Chapter 182

Lucien caught Elain when she jumped at him, and he wrapped his arms around her as she pressed her face into his neck. He could hear her heart beating almost erratically, and he could feel her driving need to ensure that everyone around them could see that he belonged to her. "Lucien…" she breathed, and he could feel her hot breath against his skin.

"I know." He replied gently, his hands moving soothingly up and down her back. "It's the bond. It's okay, just don't fight it. Embrace it." Lucien could hear Elain's heart slow just a little, and she relaxed against him, her arms loosening around him. He set her carefully back on the floor, his arms still around her, his hand still moving over her and, after a moment, she looked up to meet his eyes. "Still yours." He told her, and she smiled softly.

"Sorry…" she breathed, "I…"

Lucien cut her off by bending and pressing his lips to hers. She had absolutely no reason to apologise. He rather enjoyed knowing that she would act to ensure that everyone knew that she was his mate, and that she wouldn't just sit to the side while she thought others might try something on him. If anyone had any doubts about them, he wanted them to know just much they were enamoured with one another.

When he felt Elain's heartbeat flutter, Lucien slipped one of his hands around her waist, half lifting her to himself, and making sure that everyone could see that she was pressed firmly to him. Then, he slowly moved to deepen the kiss, his own heart quickening when Elain allowed him to do exactly as he desired. He could hear the soft murmurs around them, and he couldn't have given less of a fuck. As his tongue swept her mouth, Lucien felt Elain's hands clutch at his shoulders, taking handfuls of his shirt and gripping tightly. He could feel her responding to him, pressing closer, and he could feel her resisting the urge to lift one of her legs and hook it around him. Remembering that Elain had never been one for public displays of affection like this, he went to pull back just a little, not wanting to push her into something that she didn't want. As he went to move back though, Elain pulled him closer again and he could feel her trying to draw him in. He went without complaint.

Much of the Court was watching them, Elain could feel dozens of pairs of eyes upon them, and she didn't care. She would have, even a week ago. She would have wanted to end this for now, and save it for when she and Lucien were alone. Now, however, she wanted everyone in this room to see them. She was Lucien's mate. He was hers. They had to respect that. If that meant that she was going to have to kiss him, run her hands over him, somewhere that they could all see, then so be it. Elain would much prefer that than to sit on the couch nearby and allow all of those females to surround him, able to scent their interest in him from across the room while she did nothing but smile and act as if it didn't make her want to smack each and every one of them.

"Mate." Lucien whispered, his lips now at her ear. She shuddered when he shifted to softly kiss the side of her throat. "Do you feel better?"

"Yes." She truly did. The urge within her to get to him, to claim him in front of the others, had abated and she held tightly to him now just enjoying the feeling of holding him close.

"Let me know when you wish to retire for the evening." His lips continued to move down her throat and, when Elain allowed her eyes to scan the room, she could see several pairs of eyes still directed their way. Noting the way that several females continued to track Lucien, Elain unleashed a soft snarl.

"Now?" she asked, wanting to get him out of this room. She wanted her mate somewhere out of prying eyes. She hesitated then, however. Had he been planning to speak with his mother this evening? She had decided that she would wait for tomorrow to speak with Nesta, but perhaps Lucien had wanted to act sooner than she did. He was nodding, though. Then he released his hold on her waist and took her hand in one of his large hands.

"Sounds good to me, Petal."

Elain let Lucien pull her swiftly from the room, and she cast only a single glance over her shoulder at the rest of the room. Nesta was watching her, an odd look on her face, but her sister said or did nothing, and then Elain was out in the hallway with Lucien and she forgot all about what Nesta had been thinking. "Lucien…"

"Yes?" he asked, and she met his eyes as he walked.

"You don't mind?" she asked, "Leaving so early?"

"I think I would rather be alone with you than in a room full of strangers." He smiled at her, "You were okay leaving Nesta?"

"Yes. I… I want…"

"I see." Lucien nodded, and Elain wondered how he could possibly see when she hadn't been able to articulate it. "You want to be mine."

"I am yours." She breathed, "You are mine…"

"You want the bond."

"Yes…" she didn't know how he knew what she wanted, especially when she hadn't been able to say it, not knowing what was driving her to begin with. She was confused about what was swirling inside of her, but she was thankful that Lucien was apparently on board with whatever it was.

When he opened the door to their sweet, Elain let him lead her inside and she turned to look at him when he closed and locked the door. Something inside of Elain had her pulling the laces of her dress loose, and then Lucien strode toward her, his hands sliding up under the dress, up her thighs. He lifted her to himself and then carried her across the room.

Elain was wet before Lucien put her back on her feet before the bed. The aching need between her thighs made it clear to her what she wanted, even as Lucien brought both of his hands up to her face, brushing her hair back, an instant before he kissed her ever so lightly. His hands were gentle on her, sliding down to brush the dress from her shoulders, and then allowing it to fall down her body to pool at her feet. Lucien looked at her then, and something made her clear her throat as she looked up at him and spoke words that surprised even herself as they came forth. "I don't want gentle."

She saw him blink, and she watched his expression as he took in those words. Elain wondered for a moment what Lucien might say in response, if he would agree or ask her if she was certain. He didn't say a thing, however. When Lucien moved, his hands shot out to take her firmly by her bare shoulders and he spun her around so that her back was to his chest. Elain's eyes closed as his hands moved over her then. His touch was not gentle as his fingers traced her ribs, moving lower and then between her thighs as he explored her. Heat flared within Elain, and she knew that she was growing more wet by the second.

When Lucien's hands moved back up her body, Elain's eyes flew open as he clutched roughly at one of her breasts, and she gave a gasp. Lucien's other hand went suddenly to her shoulder, and then he had forced her face down onto the mattress, kicking her feet apart with his own. Elain gasped again, and then she felt a brush from Lucien down the bond, and knew that he was trying to determine if she was okay with this, and if this was what she had wanted. It was. Want flowed through her, filling every part of her with heat and excitement, and she sent all of that down the bond to her mate.