Challenging Tradition

As Lucian crossed the threshold of his once-familiar home, his heart raced with anticipation as he hurried through the halls, desperately searching for the faces he believed he had lost forever. The air carried a certain nostalgic scent he had long forgotten, igniting a flicker of hope in his eyes.

And there, emerging from around the winding corridor, was his cousin Cheyenne. Overwhelmed by a surge of emotions, Lucian sprinted toward her, his arms eagerly enveloping her in an ecstatic embrace, twirling her around in pure elation.

"Cheyenne, is it really you?" Lucian's voice trembled with a potent mix of disbelief and joy.

Utterly bewildered, Cheyenne struggled to make sense of Lucian's peculiar behavior, attempting to break free from his unexpectedly firm grip. "Well, who the hell else would it be?"

"I missed you, Cheyenne," Lucian's words dripped with sentiment, his tone heavy and heartfelt.

"Missed me? You've only been gone for a couple of hours," Cheyenne retorted, her voice tinged with confusion. "What the hell has gotten into you?"

Lucian chuckled, a realization dawning upon him of how trivial his absence must have appeared to her. "You're right, just a couple of hours."

"So, did you have a good time with your little mutt?" She taunted.

Lucian's smile quickly faded, his heart aching at the mention of that awful derogatory slur. "Don't call her that, Cheyenne. She has a name."

Cheyenne was taken aback by his response, her eyes widening in surprise. "But we always call her that because that's what she is. It's what they all are."

"No, Cheyenne," Lucian's voice grew firm. "They are people with feelings, dreams, and purpose, just like us. They deserve to be recognized as such."

Cheyenne erupted in a breathless laugh. "Okay, seriously, who the hell are you, and what have you done with my cousin?"

"Cheyenne, I don't really know how else to say this, so I'm just going to say it: Visenya is my complement. And I know it sounds crazy and unheard of, but it's the truth. Most importantly, you need to understand that I don't care what you or anyone else thinks about our union, because Visenya means the world to me. And soon, everyone will know that she's mine, and I'm hers."

Cheyenne stood there, mouth agape, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Whoa... you're dead serious, aren't you?"

"Yes," Lucian replied, his voice brimming with sincerity.

"Well, then, there's something that you need to understand because I think you have me all wrong. You're not just my cousin, you're my best friend. In fact, you and Mason are like brothers to me, and I would never oppose anything that made you happy. To be quite honest with you, I never had anything against Visenya... I thought she was a pretty sweet girl, actually. I only picked on her because you did," Cheyenne confessed.

"Really?" Lucian's voice carried both surprise and relief.

"Yeah," Cheyenne nodded. "I kind of just went along with everything you did. Believe it or not, I look up to you."

"Well, I was a lousy role model, I'll tell you that. But I’m going to be setting a much better example," Lucian declared.

"You lead, and I'll follow, cousin," Cheyenne encouraged. "Wow... Visenya, huh? Is that why you've been so obsessed with her? You were crushing on her, weren't you? You were crushing bad." Her voice oozed with curiosity and understanding.

"Crushing is an understatement," Lucian emphasized. "I haven't told her yet, so I'd appreciate it if you kept this between us."

"You haven't told her?" Cheyenne asked, her voice rising with surprise.

"No... I may just wait until the full moon... let her discover it for herself. I really don’t know how she’s going to feel about it. I haven't been the nicest person to her, you know?" Lucian's words trailed off, his voice filled with uncertainty and a touch of regret.

"Well, you better crank up the charm at tomorrow night's banquet because, from what I can see, you have some serious competition," Cheyenne warned.

"Who? Caspian?" Lucian asked. "Nah, I'm not worried about him. I have a gut feeling that he'll be preoccupied with someone else," he said, an amused smile forming on his face.

"I don't know about that. Caspian never leaves her side, but I have complete faith in you, cousin. And I can see a major shift in you. It's like... you're a whole new person. I like it, and I know she will too."

"Thanks, Cheyenne," Lucian replied gratefully.

"Wow, I still can't wrap my head around the fact that Visenya is your complement. You are one lucky dragon. Visenya is not just hot, she's smoking," she added, her voice laced with a touch of envy.

