Page 37 of An Enigma for the Lycan Crown Prince

It doesn’t look like there is anything missing.

I’m probably getting paranoid, because why would anyone be interested in stuff my girlfriend gave me? Maybe one of the maids accidentally put my watch here while cleaning up. I sigh; there is no time to wonder about it anyway.

Once I’m done, I grab my stuff and the small box I’ve prepared, before I head downstairs, noticing how Flora is already waiting for me. “Next time, you need to be the one waiting for me,” she pouts.

“I apologize,” I say, handing her the little box. “Maybe this will help you to forgive me,” I add, well aware that she isn’t angry at all.

I still caught her by surprise though, because she eyes me curiously before opening the box. I dried some flowers for her and had them worked into a brooch. “It’s so beautiful,” she squeals, jumping into my arms. “What’s it for?”

“Secret,” I say with a smile. It was today, ten years ago, that I met her for the first time, and she changed my life.

Emilia, who has been silently watching our interaction, helps Flora now with attaching the brooch to her top. She is wearing a short petticoat skirt, a wide blouse, and a cropped top beneath it. The type of outfit Samuel constantly keeps complaining about.Why can’t the youth cover their stomachs? I don’t mind, Flora looks amazing.

“It’s beautiful,” Emilia says, looking at the brooch, before smiling at both of us. “You both look fantastic.”

My father clears his throat, looking at us with a frown. I haven’t even noticed that he entered the room. I know he has something unpleasant to say, so I make sure to harden my face and my heart, as usual, when I have to interact with him. He shakes his head, displeased. “A real man would pick his date up,” he mutters.

Before I can even say anything, Flora smiles dashingly. “A real man,” she muses. “Would respect his mate, in happiness and sickness, and wouldn’t mind her being her own person.”

Emilia looks at her surprised, while Dad just stares at her in disbelief.

Flora giggles like she didn’t just blurt out the biggest insult at my father, and twirls around, touching the brooch. “It’s so beautiful, isn’t it?”

I don’t give anything away, but inwardly I’m almost dying with laughter. Only Flora can say and do the things she does, completely shocking everyone, and then pretend it was all just an innocent comment. My father is completely confused when he watches her, while Flora jumps forward towards me.

“Do I smell chocolate?” she beams.

I rummage through my pocket and hand her one of the small chocolate bars I always carry around.

“Well then,” Emilia says with a smile. “You two have fun.” She turns to look at Dad, elbowing him slightly.

“Right,” he mutters, opening his wallet and handing me some money. “Make sure to take a cab. Enjoy the evening.”

What the fuck? While money is one of the very few things that’s never been an issue for me while growing up, my fathercertainly never made the effort to, so generously, hand me some bucks and wish me a fun evening.

“Thank you,” I say, mainly to avoid any drama, but I make sure to look at Emilia, not him. Before we can have any other conversation, Flora tugs me along. Beta Oliver has volunteered to take us to the party, but I make sure to tell him we’ll find our own way home at night and will take a cab.

“Before taking us to the party, Beta,” Flora tells him. “Please take us to a private cottage in Emerald Moon. We are picking up a friend.”

“Oh?” Beta Oliver says, but nods.

“A friend?” I ask her.

“Yes, Janice,” she smiles.

“Does she know we are coming?” I ask.

“I hope so,” Flora giggles. “They don’t have a phone, but I managed to reach the packhouse’s landline, and asked one of the maids to tell her.”

“What if she doesn’t want to come?” I ask her.

Flora smiles. “Oh, Elden,” she says.

“What?”

“Nothing,” she pats my leg. “If she truly doesn’t want to come, we’ll not force her, but believe me, she wants to.”

Oliver eyes us curiously throughout the conversation; he doesn’t ask anything but instead steers the car to the address Flora shows him. He halts in front of a small cottage, a bit further away from the other houses. Flora jumps out of the car, hurrying to the door, while I follow her curiously.