Jaycee grinned and pulled me off the couch by my hand. "Come on!" We followed Kota out the door and across the hall. He swung open that door and revealed a bedroom.

Walking in, it wasn't quite as big as Kota's but still enormous in my eyes. The queen bed was straight across from the door, in between two large windows that looked out to the back yard. The bedspread was aqua colored with grey accents in the pillows and a throw blanket, tying in the silvery curtains. A nightstand on either side of the bed had a lamp and one side had a jewelry tray. An empty bookshelf was against the wall to the left, positioned between two doors. Turning around, I saw a dresser against the wall by the entrance and a tv stood on top. Pushed against the wall opposite to the bookshelf was a decorative vanity desk.

Kota watched my face the entire time I looked around the room. When I was done, I looked at him and pointed a finger to my chest in bewilderment.

He laughed, "yes for you! I figured you need your own space. Do you like it?" I nodded and let my grin stretch even wider.

"Don't split your lip back open!" Jaycee exclaimed with laughter.

I dabbed a finger on it but it came back without blood, so I was good. Turning to Kota, I wrapped my arms around him. He stiffened underneath them and I could hear Jaycee's sharp intake of breath. After a moment, he relaxed and awkwardly hugged me back, though my arms were kind of pinning his to his sides. I knew he was strong enough to change that, but he made no move to; he just soaked in the moment.

I pulled back and scurried across the room to the doors on either side of the empty bookshelf. "A bathroom and closet." Kota explained, following me at a slower pace. "The bookshelf I left bare so you could put up your own pictures and trinkets if you wanted." I touched one of the shelves and smiled, imagining framing my picture of my mom, Tally, and me. Though it was ripped, it would still do okay behind glass.

I spun to face him and signed thank you before rushing off to open the door to the left. It was the closet. A small little walk in square of space. It was also empty, obviously as I had none of my own clothes with me.

"We can fill it sometime this week too." Kota said and Jaycee added, "ooh! I can take you shopping for new things!"

Kota shot her a quick glare, "or, I can pick up your things from-" he trailed off when I put my hand up and shook my head. I didn't want my old clothes. If I did, I would have asked him to grab them when he got my box. My closet at Jack's was full of tattered clothes that were old and run down. I didn't need anything from there. However, I didn't have any money for new things either.

As if reading my mind, Kota touched my shoulder lightly, "we'll get you some new things of your own, don't worry about anything okay?"

Tears threatened their way to the surface as I ducked my head in gratitude. Another kindness he didn't know meant the world to me. I wished I could tell him that in actual words, not a sign not on paper. I lifted my head and dried my tears, opening my mouth, and then closing it again. This happened several times with no progress. I couldn't bring myself to do it. I couldn't use my voice. Or maybe it's that I wouldn't. I didn't think it was a physical issue, something was blocking me mentally and I had to get myself to open up and trust them fully first. That was going to be the hardest part.

Out of nowhere, Jaycee threw her arms around me, but I didn't flinch, I let her and even hugged her back. "Hey, it's okay. You don't have to try and talk, we're not rushing you. Take your time, rest some more. Let yourself be ready first, okay?"

The tears spilled over as I realized she was a true friend. Quite possibly the first I'd ever had in my entire life. She was the first to pull back and Kota stepped in to wipe my tears away.

"Why don't you rest some more, you look suddenly exhausted." He was right. All of this wore me out a little. "Your bathroom is stocked with what you need, but if anything is missing let me know. I'll get you some more clean clothes and some food, okay?" I looked down at the clothes I was wearing, noting how they hung off my small frame. He chuckled, "maybe from someone even smaller than Eva this time."

Jaycee smiled, "I can find some."

"Thanks. Eirenae, I have some more pack business to attend to, but the pack house is yours if you don't want to stay in here all day."

I smiled my appreciation and he took that as enough, heading out with Jaycee following close behind. She turned back as she was halfway out the door. "I'll be back to drop off clothes and food."

As I walked over to the bed, I heard her speak to Kota on the other side of the door. "Kota, I don't think she knows."

"Knows what?"

"Anything about what she is, what we all are."

"What makes you say that?"

That was the last of their voices I could hear as they strode away from the door, down the hallway.

What she is, what we all are? What in the world was that supposed to mean? Pack business, pack house? I thought back to every strange thing someone has said or done since I met them all at school. Everything must mean something I just had to figure out that conclusion. I didn't want to ask them, in case I was wrong to assume something.

