Mice and Men

Emory

I can’t move as Rainier continues to translate the story about the hybrid. It is nothing but a terrifying monster, a mindless killing machine. My breath quickens as panic sets in, making me want to run away. I want to hide under the blankets of my bed and shut the world out. I don’t want to believe my baby could turn into the beast in the story with no ability to reason and only an insatiable urge to kill.

I touch my abdomen with my fingers, feeling protective and terrified of the life inside of me. Perhaps I could teach them to be good. Even if they have these bloodthirsty urges, I can guide them to control themselves so they won’t hurt other people. Humans thought that wolf shifters are like the werewolves in myths that were mindlessly violent, but we aren’t like that at all. I could make sure my child learns they don’t have to be anything other than what they want to be and not just what their base urges lead them to.

“Are you all right, Emory?” Rainier asks. “You’re looking k