The Alpha's Temptation

From the corner of her eyes, Sirrah saw Eltanin entering the main hall. He looked… happy and ethereal. Blue eather spilled out of the edges of his eyes like it was meant to be. There was a glow around his body. It was as if a God was walking amongst them. She had never seen him like this, and she was mesmerized. He was wearing black trousers, a black tunic and vambraces. He walked with confidence, but a silly smile played on his lips.

As soon as Alrakis saw him, a smile came across his lips too. The father and son embraced each other. Alrakis clapped his son's back and asked, "How was your night in the cave?"

"Fruitful," Eltanin replied as his smile turned into a grin. He didn't acknowledge Sirrah's presence.

Sirrah didn't understand. What did he mean by fruitful? Did he mate with someone? She shook her head. It couldn't be. After all, the king was a libertine. He must have been enjoying sex with a number of women out there.

"Is everything okay here?" asked Eltanin. He saw Fafnir rushing out the door with a letter in his hand.

"There has been quite a development," Alrakis replied as he settled on a cushioned chair.

Eltanin, too, sat down opposite to him, his shoulders drawn back. "What kind of development?"

Sirrah's anxiety rose to a new level. She was scared of his wrath over Morava.

"A servant girl of Pegasii was murdered and at first we all mistook her for Princess Lusitania," Alrakis said and pursed his lips as if stifling a smile. He looked at Sirrah. "Morava is missing too."

Eltanin raised an eyebrow. "Did you search for Princess Morava?" he asked. "There is something very important that needs to be solved here."

Sirrah's stomach knotted heavily. She knew what was coming.

Eltanin whipped his head and gave a lethal look at Sirrah. "Your daughter attempted to drug me. Morava mixed the drug in water and tried to get me to drink it." He leaned forward. "That accounts for a very serious crime, to which many of my men were a witness to."

How could Eltanin say that all the men in the fire festival were a witness to it? Her cheeks singed with shame once again, but she had to defend her only daughter. Additionally, there was no point in denying that she tried to drug him. "Morava is the princess of Pegasii, Your Highness," she said. "She wanted to be your mate. Such games aren't new amongst the royals. I have heard that Princess Eri had also tried to drug you and that she even jumped into your bed."

Eltanin rested his back on the sofa as he crossed his legs. Supporting his chin on his thumb and middle finger, he said, "Such games are good only if you don't get caught. If you are caught, you are in danger of being punished. In my kingdom, this crime warrants the death penalty."

She was shuddering on the inside. She had to save Morava. "If you do that, Pegasii will wage a war with Draka."

Eltanin chuckled, but the humor didn't reach his eyes. "And you think I am afraid of that?"

She was finding it hard not to shake with fear.

Eltanin turned to his father and said, "As soon as Morava is found, inform me."

"I will," Alrakis replied nonchalantly. He was so proud of his son that he was unable to take his eyes off him. It appears that he has marked his mate and that is why his body was glowing like that of a God, just like his mother. His eyes became misty, knowing that his life's main concern was over. Also, with the fact that he will now go on to live with his mate forever, made him extremely joyous. "What about Princess Tania?" asked Alrakis to his son.

Eltanin said, "She is—"

Sirrah cut him off. "She is absolutely fine. I am sure she is just with someone at the fire festival. After all, she was just a slave. She must be rutting around without a thought that she is the true heir of Pegasii!"

An ominous growl left Eltanin. "The last I heard was that it was Princess Morava who was rutting like a wild animal and Princess Tania was nowhere to be found."

Terror sliced through her, along with humiliation. She turned her head away, unable to answer him.

"We have requested Biham's company. Only he will be able to sort this matter. With each second that passes, I fear for Princess Lusitania," Alrakis said.

Sirrah hated every word that came out of his mouth. "You are unnecessarily coming in between the family, Alpha Alrakis," she snapped. "If two girls are having fun in the fire festival, then it shouldn't be publicized in his way. It is normal for people with a royal bloodline to sully! Hasn't your son had women in his life?"

"Sirrah!" Alrakis growled. "Before I lose my temper, I suggest that you go back to your guest room and don't come out until King Biham is here. Until then we will continue to look for both the princesses."

Sirrah was so scared that she immediately got up and rushed to her room.

Alrakis called from behind. "Don't you think of leaving Draka. It will not be taken lightly."

She scurried away.

Eltanin and Alrakis got up and walked out of the main hall. "We need to prepare for Biham. I hope we find Morava by that time!" Alrakis said, shaking his head. "She is such a pain in the ass!"

Eltanin burst out laughing. He had never seen his father so riled up over a person.

King Biham arrived later in the evening. He looked very tired and extremely worried. Alrakis received him. He took him to the meeting chamber without letting him wait for Sirrah.

"This is a very serious matter, King Biham," Alrakis said gravely. "We haven't found Princess Morava yet."

The door of the room opened and Sirrah entered. She was fidgeting with the sides of her gown. "You didn't even come to meet me, Biham?" she said in a polite voice.

"Where is Morava?" he growled. "And where is Lusitania?"

Sirrah lowered her eyes and thick drops of tears appeared on her eyelashes. "I have no idea where the two are. They are combing the entire Eslam for them."

Biham pounded the table so hard that everything on it jumped and rattled. "I had asked you to keep an eye on Tania!" he yelled at her.

"I did—" Sirrah cried. "What can I do if she doesn't want to listen to me? She never understood the gravity of the fact that she is a princess now. She disregarded me every time. As per your instructions, I was very patient with her, but what do you really expect from a slave who has just been elevated to the level of a princess? She has the behavior of a street urchin!"

Suddenly, Alrakis slid a letter to Biham. "We found this letter with a messenger on his way to the Hydra kingdom," he said. "The messenger was delivering it to a Nyxer."

Sirrah's blood drained from her face as she stared at the parchment that she had given to the messenger. With horror in her eyes, she looked at Alrakis whose face was hard and unrelenting. How did he get hold of it?

Biham picked it up to read.