The Alpha's Temptation

Overwhelmed by Mintaka's words, Lerna felt a sting of tears behind her eyes. She swallowed thickly. She craned her neck to look at Rigel who was beside her and who was smiling. He nodded lightly to encourage her.

Lerna took a deep breath and stepped forward to bow to King Mintaka. As soon as she bowed, she heard a ferocious snarl and when she lifted her head up, she saw Okab with a wild look in his eyes. Like a maniac, he lifted his sword and charged at her to kill her. "I will kill you, bitch!" he yelled at her as he charged.

She shrieked at the impending doom. He was so close that it was impossible to save herself. But all at once she saw another sword landing on his neck, and it sliced through him neatly. Fountain of blood sprouted out of his neck, as his head severed from his body and rolled on the ground. His body took a step forward and then slumped on the ground.

Trembling like a leaf, Lerna's hands flew to her mouth when she saw Eltanin standing with his naked sword that was now covered with Okab's blood. In far distance she heard a scream and moments later a woman came running out. "Okaaabbbb!" she shouted as she rushed for him.

Stunned by this, the entire stadium fell so silent like it was a graveyard. Mintaka stared at the body of the werewolf who was his daughter's betrothed with complete shock, with his breath lodged in his throat.

Meissa came running to Okab and sat down beside his body. She crawled and collected his head and crawled back to be with him as her cries echoed in the stadium. "Okab. Okab!" she sobbed., her shoulders trembling. She looked at Lerna with hatred in her eyes. "Look what you have done! The moment you came, blood was spilled because of you! You are nothing but a bad omen that has covered the sacred skies of Orion. Why don't you die and let us live in peace?"

Lerna's stomach twisted into thousands of knots as her tears rolled out. "He-- he--" she couldn't complete her sentence.

"Shut up!" Meissa shouted. She picked up Okab's sword. "I will kill you!" she cried and lifted it, but the next moment she was stopped by another sword that was placed right beneath her chin.

"If you move an inch, this sword will pierce you!" Rigel growled at her, glaring at her menacingly. "You were plotting against me and my mate along with Okab, but I didn't say a word. You had spread the rumor that my mate was an enemy's sister, but I kept mum. You plotted to kill her the day she was about to come here by giving her poisoned tea, but I didn't charge you with treason. You challenged me for the throne and then called the public of Orion Kingdom to witness my downfall, still I remained quiet. You went to the lengths of getting me stabbed with a poisonous dagger to paralyze me, but I didn't protest against Okab for cheating!" His chest was heaving as he said those words to Meissa.

"But if you think that I will allow you to kill my mate, then you must be mad. I will have no qualms in plunging this sword in you, if you touch her," Rigel growled the last words so dangerously that Miessa's eyes widened with fear.

Meissa remembered how Rigel remained quiet. He was patient and kind and it seemed never-ending. He was her brother and had always been at war with her, and yet the same hand that held hers in brotherly warmth had a sword that was held against her neck. Yes, she had used people's fear of having an enemy amongst them to her advantage and using this fear she created control on every single citizen of Orion.

Her eyes traveled to Eltanin who was still standing ramrod straight with the blood soaked sword in his hands and glaring at her. She looked at her father who was watching her with repugnance. In the past half an hour, she had fallen from grace. From being a potential candidate to rule the kingdom, she had become a traitor who tried to kill his brother and his mate.

She gazed back at Rigel and scoffed, "You are going to kill me for this woman? I am pregnant with Okab's child and you killed the father of my child for this woman! I wish that you die the worst death at the hands of her real brother! I wish--"

"Guards!" Mintaka roared. "Seize her and throw her in the dungeons!"

"What?" Meissa whipped her head to look at him. "Father, what are you doing? My betrothed was killed just now. I am not at fault. You should capture them!" she pointed at Rigel and Lerna.

"Enough!" Mintaka hissed at her. "You have created enough mess! Your greed misguided me."

Guards came and grabbed her by her arms. They lifted her and dragged her away as she screamed and yelled curses at them.

Lerna had grabbed Rigel's tunic as she buried her face in his chest. She was ready for the drama that would unfold when she revealed herself, but wasn't expecting this unexpected turn of events.

"Come," Mintaka's soft voice reached her ears.

She loosed a tight breath as she looked at Rigel. He nodded and whispered, "Come, love. Now no one can stop you." With one last look at Okab, he walked after his father along with his friend and his mate--the two most important people in his life. He could feel the eyes of his people following them. Good, he said to himself. This show of power would instill fear in them.

And as they walked with the king of Orion, every person present over there could feel a strange surge of power. It was as if Rigel's strength and aura was doubled with the presence of his mate. They all got up and bowed in unison to their future king and queen.