When I woke up for school on Monday I had such a big headache. I got up from the bed tiredly and looked at the clock on the nightstand next to Rosa's bed and realized it was nine twenty-six. My eyes widen as I felt that similar tickling feeling and I took in a sharp breath. I growled out, realizing they had turned off the clock and must have woke Rosa up for school but left me to sleep! No, their not keeping me home! I'm completely fine, I can control myself and go to school. I'll be able to school with complete control without harming anyone. 

I quickly got up from the bed and got dressed in a gray sweater with dark jeans. I slipped on my sneakers and went over to the door to walk out but I realized something. Someone will try to stop me and I wasn't willing for that to happen. I knew the men were home because it had snowed to hard to work in and they'll only try to stop me. 

I looked at the window of the room and went over. I opened it and threw my bag down to the ground. I slipped my feet through the window and jumped out of it. I laid on my hands and feet a little clumsily but with practice I'll get better. I grabbed my bag and started to go across the house. 

I came face to face with my dad who was leaning against the house. I gasped, taking a step back. I smelt Peter come up behind me and an unwanted growl escaped my lips since I felt threatened. My dad grabbed me and I turned in his arms,thrashing around, "No! I'm going! You can't stop me!" 

He lifted my feet up and I kicked at the air. Peter grabbed me by my legs and held them as they moved over towards the doors that lead down the basement. Peter held my legs together with one arm when he reached down towards the door and opened it. They pulled me downstairs and over towards the cell room. 

"No! No! This isn't right!" I yelled before they put me in the room on my back. I quickly got up, trying to slid around them to get out but they pushed me in and slammed the door shut. I went over to the bars and growled, "Dad! What the hell? Why did you put me in here? I'm not some wild animal! I'm your daughter." 

"It's for the best, Thalia." he said, frowning down at me. "I didn't want to do this but you didn't give me a choice. No more school, you're mom and I already signed you out. All they know is we moved and you no longer go to Harmony High." 

I hit the cage and shook the bars trying to break them, "You can't do this!" 

"We already did." he said. He walked over to the cage, "Thalia, I'm sorry. I love you though to much and I don't wanna risk anything. You knew this would happen so don't fight it. When you accept the fact that you no longer need to go school and decide to behave you can get out of the cage." 

I growled and I could feel my bones in my body moving. It wasn't unbearable painful but it wasn't comfortable either. I lowered my head, crying out as pressure heaved on me. I took deep breaths, "Peter. . .why? Why do you let us stay? I'm haven—haven't been the most behaved girl." 

"I'm willing to give you many chances." he said. 

I lifted my quickly, "What about Kavan! You never gave him this many chances. Why? Because you want me to marry your son?" 

"You don't need to become like your aunt." he said before turning and left the basement. 

He left me alone with my dad and I calmed down a little as I gave him my best sad eyes, "Daddy. . .daddy please." I said. He had to look away from me with a heavy frown on his face. He turned around and went over towards the basement stairs that lead to the kitchen, "Daddy, wait. Please let me out of here. I'm your baby girl, remember? Your little cub. You don't really wanna lock me up in here do you?" 

He was quiet for a moment, not turning around to face me or he knew he would give in and let me out. "I'm doing this because it's the right thing." he said, walking up the staircase. 

"No!" I yelled, hitting the bars. "You know this isn't right! Dad! Aron!" I yelled, making him freeze for a moment and I stared at his back. He stood there for a moment before he went up the stairs into the kitchen and slammed the door shut. 

*  

I boredly looked up at the ceiling of the basement when the door open to the kitchen opened. I had only been in here for an hour at the most but maybe they felt bad for me. Or guilty, I rather them feeling guilty for trapping me in here as if I was an animal. 

My mom came down with a plate in her hand and a cup of juice tucked in her arm. Her wrist was still hurt and I felt really bad for doing that to her. 

"Mom," I said, wrapping my hands around the bras. She didn't look at me in the eyes, "Come on, you can't agree with dad doing this. You know locking me up in here isn't a good idea. I'm not dangerous." 

"We're not saying you are." she said, bend down and slid the food under the space of the bars. She stood up and reached her hand with the juice in her hand through the bars. 

I took it from her, "Mom, please look at me." I said softly but she kept her brown eyes lowered towards the ground because she knew if she looked me in the eyes she would feel like my dad. 

"Thalia, you're not a normal teenager. I wish you would understand that." she said. "Jaguars stop going to school after their sixteen birthday. It's time to do your duties as a Jaguar." 

"And what is that?" I asked coldly. "Get married and take care of Ander and his children? No mom, I don't want. I wanna finish school, I like it even though my grades aren't so great. A mother should want that for her child—human or Jaguar." 

