Hunter's Attraction

Exposed

"Ooh, that's a pretty butterfly," Lena's classmate, Sofia, gushed.

Lena looked down at her butterfly drawing she was still working on. "Thank you," she beamed. "My aunt showed me how to draw butterflies and flowers."

"What's your aunt's name?"

"Aunt Lily."

"She showed you how to draw flowers, and she's named after a flower. That's so funny," Sofia laughed. "Do you have any brothers and sisters?"

"No," Lena answered, "but I have two cousins – Rose and Samson, and another on the way."

"Ooh! Your cousin is named Rose? That's so cool! I wish I was named after a flower," Sofia said.

"Which one?"

"Umm... oh, I like sunflowers! So probably Sunflower!"

"I think Sunflower is a pretty name," Lena said.

"Girls are so weird," a boy chimed in. Lena glanced to her other side. The boy's name was Tony, and she'd already learned he was mean and rude.

"Well, boys are weirder," Sofia argued.

"Girls are way weirder," Tony shot back.

"Boys are way weirder-er!" Sofia clenched her little fists.

"Class, are we being nice to each other?" Miss Trixie, their teacher, interrupted the escalating argument.

"Sofia said boys are weird," Tony tattled immediately.

"You said girls are weird, first," Sofia countered.

"Tony, Sofia, we don't call people names in this class. You two are also misbehaving in front of our newest student." Sofia, at least, looked repentant. Tony just scowled. "I want you both to apologize to each other, then apologize to Lena."

"I'm sorry, Tony," Sofia apologized stiffly. "I'm sorry, Lena," she added, her voice warming considerably. Lena gave her a friendly smile.

"Tony," Miss Trixie gave Tony a stern look.

"I don't want to," he pouted.

"Principal's office," Miss Trixie pointed to the classroom door, sighing, "and I will be meeting with your parents. Again."

"That's not fair," Tony protested as he angrily pushed back his chair.

"Go," Miss Trixie continued to point. "Thank you." She then turned to Lena with a gentler expression. "I apologize for the misbehavior. How's your first day so far?"

"Good," Lena blushed, looking back down at her drawing.

"I like your butterfly," Miss Trixie smiled warmly. "Are there a lot of butterflies where you live?"

"No," Lena continued to color, "but I like butterflies and flowers."

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"Sofia asked me the same thing," Lena smiled brightly at her teacher. "I have cousins, two aunts, and an uncle."

"Right," Miss Trixie said, "you live with hunters."

Lena's crayon paused mid-stroke. Aiden and Sirena had warned her to talk about their family as little as possible. "Should I draw a second butterfly?" she asked, deliberately changing the subject. She missed her teacher's quick frown.

"I think you should draw as many butterflies as you want," Miss Trixie replied. When Lena looked up, her teacher was giving her a strange smile that made her uneasy. Lena simply nodded and returned to her coloring, grip tightening slightly on her crayon.

***

Jean-Pierre banged on Lily's door, each desperate pound echoing through the house until Lily finally threw the door open. "What are you—seriously!" Lily covered her eyes with her hand as this time, he really was naked. "What is wrong with you?" she demanded.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" JP grabbed her face with trembling hands, his eyes frantically searching hers. His chest heaved with panicked breaths.

"What are you doing?" Lily pulled away, startled by his intensity. Jean-Pierre pushed past her into the house, nostrils flaring as he scented the air, moving with predatory focus. "JP, what is going on?" Lily hobbled after him, her injuries forgotten in her confusion. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I smelled him," JP whirled back to face her, his eyes wild with fear and worry, desperation etched across his features. "I smelled him."

"Who?"

"Roderick." The name fell from his lips like a curse. "He's here. I smelled him. He's here."

***

Lena was in the lunch line, standing next to a group of girls, when Tony, followed by two other boys, carelessly bumped into a girl - Olivia - standing next to Lena. "Oops," Tony sneered.

"Meanie," Olivia muttered.

"What did you say?" Tony demanded.

"I called you a 'meanie,'" Olivia reiterated confidently. Tony released a small growl.

"You're not allowed to show your wolf at school," Sofia said. "It's the rule."

"You gonna tattle on me, tattle-tale?" Tony mocked. "Tattle-tale, tattle-tale. Sophie is a tattle-tale," Tony sang, his friends snickering behind him.

"My name is Sofia," Sofia responded, her voice wavering slightly.

"Sophie."

"Sofia."

"Sophie."

"It's Sofia," tears gathered in Sofia's eyes.

"Your name is 'tattle-tale,'" one of Tony's friends laughed.

"Yeah," Tony agreed, "'Tattle-tale.'"

"Stop calling me that!" Sofia stomped a foot.

"Or what, Tattle-tale?" The three boys chanted, their voices growing louder.

Something snapped inside Lena. "Hey!" she stepped forward, meeting their glares head-on. "Apologize to Sofia," Lena ordered, her eyes flashing white with power.

"Sorry, Sofia," the three boys apologized in unison, their voices eerily flat.

"Say you won't be mean anymore," Lena ordered, her little fists clenched in anger.

"We won't be mean anymore," they said robotically.

"Now go away," Lena commanded. The three boys turned and walked away like puppets on strings. The victory was short-lived as Lena turned to find her new friends staring at her, mouths agape.

"How did you do that?" Sofia asked in awe.

"I... uh... I..." Lena's heart raced. She'd broken the rule. The most important rule. Sirena would be so angry. She'd never seen Sirena angry, but her imagination filled in the blanks with memories of the men who'd kept her captive. Their anger. Their cruelty. "Oh no," Lena gasped as past and present blurred together. The men were back, but not for her. They always left her alone. They would always take the other boys and girls; never her. Mr. Pierce said she was too special to let out. "Oh no," she whimpered as tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Are you okay?" Olivia asked, reaching toward her.

"Get a teacher," Sofia said urgently.

"Okay," Olivia turned and ran.

"Are you okay, Lena?" Sofia stepped closer. Lena flinched away before turning and sprinting out of the cafeteria, her feet carrying her on autopilot.

In her classroom, she fumbled for her backpack, hands shaking as she pulled out her phone. She dialed Sirena's number – memorized like a lifeline – but there was no answer. She tried again. Still nothing. I'll leave a message. "Sirena," her voice cracked as tears streamed down her face, "I messed up. I did the alpha voice thing. I'm scared. Please come get me."

She fled to the girl's bathroom, locking herself in a stall, trying to make herself as small as possible. She'd stay here until Sirena came. She had to.

"Lena." Her teacher's voice made her freeze. She hadn't even heard Miss Trixie enter. "Are you in here?" There was a pause, then words that made Lena's blood run cold: "I saw what you did. I know what you are."

Oh no, Lena thought, terror gripping her heart. I really messed up.