Heath, the grey wolf, tapped the steering wheel impatiently, staring up at the lights. He had to get to the chemist’s soon! Not only was closing time approaching, but the very purpose for his expedition was equally time sensitive.

The light changed, and he sped up, the road blessedly clear outside of that one obstacle. He found a space as he turned into the parking lot, pulling quickly into it and hopping out of the car and then dashing for the drug store on the corner. His heart leapt as he saw a squirrel, the lead chemist, walking towards the door, about to flip the sign from open to closed. He waved his hands, guilt sparking when the clerk saw him. Heath worked in retail himself and despised the kind of customer who came in one minute before closing, but at least he had purpose.

He burst into the shop, looking for the medication he needed and shoved his way past the squirrel. “S-steady on, sir!” The beleaguered fellow said, but Heath wasn’t listening, he put the medicine down on the counter as soon as he found it.

“Just this, please. Terribly sorry I’m so late, j-just this and I can get going.” Heath said, his claws tapping on the surface before him. The squirrel deliberately took his time walking around to the counter, a grumpy expression on his face that he wasn’t even trying to hide behind the ‘Customer Is Always Right’ smile that his manager had tried to drill into him.

“Right that’ll be..” He looked at the medicine, and now the squirrel understood the wolf’s desperation. “Oh, uh, if you need some, take it first, pay after!”

“Thank you, thank you thank you!” The wolf said, lifting the bottle and fighting the lid to get it open. The squirrel had poured a glass of water for him which he took, counting out three pills and swallowing them. Heath gasped, relief flooding him. “Oh gosh, thank you. I was sure I had a bottle left at home but I couldn’t find it, and it’s … that time, you know?” He said, chuckling nervously.

The squirrel nodded. “That’s seventeen fifty, then.” He said. The wolf pulled out his wallet placing twenty five on the counter.

“Keep the change, you’ve earned it and my gratitude.” Heath said, smiling.

“Very kind of you sir.” The squirrel replied.

Heath turned, taking the bottle and walking toward the door, when he suddenly stopped… oh no. He looked at the bottle. It took thirty minutes to work, he was sure he’d had that much time left.

His body started to creak as he tried to hurry outside, but too slow. The sudden twinge he felt knocked him to one knee. His fur started to thicken at a rapid rate, muscles bulging outward from his previously meagre physique. His shirt and pants both struggled to contain it and the pain in his feet made him panic more. He kicked off one shoe in time to save it, but the other tore open as his thickened claws ripped out. A ripping sound filled the air, too, as the shirt and his trousers split into rags.

The werewolf genes that his family tree had picked up many generations ago had kicked in. When the transformation finished, and he buried his face in his palm out of shame, at least his boxers had stretched without ripping.

“Uh… sorry.” Heath said, meekly. The squirrel was trying to be polite, but couldn’t help glancing constantly at the now transformed wolf. “Uh… I’d better go.” He said, slipping out.

He was too flushed in shame to think clearly. Even though such an occurrence was understood and seen just as an embarrassing incident at worst, thanks to how many strange and mystical creatures lived in the city, he chided himself on forgetting to stock up on meds. He made it back to his car and then sagged. Like this he was far too big to fit into the passenger seat. He went to the boot, opening it up to pull out a spare set of clothes that he kept there, just in case such an emergency struck. He’d have to wait a while.

Even if the meds started in thirty minutes, it would be at least another hour before he was back to his normal size, and it was dangerous to drive while changing. He reached into his car, struggling to fit his shoulder in far enough to reclaim his phone, and then looking for somewhere to sit and wait it out. At least he’d remembered to charge that.