Page 70 of A Female Alpha for the Lycan Prince

“Second floor?” Elias mutters. “Is it possible?”

“If she said she saw something, then she saw something,” Jazz says in a matter-of-fact tone.

Alpha Celine frowns and opens the window. She turns to us. “Elias!”

He nods, shifting into his wolf form and approaching the window. He crawls out of it, but instead of jumping down, he seems to climb upwards. For a while, no one says anything. I’m scared to death, seriously, but by now, I’m more afraid that I made a fool out of myself, and everyone here thinks that I’m a nutcase and a psycho like my sister…

You’re not going crazy,Ailia’s soothing voice reaches me.I felt the presence too.

Elias’ wolf jumps back into our room, mind-linking Alpha Celine. “Damn it,” she huffs.

“What’s going on?” Marcel asks, concerned.

“Someone was on your roof,” she explains, her eyebrows furrowed. She looks scary all of a sudden. “But their trace is gone. Elias can’t follow it. Whoever it was, they are not on pack grounds anymore.” She turns to me. “I know you’re scared, Valerie, but I need you to tell me everything you saw.”

I do. I start with the feeling that crept over my spine and how something alerted my wolf. I explain the gleaming eyes and how there was just the hint of a face noticeable. It only strikes me now that I’m the only one who sensed this presence. I’m the weakest pack member here, yet only I could sense it. I voice my concerns toward Celine. “Isn’t that weird?” I ask.

Alpha Celine looks at me thoughtfully. “Maybe that’s your gift coming to the surface. Alpha Elden has been training you, after all.”

“I will work harder,” I tell her with emphasis. “Maybe if we knew what my gift is… it might give us a hint.”

She shows me one of her rare smiles. She’s not a smiley person, not cold either, but just not the overly joyful type of woman. But this smile reaches her eyes. I always feel a little shy in her presence because she used to be so close to Lauren, and Lauren just took advantage of Celine’s rank. But despite all the things that happened with Lauren, Celine has remained kind and supportive toward me.

“I will call my father,” Aurelia says into the silence. “If the trace is still fresh, he might be able to help.”

“Please do so,” Alpha Celine nods. She leaves the room, and I can hear her giving commands to some of her warriors.

“They are nervous because they don’t know what the person was here for,” Marilou mutters. “And who they are after.”

“What about Aurelia? Maybe someone is targeting her… she is a high-ranking princess, after all,” Tori says nervously.

“I don’t think she’s the target, though,” Marcel points out. “It was a coincidence that she is here. But you’re right. We need to pay attention to all the possibilities.” He’s making sure we get something warm to drink. He looks very worried though. After all, this is his house.

“No one will hurt Jazz,” I tell him quietly. “I promise. I… I would never allow something to happen to her.”

“That’s so sweet of you to say,” he says, and going by his expression he really is touched.

*CELINE*

I’m pissed. With freaking capital letters. Not only did I have to run into Marius tonight and see him making out with some random she-wolf he just met… now my pack seems to have a serious problem. I can’t believe someone dared to set foot on pack grounds and stalk a bunch of kids. The fact that I don’t know who they are is even more unsettling.

I make sure everyone is set for the night. Alpha Elden came in person to see if his daughter was well and brought Finn with him. I put everything in his and Harmony’s capable hands before making the journey I should have done immediately after reading the book Flora gave me.

I don’t take the car. It wouldn’t reach his cottage even if I did. Besides, I need a good run now to clear my mind. Instead, I shift into my wolf form, a bag of clothing attached to my leg, and decide to run. I’m faster this way, and it gives me time to think.

I still have no idea what I’m going to say once I reach him. My mind seems to be empty and yet overflowing with everything that happened today. My grandfather lives in a cozy little cottage in the middle of the forest. I always felt happy and relaxed there, but after Granny died, part of its peace and calmness seemed to have disappeared. Grandpa stayed there, feeling sad and a bit lonely, and although Dad offered for him to move to the pack house, he declined.

I shift back into my human form and swiftly dress in the clothes I brought. I barely make it to the door before it opens a crack, and Grandpa peeks outside. He has aged a lot, and seeing him always gives me a stabbing feeling in my chest. Sure, he’s a bit of a lone wolf and quirky, but I love him so much. After Mom died, I spent a lot of time in this place, and he taught me so much. He lost a daughter, yet he made sure that I was happy. I wish he would live with Dad and me. He’s the only part of Mom that’s still left in my life.

“Celine?” he whispers. He sounds tired but not surprised.

“Grandpa,” I look at him, his expression one of worry, and suddenly I feel all my walls crumble. My mate doesn’t want me and goes out of his way to show me how much he despises me. I will never be loved. Harmony says I have a choice, but I don’t want a choice. I want my mate and no one else. And I hate that I feel like this even though he’s broken my heart.

“Celine,” he mutters again. “You’re trembling, child. Come in.”

“Grandpa,” I look at him, needing to know the truth. I need to find out tonight. I’m living with the secret concerning my mate already, I want the rest of my life not to be a lie anymore. I’m not sure if I can handle another person close to me disappointing me. “Was granny a witch?”

“What?”