I looked at Eric and the group of men who stood behind him. They looked casual and somewhat dressed for an occasion like this. Somehow that made me really nervous. I mind linked with Shayne to tell him that Eric was here in front of me. There were a lot of wolves from the pack around but that didn't do much to reassure me. Only few knew about the problem we were having.

"I was invited." Eric said, referring to my previous question. "Or was I not?"

"Of course." I said clearing my throat.

I opened the door and stepped aside. Eric had a smile on his lips which wasn't settling well with me. He looked like he knew a secret that I might want to know. Eric and some of his men stepped inside the house and took in the scene. Loraine looked at Eric and moved closer to me. She stood a bit behind me as if hiding from Eric.

People were talking amongst each other and were enjoying themselves. It was noisy inside due to everyone talking. I quickly walked over to Shayne when I spotted him making his way over to me. Sebastian casually walked to Loraine and she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Eric, you came." Shayne said looking pleased for some reason.

I don't want him here, I told Shayne through our mind link.

He isn't going to hurt you. I promise.

I looked up at Shayne and clung to his arm just like Loraine was doing with Sebastian. I didn't want Eric here but I also wasn't going to kick him out. Shayne didn't seem worried about having him here. People were looking at us but they didn't seem to be bothered by the fact Eric was here.

"Well, I was invited." He said.

"You know I consider you family and I want us all to settle things out." Shayne said. "But that is something we will talk about later."

"Of course. Sage, congratulations on your pup. When will we be expecting the little rascal?"

We?

"Less than a month now. Sage is four months along now and the pack doctor said it would be in three weeks maybe four."

I didn't feel comfortable with Eric asking so many questions about my baby. Shayne didn't seem to think anything wrong about it but I could feel how tense he had become. I placed my hand on his chest and he relaxed under my touch.

"I'm going to go find Jake and make sure he doesn't get his hands on all of the food." I said to Shayne, trying to keep a light tone.

"That Rogue friend of yours?" Eric asked.

"My brother." I corrected. "Jake is my brother."

"But he's not, right?" Eric pushed.

Eric wanted me to snap at him. I could see that now that it was the plan he had in his head. For whatever reason, Eric wanted me to lose it. I wasn't going to give him that satisfaction.

"No, he's not." I said.

"How did you meet him?"

"Eric." Shayne warned.

I looked at Loraine and she was looking at me curiously. I wasn't sure how much Shayne had shared with Sebastian and how much Sebastian had shared with Loraine. She knew things that were going on in the pack just like I knew a couple of things about Fallen Ash.

"It was years ago." I answered in a quiet voice.

I wasn't going to jump into a story if that's what he was waiting for. I wasn't going to tell him how I met Jake. That would require me telling him how I had bumped into him. Rider and Eric had people after me and it was because of them that I had almost gotten myself killed.

"I would love to hear this story." Eric said.

"Eric, I didn't ask you to come so you could upset my mate." Shayne said frowning.

"After everything she has done it amazes me how you're still siding with her." Eric's eyes were cold.

"She is my mate and the mother of my child." Shayne growled, pulling me closer to his side.

"A child who has yet to be born." Eric added.

"I invited you so we could make peace, not so you could make my mate uncomfortable." Shayne said.

"I'll behave." Eric smiled.

I didn't want him here. The way he was talking so calmly made me feel extremely on edge. Out of nowhere Sam came to stand by my side. His eyes narrowed on Eric but Eric didn't seem to care.

I hadn't gotten a chance to talk to Sam about what he was able to dig up. Sam had accompanied Shayne to both Imperial and Silver Light. He told me he found out something about a feud going on. Sam promised he would give me more details.

"Shayne, your parents are outside." I said, trying to find an exit to this situation. "Alpha Eric, why don't you go say hi?"

"Of course."

Eric smiled and walked past me. I sighed in relief when I saw him disappear to the kitchen. Shayne looked down at me and gave me an apologetic look.

"I honestly though he wouldn't show." He said.

"Is everything okay?" Sebastian asked.

