The Alpha's Temptation

When Rigel was in the room with Lerna, he appeared flustered. The awkwardness between them was palpable.

Rigel looked at Lerna as she walked to the bed and sat gruffly on it. He stabbed his fingers in his hair and then rubbed his mouth with his hands. "I told you to keep quiet. You can't just go and blurt what comes right on the top of your head."

Lerna was not well-versed in such matters. Her eyes rounded on the sides seeing Rigel's burst of anger. "What I said out there is right."

"Have you seen the bridge?" he inquired.

"No, how would have I seen it? But I know about it," she shrugged, still looking at him with owlish eyes. Why was he so agitated? She wanted to analyze his behavior, but nothing made sense.

"Unless you are sure about information like it, you cannot go about telling others, especially if it is a matter of war between kingdoms!" Rigel counteracted, his anger evident on his face.

"Rigel!" Lerna cried. "Eltanin has sent his spies to find out about it. He will not just blindly follow what I say."

"It is not that, Lerna!" Rigel snapped. "You have now wasted the precious resources in searching for a fucking bridge that is dilapidated! His spies could have gone for something better rather than wasting time on it!"

Lerna felt so worthless about herself that she cringed. She didn't even know how to counter Rigel's argument. "I— I am sorry…" she ended up saying as guilt ballooned in her.

"You better stay quiet next time!" he added. "You are too young and you haven't seen anything other than that tower of yours where you used to stay!"

Lerna shrank further on the inside. She lowered her eyes to her lap where she had clasped her hands and bunching her gown. In a low voice she said, "Please go and tell Eltanin that he shouldn't act on my information as that would be a waste of resources…"

"Are you mad?" Rigel snapped. "I am not going to tell him anything now. I won't go against you in front of him, but I am asking you to stay quiet next time. Is that clear?"

Lerna was out of Hydra and alone in the world. Ever since she was born, she never got the warmth of a mother, because her mother died very early. Her father was never there and Felis was rarely ever concerned about her welfare. He took care of her through nannies and that too because he wanted to use her as a breeder. The only warmth and love she ever received was from Rigel. Over the last month, Tania had become her only friend and Eltanin was like family. Draka had become her home.

With trembling lips she said, "Okay…" She looked away from him, blinking her tears, feeling just terrible on the inside.

Rigel gazed at her for long, but he didn't try to comfort her. He rubbed his chest and then walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Lerna curled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She rested her forehead over them and her tears came out. "I want to go back…" she murmured.

Rigel went to the gardens once again and his feet took him to the stables. His father had been very mean to him. He had ordered every single soldier of Orion to go back with him from Draka and not stay for the protection of the wayward prince. Overall, Rigel was feeling… worthless. When he should have stayed with his father and protected the kingdom alongside him, he was in Draka, protecting his mate.

The idea of leaving her was abhorrent and the reality of not being helpful to his father was eating him from inside. Rigel was a warrior at the core of his heart. And here he was. Like a henpecked mate.

He ordered the stablemaster to get him a horse. Mounting his black stallion, he rode to the Eslam Forest. He just wanted to stay away from the whole conundrum of his life. He wanted to run away from it or think about it.

He never expected his sisters to be so wary of his mate. He thought that they would understand him and accept Lerna, but their demeanor towards her was horrible. And the same was with his mother. He had galloped his horse a long way inside the forest. He rode for a very long time. The afternoon had turned into night and the stars dazzled across the velvety sky. A gust of wind blew hard and he felt that something, someone whispered in his ears. He shook the feeling.

The forest was nothing but a vast maze of darkness. Tall and dense trees loomed large over him.

He came to a clearing and realized that he was dangerously close to the Orion Kingdom's border, near the Wolfiers lake. He had this strong urge to go to the lake and spend time over there.

Suddenly, it struck him. Was it possible that the elder sister was trying to do it on purpose? His father wanted to get her married to one of the princes of Aquila. Was she eyeing the throne?

Rigel shook his head. He was being stupid to even think that. Why would his sister do that? He was overthinking. Yet the notion found its roots in his chest. He wanted to go to Orion and investigate it, but he wouldn't be allowed in if he went with Lerna. He had to go alone and find out.

The fact that Lerna was Felis's sister was definitely against her. And so his father was averse to the idea of being the crown princess.

Rigel turned his horse back to the palace when he caught a whiff of something rotten. Nyxers. "Fuck!" He thought that the Nyxers had retracted but then what this smell was about. It was so faint that it blew away with another gust of wind. Perhaps it was his imagination. Rigel turned back and as he rode, he decided that he would go to Orion. Without Lerna.