Blue Wolf Moon

5. The Pack

"Riya! Oh my God, you're okay!" said Nidhi hugging her best friend with all her might.

"Are you okay?" asked the Sports teacher.

"Yes sir. I'm fine." said Riya.

"Okay good. Drink more water and eat some more so you don't faint again." he said.

"Yes. You guys can stay here for a bit and then go back to class okay?" said the Science teacher and they all left, leaving Riya alone with her friends.

Akul was the first one to go to Riya after Nidhi.

"You were out for like fifteen minutes dude! We were all so worried. You really should take more care of yourself Riya!" he said with worry in his eyes. 

"Yeah okay loverboy, move aside. You're not the only friend she has." said Amitha as she pushed him aside to hug Riya. They both shared a smile.

They all chatted away with Riya while Jayanth and Akul stood some feet away because no one was allowing them to talk.

"Guys I'm okay! Seriously! I didn't faint because I was dehydrated or anything. I had gone to like, another "realm"?" she finally said, tired of everyone asking if she was okay.

"What? What do you mean?" asked Jayanth, just as confused as everyone else.

"I have a lot to tell you guys. Everyone sit down." she said signaling them all to sit on the couch and bed.

She narrated everything to them from the second she had fainted to the end where Hycenth has said that her friends are her strength, even though she didn't know what exactly he had meant by that. Her friends just sat there wide-eyed and speechless, trying to process everything. 

"Wow." said Indu, finally breaking the silence.

"I'm still speechless." said Ankith.

"I need a drink now." said Srujan getting up and stretching.

"Wait, so you can finally control your abilities now?" said Tony who was the first person to address what Riya had actually said.

"Yeah. Total control." said Riya firmly.

"So no more attacking?" asked Nidhi needing reassurance.

"No more attacking. I promise." replied Riya.

"Okay." she said smiling softly.

"Do you need blood to survive? Like Vampires do?" asked Akul.

"No I don't actually. Something about being a Werewolf too. I can drink it if I want to though." explained Riya.

"Can you glow you eyes and stuff according to your own will now?" asked Keerthi.

"I'm not exactly sure. I can try though" said Riya and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath, concentrated and then opened her eyes.

"Wow." everyone exclaimed. Her eyes were glowing red like rubies. But just as she was about to make them normal again, the entire room started to look a little blurry to Riya. Everything was distorted; she could hardly hear what her friends were saying. Everyone was so distracted by her glowing eyes that they hadn't noticed her head spinning again.

"Uh..Riya?" said Nidhi shaking her after noticing she wasn't responding to anyone. But she didn't react. "Riya! Stop glowing your eyes, it's affecting you!!" she screamed but she still didn't notice.

"Riya! Seriously, stop!" said Akul, but Riya couldn't hear anyone anymore. "She said she wasn't sure yet! We should've told her not to do it!" said Prithvi.