Page 21 of A Silent Prodigy for the Lycan Princess

“Are you alright?” I ask in worry.

“Just feeling a bit dizzy. I think I might have had a glass of wine too many.”

“Let’s get you outside for some fresh air,” I say, gently leading her towards the huge balcony. It’s a cold winter night, a chilly breeze brushing over us. Coralie shivers slightly, leaning against me as if she is seeking my warmth. “Are you feeling better?”

“A bit,” she says. “Thank you, Arden.” When I turn my face to her, she cups my cheeks and pulls me into a kiss. It’s not the first kiss we’ve shared, but somehow Coralie is more eager this time, leaning her body against mine and seeking my touch.

She draws back, laughing before she takes my arms and twirls us around.

“Coralie,” I say with a chuckle.

“Don’t always be so serious.” She grins, taking my hand and tugging me along. She is almost running while I follow her, feeling both amused and confused at what she is plotting now. To my surprise, she drags me through the whole building, not stopping even once. She also doesn’t answer my curious questions, just keeps laughing.

When we reach my guest suite, she opens the door and pulls me inside. Before I can even react properly, she has pushed me onto the bed, straddling my hips. I sit up again, suddenly feeling sobered up. Grabbing her hips, I make her stop whatever she was planning on doing. I have a feeling for what she wants to do now, and it’s probably the atmosphere and the wine. I don’t want to take advantage of her when she is vulnerable.

I do want her. She is beautiful and fun, and no one has ever given me the attention she has.

But I still don’t want her to regret something later.

“You are beautiful,” I tell her. “You really are.”

“Thank you.” Coralie smiles while starting to unbutton my shirt and opening the belt of my pants. “You are beautiful, too.” Her fingers glide over my naked chest, making a shiver run down my spine. It feels so good to be touched that way. I haven’t had sex, yet. Growing up as the bullied kid didn’t make me popular, but Coralie looked past that and still wants me.

Coralie pulls her dress over her head, revealing her delicate body to me. I touch her gently, scared that I might actually hurt her. “I don’t want you to regret anything,” I say quietly while touching her back and pulling her into an embrace.

“I won’t,” she whispers.

“You wanted to wait for your mate.”

“Well,” she says. “I think it’s okay to share this with you.”

I gaze up into her eyes, wondering what to say or do. The erection in my pants reminds me that my body longs for her touch, but I can’t just switch my brain off.

“Arden,” she says seriously. “You always think too much. Sometimes you just need to enjoy and go with the flow.”

“You know, I’m not the type of guy to go with the flow,” I mutter. “You know me, Coralie.” I pause. “Why do you want me?”

“You are hot,” she says. “And I like spending time with you.”

For a split second I think of my brother and his date—probably girlfriend from today on. Léna seems to really like Vander. I never got that feeling from Coralie, not to that depth. It didn’t matter to me because we decided not to be serious. But… “I can’t do this,” I say.

She looks disappointed. “Why not?”

“I don’t want to have a one-night stand,” I say. “I either date someone seriously or I don’t.”

Or I wait for my mate.

“What if I told you,” Coralie says, leaning forward to whisper into my ear. “I want to be serious with you.”

A shiver goes down my spine, but not due to her suggestion but the fact she whispered into my mostly deaf ear with the hearing aid in it. She is too close; her voice is too close. I almost flinch away from her.

To my relief, I manage to catch my reaction and control it. Still wrapping her in my arms, I gaze around the room absent-mindedly. Coralie’s bag is in a corner; it’s open. My own stuff is here, too. I already put everything away earlier this morning when I arrived. The books are on the shelf—Eric always gives me a room with books in it, knowing I love to read.

The books aren’t in their usual order.

I know they aren’t. I was in this room this morning, and the books were placed differently. Who messed with the order? Was someone in this room?

Cato.