Chapter 122: _Trapped Elian’s POV
[ALERT! Scanners detected a burst of mana outside. Western end of the palace grounds.] [Definitely from sort of spell usage. Hello? Fruitcake? Oh, of course.] Elian couldn’t answer the system right now because... Well, he was occupied. Kyren grabbed his hand, lifting him off the bed and leading him toward his bathroom as the conjured food table disappeared. Elian dragged his leg along the marble hesitantly, his cheeks heating up. "I... I should really be checking up on Lucian and Axel now." He finally managed to say with a forced smile but Kyren’s grin was wider. "They’re adults. I’m sure they don’t need you checking up on them." Kyren whispered slyly, his red eyes glinting mischievously. But then he paused, slowly loosening his grip on Elian’s hand. "However, if you’d truly wish to bathe on your own then I’ll just..." Elian didn’t say anything, despite how much his cheeks flushed and how shaky his legs were getting. He could even feel an ache coming from his loins, and clenched his jaw trying to distract himself from it. But how could he with this hunk of a man in front of him? Experiencing Kyren’s childhood and how he ended up in the Dark Lands in the first place was... Eye-opening. It made him feel a connection with the rogue king unlike anything he’s felt before.
[ALERT! Scanners detected a burst of mana outside. Western end of the palace grounds.] [Definitely from sort of spell usage. Hello? Fruitcake? Oh, of course.] Elian couldn’t answer the system right now because... Well, he was occupied. Kyren grabbed his hand, lifting him off the bed and leading him toward his bathroom as the conjured food table disappeared. Elian dragged his leg along the marble hesitantly, his cheeks heating up. "I... I should really be checking up on Lucian and Axel now." He finally managed to say with a forced smile but Kyren’s grin was wider. "They’re adults. I’m sure they don’t need you checking up on them." Kyren whispered slyly, his red eyes glinting mischievously. But then he paused, slowly loosening his grip on Elian’s hand. "However, if you’d truly wish to bathe on your own then I’ll just..." Elian didn’t say anything, despite how much his cheeks flushed and how shaky his legs were getting. He could even feel an ache coming from his loins, and clenched his jaw trying to distract himself from it. But how could he with this hunk of a man in front of him? Experiencing Kyren’s childhood and how he ended up in the Dark Lands in the first place was... Eye-opening. It made him feel a connection with the rogue king unlike anything he’s felt before.
Right now the mate bond was thrumming with a magnetic need, pulling Elian to Kyren despite his mind’s reluctance.
[Ugh, in simpler terms, you’re a twink with an annoyingly high sex drive. Yay for you. Are you even interested in checking out that new "bond resonance" skill anymore?]
"Uh..." Elian parted his lips but no coherent words came out.
Kyren finally released his grip on him, leaving Elian’s hand cold and empty.
"I’ll leave you to it then," Kyren said smoothly, his smile even smoother as he gave Elian one last look before turning toward his room door.
The further he left, the emptier Elian felt, like he had forgotten something.
[Haven’t you had enough of that unholy dick for one day?]
Probably not...
"Wait," Elian called out just when Kyren’s hand lingered over the doorknob, forcing the latter to freeze.
The rogue king glanced over his shoulder, his eyes locking on him with a knowing glint.
Ugh, Elian hated that... But yet he couldn’t seem to get enough of it.
[The way he seems like he can read your soul? Yeah, I’d be scared if I were you.]
"H–How are you going to freshen up?" Elian found himself asking, trying not to be too direct. "I’m... I’m sure people out there will be able to smell me all over you and—"
"Good," Kyren muttered, his tone deadpan. "Let them."
Elian blinked, his breath hitching as they stared at each other for what felt like aeons.
But Kyren wasn’t done.
"Same way I wouldn’t mind them smelling me on you. I told you..." The rogue king grinned, his eyes sparkling with a dangerous light. "When we actually get enough time alone... I’ll claim you till all of Evaros knows our names. What happened in the garden maze was just a... Test run."
He gave one final smirk before opening the door, leaving Elian staring at him like a lost puppy.
But his reverie ended the second he caught a different scent.
Pine, incense and musk.
Since the survival mission at the hotel, his five senses had gotten a five-point boost. He was finally close to picking up scents as accurately as an average wolf.
.
So he knew that scent belonged to—
"Well, hello, Alpha Prince." Kyren let out a teasing gasp as Lucian came into view, walking into the room.
The Alpha Prince glared briefly at Kyren who merely smirked slyly, his crimson eyes flicking to Elian before he continued on his merry way.
Lucian sniffed when the rogue king was gone, his eyes narrowing on Elian.
Then realisation flashed in his silver gaze, his lips parting like he was trying to find the right words.
"You... And lord Kyren." Lucian sputtered, closing his eyes briefly and shaking his head. "Never mind."
He closed the door behind him, scanning his gaze on Elian. "Did you notice anything odd? Or anyone sneaking around?"
Elian’s brows furrowed with confusion until the system alerted him.
[This probably has something to do with the magic spell I sensed earlier.]
"N–No." Elian shook his head, arching an eyebrow. "Kyren and I have been in here for a while."
Lucian’s eyes flashed with surprise before he sniggered dryly. "Oh, sorry. I’m just... Stunned at how quickly you’ve begun referring to him by his name. No titles. Almost like you two have been seeing each other all this time."
[News flash: They have. But not in the way he might think.]
Elian brushed his hand through his hair, letting out a sigh. "Yes, Lucian. I told you and Axel how special the bond between Kyren and me is. It... Allowed me to visit him through my consciousness."
He paused, biting his bottom lip. "That’s the best I can explain but—"
"You still kept it away from us for days." Lucian interrupted, causing Elian’s jaw to clench.
He’d had about enough.
"And I’ve been mates with you and Axel for what? Three days?" Elian scoffed, taking a step forward. "Why are you acting like I’ve kept a secret all our lives?"
Lucian’s fists curled beside him, his silver eyes scanning Elian’s face.
And then—
"Remember how you felt when you thought I was sleeping with Estella?" Lucian asked, a bitter smile on his face. "That’s how I feel right now. As if seeing you with Axel constantly wasn’t enough. As if knowing he knotted you wasn’t enough—"
"Lucian, stop—" Elian looked away from him but he didn’t stop.
"Now the sovereign of the Dark Lands is here to lay claim to you. On my mate."
Elian clicked his tongue, whipping his head back to him.
[Host’s heart rate spiking. Deep breaths, fruitcake.]
He ignored the system, straightening his back. "I can’t reject any of you, Lucian. That’s how the bond works. If not I’d have given you the freedom of rejecting you so you wouldn’t have to feel so trapped."
Lucian’s shoulders dropped, his eyes flashing with a hurt Elian never expected to see.
"Trapped," Lucian repeated the words, nodding once. "Right... Maybe we are. But I sure as hell wouldn’t let others toy around with what’s mine."
He didn’t say anything else, turning around and waltzing to the door.
"Wait, Lucian!" Elian called out but he’d already stepped out and closed the door with a bang.
Elian stood there with a numbing feeling eating at his chest.
[That’s called guilt. But anyway, we have some things to catch you up on. Like... The Bond Resonance skill. That should brighten your mood.]
Elian turned to face his bed, unable to say anything as the system loaded a screen in front of his face.
How long could he keep juggling three mates?