BETA's LOVER

MACKENZIE Early in the morning, Quinn and I loaded our stuff into my car for the trip. We decided to take my car since she had lent hers to a friend in need. While I calculated the time and distance to our destination, as well as how much money we had need for fuel, Quinn was busy making breakfast and packing some food into lunch boxes for the road. She didn't want us to buy junk food along the way. We finally set off around 11 a.m. – a bit later than planned. We were supposed to leave by 10, but Quinn, being a chef, insisted on preparing a special breakfast, and well, it took time. I wasn't complaining. I loved the food she made, and it had been ages since I had had a proper meal like this. It's just that I was a stickler for punctuality. I liked to have everything planned, but I also realized not every plan works out the way you want it to. So, I tried to stay flexible. That's been my principle for living a peaceful, comfortable life. As for the music, Quinn had control over that too. I didn't mind. I let her play whatever she liked for- a while. Quinn entertained me with stories of funny encounters she had had with her clients. The two-hour drive flew by until we suddenly noticed we were running low on fuel. The GPS couldn't find any fuel stations nearby. "How about now?" I asked, gripping the steering wheel tighter in frustration. "No, Mackenzie. There's no fuel station within range," Quinn said, clearly annoyed by the situation. "What do we do now?" she asked, her voice tinged with desperation. "Oh, there is," She said, suddenly after a few minutes, "but it's off the main road." Taking the phone from her, I studied the GPS. It pointed to a location in the middle of nowhere, but it was our only option before we risked being stranded. I made the turn and followed the directions to this fuel station. My gut told me something wasn't quite right, but I pushed the feeling aside in favor of solving the problem. After a while, I spotted a sign for a fuel station up ahead. Quinn, who had been sitting stiff as a board, finally relaxed and let out a sigh of relief. "Phew! That seriously got me for a second," she said with a nervous laugh. I turned into the station and parked by a self-service dispenser. I got out of the car and stretched my stiff limbs. Quinn followed me, tapping in the number of liters we needed, and I took a quick glance around the station. There was a small mart to the side. Quinn, as usual, practically skipped over to it. I was about to head back to the car when I realized she had left her wallet in the car. I sighed and trudged after her. The door jingled with bells as I opened the it and stepped inside. The man behind counter was almost in the state of sleeping as I walked past him to find the fool. I looked around the stalls and picked up some junk on the way. Finally as expected i found her drooling over the chocolate station. Suddenly want to annoy her, i tip toed towards her as her back was towards me. Standing beside her, i flicked my finger on her head and heard the sound which i was expecting - a shriek-fully satisfying me. You thought i was boring? "Ahhh! What the heck?!" she squealed, flailing her arms around. I just smirked, sticking my tongue out at her as she glared at me. "Hurry up!" I backed away, knowing that if I didn't move, she'd be pinching me in retaliation. She got annoyed by my flicking, and I hated it when she pinched me. A pair of weirdos- that's what we were. I wandered around the store while Quinn loaded up the counter with snacks. The guy behind the counter didn't look particularly thrilled by her haul. I tried to check the map on my phone, but no signal. I toggled the network several times, but it didn't help. Frustration bubbled up inside me as I turned back to the guy at the counter. He had been scanning snacks without any real sense of urgency, but when I spoke, his expression shifted, a seriousness overtaking him. "Do you know the way to Tipton Beach from here?" I asked, trying to keep my tone even, though impatience tinged the edges. He glanced up, his eyes narrowing slightly, as if weighing something in his mind. "Miss, there are no signal towers around here. You won't get any signal, so don't bother trying." I exhaled sharply, the weight of the situation settling in. Still, I forced myself to ask again. "Okay, but do you know how to get to Tipton Beach from here?" The man hesitated, his gaze flicking over to the window, as if checking the sky for something unseen. Then he spoke again, his voice lower this time, as if the words themselves might summon