Exposed

  I checked the time on my phone again, sighing. It was five-thirty; I would have to head out soon. My father had been in a confidential meeting with the other Alphas for over an hour now. Luckily, Byron and the other youths in his pack had joined us. We’d been given more time to spend with each other, even in this dire situation. We’d begun our time talkative and friendly, but now, we were sitting in the living room sharing the same dreary expressions. Every once in a while, we’d hear someone raise their voice in the study, but other than that we didn’t know what was going on. Byron gave me a small smile and nudged me.

  “They’ll figure something out soon.” he tried to reassure me.

  I shook my head. “I won’t be here for it. I have somewhere to be.”

  Fyn raised his head. “Where are you off to?”

  “I’m meeting Hugo at the library to discuss the project and catch up on homework.”

  Mel groaned. “I forgot we had homework.”

  Ava moved towards her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t worry, we’ll all do it together. It’ll be easier.”

  I smiled, realizing our packs were becoming fast friends. “You guys should. I’ll be home a little later and we can talk more.”

  Byron raised an eyebrow. “You don’t want to wait until they’re done with the meeting?”

  “I do, but I think this is good for me as it as for the rest of us. I think you were right; I need a distraction.”

  He smiled warmly. “I’ll send you a text when it’s over. Maybe your father will let us stay over and we can fill you in when you get back.”

  “That’s a great idea.” I turned to my pack. “As long as you’re all okay with that.”

  Mel smiled. “Of course, Lia.”

  I nodded and stood up. “Alright then. I’ll see you all when I get back.”

  Byron walked me out and closed the door behind him, stepping outside with me. He took a deep breath and stepped closer to me, once again. I met his eyes, noting the hint of nervousness in them.

  “Please, be careful while you’re out there.”

  I smiled. “I think you underestimate me.”

  He rolled his eyes. “I just worry, that’s all.”

  There was a moment when everything around us went still. I felt the tension between us again, but this time I was prepared. Before he could move, I titled my head up towards him and kissed him gently on the cheek. I pulled away, giving him a small smile. I was aware of his intense passion when it came to women, which only made me wary. I thought he might let it go at that, but he pulled me closer to him. My breath caught in my throat as he pressed his lips to mine. His kiss was soft, yet yearning, as if he’d waited a long time to do this. His hand pushed firmly into my back, holding my body against his. Though I was caught off guard, I felt a ripple of arousal shoot up my spine. His palm pressed against the back of my neck as he parted my lips. His touch made my skin tingle. I quivered slightly. It felt like a magnetic force, drawing us to each other. He pulled me closer to him, causing a small sound of pleasure to escape my lips. My lungs were screaming for air when he pulled away. As I caught my breath, he smiled.

  “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.”

  I felt my face growing hot as he let go of me and took a step back. I cleared my throat, trying to regain myself. My wolf was awakened again, urging me to continue. I was excited and anxious all at once, compelled by Byron’s energy. When I finally had the courage to meet his eyes again, he looked calm. I didn’t know if this was a good or bad thing.

  “ Don't be long.” he kissed my forehead gently and left, not giving me the chance to respond.

  As I walked, I touched a finger to my lips, reliving that moment again. I’d never been kissed like that before, but I should have expected it from him. He was after all, experienced. Unlike Byron or most of the wolves, I had never invested my time in relationships. While we were aloud to dwell with humans at a young age, it was frowned upon for a female to do so. Even if it wasn’t, I’d never felt the urge. My first kiss had been with a boy in the fourth grade, and my wolf had shriveled in disgust inside. I decided then that it wasn’t for me. I spent most of my time involved with my pack anyways; I didn’t have the time for a fling. With Byron it was different, though. He was my arranged mate; I was allowed and encouraged to feel things for him. I didn’t have to pretend with him either. I found myself actually considering the positive in this marriage. There was still a part of me that felt like I was losing my freedom, but the other part was delving in the new emotions. While we weren’t mates yet, I was beginning to like the idea we would be soon. The only rule the Alphas had was we weren’t allowed to sleep with each other until after the betrothal. As long as I followed that rule, I was allowed to feel any way I wanted to. It made it easier, thinking about him. My moment was shattered when I caught sight of Chelsea walking down the street with her friends. She was laughing, completely oblivious to everyone around them. I don’t know why, but in that moment I remembered why I’d been so resistant of this marriage. Not once had Byron ever respected or even considered my feelings, seeing him with other girls. I had never been bothered, but now I could feel a pit in my stomach growing. I had watched my soon-to-be mate kiss, date, hug and love other women for such a long time. While I was counting the days until the end of my freedom, he was enjoying his. Now that our wedding was close he was showing affection. Was I just another one of these girls to him? Was he just trying to accept the inevitable as I had for years? I sighed, shaking the thoughts from my mind. Even if I knew the answer to those questions, it wouldn’t matter. Whether he wanted to or I wanted to, we would be mates after graduation.

