Page 47 of Forbidden

He was in public. People were watching. His pride—his damnable, stupid pride—wouldn’t allow him to leave.

Lucien walked to the loveseat in the corner and sat down. He didn’t bother trying to join any of the groups of guests in the room. It was pointless. They would never accept him.

He didn’t care. He was stronger than that.

He repeated that as a mantra, but it was hard to believe when he felt painfully alone in a room full of people. When the only person who’d always made him feel safe and cherished was now marrying a kid half Lucien’s age—Lucien’s own brother.

Lucien didn’t look at them. He didn’t need to look to be painfully aware of Aksel’s every movement. He could see them in his peripheral vision, whirling around gracefully, Dylan’s slim body looking tiny compared to Aksel’s tall, muscular frame. They looked perfect together. Utterly perfect. Lucien’s father clearly thought so too, watching the dancing couple with a satisfied gleam in his eyes.

Lucien pulled out his phone and stared at it.

“All right, I’m sick of it,” Belinda said, plopping down next to Lucien.

Lucien kept his eyes on his phone. “Sick of what, sweetheart?”

“I’m sick and tired of keeping my mouth shut when you’re being so stupid!”

Lucien lifted his eyes to her. Belinda had grown into a beautiful omega, but she looked almost ugly now with her features twisted into a fierce scowl.

“Pardon?” he said, returning his gaze to his phone.

She snatched it from his hands. “Stop pretending to be busy! It’s driving me mad, your ice prince act!”

Lucien chuckled. “A prince? Hardly. I think you’re mixing me up with Haydn.”

“Ugh!” she nearly growled, before leaning in and saying into his ear, “Stop pretending that you don’t care that my brother is going to marry him.”

Lucien froze.

“I beg your pardon?” he said after a moment.

Belinda rolled her eyes. “Don’t. Please. I’m neither stupid nor blind, silly. I’ve known about the thing between you and Aksel for years!”

Lucien spluttered, his face burning as his mind struggled to catch up. “That’s—there wasn’t anything between us for years!”

“Weren’t you doing it for ages before Aksel left for the war?”

Lucien could only gape at her. “Of course not!” he choked out. “He hadn’t even presented yet!” he hissed, and then immediately realized his mistake. He should have said that he didn’t see Aksel that way, period.

Belinda shrugged, looking unconcerned. “It’s not like I’ve ever thought you were taking advantage of him.” She snorted. “It was obvious to anyone with eyes it was the other way around.”

Lucien stared at her, aghast. “There was nothing between us back then,” he said faintly, before correcting himself with, “There’s nothing between us now. Aksel is the son of my deceased husband. Nothing more.”

Sighing exasperatedly, Belinda muttered something under her breath. It didn’t sound very complimentary. “Lucien,” she said, rubbing at her temples. “Did you know that I had no idea what you actually smelled like before Aksel left for the army? I had no idea, because Aksel had scent-marked you all my life. You had been so drenched in his scent that I didn’t even recognize yours after he was gone.”

His face warm, Lucien averted his gaze. “That doesn’t mean anything.”

“Right,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Of course scent-marking means nothing. Especially for a Xeus alpha.”

Lucien turned his head to the window. “Please drop it. Please, sweetheart. He’s getting married. Go congratulate him.”

She sighed and wrapped her arm around his shoulders, leaning into him. “I just hate seeing you so sad,” she whispered. “You deserve better. I don’t know what caused the rift between you two, but I can see that you’re both miserable.”

“He’s perfectly fine, Belinda,” Lucien said tonelessly. “He’s having the time of his life with his future mate.”

Belinda scoffed. “Please. I can bet you anything that he’ll drop him in an instant for you. Just say the word, Lucien.”

“You don’t understand.”

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