by DJ DeSmyter
“I’m fairly certain he wouldn’t have recognized me if he saw me,” I said confidently. If the hunter knew what I looked like as a human, we would lose all sense of security. In a way, our human identities were the only things keeping us hidden from the hunter.
Summer leaned back into the couch and crossed her arms. “But he knew where we lived. He had to be watching us.”
No words were needed because we all knew she was right. Summer was good at pointing out the finer details, ones some of us would never have thought of.
“Crap,” Lily said under her breath. I looked up and grinned at her. She blushed immediately.
“Now we’re really confined to the house, aren’t we?” James asked, staring at Mom.
“I’m afraid so.” Mom’s face was grave and I knew her answer weighed down on her just as much as the rest of us. None of us liked resisting the wild, beautiful need to change and run through the woods, the snow catching on our fur and thousands of sounds and smells filling our ears and noses.
“At least until Peter comes home. He might bring a better plan with him,” Mom added. She turned her attention towards me. “I hate to even suggest this, but it might better if—”
“If Lily and I spent some time apart,” I finished.
Mom nodded and it looked as though her agreement was killing her. “If the hunter knows who we are, it’s safer for Lily not to be around us.” Her eyes left me for a second to glance at Lily.
“Good,” Lily surprisingly said, a mischievous grin playing across her lips. “I was getting sick of you.”
“It’ll be like a game of hide and seek,” Summer pointed out. “With the hopes the hunter doesn’t seek us.”
“Who knew such a childish game could be so deadly?” John said grimly.
Q
Time away from Lily wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. Afraid I had grown too dependent on her company, I worried how I would spend my days. To my relief, each day was spent hanging out with Summer and James, who were excited to spend time with me. I didn’t blame them; after all, I was, too.
Before Lily, the three of us did everything together. Summer loved board games, ones that involved words, so after Mom finished teaching, we’d break out the games and James and I did our best to beat Summer. We never could.
James loved hunting as much as Summer loved word games. Even before we left the house, we would shift and dash into the woods eager to find a small animal to chase. We only killed if we were hungry, but even then it was more about the thrill of the hunt than the kill. He and I could run for hours and miles without stopping.
Still, despite the fun I was having with my brother and sister, I couldn’t keep my mind from wandering to thoughts of Lily. She was probably lost in a book or producing beautiful photographs. I knew for certain she wasn’t doing homework. She had already finished all of hers. I, on the other hand, hadn’t. School resumed in a matter of days, so I decided to start working on it.
“What are you working on?” James asked, holding up one of my science worksheets.
“Homework,” I answered.
“Looks fun.”
“Oh, yeah. It’s a blast.” I looked up from the sheet I was working on. “Have you and Summer decided yet?”
He shook his head. “Not yet.”
I assumed he and Summer would start attending Victor Hills High once the holiday vacation came to an end, but I was wrong. Mom thought it would be pointless since the year was practically halfway done, but the idea of going to public school intrigued them.
“You guys can always wait until next year,” I suggested.
James shrugged and continued staring at my homework. “Do you get a lot of homework?”
I laughed. “Yeah.”
“Then no, thank you,” he said, sliding the worksheet away. “Summer would probably like it, though.”
“Lily would love it if you guys were there. She doesn’t really have any friends.”
“Besides you.”
I nodded.
The click of the front door unlocking caught us by surprise and we both jumped up with our eyes glued to the door. We sniffed the air and when we smelled Dad’s scent, we calmed down.
“Hey, guys,” Dad said when he saw us.
Mom came rushing out of the tiny kitchen and threw her arms around him. “Welcome, home!” She leaned away to kiss him and did so several times. “Were you successful?”
With a wide smile, Dad nodded and started removing his coat and shoes. “It was a long trip, but it was worth it.”
“Thank you, so much,” Mom said, taking Dad’s hand and giving it a hundred kisses.
“What’s going on?” James asked. “What were you successful in doing?”
