Page 7 of A Silent Prodigy for the Lycan Princess

I laugh. “Right. I need to go to Paris to find my counterpart. That would be so extra.”

“That would be really you,” Felix says.

“Are you saying I’m extra?” I say, pretending to be offended. “I will remember that for the next time I need to give you a false alibi.”

“What was that with the false alibi?” Dad plays along, pretending to be dead serious now.

Felix and Dario exchange a gaze. “We need to go. We have homework to do,” Felix says while tugging Dario away from us.

“Oh, Finn,” I say. “You need to meet Titan.”

“Who or what is a Titan?” he asks.

“My cat.”

Finn stares at me in disbelief, as if he is trying to figure out if I am joking or not. “You were totally going for shock value now, weren’t you? You have a cat?” He looks at Dad. “Here in the pack house?”

As if on cue, Titan chooses this moment to walk into the dining room. He truly is an impressive sight to behold, with his thick brown fur, his big ears, and his long body. “How did he open the door?” Dad asks in disbelief. “I closed it behind us.”

“Oh, he figured that out on his first day here,” I say.

“Awesome.” Finn grins. “I will lock my door tonight.” He smiles when he watches how Freya scoots closer to Titan, kneeling down in front of him. She looks truly fascinated by him. In times like these she looks so young. She was forced to grow up fast due to her upbringing, but it’s the little things that showhow eager she is to learn new things. I decide to approach the two of them to help her pet Titan. Funnily, Titan doesn’t seem too opposed to being close to Freya; maybe it’s the smell of the ocean she carries and because she is a siren. Maybe some sort of fish-cat thing is going on here.

For a moment I have to pause at my own thoughts.

Now, that was silly.

Really,Maxima mutters.Let’s forget you ever made that fish and cat comparison.

Chapter three

Friends & Family

*AURELIA*

Dad’s strategy to force me to take a break works, and for the next couple of days, I’m distracted by my family and friends, and barely have time to think about the unresolved kidnapping cases. I make sure to spend as much time as possible with Finn and Freya. They live the furthest away, and although there is a portal they can use to visit, they are just swamped with work.

Freya tells me all about their plans and how she and some other former slaves have started an online class to get their high school diplomas. It’s amazing. Against all odds and difficulties, she never stopped fighting for a better life. Then, she met my brother, and they made sure to free her pack together.

“With all the work, do you ever sleep?” I ask her.

Freya wiggles her brows, making me both groan and laugh. “Thank you for that mental image.”

She chuckles. “Finn watches out for me,” she says. “And I watch out for him. Ocean Snow Pack asks a lot from us, but it’s also rewarding. It makes me happy to see the pack I grew up in, the broken goddess-forsaken place, turn into something our pack members can thrive in.” She looks around the garden. “Silverlake is as beautiful as ever.”

“Do you want me to show you around?” I ask her. “Last time you were here, you were preparing for battle. There wasn’t much time to see a lot.”

“I would love to.” She smiles. “This time it’s all stress free, too.”

She has tied her long red hair back into a ponytail, and she looks so much better already than the last time I saw her. Back then, she’d just escaped her abusive pack, was very skinny and had a few issues with her health. But she is truly glowing, now.

I show her around the pack. I know Finn already showed her all of his favorite places, so I show her mine. Eventually though, we meet some of my friends, who are watching Nox during his training. “These are my best friends,” I say to Freya.

She nods. “The guy who is training, that’s your future beta, right? Noctis was it?”

“Yes, we call him Nox. I have known him since I was a kid.”

“And the others?” she asks curiously.