Legacy Mutation (Book Eight)

Chapter 61: Fly

Dean stands at the edge of a building, the night wind rustling his fur and making him shiver just a little. His wings, untaped and folded against his back, remain motionless.

The boy purses his lips, shifting back and forth on his legs gently. They're still weak, but at least he can walk without the braces now.

It's been weeks of exercising his wings with Leonardo, trying to make them strong again, and it all comes down to this.

"You ready?" Copeland asks behind him.

He looks to his cousin, her pink mask tails blowing in the breeze. He looks towards the ground and nods.

"As I'll ever be."

She notices the far off gaze in his eyes, frowning. "Why the long face, Dean?"

"I...I spent so much of my life wishing I could become a wolf, like my mom. All along, I could've been focusing on the fact that I could fly, that I could run." His shoulders sag a little. "I still can't run...I can walk, but..."

Copeland steps forwards and places a hand on his shoulder. "You'll fly again. Just you watch." She punches his shoulder. "Come on. Ash, Kota, Venus, and Mitch are watching. You can do this."

"And if I fall?"

"Asher and I have got our grappling hooks ready to swing in and save you." She winks. "Get out there."

She disappears down the side, leaving Dean alone. He steps closer to the edge, the moon glistening above him and the stars twinkling. He unfolds his wings, fourteen feet of black, feathered glory, and he takes a deep breath of night air.

He flaps once, feeling them ache lightly. He steps forwards once more, spreading his arms out to his sides.

Then, he jumps.

He plummets for a second, his wings not yet catching him, but then his face narrows in concentration. The ground gets closer and closer, but he feels no fear. He's ready. He knows that this is it.

He flaps, breaking his fall and sending him sailing into the air. A rush of breath leaves his lungs as the wind whips his face, his wings carrying him again.

"YOU DID IT! I TOLD YOU, YOU IDIOT!" Copeland screams.

"GO DEAN! THAT'S MY LEADER!" Mitch whoops.

"GO DEAN GO! GO DEAN GO!" Asher, Dakota, and Venus chant.

He laughs, soaring higher and higher until his body is a silhouette against the moon. He stops flapping, letting his body hang in the air for a second as she shuts his eyes.

He's flying. Against all the odds, he's flying again.

"Nothing can bring me down now," he whispers as he takes off again.