I folded my arms and titled my head in curiosity.
Dad glanced at Mom and with her eyes she gave him the okay to spill the details of his mysterious trip. “Where’s Summer? She should hear this, too.”
“I’m here, I’m here!” Summer yelled as she bounded into the room. “Sorry, I was reading. Hi, Dad!” She hugged him and then stood by James. “So, what is it you have to tell us?”
“I went to find Helen, Lily’s grandmother,” he answered.
My mouth flew open and my eyes widened. “What?”
Mom moved towards me and placed her hand on my arm. “I knew Lily’s mom before either of us were married. I didn’t know her too well, I’m afraid. Our paths only crossed once or twice, but when I met Lily, she reminded me so much of Marie. The resemblance is uncanny.”
“And John was fine with you going out and finding Lily’s grandmother?” I looked at Dad for an answer.
“Yes,” Mom said. “For one thing, he didn’t know Helen was still alive. He and Marie had separated from her family to keep Lily in the dark about werewolves.”
“And they knew it would be hard enough since Marie herself was a wolf,” Dad added.
Mom continued, “But now that Lily knows, John thought it would be good for her to meet Helen.”
“So is Lily’s grandmother the only one still around?” Summer asked.
“Yes, but she’s not a werewolf,” Dad interjected. “Her husband was the pack leader and when he died, the pack offered to give her protection.”
“From a hunter,” I guessed.
Dad and Mom nodded.
Still stunned, I retreated to the couch. “Wait, are you saying Lily’s grandmother is coming to Victor Hills?”
“Yes, Helen will be here in a few days. She stayed behind to pack,” Dad said triumphantly. “That’s what made my trip successful. She burst into tears when I asked her.”
I grinned at the thought of how happy Lily would be to meet a relative. She never got the chance to know her mom, to love her and to have her be a part of her life. If that didn’t make Lily feel lonely enough, not knowing any of her relatives surely did. Lily’s life had changed so much since I met her; I only hoped meeting her grandmother further fueled her happiness.
Dad interrupted my thoughts. “That’s not all.”
Even Mom looked surprised.
Dad eyed us all before continuing. “After hearing about our troubles with the hunter, Helen’s pack decided to help, so some of them are accompanying her. They thought we could use a little back up if needed.”
Summer shook her head while she spoke. “Do they think we’re going to kill the hunter? That would make us no better than him!”
“I don’t know what will happen,” Dad said sternly. “I don’t relish the idea of killing a human being, even if he is a murderer, but if we need help then it’s readily available.”
“We can take him!” James shouted.
“But what if you get shot, or two of us get shot? What then?” Dad argued. “It won’t hurt to have some assistance.”
“Well,” I said, breaking my silence. “At the very least, they can help patrol.”
“How many wolves are in the pack now?” Mom inquired. “When I saw them last, with Marie, there were only six or sev
en.”
“There’s now five, not including Helen,” Dad answered. “But only two are coming. They didn’t want to leave their territory unprotected.”
“Of course,” Mom said. “I think this will be a good thing. Nothing bad can come of it. If we need their help, great! If not, then that’s fine, too.”
“What are they like?” I asked.
Mom turned to me with a smile. “Oh, they’re a very gracious and kind pack. Or they were when I met them.”
Dad agreed. “No, they’re still as you describe.”
“What’s Helen like? Will Lily like her or will this just turn into a big mess?” I asked.
“Helen is really the heart of the pack. They all listen to her and regard as if she were the alpha,” Dad explained with a look of admiration. “She is strong, but so kind and gentle. I’m sure Lily will be hesitant at first, but I truly believe she’ll jump at the chance to know Helen.”
“I hope so,” I said. “Should I tell her?”
Mom shook her head. “John said he’d take care of that as soon as he knew Helen was coming.”
Dad nodded and headed for the phone. “I’ll call him right now.”