  I opened the door to the library, catching Hugo’s scent almost immediately. I followed to a table in the back, where he had his books and papers laid out. He looked up as I approached, pulling out his headphones. He smiled and motioned for me to sit across from him. I did so, tossing my backpack on the table and opening it. I pulled out my homework and set it off to the side. I placed the pack in the chair next to me, glancing around. We were mostly alone, but that wasn’t anything to be surprised at. Nobody came to the library in their free time. It was Hugo who broke the silence.

  “I thought we could start on the project first.”

  I sat back in my chair. “Okay, what are you thinking?”

  He handed me a sheet of paper. “I listed a few ideas, but if you don’t like them we can figure something else out.”

  As I stared at the paper, I realized I didn’t know what the project was for. I had been so sidetracked I hadn’t listened to Mr. Hing explaining. Hugo noticed my hesitation and titled his head to the side.

  “We’re supposed to research ancestral warriors and do a report on one. We have to compare modern day to the time there from and provide insight on what differentiated them from other people of their time.” he cleared his throat.

  I raised an eyebrow. “What’s the point?”

  He smiled. “It’s a lesson of our history. Learning about our past helps us understand how to prevent the same mistakes in our future.”

  “Doing a report on an ancestral warrior doesn’t teach us how to avoid anything in the future.”

  He shrugged. “A warrior is a product of war, meaning we’re researching more than just a person. We’re looking into the battles they fought in their time and why it was so important to them. By doing this, we’re learning how to avoid the conflicts our ancestors faced.”

  “You’re big on the avoiding conflict thing, aren’t you?”

  He laughed. “Why aren’t you? The world we live in is full of conflict, why should we add to it?”

  “Sometimes there isn’t another solution. Conflict and war are a necessity when people are unwilling to conform.”

  He laughed again. “Think about what you’re saying. Forcing someone to conform makes you the bad guy. Not everyone is going to feel the same as you do, but that doesn’t make their feelings invalid.”

  I hesitated, suddenly thinking about the rogues. Could it be possible their resistance was more than rebellion? Could it be possible we were fighting them when all they wanted was the freedom to choose? My father had always described rogues as wolves who lacked basic survival skills. As wolves, our identities were the most precious thing we had. Setting up territories and choosing to coexist with humans was all part of our survival. Choosing to not kill freely and evening out our hunts to coincide with the forest animal population was something that made sense to me. I hadn’t thought about what this meant to the rogues. Conforming to our council and following their rules came so easy, fighting it seemed useless. While I didn’t understand the rogues ways, I had to admit Hugo was partially right. It wasn’t our place to tell another pack how to live their lives. Even with this realization, I couldn’t bring myself to understand why they attacked my pack. My mother was innocent, only trying to survive like the rest of us. She had been defending her territory, and they had killed her for it. If their resistance was for their freedom, then why not try a more peaceful approach? Why kill humans and wolves alike without reason? It didn’t make sense, and therefore, I dismissed Hugo’s theory all together.

  “Are you okay?” he leaned in.

  Realizing I’d been silent for a long moment, I forced a smile. “I’m fine.”

  He hesitated. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  I was taken back by his question. “Talk about what?”

  He shrugged. “Something is seriously bothering you, even I can see that.”

  “It’s nothing.”

  I reached for one of the books on the table, but as I leaned over my shirt caught on the chair, pulling it off my shoulder and revealing my bandaged wound. I covered it quickly, but I wasn’t fast enough. Hugo narrowed his eyes in concern.

  “What happened?”

  “You ask a lot of questions.” I cleared my throat. “We should get back to studying.”

  He shook his head. “Not until you tell me what happened.”

  I paused, trying to decide if I should answer or not. He met my eyes, unconvinced and unwavering. For a human, he was surprisingly sure of himself. I leaned back in my chair, sighing.

  “I’ll make you a deal. I tell you what happened, and you tell me more about your necklace.”

  His eyes fell to the tooth around his neck. “Alright.”

  I leaned forward, resting my hands on the table. “I was shot.”

