When I walked over to the old mechanic garage where it was open a little. I bent down and slid inside the room where Aunt Hala was laying on those lifter for cars until I came inside. She sat up quickly looking at me annoyed, "Jeez, I thought maybe it'll take you an hour. Not the whole night." she said as she slid off and walked over towards me. I opened my mouth to speak but she must have realized what was coming at my nervous expression, "Oh no, you're not coming are you?" 

I closed my mouth and nodded, "I'm sorry, Aunt Hala." 

"What happened last night?" she asked, looking down at me confused since I wasn't in the same clothes I was in yesterday. My whole face heated up and I looked away. "Oh you didn't?" she asked before taking in a sharp breath, "You did!" 

I hit her arm, "Stop it!" 

She held her hands up, "Hey, no judgment. He is a cute, I just hadn't expected it. Jaguar guys have needs and so do girls. But you really think your dad—Ander!—is gonna let you come back? He's expecting a virgin bride." 

"I'm gonna convince my parents we should just move out. If we do, they won't feel like they have to keep Peter happy and I won't have to be with Ander anymore." I said. "My dad can control himself on his own, he doesn't need Peter. We'll get a house and build one of those cell rooms for when one of us start to shift." 

She frowned down at me, "And do you think he's gonna let you be with this boy? A human boy." 

"I'll worry about that after we move out. I'm a Silver Jaguar, he can't tell me what to do. He doesn't want to lose me as a daughter so he'll do this for me." I said even though I wasn't so sure about that myself but I didn't want to leave now. I'm praying—just praying I can convince them to move out. 

"I'm not gonna make or beg you to come with me." she said. "If this is what you want then who am I to stop you? Just know Thalia, you can find me in Chicago if you do decide you had enough of it though." 

I smiled and hugged her tightly, "Thank you, Aunt Hala. 

* 

I knocked on the Espina door and set my bag down on the ground. Soon the door opened with Peter on the other side giving me a hard look. "I would like to talk to my parents." I told him. He stared down at me for a moment before he turned and called for my parents. 

The came downstairs and was surprised to see me. My mom was the first to hug me tightly, "Oh thank God you came to your senses—Thalia? What is that smell?" she questioned, sniffing me. "You smell like ashes?" 

My dad sniff me to, "You do. Where were you?" 

I felt someone come up behind me, "She also smells like him." I heard Ander. I turned around to face him and arched my right eyebrow. "She smells like she slept him well also. Did you come back here to mock me, Thalia?" 

I scoffed, "Not everything about you,Ander." I said. I turned to face my shocked disappointed parents, "Mom, dad please just hear me out. Don't talk, just let me talk and when I let everything out you can say something. Okay?" I asked and they didn't move, just blinked as they stared down at me. I licked my lips, "We don't need to live here. We have the money to move into our own small place and we can't set the basement up with a cell for us in case. I don't wanna leave since you are my family but I don't wanna be with Ander. I refuse to be with him. Do you really wanna lose another child when you can stop forcing me to do something I don't wanna do?" 

My parents were quiet as they looked down at me and they were quiet for a moment. They looked at each other and my mom sighed, "Aron, I don't wanna lose Thalia." 

My dad lowered his head, "This is the best for us Celeste. Thalia need to underst—" 

"Aron." my mom coldly said. "Thalia is our daughter, we should do this for her." 

My dad opened his mouth as he nodded but Peter spoke up, "It doesn't matter anyways. You can get your stuff and leave." he said coldly to us. He glared at me, "I was kind enough to let your family come in but you had to be selfish and not do something to take care of your family. You had to go and spread your legs for that human boy like a whore." 

My dad growled and grabbed Peter, slamming him into the wall, "Don't call my daughter that." 

Ander ran to help his father but I grabbed him by his arm and pulled him down. I brought my foot out on his neck and held him down. His eyes turned a reddish-yellow color. Gesikah ran out of the house and my mom growled at her when Gesikah eyes turned reddish-yellow also. 

Peter breathed heavily out his nose as he glared at my dad, "Just go. Get your stuff and leave my house! We don't need your daughter, we'll find some else better for Evander." 

