CHAPTER 41: _NO ONE’S PROPERTY

Elian’s POV

*****

Beta Axel’s punch managed to hit Lucian across his face, causing the latter to stumble backwards with a stunned expression.

He raised his right hand, touching his jaw as if he couldn’t believe what just happened.

Elian sure as hell couldn’t believe it.

The Beta, his second mate, just punched the Alpha Prince, his first mate. What the actual fuck?!

[I told you to proceed with caution but nooo... You decided to ’throw it aside’. Well, this is the domino effect in play...]

Elian swallowed hard as Lucian’s eyes flared with a cold light. The Alpha Prince straightened his posture, locking his gaze on Axel who had his back facing Elian.

"A–Axel, please... Stop this." Elian spoke in a pleading voice, stretching his right hand forward and grabbing his elbow. "Let’s not escalate this more than it—"

"Oh, it’s late for that already, Elian." Lucian cackled coldly, his arms stretched out as a silver white aura surrounded his body. "He asked for it and I’ll gladly show your darling mate why I am an ALPHA Prince."

Without another word, Lucian lunged at Beta, his rage pushing aside any rationality.

Axel grabbed Elian out of the blue, shoving him aside before rooting his feet on the ground.

When Lucian’s punch connected with Axel’s golden armour, the force sent a pulse of bright silver white light that pushed debris and dust every which way.

Elian who had rolled across the carpet grass, was forced to cover his eyes, looking away from his two mates.

[WARNING: Lucian is tapping into his Alpha aura. It’s best to stay away before Beta Axel responds with his—]

Before the system could finish that update, Axel raised his right arm, blocking another punch from Lucian. Then another. And another.

Each punch Lucian sent brimmed with his silver white aura, the pulses of light from each strike becoming blinding by the second.

And then...

Axel snarled, a golden white aura bursting like flames around his body. His golden and blue armour became slightly bulkier, like a knight going to war.

Elian took that as his cue and got to his feet, quickly backing away by several meters.

[Beta Axel is beyond a werewolf soldier. Like... He’s within the realm of an Alpha sovereign. So he and Lucian are evenly matched in this.]

Elian furrowed his eyebrows, struggling to keep up with their movements now that Axel had his aura out.

He would like to think they were fighting because of him... But that didn’t seem to be the case here. There was something deeper, something running between the two men that they hid.

Most especially Lucian... He seemed to harbour some animosity toward Axel.

"First, you steal my father’s attention. His respect!..." Lucian growled, sending a horizontal slash with his claws heading straight at Axel’s head.

But the Beta dodged it by leaning backwards, just in time to block a kick from Lucian that caused him to scowl.

"Then, you steal the people’s love and respect for me." Lucian roared, sending a palm strike with what seemed like all his might.

Elian’s eyes widened. "Lucian, stop!"

But it was too late.

The palm strike hit Axel’s chest, causing his golden and blue armour to glitch at the chest plates, the nano tech struggling to keep up. Axel was sent flying several feet back, falling on his right knee.

Elian’s heart dropped to his stomach when he saw this but Lucian’s silver white aura only burned with a brighter light as it manifested as a wolf of the same colour behind him.

"Lucian!" Elian yelled, scanning his gaze around the area. He spotted some guards running toward the wide training grounds with confusion and panic on their faces.

"They’re fighting!" One guard yelled.

"Crap, we might need to call the Alpha King."

Elian felt like sinking into the ground as Lucian continued with his half-baked monologue, pointing the claws of his right hand toward the Beta who breathed heavily.

"And now you drag my mate with me. You’re taking my property one by one!"

Elian felt like an explosion had just sounded in his mind, knocking out every ounce of rationality.

The word echoed in his skull. Property.

His jaw clenched, his fists curling as he glared at Prince Douchebag. Was this speech of his supposed to mean anything?

Did he just call him his... Property?!

[Fruitcake, honey... Don’t do anything stupid.]

Elian ignored, stepping toward Lucian.

The guards who were slowly gathering around without making a move gasped or began murmuring to themselves when they saw what he was doing.

"Is he going to face the Alpha Prince?"

"The omega has a death wish. Everyone knows not to be close to two alpha sovereigns during a battle." A female voice said with pity.

Just then, Lucian swerved his head to Elian, narrowing his eyes. The latter didn’t stop moving, even with the suffocating pressure he felt from the Alpha Prince’s aura.

"E–Elian!" Axel suddenly got to his feet, trying to stop him, but his mind was already made up.

Or rather, he wasn’t thinking much anymore...

Lucian’s shoulders dropped as if he knew what was coming, his aura receding slowly. And then when Elian got in front of him... It came.

Smack!

Elian slapped the Alpha Prince across his face, the sound crisp in the afternoon air. Gasps rippled from the guards and time seemed to freeze at that moment.

Axel froze in his tracks, lips parted. That... he probably hadn’t expected.

Meanwhile, Lucian didn’t even flinch, while Elian’s palm stung from the pain but he didn’t let that deter him as he snapped, pointing a finger at the Alpha Prince’s face.

"I am no one’s property. Do you hear me, Lucian? Especially not yours!"

The Alpha Prince’s eyes glinted with rage as he took a single step forward, managing to steal the breath from Elian whose knees almost gave way from the pressure.

His jaw tightened as he raised his chin, standing his ground against Lucian.

Time paused and Elian’s pulse was a drum.

Lucian didn’t move. No one did.

Just when it felt like things would escalate...

"That’s enough!" A deep, domineering voice spoke up from behind Elian just then, causing him to freeze.

All eyes turned to its source only to see Alpha King Arian stepping forward with his arms behind his back, his expression stern.

"Prince Lucian and Beta Axel. Report to my throne room."

Lucian glared at Elian one last time despite his father’s words, while Axel quickly walked to the Alpha king.

Suddenly, Lucian brushed past Elian, but not without whispering:

"You are mine and I don’t care what you think of me. I will make you see that soon enough."