As night fell at the Grimwood Mansion, silence spread through the dark corridors as the servants closed the curtains and dimmed the lamps. During dinner, Lucian also remained silent, still pondering the information he gained that afternoon.
Cassander hinted that the letter was a lie, part of a plan to find out who would be trying to drive away Lucian. The prince knew very well who they was and why, after all the puppet label still haunted him no matter how much he tried to run away.
The villain of the story.
The person who was thirsty for Lucian's power. He would not be surprised if he thought that the secluded life of the Eighth Prince occurred because the villain wanted to manipulate him forever. It made sense that this person would do whatever he could to forge evidence and manipulate Lucian into thinking no one in the Imperial Palace, or the world, would love him.
The Eighth Prince fell in that hole. But the Lucian of now would not fall.
Not when he knew who it was.
But still, it was strange that Cassander came up with a plan to find out who was trying to brainwash the Eighth Prince. After all, he did not appear in the original story trying to hunt down the villain.
Haa... so many intrigues taking place behind the scenes of that story.
A pair of fingers held Lucian's chin, raising it to force him to face the omega. The serious crimson eyes woke the prince of daydreaming, being surprised to be no longer in the dining room, and yes, in his shared room.
"You're frowning again, Lucian."
"Yes? I must be too tired."
"I heard the Consort came here while I was away. Is that what bothers you?"
Lucian should not judge your husband's information network. Of course he would know about the unexpected visit. Releasing a muffled laugh, Lucian pulled Magnus's hand away from his chin, holding it against his palm, where Lucian rubbed his thumb gently.
"He came to ask me to accompany him at the Countess Sahana's tea party. He said that she intends to announce Dáhlia's engagement."
"Ha... this seems fun to me" smiled Magnus, with some malice.
"I was surprised to hear that she would throw a party even after what happened with Elyon..."
Magnus wrapped his fingers between those of Lucian and took a step forward, getting between his husband's thighs.
"The person behind all this mess of smuggling and your brother's death... we do not know who it is, and so the information must remain confidential."
"That's what Cassander said, and I get it. It's just, isn't it weird? Also, I commented on the letter and he said it was forged to know who would deliver it to me."
"Hm... this is getting interesting." Magnus slipped his fingers on the back of Lucian's head, intertwining them in his hair, gently sliding through his softness "I have the impression that your father is trying to get closer to you."
"I don't think members of the Imperial Family and happy family fit in the same sentence."
Magnus' lips curled into a smile.
"You're right, but I've heard Cadec say about the concern that the Consort has for you. Maybe because he's your father, I don't know."
Lucian wanted to say that it did not make the least sense, but he could not give an opinion when he did not know the story of the character he has. Sighing low, Lucian tilted his head leaning on Magnus' belly.
"I'm feeling tired... don't know what to do."
"Did you have any vision about this party?"
"No. But I know I should go to represent our house."
A hint of pride shone on Magnus's face. The omega sat on the groom's lap and wrapped his arms around his neck, surprising Lucian by the sudden proximity.
"Now, are you trying to redeem yourself?"
"I'm just doing my duty as your husband."
"I like it that way. Let's leave this story behind, at least for now. I am a wounded husband in need of my alpha's care, and I would love to see your obsession with me right now."
A shiver went up Lucian's back, which increased the smile of his husband.
Now that he realize, they were closer than before, right? I mean, Magnus treated him with derision before. A contractual relationship where both wore and there were no feelings.
But now there he was hugging the waist of his omega, which covered him with its smell and was still sharp for trying to save Stephen at the hunting festival. Their relationship changed, although Lucian still can't say that Magnus loved him back.
Not that it mattered. Lucian would love him for both.
The feelings growing inside him made him happy. Lucian squeezed his fingers on Magnus' waist, drawing out a sigh. Felt him tremble under your touch. With a smile on his lips, the alpha approached the face of the target's neck, where he left wet and soft kisses on warm skin.
"Magnus, what do you feel for me?" Lucian asked while nibbling on the bridegroom's lobe "Did I win your heart? Did I make you realize that I am the best for you?"
Magnus closed his eyes when Lucian nibbled on his ear. The hot tongue and wet lips caused intense shivering in the omega, which further released its pheromones to cover the alpha.
"Don't waste your time asking useless questions, Lucian."
"You asked me to show my obsession", Lucian turned away his face to look at him so closely, to the point of his hot breath going against Magnus' skin "What can I do when my obsession cries out for your devotion to me?"
"I must say that your obsession is greedy."
