Page 16 of A Silent Prodigy for the Lycan Princess

“He is right.” I squeeze Vander’s shoulder. “Happy to meet your girlfriend tomorrow.”

“WHAT!?” Vander looks flustered. “I didn’t say she is my girlfriend… just a friend,” he groans.

“But you want her to be,” Eric says. “Obviously.”

“Just… don’t embarrass me tomorrow.”

I smile at him. “I would never.”

“I wasn’t talking to you. I know you wouldn’t.” He turns to Eric. “Please, Prince Eric.”

Eric grins, smacking him with his folder again. “We’ll see.”

I chuckle, making sure to pull Vander away from Eric, so the latter can’t tease him anymore. I wrap up a few things before taking Vander to the burger place Cato had projected in my mind, earlier. Once I have dropped him in our pack, I pick up Coralie and invite her to a bar where we can have dessert and a few drinks.

When I return home, fortunately, my father has already gone to bed. It’s a relief not to bump into him. I can finally switch off my hearing aid, allowing silence to engulf me. I’ve been out the whole day, surrounded by so many people and noises. It’s always a bit draining for me.

Chapter six

Winter Solstice II

*ARDEN*

The day of the winter solstice is hectic and busy, as usual, but it’s the kind of busy I enjoy. The event is enormous, as many European packs send representatives to it. Most French packs and those from neighboring countries have their alphas attending in person. It’s a great opportunity to network. The Council is always eager to have small packs attend, too, to find some possible allies.

Cato projects the image of a woman in my mind. I can’t see her face.

Who is she?I ask him.

He projects another picture. It’s the same faceless woman, but this time he also projects a warm feeling that gets stronger the longer I look at her.

Oh, you are thinking of our mate? You are right. Maybe we will meet her tonight.

Cato projects Coralie’s image now, making my chest clench slightly. I know he isn’t happy that I am seeing her.

Coralie is just a friend,I reassure him.She is waiting for her mate as well. You know she and I talked about it, and promised that the moment we meet our mates, they will come first.

He shows me another image of me and Coralie, kissing and fooling around a bit. It was a few nights ago. While we didn’t sleep with each other, we did do some other fun things. However, seeing the image like a live video in front of me makes me feel flustered.I promise we are just having fun,I tell him.I want my mate. And she wants hers.

My answer finally reassures Cato, and he retreats. I know he isn’t against me dating anyone. It’s not like I have done that a lot after all. Hardly anyone showed interest in me growing up, for obvious reasons. Cato just doesn’t want me to get too serious with someone who isn’t my mate. It’s something I can easily reassure him of, though.

I feel someone grabbing my shoulder, and am startled when I look into Prince Eric’s face. I hastily switch on my hearing aid again, flustered for being caught off-guard.

“I know you need the silence sometimes,” Eric says, unusually earnest. “But I need to ask you to keep your hearing aid switched on today.”

I know he is pissed, even if he doesn’t show it. “I am sorry,” I say. “I honestly forgot about it.”

“Arden,” Eric says, his expression now less annoyed and more worried. “I understand what you said about being used to the silence, but are you hiding something from me? Is there more to it?”

For a split second, I feel torn. I want to talk to him, mainly because I have no one else to talk to. While Vander is a friend tome, he is also my little brother, and I don’t want to burden him with the bullying I faced, or with the things my father tells me when Vander isn’t around.

But I am not sure what Eric will do once he knows.

“It’s nothing,” I say.

“Really?” Eric says skeptically.

To give him something, anything, I decide to talk to him about something else that’s been bothering me. “I’m not a good alpha,” I tell him.