The Alphas' Legacy (Alpha Eyes: Book 3)

Chapter 29

Zoey

I swiped at my cheeks as I ran out the back door. Van's words echoed in my head, pounding against my temples like a gong.

Can't you do anything for yourself?

I hadn't been allowed to do anything for myself for years! Even here, where I knew that I had freedom, I was waiting for someone to reprimand me for doing something I shouldn't. It was almost safer just to continue allowing those above me to tell me what I could and couldn't do.

Miraculously, no one was in the backyard as I ran across the yard into the trees. Anyone who saw me would probably report me to Van or Luna, and at the moment I didn't want to face either of them. I just wanted to get lost in the woods until I wanted to come back. And there was only one way to get away fast enough.

Are you ready for this?

My wolf balked and started backpedaling. Ready for... No, Zoey! Not like this. It's been too long. We can't change this fast. It'll be too painful for you, and I may not be able to fully emerge.

You have to! I cried. Someone will come after us, and you're faster.

Zoey...

I wiped away more tears and shook my head. I needed to do this, to prove that I could do something for myself and give my wolf a chance to get stronger. We'd agreed that she should stay hidden because it was safer, but I'd heard Stitch talking to Van. He was concerned that I'd kept her suppressed for too long and that it was actually hurting me. It was time to put aside the charades.

I'd never forced my wolf to do anything before, but now I yanked her forward. She squirmed and pleaded with me to be patient, but I couldn't. I let my arms go first, shoulders cracking into a new position. Spears of fire shot through my veins and deep into my muscles. I staggered for a second but pressed deeper into the trees. My back cracked next, the sound echoing in my ears. When my hips cracked, the force sent me sprawling to the forest floor. I screamed as my knees snapped the opposite direction. My chin and nose stretched forward, drawing together into a wolf's facial form. Fur was sprouting too, the change burning as if my skin was splitting open. I gasped for a breath, clutching handfuls of dirt to ground myself through the dizziness.

I told you we weren't ready, my wolf cried, her voice stronger now that she was nearly in control.

My vision tinted red for a moment, my pulse racing from the stress of the shift. Hopefully the pain would pass in a few minutes, and I'd be able to get up and continue running. I focused on taking one breath at a time, flinching through waves of pain as I finished shifting. My clothes ripped as my wolf's slightly larger body pushed through the constraints of the fabric. The breeze fluffed my fur and cooled my face, but the pain of everything remained.

I... I'm sorry, my wolf whimpered. I don't have the strength to go on. This is too much.

Reaching through her surface-level control, I pressed my paws into the ground and pushed up. The fiery flare in my muscles sent me crashing back to the dirt. I laid my head down and closed my eyes. It would pass soon. It had to.

Shadows crowded my mind, pushing at the edge of my consciousness until I couldn't tell if my eyes were open or closed. I slipped into the darkness, losing my grip on reality.

#

"How was I supposed to know—"

"It doesn't matter if you knew or not, Van! You were too hard on her. You're supposed to be encouraging her, not dragging her down!"

"Just because I'm not fawning over her like you are doesn't mean that I'm—"

"That's such low blow, Van. You're better than that. And don't think that I haven't noticed how possessive you've been of her lately."