The Alpha's Temptation

Comprising of golden roses and vines, the crown was beautiful. Eltanin took the crown in his hands. Tania lowered herself on her knees and bent her head forward. Eltanin placed the crown on her head and said, "Now you are the Queen of Draka and my heart. Rise, Queen Lusitania."

Lusitania was trembling when he placed the crown on her head. It was such an important moment of her life that goosebumps prickled her skin. A few months back she was just a slave with no family and only dungeons to go back to, but now-- now this slave girl had risen to be the queen of the most powerful king in Araniea. The feathers on her wings bristled with tension as she rose to her feet, her head still lowered.

She looked stunning. Eltanin's heart beat so fast that his blood thrummed in his ears. He lifted the veil of his wife. She was still looking down. He curled his fingers beneath her chin and lifted her face up. His lips parted and he said, "I love you." Her lips parted too and he crashed his lips on hers. With his thumbs he wiped a solitary tear that ran down on her cheek. He closed his eyes with deep satisfaction. When he pulled away from her, he held her hand and they turned to look at the courtiers. He raised her hand with his and declared, "Your Queen, Lusitania!"

There was a wide applause and all the courtiers knelt on the ground to vow their allegiance to Lusitania. Since Eltanin was already mated to her, it took less than a few seconds for them to pledge their allegiance to her. She could now hear all of them in her mind. Tania gasped when she heard their whispers in her mind. Eltanin squeezed her hand and said, "Open yourself for them, my Queen. It is important."

And Tania opened her mind to her subjects. She could feel something clicking in her mind, as if puzzles were getting snapped in the right boxes.

The whole ceremony lasted for over an hour but Tania stood beside Eltanin like a rock. He was so proud of her that he placed his arm around her shoulder. At the same time, he was extremely satisfied that Tania got the position and the place that rightly belonged to her. No more hiding.

Suddenly, from the corner of his eyes, he saw his mother. He snapped his head in that direction wondering if that was an imagination, but it wasn't. She was there and smiling at him. A wide smile spread on his lips. Stunned, he looked at his father, who was already gazing at his mate affectionately.

Taiyi walked to the dais and stood by her husband's side. It was a beautiful day. She hadn't been to Draka in so long. It always felt like home to her. It was a different thing that Alrakis was going to be with her permanently in a few days according to the promise he had made to her. She gazed at her mate and he placed his arm around her waist and kissed her temple. "I wasn't expecting you, Taiyi. You are so full of surprises."

"Have you forgotten your promise?" she asked.

"How can I? I know that you have come to collect me."

"Forever."

"Forever," he breathed and placed another kiss on her temple.

As soon as the ceremony was over, the guards opened the doors to the main hall. The King and Queen stepped down from the dais and started walking to the main hall. As they walked, magic sizzled in the air and rose petals started showering from the ceiling. Eltanin glanced at Kinshra who only giggled at him and shrugged. The family followed them. All the while as they walked through the court hall, all the nobles congratulated the king and the queen. They were all mesmerized by the procession of faes behind them, and were completely astounded by their fae queen.

Biham and Kinshra walked proudly after Alrakis and Taiyi. Lord Krail and Lady Jiada were after them followed by Ileus and Anastasia.

Ileus leaned over his wife and whispered, "Why don't we have an anniversary celebration? It will be wonderful."

"And what about the honeymoon after that?" she asked.

"Oh! That will be in Ixoviya. I have already found a great place!"

Anastasia jabbed an elbow in his chest. "I knew that more than an anniversary celebration, you would be interested in a honeymoon!"

While Eltanin and Tania went to the main hall for more introductions, Alrakis guided the family to a small parlor. He proudly introduced his wife to all of them. Taiyi was a sea goddess and for the first time she was meeting Anastasia who was also a deity. They bonded very well.

Taiyi really liked Kinshra's calm demeanor. She looked at Biham who was talking to Alrakis about some problem on the Aquila border and wondered how such a composed and level-headed person could be his mate. He was opposite to her in every sense. Yet he would glance at her every now and then.

"You must visit Stourin," said Taiyi to Kinshra. "You would love it."

"I will," Kinshra replied with a smile. "I have heard that it is a lovely place for shopping."

Taiyi chuckled. "It is." She could see where Tania's love for shopping had come from.

After Taiyi had got all the bottles from Menkar's drawer, she rushed back to the portal and then went back to Storin. Over there, she summoned the royal healer and asked him to identify the substances in the bottles and what was their effect. Menkar would never be able to imagine who had taken his bottles.

It was almost evening by the time the guests left. Tania was extremely tired, and Eltanin could clearly see that. There were some courtiers who hadn't left her side from a long time. So he just walked to her and picked her up in his arms. Very shamelessly, he said, "My queen needs rest." Tania blushed heavily as women around her tittered. Eltanin walked all the way back to the bedchamber, ending the meeting without a care in the world.