Michael Angelo. Everything in me halted the minute I registered Blessy's words. More importantly, the way she blurted out the name. Why does she sound like I messed up big time?. However, before I could even react to what she just said, my full attention went back to her when I saw her cheeks turning red from anger and her eyes growing darker — the tiger brown eyes became a darker shade of amber yellow. Apparently, I made the little Alpha Princess upset. And that's not good, according to the book about Alpha kids…. Shit! No RAMPAGE, please. I have to stop Blessy before her control snaps since werewolf kids her age, especially with Alpha blood like hers, cause more destruction compared to adults. Their anger, once not stopped in time, could kill a thousand lives within an hour. That would mean a massacre then, which will be punishable by death. And Blessy's too young for that…. No! My poor sister. ‘Damn it, Angelo! Stop zoning out already and stop her this instant. ’ Bear barked in my head, making me frantically face my raging sister. “I'm sorry Blessy, I didn't mean to — ” I began to apologize. “No, you don't understand,” She uttered, cutting me off, “I'm losing her. I — I just…” She trailed off, her lips trembling now. Then, without a warning, I saw clear water tears began to roll down her cheeks. ‘Good job, dickhead. First, you got her upset. Now, you made our baby sister cry. Fucking great big brother you are. ’ Bear commented. ‘I was just trying to make her laugh, you ass. ’ I stated, annoyed. ‘Well, for the record, you failed dumbhead. Now, try comforting her. Maybe you're better on that role. ’ He ridiculed me, making me irritated. ‘Will you just shut up and try to help me here?’ I chastised, earning a growl from him. ‘Fine, I'll talk to Mika. And with that, he disappeared in the back of my head once again; meeting Mika in their wolf realm, I believe. Blessy, on the other hand, was still crying in front of me and I let her, knowing she needed it. Though, seeing her beautiful face turning bright red from the weeping, my panic sinks in. “Hey, hey enough crying now, sweetie. ” I cooed as I rub away her tears with my thumb, “Tell me, what's really bothering you?”. “Mikee, ‘her’ memories… blurry… it's all” — she hiccup — “blurry… I — I can't Mikee…” She trailed off, whimpering while her almost cleaned hands were roughly wiping the tears away from her cheeks. Hearing that though, and not completely comprehending it, made me narrowed my brows at her — I'm still on the panic side to even get a grasp of what she was saying. “We all have our own special memories with Nala, sweetheart. It's normal to remember as well as to cry for it. It's okay, don't feel embarrassed about it. ” I stated the first thing that came into my mind, encouraging a smile at her. “No!” She yells again, “You don't understand, Mikee. Nala's memories… my mind's” — she touched her head and tugged her hair harshly — “I'm losing her. I — I don't want to forget, Mikee…” She explained through her crying and that's when I sense, there's more to just being upset here. Blessy, as sensitive as she was, doesn't cry this much and this badly… unless otherwise, something tremendous troubles her. And then, I remembered…. The way she declared the word 'memories' to me and then further explains that it was Nala's, to the way she furiously reacted to my silly joke that seemingly involved Nala, and I didn't miss that part that she said she was disturbed of losing memories of Nala, made me understand everything

This was about Nala. And Blessy, she never moved on from her. I tugged her towards my chest and engulfed her into a warm embrace, not caring if dir t-stained my suit. There, she cried harder. Of course, B lessy is and still broken… . Three years ago, Nala was my little sister's world. Their bond, unlike all of us, was deeme d inseparable. Perhaps of the fact that Nala became a second mother to Blessy; this was at the time when Mom's foreign illness showed up, making her unable to function at everything. Their friendship started out from the spoon-feeding since Bless y was two when she first met a sixteen-year-old Nala. Then, as B lessy was growing up, the magic of their relationship also grew. Nala, aside from the feeding, was also trusted to bathe, play and lull Blessy to sleep. When Blessy was two and a half, Nala became her first teacher. When my sister turned three, and her blonde locks were l ong enough to style, Nala would often do her hair and the y did, at some point, experimented on putting make-up on. But their bond st rengthened when B lessy turned four… . These were the times when boredom strikes them. The two devils would sneak ou t of the mansion and explore the forest floor outside the castle grounds. They usually go to these dirty expeditions just to search for insects and flowers. However, what they both truly love — in times of tedium and being outside the palace — was playing