The Art of Mending Memories

The Art of Mending Memories 9

The Art of Mending Memories

Chapter 9

I figured something was wrong the moment I walked through the door of the math room. For starters, Mr. Keith wasn't humming like his usual self. Also, Cassy wasn't sitting in the usual (for two days) seat; rather, she was sitting on the opposite side of the room. I walked over to her.

"You didn't like the window seat?" I asked in a way of greeting and expressing my confusion at the change of seats.

Cassy kept her head down and ignored me.

"Cassy?" I called.

She didn't respond.

I poked my finger gently into her upper arm. When she didn't respond again, I assumed she was sleeping. I poked her a little harder. This time she flinched away from me.

"Cassy? What's wrong?"

She whispered something that I couldn't hear.

"What?"

She gulped. "Aaron ordered me to stay away from Kealyn, and not to talk to her."

I took a deep, frustrated breath. "God damn," I muttered before sitting in the seat next to her. "He's higher in the hierarchy, isn't he?" I asked, already knowing the answer as Cassy nodded her head.

The werewolf layout of supremacy and government is idiotic. It includes the Alpha and Beta, as normal packs, with the Alpha mate (technically called 'Alpha female' but really just a bitch for the ruthless Alpha to play with) being directly after the Beta, and the Beta mate being after the Alpha mate. Theoretically, of course, but since werewolves are sexist bastard, it usually doesn't work that way. Next in the line of power is the direct family of the Alpha, followed by the direct family of the Beta. Next in line are the 'close hunters,' or best friends, of the Alpha. The Alpha chooses four hunters every 14 moons, often the same wolves each year, and they act as an advisory council to the Alpha. Usually the Beta is a close friend of the Alpha, too, but the Beat cannot serve as a 'close hunter.' After the hunters in the hierarchy is the loyalist families; the families that have been with the pack the longest. From there it mellows down until the Omega. The Omega is the lowest of the pack, often a mixed breed and a female.

The Alpha is born to his position, much like the princes in Europe and the Emperors in China. Whether or not he should be the Alpha doesn't matter. The Alpha, always male (sexist bastards), has sons, and can choose from any of his sons, as long as he chooses by the time the eldest son reaches the age of 16. The chosen son cannot be leader until he is 19 and with a mate. Alphas must have a mate. The Beta wolf, also always male, doesn't need to have a mate, but must follow the same guidelines as the Alpha.

The elders of the pack, over the age of 50, are usually excluded from the hierarchy, although, I don't know why. Maybe they're above it, or maybe they just stop wolfing, but for whatever reason, in all of my research, I never found them in the hierarchy.

The inequality of the hierarchy truly bothers me. I am a strong advocate of freedom, equality, and liberty. Nothing bothers me more than racism and sexism (I know, I'm the biggest hypocrite ever for acting the way against the werewolves, but them excluded, I'm not racist).

Aaron must be higher on the hierarchy than Cassy. It would explain the way he acts around her, like he was better and she had to do as he said.

Anger pumped in my veins. I was not mad that Aaron prevented Cassy from speaking to me; rather, I was so angered that he would take that freedom from another, and prevent that other from doing what they wanted. I can not tolerate someone doing that to another being.