CHAPTER 49: _WHAT GAMES ARE YOU PLAYING?

Lucian’s POV

*****

"Elian?" He huffed, staring at him like this was the biggest joke he’d heard all his life. It probably was. "What the heck do you mean room for one more? This is training, not a dance recital."

A few guards behind him held back stifled laughter, but one silent glance over his shoulders was enough to shut them up instantly.

Meanwhile, Elian spread out his arms, that smug ass smirk still prominent as ever. "I’m well aware of that, dear mate. And yet I insist."

Eventually, Elian stopped just a few meters before him, tilting his head.

Lucian’s jaw clenched.

He didn’t know what games the omega was trying to play here but he sure as hell didn’t have any interest in it.

"I would obliterate you in a heartbeat if we fought," Lucian said with a cold tone, but his wolf snarled inside his mind at the thought of hurting him.

Elian folded his arms in front of his chest, his violet eyes flaring with defiance. "Good. That’ll prove just how much control you’re losing day by day."

Lucian blinked, his eyebrows furrowing into a frown. A few guards murmured discreetly behind him, but none dared voice their words.

"Excuse me?" Lucian took a single step forward, glaring down at Elian.

The omega sniggered. "Did I stutter? You can feel it and I believe your soldiers and those around can feel it as well. You are slipping, Lucian. You’re losing control. And if you ’obliterate’ me like you said during this, it’ll only prove how far you’ve fallen."

As if those words didn’t sting enough, Elian took one bold step forward just like Lucian, his lips twitching into a grin.

Then he whispered. "Come on, Lucian. A little sparring wouldn’t hurt anyone. I just want to learn how to defend myself."

Lucian scowled. "Then go meet Beta Axel to teach you."

Elian shook his head, stretching his right hand forward and subtly brushing his fingers over Lucian’s bare arm muscles, causing the latter to stiffen with barely held back desire.

His violet eyes glinted with an unreadable light as they trailed from Lucian’s lower body to his face. Then a suggestive light flashed within his eyes.

"I want YOU to teach me, Luci. Not Axel."

Lucian’s eyes twitched with frustration.

Goddess, he was doing this on purpose!

"Ahem!" One of the guards cleared his throat just then, forcing Lucian to raise an eyebrow. Then he continued. "S–Sir, does this mean we should leave?"

Lucian clenched his jaw, spinning on his heels and glaring at the guards. They all froze, shaking with fear and struggling to maintain eye contact like they knew they’d fucked up.

Just when he parted his lips to give them a cold response, Elian spoke up with a cheery voice:

"Of course! Head on out."

Lucian’s eyes widened as he swerved his head back to Elian who was already taking off his handless black blazer, revealing his slim build.

He looked so... Tiny.

Lucian’s lips parched briefly at the thought of pinning him underneath him while he was like that. Making him beg for release. Making him curse and moan...

Fuck!

He brushed his right hand through his hair, ignoring Elian’s smug smirk.

"And who gave you the right to order my guards around? Huh?" He growled, his fists curling beside him.

Elian shrugged cluelessly, flinging his blazer aside. "I’m the Alpha Prince’s mate, am I not? That should come with some level of status, right?"

Lucian shook his head, raising a finger when one of the guards blurted.

"So is that a yes? Or—"

"Shut your hole up!" Lucian sneered, whipping his head back to them again and glaring. "I—"

"Oh, Luci. Stop being so uptight." Elian’s scent suddenly hit closer and before Lucian could react appropriately, the omega smacked him on his ass.

The slap was so loud and took him by surprise, causing his eyes to widen.

Lucian swerved his head to Elian just as he wrapped his arm around his shoulder with a confident wink.

"Come on. I know you fantasise about putting me in my place." He uttered, the heat of their skins against each other making Lucian swallow hard.

As if that wasn’t enough, Elian brought his lips closer to Lucian until they brushed against his earlobe. "So what do you say? It’s your call, Alpha Prince."

Lucian’s jaw tightened.

He wanted to shove Elian away but at the same time... Gods, he just wanted to pin him against the nearest wall.

But he couldn’t do that. Not with those guards here.

"All of you leave. Now." He ordered plainly, keeping his gaze on Elian whose smirk didn’t falter for a second.

This confidence... Where did it come from?

There was something off about this omega. Something he’s noticed about him since last night at the mating ball.

He couldn’t tell what it was but he just knew...

Anyway, as the guards trooped toward the door, Elian yelled out. "Make sure to shut the door behind you, boys!"

Lucian felt an odd embarrassment shoot through him, especially when some guards shot them judgmental glances or awkward stares.

But they followed Elian’s words, shutting the door behind them and leaving the prince and the omega in silence.

The second the sound of the door shutting echoed around the hall, Lucian moved without warning, grabbing Elian’s right wrist which was on his shoulder and forcing him to look into his eyes.

"What. Games. Are. You. Playing?" He growled, low and dangerous, his face inches away from Elian’s.

The Omega’s eyes quivered with fright at first as he flinched under Lucian’s hold.

Yes. There it was... The frail vulnerability he was so used to seeing.

This was the Elian he knew.

However, like a mask, that vulnerability slowly turned back into sensual confidence as Elian inched closer until their chests pressed against each other, their faces merely centimetres apart.

"There are no games, Lucian. Just your insecurities in full display for the entire empire to witness." Elian whispered, his voice shaking a bit but still defiant.

Without warning, the Omega sent a knee kick to his groin, causing the Alpha Prince’s eyes to bulge, pain searing through him.

Lucian’s grip loosened just enough for Elian to slip free, the smug bastard smirking down at him like he’d just won a war.

"You—" Lucian’s voice came out rough, strangled between the pain and the surge of fury flooding his veins. His wolf roared in his head, demanding he throw the little shit against the wall and remind him who he belonged to.

Elian only stepped back, tilting his head with that maddening, unshaken confidence. "Careful, Luci. You wouldn’t want your guards hearing that the great Alpha Prince got dropped by a ’frail little omega,’ would you?"

The air between them thickened — scent, heat, and rage swirling into something far more dangerous.

Lucian straightened slowly, the cold fire in his silver eyes locking on Elian like a predator marking prey. His lips curled into a feral smile.

"You just signed your own death sentence."

The words were low, husky and dripping with the kind of promise that made Elian visibly shiver.

Before he could blink, Lucian moved — a blur of speed — and slammed him against the nearest training pillar, caging him in with both arms.

Elian’s breath caught.

Lucian’s face hovered mere inches from his, his voice a growl against his ear.

"When I’m done with you... You’ll never try that again."