The Alpha's Temptation

Biham tilted his head and raised an eyebrow at Haftr's question. For a moment he became quiet, stunned at Haftr's inquiry about the economy of Pegasii. The way he talked it sounded as if he was trying to compare himself with the king. Biham relaxed on his chair and said, "Pegasii's economy is doing great. We have about sixteen Nephthilium mines, two gold mines, four diamond mines and about a dozen iron ore mines. The kingdom boasts of a fleet of hundred ships in the Jade Sea and about five dozen in the Shining Sea. Other than that, the agriculture is doing wonderful and so the peasants are paying taxes at the right time. The food storage is full of various grains and--"

"I think he got it," Eltanin chuckled, cutting off Biham mid-sentence. He saw how Haftr was shrinking in his place. His face had become small.

Biham's lips curled up. "Would you like to know more, Lord Haftr? I haven't started with the natural dye business that our traders thrive in."

"No, I am fine," Haftr replied. He turned to Eltanin and said, "And I believe your kingdom is doing the same."

It was such a ridiculous question that Eltanin didn't even want to answer him. He took a deep breath in and narrowed his eyes. A moment later he said, "Let's just put it like this Lord Haftr. Draka has about thirty nobles and under each noble there are roughly about twenty to thirty lords."

Lord Haftr shrank further. The whole place became quiet. Both Eltanin and Biham glared at Haftr. When Haftr couldn't take it anymore, he said, "I hope you know why Lord Krail has called me."

Biham clenched his jaws but remained silent.

"Kinshra is my betrothed," Lord Haftr said.

When those words fell on his ears, Biham thought he was going to claw the lord and take his heart out and shove it in his mouth. Anger blasted inside him and Haftr bathed in crimson.

Haftr continued, "Ever since she was rejected by you, she had undergone serious depression. Now I don't know much as to why you rejected her because she didn't tell me much. But if I were you, I would have never ever rejected a mate because they are so rare in the Lore. I pity you more because deities gave you a chance of having a mate and that too from a different realm. Instead of accepting her as your queen, instead of giving her the pleasure that you were supposed to give, you rejected her. So, I am sure that you are now enjoying it with your wife because obviously she must be much better than Kinshra."

Every kernel of anger dissipated. Biham's chest constricted with misery. Haftr was right. Mates were rare in the Lore and he happened to reject his. Surely, it was a twist of fate.

"It took a long time for Kinshra to get over rejection. On top of that, her father banned her from getting her only child. The reason was simple--he was furious that she went against him and stayed with you. He wanted her to give the child back to you and come to Vilinski. However, as the events would turn out, I believe that Lusitania was hidden by her maid and you thought she was dead."

Biham shifted in his seat as emotions choked his throat. In a hoarse voice he said, "Why are you repeating all that I already know?"

Haftr pursed his lips and let out a rough exhale. "Kinshra was only seventeen at that time. Lord Krail wanted her to marry someone as soon as possible, but the girl stayed firm and didn't marry anyone. I believe that she was looking for closure." He got up and walked to the window. A languid blizzard had started and soft snowflakes had started accumulating on the ledge. He looked outside in the deep gray and white of Kral. "I have known Kinshra for over ten years now. When her father introduced us, she was like a delicate flower who was broken on the inside. It was difficult for her to move on. However, over the years I have seen her coming out of her shell and it gives me immense pleasure to be with her or see her smiling." He rubbed his chest and then slowly turned to look at Biham.

Eltanin felt like he shouldn't be there. It was a matter that had to be sorted between these two men. He lowered his face and looked in his lap. All he could wish was that the three people involved in this triangle got what each of them deserved the best. He got up and said, "I will be waiting for you in the guestroom..." Saying that he left, feeling every bit of luck to have found Tania as his mate. He was never going to leave her. Even after death.

Haftr watched him leaving. He turned to Biham and continued, "Kinshra has been with me for the last ten years and all these years I have waited for her to say yes to me. I could have married any woman I wanted to, but--" anxiety bubbled in him. "--but I waited for her because I love her. There is not a day when I don't think about her." He clasped his hands at the back and walked back to the chair where he was sitting. "When I heard that you are coming, I won't lie by saying that I wasn't worried. After all you've been her mate and father of her only child." He scoffed. "There was a point of time when I even suggested to her that I will go to bring her baby back and that I would father her, but Kinshra's father didn't allow me to open the portals to Araniea."

"Kinshra was very happy when she learned that you were coming back along with Lusitania. I have never seen her so happy in all the time I have been with her." His throat bobbed with sad emotion. "She was looking forward to it. She had even said that she was not going to let Lusitania go back now." He chuckled. "I don't think she will stop Lusitania from going back. It is clear that Eltanin and she are mated and in love. But as for you, I don't know what stand she has taken for you." Haftr stared at Biham as if it were a duel, he would have drawn swords already. "Seeing you over here is giving me anxieties I had never known before. And so when Lord Krail told me that you have come to Kral, I left my work and headed here. I had to see you and Lusitania."

Biham was listening to him but his mind was in a turmoil. He crossed his legs and then uncrossed them.

"Lusitania is a lovely child. It has been sad that she had to go through every misery we don't even think about for our servants." He lowered his face and shook his head. "I can't believe what I am about to say to you, but anyway I will say it." He looked up at Biham and a weak smile came on his lips.