in the rain, not caring if mud would stain their clothe s, hands, or feet. Sometimes, their faces when things got rough between them. Yeah, such lovely memories, and as much a s I disliked recalling them, I couldn't h elp it; I've basically watched them grow. Surely, they've been inseparable for that two long y ears, before Nala was… And for Blessy, being four yea rs old at that time, she couldn't handle such a loss. She actually ac quired nightmare s because of it… . Now that she's seven, and three years o f NO Nala by her side, I'm sure her mem ories of ‘her’ were slowly fading away. That's why she's r eally emotional an d scared right now. Come to think of it then, those activitie s in the forest that includes the rain, t he mud was all Nala and Blessy's pastime. Oh, so my litt le sister's rel iving the past… . I smiled inwardly, finally understanding the source o f her troublesome behavior. Not to mention, and the one that truly t ouched my heart was, her statement that she doesn't want to forget her, our Nala. I know Blessy loved Nala, but ne ver did I imagined this pure, un conditional love coming from her. I hugged th e little gi rl tighter. “Is that the reason why you go out and play in the mud?” I asked when she finally stopped crying, a few hiccups an d sniffs here and there but she seemed calm now to answer. “Yes. ” She mumbled another hiccup escaped her throat. “I just want her memory to stay, to still be clear inside my head. That's why I keep on doing the sa me activities that we did. When she was… alive. ” She whispered the last part. I nodded, let ting her know I heard her. “I understand, sweetheart. Nala would be very happy about that. ” I said, li fting her chin to face me, “Though next time, before you decided to play ou tside, bring me. Okay?” I asked, wiping the remaining tears from her cheeks. She scrunched up her nos e which, surprisingly, w as one of Nala's habits. I smi led at that. “But you never go bored. ” She argued, her forehe ad wrinkled in anger, “You always have mating ba lls and I don't like those whimsy balls anyway. “I know that little one, but it will on ly take an hour,” I softly said, taking off her tiara from her tangled strands. She gr unted at me. “An hour is too much

” She protested with an attitude now. “I'm only 7 M ikee, and 7-year-olds like me don't sit still. Besides, the ball is not for kids. Always for big boys like you, so why bother to have me there?” . Great, my sister' s back to her ori ginal personality… . My sm ile wi dened. “Because,” I paused and poked her nose, “you're my sister and ma ting balls are a family matter, to begin with,” I explained, cur rently brushing her curly blonde hair with my thick fingers now. She frow ned at m y reason. “But it's about mates. Mika tells me I can' t have one until I reach eighteen. ” She argu ed once more, her fierce eyes looking at me. I chuc kled a t that. “That's true and it's alright sweetheart, it's all about me tonight… No one's looking at you. Besides , this ball was already planned by Mother, so it can't be helped. ” I noted, encouraging her to smile now. “And don't worry, if someone comes for you, I will surely break their necks,” I added playfully. She gasped and instantly glared at me. T hen, her small arms crossed in front of her chest as she huffed her cheeks at me. I laughed at her cute behavior but I then pause, as I suddenly t hought of our ruined look. I glance at my silver wristwatch and s aw it was already 6 pm. Only half an hour before the ball starts. We ca n mak e it. “Come Blessy, we need to clean up. I need to change” — I pointed out my now mud-stained black suit — “and so do you. I'll call Nicole to g et you a new dress to wear,” I said and made her stand from the chair. Nicole's her nan ny. A werewolf. Lovely old lady. Shortly, the dark aura that covers her vanishes, as she happily nodded her head in agreement. She gladly then too k a hold of my hand as we started to walk out of my room. Unexpectedly, as we were halfway through the corridors leading to her room, Bles sy tugged my hand that was holding hers. “Mikee, can you fix my ha ir then?” She asked, raisi ng her head to look at me. I glanced down at he r, furrowing my eyebr ows out of confusion. “Me? Why me?” I sim ply asked. “Because I wan t to. ” She chee rfully replied. Now that p erplexed m e further. “Sweetheart, I don't do fancy hairs. ” I paused and lifted her from the g round. Then, I positioned her on my arms, declaring, “Maybe pigtails, bu t that's about it. Let Nicole do your hair the proper way for the ball. She p outed at me. “But that 's why I want you. I s nor ted. “Because I do Pi gtails?” . She excitedly nodded at m e, making my forehead cre ased in deeper confusion. I was about to follow up on the quest ion when I instantly remembered someth ing, making me understand her request. Of cou rse… . Nala fixes her hair every day and it's a lways on ‘pigtails’