Cursed?

The Shame

The moon reached its peak in the sky so finally, it was time for the girls to shift in front of the pack and guests before running with each other. Standing side by side they waited for whatever was supposed to happen. Violet was relying on Sasha for a cue on when to pretend to start shifting. But that cue never came. Seconds felt like hours as they just stood there in silence. The onlookers began to mumble amongst each other, assuming neither of the alpha heirs could shift. Violet was beginning to panic at the realization that their pack looked weak right now. Defective. Cursed. But Violet thought quickly of an idea, one she knows her sister may hate her for, but for the good of the pack. Their pack wouldn't appear as weak if at least one of them could shift, then they wouldn't become a target. Quickly, she took on the form of her black wolf for the first time in years. It seemed so easy for her, none of the rumoured pain or bones popping, just a quick and expertly controlled shift into a decent sized black wolf. Sasha's face grew hot with embarrassment and shame as she began straining to reach in to her mind, trying to find and pull her wolf out. She felt like she could just barely reach it, but not quite yet. Exasperated, she gave up and panted for air before looking at all the stares on her, unable to shift. She didn't wait for Violet or their father to speak to her, she turned and quickly used her two legs to go running off in to the woods, which happened to be the opposite direction of where they had planned on running tonight. Violet wanted to chase after her, but nobody else seemed to share her concerns as they shifted and began to howl together. Nobody except their father. They were the last of the two to start running, but it didn't feel right. Was it because they didn't have Sasha there with them? Or was it something else?