I dashed over to one of the nightstands, opening the drawer to see if there was anything I could write with. Nothing, the drawer was empty. I walked around to the other side and checked that one, finding a notepad and some pencils. Sitting on the bed, I started writing out every strange thing I've noticed:

1. When Jaycee introduced me to everyone and they mentioned I was a rogue. They also said something about Alpha.

2. When I first saw Kota and his eyes changed color. He also said Mate.

3. When Eva asked if I wanted to be brought to

my mate.

4. Kota keeps saying Goddess, I've never heard anyone refer to God as a female.

5. When Kota was carrying me and said he's bringing me to the Pack Doctor.

6. Kota was carrying me in the freaking woods on a hidden path. And I heard him growl.

7. The literal sparkling shocks when I touch Kota, yet they are almost desirable and that's scary.

8. Mrs. Anderson sniffed the air at the park when she met me.

9. Jaycee saying "our kind are naturally stronger" than what I was in gym class.

10. Holly called me Luna. A lot. And introduced herself as the Pack Doctor.

11. Kota said he could smell my tears the other day. That's weird as hell.

12. Kota called the mansion the Pack House. And said he had to do pack business.

I stared at the list I made. Was I forgetting anything? Almost every single day I'd known them, someone mentioned or did something that was not ordinary, and that wasn't a good thing on my eyes. It was creepy and just overall unsettling.

My mind drifted back to just over a week ago, when we were moving to that new house. As I carried my luggage up the stairs, Jack said he was surprised I wasn't "stronger than this". At the time, I thought nothing of it. Like, what did he expect after the torture he'd been putting me through most of my life? But now, it kind of sounded similar to how Jaycee was talking in Gym on Thursday. Did he know something?

I wrote down the strange thing he said on my list, just in case it truly tied in.

I read the list of weird occurrences a few more times over. I thought back to my one crazy theory that had popped into my mind when they carried me through the woods: that they were mythical creatures with glowing eyes. Looking at the weird terminology and Kota's green to black eye changes, maybe I wasn't that far off. Who's crazy now, huh!

Kota said the house was mine to explore if I got bored stuck in the room. Maybe I should find a library and research! I needed to figure this out or living here without answers was going to drive me up the wall.

Jaycee was supposed to be back with food and clothes, but my body had lived off of little food for so long I could wait, and the clothes were fine for now. Leaving the notepad on the bed, I strode out the door and down the hall, knocking on and opening any door that was unlocked, searching for a library of sorts. On this floor, the doors only led to spacious rooms. One similar to my new room - but with a king sized bed - and another with two separate beds. The latter was decorated childishly, and I assumed it was the twins.

There were three or four other rooms besides Kota's and mine, but these were empty, not even one thing of furniture occupied either. Finding that strange, I softly clicked the final door shut and headed back down the hallway. Wait Kota's room had bookshelves! Trying not to suspicious run, I slipped through his door and quickly glanced around. I didn't think he was in here. I scurried over to the fireplace and knelt down in front of one of the shelf units, softly gliding my fingers over the binds of the books on the bottom level.

These books looked ancient in a way. There was no title or author labeled where I could see, and the covers felt leathery, with visible string holding them in place. Picking one at random, I slid it from the shelf and placed it in my lap, thumbing through the pages at random.

The first didn't tell me anything. Nor did the second. Or the third, and so on. I thumbed through every book on that shelf, and the next, and even the shelves on the other side of the fireplace. Disappointed, I carefully replaced the final one in its spot and shakily climbed to my feet.

Where else could I look? I wasn't sure I wanted to explore the entire house, because I was positive it would be even bigger and more confusing on the inside than what I saw on the outside after running from the infirmary. The thought sent a shiver of anxiety through my body: what if I got lost somewhere in here?

The doorknob turned and I spun around on my heels, my eyes wide in fear of getting caught doing something I wasn't supposed to.

Jaycee's curly hair appeared from behind the door and she turned so I saw her face. "Oh, hey! I didn't see you in your room, so I followed your scent here. You okay?" I'm adding that to my list.

I shrugged and nodded, cursing my hands for beginning to involuntary shake. Jaycee's perceptive eyes glanced down and saw them; instinctively I folded them behind me.

"Eirenae, relax, I just wanted to make sure you got your food and change of clothes." I blinked at her, trying to show my gratitude. "What are you doing in here anyway?" Her eyes flicked behind me, "finding something to read?" My shrug was sheepish and she grinned, "tell you what, I can show you where the library is if you want! We've got basically any book you can think of, and they're all labeled and shelved accordingly. It'll be much easier than sitting through these old things."

I hoped she didn't notice my smile wavering. I did want to find the library, but she thought I wanted fictional story tales to ease my boredom. I wanted facts about what they really are. What I might be!

I walked over to her and she led me out of Kota's room. "Are you looking for something specific?" I gave her a sideways glance, oh you have no idea.