Chapter 87: No Means Yes

Adeline’s pov~

"Blake?" I asked, keeping my tone as flat as possible. "What are you doing here?"

Blake stood a few paces away, looking infuriatingly handsome in his sharp uniform. He smiled, taking slow, deliberate steps toward me, his hands shoved casually into his pant pockets. He stopped just a foot away, tilting his head with a raised dark eyebrow, his bright, observant eyes scanning my face.

"Forgot the title, pretty girl?" he asked softly, a teasing, dangerous spark dancing in his gaze.

My heart did a tiny stutter before settling. That was when I realised what I had just said.

Shit. In my complete panic over Zyran, I had dropped all protocol and called a royal Lycan Prince straight by his first name, completely omitting his mandatory royal rank, ’Lord Blake’.

"Well... I don’t mind, since it’s you," Blake added softly, his smile broadening just a fraction. He slowly signalled with a nod of his head for me, gesturing towards the main corridor to walk with him. "Walk with me?"

Why is he here? Are they playing tag with me now?

I gave him a small, stiff nod, falling into step beside him as we began walking down the hallway.

Even though I was staring straight ahead, I could feel his heavy, observant gaze lingering on the side of my face from the corner of my eye. My cheeks were still warm from the memory of Zyran’s kiss, my lips still sensitised, and the last thing I needed was another royal prince reading my mind.

Is he looking at my mouth? Can he smell Zyran’s Lycan scent on me?

No, he couldn’t possibly smell Zyran’s scent on me, could he? I washed myself thrice this early morning just to get rid of his strong scent so that no one would notice. Can a Lycan tell when another prince’s lips have been crushed against a girl’s?

I reached up and yanked the hood of my black hoodie lower, shading my eyes completely beneath the heavy fabric.

"Is there something on my face?" I asked, my voice flat, calm, and utterly devoid of expression. "Or does the Prince of the First Throne always stare at girls just to make them feel awkward?"

Blake let out a low, smooth chuckle.

"Fine, fine..." he drawled teasingly, slowing his pace just enough to match mine. "I’ll stop staring, pretty girl. I am just here to ask you what time works best for you today."

I stopped dead in my tracks, looking up at his sharp side profile with genuine confusion. "What time for what? What are you talking about?"

Blake paused, turning his body around to face me completely. He took a small step back, his hands still tucked into his pockets, his expression brimming with amusement.

"Forgot already?" he asked, leaning in just an inch. "We are studying together today, pretty girl. In the main library. Remember?"

Studying? What the hell is he talking about?

"Wait... no," I said, my brows pulled together as I crossed my arms tightly over my chest, building a physical shield between us. "I don’t remember agreeing to that at all, Lord Blake."

Blake let out a quiet smile, his eyes holding mine. "Okay, then agree right now... Shall we study together today? Will you join me?"

"No," I answered flatly, without a second of hesitation.

Blake didn’t look offended at all.

"Then okay," Blake replied smoothly, his tone remarkably light as if I hadn’t just rejected a royal decree. "I will study with you then."

I blinked, staring at him in utter, breathless shock. "Wait... what??? That is literally the exact same thing, and I just said no!"

Blake didn’t even argue. He simply turned back around and began walking casually down the corridor again, completely ignoring my refusal. "It is all prepared already, pretty girl."

"I literally just said no to your face!" I muttered under my breath, my frustration spiking.

Why does every single one of these four princes think they can just order me around? Why do they speak as if my answers don’t even exist?

"Unbelievable..." I muttered under my breath, my jaw clenching as I reluctantly fell into step behind him. Why does every single prince in this academy think my ’no’ is just an invitation to push harder? What is wrong with these Lycans?

Yet, despite the furious internal scream echoing in my mind, my feet stupidly fell into step right behind his tall frame. I was so caught up in glaring at the back of his neck, spiralling over how effortlessly these Lycan Kings controlled every room they walked into, that I completely failed to notice his sudden halt.

He stopped dead in his tracks without warning.

I was walking so closely behind him that I stumbled straight forward. I gasped, my eyes widening in sheer panic as I realised I was about to face-plant straight into the broad back of his uniform coat.

Fuck!

I slammed my boots into the stone floor, coming to a violent, awkward stop mere millimetres away from his back, my chest almost brushing his spine.

Blake turned around, his broad body blocking out the dim corridor light as he looked down into my wide, startled eyes.

"Careful, pretty girl," Blake purred softly, his deep voice dropping as his eyes locked straight onto mine. "You’re getting dangerously close to me."

"You stopped abruptly!" I stammered out, taking a quick, panicked step backwards. "I almost face-planted into your back because you suddenly froze in the..."

I looked up at his face, expecting another one of his smooth, teasing smirks.

Instead, my words died right in my throat.

The playful, lighthearted light in Blake’s eyes had completely vanished. His entire demeanour shifted in a single second, his posture straightening as a sharp, deadly seriousness washed over his handsome features.

Why did his mood change so fast?

"Do you like Raven?" he asked suddenly.

My head spun, my mind scrambling to catch up with the completely unprovoked question. "What do you mean?!" I asked, my voice rising in genuine, chaotic confusion. "I... I—"