CHAPTER TWO

The werewolf came, its feet hitting the ground mercilessly as its hands joined in its movement. It broke out from the woods, tearing off the leaves of the trees with less effort, and growling at the sight of the man.

“You can't take anyone from my family.!” Mark grinned as he shifted under the bright moonlight. His bones cracked, and his skin stretched beyond its limits, tearing to become as tough as that of a wolf.

He growled at the phantom, just as the phantom growled at him. Like two behemoths, they collided, and the green grasses on the ground fell victim to their battle.

Mark rushed after the phantom, his feet, and his hands aiding his movement, while his fangs were exposed toward the other. He tore the phantom with his claws, causing the other to stagger, while he still had his large shoulders to push the phantom to the ground.

He growled at its face, showing off his strength. His pride was subdued by the counterattack of the phantom when the phantom arose from the ground and speared him off from the ground onto the ground.

The phantom was on him, his fangs driven into Mark's neck, which caused the other to growl loudly. He drove his claws into the Phantom's abdomen, pushing it away from his body while he struggled to stand.

They fought for dominance, each beast showing off its skill and power, countering one another's attack as they both clashed. The Phantom was dominating, tearing the eye of Mark with its sharp claws and landing another heavy strike with its sharp claws on his chest.

She watched from her hiding spot as the blood spilled from his body, and she heard his groaning sound, that was why was fuelled by the pain he received.  

“Father.!” She screamed from where she hid. She was scared to the extent, she flaunted his orders and did as her heart had instructed.

Likewise, she covered her mouth with her hands, quickly suppressing any other sound which would emit again from her lips.

Yet, she was too late. The initial scream called for attention, and the phantoms were never an exception.

Its ears had stood up straight, searching for the source of the sound, slowly breathing through its muzzle as its eyes searched round in the darkness and the woods for the one who made such sound

It still had a Mark on its claws. The other had shifted back to his human form, and his pain had increased with his shifting process. He was weak beyond imagination. The Phantom was a powerful beast that night, and his strength had failed him when it came to fighting such a monstrosity.

It searched until its eyes had caught the sight of something hidden within the trees. It intentionally reduced his breath, breathing slowly while it strained its eyes deeply into viewing what it had suspected to be the one who caused the scream he heard.

Furthermore, it growled loudly in her direction, letting its voice echo while he threw Mark against the ground.

Her eyes widened, her heart skipped a beat for a minute, and it felt as though the Earth should open just so she would save herself what was to come.

She couldn't hide anymore, mostly the fact that the being had found her despite her hiding spot and was on its way toward her.

She had to run, this time screaming as though her help would come from there and someone would save her.

She picked herself up from the ground and let her feet move in their fastest mode, despite the pain she would feel at that point. She ran with all her strength, and with every pace, she felt covered, she turned back to see the gap which she gave to the one who was after her.

It wasn't impressive, and slowly she was catching up with her. She had to do what she hadn't done in a very long time. She groaned in her pain while she heard her bones restructuring and her movement becoming faster than what it was before.

Soon she couldn't feel the struggle she had with breathing when she was in her human form, and the sound of her breathing and voice showed the shifting process was successful

She ran like her life depended on it, perhaps she did, and impressively, in her wolf form, she was quite faster.

Yet in all her high hopes, she felt a larger being colliding with her from the side, pushing her above the ground into a large tree. Her head bounced off against the tree, and the moment she dropped to the ground, she shifted immediately into her human form

What was that? She thought with a groan accompanied by her left hand, which she used to favor the ache she began to feel. She grinned at the slightest feel of her head, and her head swole as though it would shatter and let its contents fill the muddy earth.

The loud growl again she heard forced her eyes open, and then looking upwards, she watched as a large tree was bent downwards by a strong force, and then the phantom landed on its feet.

Its feet made the earth tremble again, and the vibration which she felt pass through her feet was already making the hair on her head stand while she panted for breath 

She sat on the ground, but she needed to move, and her legs weren't enough to aid her movement, so she decided to make use of her hands.

She crawled backward, still having her eyes on the beast, while her hands moved her slowly and quickly just as the beast scared her.

