Page 58 of A Silent Prodigy for the Lycan Princess

“He is head over heels for you.” Val beams. “I’m so happy. He is a great guy.”

“How are things with Eric?” Jazz wants to know.

“Amazing.” Val smiles happily. “I didn’t expect to like it here as much as I do, and Eric is”—she wiggles her brows in a very un-Val-like manner—“a god.”

Marilou and I laugh at her words.

“He has amazing stamina,” she says.

“So, not only does he carry you in his arms.” Jazz grins. “He is also the bomb in bed.”

“I’m so envious.” Tori sighs.

“Goddess,” Lion groans. “I’m going to check on Nox.”

Once he is away, Jazz pulls Tori and Marilou onto the dance floor, Terry following them to dance with Marilou. Val and I stay behind to wait for the two boys and the drinks.

“Listen, Aurelia.” Val uses the moment of privacy to take my hand. “Arden is truly amazing. I know some say he comes off as dry and unemotional, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

“Don’t worry, Val.” I try not to smile like a love-sick pup, but it’s difficult not to. “I know, and I think he is amazing. I can’t wait to introduce him to my family.”

“Eric is going to miss him,” Val says.

“I hope I’m not going to uproot him, and force him to come with me to Silverlake,” I say. Arden did say that he wants to come with me, but it still feels like he doesn’t have much of a choice.

“Now it’s you, who is worrying too much,” Val chides me. “Arden is the type of person you can truly take at their word. He doesn’t feel at home here. He loves the council but not his pack. I think he has never truly felt at home anywhere, and I hope that Silverlake can be the place for him.”

“I will make sure that he feels at home,” I promise. “You know it’s funny,” I say while I watch my friends dancing with Marilou snuggled against Terry. “I never truly had an imagination about my mate, and sometimes, I was wishing for someone from my pack to happen to be my mate, someone I know, but now that I have met Arden, I wonder how I could ever not imagine him.” I pause. “Sorry, that’s confusing.”

“No, it’s not,” Val says. “I know what you mean. I didn’t have a vivid imagination about my mate either, but once Eric arrived, I wondered how I was never thinking about someone like him as my mate, because he is perfect.”

“You said others call Arden’s character dry, but to me, it looks like he is just communicating directly and thinks about things rationally,” I say. “He also shows emotions yet keeps the bigger image in mind. I’m similar in that. He is just more logical in his thinking, while I’m more the type to head into action.”

“Like any alpha.” Val giggles. “I think he will be a fantastic addition to you.”

“And he is hot,” I add with a grin.

Val laughs. “He is.”

“Don’t let Eric hear that,” I tease.

Val just grins. “Oh, Eric would probably agree.”

“I’m really glad you are happy here,” I say. “You look great.”

“You too,” Val tells me. “When we heard the news that Alpha Elden announced you as the new heir to Silverlake, I was so happy. You worked hard for this, and you will be amazing. And Arden will be a great help.”

“Silverlake is a huge pack, and while I have the support of my brothers and their packs, I can’t always rely on them,” I say. “I’m relieved the Goddess mated me to someone with Arden’s intelligence.”

“Strategy and planning are his forte,” Val agrees. “His brain is amazing.”

“I told him I have a past with Lion, and he easily accepted it,” I say. I’m not ashamed of my history, and I’m not sure how I would have reacted if he had shamed me for it, but I’m happy he accepts me the way I am.

“Did you accept his?” Val asks.

“Of course. He told me he broke up with his ex, only a few days before I arrived,” I say.

“He has been interested in girls, and he was very respectful to his last girlfriend, but he has never looked at anyone the way he looks at you!” Val rubs her cheeks in joy. “I can’t believe he found the guts to stand up against his toxic father just because of you. That’s so romantic!”