Hunted

by DJ DeSmyter

  “Right,” he agreed. He bent down to my level. “Do you want to talk about it, though?”

  I shook my head with certainty and assurance. “No, it’s okay.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah.”

  “But if something is bothering you, I’m always willing to listen.”

  “Thanks.” I took a deep breath and tried to ease his worry with a smile.

  Alex pulled me up and encircled me in his arms. His warmth enveloped me, providing even more comfort, and just like that, the last cloud of my storm of doubt drifted away.

  Far, far away.

  Good riddance.

  31. Alex

  “Are you sure everything is in the envelope?” I asked Lily as I examined the contents. Lily was preparing to send in her scholarship application and we both were afraid she would forget to include something vital.

  She snatched it away from me with a nervous look in her eyes. “I already double checked it.” She didn’t sound confident.

  “Maybe you should check again,” John said from the couch where he was reading the morning paper before heading to work. Lily told me he worked at a security company during the day, but I wasn’t sure how accurate her information was.

  “I probably should,” Lily said. She sounded relieved; as if she was worried we’d judge her for triple checking the envelope. “Okay. Everything is in there.”

  John folded up the paper and got to his feet. “Then seal it up and stick a few stamps on it. I’ll drop it off on my way to work.”

  “Where do you work?” I asked him.

  Lily cut in. “Silver Security.”

  John chuckled. “I’m sorry, Lils, but I lied to you when I told you that.”

  “What? Why?” Her face scrunched up in confusion. She would have disagreed, but I thought she looked adorable.

  “Well, I was trying to be clever and hint at the fact that I try to protect werewolves from hunters. It was more for my own amusement.”

  Lily didn’t think it was funny. “Then where do you work?”

  “I do work for a security company, but it’s called Century Systems.”

  “Oh, okay. I thought you had lied about your actual job.”

  “I’m not that cruel, honey,” John mused as he went into the kitchen. He returned with two stamps on his fingers.

  “Thanks,” Lily said, taking the stamps and placing them on the envelope. “There you go, Dad. Make sure it doesn’t get caught in the box.”

  “I won’t. I’ll see you two later.”

  “Bye!” Lily and I said at the same time.

  We heard the front door open and then John said, “Oh, hi, guys. I’m off to work, Alex and Lily are in the family room.”

  The moment John opened the door, Summer and James’s scents filled my nostrils.

  “Thanks, Mr. Atwater,” James replied.

  John finally left and James and Summer came wandering into the family room.

  “Hey, guys,” Summer said. “What are you up to?”

  Lily answered. “I was putting together my application for a scholarship.”

  “What kind?” James asked.

  “It’s for art, but I don’t have to use it towards an art college.”

  “Cool,” responded James. “So, Alex, I was wondering if you wanted to go out for a run with me. Before he left, Dad said it was okay, just as long as we shift on the other side of the woods.”

  The wolf in me seemed to come alive. “Yeah, that sounds great!” I turned to Lily. “Do you mind?”

  “No, of course not.”

  “I’ll keep her company,” Summer offered. “I’m probably more fun than you are anyways.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Thanks, Summer.” I stood up, giving Lily a quick kiss before leaving.

  James had borrowed Mom and Dad’s car, but it seemed to take us forever to reach the other side of town. Both of us were itching to shift, to run through the snow on all fours. Maybe we’ll hunt, too, I thought.

  My impatience subsided when we finally parked and dashed into the woods, becoming nothing more than wolves amongst the trees. I wanted to bark and howl with excitement, but I knew it would be safer to remain quiet. James, however, thought the opposite. Weaving between the snow-covered trees, we began to chase each other and even as wolves, we were smiling.

  For a little while, we both forgot about the hunter.

  32. Lily

  “Where’s your dad today?” I asked Summer as I poured her a drink of water.

  “I’m not really sure. He said he was visiting family, but Mom’s been acting kind of weird lately, so I don’t really know what’s going on.”