My dad let go of Peter, "My daughter to good for your son." he said. He turned to face me before looking back at Peter, "And way to strong for him." 

I let go of Ander and hugged my dad tightly. I rested my head against his chest and he put an arm around me. 

* 

I was helping my mom put in the last box in the van. We were going to go stay at a motel and I knew my parents weren't happy about leaving but they were talking to me. They weren't blaming me, they weren't saying I ruined their lives. 

"Thank you, mom." I said. 

She turned to me, "Thalia, I know we were hard and pushy. But last night when you left it broke my heart and when I saw you came back I wasn't going to risk seeing you leave again. I would give up a million things to never make you run away." She hugged me tightly and I wrapped my arms around her, "Later I'll get your dad to make Kavan come back. 

I smiled, "I would like that." 

She chuckled, "Me to." 

Rosa came over towards me frowning and I pouted down at her, "Hey Rosa, I'm gonna miss sharing a room with you." 

She opened her mouth but quickly closed it. She breathed out heavily, "I think my brother gonna do something stupid." 

"He's just angry right now, Rosa." my mom said. "He'll move on." 

"No, I'm serious. He broke allot of things in his room and said I'm gonna fuc—effing kill that human before he jumped out of his window and ran away from the backyard taking off his clothes." she said, making my mom and I eyes widen. 

"Aron!" my mom yelled but I didn't wait for my dad. I turned around and ran down the street. I ran as quickly as I could towards Rian house but I felt like I was running in sand. I didn't feel like I was running fast enough even though I was. I couldn't feel my eyes shifting to silver as I ran until it hit me. 

Didn't Rian mom say Rian was going camping with his father today? My head quickly turned to the left where I saw all the trees from the wood before I quickly turned and ran over to the woods as fast as my legs could. As I ran into the woods I started to feel weird and I lost my balance. I fell to the ground, my hands catching myself before my face hit the ground. 

It didn't hurt this time, just felt a little uncomfortable as I shift into a black Jaguar. I could still see everything, be in control. I stretched my legs and arms out, shaking my body. I sniff the air, looking for Ander scent. My vision suddenly moved forward quickly and I saw Ander. I saw him as a Jaguar—all yellow with black rosettes—running in the east. I turned my head to where he was running where I saw Rian by the lake far away from his dad and a friend of his dad who were laughing by a fire. Rian looked annoyed, unaware of the danger coming his way. 

My feet quickly moved as I ran towards the direction of Rian. My paws hit the ground roughly each time as I ran, pushing myself forward as strong as I could. I was faster than Ander I noticed so I was able to catch up to him. He noticed me coming and he tried to run faster than me. Before he could leave the forest I lunged him. Not in any control, he roar out and bit my neck. I cried out before biting in his neck and moved him. He moved away from me, growling at me and I growled back at him. 

We circled each other before he lunged at me. I dodged his lunged and he tried biting down on my tail. He wasn't in no control right now and he hardly shifts into Jaguar skin so he wasn't very strong. I was in control of what I was doing and I jump on his back, biting down on his neck. He tried scratching me with his claws, growling and roaring at me. He shook me off him and tried climbing up a tree but I bit on his tail and pulled him down. He crouched down as he growled and I did the same thing. Our claws attached each other before I got up, growling hard at him. 

He moved back growling and we heard something. I looked in the forest and a mile out I saw our parents running into the forest in human skin. I growled at Ander and lunged at him but he turned, running back into the forest. 

I turned around to see Rian looking at me. He was as pale as a ghost staring at me with his green eyes widen. I sat down to show I wasn't gonna hurt him and I calmed myself down. Soon before I knew it I quickly shifted back into my human skin and Rian eyes got even bigger—if that was possible. I was crouching down naked in front of him only about maybe fifteen feet away. 

Finally his eyes rolled back and he fainted.

