Page 27 of An Enigma for the Lycan Crown Prince

“Mom wants me to find a suitable mate once I turn eighteen,” he says. “I’m going to try to get them off my back while I am in college, but I’m sure they will want to see me date someone.”

“I can’t believe it,” I groan. “Why are they like that? What about your future mate?”

He shrugs. “I don’t think they care.”

I sigh. At least my father doesn’t care for me or, for what I am doing, unlike Jace’s parents, who are constantly trying to manipulate him in a certain direction. For them, his only saving grace is his friendship with me. “I will talk to Emilia,” I say. “Usually, when she is on board, Dad doesn't say anything against it.”

Jace lets out a sigh he’d been holding until now. “Thank you.”

nine

The New Luna

*ELDEN*

Back at home from school, Flora heads off to say hello to her grandma while I target the packhouse to put my bag and books into my room. I need to meet up with Samuel later for some training. He and Geneva are still here, overseeing everything, especially because my father neglected the pack for so many years.

They don’t trust his leadership anymore and are scared the pack might overthrow him if they don’t help out. Personally, I’m glad they are here, although I don’t always get along with Samuel. But he and Geneva at least try, and with them close by, Dad doesn’t dare to be a complete shit to me.

On my way to the packhouse, I bump into Beta Oliver and-

“Emilia,” I say. I still feel a bit awkward around her.

“Elden.” She smiles brightly. “You are home early.”

Dad has married and marked her, yet it didn’t help in making us a family. It’s not her fault, it’s mine and my father’s. We just stopped being family when Mom committed suicide. Maybe we weren’t even family before that, but at least Mom was the glue that kept the image together for me.

I know deep inside that isn’t true. She was barely able to tend to me, and couldn’t even hug me. But it’s my truth, and I can’t help but cling to it.

With Emilia, it’s different.

The pack treats her differently, too. Despite my mom having been depressed, they liked her, and over the years that my father was just here occasionally, they lost their connection to him. They still see him as their alpha—because they have to—but I know they have their eyes set on me and Flora now.

I don’t know how to feel about that. I don’t even know if I ever want to lead this pack, that holds so many sad memories and that broke my mother. It doesn’t matter what I think or feel though, because to them Flora is their future luna, the miracle girl with the secret powers, and I, the future alpha with the strong lycan beast in him.

My eyes wander back to Oliver and Emilia, making me focus on them again. Oliver is carrying two chairs that I recognize as two beautiful pieces from my father’s office. “Do you need help?” I ask.

“No, you work too much for the pack already,” Emilia says. “Beta Oliver and I wanted to take these to the orphanage. Your father doesn’t want them anymore, so we thought it would be better to donate them.”

Certainly not Dad’s idea.

“That’s good. The orphanage is always short of stuff,” I say. “Flora and I were planning on painting murals for them on Sunday.”

“That’s a lovely idea. What else do they need?” Emilia asks. “They are not as open about these things to me.”

It amazes me that she so gracefully accepts the distant, cold way they treat her. No one is impolite to her, but they aren’t particularly warm, either. It’s not her fault. She is just easier to hate than my father.

It’s not fair, but when was it ever? The pack didn’t care much for Mom when she was depressed, only when she passed away and then they suddenly realized what they lost.

“I will ask them,” I say. Talking about upcoming Sunday reminds me of the promise I gave to Jace. Maybe it’s sly to ask her and not my father, but I just don’t feel like interacting with him more than necessary. “There is a party on Saturday. Jace’s father organizes it. I wonder if I could go. I will take Flora with me if she wants to come.”

Emilia smiles at me, like she always does. I don’t ask her often for things, but when I do, she usually says yes. She never got mad at me either, even when I was mean to her at first, or when I fucked up. The only time she was annoyed was when Jace and I threw a secret party during summer vacation, got drunk and almost burned the packhouse down. It was the only time I ever did something stupid. Emilia and Dad came home early and were shocked about the mess. Even though she wasn’t happy, Emilia still had my back. I bet, if it weren’t for her, Dad would have beaten me.

“If Jace’s father organizes it, it’s one for higher ranks,” Oliver says. “Alpha Caelum wouldn’t refuse such a request, Elden.”

I don’t say anything to him. By now, he must know that I try to minimize my contact with my father as much as I can. The less I need to talk to him, the better. Meanwhile, Emilia’s gaze saddensslightly. I’m not sure what she knows or sees, or what she heard, but she knows that Dad and I are hardly talking. “It’s okay,” she tells me. “You and Flora should go and enjoy yourselves. I will tell him. He is not going to say no to me.”

She is right. It came as a shock to me, but she truly is his weak point. I’m sure now that he never loved my mom. But, maybe he loves Emilia, that is if he is capable of loving someone.