  His eyes widened. “What the fuck, really?”

  I nodded. “It was an accident, just a clip. Some of my friends and I went out to shooting and a stray bullet got me.”

  “When?”

  “Yesterday.” I laughed. “I had to get stitches and everything.”

  His expression turned from shock to worry. “Out in the woods?”

  “Where else?” I titled my head.

  “Natalia, it’s dangerous out there. I’ve heard there’s been an animal attack. The same thing happened a couple of years ago too. You shouldn’t be out there.”

  I grit my teeth, realizing the town had been talking. Even a newbie like Hugo was made aware of the attack. I looked away from him, trying not to show my irritation. Little did he know I was an animal too. Little did he know I was going to be the one to end the attackers if it came down to it. Little did he know of the war brewing in this town.

  “Trust me, I know better than anyone.” I forced a smile. “I’ve lived in this town my whole life.”

  He looked uncertain but nodded anyways. “Just be careful.”

  “Now it’s your turn.” I pointed at him. “Where did your father find it?”

  His eyes closed for a moment as he thought. “I’m not sure. He didn’t tell me a lot about it. In fact, he was specifically vague on the details of its whereabouts.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

  He shrugged. “He’s not usually like that. When he finds something good he’s usually the most talkative person in the room. With this, he just told me it was important I kept it with me. My dad is away a lot, I only wear it because it reminds me of him.”

  I paused, trying to choose my next question carefully. “Where’s your mom?”

  He bit his lip. “My dad said she ran out on us when I was a baby. I don’t know anything about her. I don’t even know if she’s alive still.”

  “Oh.” I let out a breath. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be.” he gave me a small smile. “I don’t remember her; it’s hard to miss someone you can’t remember. My father is enough for me.”

  “If he’s gone all the time, does that mean you’re always alone?”

  His eyes shifted to the table and his fingers stroked the tooth gently. “Mhm.”

  “Why’d you move here? Why not go with your father on his expeditions?”

  “He thinks it’s important that I finish school. He says your brain is the most powerful weapon of all.” he laughed. “I think he just likes being alone. His work is his life, who am I to intrude?”

  “His son.” I bit my lip, realizing I’d spoken out of place.

  His smile faded and he shifted in his seat. I saw something in his eyes that made my heart hurt. I cursed myself in my head.

  “I’m sorry.”

  He shook his head. “No, it’s fine.”

  “No, it’s not. Who am I to question your relationship with your father? Especially when mine isn’t perfect.”

  “You don’t get along with your dad?” he met my eyes.

  I hesitated. “It’s complicated. He and I just don’t see eye to eye sometimes. My mother was always the one who understood me; she knew just the right things to say.”

  “What happened?”

  My mother’s smile appeared in my mind and I closed my eyes, letting the memory of her linger for a moment. “Animal attack. She was protecting her family when she died.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  I smiled. “It’s okay.”

  He ran a hand through his hair and let out a nervous laugh. “I guess we all have our baggage.”

  “Very true.”

  As I said this, my brain snapped back to the reality of the situation. As comforting as it was to talk about my mother with someone who understood loss, my baggage was heavier than Hugo’s. I had a secret that would likely strike fear in him if he ever found out. Losing my mother had been the result of defending my pack’s territory. While I hadn’t lied to him technically, I wasn’t being entirely truthful. It felt wrong allowing him to be vulnerable while I hid behind a mask. I straightened up in my seat and opened one of the books.

  Hugo didn’t question me. He buried his face in his own homework, only looking up to ask questions about the paper. I had a feeling he didn’t want to talk anymore about our parents either. I had a feeling he was welcoming the distraction of homework just as I was. Even after we began focusing, homework still took at least two hours to complete. I hated the idea of wasting my time on something so useless, but I hid my frustration. Hugo had more patience than I. He answered all my questions and gave me tips when I needed them. I even found myself offering to make it a permanent thing, us meeting at the library. He accepted happily, as I’d assumed he would. I found his explanations fascinating, even if the subject wasn’t. In a different life, he might have made a good teacher.

  When our homework was done, we spent a little time on the project. He and I had very different opinions on what made a good warrior, but I found the conversation intriguing. His opinions were based on theoretical assumptions while mine were based on experience, though I couldn’t tell him that. I was a natural warrior; I knew very well what made someone exceptional in that field. We went back and forth for some time before deciding it was getting late. I remembered Byron and his pack would be waiting up on me to get back. Hugo didn’t look like he was ready to leave, and I wondered what it might be like going home to an empty house. He complied though, not giving me a hard time.