I looked over at James and Summer. James looked excited, but I couldn’t tell if he was more excited about our visitors or killing the hunter. Summer, on the other hand, looked distressed. She hated killing animals to eat, so I could only imagine how much pain she felt thinking about having to kill a human. I agreed we wouldn’t be any better than him if we took his life like he took so many others. The only other option I could think of was to relocate, but there was always the risk of running into another hunter and I didn’t know if I could bring myself to leave Lily behind. I loved her; it was as simple as that and to put a thousand or more miles between us would be torture, not only for myself, but for her, too.
38. Lily
“Lily,” Dad said in the kind of tone that indicated what he had to say was important.
Tearing my eyes away from the book I was reading, I looked up at Dad. He was standing in front of me with his arms folded across his chest.
“What is it, Dad?” I unfolded my legs from under me and sat up on the couch.
“I just got off the phone with Peter.”
“Is something wrong?” I had absolutely no idea what he was getting at. His words came out slowly, which worried me.
“No—”
“Then what’s going on?” By then suspense hung in the air and Dad’s hesitance teased me.
“Well, he just got back from his trip. He was in Minnesota,” Dad explained. “Amelia asked him to go and try to find someone.”
I raised my brows in impatience. “And?” Just get to the chase! I mentally yelled.
“He found them and they’ll be here in a day or two.”
“Who is it, Dad? Just tell me. Your cryptic explanations are driving me nuts.”
Dad sucked in a large amount of air and by the time he exhaled it felt like a whole year had passed. “Helen Saunders. Your grandma.”
My heart skipped a beat and even though I was sitting, the room began to sway, making me feel as though I was on a boat navigating choppy waters
“M— my grandma?” I shook my head in disbelief. After all these years, after telling myself I had no relatives, no other family besides Dad, here he was tearing down those assumptions.
“I didn’t know she was still alive,” Dad said. He sounded uncomfortable and his eyes couldn’t stay on one thing for too long.
Stunned and speechless, I nodded. The simple movement felt foreign, like I hadn’t moved in ages.
“Amelia had met your mom and her pack a few years before your mom and I met and she recognized you immediately, because you look so much like your mom and Helen.” Dad paused and took another deep breath. “So, she sent Peter to find Helen and I guess he did.”
I nodded again. It was an automatic response, one I didn’t pour any thought into because I had no thought to spare. My mind throbbed as I processed everything Dad had just told me. For years, I had wondered what it would be like to have an extended family, to be related to someone other than Dad.
After licking my lips and clearing my throat, I shattered my silence. “Is she a werewolf?”
“No, but she is highly regarded in the pack. Your grandpa was the alpha.”
“Was? So he’s dead.”
Dad didn’t need to confirm it, but he did. “Yes.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah, okay.” I slowly began to slip out of my daze. “I’m not mad, Dad.”
“I thought you would be,” he admitted.
Shaking my head, I stared down at my hands and played with my fingers. “No, I’m not. I’m just— surprised. I really thought I didn’t have any other relatives.”
“I know and I’m so sorry for that. Your mom and I thought it was for the best if we cut ties with her family in order to keep you safe.”
“I get it, Dad. I do, really.” My fingers ceased their twiddling and I looked up at Dad. “So she’s coming from Minnesota just to meet me?”
“Yes, but there is something else.”
“Please don’t tell me I have a twin or something because I really don’t think I can handle that right now.”
Despite the seriousness of the conversation, laughter spilled out from Dad. “No, Lils, that’s not it.”
“Oh, okay. Good.” I’m only human, I thought. “What is it then?”
“Two wolves from her pack are coming with her to help us deal with the hunter.”
“When you say ‘deal’, do you mean ‘kill’?” My voice cracked on the last word.
“No, not necessarily. I don’t know what will happen, but they offered to help us out in any way we desire.”
“That was nice of them.” I couldn’t believe two wolves would voluntarily risk the chance of being killed by a hunter. “Does ‘dealing’ with the hunter require so much back-up, though?”
