The Legacy: The Shewolf

1.

LAYLA

“The witch is coming," I heard a girl say.

“Mum said she isn't a witch but a cursed child, and it's better to avoid her, and not have anything to do with her,” another with short hair replied.

I wore my hoodie over my head and hastened my footsteps away from them. When I was alone with no one there to notice me, I yelled at the top of my voice.

Some people are all-too-familiar with some situations because they face them constantly. My treatment at school, and everywhere else for that matter, wouldn’t get any better. My emotions turn bitter with every passing second. There’s always a finger pointed in my direction, and I am called names just because I am different, a half-vampire/werewolf, a hybrid. I didn’t ask to be born this way. I am still, the same as them, a werewolf, but just a little different with vampire blood flowing in my veins.

I got home excusing myself when my mum wanted to hug me, walking straight to my room instead. Lately, I just keep things to myself.

She would definitely feel bad if I had told her about it, about the names, and the mistreatment, and such. Being an alpha child didn't help with anything at all. Instead, it came with a lot of mockery and pain.

The conversation between mom, dad, and someone I couldn’t get the voice of was ongoing when I heard footsteps coming towards my room. I pretended to be fast asleep when the door finally opened.

“Layla, don't you dare use that on me! I know you more than you know yourself. So, get your ass up," Carla said, throwing herself at me, which forced out a grunt from me.

“I thought it was my mum and dad. I am not ready for their talks again. I just want to be left alone,” I told her.

Carla is the only person who accepts me just the way I am. Sometimes I feel like it’s only because her father is the beta to my dad, that’s why she was being friends with me, and I hate feeling that way.

Carla is abreast of me, we share the same birthday month, the same day, and in two months’ time, we’ll be eighteen. I’m not looking forward to it nor am I looking forward to meeting my hybrid self or my mate, because I know no one will accept a monster like me. I’ll be rejected once they find out that I am their mate.

“Bad day at school today?” she asked me, and I bobbed my head. She hugged me from behind, holding me tightly to herself.

“I'm changing schools next semester and coming to your school to kick those asses that dare to bully you or make your day rough,” she said, clenching her hands into fists.

“I'm not worried about the bullying. It's the name associated with it. I have been called a cursed child, a monster, a witch, evil, and so many other names. Do I look like any of those things?" I asked her, and then I remembered she had been in support of me from time immemorial. “Don't worry, forget about it, I know you will always have my back no matter what. No need to ask you because you will definitely lie to me,” I told her.

Standing up from the bed, I slowly began undressing and heard a loud gasp from Carla. She was right next to me in no time, rubbing her hands on my back.

“What?" I asked her as I pulled away from her to check myself in the mirror. The bruises all over my back were evident. Damn, I thought it would have healed before I got home, but now she had seen it all.

“Who did this to you?” asked Carla belligerently.

“No one," I replied reluctantly.

“I demand an answer from you," Carla sounded authoritative. Her voice, commanding.

“It won’t change even if I tell you. Let it go, Carla. I just want to take my bath and go out.” I told her while heading towards the bathroom and was pulled back by her.

“I won't let it go. Did you get beaten today because you’re a hybrid? f**k, they're the real monsters, doing this to a girl,” Carla voiced out, her voice sounding crystalline and emotions knotting from her face.

“Enough Carla Williams! This won't undo what they did!”

“I need names, Layla!,” she yelled at me.

“Then do what? Tell my dad that I have been bullied ever since I could talk? Bullied by my housekeeper, molested, and even abused so many times because I am a hybrid – the cursed child that shouldn't have been born! I should be lucky that today they only lightly whipped me,” I told her as I broke down in tears.

“Honey, I’m so sorry," she said, walking towards me, but I backed out and rushed into the bathroom, shutting the door in her face, and locking as my eyes continued to pour.

My first assault was when I was four years old. My parents went for a meeting, and I was left alone with the babysitter. She taped my mouth to keep me from crying out loud, and then she tortured me. She drew my hair, pinched me, and said all kinds of words. She waited for me to heal, timing everything perfectly, so my parents wouldn't know or suspect what had happened.

This kept happening until I was ten, when they thought they wouldn't need her help anymore because I was all grown up. She threatened to kill me and told me that my parents would likewise fall to the same fate should I ever tell them what she did to me. Left with no choice but discretion.

I admired the sunbathing buildings as I passed them cheerfully, unknown to me why the driver couldn’t drive me home that day. I felt that I was all grown up at fifteen, so I walked home from school alone.

My mind was filled with thoughts when I accidentally bumped into one of the boys and I guessed that being different provoked them. They decided to pay me back by abusing me. No matter how much I apologized, I was beaten.

And since then, I have been bullied almost every day, becoming like a schedule. All I had was channeling my anger at the punching bag in the training room.

Forever grateful to Carla’s brother, who was the head warrior of our pack, I was able to learn how to defend myself from him, channeling all my anger on him during training.