"Yes, enjoy the party." Shayne said. "I have to speak with Eric for a few minutes. Sam, stay with Sage and don't let her out of your sight."

"Yes Alpha."

Shayne kissed the top of my head and went after Eric. Whatever they were going to talk about I only hoped that he could work things out with Eric. I didn't want him looking at me like I had actually committed murder.

"Sage, do you want to lay down for a while? I bet you're tired from being out and about all day."

I looked at Sam and gave him a confused look. Sam avoided eye contact with me and then I felt him trying to get into my mind.

Just go with it, he said.

"Just for a while. My back is killing me." I said. "Alpha Sebastian, Loraine, if you will both excuse me I'm going to rest for a little bit."

Sebastian nodded at me and I headed up to my room with Sam following behind me. I knew we had to be quick about our talk. If Shayne found is both in here he would be furious.

I locked the door behind me and went to the radio by my night stand to turn it on. There was a lot of noise downstairs but I didn't need anyone hearing in our conversation.

"So, what did you find out? Why is Eric here? I thought he told Shayne he wasn't coming."

"I don't know what he's doing here. I was present when he told Shayne he wouldn't be showing his face here."

"He's planning something." I said worriedly.

"You should be more worried about what I have to tell you." Sam said.

"Oh no, what did you find out?"

"I found out why Rider was so bitter about Ellie rejecting him. It didn't make sense why he was so obsessed with her. I get you said he looked like his mate, but I still couldn't understand. The reason why Rider was after her was because she's an Alpha's daughter."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Think about it. Not many Alpha's have more than one child. They need a male to carry on the title, and to avoid feud between siblings they don't have another child. If you remember our history, Alpha's would chose an Alpha mate for their daughters. The stronger the blood-"

"The stronger the wolf."

"Exactly. I can't be so sure about this but I think I know why Rider was so interested in you. His father wanted him to find another mate. He thought you would have been someone he could easily control."

"But My parents aren't Alpha's."

"I know, which is why his father suggested he turn to Ellie. They were working on an agreement, but before anything was final, Ellie met Eric."

"That's why he wanted to kill her. When Justin said Rider was trying to get close to her he was trying to get her to chose him." I said. "I remember at times when Rider would go out to visit other packs for business. He was going to Silver Light, right?"

"Yeah, that's why Imperial had so many problems with Silver Light."

"Does Shaynr know about this?" I asked.

"Of course not! Rider wouldn't be alive if he knew. Back then Shayne was only months away from taking the title. He would have tried to stop it if he had found out about it. I think that's why they were trying to rush things and do it before Shayne took the title."

I couldn't believe Shayne's parents would do something like that. It went against everything werewolves believed in. There was a reason those kinds of things were banned by the elders.

"The day before Rider had us prepare for an attack he looked pissed. He looked like he was ready to kill someone."

"I guess we know now who that someone was." Sam said.

I nodded in agreement. Eric had to see the truth in all of this. Rider had me kill her because he didn't want a fight with Eric. If he killed Ellie then nothing would guarantee him that he'd still be alive till this day. He would have lost his title as Alpha and most likely Eric would have planned an attack on Imperial. With the amount of wolves we lost they would have easily taken us down.

Rider still wanted me dead because he knows that at any moment I could convince Eric of the truth. Everything was falling in my favor-

"We have to convince Eric. This is the motive why Rider would have wanted Ellie dead. It seems that pain of losing his mate is clouding his judgement." Sam said, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"No." I said. "If we tell him then he'll want to kill Rider right in the spot."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Eric might get hurt and it would be our fault. I don't want that. Besides, I have plans for Rider."

It was true. I wanted to leave Rider untouched for now. I had other plans for him. I would get back at him for all the pain he has caused me and everyone else.

"Whatever it is I know I'm not going to like it." Sam had a look of dread on his face. "Tell me you're not going to do something stupid."

"I can't tell you." I said. "If I do you might try to stop me."

"That's what I was afraid of." Sam sighed.