CHAPTER 84: _GROWN TO CARE ABOUT HIM

Lucian’s POV

*****

When a guard handed him a flat-screen holographic tablet showing a message from the Eastern Wolves Council, he stiffened, fearing the worst.

But when he looked through the message, it wasn’t the worst. He might go ahead and call it catastrophic!

They wanted him to marry Elian Ashford.

Which, in hindsight, wouldn’t be the worst thing. But there was one problem which wracked his head with pure frustration.

"I can’t marry someone already bound to another, mother." Lucian sneered, brushing his right hand through his hair. "Just this morning, Elian and Axel were... intimate. Getting closer."

He was having breakfast in the dining room and his mother, the Luna Queen, sat at the head of the table. Her expression seemed like she was about to choke because of her son’s words.

"Sorry, son." The Luna Queen coughed, using her fingers to cover her mouth before taking a sip from a glass of wine.

After setting the glass aside, she leaned closer to Lucian sitting whose face was tense.

"Why are you telling me this again?" The Luna Queen finally asked, blinking with confusion. "No offence, but sharing specifics about your sex life with your mate is—"

"Mother, you’re not hearing what I’m saying." Lucian rubbed the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes for a beat before opening them to speak. "Elian has another mate. Name one Alpha Prince in the history of the Empire who has had to share their mate with someone else."

His mother parted her lips, raising her finger to speak. But she had nothing.

Of course, there wasn’t any other Alpha Prince in such a situation!

"I understand your... Grievance, son." The Luna Queen sighed, stretching her hand forward and caressing Lucian’s hand. "But you know these things. We can’t question the—"

"The goddess’ will. Yes, Mom, I know." Lucian withdrew his hand, looking away from her and grabbing a fork. He barely poked a large steak before continuing. "Elian being an Omega was already bad enough. But with Axel gaining more of his attention than me..."

The Luna Queen scoffed all of a sudden, waving her hands. "Lucian... As your mother, I’m afraid I’m going to have to tell you the truth. Stop this madness."

Lucian blinked, his grip on his fork slipping as he tilted his head.

But she was far from done and pointed a finger at him. "I don’t know where you picked up this spoiled attitude, where you’re so cruel to Omegas and peasants. But you have to drop it if you ever want a chance of securing your place on the throne."

Lucian almost couldn’t believe his ears.

His mother, Luna Queen Elowen, is preaching to him about his treatment of Omegas?

"Well, isn’t this quaint?" Lucian smiled with contempt, shaking his head. "You’re one to talk when I watched you all those years and how you treated commoners. How you treated our servants. YOU instilled the belief that they were below us."

His mother’s face became sullen with guilt. She brought her hand to his face but he swatted it aside, causing her to sigh.

"Lucian, I know I didn’t give you the best in terms of morality." The Luna Queen muttered with regret. "But I was trying to shape you into a strong leader. Not turn you into whatever it is you’ve become."

Werewolf society has always been strict when it comes to social constructs.

Especially when it came to the contrast between the elites and the common wolf.

It was either eat or be eaten, and Lucian had understood that all his life. But now? He was beginning to question the werewolf way.

Lucian squinted his eyes at his mother. "And what’s given you a change of heart after all these years?"

Elowen raised her chin, never tearing her gaze away from him. "You, my son. You have a mate who’s an omega, the lowest of werewolf society. And even though I know how embarrassed you are by that and how society will view you, I also know..."

She stretched her right hand forward but this time, Lucian didn’t swat her away. She pressed it against his heart, causing Lucian’s eyes to soften.

His mother smiled warmly before continuing. "... You care about him. Or, at least, you’ve grown to care about him over the past few days. Yes, it’s all thanks to the mate bond but maybe it’s a sign that our customs are just that. Customs. Maybe the moon goddess paired you with him to challenge constructs we’ve established for years."

Lucian parted his lips, but he didn’t have anything to say.

She was actually making... A lot of sense.

He wouldn’t say he’s had a change of heart just yet. No.

But he was beginning to see his ways and actions... And questioned them.

"Thank you, mother. For talking with me." Lucian finally managed to crack a smile, grabbing a glass of wine. "I would’ve met my sister for this conversation but she’s already exhausted of me at this point."

The two of them chuckled over that but just when Lucian was about to take a sip from his wine and enjoy his breakfast, he heard incoming footsteps.

The slow, steady and deliberate clicks of high heels on the marble floor, followed by the scent of some over-the-top perfume was all too familiar.

Goddess, have mercy.

"Good morning, Luna Queen." Estella’s silvery voice echoed through the dining hall, forcing Lucian to raise his head before swerving it to her direction.

She had a sweet smile curling her lips but the glint behind her eyes told Lucian that there was more.

More which he probably didn’t want any involvement in.

"Oh, Estella. Good morning, dear." The Luna Queen cleared her throat, wearing a sweet smile of her own as Estella locked her gaze on Lucian. "Here to join us for breakfast?"

Estella shook her head, the smile still present. "No, thank you, ma’am. I’m actually here to speak with Lucian."

Lucian furrowed his eyebrows, glancing at her. "Set a schedule with one of my assistants. They’ll make you a slot for never."

He didn’t say anything else, bringing his gaze back to his food and digging in.

He was getting tired of involving himself with her drama.

Alas, it seemed there was more of that to go around.

"And if I told you it involved the safety of your mate?" Estella cooed innocently but Lucian froze, his fingers twitching.

He turned his head back to Estella whose mischievous smirk was hard to miss. "We have a lot to discuss, my prince."