Lucian side-eyed her, his expression a mix of protectiveness and possessiveness. "Don't call my mate hot.”

"It's true though... I hope all my future wives are as hot as she is," she playfully taunted, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Lucian couldn't help but let out a genuine laugh, thoroughly amused by his cousin's humor. Yet, beneath his amusement, he still grappled with the overwhelming reality that this wasn't just a surreal dream.

And then, in a moment of sheer serendipity, his brother, Mason, appeared right before his eyes. A tumultuous wave of emotions crashed over him, rendering him completely still.

There he stood, tears welling up in his eyes, and his heart constricting in his chest—utterly overwhelmed by the sight of his beloved little brother.

“Mason…” Lucian’s voice caught in his throat.

Mason stopped in his tracks, looking up at his brother through wary eyes, as if he were wondering what he had done wrong this time.

"Do you mind giving us a moment alone, Cheyenne?" Lucian asked.

Cheyenne sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Take all the moments you need. I'm going to bed," she replied, her words carrying a touch of resignation. "See you in the morning."

"Good night, Cheyenne," Lucian said, his gaze lingering on his little brother.

Mason's voice trembled with guilt as he asked, "Are you still mad at me?"

Lucian's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Mad at you? Why would I be mad at you?"

Mason's voice quivered as he admitted, "Because I broke the pocket watch that father gave you."

Lucian reached into his pocket and pulled out the same watch that he had placed at his brother’s grave on that rainy and dreary day. He remembered it vividly now; his brother had taken his watch without permission and accidentally dropped it, causing the glass to crack and the inner mechanisms to become misaligned.

"I don't care about the damn watch, Mason," Lucian said, his voice strained with regret.

"You don’t?" Mason asked with uncertainty. "But you were so furious. You told me that my very existence irritated you."

Lucian felt a heavy weight settle in his chest, his heart aching with remorse. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the painful echo of his own words. "I should have never said that to you, Mason. It was completely uncalled for, and I certainly didn't mean it."

"Well, I shouldn't have touched your things either," Mason admitted with a tinge of guilt.

Lucian nodded, his voice filled with understanding. "Yes, you're right. You should definitely ask me first, but that doesn't excuse my outburst. I shouldn't have yelled at you and said such harsh words because, at the end of the day, they're just things... replaceable things. But you, Mason... there is nothing that will ever replace you."

Mason's teary eyes widened, as a mix of surprise and solace washed over him. "You mean that?"

A warm smile curved Lucian's lips as he pulled Mason into his chest, enveloping him in a comforting embrace. "Of course, I do," he assured, his voice filled with sincerity. "I promise you, from now on I'll be the best big brother you've ever had."

Mason giggled, his twinkling eyes gazing back up at Lucian. "You're the only big brother I've ever had."

“Well, I better get this right then,” Lucian chuckled. “And you know what? I’ll have the watchmaker fix this right up, and when he does, it's all yours.”

“Really?!” Mason's eyes lit up with excitement.

“Yes,” Lucian replied. “I know how much you admire it.”

Mason buried his face in Lucian’s chest. “Thanks, Lucian.”

“You’re welcome,” Lucian said, his voice filled with warmth. “I love you, Mason.”

Another glint of surprise shone in Mason's eyes. “I love you too.”

Lucian tucked Mason into bed and even read him a bedtime story until he drifted off to sleep. Quietly, he left his brother's chambers, his heart brimming with anticipation for the new day ahead and the joy of seeing his beautiful Visenya in the morning. However, there was one person he needed to speak to before retiring for the night — his father.

He approached his father's study, drawn by the warm glow seeping from beneath the door. It was a clear sign that his father was inside, spending yet another sleepless night since his mother's unfortunate departure. With a gentle knock, the sound of his father's voice, granting entry, pierced his heart. It was a voice he had resigned himself to never hearing again.

As he entered the room, it was as if he was seeing his father in a new light, finally revealing hidden aspects that had eluded him until now. In that very moment, a wave of understanding washed over him, fostering a deep empathy for the profound changes that had occurred since his mother's passing. He had always perceived it as weakness, but now he truly grasped, from his own experience, the profound impact that losing a mate had on a person.