She whimpered her parent's name in her tears, watching as the phantom stalked her with slow but steady steps

“Mila.!”, A feminine voice called out to her from the side, her hands on her abdomen while she staggered on the ground.

Her mother panted for breath, her hands stretched out towards her as though she were eager to feel her daughter's skin. She wasn't ready to stop, wasn't ready to let the monster devour her daughter.

“Mother.!” Mila yelled out at the sight of her. Her eyes moved consistently from her mother to the monster who stood before her.

She quickly pondered on how her mother was able to suddenly arrive at that spot despite the pains she could see her struggle with. But there was a monster before her, ready to squeeze the last breath out of her lungs.

The Phantom turned towards her, Ashley, breathing heavily through its muzzle while it strained its eyes at her, showing off its fangs with a slight growl.

Mila still crawled backward with her hands and her feet, until her hands felt the hardness of a broken branch. Her eyes were quickly driven in that direction, her hands suddenly grabbing a hold of them.

She stared at the wood in her hand, too heavy to lift without adding more strength. She looked at it with the thoughts of what the wood would do, the damage it would cause when she smashes the wood against the monster's head. 

Thankfully, the sight of her mother had temporarily disrupted the phantom, giving her the chance to activate her plans. She would want to get up from the ground slowly, knowing fully well the sensitivity of a werewolf's scent and hearing.

She stood quietly, making sure her legs didn't break any twig which rested on the ground. She suppressed her groaning at the time she lifted the wood above her head, ready to smash this beast's head and end its terror.

But the phantom turned its face backward, its eyes staring at her from the side until it turned its body towards her. Its quick action prompted her to stop immediately, causing shivers down her spine.

Its awful breath disrupted her thoughts, and the tension which filled her hands was enormous for her, and the wood fell off her hands. 

She was frightened, her legs retreating without her consent, yet she was satisfied even though the stare was traumatic. Her hands were shaky, and she shivered and quivered while tears began flooding down her eyes.

“Mila.!” Her mother yelled with her hands stretched out, but her words were cut short when she watched as the monster slapped her daughter to the ground.

She heard her daughter's screams and watched as her daughter fell to the ground, looking unconscious, with the monster releasing a loud growl.

Ashley fell to the ground, her knees colliding heavily with the ground, while she placed her hands on the ground. Her tears dropped to the ground, and her hands were already shaky due to the events which wouldn't escape her mind.

She yelled at the pain of hearing and feeling her bones break and restructure into the werewolf which she had hidden deep within her. 

Her skin was thick and wild too, and the moment she lifted her head, her eyes had changed, and her muzzle was large, growling aloud at the Phantom before she rushed after it.

She moved at a fast pace, striking the Phantom hard around its jaw and its abdomen, throwing it off the ground with all her strength towards a tree. 

She growled again in the dead of the night, showing off her feats towards the phantom who had cut it short by getting off its feet and jumping on her.

It suppressed her to the ground, burying its fangs into her neck and driving its claws into her abdomen. She screamed in agony, gradually shifting back into her human form as the phantom grabbed her by her neck.

Mila struggled on the ground, gradually lifting her aching body from the ground. Her headache and swollen largely, and her visions were blurry.

She couldn't recall vividly what had happened, but gradually she remembered being knocked off the ground by a beast, the phantom! Where was it?

Her ears picked up the sound of a growling beast as well as the screams of a woman in agonizing pain. Her eyes searched around for its source, and when she found her mother being held by the neck, she yelled with tears rolling down her eyes.

“Mother.!” Her tears ran down her face in full, her voice ceasing completely as she stared. She didn't just weep at the sight of a monster holding her mother, she wept at the sight of her helplessness, the thoughts of not having enough strength to save her mother.

It was as though the monster heard, turning its face towards her and growling deeply at her while the grip on her mother's neck was slowly tightening. 

She heard from afar, a snapping sound, like that of a bone breaking, and it sounded just like her mother's. 

She could tell as her mother's struggles had ceased. Her legs which dangled in the air had stopped moving, and the hands which held that of the beast in a bid to prevent choking had fallen lifeless, her screams and groaning ended.

It was too real to be true.!