Page 16 of A Mysterious Slave for the Lycan Prince

“Stopping for gas too?” Marcel asks sweetly.

I grin. “You bet.”

The diner is nothing special but is cozy and emits a pleasant atmosphere. The owners are a middle-aged couple used to serving passersby who aren’t used to the cold. They have a fitting menu for those who need to warm up. I thank the Goddess for our werewolf abilities, which makes it easier for us not to feel cold, but still, even with our warm-blooded bodies, it’s obvious how chilling the air is.

“Does the sun ever come out here?” I ask the old lady curiously. I put on my best behavior when I introduced myself to her, being overly polite. I know that my looks can scare people off, especially humans. Tattoos and piercings are something not everyone likes to see. I’m aware of that; nevertheless,I wouldn’t change my look.

She laughs. “Of course, it does, silly,” she says warmly, obviously not minding my little rocker look. “Last week, the weather was awful, with more snowfall than usual, but when the sun comes out, you’ll be rewarded with the most beautiful landscape ever,” she promises.

“But the snow always remains?” Steve asks curiously. He never traveled far, and I realize that being in a completely new climate might be new and interesting for him.

“Yes, sweetheart.” She chuckles. “We do have days in summer when the snow is mostly gone, though.”

“But how do you grow vegetables?” he continues to ask.

Anthony and Henry look at each other and roll their eyes. “Ever heard of greenhouses, Steven?” Henry taunts him while emphasizing his name to ridicule him.

I notice Marcel’s frown while Steve himself blushes. “Sorry,” he stutters. “That was a stupid question.”

“Not at all.” the old lady smiles at him. “You are a curious young man; that’s very commendable. And we don’t only use greenhouses here,” she explains. “But we have cultivated a certain number of vegetables that can grow in winter. Potatoes, for example.”

Steve looks relieved at her words and smiles while she explains to him how it’s done.

“Can we finally eat?” Henry complains.

Elodie—thank Goddess for the dog and cat pendants, or I would never be able to tell them apart—glares at him. “Why? Are you scared we forgot about you?”

Elise giggles. “Believe me. We will never forget you.”

Anthony wiggles his eyebrows at her. “Oh, is that so?”

“That’s good to know,” Henry says.

“It’s not meant as a compliment, dumbass,” Elodie huffs.

Before Elise can join her, I link both girls.Please, don’t.

They are—one of the girls starts, and in my mind, it’s impossible to tell them apart.

—insufferable!

I know,I agree.And I will talk to them about it. But we can’t start ripping each other apart a day into our journey.

You are the boss, Finn,both girls say, surprisingly serious.You can count on us. We won’t embarrass you or disappoint you. But these idiots apparently think they are on a school trip,Elodie adds.

I frown; she is right. We all prepared months for this trip and mission, and I made sure everyone involved had all the details and intel. I know that Steve and Marcel read through all the information—one of their pack members, their gamma’s mate, was originally from Blood Snow Pack, an orphan who rose through the ranks through a competition and eventually was able to leave once he found his mate. I’m well aware that both men talked to him as much as possible to gather their own information.

Elodie and Elise visited me plenty of times beforehand. Despite their silly attitude sometimes, they are professionals. My cousin Eric is a lycan prince of the Council, and these two are his advisors. Eric would never choose a bunch of idiots for such a job. He trusts them.

But with Anthony and Henry, I’m starting to wonder if they even read the folder I handed them or listened to one single word I said.

I look at the girls insistently and nod toward them.I understand where you are coming from. But I need you to stop provoking them when we are there. I need your help to keep them under control.

Don’t worry; we’ll have your back,one of them says.What if they act out, though, or sabotage the mission?

Then I’ll send them back home,I say evenly.

You would do that?

---