  We packed up our things and he started telling me a story from his childhood. I had decided long before that humans lived boring lives, but Hugo had been all over the world. His stories came from places I’d only dreamed of. I listened intently as he spoke, taking in every word. It was a nice change to my usual conversation. The little bell above the door rang as we walked outside. I remembered that sound distinctively, because it interrupted Hugo’s story for just a second. The streets were vacant at this time and we were walking under streetlamps. I started noticing his smile, beginning to wish I had a smile that genuine. He waved his hand in the air dramatically as he spoke. I only noticed this because time seemed to slow down. Though I was focused entirely on him, my wolf awakened, sensing something else.

  I realized a second too late that we were not alone. My hearing caught the sound of footsteps behind us, light and fast. I tried to convince myself it was just someone else walking home, but my wolf was now alarmed. I already knew it wasn’t human. A human couldn’t walk that light if they tried. This was something else, and it wasn’t familiar. My heart began to pound. Hugo was still talking obliviously beside me, but his voice sounded distant now. I continued to walk, refusing the urge to look behind me. I was conflicted by the situation. I could fight, but I would risk exposing myself to Hugo and anyone else who might be out. I entwined my fingers with Hugo’s and took a right at the next intersection.

  Hugo still wasn’t aware of the situation, but I felt him tense slightly at my touch. He fell silent and I felt him squeeze my hand gently. I was too nervous to think anything of it at the time. In the deafening silence, the footsteps that turned at the intersection were like lightning bolts in my eardrums.

  “Natalia…” I heard Hugo’s soft voice.

  I didn’t have time to answer. I pulled him into an alley and pushed him up against the wall. He looked surprised at my strength, and I wished he didn’t have to see this side of me. I pressed a finger to my lips and stepped away from him. I held my breath as the footsteps approached. My wolf was screaming to be let out now, threatening to overpower me. I hushed it, promising to shift if necessary. The footsteps stopped all at once.

  I swallowed, straining to hear them again. All I could hear was Hugo’s heavy breathing beside me. I started questioning myself, wondering if I had made a mistake. Had I been so paranoid that I’d convinced myself someone walking behind us was a threat? I let out a breath of relief when I heard the voice. It was deep and raspy, like someone who smoked a pack a day.

  “How coincidental, running into you like this.” he stepped out of the shadows, revealing his crooked smile.

  His eyes were a bright yellow, almost glowing against the darkness of the night. He was tall and thin, with short blonde hair and a pale complexion. I heard the growl in his voice as he spoke and knew this wasn’t going to be a friendly conversation. Two other men came out on either side of him, hands in their pockets and heads raised high. They’d been downwind of us, but now their stench invaded my nostrils like a dead fish sitting out in the sun. I pushed Hugo behind me, to which he protested. The blonde laughed, a sound that pierced my ears.

  “Do you think you can protect him all by yourself, little one?”

  I didn’t respond, and his smile wavered for just a second. He sniffed the air and laughed again, shaking his head. My heart was beating so hard I wondered if anyone else could hear it.

  “You’re injured, so I’ll strike you a deal. Walk away and we will let you go unharmed. We never saw you and you never saw us.”

  “Leave. Now. We haven’t done anything wrong; you don’t have to do this.”

  He noticed my tone and choice of words just as if I’d read them off a script. He eyed Hugo and then me, uncertain. When he finally realized, his smile returned.

  “Oh, I see. He doesn’t know.”

  His wolves snickered at this. The blonde took a step forward and I took a step back, forcing Hugo further into the alley. He paused, shaking his head again.

  “You’re not going to fight me like that, are you? That would be such a waste.”

  “I said leave.” My voice cracked, but not from fear; my wolf was fighting me.

  “Enough.” he growled. “Shift. Now.”

  I shook my head. “Leave.”

  He groaned. “Alright, fine. I’ll go first.”

  In front of my eyes and Hugo’s, the blonde shifted into a beautiful golden-furred wolf. I heard Hugo gasp and knock into something behind me, but I was no longer focused on him. The wolf let out a howl, and the other two shifted. The golden wolf took a step towards me, growling. He was challenging me, excitement in his yellow eyes. I glanced back only for a second to give Hugo an apologetic look. He looked terrified. We backed up again, but the wolf was done playing games. He crouched to the ground, preparing to lunge. I had no other choice. I answered the call of my wolf and shifted.