Fly

Chapter 11

I stop myself halfway through my panic attack. I can't let this overcome me. I was given this power for a reason.

...oh what am I, a superhero? A righteous somebody with a future? Flying through the sky, saving lives? Running, sword in hand, at a group of bad guys and destroying them all and saving the damsel in distress?

I laugh aloud at that thought. I'm no hero. I fight for a living as an orphan. Hell, I'm a murderer.

That was probably the reason behind why I was thrown out that plane. To die. To suffer. To atone for my sins. The reason for my pain is for the pain I've caused others.

I mean, not to be depressing, but I honestly have been a terrible person. I'm not fit for society. Wolves suit me better, violent yet loyal to a select few. Often seen as demons, outcasted by the people. It's fitting for something like me.

I sit up and feel the ground, rubbing the soft moss and patches of green between my fingers. I will not let this get me down. I will thrive as I always do.

Maybe this was a blessing, not a curse.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I get up and start walking back to the clearing. The sun was showing through the clouds on the horizon. Night had ended. I use the dim light to make my way to my stuff and pack up. I laid the alpha on my disgusting jacket and dragged him to the pack with me, tying the jacket around my ankle.

I adjust my shirt and head out. Using my cane to lead me, I make my way through the woods to the pack.

By the time I cross the barrier into our part of the woods, I'm ready to collapse. I do not stop though. I make it all the way to the main cleared area under the alpha rock. I lean against the rock and untie the jacket from my tired ankle. I slam my cane against the rock four times, calling the wolves to the clearing. Some others were already heading over from the scent of the dead wolf, but now they showed their muzzles and sat down in the light. I cleared my throat and held my head up high. I looked around at my pack.

My pack? Well, I am the alpha. I succeeded the former, therefore putting me in the leadership role? It's still odd saying that.

This pack is still my pack, and whether I lead it or just exist in it, I will give them my all. I cannot destroy any more bridges. I have burnt enough in my past, its time to take a stand with pride, give my all.

I take off my clothes and place them in a pile by the wall. I take a deep breath and pray my previous wolf form would not be the mess I come back to. I focus and begin to change into a wolf, the proper form for this situation.

After close to 20 minutes of pure agony, inflamed more by my other wounds, I rose before my pack as a wolf. Happily I noticed I had a tail again, and no other wounds besides the fact that I was exhausted beyond belief. I stretched out my legs and neck, popping a few joints and getting used to myself again.

I sit back and square my shoulders back. I asses the wolves surrounding me in a semi-circle. I notice they are all staring at the alphas corpse and avoiding eye contact with me. I stood up and fluidly walked around. Some wolves bowed, some stared right through me. The she-alpha looked me right in the eyes and then down at the ground. I don't know if that means she accepts me as alpha or if I am still seen as unworthy to her.

As I climb up onto the rock, I hear some pup whispering behind me.

"Did she come back from the mansions of rest? She smells like it."

I spin round and search for the pup. I look down at the small wolf. "What did you just say?"

The poor boy shook under my presence. "I-I asked if you came back from the mansions of rest."

Mansions of rest? What is that? A female wolf stepped forward to explain. "The mansions of rest are where wolves go after life. That is where our past alpha is now." She sighed, then went back to the spot where she was before.

I looked over to the alpha. Maybe they were smelling his death on me? I didn't die, what? That's ridiculous. I wouldn't be here if I was, uh, had died right?

I shake off the thoughts and decide I will return to them later when I have the time and the privacy. I walk away and up the rock, standing above the pack. I can nearly see the entirety of our territory. The old alphas had a great idea staying up here. I take a breath and look down. Time for me to explain my actions.

"Now I know you all are wondering what happened. Yes, before I had defeated the alpha and taken leadership of this pack. I don't recall exactly what happened, but I do remember I went out to gather my things when I was attacked. Later, I awake under the dead alpha. I was covered in both his and my blood. The forest was ravaged. I assume there was a great fight and that the alpha died honorably. I brought his body back so I could place it in a location where he would not be forgotten.

"This alpha was great. Yes, he was a little jumpy and protective, but I'm pretty sure all alphas are. Even in the human pack I came from, they were just like that. Humans were more bloodthirsty and greedy, though. This alpha brought me in, a human skin-changer. He has created many protections against the mutant wolves hunting on our territory. I want to continue his work. I want to protect and help this community thrive. This is my pack, and I am prepared for what responsibilities I may have to bear. I didn't ask for this, I didn't mean to fight the alpha for his position, but it happened, and we can't bring him back. Now I am here, in charge of leading you all. I am not a wolf, I don't know what Fate was thinking when it threw all this at me, but I will not let Destiny beat me into submission. I will fight and overcome this struggle as I always have. I allow you all can learn to accept me and help me to help you." I nod and sit down. The crowd is excited, yelping and howling in response. I guess they liked my speech. I pull my lips back into a wolfish approximation of a smile across my muzzle. I howl along with them, creating a chorus of joy and change.