something dangerous. "Yeah. You go straight on this road. No turns for a while. About ten miles down, you'll see a right turn—only one. If you miss it..." He trailed off, then added, almost in a whisper, "...You'll be lost. And it's a much longer way around. Dangerous road." Quinn and I exchanged a glance, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Dangerous how?" I asked, my stomach tightening. The idea of missing a turn didn't seem so terrifying, but there was something about the way he said it that made me uneasy. The man lowered his voice even further, his eyes darting toward the door before he spoke again. "There are dangerous animals in those woods. Beasts. You don't want to cross their path. Some folks have gone out there, never to be seen again." I blinked, unable to process what he was saying. "Beasts?" I repeated, struggling to picture what he meant. Wild animals? Something bigger? His eyes were wide with a strange, nervous energy. "Yeah," he continued, "bigger than anything you've ever seen. Just... trust me on this. Don't go off the path. Not unless you want trouble." A chill settled in my chest, and I felt Quinn tense up beside me. There was no denying the fear in the man's voice. The kind of fear that didn't just come from a tall tale. Without another word, we left the mart, the door's jingle still echoing in the quiet of the parking lot. I could feel Quinn's gaze on me as we walked back to the car, but neither of us spoke for a while. We climbed in, and I started the engine, trying to shake off the odd feeling crawling up my spine. "Should we head back to the main road?" "It'll waste too much time. That guy said if we take the turn, everything will be fine. Let's keep going this way, it looks fine," Quinn replied, glancing out the window at the dry, paved road. Nodding my head, I started driving. After some while, I reached into the backseat, grabbing a bag of snacks and threw it in Quinn's lap, trying to focus on something normal. "Open it up", I said, jerking my head towards her lap and focus back ahead of me,"- and let's just keep our eyes peeled for anything strange," I said, attempting to sound casual, though my mind was already racing. For awhile, we ate the chips in silence and then i threw a glance at awfully silent Quinn. Not surprised, I found her slumped into her usual sleepy position beside me, perked up at the the sudden jolt of the car, when i applied brakes a little hard. Her eyes flicked open, wide with sudden alertness. "What? What's wrong?" she asked, her voice sharp with a mix of concern and confusion. I couldn't help the smirk that tugged at my lips. "Nothing," I said, my voice teasing. "Just making sure you're still awake." She rolled her eyes but quickly tied her hair up, adjusting in her seat. Without missing a beat, she reached for the radio and started to fiddle with the dial, taking control of the music. A familiar, upbeat track filled the car, and she began to sway along with the rhythm, the motion easy and effortless, like a dance she'd perfected over years. For a moment, the tension eased. I grinned at her, glad to see the familiar, carefree version of Quinn. Her energy was contagious, and I couldn't help but let the weight on my shoulders lighten, if only for a minute. We continued down the long, empty stretch of road, the trees closing in around us like silent, watching sentinels. The road seemed endless, the green of the foliage a blur as we sped past. It had been about thirty minutes since we left the station, and the monotony of the drive was starting to settle in. The sun had already dipped below the horizon, leaving the sky bruised with twilight. Now, only the headlights illuminated the dark path ahead. "Ugh," Quinn sighed, staring out the window. "I never—" She suddenly broke into song, belting out the lyrics with a dramatic flourish. Her voice was loud enough to make the birds flutter from the trees, startled by the noise. I couldn't help but laugh, joining in for the chorus, our voices rising together in gleeful chaos. The sound of our laughter seemed to lift the oppressive silence that had hung over the car for the last few hours. For a while, we were lost in the music, the wind rushing past the open windows as we sang at the top of our lungs. The road stretched on and on, seemingly endless. We were two dots on an empty canvas, but in that moment, it didn't matter. We were alive, and the world around us was nothing but noise and song. But as the sun finally sank completely, the atmosphere shifted. The sounds of the forest faded into eerie quiet, and my thoughts