Hunter's Attraction

Meanwhile...

Sirena flexed her fingers. Having typed her last word, she prepared to send the final draft to her editor. “Umm, Sirena,” the small voice of Lena got her attention.

“Hmm?” Sirena responded absently as she typed the email address.

“Why can’t I go to school with the other kids?” Sirena stopped mid-type as Lena continued. “Why do I have to take Monte with me everywhere?” Monte’s head popped up at the sound of his name. “You only let me go to the shelter sometimes.” Sirena turned to face the girl. Lena’s small voice trembled, and her hands fidgeted with the hem of her shirt as she spoke. “And why don’t you want me?” she asked tearfully.

“What do you mean, why don’t I want you?” Sirena asked.

“Why won’t you adopt me? I live with you and Dad—Aiden,” Lena quickly corrected herself. “You guys are parents to me.”

“Yes, Lena,” Sirena placed her laptop to the side, “but your parents are still out there.”

“But what if they’re dead?”

“What if they’re alive?”

“Then why haven’t they come for me?” Lena’s big, brown eyes filled with tears. “Gran—Mr. Jamison has been looking for two years.”

“Yes, but-“ Sirena’s heart clenched. How could she explain this to an eight-year-old who had already lost so much?

“I was four when they took me from my home.”

“Your memories are returning?” Sirena straightened. This was a new development.

“Yes,” the eight-year-old sniffed, rubbing her teary eyes. “I see faces in my dreams. And I see fire. Lots and lots of fire.”

“Lena, I didn’t know,” Sirena frowned before opening her arms. “Come here.” Lena went willingly into Sirena’s embrace. Monte walked over to see what the fuss was. He whined softly, as if sensing the heaviness in the air, his tail thumping lightly against the floor. “I remember things,” Lena cried into Sirena’s shoulder. “I remember Papá and Mamá…I even remember the night I was taken.”

“H-how?”

“My wolf has been telling me.”

“Your wolf?” Sirena asked, confused. She felt a chill run down her spine. A talking wolf? It’s not unheard of. It’s just incredibly rare. “What do you mean by ‘talking wolf’?” she asked for clarification.

“My wolf,” Lena looked up at Sirena, errant tears on her face, “she talks to me.”

“Your wolf speaks to you?” Sirena repeated. Lena nodded. “Like a person—like how I’m speaking to you.”

“Yes,” Lena answered. “Doesn’t yours?”

“No…it does not,” Sirena tried not to sound worried. “Um…when did this begin?”

“Last month,” Lena shrugged, turning her attention to Monte. “It was right when I started dreaming about my family.”

“Huh.”

“Your wolf doesn’t talk to you?” Lena frowned before petting Monte.

“No. B-b-but tell me more. Tell me…” Sirena paused when Aiden walked in, phone to ear, a worried sick expression on his face.

“Pick up; pick up; pick up,” he was muttering.

“What’s wrong?” Sirena’s body tensed up. “Aiden, what’s happening?”

“Lily texted me,” he frowned. “A werewolf attacked her.”

“What!”

“Auntie Lily!”

“Is she okay?” Sirena and Lena spoke at the same time.

“She…she’s texting me now.” The three waited in abrupt silence. Aiden’s face twisted in disbelief. ‘She wants to know where I keep my extra clothes?’” Aiden gave Sirena a peculiar look.

“What? Did she befriend the werewolf or something?”

“Unbelievable,” Aiden slapped a hand to his forehead before replying to his sister’s text. “I-I gotta go.”

“I’ll come with you,” Sirena offered. “Lena…”

“I know,” Lena frowned. “I’ll stay here.” Sirena gave her a grateful look before rushing out with Aiden. “This is so unfair,” Lena told Monte as she slumped back onto the couch. Monte responded by setting his big head on her lap and huffing loudly.

***



Sirena shifted in her seat for the umpteenth time. “Want to tell me what’s bothering you?” Aiden asked as he expertly navigated his car down the dark mountain.

“It’s…it’s Lena,” she admitted.

“Ah…she wants us to adopt her.”

“She asked you already?”

“Not in so many words,” Aiden laughed, “but she’s been dropping hints.”

“She has a family.”

“Yes. Us.”

“Her real family.”

“Sirena, it’s been years.”

“No need to get attached to someone who may leave in the future.”

“Is that why you haven’t given me an answer? You’re afraid I’m going to leave?” Sirena didn’t respond. “Just because uni-werewolves can thrive on their own doesn’t mean you have to be alone.”

“Aiden, I’m damaged,” Sirena said. Her voice was a hushed whisper. She looked away, her hands clenching in her lap as if she could stop herself from unraveling.

Aiden’s eyebrows furrowed. “Damaged? You’re not damaged, Sirena.” Aiden’s grip tightened on the steering wheel, but his voice remained calm. I love her, but she still sometimes doesn’t let me in.

“You want to be married to someone who panics when things get hot and heavy?” Sirena’s voice broke as she looked over at Aiden. “Who is still getting her memory back? Who still has blackouts?”

“It’s been three months since you last dissociated,” Aiden argued. “That’s the longest you’ve gone.”

“The nightly panic attacks…” her voice trailed off.

Aiden glanced at her, his voice soft but firm. “Sirena, we’ve been together for two years. I’m giving you everything.”

Sirena tensed, her words coming out sharper than she intended. “So, what? Because I don’t know if I want to marry you, that means I’m not giving enough?”

“I mean…something is holding you back,” Aiden stated calmly.

“Nothing is-“

“You stopped going to therapy.“

“With your aunt, by the way. How have we never talked about the fact your family had me seeing the therapist who just happened to be your father’s sister?”