Her lips stiffened, "This is the one place where I felt the safest Thalia." she said. She finally looked up at me with a hard look, "You're father and I finally feel like we can live in peace comfortably. Thalia, you would never have to worry about anything here. You could live comfortably with Ander. I know we made you spend your life moving around allot but you causing trouble making it hard to stay. You need to behave so we don't have to move anymore. Peter could one day get tired of your behavior. Marry Ander." she coldly said the last part. 

I stared at her with disappointment because I thought my mom would be more understanding but she wasn't. "You loved dad when you married him, didn't you?" I asked and she nodded. "Then why do you get to marry someone you love but I don't?" Her cold eyes quickly changed from hard to guilty. She lowered her head again, pushing her hair behind her ears. She turned around and quickly left the basement. 

* 

Throughout the day someone brought me down food to eat. I refused to talk to anyone after my mother came down. I refused to talk to Ander when he came down and tried to talk to me. He kept saying the same thing to me my dad and mom said to me. I leaning against the wall with my back facing him and I started out the small window in the room that wasn't big enough for me to slid through. 

At night I broke down and finally cried feeling the betrayal from my own family. How could they think all of this was the best thing for me when only I know what's best for me. Is trapping me in the basement the best thing? Was making me stop school the best thing? Is forcing me into a marriage I don't want the right thing? No. 

It went on for the next four days like this. With me being in the basement. It was gross to pee in this porta potty thing and bring down a bucket to wash myself. I was more frustrated and pissed more now at them. I really just wanted to get out of here but I don't know how to do that other than just agree to them. I was more hard headed though and I kept refusing their offers. 

I heard noises upstairs. I moved my hair behind my ears and I heard Aunt Hala voice. She was arguing with my dad and mom about how they know this isn't right. She tried coming downstairs but they forced her out of the house. 

She came over to the small window and I went over to it. I shook my head, "You should go, I can't get out." I said. 

"Thalia," she said, opening it a bit. "Don't do anything stupid. I'm gonna help." 

"You can't help me." I told her. I scoffed, "Look where I am. They took me out of school and been keeping me in here. The only way I can get out is if I promise to behave and go on with the marriage. I know their still planning it, I can hear mom and Ander mom talking upstairs about things. I've tried blackmailing them with me leaving if they don't let me out but it doesn't work. I just wanna get out of here, Aunt Hala." 

"Hey listen to me, Thalia. Gonna give you some advice." she said, eyeing at the door quickly before looking back at me. "Remember, you're a Jaguar. You can get yourself out of any situations. You're feline, you can get through any problems." she said, leaving me so confused because it's like she was trying to tell me something but I didn't understand. 

"What?" I questioned. 

She looked at the bars of the cell before the door to the house burst open. Her eyes widen and she quickly ran away. I scoffed since I hated tricky problems to solve. Why couldn't she just tell me what she meant by that instead of leaving me confused? 

I turned around and walked over towards the bars. I thought about what Aunt Hala said for a moment.Get through. . .get through. . .get through the bars? It hit me quickly in the face like a brick and I realized what she was hinting at without actually trying to tell me. I reached my arm out of the bars and kept going until my shoulder was sticking out. The bars weren't to far away from each other though and when I tried to get my chest through it was getting tight until I couldn't get through anymore. 

I went back into the cell and groaned in frustration. I tried a few more times in different positions but it wasn't easy and I couldn't make it through. I fell down on my butt with anger and annoyance since it wasn't working! If only the space of the bars were big enough. 

An hour later I heard a noise that made my ears twitched. It was outside the house that I heard footsteps and I smelt something in the air. It smelt like men's cologne and ashes of cheap cigarettes. I quickly got up from the floor and went over to the window. I saw Rian walking on the side of the house, looking around confused. 

I opened the window, "Rian," I whispered, waving my hands hoping he'll see. He turned around quickly in my direction looking for who spoke to him. "Hey, Florian. Down here." I said slightly louder. His head snapped down towards my direction and his eyes widen. 

"Thalia?" he questioned. 

I brought my finger up to my mouth, "Shh." I said before waving him to come near me. He came over and got down on his knees. "What are you doing here?" 

He shook his head, "I don't know. I was at the store when this weird chick who says she's your aunt told me I should come over here and see you." 

"Aunt Hala?" I questioned and he shrugged. "Ugh why. Look, you have to leave now." 

"What? No. You haven't been to school all week and I thought about coming over the last couple of days but you always told me to stay away. I got worried though when she told me and I can see why." he said looking concern. "What are they doing to you?" 

"Nothing." I said quickly. "I'm cleaning the basement. She lied to you, nothing wrong. I just haven't been feeling like going to school." 

"I call that bullshit." he said, looking inside and I got really worried. "What is going on, Thalia?" he asked with a hard tone. 

"Look Rian, I can't keep seeing you. You need to stay away from me for now on, I really mean it." I said, confusing him. "I made a mistake getting to close, it was wrong. My dad always told me to never make friends because of these kind of things so just go. Being friends with me is gonna get you in danger." 