  “Hmm, well I hope everything is okay.” I hated the thought of Peter and Amelia arguing, but I knew they would work through whatever was bothering them. “So, did you want to do something today?”

  “They haven’t been arguing or anything, so I don’t think it’s something bad.” It was as if she read my thoughts. “I didn’t have anything in particular in mind. How about you?”

  I shrugged, a little relived. We hadn’t hung out by ourselves a whole lot, but I felt comfortable around her, comfortable enough to have the courage to ask her for advice. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.” She paused and must have read the look on my face because she said, “And I promise not to tell Alex.”

  Geesh, werewolves are intuitive. “Thanks.”

  “I’m assuming this is about him?”

  I nodded and leaned against the counter. “Do you think he really loves me?”

  “Oh, I don’t think he does. I know he does. And so do Mom, Dad, and James. For one thing, he can’t take his eyes off of you. Doesn’t that make you uncomfortable, having his eyes always on you?”

  I blushed. “Not really. I kind of like it. It makes me feel special, I guess.”

  Summer laughed and took a sip of her water. “Is there something you’re worried about, Lily?”

  “I, well, I’m not used to having a boyfriend and I thought I was getting over my doubt, but I still feel it.”

  “Are you doubting he loves you?”

  “Kind of. I know he loves me and I love him, too, but we’re only teenagers. Is it okay for us to be this secure in our feelings?”

  “Lily, haven’t you heard of love at first sight?”

  “Yeah, but I never thought it existed,” I admitted.

  Summer smiled and rested her chin on her hand. “Well, I think you and Alex have proven its existence. And you’re happy, right?”

  I nodded with a grin. I was very happy.

  “Then that’s all that matters.” Smiling, she sat up and looked at the clock. “Now that your love life is taken care of, what do you want to do? I’m free until nightfall.”

  “What’s happening then?” I asked.

  She eyed me. “Has Alex explained what happens to us during a moon?”

  “The moon forces you all to change into wolves, right?”

  “Yup and we can’t change back until the morning when the sun is high in the sky and the moon has moved on to another phase.”

  “Will you guys just sit at the apartment?” I was pretty sure Amelia wouldn’t want her children out running through the woods with the hunter lurking amongst the trees. The hunter had to be smart enough to know about the effects of the full moon.

  “Probably. James had to beg Mom to let him and Alex go out, so she’ll most likely make us stay in tonight.”

  Taking my mug of hot chocolate with me, I wandered into the family room and plopped down onto the couch. “Has your family come across hunters before?”

  Summer sat in the chair opposite of me. “A few times, but the encounters weren’t here in Victor Hills. Before moving here, we lived in Pennsylvania.”

  “Did a hunter make you move?”

  “Sort of. That time, the hunter was a woman. She was the first female hunter I’ve seen,” she explained. “She started tracking us, but got distracted by another pack. We moved here beca
use we knew there weren’t any packs around, so we figured it was safer. I guess we were wrong.”

  “Why doesn’t anyone stop the hunters?” I couldn’t picture the Moreau’s killing anyone, but surely there had to be a way to stop the hunters that didn’t involve death.

  “Some werewolves can’t control their desire to kill and they make a habit of killing any living thing, including humans. So in a way , hunters help keep the dangerous wolves at bay, but most werewolves aren’t like that. For one thing, killing humans draws more attention to us, which obviously isn’t a good thing.”

  I breathed out a laugh. “So you’re like vegetarians.”

  Summer chuckled and nodded while she spoke. “I suppose we are, in a way.”

  “Do you like being a werewolf?” I hoped my question didn’t cross any personal boundaries.

  “For the most part, yes.”

  “What don’t you like?”

  “When we’re wolves, we eat like wolves, which means we kill other animals. I don’t like having to kill them, especially the deer and bunnies.” The sad tone of her voice was sincere.

  “At least they reproduce in obnoxious numbers,” I said in an attempt to make her feel better.

