The Werecats: Creatures of the Night (Book One) (Revised)

- Fourteen: Realization -

- Fourteen: Realization -

We had shifted back earlier that morning, right as the sun weaved it's way through the trees. Becoming human had been painless compared to becoming a panther.

"So, there's a sort of hierarchy when it comes to Werecat society." Dom explained as we sat at our table in the dining room for breakfast, "First there's the Ri, which is like an Omega of sorts. Then there's the Anax, a Beta, and finally the Head. The Head is the Alpha and leads the entire leap with his Ris and Anaxes as advisors of sort."

"Eran's the Head, and Dommy here is our male Ri." Nick said as he and David sat too.

"Male?" I asked.

"Yes, Dom's a boy if you-" Nick began to joke.

"No! I mean there's two of everything?" I asked.

"Yeah, they each have mates who are their partners in the hierarchy. For example: The male and female Ri." David explained.

Suddenly Dom changed the subject, "What's been your favorite thing about this so far, Riley?" He asked, gesturing to the area around him.

"Uh... I like my affinities and mind communication." I said.

"Oh, mind communication is fascinating. We do it by using each other's brain waves to form conscience thought within the other's mind. Two mates can do it even in their human forms, which really comes in handy-" I stopped listening to David as I was sucked back into a recent memory.

In the History Room, I wondered what the colors on the circles meant, and without asking Dom had answered. When I was brought to back to the shack that day after meeting David and Nick, I considered running and Dom had said 'I wouldn't do that'. The day before at breakfast, I even tried to question Dom about it, saying it was like he could read my thoughts. He had never answered.

"Riley?" Dom asked, breaking through my thick wall of frantic thoughts, "Hey, snap out of it. Are you okay?"

My breath sped up and my heart pounded in my throat as sweat began to bead on my skin. "I have to go." Without another word, I bolted from the cafeteria.

I needed fresh air. Fast. I felt like collapsing right there in the hallway, but I pushed myself forward. I couldn't go to the ground level. Dom hadn't showed me how to get back in yet. I decided on the next best thing.

Jogging down the hallway, I avoided the eyes of the few people I passed. They all looked at me with quizzical expressions. Some even showed worry.

For a moment I thought I had gotten lost, but finally I stopped in front of the door with the gold letters. I checked to make sure the History Room was empty before running in and finally collapsing by the glass encased garden.

I pressed my forehead against the cool glass, trying to calm down. Nothing seemed to be working. My breath came even faster as my heart pounded harder with ever minute that ticked by. Out of frustration, I slammed my fist into the glass as hard as I could. My hand throbbed, but I didn't care. My head was spinning and my thoughts were no longer being controlled.

Finally I fell backwards from my sitting position, and the last thing I saw was someone running towards me before the darkness swallowed me whole.