Page 38 of An Enigma for the Lycan Crown Prince

An elderly woman opens it. “Hello,” she says, smiling at us. “How can I help you?”

“I’m Flora,” Flora exclaims. “Janice’s friend. She is in my class at school. That’s Elden, my mate.” When the old lady eyes us curiously, Flora simply smiles dashingly. “It’s a long story. We are here to pick up Janice.”

“Excuse me,” I say, stepping forward and deciding to help this poor old woman who looks completely confused. “I’m Elden Reynolds. Flora and I are from Silverlake Pack.”

“Oh, you must be Alpha Caelum Reynolds’ son? It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Rosemarie, Janice’s grandmother.”

“We met Janice in school last week,” I explain. “And Flora and her became friends.”

“Exactly,” Flora beams. “I’m so happy to finally have a best girlfriend.”

“We don’t mean ill,” I say to her grandmother, noticing how guarded she looks. I can understand her; she probably finds it highly suspicious that an alpha’s son and his girlfriend pick up her granddaughter, who is just a normal pack member, and only just moved here. “Jace, the heir of Emerald Moon, is our best friend and invited us to a party. Youths from all around the packs are attending.”

“Janice is new here, and we thought it would be nice to take her along,” Flora explains, suddenly sounding much more serious. “Don’t worry, Miss Rosemarie, with me around, they will mostly make fun and gossip about me.”

“Who makes fun of you?” I ask with a frown.

Flora looks at me, her lips twitching slightly. “I’m your mate.”

“And?”

“You are the most popular guy in school, and I’m the weird girl who is dating you. They are just scared of you, that's why they don’t bully me. And this is why-” She turns to Rosemarie. “I’m so happy that Janice is here, and I can finally have a female friend.”

Rosemarie’s eyes warm up. “I’m happy that Janice already has friends here.”

As if on cue, Janice appears behind her grandmother. “You really came?” she asks, stunned.

“See?” Flora looks at me. “She was expecting us.”

“I wasn’t sure you would really come,” Janice admits. She has tied her blond hair back and curled it slightly. She is wearing a petticoat dress and a jeans jacket on top.

“Oh, so these are the schoolmates you were talking about,” Rosemarie chuckles. “Now it all comes together.”

“I also live with my grandma,” Flora says out of the blue, smiling at Janice. “Yours is so sweet, too.”

“She is the best,” Janice says, hugging the elderly woman.

“Mine too,” Flora says.

The two of them seem to share a moment that I can’t quite grasp, but it seems that it’s the one thing that finally convinces both Janice and her grandma. “Well then, have fun, Janice,” she says, kissing her forehead.

“I will make sure to take her home safely,” I assure Rosemarie, while Flora is already tugging Janice to the car.

Before I can leave, Rosemarie holds me back. “I apologize, young alpha,” she says. “But I know what type of party this is. It’s for the high-ranking youth. Do you think they will let Janice in? I don’t want her to face this type of rejection.”

I look from her to the car, a smile curling my lips. “As if Flora would accept anyone sending her away,” I say. “And I’m there, as well. They won’t dare to ask any questions.”

Rosemarie nods contently. “Please watch out for her.”

“Of course.”

My prediction was correct, because once we arrive at the party, held at the other end of the Emerald Moon pack in a huge fancy house by a lake, no one stops Janice from entering. The two bodyguards who are checking the guest list look at her with afrown, but I interrupt them before they can say anything. “She is with me,” I say shortly.

“Of course, young Alpha Reynolds,” they say.

That’s all it takes and we can set foot in the party. “I feel so out of place,” Janice mutters.

“You are not the only one,” I say quietly, noticing how some girls look at me and giggle. They are always doing that, even when Flora is around. It’s the reason I never made a secret of her being my mate. Everyone knows she is, yet they constantly and openly flirt with me. It’s so disrespectful towards Flora. I hate it.