CHAPTER 66: _DEAD END

Lucian’s POV

*****

"Aurora, we need to talk."

It took a few seconds but her room door eventually swung open. His sister’s eyebrows were furrowed as she eyed Lucian from head to toe like he was in the wrong place.

Maybe he was.

"And here I thought I wouldn’t have to see your face again tonight. And hopefully tomorrow." Aurora finally spoke, her voice like silk as she folded her arms across her chest. "What do you want?"

She was dressed in her white night gown just like when he last saw her, her silver eyes glinting under the light of the hallway behind Lucian.

The latter tilted his head, sniffing into her room. But he got nothing.

The Alpha class wolf’s scent ended right in front of her door.

Her room was dimly lit and he spotted her mate, Baron Magnus, sitting on the bed, shirtless and reading a book.

He didn’t even want to know...

"So you can’t smell it too?" Lucian asked his sister with squinted eyes, watching her face twist with confusion.

"Smell what? Elian’s scent?" Aurora shot, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, we get it. Your mate is in heat and you’re too much of a coward to be with him."

Lucian parted his lips to speak, noticing Magnus shifting awkwardly on the bed, probably trying to pretend like he wasn’t hearing their sibling banter.

But before Lucian could get a word in, Aurora continued, raising her right hand in front of his face.

"I’ll advise you to get the poor boy some heat suppression pills. He doesn’t need to suffer because of your negligence."

Lucian’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing into slits. "He has Beta Axel to sort him out."

Aurora smirked with enough sarcasm to make his blood boil further. "And you’re cool with that? Because it doesn’t seem like it."

He felt like saying something in response to that but time was running out. Every second counts if he wants to find that bastard who snooped in Elian’s room.

"Baron Magnus." Lucian grabbed Aurora’s shoulder and shoved her aside, stepping into the room and ignoring her dramatic gasp.

He locked his gaze on the Baron who finally kept his book aside, smiling at him like he hadn’t been trying to pretend like he didn’t exist seconds ago.

"Good evening, Alpha Prince. Can’t sleep?" Magnus asked, getting on his feet and folding his arms in front of his chest.

Lucian didn’t waste time on pleasantries. "You’re an Alpha class wolf, right?"

He knew the answer was yes but was driving at something.

"Yes. My family’s bloodline comes from—" Magnus was about to go through unimportant details, and Lucian didn’t have the patience.

"Perfect. Well, there’s a situation." Lucian continued while Aurora cursed under her breath behind him. Ignoring her, he went on. "There’s another Alpha class scent in the palace. One whose trail ended right outside your door."

Magnus’ eyes glinted under the room’s dim lighting alertly, his gaze flicking to Aurora. "What would they want close to my mate’s room?"

Lucian’s expression was stoic as he breathed out. "That’s what I’m here to find out. Did you see or notice anything odd?"

Magnus was about to speak when Aurora harrumphed.

"Sorry, we were a little preoccupied. My mate has very talented hands." Her footsteps clicked on the marble floor as she walked to Magnus, wrapping her arm around his shoulder.

The Baron’s face heated up with a blush while Lucian’s stomach twisted at the words "talented hands".

"I don’t need those details, sister." Lucian rubbed his forehead with a sigh, looking away from them when Aurora gave Magnus a sultry wink. "Gods, this is getting nowhere."

Magnus cleared his throat, trying to focus on Lucian despite Aurora’s hold on him. "I can pick up the scent now but it indeed ends right outside Aurora’s door. Do you think... Whoever it is, intentionally tried to make you go on a wild goose chase?"

Lucian tilted his head, going into thought at the implications.

"You mean they intentionally left their scent close to the door to... Distract me?" He asked but Aurora rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her waist.

"Well, they’re doing an excellent job at that." She huffed, shaking her head. "Lucian, it’s getting late and Magnus is supposed to leave tomorrow evening. Don’t steal my time with my mate just because you’re too strong-headed to be with yours."

Strong-headed?

Lucian glared at her, raising his hand to say something when a ring on his index finger suddenly made a beep sound.

He furrowed his eyebrows, staring at the trinket which also served as a communication device linked to his mind.

Someone was reaching out.

"Hello?" He spoke with a little hesitation, turning away from his sister when the latter suddenly began wrapping her arms around Magnus, giggling.

"Alpha Prince?" Axel’s voice was what he heard coming from the ring, sharp and urgent. "Any luck on tracking the Alpha class wolf?"

Lucian let out a sigh, glancing over his shoulder at Aurora and Magnus. The baron was trying to keep things under control but he eventually melted, giving in to his sister’s advances.

Ew!

Lucian rolled his eyes, walking out of the room and shutting the door behind him. "Nope. No luck. It was a dead end. Almost as if—"

"You can give me the report later." Axel nearly snapped, his voice shaky.

Lucian’s frown deepened as he dimmed his eyes. "Beta? What’s going on?"

"It’s Elian," Axel said with fear in his voice. "I came to his room to check on him after questioning the guards at his door. Then he... He fainted. I don’t know if it’s an overload from his heat but he hasn’t responded to my attempts to wake him."

A cold shiver ran down Lucian’s spine, his wolf instantly growling with a protective need to go to their mate.

"Stay close to him! I’m coming." Lucian yelled out, sprinting down the corridor toward the nearest Ascension platform.

"Of course, I wouldn’t leave his side." Axel huffed, sounding stressed out. "But that’s not all. I saw a heat suppression pill in his hand."

Lucian froze, stopping just right in front of the metal doors of an Ascension platform as it opened slowly.

"What?"