  “True,” she said. Her lips were pursed in a grin.

  We spent the rest of the day simply talking. With Summer, I didn’t feel the need to do anything else in order to keep us entertained. We discussed what it was like to attend a real school, family, hobbies, and, of course, werewolves. I tried convincing her that high school wasn’t all that exciting, but she didn’t believe me. She asked me about my mom, but that conversation didn’t last very long since there was so little to tell. I found out she liked art, but wasn’t good at it. She called herself a ‘viewer’ not a ‘creator’.

  For once in my life, I knew what it felt like to have a girlfriend, maybe even a sister. Summer and I didn’t gossip about boys or talk about the latest fashion trends like most other teenage girls, but talking to her was different than with Alex or Dad. Maybe it was because she was a girl, I don’t know.

  Before we knew it, the sun was beginning to set. Alex and James hadn’t come back, but Summer assumed they had decided to stay in their wolf forms. After thanking her for talking with me, we hugged and said our goodbyes.

  Dad came home a few hours later, just as the first stars were beginning to illuminate the sky. His early arrival surprised me, but nonetheless, I was happy to see him. My happiness quickly turned to concern upon seeing the wrinkles of distress on his face and the concerned look in his eyes.

  “What’s wrong? Did the hunter kill another wolf?” As long as it’s not Alex or the others, it’ll be okay. I tried to not imagine Alex getting hurt but instead a brief image of a bullet lodging itself into wolf-Alex escaped my mental barricade, causing me to shudder.

  “The hunter found the shed,” Dad answered, his voice void of any emotion. “And left it in ruins.”

  “Why?”

  Dad removed his coat and boots. “He probably figured out that whoever owns it was trying to help werewolves. After all, I kept blankets, space heaters, and first-aid kits in there. Not to mention the cage, which he must have discovered wasn’t actually made of silver. He managed to destroy it, too.”

  “The cage isn’t silver? But Alex was so afraid of it.”

  “It’s a metal that’s very similar to silver, but contains a few different properties. Let me tell you, it took forever to find.”

  I sighed and found relief in knowing that the cage wouldn’t have harmed Alex. I didn’t know why it mattered considering Dad had never intended to hurt him. “So what happens now?”

  “For now, I’d like you to stay inside. Don’t leave the house, no matter what. The hunter will be looking for the owners of the shed and even though it’s buried in the woods, it’s still pretty close to the house.”

  “Good thing I don’t go out much,” I said with a smile.

  “Do you think Alex would mind keeping an eye on you while I’m at work? I can’t afford to take vacation days.”

  “He won’t mind,” I said confidently. And I certainly won’t mind.

  “Just checkin’. I didn’t think he would.”

  Suddenly, Dad’s stomach grumbled rather loudly. Smiling at the sound, I followed Dad into the kitchen and fixed us something to eat.

  “Did you and Alex end up hanging out with Summer and James?” Dad asked while we ate.

  “Amelia gave them permission to go out for a run, so Alex and James went and did that while Summer and I stayed here and talked.”

  “Oh, did you have fun?”

  I peered up at him with a grin. “Yeah, I did.”

  Dad smiled back and the look in his eyes told me he was overcome with joy. “I’m so happy you have some friends, Lils.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Why do you think you never connected with the kids at school?” Dad’s question surprised me. We almost never discussed my social life because we both knew there really wasn’t much to talk about.

  “I don’t know. For one thing, a lot of them, but not all of them, like to party and do drugs,” I explained.

  “But what about the others, the ones who don’t like to do those things?”

  I shrugged. “I tried talking to some of the others, but they prefer to be left alone, which is fine with me because I think keeping to myself has been easier. I don’t have to worry about being gossiped about or what others think about me. I mean, I have to deal with the occasional jerk and snob, which is never fun, but everyone does and if that’s all, then I can’t really complain. You should hear some of the things people say behind each other’s back.”

