Page 105 of An Enigma for the Lycan Crown Prince

She barely links me, ever!

My alarm bells instantly go off.What happened? Are you okay? Did someone get hurt?

We are okay,she hurries to say.But Flora took off after her grandma. I think Hazel returned home for whatever reason.

Flora went after her?My heart clenches in fear at the thought of Flora being out there alone.

Elden,Vincent suddenly links me.Problem here! Fended off the wolves, but a couple of them snuck onto pack grounds! You were right about it being a distraction strategy. They seemed to have a certain goal in mind!

Did some of you follow them!?

No, we weren’t enough men,he says.

I take a couple of breaths. This is not Vince’s fault and also not the warriors’. We are just not prepared enough. It’s like Aunt Elspeth said, a weak leader makes a weak pack, no matter if there are capable people to help him.

This has to change!

Maybe what I am doing next makes me a bad alpha, but I don’t care. My fear for Flora takes over, letting my gift come forward and touching on any possibilities that the rogues are after her. Maybe I should have checked other options first, thinking of the pack, but I can’t help it. Without her, there is no me.

My gift is coming so much more naturally to me now, and like a flash I am suddenly seeing Flora through the rogues’ eyes, running towards hers and Hazel’s cottage, and Hazel defending herself against an attacker.

“Fuck!” I curse, shifting back to Regis’ form and dash off instantly.

Alpha?One of the warriors links me.

Stay there,I command.Secure the borders. If a rogue tries to escape, try to catch him!I cut the link, reaching out to Vincent again.Meet me at Flora’s place, as fast as possible!

Vincent’s silence is deafening at first, before he curses.Fuck.

I don’t need to explain anymore to him. With each of his actions he proves how well we click and how well he understands me. I can focus on running as fast as Regis carries us, and once more, I am aware of how strong my lycan is. It only takes minutes for me to arrive, but it’s still minutes too late. When Regis and I finally break through the forest and run towards Flora’s cottage, I can see her kneeling next to her grandmother and cradling her. My heart sinks at the view, it’s too familiar to try to convince myself it isn’t that bad. Hazelcouldbe okay. Maybe it looksworse than it is. Samuel is standing in front of them, clutching his arm to his chest, while trying to protect them. A cry disrupts the eerie silence around me, and then out of nowhere, I can see strings of silver around Flora. For a moment, Regis pauses, clearly surprised. I can feel her so clearly, her rage and her pain, and then like a tornado, it just flies forward, released into silver spikes that tear through her enemies.

I am not sure what exactly I am seeing, or if I am imagining things. Is this her doing? The ground in front of her is covered in deathly silver now. Samuel managed to leap away at the last minute.

Wow!Regis says, clearly in awe.

It’s truly a captivating sight, both deathly and magical in a way, and when I squeeze my eyes, I swear there are these little dots of light around her again, wild and angry. I shake these feelings off the moment I see Flora slump over her grandma again.

Ignoring the bodies of the dead rogues, I make a detour around the silver that’s only slowly vanishing again and dash towards my mate. She is sobbing uncontrollably, hovering over Hazel’s frame. One gaze tells me all I need to know, making my heart sink to the pit of my stomach.

I shift back to my human form, instantly pulling my mate into my arms. “Flora,” I whisper. “I am so sorry.”

She latches onto me, burying her head in my chest. I wrap her into my arms, not sure what to say to ease her sorrow. I can feel it so much through our bond. If we were marked, I could have at least tried to soothe her through the bond, but it doesn’t work that way yet. All I can do is hold her. I remember when my mom died, there was nothing anyone could have said to ease my grief. The only thing that helped was to have Flora with me, knowing she would be there throughout it all. This is the reassurance I want to give back to her now. I keep hugging her, whispering to her that I am here with her.

I don’t tell her it’s going to be okay.

Because I know it won’t.

With Vincent’s help, I bring both Samuel and Flora to the infirmary, thankful for having such a reliable beta. He promises me to deal with the aftermath of the attack, until I can join him. For now, Flora is my priority, and I am glad I can rely on Vincent while I am with her.

I make sure she lays down in the best room we have at the infirmary.

“Will you stay?” she asks quietly, when I am about to fetch her some water.

It’s the first thing she said, her voice sounds hoarse and small. It breaks my heart. “Of course,” I say softly, linking a nurse to bring her something to drink, while I take the spot next to Flora. She leans against me instantly and I hug her.

“Now, I have no one anymore,” Flora says sadly. “No one who loves me.”

“I am here,” I say quietly, remembering the words she once told me. “You will never be alone. I will never leave you.”