began to circle back to the man's warning. Dangerous road. Beasts. The road ahead was growing darker, the trees more oppressive. I turned off the radio, hoping the silence would clear my head. Instead, it only seemed to make the quiet heavier, more suffocating. Every crack of a branch, every rustle in the woods sent my mind spiraling. "Something's not right," I muttered, more to myself than to Quinn. Another hour passed without any sign of the right turn the man had mentioned. The trees were growing thicker, the road narrowing until it felt like we were driving through a tunnel of darkness. It was unnervingly quiet. Not a single animal sound—no birds, no insects, not even the distant rustle of leaves. Just silence. "I think we should turn around," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. My eyes were glued to the dark road ahead, and my hands gripped the steering wheel with increasing tightness. "We have enough fuel to go back to the mart." Quinn shook her head immediately. "No! We have come this far. We can't turn back now. The guy said we need to keep going if we miss the turn." I wasn't so sure anymore. The oppressive stillness was getting to me, and the nagging thought that we were hopelessly lost started to take root. The road felt like it was swallowing us whole. But, despite my instincts telling me to turn around, I kept going. We pressed on. I was lost in my thoughts, barely paying attention to the road when Quinn's hand suddenly landed on my shoulder, jolting me out of my trance. My heart skipped a beat, and I gripped the wheel tighter, thankful that I hadn't swerved. "Look there!" Quinn's voice was urgent, low and sharp with surprise. I turned my head quickly, following her gaze. My eyes widened as I saw two large figures moving at the edge of the trees. They were locked in a vicious fight, their silhouettes dark and twisted against the dimming light. "What the hell are those?" Quinn's voice was barely a whisper. I applied the brakes just enough to slow the car down, as I focused on what was happening around us. "I don't know," I murmured, squinting. The creatures' glowing yellow eyes pierced through the darkness, tracking us as we slowed the car. As we drew closer, the figures darted into the trees, vanishing as quickly as they had appeared. "That's weird," Quinn said, her voice edged with unease. Before I could respond, the car was rocked by a sudden impact. Something slammed against the side of the car with a force that rattled the windows. My heart leaped into my throat as the car swerved violently. "What the hell?!" I shouted, struggling to keep control of the wheel as the car jerked to a halt. My head nearly collided with the steering wheel, and I was breathless from the sudden shock. "What was that?" Quinn whispered, her voice full of terror. "I don't know." My voice was tight, my hands trembling slightly as I stared at the empty road. "It looked like... a giant dog? Or maybe a fox?" I glanced over at Quinn, who was already clutching her seat belt as if it were her lifeline. Her eyes were wide, fixed on something in the distance, her gaze unwavering. "What are you doing?" she asked, her voice high with anxiety as I reached for the seat belt release. "I'm going to check the damage," I said, my voice steadier than I felt. I grabbed the mini flashlight from the glove compartment and unbuckled my seat belt, my stomach churning at the thought of what I might find. I stepped out of the car, the cool night air hitting my skin. The flashlight's beam illuminated a large dent on the side of the car, the metal crumpled where something had struck it with tremendous force. A huge freaking dent! I groaned, my mind immediately calculating the cost of repairs. "This is going to cost a fortune!," I muttered under my breath. Frustrated, I looked up at Quinn, who was still staring into the woods, her eyes locked on something in the distance. Her face was pale, her body tense. I followed her gaze, but there was nothing there. Nothing... except the heavy silence of the night. The damage to the car was worse than I expected. I walked around to the front, inspecting the hood closely. The black paint had been scraped off, revealing the raw metal beneath. My fingers traced the deep gouges left by whatever had hit us. The marks were odd—an oval shape followed by a jagged, straight line, like something had dragged its claws across the surface. I ran my hand over the edges of the scratches, feeling the raised, uneven ridges, but the pattern didn't make sense. It looked like a paw mark, but... it didn't quite match