Claimed under the moon.

The night everything changed. pt.2

That evening was exactly what Priya needed to let off steam. She had forgotten how fun it was to make memories with her friends.

The four friends wandered through times square,laughed over overpriced steak at restaurants and took a thousand pictures. They also had a full blown argument on which spiderman movie was the best.

"Oh my goodness, I don't understand your weird obsession with Tom Holland." Maya said.

"Girl you don't have to understand it." Priya replied.

"Wait,you've only watched Tom's spiderman,so how do you know that you don't like the rest?" Bryan asked.

"Tom is enough for me." Priya said with a toothy grin.

"We need to get you a man girl." Bryan replied.

They all laughed loudly.

For the first time in months, Priya's life felt wonderfully uncomplicated.

But alas it had to an end. By the time they were done with their meals and we're headed home,the city had settled into it's midnight rhythm.

"I'll catch the subway from here guys."Priya said.

"You sure?" Maya asked with concern.

"I'll be fine. Plus,our trains go in opposite directions."

"Okay girl. Be safe. Don't talk to boys."

After exchanging hugs and kisses,they parted ways.

Priya adjusted the strap of her handbag and started to walk in the direction of the nearest station.

The first few blocks were super busy,so she felt safe.

Then gradually,the streets became quieter.

Stores were closed.

Traffic faded.

She took out her phone to check the time.

12:43am.

A sudden, loud crash behind her made her jump.

A garbage bin had been tipped over.

Probably just a raccoon.

She continued walking. Briskly this time around.

Then she heard it.

A low growl.

Not loud.

Not near.

But it was certainly a growl.

She stopped walking.

"Hello?"

Silence.

She laughed nervously.

"I'm definitely loosing my mind."

The street lights flickered.

The cold wind swept across the alleyway.

Someone was there.

Behind her.

She continued to walk. Her footsteps became quicker, almost as if she was running.

Another growl echoed behind her again.

Closer and louder this time.

She spun around.

There was nothing but thick darkness that stretched between two brick buildings. Her breath was shaky.

"Stop scaring yourself. There's nothing here."

The moment she turned around -

Something moved fast.

Way too fast.

As massive shadow moved which caused Priya to freeze. She couldn't bring herself to move and inch.

She tried to make sense of what she just saw.

The figure she had seen was far too large to be a dog and it moved too low to the ground to be a person.

And it's eyes...

They weren't usual.

They glowed. A bright golden colour.

The eyes watched her.

The creature stepped into the light of the flickering street lamp.

It looked like a wolf. But what sort of wolf would look as big as a horse?It was unreal.

It's shoulders rippled with muscles beneath dark silver fur. It's long claws scrapped against the pavement. It had ropes of saliva dribbling down it's incredibly sharp teeth.

Those golden eyes remaind fixed on her.

"No..."

The whisper bearly left her lips.

The beast let out a snarl that frightened Priya to her bones.

Then it charged.

Priya ran while letting out loud screams.

Her Jimmy choo heels slapped against the pavement as fear consumed every cell in her body.

Don't look back.

Do not stop.

Run.

The pounding sounds of the beast's enormous paws grew louder behind her.

She ran between two parked cars, nearly slipping on the wet asphalt.

The creature crashed through the cars as they weighed nothing compared to it.

This beast wasn't hunting. It was chasing.

A single claw swiped past her should, shredding the sleeve of her brown coat.

She let out a loud cry.

The subway entrance came into her view. It was only a block away.

Hope flared. She might make it after all.

Suddenly, something slammed into her from behind.

The impact sent her crashing to the pavement.

Her head struck the ground so hard that it made stars burst across her vision.

Before she could make a useless attempt to crawl away,a weight held her down.

The creature's hot breath went all over her face. It's aggressive growls vibrated through her entire body.

For one simple second,it watched her.There was intelligence in the creature.

It's ears twitched and the moment of calm disappeared.

The wolf lowered it's head and sunk it's teeth deep into Priya's flesh.

She screamed until her voice broke. She didn't have the strength to let out more screams.

Her warm blood began to soak her pretty satin dress. It was the dress her father got her for her twenty-fifth birthday.

The pain was unlike anything she had ever felt. It was unbearable. It felt like fire itself had entered her veins.

The beast released her, backed away, and for a while watched her.

Then with one big leap,it fled into the darkness.

Priya laid on the pavement trembling. Her vision was blurred.

The bite stung. It grew hotter by the second.

She could faintly hear footsteps nearby.

A man shouted.

"Oh my God!"

She heard another voice shouting even louder for someone to call an ambulance.

The last thing Priya Sharma saw before the darkness took her was the moon high above the City.

Bright.

Full.

Watching.

It was as if it had been waiting for this moment...