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


    It felt like it was just yesterday we were celebrating Pa''s pregnancy but in reality, a couple of days had passed and I was on the verge of copsing.


    Why?


    The Christmas party for the Alphas of Fangoria wasing up in two days and there was still so much to put in ce.


    It felt like I wasted the days doing nothing. I still had to make arrangements for entertainment, the enlisted games for the party hadn''t been set up, my dress was still pending, and the stupid wee speech.


    I rubbed my temple to ease some of the headaches threatening to blow up my brain. Resting against the wall, I took a deep breath and tried to focus on the present.


    Everyone was busy with something. The decorations wereing out nicely too. It brought a small smile to my face.


    I shouldn''t burden myself with the things I have left to do, I should focus on what was getting done.


    "Erika."


    I blinked, pushing myself off the wall. Jace took long strides towards me. "Hey," I greeted him with a smile.


    "You''re a mess. Have you ever had some sleep?" The question was pointed directly at my eye bags.


    "The party is in two days, Jace. You don''t expect me to sleep when there''s so much to do," I answered warily. The stress was starting to get to me.


    My vision was starting to blur. Even my body was begging for a break now but I couldn''t let anyone see that. There would be enough time to rest once the party


    was over.


    "You don''t have to do everything. Take a rest, I''m sure the servants can handle things on their own. They don''t need you supervising them," Jace told me.


    "Okay." It was mostly because I was exhausted. He would bug me if I proved stubborn.


    "About the party, I might not hang around for it," he informed me. I furrowed my eyes at him.


    "Why?"


    "I need to go to Avenir City. I don''t know how long I will stay there..."


    "And it can''t wait?" I interrupted, I didn''t want to make a fuss now.


    "No. I need to do something very important there. I can''t miss it for anything," his vague answer bothered me.


    "What exactly is this important thing you can''t miss? Do you know where Avenir City is? What business do you even have there?" I probed further.


    "Like I said, it is very important I go there. I will be back before you know it..."


    "Don''t give me that, Jace," all traces of exhaustion vanished from my voice. "If you can''t say the important thing that''s taking you miles away from home, then I''m afraid you will have to kill the idea. I am not going to let you go out there on your own, feeling adventurous during this critical period. Do you know how dangerous it is to travel at a time like this? Jace you just recovered..."


    "You don''t need to lecture me. I am well aware of the dangers but I can handle them."


    The stubborn man wouldn''t listen of course.


    "That''s what you say now but you can never tell what will happen. I still insist you sit your butt back here. After the party, the guards and I can apany you to wherever you want to go," I stated.


    Irritation shed in his eyes, "stop treating me like a child. I can take care of myself!"


    "Can you?" I challenged, shooting up a brow. That sent him off the edge.


    "You know what? I''m done with this conversation," with that, he stormed away out of the room.


    Noticing the attention he drew to us,


    I let out a groan. Why can''t that man-child just understand I''m trying to keep him safe? I know how many times thought I''d bluffed about being capable of protecting myself and ended up getting hurt.


    The approaching footsteps drew my attention to Kat. Great, she''s about to lecture


    me because I upset her mate.


    "Rika," she ced a hand on my shoulder. "Calm down, okay?"


    "Your mate is so stubborn. I try to protect him because I have his best interest at heart but he goes ahead to throw a tantrum, using me of treating him like a child," I


    "The more reason you have to calm down. Jace is not a kid, Rika. He can make


    his own decisions. You cannot force him to do what you want all the time," Kat


    said softly.


    "I''m not forcing him to do anything.


    I''m just trying to protect him from the dangers out there, those people could be looking for him. I won''t be alive and watch harme to him," I stated.


    She shook her head with a chuckle, "Youin about him being stubborn but


    you are just as stubborn."


    I looked away with a scoff.


    "Just try listening to him, alright? I don''t want my best friend and mate fighting. I''ll leave you both to argue your lungs out and I won''t sympathize with any of you!"


    Her serious expression made meugh.


    "I''m serious, Rika," she groaned.


    "Fine, I''ll go talk to him."


    I headed to his room because that was the only ce I could think of. Knocking


    twice, I pushed the door open and walked in.


    "I didn''t say you coulde in," he said grumpily.


    "How about youe push me out?" I wiggled my brows and he looked away. Taking it as an invite, I joined him on the bed.


    "You im you''re not a baby, but here you are, sulking in your room," I teased.


    "I''m not sulking," he frowned, shooting me a warning look. I decided to let it be. Apologies first, teasester.


    "Fine, I''m sorry about my reaction earlier. It''s just that I care deeply about you. It would break me if something happened to you."


    He still didn''t look at me. A part of me knew he was no longer mad at me but he wanted me to grovel a bit.


    "Come on, I already apologized. I''m your sister, I have the right to be worried. Besides, you wouldn''t tell me why you needed to go so far away," I tried to make him see reasons with me.


    "I guess you''re right. There is no reason for me to keep it from you since it directly affects you," he said, facing me.


    Directly affects me? Why do I have a bad feeling about this? Is this going to be another problem? Haven''t I been through enough already?


    My head was starting to pound once again.


    "What do you mean?"


    "I have something to tell you about Avenir City..."