CHAPTER 62: _ALPHA CLASS WOLF

Lucian’s POV

*****

"An Alpha class wolf?" Axel repeated Lucian’s words, his golden eyes narrowing with confusion. "That’s the basic ranking of wolves within the wolf sovereign power scale. What kind of Alpha class wolf are we dealing with?"

An Alpha-class wolf was just below the power of an Alpha king... Like Lucian’s father, Alpha King Arian.

Lucian and Axel were both Alpha-class werewolves, with the former having the bloodline capability of ascending into an Alpha King.

The point is, Alpha class wolves aren’t readily available within the empire, let alone in the palace.

Lucian let out a sigh, brushing his right hand down his face. "I don’t know. But one thing’s certain to me... He’s definitely not someone from within the palace. Or the city for that matter."

Axel grunted, lowering his head. "So there’s an intruder prowling around the palace, looking through our mate’s room. While he’s in heat?"

The rage laced in his voice was hard to miss.

Everyone knows how attention-grabbing an omega would be to a dominant wolf once they’re in their heat cycle. Talk less of an Alpha class.

That’s why Lucian warned Elian to remain in his room... Not because he was scared of what would happen to him but because he couldn’t assure not ripping out the guts of any dominant wolf who as much as blinked weirdly at the omega.

"We need to go to Elian’s room," Axel said finally, raising his head. "We’ll question the guards stationed outside his door. See if they saw anything unusual or... If they’re traitors."

Lucian’s jaw clenched as the Beta walked round the table, heading for the door. But just when he walked past the Alpha Prince, the latter grabbed his arm.

Axel froze, glancing back at Lucian with a frown.

"I think it’s better we... Keep away from Elian as much as possible." Lucian muttered, maintaining eye contact. "Can’t be sure if you can keep yourself focused so close to his door."

Axel squinted his eyes at first until they flared with agitation. He yanked his arm out of Lucian’s grip, glaring at him.

"Says the one who fucked him mere minutes ago." He snapped, causing Lucian to scoff.

"Well, well. So you were bothered about that after all." The Alpha Prince tilted his head with a smug smirk. "Afraid I’ll take your place as our mate’s favourite?"

Axel sniggered, staring at Lucian with disbelief. "Favourite? Listen to yourself, Lucian. Your ego’s so bloated that you don’t realise you’re the one getting distracted here."

Lucian’s jaw tightened, his silver eyes glinting with a dangerous light. "Oh, I’m more than focused, Beta. Focused enough to note your efforts to isolate me and make Elian all yours."

He didn’t know where those words were coming from.

Maybe it was Elian’s pheromones still lingering at the back of his head talking. Maybe he couldn’t stand Axel’s perfect golden boy facade anymore.

Whatever it was, he hated how he felt like he was losing control.

"I don’t make any efforts to isolate you from Elian," Axel remarked with a sarcastic smile, inching closer to Lucian’s face. "You do that all on your own. If your feelings about him weren’t so royally complicated, maybe you’d mean more to him."

Lucian’s chest caved in with barely contained anger. But he had to contain it.

To prove to himself that he was in control. That he wasn’t growing weak. Vulnerable.

"Enough of this." Axel waved dismissively, letting out a breath. "I’ll interrogate the guards close to his room like I said. You, on the other hand, were the one who caught the scent. And no doubt, your senses are sharper so tracking it shouldn’t be impossible."

Lucian kept his chin raised but eventually nodded. "Fine." The word came out of his lips like it was poison.

His wolf growled at the idea of letting Axel go so close to their mate alone but he would not let himself lose control.

"The sooner we get to the bottom of this, the sooner we can get to focusing on the committee to investigate the assassins." The beta sighed. "Hopefully, this Alpha class wolf would be our first clue on finding out who’s backing the assassins."

Hopefully...

.

.

Lucian watched Axel leave the war room and followed suit, the heavy door swinging shut with a muted thud behind them.

Finally, silence.

But not really.

Because in his mind, the scent was still there, sharp, deep, and carrying the weight of dominance. It coiled in his senses like smoke, refusing to fade.

An Alpha-class wolf.

He closed his eyes for half a second, letting his wolf take the lead. The memory of it wasn’t just in his head, it was in his blood now, etched into every instinct he had.

Lucian inhaled slowly. That faint trace was still in the air here, even hours later, like the bastard had brushed past this very floor. He turned toward the corridor and started walking.

Every step tightened the knot in his chest.

The scent wasn’t random. Whoever this Alpha was, they hadn’t just been wandering—they had a direction. A purpose.

And Lucian hated that purpose was anywhere near his mate.

His boots struck the polished marble with quiet thuds. The palace’s last floor was silent at this hour, too silent. The air here was always crisp with cold stone and faint incense from the ceremonial rooms, but tonight there was an edge to it.

The Alpha scent was stronger here, crawling under his skin, gnawing at the back of his throat.

He followed it down the long corridor, past the study rooms and the old ceremonial hall... until it hit him.

The trail curved sharply.

Straight toward the wing that led to the royal family’s private quarters.

Lucian’s silver eyes narrowed. There were only three rooms in that section: his parents’ which was currently empty since they were away in the western provinces, his own, and...

His steps slowed.

The scent pooled thickest outside one door.

Aurora’s.

Lucian’s jaw tightened.

He stared at the silver-etched wooden panels, the faint gleam of moonlight on the handles. His sister’s chambers were guarded, of course, but not right now. Not at this late hour.

She liked her privacy.

He inhaled again, more sharply this time. The Alpha-class scent was definitely here. Not lingering like a passing trace. It was embedded, heavy and fresh.

It wasn’t possible.

Aurora’s mate was Baron Magnus, another Alpha-class. Although he was a lower ranking than Lucian and Axel. Not to mention his scent was different, earthy and sharp with iron.

This one... was darker. Foreign.

Lucian’s wolf bristled.

The idea of any male, especially an Alpha, being in Aurora’s chambers without her consent was enough to make his blood boil.

But then a worse thought pushed in... What if she had invited him?

Lucian’s hand flexed at his side. His instincts screamed to kick the door in. But the rational part of him, the part that knew this could spiral into something political and ugly, forced him to stop.

He stepped forward, slow and controlled, until he was right outside the door.

His knuckles brushed the cold wood once. Then twice.

The sound was quiet, but the tension behind it was sharp enough to cut through the air.

Lucian leaned in, his voice low but edged like steel.

"Aurora. We need to talk."