CHAPTER 80: _HATE, LUST AND SOMETHING MORE

Elian’s POV

*****

He exited his room after finding some ropes and tying up the two guards in his bathroom.

Hopefully, whatever Lucian did to them would be enough to keep them immobilised.

But right now, he couldn’t remain locked in his room. Even that didn’t feel safe.

’Lucian said he’s going to the tech experts and that Axel went to Silvervale for some investigations or whatever.’ Elian thought to himself, walking down the hallway to his room.

[Yeah, and Estella is probably scrambling trying to make sure things move into gear before Lucian clocks her lies. We need to be watchful of her.]

Elian sighed, spotting a maid walking toward him with some glasses of wine on a tray. He didn’t even ask before grabbing one seamlessly, winking at her awkwardly when she glared at him.

[You know it’s a bad idea to be drinking when your heat might be coming back in full swing any minute now, right?]

"Exactly," Elian whispered, pulling out the heat suppression pill from his pocket. "Which is why it’s time to take this now."

He leaned against a wall close to a door leading to goddess knows where, drawing in a deep breath.

But just before he could plop the pill into his mouth, a firm hand clamped around his arm, causing him to gasp. Just when his gaze landed on the hand, he was yanked briskly into the room beside him.

He stumbled forward into the dark room, the door closing behind him, while the glass of wine slipped out of his hand, crashing to the floor.

’So much for security protocols!’ Elian snapped at the system, his heart beating heavily.

But then... His nose caught a scent that made his knees wobble. Musky with lingering scent of pine and incense...

[Oh, fruitcake. I know what I was doing when I didn’t warn you.]

"Sorry about your wine." A familiar deep voice spoke up before hands clapped once in the room.

Instantly, the room was illuminated by golden yellow lights from the crystal chandelier above, giving Elian a view of the place.

It had a comfortable-looking grey sofa tucked against one side, its plush cushions slightly indented as though someone had recently sat there.

The walls were panelled with dark polished wood, softened by the warm glow of the crystal chandelier overhead. A tall bookshelf, crammed with old tomes and decorative trinkets, stood opposite a wide window draped in heavy velvet curtains.

Despite its modest size compared to the grand halls of the palace, the room radiated a quiet intimacy—perfect for private conversations... or sudden, uninvited confrontations.

"Welcome." Lucian continued, stepping into the light from a corner with a smug smirk on his face. "We have a lot to talk about."

Elian breathed heavily, staring into his piercing silver eyes which locked on him like he was prey, his jaw tightening.

What the actual fuck?!

"I thought you said you were heading to the palace tech experts to give them that recording chip?" Elian questioned, squinting his eyes while Lucian took slow steps forward.

His body froze as he swallowed, trying not to lose composure with Lucian’s scent wrapping around him like the knot at the end of a rope.

When the Alpha Prince finally got a few inches in front of him, he muttered. "I already did that and they should be done authenticating the recording within a few minutes."

His hand went to Elian’s jaw, his fingers brushing its edges with a tenderness that made the former shiver.

Elian’s heart beat increased, drumming heavily. But that only worsened when Lucian inched his face dangerously close, his warm breath, which had a hint of alcohol in it, hitting him.

"Looks like someone’s already having fun this morning." Elian blurted but all he got from Lucian was a light chuckle.

"You have tons of secrets. Don’t you?" Lucian asked suddenly, but it sounded like he already knew the answer to that and was just... Probing.

Elian’s lips parted as Lucian walked around him, his right hand trailing his shirt before landing on his stomach, pressing invitingly against it.

Dear gods...

"I... I..." Elian stuttered, blinking erratically.

He wanted to scold Lucian for many things, including making him waste perfectly good wine earlier. But when the Alpha Prince’s body pressed against his from behind, every other thought blurred away except one...

[I know that’s right! Spank him, daddy!]

Elian’s face heated up with a violent blush, his right hand still clutching his heat Suppression Pill.

But Lucian was calm as his fingers slowly slid down Elian’s hand, grabbing the pill from between his fingers.

[You should’ve taken that thing ages ago.]

Elian frowned, spinning around only to meet Lucian’s face inches away from his, his eyelashes batting mischievously.

"Give that back." Elian rasped, stretching his right hand forward as Lucian casually kept it in his pocket.

But he missed his footing when Lucian skidded backwards by a few feet, causing him to stumble forward.

Fortunately—or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, Lucian wrapped his left arm around Elian’s waist, forcing him to look him in the eyes and pressing their bodies together.

The Alpha Prince’s smug smirk didn’t disappear as his eyes trailed Elian’s face, as if searching for whatever thread of resistance he was still holding on to.

And Elian? Well, he sure as hell didn’t have any, not when his erection was already aching in his pants, pressing against Lucian’s body.

Without warning, he initiated the kiss for once, his lips meeting Lucian’s in a burning passion, mixed with hate, lust and something more he sure as heck didn’t want to dwell on right now.

Not here.

Lucian was no pushover; his arm around his waist tightened while his right hand went underneath Elian’s shirt, pulling it up from his waist.

When Lucian’s fingers brushed the side of Elian’s waist, the latter moaned softly, pulling away from the kiss for only a breath.

"Is this why you dragged me in here?" Elian asked, blinking at Lucian with a flustered face.

Lucian grinned, his lips brushing Elian’s nose in the most agitating way.

Gods, how could a man be so annoying and hot at the same time?!

"If I said yes, would that be a problem?" The Alpha Prince whispered, his voice more than inviting.

Elian didn’t give an answer. He didn’t need to.

His lips collided with Lucian’s again, this kiss filled with more restrained need and desire.

[Making out while traitors run rampant within the palace. What could go wrong?]