CHAPTER 60: _THE CLASSIC ’IF’ CLIFFHANGER...

Elian’s POV

*****

"Phew..." He breathed out, a small smile tugging on his lips against his better judgment.

Lucian slowly withdrew his head from his neck, panting a bit and swallowing hard. His silver eyes lingered on Elian for only a few seconds before he cleared his throat.

"Well, that was something." He said with an unreadable tone, pulling his body away from Elian’s entrance.

The latter frowned, watching as the Alpha Prince sat at the edge of the bed first, grabbing his underwear while avoiding eye contact.

Heck no!

"What’s up with you all of a sudden?" Elian asked, managing to prop himself slightly with his elbow while glaring at Lucian’s back.

[Host’s heat is still active, but the symptoms will alleviate thanks to sex.]

Elian let out a frustrated sigh. ’How long before it ends completely?’

[Three days give or take. It’ll come and go between morning and evening each day during this and the only way to lessen the symptoms is through sex with any of your mates.]

Elian’s head spun at the same moment that Lucian got to his feet, straightening his back. His ass was bare to Elian’s gaze, causing the latter to stare for way too long.

"You’re still in heat." Lucian rasped without looking back at him. "Your... Scent... It’s intoxicating. And it would be the same thing for some dominant male wolves out there."

He finally looked over his shoulder, his eyes squinting into slits. "I need to go find Axel so we can begin working on the committee."

He was just about to turn around and walk when Elian’s hand shot forward, wrapping around his wrist.

"W–Why can’t you just stay?" Elian asked, hating how needy his voice sounded.

The heat behind his stomach had reduced but it was still there. And his dick... The damn thing was still hard, pulsing with arousal.

"Because if I do..." Lucian growled, turning around to face him fully. "I don’t know if I’ll be able to control myself."

Elian furrowed his eyebrows into a deep frown, trying to focus his gaze on Lucian. "What the heck do you—"

"I almost knotted you..." Lucian said with a voice dripping with... Fear?

Elian tilted his head, his eyes softening.

He’s right...

He had felt Lucian hardening inside him after he came. But then the jerk had been quick to pull out before it could get into knotting, cumming on him.

"I don’t understand..." Elian shook his head, looking away from Lucian while his grip on his wrist tightened. "And so what if you knotted?"

Lucian’s silver eyes flickered with something unreadable before he finally snapped, yanking his wrist free of his hold.

"Knotting in you will deepen the mate bond beyond what it already is." He said hoarsely, his chest heaving. "I... I’m not even sure if—"

"You’re not even sure if you what?" Elian sat up more properly, ignoring the surging heat behind his stomach and glaring at Lucian. "You’re not sure if you see me as anything more than a sex toy? If you can spend the rest of your life mated to an omega?"

Lucian’s nostrils flared as he shook his head. "Don’t put words into my mouth, Elian."

He tore his gaze away from him after saying that, putting on his clothes.

Elian’s grip on the bed sheets tightened as he watched him. His FIRST mate.

Gosh, his life was a joke...

"Every hour I wonder why your stupid bloodline holds you back from rejecting me." Elian blurted, causing Lucian to pause.

The latter had already worn his pants and was in the process of buttoning up his shirt. He had his back facing Elian, as if he were too ashamed to look him in the eyes.

"The goddess’ will, I suppose," Lucian said with sarcasm, looking over his shoulder again. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?"

[The real question here should be: Why does every post-climax conversation between you two sound like the Cliff’s Notes of a tragedy? Just once, can we do cuddles instead of existential dread?]

Elian ignored the voice, glaring harder at Lucian like he could burn through that carefully blank expression. "Why do you have to be so afraid?"

Lucian’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t answer.

[Host, reminder: Prolonged staring contest with your mate in this state may lead to one of three outcomes — round two, someone storming out dramatically, or both. Place your bets.]

"I’m not afraid," Lucian finally said, buttoning the last of his shirt. His tone was too calm. "I’m realistic."

Elian sniggered. "That’s rich, coming from the man who pulled out of me like I was on fire."

[Technically, you are on fire. Internal temperature up by 1.3 degrees. Blood pressure’s doing the cha-cha. Libido still at DEFCON 1.]

Lucian’s silver eyes slid back to him, sharp enough to cut, but his hands hesitated on his cuffs. "You don’t understand what you do to me, Elian."

"Oh, please—"

"No." Lucian’s voice hardened. "You don’t. And I can’t risk doing something that makes this bond impossible to walk away from if..."

He trailed off, and that little gap in his words felt like a jagged hook in Elian’s ribs.

[Ah, the classic ’if...’ cliffhanger. My favourite. You know, it pairs well with abandonment issues and sexual frustration.]

Elian pushed off the bed, ignoring how his legs wobbled. "If what? If you decide I’m not worth it? If I’m just some convenient warm body until your next political match?"

Lucian’s gaze flickered with guilt, anger, and desire, all in the same heartbeat and then he turned away. "I’ll send Axel to check on you."

[Translation: ’I’m going to emotionally ghost you for the next few hours while you stew in a cocktail of lust and rage.’]

Elian’s nails dug into the sheets. "You’re a coward, Lucian."

Lucian froze in the doorway, his shoulders tense. For a moment, Elian thought he might turn back. Say something. Do something.

But all he got was a mutter. "Better a coward than reckless." and then the door clicked shut.

Silence.

[Well... That was fun. Shall we start a timer for how long it takes him to come crawling back?]

Elian’s jaw tightened with frustration, his chest heaving heavily. "No. Screw him. Let’s focus on completing that mission with Estella..."