Written In The Stars

CHAPTER 3

Days passed and finally Ariel had adapted to her new life, the new change, the new world where her loving parents weren't there anymore but as they said, life must go on. Ariel decided to make every second of her life worth living. She had always wanted to make her parents proud and she would still do it.

Ariel had always been dedicated to her job as a teacher, often going above and beyond to ensure her students were well taken care of. Today was no different. One of her student's parents had failed to arrive on time, leaving Ariel to stay back at the school until they could be reached. As the minutes turned into hours, the golden hues of the afternoon sun gave way to the soft orange glow of dusk.

"Don't worry Alan, I had talked with your Dad and they are on their way" Ariel said to the little kid who was munching on his sandwich in the nearest cafe. He didn't mind spending time with his favorite teacher. He was a little scared at first when almost all the students had left to their home and the school was getting empty, but to his luck his favorite teacher found him.

Ariel smiled. A bit upset with his parents though. They could have atleast informed her beforehand if there weren't anyone from his family or friends were coming to pick him. What if some stranger had taken advantage of the kid's situation. She didn't even want to imagine what could have happened with the kid.

She herself wanted to drop the kid his home, but there was no one. Also, the kid's dad had told her that they would pick him up in an hour but since then 6 hours had passed by but noone came. She had called again but they didn't pick up.

"Alan, sweetheart" Ariel sighed, finally his parents were there.

"Momma, dadda" The ran leaving his half eaten sandwich on the table, right into his mother's arms.

"Sorry, Miss Ariel. Due to some critical issue we couldn't pick him up an-"

"This is not acceptable Mr. Miller" Ariel was so pissed by the excuses that Alan's dad kept making.

"You should atleast own up to your mistake, god forbids if someone else would found Alan. You need to understand that he is still a naive kid, he is still not sure about what is right and what is wrong. I understand that you and wife both got stuck in a critical meeting but you could have arranged someone else to pick him up." Ariel said sternly.

"W-what H-how" The millers questioned.

"I called in your company, and they said both of you were still in the office and too busy to take any calls from anyone" Ariel answered making the millers embrace guilt. They Apologized and were grateful to Ariel for taking care of their child.

By the time they left the day had waned, casting long shadows across the school grounds. Ariel was exhausted and ready to head home, her mind already wandering to the cozy warmth of her living room and a cup of tea. However, fate had other plans.

She stepped out of the cafe, the crisp evening air sending a shiver down her spine. Her car awaited her, a reassuring beacon of comfort after the long wait. But as she drove through the dimming light, a sudden jolt made her heart leap into her throat. The car shuddered to a stop, and Ariel's stomach sank as she realized she had a flat tire.

Cursing softly, she pulled over to the side of the road, her fingers deftly dialing the number of the nearest mechanic. It was a minor inconvenience, she thought, annoyed but not particularly worried. She settled back into her seat, preparing to wait for the mechanic to arrive.

As the minutes ticked by, Ariel grew restless. She glanced out of the window, her eyes wandering over the quiet street. Then, a faint noise caught her attention. A sound, like a distant growl, echoing from the alleyway nearby. Frowning, she stepped out of her car and cautiously made her way towards the source of the noise.

Her footsteps were hushed against the pavement as she approached the alley. The air was thick with tension, and her heart raced in her chest. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, something was wrong. And then, she saw it.

Two figures, dark shapes locked in a deadly struggle. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized what she was witnessing. A massive wolf, its fur bristling, teeth bared, was attacking another wolf. Ariel's heart pounded in her ears as she watched, frozen in place, her mind struggling to comprehend the scene before her.

But then, the impossible happened. The attacker's form shifted, contorting and morphing until it was no longer a wolf, but a man. A naked man, his chest heaving, his eyes wild. He turned his gaze to Ariel, and a primal fear shot through her veins. This was no ordinary man. There was something feral, something dangerous, lurking behind his gaze.

Ariel's instincts screamed at her to run, to flee from this surreal nightmare. But her body felt rooted to the spot, a combination of shock and morbid curiosity holding her captive. The man's lips curled into a menacing snarl, and before she could react, he lunged at her.

Her scream tore through the still evening air, but it was cut short as the man's powerful grip closed around her throat. Ariel's vision swam, her pulse thundering in her ears. She clawed at his hand, desperate for air, for escape.

"D-Don't. P-Please s-stop" And then, as suddenly as it had begun, the pressure on her throat released, and she crumpled to the ground.

Gasping and coughing, Ariel struggled to her feet, her vision swimming as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. The man stood a few feet away, his chest heaving as he stared at her with a mix of surprise and something else she couldn't quite place. And then, darkness claimed her, and Ariel's world went black.

The last thing she heard before unconsciousness claimed her was the man's voice, low and almost with a tone of surprise. "What are you?"

And with that, the world faded away.

To be continued...

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