The Alpha's Temptation

Kypho was beginning to get restless. He clenched his jaws. A slight headache started forming.

"I gave them money for the drugs they supplied to me as and when I could. I never paid them!" he said glibly. "Platt and Nora wanted to go to Eridanus with me. I don't know anything else. I am being framed because of the stupid story I gave them." He chuckled humorlessly. "I am sure you won't buy that story from weed addicts like Platt and Nora. They would do anything to get themselves out of this tangle," Kypho explained.

Tania looked at Eltanin. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She said, "Now that is all the more weird. Why would you come to Draka just to get weeds from Platt? I am sure Eridanus must be having people who supply it? Or is it that Eridanus is clean of them?" She tapped her chin. "For the past ten years you were Platt's friend and that too only for weeds? That sounds like loads of bullshit!"

Kypho's eyes widened with surprise. Tania had... grown cleverer. She wasn't a naïve girl whom he could manipulate like before. He saw how her wings bristled behind her. He had been distracted by them form a long time. They were never there when she was in Cetus Monastery. He knew of her fae heritage, but he was sure that her wings would never come out.

"So?" Tania raised her eyebrow. "Tell us what you are hiding, else we have ways!"

"I am not hiding anything. I am not who you are looking for. You have arrested me and I am sure it is a case of mistaken identity!" Kypho cried a protest.

Tania scoffed. "Who said that we have arrested you on the basis of mistaken identity? How can you be so sure? Maybe we have arrested you because we wanted to."

Kypho bit his tongue. "I--"

Tania put her hand up and stopped him. She looked at Fafnir who was standing there all the time. "Take this cold hearted bastard to the dungeons. His friend of over ten years has died and I don't see a kernel of remorse on his face! Let him stay there till he understands that we have all the time in the world to listen to him but he doesn't have much!"

"What?" Kypho protested. "You can't just put me in dungeons on a whim. I haven't done anything!" He got panicky. His potion wouldn't last long and his original features would be revealed. If that happened, Tania would have another thousand questions for him.

"No, we aren't putting you there on a whim!" she spat. "We are taking you there because of what Nora and Platt talked about you. You are as much a suspect as they were."

"This is injustice!" he said loudly for all to hear. "You are trying to frame an innocent man!"

Tania narrowed her eyes as her jaws clenched at his tricks.

"You should free me. Otherwise I will complain to the king of Eridanus!" Kypho tried to increase his bait. "I am going to--" All at once, he found that his lips were sealed. He couldn't open them. On their own, they tightened into a thin line and then merged with each other. Now, instead of lips he just had skin over there. His eyes widened as fear gripped him. What happened?" He looked at Tania whose fingers were crackling with magic. Blue lights swirled around them. He snapped his eyes to look at her and saw that they had turned violet. Panic blasted in his chest. She had acquired her fae magic.

"You think that by saying that you will put my husband, the King of Draka, into jeopardy?" Tania growled. "If you try that ever again, I am going to leave you in that state forever!"

A shudder passed through Kypho. Now he was really trapped. His effect was going to wear off and his true identity would be revealed. Moreover, Tania was going to use her magic if he went against her. Little did he know that--

"Send him to Prince Ileus, Fafnir," Tania ordered. "He needs that visit seriously!"

Eltanin scowled at Kypho and he tugged his wife to come out of the healer's room. When they were walking back to their bedchamber, Tania flicked her wrist and they heard a scream from the spy. Eltanin was proud of her. She used her magic for the first time.

"Are you fine, love?" Eltanin asked as he took her to the bedchamber. The day had been very tedious for her. It was evening and she was feeling very tired.

"I need a bath, Elty..." she said. "And I won't join you for dinner."

"Take a bath, love," he said. "But join us for dinner. Mother is going to tell us something very important."

She sighed. She really didn't want to go to the dining hall. "How about I meet you all in your father's room after dinner? I don't think mother would be revealing important information in the dining hall."

"Hmm... okay," he replied. He didn't want to insist on her doing something like this.

Tania took a long bath whereby Flora massaged her shoulders and neck. "What would I do without you, Flora?" Tania mused.

"I am not going to leave you ever, m'lady," she said. "I have already talked to Lord Krail and he has allowed me to be with you."

"Really?" Tania said with a gleam in her eyes.

Flora chuckled. "Your grandfather says that Flora is all the dowry he can afford to King Eltanin."

Tania burst out laughing. "And this is the most precious of all the dowries!"

Flora got up and took a cloth to wipe her. "Then let us discuss my wages."

Tania laughed all the more. "I am sorry, but items in dowry do not have wages."

Flora pouted. "I was expecting at least a hundred gold coins a month."

"You will get a hundred hugs."

"Ah! You are so much like your grandfather!"

And Tania burst out laughing again.

What Taiyi revealed next was horrifying.