*****Erika''s POV*****


    The doctor walked into the room. "Good day, Your Highness. My Lady." He bowed in greeting to me and Pa.


    "Good day, doctor." Pa and I chorused our replies.


    "Are you doing well, Your Highness?" The man looked at me, concerncing his middle aged features.


    "Yes doc." I nodded.


    He looked at Pa who merely shrugged, then pointed at dad. "How is he doing, doctor? Any improvement yet?"


    "Not yet, I''m afraid." He wore a mask of uncertainty and sympathy.


    I nodded, battling with the painful constriction of my heart. "Not yet." I repeated as though trying to say it would make me understand what he meant.


    "I''m sorry." The doctor''s soothing voice drew me to tears but I held it in.


    I should never show weakness in public. If I must be overwhelmed with emotions,


    it should be with my close ones, in the privacy of my room. If I was going to take over from dad, I should be willing to be strong and act emotionless.


    Even though all I felt like doing at that moment was cry, I should be able to rein them in and put on a stoic mask. To y the untouchable and brave Alpha Queen that was expected of me.


    I stood from the seat. "I''ll leave you to do your duties, doctor. Please, let me know if anything arises."


    "I definitely will, Your Highness." He bowed as I walked to the door.


    "Good day, doctor." Pa bade him as we left dad''s room.


    "My Lady." He bowed.


    Pa and I walked the hallway in silence, I swallowed, trying to dislodge the boulder that had lodged itself in my throat.


    She held my hand and squeezed infort. "It''s okay, Rika. You''ll be fine."


    I turned to her. "Will I?"


    She nodded with confidence. "Yes Rika. I know you will be. Anyone who can survive three years in that hell of a marriage, can survive anything. Like I had said earlier, your father is a wise man who makes wise decisions. He did not make a mistake giving you what belongs to you."


    "You have a lot of confidence and faith in me than I do for myself at the moment." I sniffled.


    "I''m not saying this because you''re my best friend. I''m also saying this because it is true."


    I stared at her face for awhile, then averted my gaze, focusing on the long hallway before me. "Did you hear what I said about Jace?"


    "Jace will be back. I think he''s hurt in the moment, and trying to run off steam. When hees to, you''ll settle whatever differences you both have with each other." She assured.


    "I don''t think so." Tears filled my vision.


    "Jace will..."


    Cutting her off, I pulled her towards the other hallway that led to his own room, we climbed the stairs and went into his room.


    "Look around you, Pa. Does this look like a ce the owner wants to return to?" I was almost screaming in frustration and pain.


    She was dumbfounded, not believing what she was seeing. "Jace is noting back?"


    I took the letter from my back pocket and gave to him. She took it and read. "Wow. This is...but what evidence is he talking about?”


    "The business with Elder Grigshade that caused the fight between us." I copsed into a sofa, cradling both sides of my throbbing temples.


    "So have you seen the evidence?" She joined me on the sofa, the letter still in her possession.


    "Yes." I nodded. "Turns out dad had started the business with Grigshade years back, even when Jace and le were still young pups, they had been doing business together. Now that we''re adults, dad passed thepany to Jace. I know Jace is the business guru in the family but why had they not told me. Why did they keep it from me?"


    "I do not have the answers you want right now and neither do you, but we should not be in a haste to write things off. Soon, we will understand. You will understand. But first things first, let''s concentrate on giving you the best coronation ever. Even Grigshade will not be able to stand a chance." She winked.


    I chuckled. "I guess so." My face fell secondster. "I had always thought Jace


    and dad would stand beside me, holding my hands for support."


    "Hey, I can always be dad and Kat will be Jace, he''s her mate after all, it''s only right she assumes that position. We both will be there to hold you." She squeezed my hands tighter.


    Feeling grateful, I hugged her tight. "Thank you, P. You''re the best friend everyone needs in their life."


    "What about me?"


    Pa and I turned towards the doorway, there was Kat...and she was out of her wheelchair.


    "You''re better now? You can walk now?" I could not keep the excitement out of my voice. The fight and sinking of fangs had affected a nerve that had temporarily disrupted her ability to walk properly.


    "Yes." She grinned.


    "Come here for the group hug." Pa invited her.


    She entered, she was barefooted. She paused, taking note of the room. "Is this not Jace''s room?"


    I swallowed. "Uhmm..."


    "He will be back, Kat. He just needs sometime to run off steam after their fight. Howe you''re awake in such short a time?" Pa was trying to take her mind off of the room and Jace''s possibly permanent absence.


    "When did he leave?" She asked.


    I studied her face. She was holding back tears, trying not to breakdown. "I don''t know, I had no idea too. I just came in to talk to him as you guys had advised, I saw the room like this."


    "So he left?" Her smile was watery with her lips trembling.


    Without another word, Pa and I went to hug her. This was the first time I would see Kat cry before either of us, even as her best friend for years, she never fell apart of me, not even once. She preferred to cry alone, thene out with renewed hope.


    But what could I say, mate bond could make any werewolf act unusually them.