"Is everything alright, Lucian?" The Emperor inquired, noticing Lucian's distant gaze.

"Yes," Lucian approached his father, his voice filled with animation. "It's more than alright, I couldn't be better, in fact."

"Well, that's a relief, considering you weren't in the best of moods today," his father replied.

"Yeah... about that," Lucian’s voice was dressed with remorse. "I haven't really been a good son... not one worthy of your honor."

"Why are you talking like this?" His father asked, confusion in his tone. "Where is this all coming from?"

"Let’s just say, I've had a lot of time to think about how I've let you down," Lucian answered regrettably. "I'm not proud of the person I used to... the person I've been."

"Lucian, you are still a youngling and will live for many years. You will see things that change the very fabric of your being. I'm still a very young Dragon Lord, the youngest Emperor ever to rule, so even I know that I have a lot of growing to do."

"Do you miss her?" Lucian asked, his voice filled with vulnerability.

The Emperor was taken aback by the question. "Lucian..."

"Do you miss her, father?" Lucian repeated, his voice stern. "Because... I do, and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish I had hugged her, or done something nice for her... or told her how much she mattered."

Tears welled up in the Emperor's eyes, threatening to spill over, though he quickly averted his gaze, concealing his true feelings from his son. He walked over to the window, his eyes fixed upon the world outside. "Every waking second of every day," he finally confessed, his voice carrying his sorrow.

A heavy silence hung in the air, as both father and son struggled to collect themselves amidst the heavy topic of Lucian’s mother.

"I have found my complement," Lucian revealed.

The Emperor turned his attention back to his son, his eyes filled with curiosity. "Well, that's wonderful news, Lucian. Who is she?"

Lucian took a deep, steadying breath, bracing himself for whatever reaction he was about to receive. "King Ezra's daughter."

A look of disbelief crossed Emperor Caden's face. "That can’t be possible," he exclaimed. "Are you toying with me, son?"

"No, sir. I would never joke about something like this," Lucian replied earnestly.

"But... a dragon can't be mated to a Lycan," the emperor retorted.

"Well, this dragon is, and I'm going to accept her, if she accepts me, of course."

"Are you expecting her not to?"

"I'm honestly not really sure. I don't know how she'll react to her childhood bully turning out to be her fated mate. All I can do is hope she gives me a chance to prove my worth."

"Prove your worth?" The emperor scoffed. "You're a damn Dragon Lord, for crying out loud. She's just a Lycan; you don't have to give her a choice. She's your complement and, therefore, she belongs to you."

"She's not a piece of property, father. She deserves the right to choose me."

The emperor let out an exasperated sigh, his frustration evident in the lines etched on his face. "We're going to have to get the council involved.”

"Why the hell do we need to involve the council?" Lucian’s tone filled with incredulity.

"Because, Lucian, we have an interbred-mating mess on our hands," he replied, his gaze intense. "You want to accept her and mate with her, resulting in the creation of a whole new species. We need to consult with the council first."

"Consult with the council? Do you even hear yourself?" He spat, his voice dripping with defiance. "You're the Emperor Dragon! You shouldn't have to seek their approval for your own son. You should be supporting my decisions, not opposing them!" His tone softened slightly, revealing the hurt beneath his anger. "Are you with me or against me, father?"

"Of course, I'm with you, Lucian," the emperor insisted firmly. "I would never be against you."

Lucian let out a sigh of relief, his tension dissipating. "Look, can we please just keep this between us until Visenya learns that she and I are mates? I want to wait until the full moon when she gets her wolf."

The emperor nodded in agreement, understanding the importance of timing. "Yes, that's probably a good idea. I already have enough on my plate with both the Lycan and Vampire kings under the same roof tomorrow evening."

"We will revisit this after the banquet, then," Lucian said, a small smile of gratitude gracing his face as he headed towards the door.

With that, Lucian made his exit, leaving Emperor Caden alone with his thoughts. A heavy dose of turmoil washed over him at this new revelation, leaving him deep in contemplation.