anything I could think of. I couldn't put my finger on it. Suddenly, a scream tore through the quiet. "Mackenzie! Get in the car! Now!" The fear in Quinn's voice jolted me, and my heart skipped a beat. The flashlight slipped from my hand and hit the ground with a soft thud. I bolted back to the car, panic rising in my chest as I slammed the door shut behind me. "Lock the doors!" Quinn's voice was frantic. Without hesitation, I turned the key in the ignition and locked all the doors. Quinn's face was ghostly pale, her hands trembling as she stared ahead, eyes wide with terror. The tension between us was thick, and neither of us spoke as the sound of something large crashing through the trees echoed in the distance. We didn't know what we were up against, but it was clear that whatever it was, we weren't safe here. "Can you explain it to me? What's going on? Did you see something?" I asked, my voice trembling as I reached out, grabbing her hand. Her fear was palpable, and it sent a shiver down my spine. She stared at me, wide-eyed, as if she was about to speak, but then an eerie growl cut through the air, stopping both of us in our tracks. I scanned the woods, my heart hammering in my chest, trying to locate the source of the noise. My hand instinctively reached for the key in ignition. "Look!" Quinn whispered urgently, tugging at my arm. I followed her gaze to the shadows of the woods, where a large creature stepped into the dim light. Its yellow eyes gleamed, reflecting the flashlight as it moved. At first glance, it looked like a wolf—but it was so much larger. Its fur was matted, covered in fresh blood that dripped onto the ground with every step. The creature locked eyes with us, its stare sending a cold wave of fear through my body. "What is that?" I barely managed to whisper, my voice shaking. "Beast?" Quinn murmured under her breath, and we exchanged a look of dawning realization. The man at the gas station had warned us about creatures like this. We had missed our turn and ended up in the very place he had said was dangerous. The creature began moving towards us, its steps slow and deliberate, its head tilting slightly with each step. The sound of its growl rumbled through the air, each growl sending vibrations through my chest. It was unnervingly calm. Too calm. Its bloodied mouth hung open, tongue lolling out like some grotesque banner. "Start the car!" Quinn screamed, her voice high with panic. I snapped out of my daze and fumbled for the ignition, starting the car with shaking hands. The engine roared to life, and the creature tensed. Its eyes narrowed, as if it understood what we were doing. Before I could even press the gas, it leapt at the car, landing with a terrifying thud on the hood. The entire car dipped under its weight. "s**t!" I gasped, slamming my foot on the accelerator, but the creature was relentless. Its claws scraped against the metal with a deafening screech, and we both screamed as the car lurched forward. "Hold on tight!" I yelled, my heart racing as I tried to keep control of the car. Quinn gripped the seat, her knuckles white as I swerved and accelerated. The creature was now pounding against the windshield, its face crashing into the glass with sickening thuds. Each impact made the car shake violently. Bang! Bang! "It's going to break the glass!" Quinn screamed, pressing herself as far into the seat as she could. I was speeding down the road like a madwoman, my mind a frantic whirl of panic and instinct. I swerved to the right, hoping to shake the creature off the hood, but it moved with terrifying agility, shifting its weight and digging its claws deeper into the metal. Desperate, I jerked the wheel to the left, but it was smart- too smart. It anticipated every move, keeping its position firmly in place. "What do we do?" I muttered to myself, my brain racing, but Quinn had her hands pressed together, eyes squeezed shut in prayer. I knew Quinn didn't believe in any religion, but I didn't have time to wonder about that now. In that moment, I realized how much we were truly alone out here. No one was going to help us. Suddenly, an idea sparked in my mind, and I shouted over the noise, "Quinn! Find my phone! Quick!" "What? We can't call for help or—" "Just do it! Find my phone, turn on the flashlight, and shine it in its eyes! It might make it stumble!" I almost yelled, trying to make myself heard over the growls. A loud crack echoed as the creature slammed its face into the windshield. I glanced up in horror to see a crack spreading from the point of impact. "Quinn, hurry!" I