CHAPTER 38: _HEART VERSUS EGO

Lucian’s POV

*****

"I can’t believe Beta Axel left us here to go be with that Omega."

"He was wounded, Rakim. He probably went to receive treatment."

"Yeah, right. Didn’t you see the look the two of them gave each other before leaving? He—"

"Two of you shut up or bring in your badges so you can have all the freedom to gossip." Lucian couldn’t take it anymore and snapped, glaring at the two soldiers who were talking beside him at the site of the assassin attack.

The two soldiers stiffened, bowing apologetically in front of Lucian before they went to the other side below the floating platform.

The area, including the crystalline dome restaurant close to it, which had taken damage, had been closed off to civilians.

Lucian only came here after his sister gave him a tip that Elian and Axel were on a date... The last thing he expected was to see the aftermath of an attempted assassination.

"You’re here trying to play the hero after frolicking with Estella, huh?" Elian’s words still echoed in his mind.

So he really thought he and Estella did something together? Hmph, how stupid could he possibly be?

"Of course, he wouldn’t think properly after his ’romantic’ date with the Beta," Lucian grunted, shaking his head as he turned and began walking toward the direction of the royal palace, moving past the soldiers who lingered around.

The area was sealed off with a blue force field, which separated the spot where the assassin exploded from the rest of the populace who moved around while glancing occasionally.

"Sir!" A male voice called from behind just then, causing Lucian to pause in his tracks briefly. He glanced over his shoulder only to see a young man donned in a sleek, form-fitting golden armour running toward him.

"Sir, we’ve gathered a report from witnesses as well as tracking the assassin’s movements before the strike. He was first seen lingering a good distance away from the royal palace gates, communicating with someone through a—"

"Do I look like the Beta, Gamma or Delta?" Lucian interrupted flatly, taking the poor soldier by surprise.

The latter parted his lips, blinking with confusion but Lucian’s patience had worn thin.

"You know the right authorities to give your reports to. I’m out." He added, turning away from the soldier.

Alas...

"But I got word that you and Beta Axel will be creating a committee to investigate the first assassin from earlier this morning." The soldier persisted cluelessly. "With this recent case, I..."

His words died in his throat when he felt the shift in Lucian’s aura. That was a clear warning for him to keep quiet.

Lucian was notorious for how brutal he could get when angry, and the penalty from the Alpha King and Luna Queen was either mild or non-existent.

And no one could do anything about it.

Without another word, Lucian continued walking, stepping through the blue forcefield which dematerialised slightly to give way for him. After he had passed through it, the force field sealed back instantly.

.

.

"Can you start from the top? But this time try speaking like you didn’t drop out of classes." Aurora, his sister, rolled her eyes when he got back to the palace grounds.

He met her in one of the gardens and decided to see her... Perhaps wanting to vent. That seemed to be a bad idea...

"Don’t insult me simply because I came to talk to you, sister," Lucian growled while Aurora had her back facing him, plucking some pretty yellow flowers.

She paused, her lush silver hair blowing slightly into the wind before she turned around to face him, raising an eyebrow.

"What do you want me to say, Lucian?" She queried, narrowing her eyes. "I mean, Elian has always been nothing but a weak omega to you, right? What changed within the span of barely a day?"

Lucian’s jaw clenched but before he could even find the words to speak, Aurora continued.

"It’s not even been a full day. You found out he’s your mate last night and rejected him in front of everyone who attended the mating Ball." She sniggered, taking a sniff from one of the flowers she picked. "Honestly, if I were Elian and I had two mates, I’d also go on a date with the one who doesn’t treat me like shit."

She turned away from him again, allowing her words to sting into his brain. And oh, did it do more than sting.

He clenched his jaw — and for a second, he could almost see it. A life where Elian chose someone else. Someone who didn’t hesitate.

His stomach twisted at the thought, but he shook it off, scowling harder.

"He’s done something to me, I swear to the gods," Lucian spoke with frustration, but Aurora chuckled.

"Right... He did something to you but you’re the one who stole his first kiss."

"It was in the heat of the moment!" Lucian snarled but Aurora was unshaken, shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, I guess you can call what Elian did as being ’in the heat of the moment’. Why are we even having this conversation?" She turned again, tilting her head. "Axel is his mate as much as you are, and so far, he’s the one stepping up."

Lucian curled his hands into fists. "Whose side are you on, sister?"

Aurora raised her hands in mock defeat. "I’m on the side of rationality, big brother."

Lucian rolled his eyes, brushing his right hand through his black curls and turning away from his sister. He could still feel her staring at him and knew she was about to say something he wouldn’t like.

"You like him. Beyond the mate bond." Aurora blurted, sounding amused. "You just don’t want to admit how quickly you’ve fallen after spending all your life looking down on Omegas like him. It’s your heart versus your ego."

Lucian breathed out hoarsely. He might need a drink after all this.

"I don’t ’like’ him. I just—"

Before he could finish that sentence, a loud alarm blasted around the palace like the chimes of bells mixed with the sound of howling wolves.

He froze, glancing at his sister who seemed just as stunned. Then a voice echoed:

"This is not a drill. All palace guards and available Council of Fang members should report to the palace grounds for a mandatory meeting."

Fuck, what now?!