I left that page open and reached for another book, hoping for more explanations and a way the whole Omega thing can be redeemed for me. Just as my fingers brushed the outside cover, the door swung open. I stiffened up completely, holding my breath and everything.

"Eirenae?" It was Kota.

Terrified of being in trouble for snooping, I shimmy towards the bookshelf and curl in on myself a little, not looking to meet his eye.

"Hey relax," his voice was softer now and his footsteps faltered. "I'm not mad, just curious what you're doing."

I peeked up to look at him and his stance wasn't guarded or hostile at all. He slowly crouched down to meet my level, but didn't make any move to get closer to me. I'd seen what angry looks like on a person, and this wasn't it. Breathing a heavy sigh, I unfolded myself a little bit at a time, until I sat against the shelves with my legs criss-crossed.

After several moments of complete silence, I decided to confide in him by shifting the open book to where it laid in front of me and I pointed at the Omegas section. I brought my feelings into my facial expression, hoping he could read it.

Kota's green eyes crawled from my face to my hand and he scooted closer to me across the floor. "Omegas. You're reading the Wolf Information Volumes?"

I shrugged. I didn't know that's what they were called, I just wanted answers to my questions! I shifted my finger down a few lines until it settled on the part about beating them up and shaming them.

A chuckle caught in his throat, like he wanted to laugh but quickly understood why I had such a concern over this. "Don't worry, we don't do that here." Then why the hell is it written in your book?! "This is just a basic guide to wolf packs across the country, maybe even world. The Royals provided this to us as a way to inform pups and human members how the structure is run. But it's not a series of direct laws, little bits can be changed per pack by the opinions of the Alpha and sometimes the Elders.

"To answer your questions, no we don't use Omegas to be punching bags. We actually don't even have any current Omegas here. In this pack, my late father decided that if someone is shamed for whatever reason, they are given a choice. They may either accept the title of Omega and live as the lowest wolf or they can be exiled and live as a Rogue. Most actually choose to become Rogue because in a lot of pack cultures, being ranked as Omega is less acceptable to a mate than being rogue."

While he cleared some things up, he also stirred more questions in me. He mentioned his late father decided this, which meant his father was once in charge, but had died. If his father was previously the Alpha and is no longer here, that meant. . . I met Kota's eyes, which suddenly seemed to come alive and blaze a brighter green. I jerked back a little as I realized: Kota is the Alpha. No wonder it was he who found me in this office, this was his office! And if Kota is the Alpha, that meant he had a Luna. Luna is what I'd been called by more than one person since coming here. Am I supposed to be a leader to this pack?

I scrambled backwards, only to remember I was against the shelf and I knocked into it hard. My breathing was heavy and my eyesight was suddenly blurrier than it should be. I couldn't focus on anything, any words that were coming from Kota or even the fact that something on the shelf above my head fell, tumbling through the air towards the hard flooring. I didn't even notice whatever it was shattered into pieces when it hit.

I felt my right hand shaking and my feet curling, my hyperventilating was causing my lips to go dry faster than I'd thought would be possible. Sparks lit up against my cheek, and then danced across my forehead finally snapping me from my unfocused, hazy trance. When my eyes cleared, I was staring right into Kota's mesmerizing green eyes. His forehead was lightly leaned against mine and his hand rested on my cheek. I should be startled, but strangely I was comforted, and I welcomed the sparks that were calming me down. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths, reaching up with my right hand to cover his that was on my face.

When my breathing eased, he pulled away and I was surprised how much I immediately missed his touch. "Wow, Jaycee was right." I flicked open my eyes to see he was sitting only about a foot away from me now. "You really have no idea what I was talking about, what really any of us have been saying since we met you. So you went hunting for answers on your own, and what you found gave you a panic attack!" He took a deep breath of his own, seeming almost as affected by this as I was. "Are you okay?"

I wasn't sure why that question surprised me, but it took a second to answer. Slowly, I nodded and the relief was evident in his features.

"You weren't raised in this at all were you?" That confused me. Was I supposed to have been? "Eirenae, I'm going to be completely honest with you okay, and you can ask whatever questions and I will answer. And of course, you can have these books to read!" I moved out of his way as he reached behind me and pulled a couple more of the thin volumes off the shelf. The titles weren't on the outside, so I didn't know how he knew which was which. He made a pile including the one I'd started and pushed them to my side. Then, he stood up and I watched as he went behind the desk and came back holding a whiteboard and marker. "For your questions."

I smiled and took them, appreciating that he wasn't going to try and get me to talk today. He just accommodated to what he knew I needed.