“You’re trying to change the subject,” Aiden smiled at her, “but I’m serious.”

“I know you’re-AIDEN STOP!!!!!” Sirena screeched. Aiden slammed on the brakes, the car jerking forward as Sirena’s breath caught in her throat.

“What the – “ Aiden slammed on his brakes.

Sirena’s heart pounded as her gaze locked on the dark figure sprawled on the road. “Is that a…a body?” Her voice trembled, and Aiden’s knuckles turned white on the wheel as he stared ahead in disbelief.

“Yep,” Aiden answered as they both stared down at the naked body in the middle of the dark street.

Meanwhile…

Jean-Pierre could only stare in shock. This had to be a joke, right? This was a… goddess. “Is this a joke?” he asked loudly. He watched as Lily rose, her dagger glinting in the dim light. “I mean…” JP held up both hands. “I’m not going to hurt you. You don’t need that.” He pointed to the dagger.

“Are you sure?” Lily’s grip tightened on her weapon. “Because you and your friends have been nothing but hostile since we met.”

He couldn’t refute that. “You’re right, and I’m sorry. It’s just—this is new for me.”

“For you?” Lily scoffed, pacing back and forth. “This is what I get,” she muttered to herself. “I always jump in without looking. I never think. I automatically assumed you were the bad guy because you were getting your butt whipped—”

“Hey,” JP frowned.

“—for all I know, that other werewolf was defending himself from you. I can’t believe I may have to kill another one.”

“Another one?” JP repeated, confusion knitting his brows together.

“I let my guard down, and now this.” She abruptly halted her pacing, darting behind the desk in the surprisingly large back office. Before he could react, a silver-tipped arrow was pointed at his face. “Woah, Lily!” JP threw his hands up, backing away. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Please,” Lily rolled her chocolate eyes. “I’ve heard that one before.”

“Seriously? You’re going to kill me like you killed—”

“I didn’t kill him,” Lily interrupted.

“There’s an arrow sticking out of him!”

“It was a trick arrow. I injected him with enough wolfsbane to keep him dead to the world until my brother gets here. I should have done the same to you. Clearly, I’ve learned nothing since Justin.”

“Who is Justin? Wait, can we start over? Look, I was on patrol. That werewolf attacked me. He was drugged.”

“Drugged? How?”

“It’s a long story.”

“I can stand in this position for a very long time.”

“Lily, please,” JP begged, desperation creeping into his voice. “I’m not your enemy.”

“All evidence to the contrary. You’ve been nothing but mean to me since day one. You don’t even know me. I sit in class, pretending I don’t know that you’re talking about me in Spanish. By the way, también hablo español.”

“You speak Spanish?” JP asked slowly, his eyes widening in horror. A wave of embarrassment washed over him. He and his friends—they had said a lot—most of it not so flattering. He recalled their whispered comments, the laughter that had always seemed harmless in the moment. Now, with the reality of her comprehension, he felt exposed, like a child caught in a lie. Thankfully, luckily, nothing about the pack had slipped out… but that didn’t ease the tightening knot in his stomach. “You understood us the whole time?”

“Sí.”

Her simple affirmation felt like a punch to his gut. “Look, I’m sorry.” He felt the weight of her gaze, the hurt in her eyes. How had he not considered that she might hear them? The teasing, the jokes—what had he thought it would be like for her? Just another barrier he’d put up between them, another reminder of how little he truly understood her. “I’m sorry,” he repeated.

“Save it,” she snapped. “I’m used to people treating me like I’m stupid. Now, we’re gonna stand here and wait for my brother and his girlfriend.”

Great, JP thought, more hunters.

“If you move, I will shoot you,” Lily stressed. “This arrow is silver-tipped. It may not kill you, but it will definitely hurt. You’ll wish it had killed you.” Just then, her phone rang.

“You should answer that,” JP suggested.

“Shut up. I’m mad at you.”

Jean-Pierre frowned. This girl—this goddess—differed completely from the smiley Lily he sat behind in class. This Lily was all business.

“That’s most likely my brother calling,” she said. “He’ll get worried if I don’t pick up.”

“So…” JP shrugged, puzzled. Why is she telling me this?

“I don’t trust you not to run, so I’m going to shoot you.”

“What!”

“In the hand.”

“What!” Before he could utter another sound, a raging fire engulfed his entire body, starting from his hand. “¡Hijo de puta! ¡Lo hiciste!”

“You’ll live,” Lily smirked.

“You shot me! You shot me!” Jean-Pierre fell to the floor, nearly howling in pain. “What the fu—Lily!”

“Hush,” she said, showing no sympathy before answering her phone. “Hello?” Through the tears flooding his vision, JP watched Lily’s face grow pale. “Hold on,” she said into the phone.

From his place on the floor, JP saw her sprint to the back, only to return seconds later. “Should I… should I… okay,” she said into the phone as JP breathed heavily through the pain. “Okay. Bye.”

Jean-Pierre listened as Lily ran around the shelter, double-checking the locked doors and windows. Sitting up, he attempted to pull the arrow out of his throbbing hand, but the pain almost caused him to black out.

“Here,” Lily said, sitting in front of him with a rag—or something. He couldn’t see through the tears. Whatever she was holding, she tied it around his wrist. She tightened the cloth until his hand turned purple. “I’m going to pull it out now.”

Jean-Pierre opened his mouth to protest.

“Don’t worry,” she silenced him. “You’ll heal.” With that, she gave a vicious yank. This time, JP howled.