Uttering a low laugh, Lucian rubbed his fingers under Magnus' shirt. His fingers caressed the omega's soft and warm skin, and his lips played on those of the omega in a provocative brushing.
Could feel Magnus' desire. The omega stared at his lips and released more of his pheromones just to seduce him. That sneaky snake that enveloped him and strained him to fall on his knees before his lover.
Pulling Magnus hard against him, Lucian forgot for a minute about the wounds of the husband. But there was no way to fight against the desire that he felt for the villain when he could feel his heat, his heart beating against his chest, his intoxicating smell and hands caressing his neck and his hair.
"Kiss me, alpha, and forget anything about the world."
That supplication sounded like an order. An order that Lucian would obey without blinking.
Their lips met. Soft, slow and wet. The prince climbed his bare hand on the back of the husband, raising his shirt without caring to wring it. He pulled Magnus against himself and heard him gasp between the kiss, settling on his lap and leaving his legs on either side of Lucian's waist.
They fit so perfectly.
Lucian squeezed Magnus' waist, pulling him more and more as if he needed to feel every inch of his body, every curve and every heartbeat. Merging would be insufficient to satisfy the desire to possess it. At least he could find some cherish when he heard the omega moan and hiss between his lips, responding savoury to its touch.
The aroma of wine became strong. Lucian was getting drunk.
Leaving Magnus's lips in peace, the prince lowered his lips down his warm neck where his teeth pinched and his mouth marked him. The reddish skin was a clear sign that he belonged to him, further clouding his senses and making him crave for more and more.
"Let's get rid of that, shall we?", Lucian whispered as his fingers wrapped around the buttons on Magnus' shirt.
"Already want to see me naked? Every day that passes, you seem less patient in the preliminaries."
"If it provokes me with your smell and your kiss, then I hope you'll hold my thirst for you, Magnus" The alpha rubbed his thumb through the swollen and wet lip of the omega, hearing him snort "After all, you are the one who wants to distract me from this damn noisy world, isn't it?"
Little matter the intentions of Cassander, or the tea party of a woman who has just lost her son in a murder. It didn't matter if Lucian was worried about the future of history.
Little did the world outside.
For the Eighth Prince, what mattered at that moment was to follow his instinct and fall on that hot body that seduced him shamelessly. Was it a sudden change? It was, but who would care? A night of pleasure would be more welcome than a night of worry.
When it was past midnight, where silence covered the Grimwood Mansion making it dark and ghostly, Lucian distributed kisses and death on Magnus's back under the sheets. His hand overlaid that of the lover, intertwining fingers and making him their hostage in bed. He was careful not to touch his wounds and not force Magnus into uncomfortable positions. After all, he was still recovering.
Only that they were already too impatient to stay more days of shelter.
Lucian did not leave any free space in his husband's body. He bit him, left traces of his obsession and demonstrated with every move how devoted he was to his husband.
How much he would accept being distracted by Magnus that night.
"You're unexpectedly docile tonight, Magnus", Lucian whispered husky in your ear, moving his hip against Magnus' one pulling out a moan of his "Tell me, what made him so docile to your alpha?"
"Hnhg" the omega moaned once again, his body getting hot with his pheromones exploding and spreading through the room "Alpha..."
"Hm hm, I like when you call me that."
Lucian's fingers went up Magnus' neck, holding his chin to turn his face over his shoulder and stare at him. Lucian smiled, his long hair tickled Magnus' neck.
"Say it again. I'll reward you for being a good omega."
"Alpha..."
Lucian laughed before kissing and penetrating him. The body of his omega seemed to catch fire as they leaned in. Between the kiss, he felt a despair coming from his omega. Lucian needed to control himself a little more while moving his hip slowly, and even if he would move away to observe how their bodies united beautifully in the partial darkness of that room, with only one lamp lit... nothing would be more beautiful than your husband.
Magnus on his back, full of bites and hickeys. Moaning with the face red with shame and pleasure. His skin shuddered. His crimson eyes did not abandon the alpha.
That was the villain of the story whose end was tragic.
And Lucian possessed him.
Lucian took it for himself.
That realization generated a wave of euphoria within your body, which made Lucian move more intensely and fill your partner with its volume. The plug dropped making him euphoric to take it with more desire and more anxiety.
Lucian did not abandon his husband's body that morning.
Did not let him sleep until his desire and obsession were satisfied by the body, smell and touch of Magnus.
He just wanted it more and more. He just wanted it forever.
That he could never leave the side of Magnus Grimwood.