"I don't care what kind of danger I get in, Thalia." he said. "You can't just push someone away after meeting them. Let me help you." 

I opened my mouth to speak but I heard the door to the house open. I took in a sharp breath and I pushed Rian away, "Go, leave!" I said. He fell on his side looking surprised a little at how strong I am. 

"Yes, leave." I heard Ander voice, making my heart drop. "You don't belong in her life." 

Rian scoffed as he looked up at the porch, "You're keeping her in there aren't you?" 

"You don't know Thalia like you think you do." I heard my dad say coldly. "She isn't like you so you two can't be friends anymore. She's different so get out of here brat." 

"You can't make me leave."Rian said coldly. "You think I won't tell someone about this? You're probably making her stop going to school. Why is she down there?" 

I heard a thump and I saw Ander shoes come over. I looked up to see him grabbing Rian by his jacket, "Look here you punk, you've been getting on my last nerves. I only have so much patients." 

I quickly turned around and went over towards the bars. I groaned, trying to pull them apart more but the bars were stronger than me. I saw in the corner of my eyes the bucket of water they given me to wash myself and idea appeared in my mind. I heard Rian cry out and I turned my head around to see him fall to the ground on his knees as his hand came up to his stomach. 

I went over to the bucket and took my shirt off. I grabbed handfuls of water and rubbed them on my shoulders and chest. I held onto my shirt as I went over to the bars and took a deep breath in. I held it in since my chest was flatter and I slid my body through the bars slowly as I felt a familiar tickle. I scrunched my face up as I turned my head to the right and my whole body slid through the bars. 

I wanted to stay there and cheer myself for doing it but I ran over towards the staircase leading out of the house. I slid my shirt back on and I burst through the doors of the basement. I heard Rian cry out in pain again and I saw Ander push him into the wall of the house. My dad stood on the porch and watched Ander do what he wants with Peter. 

I ran over towards Rian and went between him and Ander. Ander was just about to bring his fist into Ander until I went in Rian way. His eyes widen and he quickly pulled his fist back. I brought my hands up and pushed him away, "Stop it!" I yelled. 

I started to turn around until he grabbed me and pulled me into his chest. He covered my eyes with his hand and I tried moving his hand, "Ander!" 

He lowered his mouth towards my ear, "You're fucking eyes, Thalia." he whispered into my ears. I forgot about them. 

I heard Rian breathe heavily, "Thalia?" 

"Make him leave." Ander said coldly in my ear and I wanted to hit him. I knew talking to Rian wouldn't make him leave. He's as stubborn as me and I wouldn't leave. "Now Thalia or I'll be having a snack later." he said, making my blood cold. I brought my hands up to his neck and leaned up, kissing him hard on the mouth. I felt Ander stiffen up in surprise as his hands held closer onto my waist. 

"Thalia?" Rian questioned. 

I pulled away, pressing my forehead against Anders as I open my eyes a little, "Leave Rian. Now! I don't want you to come around here anymore, do you understand? I'm with Ander, don't try taking me from him because it won't work." 

He breathed heavily and I felt his eyes on my back, "But Thalia—" 

"Look! I don't really like you, I actually can't stand you. Like my dad said, if you really knew me you would know I was only using you." I coldly said, breaking my heart to say these things. He scoffed but didn't leave. I squeezed my eyes shut roughly annoyed at how stubborn he was. I stood up and kissedAnderagain. He kissed me back, bring his hand up behind my neck. 

"Fine." he said coldly. "Whatever, Thalia. You stay with your crazy family and psycho boyfriend." 

Ander ignored him as Rian quickly and angrily left but I was left here kissing Ander heart broken. I opened my eyes and saw in the corner of my eyes him walking away until he was out of site. I pulled away finally but Ander brought his mouth back down to my lips. I tried pulling away but he held firmly onto my neck and pushed me back against the house. 

"Ander—Ander!" I coldly said as I pushed him back. I turned my head away as he came back and he kissed my cheek. I looked at my mom and dad on the porch as they looked at me with concern. I frowned since I knew how badly they wish I could just keep kissing Ander and accept him. 

My mom mouthed something. I think she said,This is our home now. 

I breathed out in defeat since I felt like a completely failure to myself. Ander put his hand on my cheek and tried to bring my face back to his but I pushed him far away this time. His eyes were burning reddish-yellow and he growled at me. I growled back at him but he only growled loudly trying to show off his dominance and that only annoyed me more. He came near me and I brought my hand out hitting him as I growled. 

His eyes were closed and when he opened them they were back to their normal brown color. He still looked annoyed though that I finished the makeout session but I don't care. He breathed out heavily as he stared at me and I turned away. I went over to the backyard and went inside the house from the backdoor.