"Okay, I'm just going to lay it on you, because I don't think what you read gave you this direct explanation: we're werewolves." I stared at him. Obviously I believed him because that lined up with what the book talked about. It was like a human version of a wild wolf pack. So after some digging I would've eventually come to that conclusion. I was more surprised that this was all real. How in the world did I come to exist in a world full of werewolves?!

"Would you like to see me shift?" I immediately shook my head no. I do not need another panic attack, thank you very much! He laughed, "okay maybe another time after you've processed some things. He cleared his throat and sat down, glancing behind him to the couch that sat against the other wall, as if wondering why we were sitting on the floor and not over there on the cushions. But he made no suggestion we move, so we stayed right where we were.

"You read about the hierarchy of the pack, but it goes beyond that. Above the Alpha and Luna are the Royals. They're mentioned, but not explained in this volume. I'll brief you on them, but maybe that volume should wait until you're more comfortable with everything else.

"Basically the Royals rule over all of the werewolves in existence, even those on the other side of the world. The first wolves were chosen by our Moon Goddess, Selene, to be the protectors and leaders of her creation: our kind. Royal born wolves also have a distinct characteristic to make their presence known to others, but I haven't read up on them since I was a pup, so honestly that's not important right now. We can maybe look into it later."

I nodded, following along the best I could. Honestly, being introduced to this world was more intriguing than scary. Confusing and a pile of information, but interesting nonetheless. I scribbled on the whiteboard: do you know the royals?

Kota shook his head. "Haven't heard from or about them in a very long time actually. My father would tell me stories about them as a pup but I'm not sure he actually knew them in person either. All I know is the queen disappeared from contact a very long time ago. It's strange really, as wolves are very social and the Royals rule over an individual packhouse just like this one, except I figure it's probably some grand castle."

I gave him a pointed look. Have you seen seen where you live? A castle isn't as much of a step up as you think! He laughed, but I'm not sure he understood what the look was for.

I decided to move on from the Royals. Obviously he didn't know too much about them. I wrote out on the board, remembering a word that had come up in the first volume: what about mates? What exactly does that mean?

His entire face lit up when he read my questions. "Mates are what every wolf dreams of having. And most get to fulfill that dream, but it is not always promised. Life happens and things can get in the way.

"Anyway, mates are short for 'soulmate' because that's what they are. The Moon Goddess binds two souls together at birth and they are essentially destined to be together. They complete and bring out the best in each other. Once a pup reaches the age of sixteen, they are able to recognize who their mate is. First by eye contact and second by touch. It's like physical electricity. Our friends got extremely lucky with their mates, as we all grew up with each other so the second each one of us turned sixteen, we all had our mates." He paused to clarify, "well, actually I didn't. But Sydney and Cole were instant; Jaycee and Dexter too."

I knew Sydney and Cole were together that day in gym! I did not know Jaycee and Dexter were a pair, though, and that surprised me a little.

I thought back to the reading, how Alpha and Luna are a mated pair, and if Kota was Alpha and I was Luna. . . Suddenly a huge chunk of everything made perfect sense. Why he cared so much, why he was protective and wanted to be close to me. Why he wanted to bring me here, and the damn literal sparks that flew every time our skin touched: physical electricity. Oh duh, he literally said "mate" when he first saw me!

I tried to hide the smile that creeped in on me as I scribbled on the board. And I am yours.

Kota's smile was so bright I thought he was going to burst. "That's right. And I am yours."

That's why I feel a tug to you, right? I feel like this isn't normal.

He laughed. "Yes. You feel the same tug to me as I feel to you. It mutually lets us know we're connected and will only grow stronger as we get to know each other and move forward as Alpha and Luna."

But I'm not even eighteen!

He held up a finger in amusement, "ah, but tomorrow you are!"

Right. Tomorrow I became a legal adult. Jack officially couldn't take me back against my will. Well, I guess he could kidnap me, which I wouldn't put past him. Never mind, I'm still not safe. I looked at Kota, well Kota's keeping me safe. I felt sure of that.

"That reminds me, are you still okay with shopping tomorrow for your birthday? I know Holly ordered extra rest so it's only if you're up for it."

I nodded. I would be okay. I made it through school every day at times I was much weaker so I could handle an afternoon of shopping with Jaycee. Probably.

"Alright. Why don't we go get you something to eat, and then you can take these books to your room and continue reading if you'd like? I have some work to take care of again, but if you'd like company I can get Jaycee." I shook my head and pointed to the books. Honestly, I wanted to know what work he'd been doing the past couple days but that would probably just be another overload of information.

He laughed, "reading it is! C'mon." He laid his hand out and I grabbed it, happy with the sparks that came this time now that I understood what they meant to him, what they would grow to mean to me, and what that would mean for us.