* 

When I had sneaked Rian out away from the lake into the woods I hit his face, "Hey Rian,wake up." I said, smacking his face a few times. He groaned as he started to wake him, "Rian, it's me Thalia. You're alright." He slowly peeled his eyes open and those beautiful green eyes looked up at me. They suddenly got large and he jerked as he sat up. He stared at me with wide eyes before he crawled away from me and I bit my lower lip. He finally screamed out and I quickly leaned over, covering his mouth. He tried pulling away and I held my hand closer to his mouth, "Rian! Rian let me explain." I said. 

He stopped screaming, his chest rising and falling quickly. When I felt like he won't scream, I slowly moved my hand and sat back. "I-I know what I saw! I wasn't dreaming." 

I shook my head, "You weren't." 

He scoffed, "What the hell are you? No I know what you are! You're a fucking leopard." 

I scoffed now, "No I'm not, I'm a Jaguar." 

He laughed humorlessly, "Oh well that just makes it better!" he sarcastically said and I lowered my head. I pushed my hair behind my ears and looked down at the ground. "Oh god, am I gonna turn into a Jaguar?" he asked. I lifted my head to see him holding his hand against his throat where I bit him. "Oh God, can having sex with a Jaguar turn me into a Jaguar?" 

I scoffed, "It's not some disease, Rian! No, you're not gonna turn into a Jaguar. You gotta be born one. It's impossible to turn a human into a Jaguar by biting or having sex with them." 

He breathed heavily, taking deep breaths as he looked at me like I had two heads. "Are you. . .gonna kill me?" 

I took a deep breath, "No Rian, stop freaking out. Earlier I wasn't trying to kill you, I was protecting you." 

"From what? That other leopa—Jaguar?" he asked and I nodded. "And was this Jaguar also someone a human?" 

"It was Ander." I said, making him breathed out heavily. "He's pissed—like seriously pissed. I convinced my parents to move out of his family house and I refuse to be with him. He didn't take rejection well and he came to kill you. His little sister told me what he was doing and I ran here to stop him." 

Rian stared at me wide eye for a moment before he looked away, "I need a drink right now." 

* 

Rian stole a bottle from his mom cabinet and chugged a few sips. I awkwardly looked away for a moment as I sat down on a stole at the island in his kitchen before he slammed the bottle down on the table "What!" he yelled as I looked back at him. He ran his fingers across his hair, "Holy shit. . .no wonder your family is so weird!" 

I ran my fingers across my hair, flipping it to one side, "Yeah. Now you know why I'm so weird." 

"Well I'm sorry Thalia but I don't know anyone else would handle this kind of news." he said, making me nod my head since I understood. I did, he was clearly surprised and kind of freaked out. I understood since he didn't even know 'WereJaguars' were real. "So you're pretty much just like a werewolf but instead of being a wolf your a Jaguar?" 

I nodded, "Yes but we don't call ourselves WereJaguars. We just call us Jaguars." 

He grabbed the bottle and went around the island to come near me. He suddenly paused, holding his hand out towards me, "You're not dangerous, right? None of y'all are? Only reason Ander wants to kill me is because he's jealous? Or you won't kill me because your attracted to me?" 

I rolled my eyes, "Rian, sit down. Trust me, I had two chances to kill you—on accident!—but I didn't. I can control myself." I said. "Sit down please." He hesitated but sat down on the stool. He brought the bottle up to his mouth but I took it away and threw it in the trash. "Look, there are two kinds of Jaguars. There are dangerous Jaguars and they make up most of the race. They black out when they shift and have no control on what their doing. That's what Ander and our families are. Then there are special Jaguars like me who can control themselves. When I shift into a Jaguar, I have completely control of what I'm doing. We're known as true Jaguars." 

We sat there for almost an hour as I explain more Jaguar culture to Rian who seemed surprised by it all but sat there listening to me. I could tell he was slightly drunk from chugging the alcoholic drink but he was able to pay attention and ask questions. 

He pulled his jacket aside to reveal his neck, "So what the hell does this mean?" 

"I uh—marked you." I said quickly and he arched his right eyebrow. "I didn't mean to, I didn't even know that's what it meant. But this means Ander won't try to attack you again because you're mine. He only did it this time because he was incredibly pissed off but his father won't let him do that again. Ander would risk allot by killing you. It means no Jaguar will try to harm you since your marked, you already belong to one Jaguar. Me." 

