Lycan Obsessed

CHAPTER THREE: ESTRANGED CALL

With its hooves beating against her ribcage, Cassandra felt her heart race like a wild stallion. Her breath came in short pants, gagged by the persistent chunk of pressure that held her chest. She painfully remembered that she had already planned her day and was looking forward to the comfort of her favorite coffee shop; having a panic attack was not on the list, even as she struggled to breathe normally.

She only desired to be in a place where the aroma of freshly roasted beans infused her creative juices. But her mind betrayed her, sending her into a panic and fearful frenzy.

As she closed her eyes, almost immediately she locked eyes with the most prettiest face she’d ever seen, and inwardly she asked herself, if pretty was the right word to describe a man.

He wore a silk shirt and almost tight fitting pants, it was plain and formal—but it was unfashionable and yet, there was something colorful about his aura.

Cassandra could tell what he smelled like from across the room—musky, wood and at the same time, yet at the same time, it seemed delightful to her.

Strangely he reached out to her with his right arm and she saw the most beautiful arm hair and extremely long nails but she couldn’t touch him because someone had tapped her face—it was Cynthia.

“Oh thank goodness, I thought you wouldn’t open your eyes”, she smiled at Cass but looked really nervous.

Cassandra looked around and saw that she was on her coffee brown couch with a piece of cloth covering her up to her torso.

After a really awkward moment, Cassandra licked her dry lips and nudged her head to indicate that she was thirsty.

After having a glass of water, she finally spoke.

“I don’t understand, I thought I was somewhere else…I saw somebody.” She looked genuinely confused and a little bit embarrassed.

“What do you mean?” Cynthia was already at the kitchen counter and had her back turned to Cassandra.

Cassandra adjusted herself so she could sit up to look in the direction of her friend before answering , “I dunno…I just know I was somewhere else and it didn’t feel like a dream. It really happened.”

This time, Cynthia turned to watch her friend closely.

“Sure you don’t have a concussion? Cuz you had a panic attack, you didn’t hit your head…I guess” She said and walked across the small sitting room to sit beside her friend.

“A panic attack??!” Cassandra exclaimed and almost immediately, remembered the events that happened.

“Cin, it’s been six months since I last had a panic attack and I wasn’t triggered.” She said sternly.

Cynthia smiled a little before replying, “Maybe, anxiety from starting your new book?”

That was when it dawned on Cassandra that she must have had Sage worried and hurriedly reached for her bag to get her phone.

“What’s happening, you’re moving too fast…we don’t want you falling or losing your balance Cass” Cynthia said standing up to walk her friend back to her couch.

“Uh, I’m trying to call Sage,shoot I knew it. She’s been trying to reach me, kinda blew up my phone to sass me for not showing up” Cassandra said and they both snickered because they knew Sage was actually calling to sass her.

After reaching Sage on the phone and apologizing, although leaving out the part that she had a panic attack, Cassandra sighed and told Cynthia that she was still going to head over to Sage’s.

Cynthia seemed worried but teased her about her daydreaming. “So, who’d you say you saw?” She asked mischievously.

Cassandra rolled her eyes but told her anyways.

“I kid you not, I saw this guy when I passed out, everything seemed real because he tried to reach out to me but you obviously decided to be a killjoy.”

They exchanged glances and smiled again.

“Well, maybe you’re fantasizing about werewolves, because you obviously are gonna write about them, thought about that, genius?” Cynthia fluttered her lashes at her friend, pacing around the room looking for something.

“Yeah, you’re probably right. But for real, it didn’t feel like a fantasy. I was literally trying to feed Phoenix when you-know-what happened.” Cassandra said.

“Uh huh, you better get going, might meet you up at Sage’s” Cynthia said, carrying her duffel bag.

“Oh don’t actually forget to take your pills this time, I’ve gotta head back to work right now.” She leaned in to touch Cassandra’s cheek before walking out.

Cynthia’s idea of “work” was recycling dirt that her boss had her take from the subway. It was supposed to be a factory. She didn’t understand why Cynthia what the concept of picking up dirt was for and why her best friend agreed to it.

She knew Cynthia didn’t like it, but didn’t quit anyways.

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At the coffee shop, Sage had sized Cassandra up and figured that she probably had a lot going on and didn’t bother her any further. Instead, she ordered a worker of hers to give her a muffin, a cup of coffee and a warm smile. This is why Cassandra loved Sage, her sass came with a little care and tenderness.

After getting settled, she proceeded to scribble on her notepad and her thought process was just unpatterned and scattered.

She scribbled anyways.

Dan Fischer heard the howl in the woods and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, he felt the vibrations from underneath and held on to the back of his trunk. It still couldn’t move, wasn’t even screeching. It just stopped.

He knew something was wrong when he saw the same markings on the trees, he couldn’t understand why he let his curiosity get the best of him and impulsively got out of his truck.

Now, he regretted ever stopping to take a look. He felt the hair at the back of his neck stand , he had never been this terrified before. He couldn’t see it yet, but he could feel a presence…

Cassandra’s phone buzzing interrupted her writing and when she looked at her phone screen, she was surprised to see that her estranged father, was calling her phone.

Her heart thumped hard but she had her pills and she snuck one through the corners of her mouth making sure that nobody saw her. She didn’t know how to react, her phone kept buzzing.

She hadn’t heard his voice in ages, she hated the fact that he had such a hold on her and her emotions. He really triggered her and filled her thoughts with a little hate and resentment.

Cassandra decided anyways, she was only going to hear him out because her mom would’ve wanted her to.