Finally pulling my eyes away from the most magnificent and terrifying thing I had ever saw. The first pair of eyes I came to was Mady's. Finally my brain had caught up to the rest of my body. "Are you? When? Why?" I asked, hurt and pissed that she never told me.

Mady knew what I was feeling. The shame in her eyes was a pretty good tell. She answered softly, "Four years ago, after I married Nate."

Everything that had been said over the past few minutes flooded back. What I was, what they were, and how they reacted to me and me to them.

Facing the beautiful Dmitri, this amazing man was a wolf. That was when realization hit and hit hard. This, so called power I held over them was the only reason this amazing gorgeous man had feelings for me to begin with. I could have been the least attractive person, in and out, in the world and he would still feel the same way.

Eyes burned, stomach threatened to unload all its contents. My arms crossed around my midsection to keep my emotions in instead of falling apart in front of all these people. The laugh that bubbled up was an unpleasant one. Looking into those ocean blue eyes then gasped between the bitter laugh turning into a sob, "It was never real." The first tear escaped.

I turned to face my best friend, "I told you it wasn't real."

Back to Dmitri I whispered, all laughter gone, "What you feel isn't real," my voice was stronger. "It's not me. It was never me. God I am such a fool! It's what I am. You never had a choice!" I was done. This was all just a lie. It was time to leave. I walked backwards, staring at the people I grew to care for. Or was that just a lie as well.

Dmitri stepped toward me with his hand stretched out dangerously close to my face, I screamed, "Don't touch me!" I turned and raced back to my car. I yelled, "Just all of you leave me alone! Leave me alone!"

Speeding out of the driveway, I raced down the road franticly wiping away the tears streaming down my face. A heartbreaking, agonizing howl had me cry even harder. Out of the corner of my sight I spotted a wolf racing the same direction at the edge of the wooded area. I had to get away, stepping on the gas, driving dangerously fast I flew down the road. Within a few moments the wolf gave up. It wasn't till a few minutes later that I allowed myself to slow down to a safer speed but still over speed limit.

I wasn't sure how long I drove around before I found myself in front of Furball's. My tears dried up, nose no longer stuffed I parked my car and headed towards the bar. I hoped a cold beer, the loudness of the band and a friendly face would put me at ease for a while.

Walking over the threshold memories of Jack's conversation came flooding back. The first time I walked in here and what I had felt, the first time Nickoli and Matt shook my hand. Memories drifting all background noise away, eyes cast down, I absently walked forward.

Not paying attention to where I was going I slammed into what felt like a wall, but was actually a chest. I lifted my head slightly to apologize. "Sorry," I mumbled, not noticing whom I just banged into.

Large hands land on my shoulders stopping me from moving away. "Sam? What happened to you?" Matt's concern hit me hard and so did the realization what he may be.

My eyes widened, panic and fear flooded my body, and I started desperately to look for a way out. Trying to step back, banging into someone else that in return pushed me closer to Matt. My body tensed up, ready to let out a scream that was building up in my tight throat. Matt looked at me with shock and confusion from my reaction, putting his arm around my waist he pushed us to the back corner. Between not wanting to make a scene I allowed him to take over. He must have felt me tense up getting ready to run, fear drove me. He pulled me in closer and quickened his pace.

Reaching the abandon corner, Matt manoeuvres me into the corner and blocked my only escape. "What's wrong and why have you been crying?" The words were a question, but his tone was a demand.

My world was falling apart, I needed to know. "What are you? You're not one of them but you're something," my voice filled with desperation.

Matt's worried face went blank, tone cool, "What are you talking about Sam?"

Without the words, I got confirmation that he too was something other than human. Trying to push my way past Matt only to be grabbed around the waist and lifted off the floor.

He whispered in my ear, "Please, Sam don't struggle, you're going to hurt yourself. I think it's better to take this into Nick's office." He carried me to the hidden door. Only to put me down as the door closed. He probably knew I was going to bolt as soon as he let me go.

I jumped out of the way as soon as my feet hit the floor. Nickoli was around the desk and started to walk over to me. Watching me move further away from him had him stop cold.

Confusion all over his face, he demanded, "What happened to you?" He looked at Matt, "What happened to her?"

"What are you?" Was the first thing I could think of.

His face going blank and voice cool, "What are you talking about?"

Anger came back with vengeance. I was not going to hold back. "You know what I'm talking about! What the fuck are you? You're not a wolf, that I know. So what the hell are you?" Temper lost, the last few words were screamed.

Matt leaned against the door while Nickoli leaned against his desk, more relaxed than before. Nickoli nods his head, "So they finally told you. It's about damn time."

Even angrier now because I was the only person that didn't have a clue what was going on. "So do you know about this, Tlazolteotl?" I bit out.

All Nickoli said was, "Yes," and Matt nodded.

"What are you?" I hissed, patience completely gone. Nickoli stood up and moved a step towards me. "Stay right there," my voice panicked.

He stopped dead in his tracks. "Come sit..." he started to say.

"What the fuck are you!?" I screamed at the top of my lungs not caring if anyone else could hear.

"We're Lions Sam, we're lions," Nickoli finally said defeated.

Not letting that bit of information digest before shooting off another question, I asked, "Do I have the same effect with you like the wolves?"

"If you mean about the, Tlazolteotl, then yes," he answered with reluctance.

I always knew Dmitri and Nickoli were too good to be true. Never understood why these amazing men wanted to be with me, but know I understood completely. They were wired that way. They had no choice but to feel that way. Why else would these men stick around? I was just average, a few pounds overweight, and someone who would not put out. Even with this making complete sense now, it didn't hurt any less.

Tears started again. "You know that none of this is real," starting to pace, "What you feel for me is not real," voice tapered off. On the verge of yet another break down in one night, I ran for the door, using all my strength to shove Matt out of the way and continued to push people out of my way to escape.

Matt beat me to the car first. "Sam, please wait," he begged, wiping away the tears on my face.

Shaking my head, moved around him to reach the handle. "I can't do this right now," I said opening the door about to jump in.

"I'm here when you need me," he said, stepping out of the way.

"Hahaha. Why, because you have too or want too? You have to care for me Matt. It's because of what I am, not who I am." The truth was out. I took off for home.

The drive home was a blur. Running up the front stairs, shoving the door open then locking it. I ran throughout the house to check every window and door, making sure the house was locked up tight. Leaving a small table lamp on in the far corner of the living room I curled up on the couch.

Ignoring the 10 flashing on the answering machine that indicated there were 10 new messages, to go over everything I had learned tonight. The weirdest part was finding out they were shifters didn't bother me, it explained a lot. Ok it bothered me a bit. Not being told until today didn't bother me that much, but what did was the fact that I was a Tlazolteotl and the effect I had on them. That alone was breaking my heart.

I wondered if this was why normal men didn't want me? Here I am sniffling over some great guys that I always knew were out of my league. The phone interrupted my thoughts. Automatically picking it up when I saw Mady's number. Immediately kicking myself in the ass, not wanting to hang up and listen to the phone constantly ringing all night. "Hello," I answered, voice raspy from crying.

"Oh good, I'm glad you're home," Mady's relief flooded over the phone.

"I'm fine. I need time to myself so I will call you later. Bye," I hung up before Mady could say another word.

Deciding to let Dmitri, Nickoli, and the others know the same thing, but using the wimpy way out, I sent out a group text message saying I was fine and didn't want to be bothered for a while, and then turned off my phone. Grabbing a few things I might need and headed down to the safe rooms where I could not hear anything nor could they find me.