“Hmm…” I let the idea rest in my mind for a bit. The more I think about it, the more it appeals to me. It would be nice not to have to wait around or constantly check my phone. I could just transfer that time toward doing something productive.
“Alright,” I state. “Let's do it.”
Her eyes light up. “Really?”
I chuckle in response. “So you were expecting a fight?”
She smiles. “Looks like I'm getting to you in a good way, after all. I wonder what else I can convince you to agree to.”
I stand from my seat and close the gap between us, until the concept of personal space becomes a myth. I watch Leena's breathing fully stop while she waits for my next move.
“There are things you don't have to convince me to do,” I whisper.
She swallows, bringing a smirk to my face. I move away from her, letting Leena catch some air again. I wait until she's done with her food before we both head upstairs.
Leena and I go to my office. “Are you sure you're ready to work with me? I spend long hours here.”
“With both of us working closely, you won't need long hours.”
“Fair enough.”
I exit the office temporarily before returning with my phone. Leena happily takes it. She barely opens her mouth before a call comes in.
“Tell them you're my assistant,” I say to Leena. “Whatever they want to say to me, they can say to you.”
“Okay,” Leena nods firmly. I can sense the resolve she feels. After another quick breath, she answers the phone. “Hello?” she says in a calm voice. “This is Leena, Grant's assistant. If you have a message, I can pass it on to him.”
As she continues the conversation, I turn on my laptop and wait for it to boot up. As my documents show up on the screen, Leena nods and hums until she finally ends the call.
“That was Lewis,” she says, joining me at the table. Leena picks up a pen and paper and begins to scribble some things. Once she's done, she hands it to me. She swipes her hair away from her face as I take it. “He says hunters attacked there.”
I stare at the description of the place and instantly know what he's talking about. I squeeze the paper in my hands, shaking my head.
It can't keep being like this.
“The hunters…” Leena says, drawing out the last word. It's almost like she has a question but doesn't know how to phrase it.
“Ruthless killers who will stop at nothing to make sure we never see the light of day,” I spit. “They're getting bolder and maybe even a little organized. If that happens, then it may be the end.”
“I'm surprised they don't work in packs, too,” she says.
“Their egos are too big. It's like that for humans. They want to do everything to get to the top, even if it means climbing over other people.”
“That night—the night I got turned…” The air grows heavy as she speaks. I can tell this is difficult for Leena so I give her all my attention.
“You can talk to me,” I assure.
“It's just…” Leena sighs. “It's just very difficult to remember that day. I should've just stayed home, but there I was. A wolf did this to me, and then those hunters came. As soon as they saw me, they felt like I wasn't human and therefore not worth anything.”
I let out a really long sigh. “They barely see us as anything. They barely see themselves, and that's our advantage. You understand?”
My phone rings, cutting me off. Leena turns to it with a sigh, making me chuckle.
“First day answering the phone and you're tired on your second call?”
She turns and sticks her tongue out at me. There's something about how she acts that assures me Leena is comfortable now, even though we were just about to have a very difficult conversation.
“Hello? This is Leena, Grant's assistant. How may I help you?”
