Page 71 of An Enigma for the Lycan Crown Prince

He is not wrong. I have to give him that.

Dad’s eyes darken. “You think you know it all?” he huffs. “You think your mother was a saint, but she wasn’t. She was an accomplice.”

His words surprise Regis enough to let his guard down. I take advantage of the moment and push him back again.Not cool,I huff.

Regis lowers his head but doesn’t say anything.

“Are you saying Mom cheated on you as well?” I ask. “Somehow I don’t believe you.”

“She knew what I was doing, yet she never stopped me. She was in this relationship for the political match we were, nothing less, nothing more.”

My mouth drops open. That’s his logic? He travels around screwing other women, and Mom sits at home battling her depression, all the while staying loyal to that prick, yet it’s somehow her fault he cheated?

“If she didn’t mean anything to you, why even become her mate?” I ask. “Why marry her?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Dad asks with a frown. “I thought you were less naïve than that.”

“And I thought you had more integrity than to wed someone for power and the pack, just to abandon all of it the instant you had it. And what for? For other she-wolves, the Goddess knows where.”

“The power was never mine,” Dad says darkly. “Surely you know by now that it’s yours. Carolina’s task was to give me an heir who was worthy of succession. And she delivered. The only thing she managed to do right.”

“Are you seriously telling me you didn’t want the power?” I ask. “I don’t believe a word you are saying!”

“It gave me freedom,” he says shortly.

I can’t believe him! In my mind, Regis grows angrily again, his wrath mixing with my own. I feel my body tremble slightly, while I clench my hands into fists. “Freedom to fuck around like a horny dog?” I snarl.

Dad stands up, taking an intimidating position. I stay rooted at my place though, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of scaring me. “Careful,” he warns, his voice low, with a tremor to it I haven’t heard in a long time.

I stare him dead in the eye. “Did you have fun cheating on your ill wife?” I snarl. “I can’t believe you call yourself an alpha!”

He backhands me so fast I barely see it coming, and so hard it almost knocks me out of my chair. It’s only thanks to my reflexes that I can grab the edge of the table and hold onto it for balance. My head spins slightly, and there is a taste of iron on my lips. Dad has always had a bad temper and a loose hand, and smacked me around regularly when I grew up, but this is the first time he has hit me like that… and drawn blood. I let go of the desk, wiping the blood off my face and narrowing my eyes to a glare before looking at my father. Regis is trying to push forward again, and this time I am almost inclined to let him.

“Elden,” Dad warns. There is a look in his eyes I haven’t seen before, something I can’t quite put my finger on. Almost like he is shocked himself. He raises his hands slightly as if to calm me down. “I know Regis wants to come out,” he says. “You need to keep control over him. He is a strong and dominant beast.”

Is he fucking kidding me now? He just backhanded me and then is giving me advice on my lycan?

Let me out,Regis growls.I want to punch him back.

No,I yell, before he can continue to push against my mind.Stop it. Leave me the fuck alone. Everyone always wants something from me.

Why can’t they leave me alone?

“Why can’t you leave me alone?” I say it aloud. Regis has stopped pushing me, too surprised by my outburst. “Why do you have to be like that? What did I ever do to you?”

Dad doesn’t answer me, instead he looks away. I am not sure if he is angry now or embarrassed or just fed up with me and everything else.

There is a knock on the door, stopping the awkward stand-off between us. Dad clears his throat. “Yes?”

Geneva peeks into the room, her eyes guarded when she looks at us. I am not sure what she heard or what she knows, but she gazes shortly at me, the look on her face turning much kinder. “Why don’t you leave and take a break, honey?” she asks me.

Relief fills me for being able to leave the situation. I hadn’t noticed how tired and exhausted I’ve felt until now. I feel drained, like every ounce of strength has left me. I wordlessly leave the office, not turning to look back. I can hear how Geneva closes the door behind her and Dad once I have left, but I couldn’t care less.

For a while, I aimlessly walk around, not sure where to go. Flora is my first thought, but I don’t want to upset or unsettle her more than I already have.

Can I talk to you again, or are you still angry?Regis asks all of a sudden.

I sigh.I am fine.