cup with a chuckle. "Or you could keep sending him my way. God knows I could use the business."

It was my turn to laugh at the big man. "Oh, come on. Business is booming. You've got a ton of weres and a huge amount of humans here. Pretty sure you're making bank." His grin confirmed my statement, so I had to tease him. "You know, you'd get even more customers if you were all werewolfed out."

I made sure to take a sip as I waited, hoping to be fully shifted before Corey hit his halfway point. I could do it on my own, but the Wolf's Venom made it a bit easier, forcing my body without the need to focus. Jake noticed as he replied, a bit of exasperation edging his voice. "You always say that and you already know I can't. Health code violation. Hard to keep paws clean and a hair net would never cover that fur." Setting the other coffee beside my own, he rang me up as he heckled, "Not even going to wait for your friend?"

Handing over my card, I snuck another sip. "I want to start long before he does. Keep him distracted until it's too late. He loves this sort of stuff, so it'll be perfect." Pointing over my shoulder, I mentioned as I took back my card, "Have him watching that lesbian couple outside right now. Pretty sure he's staring like a pervert."

Jake looked past me and chuckled, knowing exactly who I was talking about. "Fran and Jenna? Oh, knowing them, they're probably into it. If you don't go save him soon, they'll likely start showing off."

Scooping up the coffees, I could already feel a tingle in my digits, a sign the change would start soon. "And with that, I'm off." Turning back around on my way out, I added, "Oh, and I think I'm signed up for Monday, so I'll see you then." He simply nodded with a two finger wave as he went back to his duties.

With the two cups as my priority, I headed outside, spotting Corey's gaze in an instant. He was still locked on the two ladies who were in the middle of a kiss, their ears and limbs mostly altered, one having removed her blouse with the bra still in place. The redhead was turning coppery, almost like a coyote, while her partner, a skinny blonde, was going solid white. I noticed that my friend had partially disrobed, too, his black jacket draped over the back of his chair. When I had closed in, he finally noticed me, his attention still half on the women. "Wow, you were right. Both werewolves."

Setting the drinks down, I took another sip before sitting, my ears starting to point as my fingers and toes thickened with the beginning of pads. I made sure to remove my sandals, scooting them to the side as I replied with a wink, "It's the nose. I could smell it."

"Uh huh," he stated as he wrapped back around. "And, hey! You're starting to change, too?"

Nodding, I went for another little sip. "Yep. Now don't mind me as I get a little more comfortable." Smirking, I reached back, the tear of Velcro signaling that I had opened a custom modification to my shorts. They still looked closed, but the dark fabric would separate as my tail pushed out later. I also took the time to loosen my belt to the far notch, purposely giving my torso room to grow.

"What are you doing?" His question was expected, a human knowing nothing of the troubles a werewolf dealt with on a daily basis.

Settling into the shift, I replied, "It gets expensive if you constantly buy new clothes. This saves me so much money in the long run."

"So, what did you do? And what about the shirt? You going to shred that?" He seemed so eager to know all my secrets, so I made sure he'd fall into my trap.

"I'll tell you, but try the coffee before it gets cold."

With a moan of surprise, he did as I asked, a bit impressed with the flavor. "Mmm, that's actually really good. You werewolves brew a mean coffee."

"You have no idea," I smirked as he took another sip, blowing to cool the cup. "As for the clothing, I opened a tail hole and loosened my shorts for growing into. As for the shirt." I swept my hands before the howling wolves, splaying my fuzzing fingers to the side. "It's an old one that I should throw out anyways. I know you like the tear-aways and tail-splosions, but I don't want to ruin my shorts, so maybe you'll get lucky with one of the other patrons. Still, gonna shred this shirt like a beast."

Taking another sip of my brew, Corey had a clear view of my hands, the deep grey pads finished as the white fur of my fingers and toes crept up my limbs. My claws were pushing forth and I could feel that my ears had started their migration upward. His gasp was all the more pleasurable as I saw him stare at my nose, the flesh darkening as it started to push out. "So, liking it so far," I asked, knowing all too well by the slacked jaw that he was in heaven.

I could feel my facial hair turn to fur as my muzzle grew, a patch of tannish brown settling over the bridge. My ears were fluffing, too, a similar brown as my body fur grew in, white in front with greys over my shoulders and backside. When the brown started blending the grey and white of my thighs and upper arms, it was time to lose the shirt, my face half finished. The twinge in my spine aided my soft snarl, a fierce display toned down as to not bother the other customers. "Ra-awr!" As I roared with muted vigor, my claws, fully formed, shredded through the green, opening my chest to the gentle wind. My white belly was mostly furred as the shape grew in power, my savage teeth now on display for my friend. Had he not been so into this, I'm sure he'd have wet himself in terror by this point.

Now, I can't begin to imagine what a first time change for a human feels like, but Corey was starting to sweat, beads of moisture forming along his brow. He seemed to assume it was the warmth of his drink, but I knew better. As he took another swig, he was so enthralled with me that he totally missed his own fingernails going black, far darker than my light grey daggers.

To continue his distraction, I tore away at the cloth, ripping as much as I could and flopping it to the floor. In the end, I had a couple sleeves, one connecting to the loose flap around my neck. By now, my tail had started to push out. I had to wiggle it as it grew, forcing it out the flap in my shorts as it started to fluff. Since my muzzle was nearly complete, my wolf-like tongue fully formed, I was forced to lean forward and lap up a little of my frappuccino. With my cheeks and a little of my tail still naked, I asked, "So, what do you think?"

