Page 35 of A Silent Prodigy for the Lycan Princess
Even with my hearing aid, my hearing isn’t as perfect as theirs, but Cato probably took up their scent. Now that they are getting closer, I can hear the laughter of a bunch of young people. Leila pulls the blinds of my office up so that we can peek into the corridor. Further down I can see Eric and Valerie. A girl with beautiful braids has her arms linked with Val. There are other young women and men around them.
These are Eric’s and Valerie’s guests.
I can already feel the air around us getting a bit lighter. Hearing and feeling them come closer and bringing a bit of joy with them will help us, and we all watch them approaching. Among them, one young woman sticks out in particular to me. She is just catching my eye, so effortlessly stunning.
That’s when I feel Cato getting even more restless, and then it hits me. The scent of bergamot, ginger, and a hint of pepper and cardamon… like I enjoy my tea. The scent is subtle at first, then finds its way to my nostrils, and fills me up from the inside. It’s heavenly, it’s everything…
It’s…
No way!
Chapter twelve
The Princess & the Commoner
*ARDEN*
She has legs-for-days in her black jeans and just the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen on a living creature, while radiating so much grace. She’s walking next to Valerie, talking to her while she brushes some strands of her long, dark hair out of her face.
“Who is the girl next to Lady Valerie?” Gustave asks breathlessly.
“That’s Aurelia,” Leila says.
“Wait,” I gasp. “She is the princess?”
Leila laughs at my confusion. “What? Did you think she would come here with a fluffy dress and a crown on her head?” She laughs all the more when she sees my flustered face. “I thoughtyou were a genius! Not all princesses wear crowns. She is the future alpha of Silverlake.”
“Beautiful,” I mutter dreamily.
“She really is,” Gustave agrees.
His words draw the first growl from me. I’ve never considered myself as being territorial, but no one is going for my mate in front of me. I hurry to the door, ripping it open to meet them in the hallway. My heart is beating fast, both in joy and fear; joy for finding my mate, and fear for the possibility of her rejecting me. She is an alpha’s child and an alpha’s heir and she emits so much power and strength. She is everything I am not, yet I hope she will give me a chance.
Please Goddess, don’t let my worst nightmares come to life; don’t let Coralie be right!
Aurelia raises her head now, recognition on her face as she looks at me, her blue eyes boring into mine.
“Oh, Arden. You and your team are still here and working?” Eric asks. He turns to Aurelia. “This is—”
“Arden,” she says, pushing past Eric and approaching me. Before I can even react, she has reached out her hands, brushing one of them over my neck and the other over my back. Her eyes flash as her wolf comes forward. “Mine,” she growls.
Wow, she is one possessive she-wolf, and she certainly is not one to beat around the bush! I like that. I wrap my arms around her, pressing her against my body. Any fear of rejection is gone, suddenly, when she grabs my face and pulls me into a kiss. The others around me cheer, and out of instinct, I swiftly switch off my hearing aid to only feel and sense her while moving my arms around her body. The noise around is dull now; instead, I can fully focus on the goddess in my arms.
When I feel her drawback slightly, I make sure to switch my hearing aid back on, instantly being met with loud cheering around me. Aurelia is holding my hand and looking at me with asmile. Soon, though, her friends rip her out of my grip and hug her.
“I can’t believe it!” one of her friends, a dark-blonde girl, squeals.
A red-haired girl joins their hug while two of the guys congratulate her as well. The third guy, a dark-haired young man with a scar on his cheek, squeezes Aurelia’s shoulder and smiles at her. Meanwhile, Eric pulls me into a hug. “I am so happy for you, Arden. You and my cousin; it’s a magical fit! This is good. Really good.”
“It really is,” Valerie says, beaming at me and Aurelia. “Two of my favorite people are together now.”
Eric lets go of me before turning to Aurelia. “If he tells you he isn’t a genius, don’t believe him,” he says with his usual broad grin.
I just groan while Aurelia eyes me curiously. “So, are you going to show me around?”
“I’d love to,” I agree.
“So,” Gustave starts, “there is no team meeting anymore tonight?”
