Shameful by May Dawson

11

Legacy

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I stumbled awayfrom the café and into an alleyway. I had to get somewhere no one could see me. In the distance, sirens began to roar. Help. But I didn’t need humanhelp.

Once my wolf took over, I’d begin to heal. Otherwise, I would never be strong enough to escape. The wounds I had—no human could inflict those, and if humans realized vamps were real, it might expose the shifters too. I had to protect thepack.

Frantically, I lurched down the alleyway. I couldn’t hide here in the shadow of the dumpster, as much as I wanted to. I had to get furtheraway.

I made it to the mouth of the alley, to an even busier street. Where could I go? My mind reeled, trying to find a solution. To the college grounds; there was enough wooded area there that I could disappear into, that I could shift without beingseen.

I set off at a desperate, staggering run, trying to get to the safety of campus.

I didn’t make it. I slammed to my knees on the cement, sending a painful shock through my kneecaps. My head reeled.

My hands were bloody, and my vision seemed to shimmer back and forth. Claws erupted at the ends of my fingers, digging into the concrete. The beginning of the shift.

My body was trying to save my life. But my brain was trying to save my pack. I launched myself up, left a dark slick of blood on the road as I lunged for the trees. I had tohide.

I went down again, and this time, there was no stopping it. The shift ripped throughme.

I fell onto my side, closed my eyes against the glare of lights around me. No, it was too bright, I couldn’t changehere.

But it was coming, ripping through me. Pain—then warmth. The glow of being a wolf. I raised my head and blinked, saw my bloodied leg and began to lick it. Pain shot through my shoulder, but it wasn’t so bad anymore. The wound on my leg had healed from inside, turned into just a deep, nasty scrape. The bones were knit back together, the flesh formed.

The shift heals. The shift isgood.

I raised my head and sniffed the air. I could smell him on me still—the vamp, his heavy dose of aftershave and the faint sicker, sweet scent of rot. He barely stank of vamp but now I could find the trace under the cologne. If I had shifted into my wolf form earlier, I would’ve known what he was. Always better as thewolf.

I tried to gather the bloody shreds of my clothing in my mouth, then gave up. Needed to hidemore.

I limped toward the edge of the college campus, still injured. Need to hide until I’m better, then get back home. Home. The thought filled me with longing.

Suddenly, the scent of my attacker grew stronger.

I whirled. I couldn’t see him, but I could smellhim.

I whirled, searching for something to fight.

His jaws ripped into my shoulder, barely missing my throat. I snarled and lashed out, but the attacker was already gone. My blood splattered across the concrete.

I turned andran.

I was bleeding heavily. My body felt as if it were draining, but I had to get away, had to get tohelp.

Instead, I collapsed.

Some time later, I jolted awake. I was moving, strapped to a bed. Shocked faces were above me. Humans.

The bright lights resolved. I caught a glimpse of my pale, blood-splattered skin. I looked human again now too. The shift happens erratically, out of our control, when we’re on the verge of death. Panic rose like bile in my throat. I might shift again right here in front ofthem.

“You’re going to be okay,” the paramedic said soothingly.

I had to getaway.

I ripped out of the restraints while the ambulance crew scattered, terrified. They slammed into the walls, knocking medical equipment down, as I lurched into the back door of the ambulance. I was still in animal mode. I couldn’t find the latch, finally fumbled and hitit.

Then I threw it open and jumped into the street.

I rolled, came up on my feet, and ran desperately forhome.

Once I hit the pines, I turned. On four paws, I raced desperately forhome.

I let out a long, needy howl when I reached the edge of our territory. I wasn’t even home yet when my parents and Courage metme.

I staggered, fell to my knees.

“Legacy?” My father’s voice was full of fear that I’d never heard before.

My father picked me up in strong arms and the last thing I saw was the house in the distance as he carried me towardit.

Home.

I’d made it home. Everything would beokay.

I let myselffall.