I could have returned like for like when I was pushed against the locker today. I would have fought back, but then I thought of every word the pack members would say – that I used my evil powers on them and hurt their kids. Nobody would ever believe me except my parents and my younger brother, but I wasn't ready to put them through that phase of choosing between me and the people they vowed to protect. I was willing to allow myself to be beaten by everyone.

When the people got exhausted, they all ran away, leaving the blood-stained sticks and such behind. Covered in blood, I lay still for a moment while I allowed the healing process to take place.

When the wounds were completely healed and had stopped bleeding, I began my walk home again. I couldn't get a bus with my clothes soaked in blood. So, I had to stop at a store to get another set of clothes. Exactly the same as I wore to school that morning so my parents, especially my mum, wouldn't notice the change.

Every accident flashed through my mind as I cried more while Carla kept banging at the door, begging me to open up.

I have to be strong, if not for anyone, but for myself and learn how to stand up for myself.

I opened the shower and gave in as the hot water fell on my body. Soothing my mind, trying to wash my tears away. I watched as the water passed through the drain, thinking why I can’t be like this water, free!

I walked out of the bathroom tied with a towel, Carla looked messy, and her eyes were pouring and red. Her nose had some snot on it, and she finally hugged me.

“I’m sorry for asking you for their names. I just wanted to help you with dealing with them,” she said, hugging me tightly.

“I can handle things myself. I just need to get stronger and then I will be fine. I am stronger than you think. Now stop crying, I need to get dressed.”

“Where are you going?" She asked me.

“To meet your brother, where we always train, '' I said, fitting myself in long black sleeves and black trousers, tying my black shoelaces, and then parked my hair in a ponytail. “Cover-up for me, love!” I told her as I climbed the window.

“Wait! Are you jumping through the window!?” I nodded and winked before jumping down and landing on my feet, turning around to watch her staring at me, and I smiled, giving her a thumbs-up before running towards the training ground.

When I got there, it was packed with people and I wanted to turn back but Jody Williams, Carla's elder brother, yelled at me, making me halt in my position. Then everyone's attention was diverted to me, and they all began murmuring.

“Enough guys," Jody said, turning to me, “Come on Layla, don't be afraid. Come in!” he said.

“I see you’re preoccupied; I will come back later. I don't want to inconvenience you and your teammates while training,” I said, turning around to make my way for the second time. This time, he gripped my hand.

“They are here because of you. They will attack you while you defend yourself,” he told me, and I was startled.

“What!!!!”

Jody gave me a withering look. “Today’s training will be so,” he said, pushing me to the middle as everyone was glaring at me. I silently prayed to the Moon Goddess to open the ground and swallow me in if possible.

“Listen up everyone, I will tie a flag to your clothes, and she will try to defeat you all to get it. The first set will be three, then four, five, and finally seven of you. So, go hard on her, or you will end up getting hurt!” Jody vehemently repeated his instructions.

“At the sound of my whistle, you three attack her, and Layla focus as I have taught you. Focus on them, defend, then attack!" he said. I breathed in and out before taking my stance, and at the sound of his whistle, they launched after me.

It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. I have always fought against Jody but fighting with them is difficult. I was pushed so many times to the ground, punched, and defeated. Still, I wasn't able to get any of them.

No matter how hard I pushed myself, I was defeated. I knew because I was a girl, they were going easy on me, but I hated it that I wasn't able to defeat just one and be proud of myself.

Jody blew his whistle calling for a total halt and I roared out in frustration, and soon they began leaving one after the other with Jody thanking them for coming, and I crumbled to the ground with tears in my eyes.

“Hey Layla, are you okay?" He asked me and I shook my head.

“I hate being weak, I hate being humiliated!, Laughed at and bullied and sometimes molested or abused! When will I be strong enough to finally fight against them?" I asked him and Jody smiled.

“You won't be able to beat any of them in a week or months’ time. You are fighting against trained warriors who have been fighting since fifteen while you’re just starting to learn the basics. If you consistently keep training, there is a chance you can defeat them someday. You should go home and rest, your parents will be worried” he said, patting me on my shoulders.

“Thank you for training me even when others don't. Thank you”. I walked out even though defeated but encouraged.

I know soon I won't be able to handle the bullies any longer, and I will have to fight them with everything in my power.

“Baby, dinner is ready," I heard my mum's voice calling out to me.

“I am not hungry, mum, I don’t have the appetite.”

“Layla, please come for a minute,” mum said, and I walked up to meet her, and then she hugged me as she broke down into tears.

“Hate me, Layla! Everything you are going through is because of me. I am so sorry, baby! I just heard everything from your brother. I will make sure they pay for it,” mum said, holding me tight.

“Never mind, I have learned how to handle myself and I won't allow you all to be talked about badly because of me," I told her.

“But you are my child, and you matter the most."

“Your people matter the most, mum. I can handle it all. Give me some time, and please don't tell dad!” I pleaded with her and when I had consoled her, I went up to my room. Tomorrow I have to make sure I win the flag. No matter what I do, I need my confidence to be built back up.