bChapter /bb165 /b

bEryx /bPOV

Mother has gone to see Amelia. She’s giving me the space to speak with Xander, although I promised to call him Father. He’s pacing, I know he bis /bbecause bI /bcan already hear it as I turn into the hall.

When I enter the room, he stops and looks at me.

Sucking in a breath, I try to be the adult I’ve been arguing I am. “You wanted me, Father.”

He stills and stares. Yeah, it’s been years.

“You wanted responsibility. I want you to go to a pack for me, negotiate with them.”

My eyes narrow. “Which pack?” I ask.

“Earlest,” he says.

Sighing, I turn. “When you’re ready to actually trust me and give me real work, call me.”

“Eryx, do not leave this room.”

“It’s a bullshit attempt to keep me as far away from April. That’s three days‘ travel the opposite direction. Did you even consider epting who she is?” I wait, and he just watches me. “The results came back. Do you know that, or do you just not care enough?”

“I’m well aware that the tests came back, and since thest ones you’ve not reached the maturity of twenty–one.”

Nodding, I wait, and he doesn’t say anything. “So consider me leaving the pack. I’ll be gone tonight.” Turning, I walk out and hear him following.

“You’re honestly going to leave?” he asks.

“Why would I stay?” Turning, I look at him. “You give Amelia more responsibility than me. You do realise that, right? She’s travelled more than me, but you keep me locked in this pack like it’s a cage.”

“Because you’re not like Amelia. Your magic-”

Sit

“Don’t. Yes, my magic is different, stronger and more powerful, but Amelia has it as well. Stop using my magic bas /bthe excuse. I’m not going to stay in the pack to be treated like ba /bchild.”

“Well, you’re certainly acting like one right now.”

“I won’t deny it, I am. But for years I have tried to make you see the truthb, /bbut you don’t want to.”

He nods and watches me. “Okay, I will give you real responsibility. I’ll make sure the betas and such cane speak with you.”

“And April?b” /bI ask.

“I’ve agreed to treat you as an adult. Is that not enoughb?/bb” /b

b“/bNo, it’s not.”

“Why? She’s not going anywhere, She’s still going to be thereb./bb” /b

“Will I be?” I ask, and he stares bat /bbme/b. “bIn /bthest few years, I have aged quicker than most. bI’m /bchanging btoo /bbquick/bb. /bbHow /bdo I bknow /bnext btime /bI see her 1. won’t be six years older?”

bHis /bbeyes /broll. b“/bbThey /bsaid bthat /bwouldn’t happenb./bb” /b

i1/2 /i

Chapter b165 /b

b“/bbYou /bcan’t be sure. What happens if their predictions for my aging bto /bslow at twenty–one are wrong? That gives me what? Maybe twenty byears/bb, /bthen I die bof /bold bage/bb./bb” /b

Heughs, actuallyughs. “You’re just as dramatic as your mother.”

Okayb, /bmaybe I am. “Dramatic or not, I mean it. I want to see April more now. I don’t want to risk losing her.” He doesn’t understand. Even if they are convinced it won’t happen, there’s no guarantee I’m going to stop aging at the rate I am. Every month they do the tests, and I hate it.

b“/bOkay. I’ll figure it out. I’m not sure how, because her father does not want any contact with

stay?”

ith us. If I agree to you seeing April, to trying to sort thisb, /bbwill /bbyou /b

Slowly, I nod. I will if he’s going to ept this. “Then I will agree to only call you Alpha when we’re around the betas and such,” I say.

He sighs like I’m being dramatic, but it feels wrong to call him Father, Dad, or

Xander when I’m with him and the betas.

You have something ito /ido tomorrow.”

“Okay. Well, let me figure out what you can do around the pack to help. I’ll make bsure /b

Noding

pushing the magic into them. Once it snaps into ce, I step out.

guardsb, /bbI /bstay in the shadow. Closing my eyes, I focus on them,

They can’t see me. It’s a quick blindness spell, not to blind them from everything, just me. They can see everything else around them but bnot /bme. As I move past them, I go into the Hollow and step past the barrier I built and into the portal.

My mind spins, and I step out, instantly feeling the pull of the bond. Closing my eyes, I reach out to her and feel her through the bond. I wait, and ba /bfew minutester, I hear her quiet footsteps.

Then she’s running into my arms. Lifting her, I hold her against me. “My parents are traveling,” she

says with ba /bsmile.

“So, how about youe back with me for a bit?” I ask.

“How about I spend the night, Eryx?” She leans in and kisses me. “No one is going

ito /i

check

on me for nearly twenty–four hours.”

Smiling, I nod. “Okay, I’ll figure it out,” I say as I step back into the portal while holding her. The moment I’m back at mine, I step through the veil and freeze.

“I knew it.”

The voice has me turning, and I see my mother standing there.

“Just pretend you didn’t see,” I say.

“Eryx, how can I pretend I don’t know about this and about what I sawi?/ii” /iShe looks from me to April, who is still in my arms.

“Lunchtime tomorrow, I tell iyour /ifather. Be ready. I’ll pretend for now she’s not here,i” /ishe saysb, /bthen leaves.

Aprilughs quietly. “I thought she would shout?”

“bNo/bb, /bthat’s Xander’s part. My mother understands to some extent. Come on, let’s get inside and to

o imy /iroom.” I kiss her cheek and begin to bmove/bb. /b