"Were you trying to eat me that night of the party or something?" he sarcastically asked. 

I rolled my eyes, "No, of course not. I was getting closer towards my birthday and. . .urges come. I was about to bite on your neck out of hunger I'll admit but I control myself before I actually bit you. I just nipped you." 

"Oh, that makes it better." he sarcastically said. 

I was quiet for a moment as I lowered my head before I looked up, "Rian, I would never really hurt you on purpose. Sometimes I can control myself and sometimes I can't. I just have to work hard when I do lose control to gain that control back. I never meant to hurt you in any way." 

He looked at me for a moment before he reached over and gently took my arm, "I believe you, Thalia." he said. I forced him a smile and he stood up. He leaned down towards me, "Is it safe to kiss you?" 

I chuckled, "You hardly have,Rian. I'm still the same Thalia, you just know a very big secret." He leaned down to kiss me but I brought a hand up to his chest and he looked confused. "You can't tell anyone,Rian. If you start talking about Jaguars, one of them won't give a crap about the mark and kill you." 

"Cross my heart and hope to die." he said before he kissed me for a moment. "Are you staying?" I opened my mouth to speak but I smelt something in the air. I felt three Jaguars outside the house and I knew who the Jaguars were before I got up and went over to the window in the dining room. My parents and Aunt Hala were waiting outside the house. Rian came up behind me and took my arm gently, "Thalia?" 

My dad waved for me to come to him and I lowered my head. I nodded my head before I walked into the hallway as Rian followed me. I stepped out of the house out onto the porch. I told Rian to wait on the porch as I went down the steps and over to them. 

"We can't stay here, Thalia." my dad said. He looked behind me with a cold look on his face at Rian before looking at me, "Peter won't allow it, we can't stay. He'll do everything in power to try and run us out. We're leaving." 

I nodded, "A few towns away should be enough—" 

My mom stepped towards me with my traveling bag, "It's not safe to be us right now." she said, confusing me. "You're going with Hala for awhile." 

"Peter and Ander will have their Olmec warrior family members after us. They took you refusing the engagement and then fighting with Ander as a threat. We have to separate until it cools down." my dad said and I lowered my head since now I felt very guilty. "Thalia, we have to leave now before Peter comes looking for us. It won't be good if he finds us here at the boy house that you left his son for." 

I turned my head around to look at Rian who was leaning against a pillar on the porch at us. I turned back to look at him, "Let me say bye real quick. Please?" I asked Aunt Hala and she nodded. I turned and quickly went over to the porch. Rian gave me a confused look and I forced him a big smile but my eyes teared up, "I have to go." I breathed out. 

"Go where?" he questioned. He took my hands, "Thalia, what are you talking about?" 

A tear slipped out of my eye, "It's not safe to be here for my family. Ander family are apart of some old warrior tribe. They're taking what I did as a threat and means they'll kill us. I have to leave." 

"What? No." he said, pulling me close towards him but I brought my hands up to stop him. "Thalia, you can't leave. Where are you going?" 

I opened my mouth to say Chicago but I think it's better if he didn't know. Ander might try to get information where I'm going and it's best Rian doesn't know anything. I shook my head and I leaned up to kiss him hard on the mouth for a moment. He put his hands on my waist, pulling me closer towards him as I placed my hands on his shoulders. After a moment I pulled away and he pressed his forehead against mine, "I think this is best anyways,Rian. This way your life can go back to normal and you can find a normal human girl. My world istoodangerous and after awhile Ander will leave you alone." 

"Thalia, I don't want you to go—" 

"It's okay, I'm use to moving on. I'm just glad I spent some time here in Harmony and met you." I said before I stepped back with our hands together. "What you can do for me Florian is forget about me." 

He shook his head, "I don't wanna." 

I forced a small laugh, "Of course you do." I brought one hand up to his face, "Bye,Rian." He just looked at me with pleading glassy green eyes as I took my hands away and I walked down the staircase of the porch. I walked over to Aunt Hala and she forced me a small smile. I took my bag from her and turned my head around to look at Rian one more time before we ran away.