Elian's POV
*****
"I—" His throat bobbed as he forced his lips into a sheepish smile under Lucian's gaze. "You're mistaken. You must have misheard me. I was… reciting something from the book. About, uh, mana core resonance. Yeah. All three resonating at once, that's what I meant."
Lucian's silver eyes narrowed like blades.
The Alpha Prince was never one to buy flimsy excuses, and Elian knew it. That cool gaze raked over him with such intensity that Elian felt exposed—like every thought in his head was about to be dragged into the open and picked apart.
"Core resonance," Lucian repeated slowly, his deep voice low enough to vibrate in Elian's chest. "That's a fascinating way to phrase it. Almost poetic. Tell me though…" He tilted his head. "Why did you look so guilty when I called you out?"
Elian's heart thudded painfully.
Damn it!
Lucian's wolf hearing and sharp instincts made lying to him nearly impossible. He needed to pivot, fast.
