Mate Hunt

Night

Everyone was silent, and Isla noticed it would get dark soon. "So, what will happen now?"

Leah and Romulus looked at one another. "Romulus, would it be okay to stay here for the night? I-I want to spend a little more time with my grandmother."

The werewolf was hesitant; he worried they would be caught leaving to the human world. However, Leah did give her word that they would return to the werewolf society. "That would be fine; if that makes you happy."

Isla trembled in anger. "That dog will not sleep in my house! All the other houses are empty. He can sleep in one of the houses of the families that suffered the pain of losing their child."

Romulus was about to respond, but Leah looked at him and shook her head. He growled and left the house, leaving his granddaughter and grandmother alone."Grandmother, why didn't you tell me?"

"It's something I don't like talking about; no one would have believed me or your grandfather, especially your parents." Isla was silent for a while. "Did he hurt you?"

"He scared me a bit since he kidnapped me but never physically caused pain."

Isla took hold of her granddaughter's hands. "I'm glad you are safe and alive. I had to lie to your parents about your disappearance, and now you come home."

Leah sighed. "Now it's complicated, Grandmother. Now that Romulus is in my life, I am not sure that things will be as they were once before."

"You're not thinking of going back with that monster!"

"He's not a monster grandmother."

The older woman's eyes widened. She felt that Romulus had done something to her granddaughter. "He took you away from your own will! He-"

"He brought me here to see you, something that is against the laws of his kind. Something he could get in trouble for!"

"He is only doing that just to get through your head."

"Enough!" Leah snapped at her grandmother. "I'm sorry that my aunt was lost. There are always two sides to each story. We don't know how she felt when kidnapped and towards the werewolf who took her from her livelihood." Leah stood. "We will make dinner, and I'm going to Romulus to give him his plate."

The older woman was silent and wanted to argue, but stopping her granddaughter would be pointless. She couldn't call the police since they wouldn't believe her. Isla didn't know where the two were hiding; Leah wouldn't tell her. Isla knew it would be her granddaughter's choice. "We will get dinner ready."

Grandmother and granddaughter made dinner and ate with one another with small, light talk. However, Leah felt tension between them; it wouldn't be the same anymore. However, she made her decision. Once they finished, Leah got a plate for Romulus and left her grandmother's house. She was looking through the empty houses for Romulus. "Romulus!" She called out, but there was no answer. She looked over the small village, and from afar, she saw a cave and light. Leah immediately ran to the cave and, once there, saw Romulus sitting by a fire, looking at it intently.

"Romulus."

He didn't look at her. Leah slowly walked into the cave, and when she did, rain began to pour down little by little. She got close to him, but not too close to where she was in his personal space. "Romulus, please look at me."

The werewolf still did not give her his attention, which annoyed the young woman. Leah was about to speak, but Romulus spoke. "What do you think of me, Leah?"

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that what do you think of me?" Romulus finally gave her his attention. "Do you see me as a monster?"