Magnus' body began to warm, an intense heat rising through the skin as if burning from the inside out. Watching Lucian sleeping next to him awakened an urgency that he struggled to keep under control. The sight of the vulnerable alpha, resting carelessly, only fed the fire that was already growing in his chest. His pheromones were beginning to escape, stronger with each breath, covering Lucian like an invisible veil.
Magnus couldn't keep his hands off him. The soft touch of his fingers on Lucian's skin, the softness of his golden hair spread over the pillow... Everything in Lucian cried out for him, or at least that's how Magnus felt. His primal instinct roars, demanding that he claim the alpha completely, leaving no room for doubt. It was such a visceral desire that made him lose himself momentarily.
"Patience," he remembered. "Not yet." There was a bigger plan in mind.
Carefully, Magnus held Lucian in his arms, rising with him from the bed. The alpha was still sleeping deeply, exhausted from the rituals and revelations of the previous night. Magnus felt Lucian's body relaxed against his own, as if Lucian blindly trusted his touch. This made him smile.
As he walked through the temple, Magnus held his head high, ignoring the glances that inevitably fell upon them. The priests, known for their reverent silence and calm composure, now seemed restless. The sight of the Grand Duke, carrying the sleeping Saint in his arms, was a rare spectacle — and disturbing. There were murmurs. There was reproach in the looks. But Magnus didn't care. In fact, he almost delighted at the disapproval that emanated from those men.
"Let them look," he thought with a tip of satisfaction. "Let them speak. The saint belongs to me, not to you."
Each step echoed through the silent corridors. The fragrance of Magnus's pheromones, strong and intense, permeated the environment, leaving an invisible trail behind him. The aroma was irresistible, a constant reminder of his dominant presence, and seemed to hold the priests around hold their breath.
It was when he approached the exit that an imposing figure blocked his way. Emperor Rehael, the serious and unwavering look, was waiting for him with folded arms. Beside him, Cassander watched with an unfathomable expression, perhaps more worried than angry.
"What do you think you're doing, Grimwood?" Rehael's voice sounded calm, but there was a note of authority that could not be ignored.
Magnus paused for a moment, holding Lucian in his arms, but did not back down an inch. The crimson eyes shone with the heat of the drug that ran in his veins, making its presence even more intense. The smell of his pheromone seemed to intensify, filling the air with his possessive presence.
"I'm in my heat period" Magnus replied, his voice charged with a veiled threat. "I'll take my husband back home. Unless, of course, you prefer that... profane things happen here in the temple." A malicious smile formed on your lips.
Rehael was silent for a moment, his eyes riveted on Magnus's, assessing him. He knew it was useless to argue with the Grand Duke in that state. Any resistance would only make Magnus more stubborn.
"Ha... go." The Emperor sighed low, defeated. "But remember, Grimwood... don't hurt him."
Magnus's smile widened, more predatory now. "Hurt him?" he thought with a wave of pleasure running through his body. "I would never do that... unless he asked."
Without further words, Magnus continued on his way, passing by the Emperor and the other priests with his head held high. He felt their eyes burning on his back, but it only made him feel more pleasure. It was as if he had just claimed Lucian publicly, and the whole world now knew to whom the saint belonged.
Mounted on his horse, Magnus held Lucian firmly against his chest, the gentle smell of alpha mixing with the cold morning air. The way back to the Grimwood mansion was long, but the Grand Duke rode quickly without losing focus. The wind that was beating against his face was not the only reason for his heart to beat so hard; the anticipation of having Lucian entirely for himself, away from all critical eyes, made his blood boil.
It was not only an aphrodisiac that left him so alive, but also the idea of having "kidnapped" the saint from the temple to corrupt him for the next few days, and that all the priests would know this, because the rumors would spread. Knowing that he was cursed and cursed by the priests' anger was simply magical.
The horse trotted down the road crossing the city without blinking. Magnus kept his alpha asleep, knowing that exhaustion would not wake him up so soon. It was still a mystery to understand what happened to leave Lucian in such a deplorable state before...
The memory of him running towards you, hugging him tight as if it were his only hope. At the same time that filled him with pride and possessiveness, it was worrying.
If your husband was in need of something to distract, then Magnus would use his own body for it.
"Be patient," he repeated to himself, but the desire within him only grew. Lucian was still asleep, his soft breath against Magnus' neck. The Grimwood mansion soon appeared on the horizon, its tall and imposing gates opening to welcome them. When the horse crossed the heavy gates, they closed preventing any entry after their master. At the door of the Mansion, miles ahead, was the butler Carsen, waiting promptly.
"Your Grace." Carsen was waiting, with an attentive and professional expression, although his eyes watched Lucian in the arms of Magnus with a slight concern. "Did something happen?"
"Just the heat" replied Magnus, a restrained smile on his lips. "And you know what that means, Carsen."
The butler immediately understood the message.
"Yes, Your Grace. We will enter the cyclic mode."
The "cyclic mode" was an old code used by the Grimwood. It was a command that instructed all the servants to withdraw discreetly, leaving the upper floor in complete isolation for the couple during the heat period. Magnus didn't want any interruptions, and everyone knew that.
"I will ask the young Argus to prepare the meals of His Highness" continued Carsen, already making the necessary arrangements.
Magnus nodded, satisfied. As he walked through the mansion with Lucian still in his arms, he felt the heat increase within himself. Lucian's touch against his skin seemed to ignite every nerve, and the pheromones of both began to blend subtly, almost imperceptibly, but enough to light the spark of desire.
The Grand Duke crossed the vast hall of the mansion, climbing the stairs with firm steps, but the control he exhibited was increasingly difficult to maintain. He smelled the faint scent of Lucian's pheromones starting to emanate, slowly awakening the sleeping alpha.
"We're almost there..." Magnus whispered, his lips close to Lucian's ear, who moved slightly in his arms, still wrapped in the heat of exhaustion.
As soon as they got to the room, Magnus put Lucian carefully on the bed. The soft light of the morning barely penetrated the environment, creating a comfortable and private twilight. He watched for a moment, admiring the serene beauty of Lucian while he slept, his blond hair strewn on the pillow. For a moment, the desire to just contemplate him almost overcame the urge to claim what he considered his own.
But only for a moment.
Magnus sat next to the bed, his fingers lightly rubbing Lucian's jaw. The touch was soft, almost affectionate, but there was something more behind that gesture — a possessiveness he could not deny.
"My alpha..." Magnus muttered, his voice hoarse with desire. "Rest. When you wake up, everything will be as it should be."
Magnus wasn't just pleased to have him there. He wanted more. He always wanted more.
Hours later, when the Mansion plunged into silence after obeying his master's orders, Lucian finally opened his eyes. The malicious smile of Magnus widened and he slipped his fingers through the alpha's jaw, which took some time to really wake up.
"Magnus? What..."
"I kidnapped you" Whispered the omega dangerously "And now you must reward me for it."
Lucian looked around and seemed to recognize the room he shared with the omega, from which he had not returned for months. Then he turned to Magnus and opened a thin smile.
"I'm smelling you. Are you in your heat cycle?"
"Now, did you notice?" Magnus slipped his fingers down Lucian's neck, gently touching his bite to cause chills "You asked for my company. You begged me to distract you... so I will."
Lucian uttered a hoarse laugh, still sleepy and apparently weak. But he found a way to crawl on the bed and get in his husband's arms, holding his waist firmly, which surprised Magnus and caused shivers in his body.
"You're just perfect, dear. What would I be without you?" Lucian bent down and kissed his neck, behind his ear, only to hear Magnus suffocate a sigh "I intend to make good use of this distraction."