Page 166 of An Enigma for the Lycan Crown Prince

*ELDEN*

Ibarely make it out of the meeting in time, rushing out of the pack house and towards Vincent who is already waiting for me in the car. It’s challenging to get it all done, especially with the current new development in my private life. But despite the stress and challenges I wouldn’t want it any other way. Some of the kids of the pack wave at me, excited that they spotted me. One of them is Dante, the son of Erwin Medina, one of my best elite warriors and most loyal men, and Dante seems to be quite gifted as well.

“Do we still have time for a late breakfast?” Vincent asks me.

“No, you need to drive me to the college ASAP,” I tell him. “It’s a class I can’t miss again.”

“You are almost done anyway,” Vincent reassures me. Over the last couple of months, he has bulked up like crazy and hasbecome my most reliable and skilled warrior. He has also shaved his head which gives him quite the edge, a contrast to his easy-going and kind personality, but it did help us with a lot of the changes we made. Other packs find him scary enough now not to mess with him. As for Calvin, fighting has never been his forte, but he truly upped our security. Sometimes, I wonder how he even spots all these holes and possibilities, and how his mind works, because although I have learned to be much more skeptical and very careful when it comes to the safety of my pack, there are paths my mind never wanders to. Neither do Vincent’s or Flora’s.

But each of us has our own strengths, I guess.

“You can grab breakfast while I am in my class,” I say. “It will only take an hour anyway. There is no use for you to drive back or do some work. Just take a break.”

“Got you,” Vincent says. “I will grab a sandwich and then get a tattoo.”

“Oh, really? A new one?”

“My sleeve is still not fully done yet,” he says with a grin. “Too much?”

“No, your body, your choice,” I say. “Besides, it suits you.”

“Yeah, I look hot with it, don’t I?” he asks with a grin. “I am still trying to get Calvin on board too, but he always rebuffs me.”

I can only imagine how that conversation is playing out. Vincent trying to get Calvin to get a matching tattoo, and Calvin completely refusing him in his dry, sarcastic manner. “He is so good at that,” I chuckle.

He is a weird one, but he is nothing but loyal to me. A year ago, I consulted with a witch and had her check on my closest allies, to ensure I wasn’t going wrong anywhere. I am well aware Flora’s and my gifts have their limits when we are too close to someone or share a bond of some sort. Maybe I am paranoid, but I just wanted to make sure. The witch told me there were some'white spots she can’t quite grasp, or rather read, as they remain hidden to her, but had nothing bad to say about anyone. It’s not unusual that parts of our mind, or rather, our wolf spirits protect us from being fully exposed to the powers of a witch, especially for stronger lycans, so it doesn’t worry me too much.

Vincent stops my trail of thoughts by halting at the parking lot close to my college.

“Well then,” I say while getting out of the car. “Thanks and see you later.”

I run the last way to my class and bump right into Jace there, successfully dropping my bag and spilling everything on the floor.

“Man,” Jace groans. “Your elbow hit me right in my stomach.”

“Sorry,” I chuckle. “Be glad you are sturdy enough not to get knocked over.”

Jace still complains but helps me gather my stuff, even more eager to do so when Janice joins us. She hands me a small plastic bag with diapers and a baby bottle.

“Damn, I can’t believe I brought these to my college class,” I say, thankfully accepting the items. “Flora and I recently ordered a bunch of stuff to see if we’d like it.”

“And I still can’t believe you are becoming a dad,” Jace says with a smile. “But I am so happy for you.”

“It was quite the shock at first,” I admit. Flora and I usually were very careful, but one night without using any precautions she got pregnant. I know as an alpha I am probably more fertile than other shifters, but still… That was a shock, but we were both incredibly happy, too. I am longing so much to become a dad and have my own family with Flora.

“I am going to visit her later,” Janice says. “I promised to bring her some notes.”

“I wish she would take a break.” I sigh.

“Funny.” Janice chuckles. “Because she says the same about you.”

“I really want it to be done before my baby is born,” I say. “I want to be able to fully focus on the pack and my family, then.”

“I get that,” Jace says. I gaze at him, wanting to ask so many questions about how he and Janice are doing, but I don’t. He never wants to talk about it, too scared anyone might catch on to what's going on between them, and I certainly don’t want to ruin it for them. They are very careful and smart in how they sneak around. Jace’s parents demand a master’s degree from him, and he will need to do a one-year training camp in Europe to prepare for his role, so he and Janice will need to sit it out for a bit longer, but I am hoping it’s not going to be too long for them. Jace is agreeing to anything his parents demand, to make sure not to upset them or to get them suspicious and so far, it’s working for them.

I grab my bag and follow my friends into the lecture hall. On my way, I notice the curious stares all around me. I am used to them by now. Humans, in particular, seem to be intrigued by me, while fellow shifters naturally know my rank and try not to cross me too much. I don’t mind the shifters here or the other supernatural beings, but I avoid the humans like the plague. I don’t want to mingle with them after what happened with Flora. It’s so much safer to keep our worlds separate.

“Hey, can Janice and I hang out at Silverlake this weekend?” Jace asks me.