Page 175 of A Silent Prodigy for the Lycan Princess

“That’s not true, Arden,” Eric says.

“Tori, Coralie, and Léna were saved by Aurelia and Nox. I didn’t do anything for them,” I mutter, feeling deeply ashamed for having failed so many victims, and for having failed Vander.

“I’m not talking about the three girls,” Eric argues. “You saved hundreds of victims.”

“What are you talking about?” I mutter my question.

“All those wolves or lycans who would have been kidnapped, abused, and sold by Night, had you not found him and put an end to him,” Eric says. “He would have never stopped. His business would have only grown. Omegas and orphans have a chance to live safely now, thanks to you. That’s something to be proud of, and I know Vander would be proud of you. For a fact, I know that he always was proud to have you as his brother.”

My heart clenches so much I’m scared it might just stop beating at one point. It hurts so much to think of my brother. I can barely think of him or say his name without the pain overwhelming me. The pain is unreal, like it will never go away. The worst part is knowing that under different circumstances, I could have stopped it from happening; I could have saved him.

I bury my face behind my hands again, not able to stop the tears from flowing. “I’m so sorry. I’m such a mess.”

Eric squeezes my shoulder. “You went through so much. No one expects you not to hurt.” He pauses. “I know you don’t want to hear it, but I will tell you nevertheless. What happened wasn’t your fault. It was a string of events that led to it, but none of it is on you. The blame lies with your father and with Night. Deep inside you know that already. I want you to tell yourself, over and over again, that you did what you could, that you worked day and night, and that it’s not your fault Vander was robbed of his life. I want you to think of your brother and what he would want for you. He always looked up to you, Arden. You were his role model. Continue to be someone he can be proud of.”

I’m not sure if I can believe his words, but it still feels oddly comforting to hear him say them. “What am I going to do without you?” I mutter.

“Well, I think you will rock it in Silverlake. They will love you. You have a kickass mate who loves you the way you are, you made friends, and I know my uncle and his family will welcomeyou with open arms. As for me, I’m only a phone call away,” Eric says with a smile. “And I plan on visiting a lot. And I expect you and Aurelia to visit, too. I’m not saying goodbye to you, Arden, so don’t dare to say goodbye either.”

Chapter fifty-six

Memories

*AURELIA*

The weeks fly by, and Arden and I manage to sort through all of his and his family’s possessions. He is still grieving, but after a talk with Eric he seems to be doing a bit better, or rather, he doesn’t ignore his grief anymore and allows himself to mourn his brother.

I still feel like there is more I could say or do for him, but then I try to remember Mom’s words and stick to her advice. Arden has never pushed me away, even in his darkest moments, so it seems I’m not doing it all wrong. I just hope I am the mate he needs and someone he knows he can rely on when things are tough.

When Arden returns from his latest meeting with Eric, Leila, and Emilien to wrap up the case surrounding Night, I’m alreadysitting on our bed, my legs crossed while I go through some documents.

“Hey, my angel.” Arden climbs onto the bed and hugs me from behind. “Why are you naked? Not that I complain, I wish you were always naked.”

I grin. “Always? Like when we go out or have a meeting?”

“Well, always when it’s just the both of us.”

“I took a shower,” I explain. “Then I remembered I wanted to sort these documents and didn’t bother to put on clothes.”

“Hm,” Arden hums and takes the documents out of my hands.

I turn around, opening my legs to wrap them around his middle.

“I can’t believe how hot you are,” he mutters, his eyes gazing at my body. “I can’t believe I was blessed with you as my mate. With someone who is so brave and smart, and kind and beautiful.”

“If your plan is to turn me on, it’s working,” I tease.

He shows me his cute, crooked smile before tugging off his shirt. I impatiently wait for him to undress. Once he is naked, I wrap my arms around him, turning us over so that he is on top of me. During the last weeks, we explored each other’s bodies and started to get more and more accustomed to what the other likes. It’s just amazing. I had sex before but was never in a relationship. To explore my sexuality like that, my own body, but also someone else’s, is just magical and truly intimate.

I love it when Arden pays attention to my back and neck, and he enjoys it when I touch his chest and legs, and his ass. I make sure to grope it while he thrusts into me. I enjoy it so much to be with Arden like this. It’s like I fit perfectly into his arms, and he in mine.

We cuddle for a long while after our lovemaking, just comfortable with each other. Arden kisses me softly. “I can’t wait to see your home,” he says.

I perk up at his words. It’s the first time after Vander’s passing that he has voiced he is looking forward to something. “It’s a wonderful place,” I say. “They will all love you.”

“I honestly am curious to see for myself that pack life doesn’t need to be bad,” he admits. “Meg wrote me a message, you know?”

I smile. “She did?”