Lucian's POV
*****
"Your strikes are getting sloppy, Alpha Prince. Brute strength doesn't always get you anywhere." Beta Axel said calmly, blocking a strike from Lucian with his wooden sword.
The latter backed away, clenching his jaw as he glared at the Beta.
They were sparring in the palace's training room, a large room with a dome-like ceiling tens of meters high and several different equipment for training lined close to the walls.
Lucian was shirtless and sweaty, the beads of sweat sticking to him like a second skin. The white light shining from the crystals on the ceiling flickered briefly as he fixed his gaze on the Beta.
The Beta had a calm posture, his arms placed behind his back. He was also shirtless, his hairy chest filled with a few scars and marks earned from years of battle, his shoulder-length brown hair tied into a bun.
"Are you here to ogle at me or to fight, Lucian?" Axel barked, spreading his arms aside and swinging the wooden sword in his right hand.
Lucian's eyes glinted with a predatory light as he bolted forward, arriving inches away from Axel in the blink of an eye. He raised his wooden sword above his head, sending a vertical strike aimed at the Beta's head.
But the latter dodged with a side step, twisting his feet on the white padded ground and sending a soft strike at Lucian's shoulder with one fluid movement.
"Be careful of your posture and your footing... An enemy can easily use it to their advantage." Axel's voice echoed in Lucian's ears like a siren, aggravating him.
But before the Alpha Prince could straighten his spine, Axel sent a kick to his right knee, sending him falling to the ground with a thud.
"Focus, Alpha Prince!" Beta Axel barked. "What is getting you distracted?"
Lucian's eyes twitched as his wolf howled violently within his soul. He raised his head, glaring at the Beta with pure spite before getting on his feet.
Lucian gripped the wooden sword tightly in his two hands, pointing it at Beta Axel who raised an eyebrow, taking two steps back.
"Maybe it's because we're using wooden swords instead of the real deal," Lucian growled. "I'm tired of this. Let's use actual swords. I'm not a beginner."
"Yet here you are, unable to even keep up with a wooden sword." Axel scoffed, placing his right hand on his waist. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Lucian. A few moments on the battlefield don't automatically make you a seasoned warrior."
Lucian sniggered, shaking his head as he slowly lowered the wooden sword. His mind flashed back to the interaction with Elian during breakfast this morning.
It was brief, but he wouldn't lie to himself... He was barely able to concentrate after it. His dick was even hard at one point, forcing Lucian to take a breather before coming here to spar with Axel.
The Beta's shirtless form was... Intriguing. But it was far from a distraction.
"That assassin from this morning." Axel suddenly spoke stiffly, his expression serious. "If he had come after you in your sleep instead of Elian... Do you think you would've—"
"Don't you dare insult my capabilities, Beta," Lucian growled, flinging his wooden sword aside as he stepped forward, keeping eye contact with Axel. "What's your issue? Trying to make things harder for me because of your Omega mate?"
Axel arched an amused eyebrow. "Delusional as ever. It's OUR mate, Lucian. Elian is our mate, and you can't reject him. You better start getting used to it."
Lucian smirked, his mind reeling as he bared his teeth with a mocking grin. "And have you even kissed him? Have you tasted his lips?"
Axel's face remained calm but there was a flicker of something behind his golden eyes. Something violent, possessive.
"If you're trying to tell me you've kissed him already... That says more about you and the demons you're battling in that young head of yours than it does about me." Beta Axel said flatly, causing Lucian's hands to ball into fists.
But the Beta wasn't done. "How do you go from rejecting the poor boy in front of everyone at the mating ball last night and then proceeding to kiss him and now bragging about it?"
"I was not bragging!" Lucian snarled but Axel scoffed.
"Right... You just wanted to get a reaction from me. But guess what…?" Axel lowered the sword in his hands now, staring straight into Lucian's eyes. "You may have Elian's first kiss but you will never have his heart. Not like I do. Because you're incapable of caring about anyone but yourself."
Those words came like a slap on Lucian's face. His eyes twitched as a primal howl reverberated through his being from his wolf.
'Take him down!' his wolf roared but Lucian didn't need to be told twice.
He roared, charging forward and leaving nothing but a silver white blur behind.
He was upon Axel in the blink of an eye, sending a roundhouse kick aimed at his shoulder.
The Beta blocked the kick with his wooden sword at first, but then his golden eyes flashed with a predatory light as he flung the sword aside.
"Let's see if you're as good with your claws." Lucian snarled, stretching out his hands and bringing out his silver-coated claws.
He charged again at Axel, sending a slash at him, but the latter dodged by leaning backwards before sending a punch at Lucian's face.
The Alpha Prince stumbled backwards, but he was far from beaten.
He charged again, successfully sending a kick to the Beta's stomach, which the latter wasn't able to block on time.
He then leapt into the air, about to send a finishing slash at the Beta's head... But then his gaze flicked to the other end of the large training hall.
At the entrance door stood Aurora, disdain glinting in her silver eyes as she stared at him. And beside her was... Elian, his arms folded in front of his chest.
The Omega stood with a plain expression, although his violet eyes followed Lucian with a precision that surprised him.
Unfortunately, that brief moment of distraction was enough for Axel to grab Lucian's wrist mid-air and then fling him aside like a rag doll.
The Alpha Prince hurtled through the floor with a grunt, rolling several meters away from Axel.
He blinked, clenching his jaw as he raised his head and glared at Elian who gave him a sly smirk along with a wave.
"You little..." Lucian got on his feet, walking toward Elian and ignoring the way the latter flinched with shock.