  “The joys of high school,” Dad said sardonically. He took another bite of his food and then gazed at me with a hopeful look. “Maybe once things with the hunter are taken care of, Summer and James can start attending Victor Hills High, too.”

  I smiled at the thought of having not only Alex, but James and Summer at school with me. “Yeah, maybe.”

  33. Alex

  Flakes of snow clung to my fur and reflected the sunlight, making me look like a wolf made of diamonds. James was too busy rolling around to sparkle. We tried to make as little sound as possible, but we couldn’t help ourselves; we were having too much fun. Howls and yips of joy echoed through the woods.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a rabbit hopping through the snow. It was probably trying to get away from predators— us. But it wasn’t fast enough and the deep, rich hunger that only a wolf can feel came over me. I lunged at the rabbit and caught it between my teeth, killing it in an instant. James trotted over to me wearing an expression that said, “May I have some?” I finished eating and gave the rest to him. Afterwards, while licking our lips clean of the rabbit’s crimson blood, we buried the remains. Even as wolves, we still had some sense of decency and respect.

  We were about to resume our playing, but the cold air carried in two scents. Both were human, but only one held my full concern. It was unsettlingly familiar and when James caught the scent he looked at me, unsure of what to do.

  With a single look, I told him to run.

  Using all the strength we had, we tore through the snow in a fury of fear and desperation. The moment I signaled James to run, he knew whose scent we picked up. I slowed down long enough to sniff the air. The scent was strong, which meant the hunter was close, too close for comfort.

  Then I saw him.

  My legs burned as I pushed myself to go faster. Beside me, James was doing the same. Our breaths were short and panicked, but we didn’t have time to stop and rest. We couldn’t afford to. We wove through the trees in an attempt to confuse the hunter. I glanced back and found the space behind us empty, but I knew it wouldn’t remain so if we slowed down. So, we kept running.

  When we discovered the hunter’s scent was fading, every muscle in my body relaxed. We kept running a little longer just to be safe.

  Coming to a stop, I smelled the air all around me to make sure
he really was gone. James saw me stop and did the same. He remained standing, ready to start running again, and stared at me, waiting for further instruction. My eyes scanned the area, but found no sign of the hunter. What I did notice, however, were our tracks. We were close enough to Lily’s house that we could change back to our human selves, find clothing, and cover our tracks. With the hopes of deceiving the hunter, I gestured for James to follow me and we ran off to the side, creating a new set of tracks. After spanning the length of a football field, we carefully retraced our steps and continued on towards Lily’s house. Along the way, our tails acted as erasers as we swept over our tracks and made them disappear. It wasn’t exactly easy, but it worked.

  Before reaching the edge of the woods, we stopped to catch our breath. My muscles burned and urged me to stop. Panting, I lay down in the snow and waited for my body to cool down. James did the same and we both rested our heads on our front paws. Despite not being telepathic, I knew he was thinking the same thing I was, that our almost-encounter with the hunter was too close. With his gun loaded and ready, he could have ended our lives in a few swift pulls of the trigger. I had already been shot once and I did not want to experience the pain ever again; I would never want James to feel the intense burning sensation either. I would have endured another silver bullet if it meant sparing him from that kind of agony.

  The day was coming to end and the blue color of the sky began to fade into a light pink as the sun set. Taking one last whiff of the cold January air and deeming the hunter long gone, I stood up and shook the snow from my brown fur. Feeling no sense of danger, James and I leisurely trotted the rest of the way. Underneath our exhaustion, we were both relieved and happy to have avoided possible death.

  34. Lily

  After dinner, Dad sunk into the couch and relaxed in front of the television. He was watching some old cowboy movie. It must have been one of his favorites because he kept quoting lines. I had offered to do the dishes, but once they were all loaded in the dishwasher, boredom hit me.

  Have I grown that dependent on Alex’s company? I thought. I hope not. I don’t want to be the kind of girl who can’t function without her boyfriend. I made a mental note to ask Summer if she thought Alex and I were too clingy.