Page 65 of A Female Alpha for the Lycan Prince

“You’re just envious because I can pull it off,” Eric winks.

“I am!” Finn laughs slightly. “Honestly, I am.”

Eric squeezes Finn’s shoulder before they stop their mutual teasing and turn to more serious topics.

“So, how far up the line are you for the throne now?” Finn asks Eric.

“Why?” Harmony interrupts Finn. “Are you interested?”

“No way,” Finn snorts. “I think I’m somewhere in the top 200.”

Liam chuckles, and Eric grins. “Liam and I are in the top 50, I believe.”

“Dad is higher,” Liam muses.

“How come?” Harmony asks curiously.

“Because he’s a direct descendent of one of the five royal families. Our grandparents were both lycan royals and alphas. It doesn’t get any higher than that. The royal rank goes by power and bloodline, not necessarily following the first come, first served principle.”

They discuss some political affairs of the country, which is boring, then Eric breaks away to mingle with the crowd. I turn to look at Annie, Ella, and Harmony, finally deciding to ask the one burning question I’ve had since Eric arrived and showered the women with compliments. “How come none of you girls are annoyed when he flirts with you? I thought most of you would be turned off by that?”

Harmony doesn’t answer. I notice how she hardly looks at me, which surprises me a bit. She is normally very chatty. Oh well, maybe she’s distracted. Annie, however, takes my question seriously. “Good question, actually. Now that I think about it… you’re right. I normally don’t like sleazy compliments, however… Eric never compliments a woman in a shallow way,” she explains thoughtfully. “He never says things like ‘Oh, you look so hot in that dress.’ Or anything suggestive. He doesn’t really hit on us,” she continues, to my surprise. “He comments on color choices, how we did our hair, how we look so confident, or how we radiate strength, or how that dress really goes well with our hair color or skin tone. He underlines things we put effort into and like to have others recognize.”

“She’s right,” Ella agrees. “I would be so pissed if he only looked at my butt and boobs, but he doesn’t. He commented on how strong I look compared to a year ago when we visited him and how much confidence I radiate in my dress, and yes, I find that very empowering to know others notice.”

“He’s far less superficial than people give him credit for,” Harmony points out. Oh, she was listening to the conversation? She bows her head a bit. “If you’d excuse me?”

Annie nods. “We need to catch up later.”

Harmony squeezes her hand. “Definitely sis.”

My eyes roam the room like I’m searching for someone. I realize I have been subconsciously searching for Celine all night when I find her. She’s tall, and she’s hot, and everyone takes notice of her when she enters a room. Goddess, she’s so perfect! That luscious long hair, which is normally straight, has been curled slightly for tonight. Her face is perfection… she’s like a queen.

Eric is talking to her and shaking her hand, and I don’t like it. I can hear how she introduces herself to him and how she laughs at his ridiculous jokes. Celine doesn’t laugh very often, and it pisses me off that he’s managed it so easily. I swear, if he puts his sleazy fingers on her, I’ll—

Finally, come to your senses concerning our mate?I can hear Cyrus in my mind. He seems to reemerge whenever Celine is around. Other than that, he hardly ever shows himself anymore.

You have some nerve. You basically go silent on me for weeks, and now you pop up all of a sudden?

Don’t make this my fault,he tells me. To my surprise, his words lack any venom or anger. He sounds tired.I’m weakened, and it’s all your fault.

I hate that he’s weak, and I hate that it’s the fucking mate-bond responsible for it. Celine doesn’t seem to be weakened at all. Why are only Cyrus and I affected?

My gaze shifts back to her. Emilien has joined Eric now, and he seems to be captivated by Celine’s beauty too.

Fuck it! I need a distraction.

The distraction happens to be a cute brown-haired she-wolf who has been staring at me and smiling. Okay, time to flirt. If Celine can flirt with Eric, I can definitely do the same. I can be charming when I want to. I soon have the girl giggling at my words. I have pulled her away from the crowd and into a corridor that’s not too crowded. Her voice is grating to my ears, and I want nothing more than to push her aside and leave.

When she touches my chest, I can feel Cyrus roar inside of me. He hates it. I shove him to the back of my mind, trying to lock him out. I need this. I can’t have Celine on my mind all the time. I just can’t.

To my shock, I suddenly feel her presence close to me, and when I shift my gaze from the she-wolf whose name I can’t even remember, I can see her standing to the side. She looks at me, her face and eyes don’t give anything away. It pisses me off that she can be this way, so powerful and dignified, even when her mate is flirting with another woman.

“Is there something wrong?” I snap, cringing a bit at my own hostile tone.

“No,” she says evenly. Other than that, she doesn’t seem to react. Her cool gaze rests on me before she turns away to walk over to Harmony. Why can she remain so unfazed? What’s wrong with her!?

I try to focus on the girl in front of me again, but it’s hard. So hard. Celine’s scent lingers in the air, and the way she looked at me just now has imprinted itself into my mind. I’m no longer paying any attention to the girl in front of me. She keeps giggling and telling me something, but I can’t even pretend to be interested. Then suddenly, her small hand is on my tie and tugs me forward, meeting my lips with hers. What in the actual FUCK!? I’m so shocked I need a moment to process what’s going on.