Despite his claws creeping in, Corey's fur started in his torso, an odd itchiness overtaking him. He didn't notice, but his initial scratch actually tore a hole in his shirt as he rubbed away the irritation. "Really cool, Lykanos," he stated as he continued to stare, though he was starting to look a bit uncomfortable. "Wow, that coffee was hot. I think I'm getting some sympathy pain from watching you. You said that doesn't really hurt, because, man, it looked brutal."

"You get used to it," I stated as I watched him squirm, his fur moving up his neck and bunching below his shirt. His color was that of a red wolf, dusty brown going to dark greys in the back. The darker fur moved up his cheeks as my fur finished setting in. His normally naked face pricked with a beard of white as his ears started to move, the copper coating as they twitched. He was starting to catch on, I could see it in his eyes as the color went from green to husky blue on the left and the other golden, much like I knew mine had turned from hazel to the same gold. He didn't notice as his hair bleached to a very light grey, though his arms were now obvious, the coppery coat moving to his hands, a velvety cream white setting in.

His voice was filled with fear as he squeaked out, "L-Lykanos... W-what did you do to me?" His face turned into a grimace as his gaze dipped low, the black nose setting in with a subtle push out. "Gahhhh, my toes!"

Looking around the table, I saw his claws pushing through, the footwear breaking apart to let his massive, canine paws escape. His toes were locking into place as the dark pads finished, his fingers having a similar issue. I itched at my inner thighs, then leaned back, victorious. Taking on a calm composure, I finally filled him in. "So, the reason I brought you here is the coffee. For humans like you, the right brew can offer a temporary transition into something like myself."

"The- The coffee," groaned Corey in pain, his paws clasping to the table as he bent forward. The fur of his arms had made it to his wrists as his nose expanded, halfway bestial as his ears moved to the top. With another grunt of pain, he reached back, tearing an opening for his tail, two mostly formed bushes of black tipped copper bursting forth, the anguish settling out of his face. Sighing with relief, he sat up, picking up the cup as he appraised the liquid. "Is this real?"

Holding a paw out as I talked, I confirmed, "Very real." Motioning to him, I added an apology, "And pants don't explode like in the movies. Sorry, should have mentioned that."

"Nah, you're fine," came the hesitant words, his focus now the twin tails that wiggled. His fur had completely set in, brown over his nose and into his forehead with a platinum blue invading the bangs, the rest of his old hair an aged grey that contrasted his mostly copper and black body. As his changes finished, ending as the white overtook his fingers, he seemed shocked. "So, what am I?"

Pleased with my victory, I appraised my handiwork. "Looks like a red wolf. Don't worry, it's temporary. For a werewolf, it lasts about an hour per cup with diminishing returns."

"And for me," cut in the worried human.

"For a human," I advised, "It lasts about three hours for a full cup that size. They also have a 'One Hour Werewolf Shot' and if you get the Grande, that can take up to eight hours based on the person."

His fear was starting to subside as he took himself in, another attempted sip following his words. "That's actually kinda cool. Huh." Unfortunately, he spilled more than he sipped. That was my bad. I totally forgot to warn him, a mistake I quickly remedied as the black liquid hit his shirt.

"No, don't... sip..." Realizing I was too late, I filled him in on werewolf etiquette. "Our lips don't seal right for normal drinking. You have to lap or maybe use a straw if you can manage to get enough suction. Sorry, my bad."

"I should have known that," huffed the defeated canine as he went back to looking himself over. "So..." His tone turned a bit curious as he focused on his backside. "Is it normal to have two tails?"

It was my turn for a shock, since I knew most of the science behind the process yet had never even heard of such a thing. Peering around the roundtable, I was at a loss. "That... Isn't supposed to happen. I-I've never even heard of that. Maybe it's a mutation or something. Wow... sorry about that." I felt so bad for poor Corey as that sort of thing should never have happened and it was all my fault.

Fortunately, he seemed to have the answer, flicking both fluffy appendages as he spoke. "You know, I bet it's my tailbone. Yea, that's probably it. See, as a kid I kinda sorta busted it. Since I waited so long to tell my parents because I was doing something completely stupid at the time, it never healed right. I bet that split is why my tail split, too."

"Oh thank god," I wheezed, still on edge. "I thought I broke you or something."

Corey seemed to take the whole thing quite well, just as I expected. He was a transformation wannabee, after all. "Seems we both got a surprise today."

His smile lifted my mood back to the peppy wolf I am. "We did, indeed. So, did you like it? Was it worth the trip?"

His own joy returned as he exclaimed, "Are you kidding? I loved it! This is like the best thing ever!"

I couldn't help but chuckle. "I knew you'd like it. So, how long would you like to stay a wolf today. Also, I assume we'll be coming back tomorrow, won't we?"

"Oh hell ya!" His unbridled zeal turned a few heads, though most of them had gone through this before. It never failed. The first time for a human was always full of worry, even if they wanted it. The repeat customers, though. They were the ones who loved it. They were the ones who basked in the euphoria, much like the women had behind my friend. Corey was no exception, going straight from freaked out to fascinated. "I kinda want to check out that Grande you mentioned. Actually, I'd might as well go in and see all the flavors. Then, I'll turn back tonight and do this all over again tomorrow morning!"

"Slow down," I said with a hearty chuckle. "You still need to finish your first cup."

My smile only deepened as his ears tilted back, embarrassment washing over his muzzle. "Oh, right. Yea, that's a good idea." Lapping at the last of my drink, I got to watch the messy pup try to lick his coffee for the first time. Black caffeine splashed to the sides and stained his lips as he figured out how to drink like a proper werewolf, something he'd need to know as a guaranteed repeat customer.