The Alpha's Temptation

Okab rushed towards Lerna to expose her with a raised sword. Rigel growled at him and darted to protect his mate. He stood in front of her and snarled, his lips peeling. "Touch her and you will die by my hands!"

Eltanin too jumped out of the chariot and stood in front of his sister. He crossed his arms across his chest and in a cold voice said, "If you lay a finger on my sister, I promise to chop you into so many pieces right here, right now that your dear fiancée won't be able to count them. And I will do that with my fangs and claws.

Cold sweat broke on his forehead and Okab gulped. "Okay!" he swallowed thickly and said, "Then let her rub it. I know that such tattoo art can be removed!" He barked at the guards, "Bring a mug of oil!"

The guards rushed to bring the oil. Meissa crossed her arms across her chest as she looked at them. She smiled internally at Okab's cleverness. The oil would completely remove the tattoo. And even if Lerna got a tattoo over her Hydra tattoo, anyone would be able to see the hidden Hydra tattoo easily. "Look father," she scoffed. "Look nicely. This is the level Rigel can stoop to get his mate in the kingdom. Once her tattoo is gone, her true identity will be revealed and then you have to throw her in the dungeons and eliminate her!"

She turned her gaze towards the guard who brought the oil and a cloth. Lerna bared her arm for him once again as Okab watched them with hawk eyes. The guard dipped the cloth in the oil and gave it to Rigel. Rigel held his mate's arm and said in a low voice, "I am sorry that you are undergoing all this."

She tipped her head up to gaze in his eyes. "I would do it again and again for you, Rigel. Even if you don't accept me--"

He placed a finger on her lips. "Shh..." His throat bobbed and he stopped an urge to kiss her forehead. He took the cloth to the tattoo and started rubbing her on the tattoo gently.

Okab was watching it all with wide eyes. He took a step closer in order not to miss the hint of the Hydra tattoo, but even after rubbing the oiled cloth on her arm for a good two minutes, not even a single line of the tattoo smudged, he was aghast. Rigel's lips lifted up as he looked victoriously at Okab.

Still not able to believe it, Okab lunged at Lerna. But suddenly the coiled dragon tattoo uncoiled and lifted its face off her skin and hissed at him with his mouth stretched wide, showing his fangs. It was as if the spirit of Draka was protecting which belonged to him. Okab froze at the sight as Eltanin grabbed him by his collar. Eltanin pushed him on the ground and snarled, "Don't you think of touching her, Okab!" He lifted his eyes to look at Mintaka.

There was fury blazing in his eyes. Aether spilled out and formed silver streaks that jutted out on the sides. Scared, Mintaka took a step back, his breath labored. What had he done? Because of his daughter's foolishness, he invited the wrath of King Eltanin. His army was so huge that it could crush his empire in a day. And he would do anything for his sister. But how did Lerna become his sister? He had no other choice than to accept Lerna as Rigel's true mate. Because now that she was his legal sister, if he didn't, Eltanin would take it as a serious insult. One he couldn't afford.

After the ceremony in which Lerna was bound to Eltanin and Draka, she visited the royal gardens with Eltanin to take blessings from Ladon. She was sure that the spirit wouldn't let her enter the garden but was astonished when the door opened on its own and the dragon welcomed her to her new family. As soon as Ladon blessed her, her old Hydra tattoo disappeared. Overnight, it was replaced by a dragon tattoo on her left upper arm.

Eltanin shouted, "The spirit of Draka has accepted Lerna. Now that it is proved that Princess Lerna is my sister, if anyone dares to challenge her, then remember, you will be challenging me!"

Meissa was frozen in her spot. She looked from Rigel to Lerna. Her mind was numb. All her plans of becoming the Crown Princess were washed in the past fifteen minutes. Her whole world came crashing down. She had made plans and schemes and then some more all these months. And it was so perfect. So what was it that she overlooked? What was it that she didn't plan properly? What was the loophole? Nothing came to her mind. Her gaze locked with her brother's who was smiling. He had now curled his arm around her waist and was kissing her temple.

She was amazed that Rigel played her so well that she couldn't guess that he was actually holding the trump card. He led her to believe that she was playing him all the time, which in turn boosted her confidence, when in reality he played her for once and all. She turned her head over her shoulder to see her father, who seemed like he had seen a ghost. He was pale and because of her had invited Eltanin's wrath. Mintaka was going to do everything to amend the broken relationship. In fact he wouldn't wait a minute now.

Mintaka's fists balled as he walked out of the podium and towards the center of the field where all of them were standing.

"Father, no. Don't do this!" Meissa cried.

But Mintaka didn't acknowledge her. As soon as he reached them, he looked at Lerna and her tattoo. Under his gaze, the tattoo moved slightly and then settled. That was all the proof he needed. He turned to see his people and in a loud voice announced, "I reject Princess Meissa's challenge to Prince Rigel. And at the same time, I welcome Princess Lerna as my son's mate."