2 2. Fear

Tanya's POV

"I'm going to die," I mumbled.

Let's rephrase that, we are going to die.

"I should have been more understanding towards mom," I declared, acknowledging my doom.

You think?

"Easy boy," I whispered as it took a step closer.

What are you doing?

"I'm trying to tame him!" I hissed, partly in exasperation and fear as I too took a step backward.

How the fuck do you think you can tame that beast?

"All animals deserve love, and he's not a beast!" I whizzed, my voice shaking due to the fear that coursed through my veins.

Did that sound like an animal that deserves love? My subconscious disputed as it let out another growl.

"You are not helping," I grit in irritation as it bared its mouth. It took all the restraint in me not to drop dead on the parched leaves. "Calm down boy, everything is going to be alright."

Keep saying that, it might come true.

I inhaled sharply as the grey-eyed wolf covered the little distance between us, its breath fanning my coat as we locked gazes. "Yup, this is the end."

Clamping my lids shut, I waited for the worst. Seconds passed by and I didn't feel its teeth tearing into my skin. I summoned the little courage I had left and peeped, only to be met with the sight of it nuzzling it's nose in my neck.

"What's happening?" I queried in fright as its grey fur caressed my legs.

It, likes you?

A grin spread on my face as I agreed with my subconscious. "See, I told you it isn't a beast."

At that, it snarled, retracting its body from mine, and began to circle my legs. "Too soon?"

Yep, shouldn't have celebrated yet.

It began to sniff me, taking its slow time as it paced around my form. After about a minute or two it returned to stand before me. We shared a look for a moment before it turned its back and retreated a few steps.

We survived! My subconscious squealed while I gazed at the creature in surprise. Aren't you gonna celebrate with me?

"Something is off," I spoke as I eyed it taking slow steps till it abruptly stopped.

Why did it stop? Scratch that, we need to get out of here.

Tanya, can't you hear me? Move your legs!

But I couldn't even if I wanted to because as my subconscious screamed in my head, the creature's bones popped, and the fur on its body disappeared. A flock of brown hair appeared and before I could comprehend what was happening, a man was now bent before me.

"Holy fuck," I muttered as my brain decided that was the best time to shut down. The last thing I saw was a wide muscled back, a perfectly sculpted ass, and toned calves.

^^^^^^^

I woke up with a start, my lids flashing open as my emerald eyes are confronted with familiar white ceilings.

"Thank the heavens that was a dream," I breathed and turned sideways on the oddly comfortable mattress. Bewilderment became my companion as the pink-colored sheets below me were nothing like the white ones I used in my bedroom.

Sitting up, my vision scanned around the strange room. Realization dawned on me that what I experienced was in no way a dream. Worse still I was roused to a nightmare thus I had no idea of where I was.

Panic rose in me as my eyes widened at the stuffed wolf atop the table to my right. My breath began to come out in short pants as it diverted to the long glass windows that showed light into the room.

Through it, I could note I was too high up to jump except if I wanted to end up paralyzed. The second thing I observed was that the sun was out in the sky which meant it was another day.

"How long have I been asleep for?" I quizzed and held my head in my palm at the grievance of the situation as I tried to rake my brain for any piece of information that could help calm my curiosity.

After my brain came up blank, I released my head and peered at the double wooden doors opposite me. A thought popped in that I should try it but I shook my head, hence whoever put me there would have in no way left the door unlocked.

Diverting my mind from that version, I turned to my left, placed my wobbly legs on the strangely soft black carpet, and gradually lifted my body to a standing position.

It was then I came to notice the bed I laid on was constructed in a princess style, light pink curtains hanging from the top and held on the wood at the four corners. I was thankful whoever put me in there wasn't stupid enough to let the curtains fall.

I swerved my gaze away from that to the white painted walls which happened to be bare of any photos or objects. There wasn't even a clock pinned to it to help me note the time.

Smart.

"Yep, really smart." I agreed.

"Hold up, where's my phone?" I inquired and ran my hands down my body only to then discern I was no longer in the pair of trousers and sweaters of before.

My earlier attire was replaced with a loose-fitting navy blue t-shirt and a pair of colorful boxers. "Oh, my God!"

Who changed me? Where were my previous clothes? Where the fuck did my phone go? And why the hell was I brought to this room that was bare to the point of it not even having a couch or a lampstand?

You are in deep shit.

"I shouldn't have woken up, I should have simply died and gone to the underworld, at least that'll be better than living in this nightmare," I whimpered, my fingers going to grip my brunette strands in frustration.

"When did my life turn to this?" I mused, and sat back down on the mattress, partly because there was no other place to sit except the floor, and because I hadn't even moved an inch from it.

"What if I'm killed?" I ask, folding my body in a fetal position. "I won't be able to say my goodbyes to Dad, or Mom, or Hailey, or Travis."

"I won't be able to write all the books I have stored in my draft. What will happen to my files? Have I even eaten?" As my stomach heard that, it grumbled in response, alerting me of the twisting of my intestines.

You shouldn't have gone to the grocery store.

"I shouldn't have," I answered for myself and squeezed my lids, prompting my glassy eyes to produce tears that cascaded down my cheeks like a waterfall.

"Do you think it was that man who brought me here?" I queried my subconscious.

You mean the one with a sculpted ass?

"This is no time for jokes," I chastised as I thought back to that event. "If it was him, am I safe?"

On the contrary, how could that thing turn into a man within the span of seconds? "Let it not be what I think it is."

You mean him being a werewolf?

Tanya, there's no other explanation for what you saw.

"That can't be true," I spoke to assure myself. "Those are mere myths and fictions. What I saw was clearly my imagination playing tricks on me."

Can your imagination explain why you are in an unknown location at the moment then?

"But what if he's a werewolf?" I wondered, the fear returning. "Am I going to be eaten?"

A sound came from the door at that precise moment, prompting me to whip my head in that direction. A series of clicks ensured, the handle bent and after pushed open with a creak.

Someone emerged from behind the ajar wood and I became face to face with an attractively tall man. My emerald eyes crashed with the most striking grey orbs I'd ever seen.

His thin pink lips curled in a smirk as he sized me up and said. "She finally wakes."