Prey.

38.

"Angel," Ryan softly knocked on Neela's bedroom door. It's been about a week since he had the nightmare, no one knew about it. However, everyone has been noticing that Ryan's been acting more gentle and caring toward Neela. "We have a school worker here, we want you to meet them." Ryan walked away after he heard Neela's incoherent babbling.

After five minutes, Neela came downstairs in her pajamas with her hair brushed through to look more presentable. "Hello," Neela smiled softly and walked over to the grown woman to shake her hand. Once Neela made skin contact with the woman, she flinched. She and Ryan had the same skin temperature. With Ryan's brothers, you could feel the warmth of their blood traveling through their bodies. With this woman and Ryan, you couldn't. "It's all right, Angel," Ryan wiggled the back of Neela's shirt to let her know that he was still there, that he would always be there.

After everyone was situated in the living room, the woman pulled out a few papers and Neela was finally able to get a good look at her. The woman was tall, she was just a few inches below Ryan's hairline. Her hair was fiery red, which matched her lipstick of the same color; but also contrasted with her translucent skin and eyes. Her posture was strong and her face held a determined look; she was a professional woman—the nude pantsuit told that no doubt.

The woman's voice was brittle, like she could burst into tears at any second, but her face showed nothing like she was about to cry. Her face held seriousness and determination. "Neela, after looking at your progress reports from your old schools, all the schools around here were very impressed with you! Usually, all the transfers to this world are not very bright and wish to not do school here. But you? You're very bright and have an even brighter future ahead of you."

"Thank you," Neela knew she had very good grades, so the compliments weren't new to her. "Neela, she's serious. You could be in the top 1% in this world. That could get you really good jobs here, if you would like to be independent. You could even go to university here! It's just like life back on earth!"

"I never knew you'd be this bright, angel," without looking at him, Neela could just hear the smile on his face. "I'm really proud of you."

"Neela," the woman gained the girl's attention again. "The school I run is a prestigious school for only the brightest  pupils in this world. Everything will be paid for by your fathers here, so there is nothing to worry about. And with university, they will be fighting for just a sliver of your attention."

"I may have to think about it a little bit more."

~~

After much talking and deliberation, Neela and everyone had finally decided to let her go to school there. The name was in Latin, so Neela didn't know what the school was called. Damien chose how she would go to school. She would stay home for 4 days and go to the actual campus on the 5th day. Ryan was reluctant to let her go on the 5th day, but he trusted the school would take good care of Neela.

~~

While Neela was at the campus for classes, everyone was enjoying the quiet. No matter if they were training, just relaxing or if they went back I earth, which is what Sean did. He had finally found a way for Neela to get her medicine.

While walking back to the mansion with her pills, Sean walked past Neela's old house and saw an ambulance and police cars all around. "What the-" throwing the paper bag into a bush just outside her house, he walked onto the porch to see Jackson, Andrews friend. He was sobbing loudly in his hands. "Excuse me, what happened? I'm Sean, I'm the son of Damien Soptic, he's investigating Neela's kidnapping."

"He's so fucking stupid!" Jackson yelled, ignoring everything that Sean had said. "He-he—he's my best friend," Jackson cried. "I was coming over. I found him—he slit his wrists in the tub."

From upstairs, Sean could hear a paramedic yell. "He's gone. 9:42 p.m time of death!" Sean grew pale and sick feeling.

"NO!" Jackson screamed and ran into the house. Slowly backing away, Sean pulled out his phone and grabbed the bag. While dialing Damien's number, Sean begun to cry. "What is it, Sean?"

"I—her father. Neela's biological father," Sean sobbed into the phone as he feet made him walked faster to the estate. "He-his friend found in in the tub....he slit his wrists."

Damien gasped and covered his mouth while he closed the door to his office. "Did they defibrillate him? Is he in the hospital? Is he okay?"

"Time of death 9:42 pm." Sean took a shaky breath in and squatted down on the sidewalk to calm his shaking body. "If anyone of you would have just fucking listened to me," Sean's voice began to croak, "Neela and her father would've been happy and he wouldn't be dead. Neela wouldn't be depressed. Why didn't you listen, father?"

"Son, we'll talk about this once you get home. Don't talk to anyone else there, don't tell Ryan or any of your brothers."

~~

All day, the boys have been pacing back and forth to try and make sense of the situation they were in. Ryan was crying, Sean hadn't stopped his tears. They were both hurting for Neela. Everyone knew that it would be in their best interest to tell Neela, but they couldn't fathom seeing her face drops seeing the sadness engulf her entire being.

Life's just getting good for Neela, and it'll get better once she hits peak ages for getting a mate, once she gets into university, once she becomes an adult. They can't ruin it with this life changing news. But, if they wanted Neela to trust them, they would have to tell her the truth.