I was being followed.
It had taken me a while to notice, but now that I knew it, there was no denying the sense of danger.
I didn't know who the man was, or what he wanted.
I managed to fall in pace with a group of teenagers walking my way.
As I walked with them, I watched until the man fell further behind the group, clearly confused.
When he was a safe enough distance I ducked underneath one of the large boulders lining the beach.
Since then, I hadn't moved.
I'd told myself that I needed a clear brain.
This week held countless things I needed to sort out, including how and when I was going to escape this place.
Of course, this wasn't something I could talk about. If anyone found out what I was planning, I'd be punished for my crime.
It wasn't exactly legal for a human to leave this town.
The sun was starting its slow descent from the sky and I knew my time on the beach should be ending.
I took a deep breath, holding myself as still as possible as I peeked up from the black boulder.
My eyes quickly darted each direction, watching for immediate signs of danger. When I saw none, I let my gaze scan the area slowly.
After a few moments, I realized the man was nowhere in sight and I could chance an escape.
I was wrong.
All at once, the man appeared once again in my vision.
He was ahead of me this time and it took all my self—control to calmly turn around and head back the other direction. It was opposite of where I needed to go, but it didn't matter.
I told myself that for all I knew he hadn't noticed me, and I would be able to slip away silently.
Suddenly, a large hand was placed on my shoulder, just above my backpack.
I whirled around, coming face to face with my stalker.
He was taller than me; at least another two heads beyond mine. He was thick and muscular, his broad shoulders practically blocking my line of view.
His beefy hands fully enveloped my shoulder and I suddenly felt as if I was five years old again, looking at the face of someone that held much more power than I ever would.
The grip on my shoulder released when I turned around, but I didn't stay put.
I slowly started backing away, raising my palms towards my assailant while simultaneously looking for an escape route.
"Who are you?" My voice came out barely above a whisper as I continued to try and create distance between me and the man.
He stared at me, something stirring in his eyes at my voice.
I involuntarily froze. He noticed this and proceeded to close the distance between us, reaching again for my shoulder.
It only took a second for my mind to register this. When it did, I spun around and started to sprint.
However, the moment I did was the moment I realized he'd backed me into the same boulder I had been hiding in just moments ago.
I ran straight into the rocks, turning around quickly when I realized I was trapped.
I quickly unclipped my pepper spray and pressed down, letting the burning liquid reach my attacker's face.
I waited for him to recoil so I could break away, but he didn't move.
In fact, all he did was bring his shirt up to his face and wipe off the oozing liquid.
I stared in disbelief, glancing between him and my spray. Then, it hit me.
Pepper spray only worked on humans.
He is a Werewolf.
"No," I whispered, looking at the man's face, horrified. My resolve was gone and replaced with complete and utter fear.
He suddenly reached forward and grabbed the pepper spray from my hand.
He tossed it to the side and brought his hands to his eyes, rubbing them with his palms.
"Really?" He finally spoke. His voice was masculine, but not too deep.
I expected it to be rough and demanding, but it was surprisingly light—hearted.
Through his words, he continued trying to rub the liquid out of his eyes.
Panic crept into my chest when I peeked around his shoulders and realized how far away we were from everyone else.
I should have known what he was. If I had been paying attention, I could have left the moment I noticed him.
Finally, he sighed and brought his hands down to his side. He looked at me, dark eyes red and puffy, but clearly healing. "Was that really necessary?"
I raised my eyebrows but didn't voice my thoughts. I knew he could easily rip me in half.
Honestly, after I pepper sprayed him, it was a miracle I wasn't dead already.
In the end, I mumbled a quick and simple apology. I bent my head low, avoiding his gaze while praying he'd take pity on me.
He brought his hand up and I flinched, waiting for him to pin me down and finish me off.
But, his hand went to the back of his neck, where he rubbed it absentmindedly.
"No, it's my bad. I shouldn't have followed you like this."