“Doesn’t hurt to be cautious,” Dad said.
“What should I call her?” I asked, shifting the focus back to my grandma. To me, knowing what to call her was as crucial as knowing if she was a werewolf or a human. “Helen? Grandma Helen? Grandma? Grandmother?”
“Knowing her, she’ll want you to call her ‘grandma’ or some variation of that. I understand meeting her will be tough, so don’t feel like you have to call her anything right away.”
“Okay. That sounds like a good plan. I wouldn’t want to call her something endearing if I end up hating her.”
“I don’t think you will.”
“I don’t either, really.” I sighed. “Does Alex know?”
“Yes, Peter told them all when he got home.”
“He went all that way just for me?”
Dad nodded. “They really like you, Lily. Alex isn’t the only one.”
I was touched by Peter’s actions, the fact that he went to Minnesota for me. Alex’s family welcomed me into their lives— without hesitation— and had shown me nothing but love. Even if I ended up not liking Helen, I would always have them for support, love, and friendship. I realized for the first time, I didn’t need blood-related relatives in my life to call family; all I needed was a pack of loving werewolves with the last name of Moreau. A smile played across my lips.
“What?” Dad asked, amused by my sudden display of happiness.
“I was just thinking about the Moreau’s and how nice they’ve been towards me. I’m so glad they weren’t werewolf snobs who wanted Alex to only date another wolf.”
“He wouldn’t have very many to choose from,” Dad noted with a laugh.
“No, no he wouldn’t.”
39. Lily
“I’m nervous,” I whispered to Alex as we sat in our living room waiting for the lady I might call ‘grandma’ and two of her wolves to knock on the front door. It had been two days since Dad dropped the grandma-bomb on me and I still had yet to calm my fears of meeting her. “What if she doesn’t like me?”
“Then I’ll ask her what’s wrong with her,” Alex mused. He gave my hand a squeeze and brought it to his lips. “You have nothing to worry about. Dad told me she is a very loving person and is eager to meet you.”
“That’s what Dad said, too, but it’s always the nice ones you have to look out for.” I took several deep breaths and the glass of water I held began to shake.
Knock, knock.
I gasped and jumped to my feet. Dad glanced at me and with his eyes told me everything would be okay. I wanted to trust his and Alex’s words, but I couldn’t. Not only was I afraid of not liking her, I was afraid she wouldn’t like me.
Peter, who had been standing next to Amelia, moved to get the door. It surprised me that Dad didn’t answer it. He must be nervous, too, I thought. I guess he should be since he hasn’t seen her since I was born.
“It’s nice to see you again, Helen,” I heard Peter say. “Everyone’s in the living room. Please, come on in.”
Suddenly, Helen stepped into the room and my first thought was, For an elderly woman, she looks pretty good. Her white hair, wrinkly skin, and sparse age spots were the only signs of old age. Her eyes, blue and wet with tears, were glued on me and she rushed towards me with open arms.
“Lily,” she murmured as she embraced me.
Awkwardly, I wrapped my arms around her. “Hi.”
She held me away from her and took a good look at me. “You look so much like Marie.”
Mom, I thought with a sudden and surprising longing. “I do?”
“Yes!” Her voice didn’t shake with old age. Instead, it was firm and smooth.
My eyes glanced behind her and I saw two young men standing in the front hall, staring at the intimate exchange, unsure what to do.
Helen followed my gaze and smiled. “Come here you two! Stop being so awkward.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. I think I like her already.
The two guys stepped into the room and smiled. One looked older than the other and if I had to guess I would have said he was in his late twenties. He had short golden hair that curled at the tips and blue eyes that would send any girl’s heart into a frenzy. Not mine, I noted. He had a slight beard, giving him a rugged look. His skin was lightly tanned from the sun and I assumed he spent most of his time outdoors. He was muscular, not in a bodybuilder kind of way, but it was obvious he knew how to take care of himself.