urged, desperation creeping into my voice. Her hands fumbled across my lap, down to the floorboard. She searched frantically, her movements wild, until finally— "Got it!" she shouted, fumbling with the phone. She turned on the flashlight and aimed it directly at the creature's eyes. The wolf recoiled, blinking rapidly as the light burned into its vision. The opportunity was brief, but enough. I swerved sharply to the right, hoping to knock it off the car. But the creature recovered immediately, its eyes glowing with fury, its jaws snapping in the air. It leapt again, its body slamming into the windshield, the impact shaking the entire car. With a final fierce growl, it jumped again, and the car lost control. We swerved wildly, crashing into a nearby tree with a bone-jarring thud and everything went black. When I woke, a sharp pain throbbed in my head. My vision was blurry, the world around me spinning. My hand reached out blindly, grazing something large and solid. "What is that?" I thought, confused and disoriented. I touched it again—fur. Soft, warm like fur- hair. Hair! Quinn! "Quinn?" I whispered, my voice weak, heart pounding in my chest. I felt around, bumping into the steering wheel as I fumbled through the darkness. My vision was still unfocused, making it hard to navigate. When my hands found her, I shook her gently, desperate to wake her, but she didn't respond. Frustrated, I pushed myself toward the side of the car, searching for the door handle. My fingers brushed against cool metal, and I yanked, but the door wouldn't budge. The window! I thought, scrambling down to the space beneath the door. As I reached for it, a sharp pain shot through my arm. "Ah, s**t," I hissed, realizing I had cut myself on the broken glass. Blood trickled down my forearm, but there was no time to worry about that. I grabbed the shard and tossed it out of the window. Just as I pressed my hand to the wound to stop the bleeding, I heard footsteps nearby. I froze, listening intently. Were they here to help? The footsteps grew closer, and a flashlight beam flickered outside, making me flinch. I shut my eyes and pretended to be unconscious, my heart pounding in my chest. "This is the car!" a man's voice called out. "They are girls," another voice responded, as a matter of fact. I heard their footsteps approach, the sound of them trying the door. "Remove it," one of them ordered. What the hell did that mean? Remove? Remove what? The door was ripped off with a sickening crunch, and a rush of cool air hit my face. I jumped, startled, and opened my eyes.The voices above me cursed when they saw that I was awake. "s**t!" one of them muttered. Squinting against the bright light shining directly in my face. My hands instinctively raised to shield my eyes. When my vision adjusted, I saw them—four or five men, tall and built, staring down at me with a mix of curiosity and caution. "Who are you?" I croaked, my throat dry. "What happened?" one of them asked, kneeling beside me. "I... I don't remember," I whispered, my head spinning. The man in front of me exchanged glances with the others, their unspoken communication sending a chill through me. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice full of doubt. Before I could respond, a familiar low growl cut through the air, freezing me in place. My blood ran cold. No. It couldn't be. Wolf was near by! I slowly turned my head and froze. There, crouched beside Quinn, was the same wolf. But this time, its head was too large, its eyes glowing with an unsettling intensity as it watched Quinn. I screamed, trying to move, but my body felt heavy. The men around me remained motionless as the wolf shifted, its form rippling before my eyes. I blinked in disbelief as the wolf turned into a man. But before I could get a good look at him, a hand clamped over my eyes, blocking my vision. My breath caught in my throat. This couldn't be happening. A wolf turning into a human? Only one type of creature could do that—werewolves. But they only existed in stories. Frozen in shock, I didn't have time to process what was happening. One of the men behind me injected me with something. The sharp sting of the needle made me recoil. "Let me go! What are you doing?" I tried to scream, but my voice was barely a whisper. The world around me began to spin, and my body grew weak. I saw a man grab Quinn and drag her out of the car. My body was no longer my own. One of the men scooped me up in his arms, holding me effortlessly as if I weighed nothing. I felt myself sinking into the darkness, my mind fading as the drug took hold. 🌙🌙🌙