CHAPTER 78: _TIRED OF YOUR GAMES

Elian’s POV

*****

"Lucian... Has it really come to this?" Elian asked with a trembling voice, his back pressing against the edge of his window as he stared anxiously at the Alpha Prince.

His first mate stood before the room door, his silver eyes unreadable as always but his nostrils flaring. Was that guilt? Anger? Frustration?

Or all of it?

[Who doesn’t like a good raffle draw?]

’Now’s not a good time for your weird terminologies.’

[It’s never a good time with you. Ugh, out of all the Omegas the goddess could’ve picked to bestow me as a gift...]

"Elian..." Lucian glanced outside briefly until his gaze landed on the dropped-down guards on the other side of the door.

He froze before turning his head to Elian and gesturing. "Come help me with these."

These?

Why was he talking like they were—

[Dead? Well, almost anyway. They’re still alive, and he managed to make sure of that. For whatever reason.]

’Can you tell if he’s working for the enemy? Estella?’ Elian questioned the system mentally, keeping a watchful eye on Lucian who was already dragging the two guards into the room individually.

[Oh, maybe I should draw out the cards and crystals and ask the stars— how the heck am I supposed to know?]

Elian tensed up, his fists curling when Lucian had finally dragged the bodies in and was about to close the door.

Heck no!

"Do you mind explaining what the fuck is going on?" Elian asked with a sharp tone, finally stepping away from the window and taking a few steps toward Lucian.

But the Alpha Prince ignored him, dragging the groaning guards to the bathroom and keeping them there. Elian watched until Lucian locked the bathroom door and sighed.

"Those guards were compromised," Lucian muttered, swerving his head at Elian finally. "What were you trying to do close to the window?"

Elian blinked, almost unable to believe his ears.

Almost.

It was Prince Douchebag after all.

"Oh, I’m sorry," Elian said with the sweetest smile he could muster, clasping his hands together and walking closer. "It’s not every day I get a narcissistic jerk of a mate barging into my room uninvited, acting like he’s wanted around the continent."

Lucian scoffed, placing his hands on his waist as he looked away. "Dramatic as always."

[That’s a can of worms waiting to be opened.]

"Dramatic?!" Elian barked, his pulse spiking as he set aside the possibility of Lucian being a foe, raising his index finger and pointing it at him.

He walked, but this time, he didn’t stop until he was only a couple of meters in front of him, his eyes hot enough to melt Lucian’s stoic expression.

"You knocked out guards sent by your father and then dragged them into MY room. Broke down my door and invaded MY privacy." Elian highlighted all that, keeping his finger raised when Lucian tried to speak.

He tilted his head at the Alpha Prince, trying his best to stay composed when he got a whiff of his musky cologne, his knees nearly buckling.

Goddess...

"Listen, Lucian. Your highness." Elian smiled with pure sarcasm, his gaze locking with his mate. "If you don’t start explaining what the heck is happening I’ll call Axel and—"

Before he could finish that statement, Lucian’s head finally turned to him.

Suddenly, his hands bolted forward, and he held Elian’s wrists, shoving him and pinning him to the nearest wall.

Elian gasped, breathing heavily as he looked the Alpha Prince in his eyes. Those mesmerising silver eyes.

"You’ll have to trust me when I say I know what I’m doing," Lucian said with a gruff voice, his nose only inches away from Elian’s. "I got a tip. The palace is compromised and someone walking around is a traitor."

Estella? Or Magnus?

Elian blinked, thinking about it until he felt the sharp sting on his wrists, which were pinned right above his head.

[This position is getting old... What about face out of the window and ass perked up.]

’Come do that yourself.’ Elian sneered mentally, trying hard not to stare too long into Lucian’s eyes.

The latter only kept him pinned against the wall for a few more seconds before finally releasing him and clearing his throat.

"Who gave you this ’tip’?" Elian was forced to ask, staring at Lucian’s back as he turned away from him. "Also, where’s Axel? Maybe he wouldn’t come into my room dragging bodies."

Lucian sniggered, shaking his head. "I have spies too, you know? And as for your precious Beta, he and the committee, which still don’t have a name, went to Silvervale city to interrogate the daughter of the first assassin."

Elian squinted his eyes, wondering why Lucian didn’t follow them but the Alpha Prince went ahead to chuckle dryly, whipping his head back to Elian again.

"You give Axel way too much credit. You know that, right?" Lucian asked after several seconds of intense breathing and staring.

Elian’s breath hitched at first but then he scoffed, smiling with sarcasm. "Or you mean I give you too little credit. Which is well deserved considering what you’ve done to me since you found out I’m your mate."

Lucian’s face twisted into a scowl. "I’m literally here trying to protect your ass."

"Only because your father insisted a thousand times that you do that alongside Axel!" Elian snapped, flinging his arms into the air. "I’m tired of your games, Lucian."

The Alpha Prince smirked, but it was completely humourless. He took two steps towards Elian, prowling like a predator.

"Games?" Lucian repeated, tilting his head. "You mean like the stunts you’ve been pulling? Searching for me only to tell me to suck your dick? Spying on Estella? Testing my patience constantly?"

Each accusation made Elian shiver, his eyes widening when he heard the part about Estella.

[I smell a rat.]

Elian heaved. "W–Who told you I’m spying on Estella?"

The two of them stared in silence, Lucian’s jaw tightening. But just when he parted his lips to say something, a knock sounded on the door, forcing them to swerve their heads to it.

Elian squinted his eyes when the door opened and the sound of heels clicking on marble echoed.

And when he saw the cruel face those heels belonged to, his blood turned cold.

Estella.