Far Side

Chapter One - Meet The Pack

Damp night air nipped at your cheeks, a freezing gust of wind blowing past your bodies causing you to lean closer into your boyfriend’s side. 

Feeling you shiver through your thick jacket, he tightened his grip on your shoulder and quickened the pace through the back alleyways.

Almost too fast for you to keep up without stumbling over yourself.

Soggy leaves from the previous rain sloshed under your heels, being the only other noise besides your heavy breathing. It must of poured while you two attended his sister’s wedding reception and never realized.

You always hated taking this route when he would suggest it, the place was too close to the woods and to be a little honest it freaked you out. Unlike other woodland areas, this area was beyond eerie with the sensation of eyes burning a hole deep into your soul. 

It had been a feeling you could never shake no matter the number of times the two of you would trek this far.

You were running late, at any minute the bus would stop running and you would be stuck on the other side of town far from your cozy apartment. If it had not been for this sole reasoning, you would have begged him not to go this way. 

Something was telling you this was not going to be like any other night. Your fight or flight reflexes had kicked in well over ten minutes ago, and now every hair on the back of your neck stood on end. 

Something was seriously wrong.

“I hate going this way,” you complained, mostly to yourself as your free hand that wasn’t wrapping around his warm body tugged on the front of your coat.

“I know, but—“

Before he had time to finish, a low growl echoes from the shadows resulting in an abrupt stop; eyes scanning the forest for the source. Your heart stopped momentarily, breath caught in your throat as your body started to shake in fear of the unknown. 

Feeling you tremble, your boyfriend kissed your temple and urged for the both of you to start moving again.

“If we keep moving, it shouldn’t bother us. Probably just some wolves.”

“Wolves are exactly what I’m afraid of! What if we get attacked and,” he cleared his throat to stop you from ending that sentence. Shaking his head to try and console you as you were now in a slight jog. 

Holding his hand as he practically dragged you to the bus stop.

From the darkness of trees more growls emitted, louder this time and exceedingly threatening, managing to crack your boyfriend’s resolve once and for all as the sound followed you. 

With a panicked expression, he looked at you with wide eyes making your heart palpitate. Squeezing your hand with desperation.

A knot grew in the pit of your stomach by the way he was looking at you. It was like he was saying goodbye if by chance something bad were to truly happen. Your knees went weak, a million thoughts clouding your thought process making you freeze in place.

‘ If this is a dream now would be the perfect time to wake up because this isn’t funny anymore! Wake up, Y/N! ’

“Y/N, don’t look back,” was all he said before bursting out in a full-blown run, his grip on your hand so tight it could break your fingers if he squoze any tighter.