Double updates to brighten everyone's day (hopefully it works!)

"I believe it was a few days after he left, this letter arrived at my house in D.C.," said Tiffany as she opened her drawer and pulled out an A4-sized brown envelope that I often saw being used to store documents. After what had happened in the garage, she'd brought me into her bedroom which was bigger than my entire house and should be called a suite instead. She led me to a small living room where a wooden desk and office chair was installed. "He must've asked Dmitry to mail it." She proceeded to reopen the envelope and produce two pieces of paper, then she set the envelope on the table.

"Most of the documents are instructions and whatnot. Things that he'd like to see happening if-" Tiffany stifled a sob and shook her head. "I'm sorry. I'm very emotional when it comes to my family. Anyway, yeah, basically what he wants us to do with his estate, assets, the pack, charities, and orphanages that he wants to donate. All in all, it's his will." She swallowed hard, her lips trembled and I knew that she was trying hard not to have a mental breakdown right now. "Except for these two pieces of paper. These are letters for you. He wants me to give it to you." She looked down at the first paper and lifted it up. "This one is to be given to you if he doesn't come back in a year, while the other one is if he-" she took a deep breath before continuing, "if he passes away."

I felt a lump in my throat and my tears threatened to fall but I held it all back inside. If I cried, Tiffany surely would crack and cry. We both would end up on a floor like a puddle of mess.

Tiffany handed both pieces of paper to me but I only took the first one. "He's still alive, Tiff, so I'm not going to take that one. You should keep it or maybe burn it even because if he has something that important that he wishes to tell me then he has to tell me in person once I cure him."

A flicker of hope appeared in her eyes and brightened her complexion. "You're absolutely right." She turned around and slid the second paper back into the brown envelope then put the envelope back into her drawer.

"I have to make a few phone calls, you can sit here and perhaps read what he has to say," offered Tiffany with a smile before leaving me alone in her room. I had a feeling that she simply wanted to give me some time alone to read Ryker's letter in private which I deeply appreciated. Especially when I had no idea what he'd written. It could be really hopeful or incredibly sad. Either way, I felt that I would end up in tears upon reading it.

Once I sat on the leathered couch, I closed my eyes and took a calming breath. Reading Ryker's letter was more nerve-wracking than my school's report card or even the Book of the Damned. "Oh, gosh." I breathed out then reopened my eyes and finally looked down as I began to read.

Dear Xyrra,

It has been a year. How are you? How have you been? If you still read this letter then I take it that you still care for me. Despite how cruel my first and last letter to you was. If you are currently happy with your life without me, please stop reading this letter. I would even advise you to burn it this instant and forget this letter even exists. Or even better, forget me.

There were a few blank spaces there as if he was truly giving me a chance to burn it without ever knowing the remaining of its content. I continued to read since there was zero chance I would burn this letter.

When I told you that I rejected you as my mate, I wasn't trying to hurt you. It may be hard to believe but it is true. I rejected you so that you won't feel guilty about taking another man as your Chosen Mate. It does and could happen. My sister is one living example. She married someone who isn't her Fated Mate and she's still happy until this very day (I am very positive she is or else I'll come knocking on her husband's door).

I couldn't help but laugh at the thought of Ryker giving her older sister's husband a hard time.

I know you're probably shocked when I asked you to take Dmitry as your Chosen Mate but I can assure you that I'm not merely suggesting that for the sake of the Ethereal pack. I suggested Dmitry not because he's my Beta but because he's my best friend and he is the most loyal person I know. I also happen to know that he likes you, despite everything else. I know with my heart that he will treat you well. That with him, you have a chance to be happy. Something you might not have with me.

"Ryker, you're such an idiot!"

Yeah, you're probably calling me all sorts of names, considering you're still reading this letter and didn't burn it instead. I love you, you know. I don't always say those eight-letter words because I always believe that action should speak louder than words but here I am, saying it to you and hoping that you believe that I meant it.

Xyrra, it has been a year and if you're reading this letter then I must have failed on finding a cure for this vexing disease. I know you'd hate me for saying this but please accept the fact that I might never come home. You need to get on with your life. You're young and you have a bright future ahead of you. You can be anything you want, you can do anything you wish to achieve if you put your heart and mind into it. So please, don't waste your time and energy on me. I'll never be able to forgive myself if years go by and you still try to live in the past.

If an asshole like me could love you with all my heart, I am sure there's someone out there that could love you and make you happy. Even if you don't want to have a special someone, since I'm well aware that your happiness is not defined by someone you're with, then at least live your dream, do what makes you happy. Forget about me. Don't waste any more time on me than you've already had.

Yours forevermore,
Ryker R. C.

My hands were itching to punch something, preferably the face of someone with a pair of beautiful silver eyes and a stupidly handsome face. He was being worse than that character in a movie that I'd once watched who took an assisted suicide and told his lover that he wanted her to live a full life instead of half a life with him. Was he even for real? For someone who loved you, they would want half a life with you compared to a full life without you. Ryker was just the same. He was trying to make me chase my dream and live a full life when he should know that my life wouldn't be complete without him in it. That everything I achieved in life would be pointless if I didn't have someone to share it with. If I didn't have him to share everything with. For someone who claimed to have a Ph.D., he was indeed ridiculously stupid.

"What a jackass!" I wiped a tear that slipped out of one corner of my eye with the back of my hand and threw his letter on the table. Just the sight of his penmanship writing those ridiculous words he called advice pissed me off.

"I take it he told you to quit searching for the cure for him?"

I looked up and saw Tiffany walking back into the room. "More or less." I heaved a sigh. "He's lucky, you know, to have a kind sister like you. If he were my brother, I would've shoved that list of things he asked you to do up his arse and told him to do it himself once he gets better."

Despite everything else, Tiffany laughed. "I wish I could be so bold to do that."

I took a deep breath, then let it go. "Anyway, you want my help to track him, right? I can do it right now."

"Yes." She nodded eagerly. "Tell me what you need."

"I pretty much have all the ingredients I need." I dug into my satchel and found my motorcycle's key with the keychain that Ryker had once given to me. I placed it on the table along with a bottle of charmed sand that I always brought with me. Then I dug deeper and pulled out a folded world map.

"How big is your bag really?" asked Tiffany, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Enormous," I replied with a smile. I'd charmed my satchel so that it could expand limitlessly which came in handy when I was traveling such as now. I unfolded the world map and placed it on the table. After opening the cap, I poured the sand on top of the map before my hand reached for the keychain. I summoned red smoke on my palm and it enclosed the keychain. I concentrated on what I wanted, expanding my mind and at the same time, the smoke traveled to the poured sand. Slowly but surely, the sand started to move on top of the map. Several seconds passed before all the map was covered with sand except for one small dot on the map. "Maybe I should have used a smaller map to get a more accurate location."

Tiffany whose eyes had been glued on the map looked up and our eyes locked. "Xyrra, I dare say this is accurate enough."

"I mean we can get the city or town or village he is in."

"Come and look," said Tiffany.

My gaze followed her finger which was pointing at the written word on the map and I gasped when I finally read it.

London.

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Any thoughts?