The Alpha's Temptation

Mintaka led them all to the main throne hall.

Eltanin had walked in with his naked sword, which a servant hurried up and gave him a cloth to wipe the blood. He sheathed the sword, his face showing not a kernel of remorse. In fact, he had such cold expressions that those already present in the court got terrorized in his presence.

Rigel entered with Lerna by his side. He intertwined his fingers with her all the way to the throne hall. Tabit had joined them in the corridor that led to the throne hall. Her expressions were grave because of what happened to Meissa, but she was quite excited to see Lerna. She would keep glancing at her every now and then.

As soon as they reached the throne hall, Mintaka asked them to be seated as he went to sit on the throne. Rigel sat on the right in his place and made Lerna sit next to him. Eltanin sat beside him.

There was an uncomfortable silence in the court as Mintaka glanced at Lerna every now and then. Moments later, Alina came rushing in, her face pale like that of a ghost. When she saw Eltanin, she bowed to him. Eltanin too got up and bowed to her and resumed his place. Alina's gaze fell on her son.

"Rigel," she said, "What have you done?" Her lips trembled as she came closer to him. "Okab is no more. What will happen to Meissa?"

A muscle feathered in his jaw. Before he spoke, Eltanin interrupted, "Rigel didn't do anything to Okab. It was me who slayed him because he was trying to kill my sister."

Alina halted in her tracks. She knew this already but she dared not say anything against Eltanin. So she indirectly jabbed him by accusing her son.

"Meissa is pregnant," Alina cried.

"Do you mean to say that Okab's life was more important that Lerna's?" Eltanin growled. He couldn't believe that Rigel's mother was being so biased.

"N--no!" Alina gasped.

"Then what do you mean?" Eltanin snarled in anger. "If Okab succeeded in killing Lerna, then Rigel would have also been dead in a few days because she is his mate! So I don't understand why you are accusing Rigel for something that didn't really have any other solution. And where was your sympathy for your son, when your elder daughter chose to stab him with a poisoned dagger?"

Alina started crying. "I didn't know that she--"

"She was always in cahoots with Okab to bring down your son, and yet you never stopped him!" Eltanin was too angry now. His hand automatically went to the hilt of his sword.

"It was because Princess Lerna was our enemy. What could we do?" she said, sobbing. "Because of her my daughter is in the dungeons!"

"So what I conclude from your words is that you would have rather seen Rigel dead than having your daughter in the dungeons only because Lerna was his mate? Are you so narrow minded?" Eltanin roared.

Alina gulped. She stared at him with wide eyes because she wasn't able to refute him.

Eltanin continued, but this time he looked at Mintaka. "Just because you knew that Lerna was Felis's sister, you allowed your elder daughter to take control of the situation. But I know it, King Mintaka. You are actually pressuring Rigel to reject his mate by hook or by crook. Because he didn't succumb to your pressure, you tried to show him what you could do as a king. You misused your authority and sowed the seeds of hatred amongst your children. It wasn't necessary at all!"

Mintaka's stomach plummeted. He didn't know that his plan was so obvious, but then who was he facing? It was King Eltanin of Draka.

Eltanin turned his gaze back to Alina. "I shouldn't be the one who should interfere in your family matters, but Queen Alina, you have shown biased behavior even though you are a mother. How could you do that?" He pointed at Lerna. "This girl has never seen her mother, and I am so sad for her because I know she will never really find a true mother in her life. However, now that I have adopted her as my legal sister, my mother, Taiyi, the Queen of Stourin, will be her mother too. And I am proud of my mother!"

Alina felt so little in front of him that she lowered her head in shame. She got up after a few minutes and walked to the other row where she sat in her chair, listless, next to Tabit.

Mintaka took a deep breath in. There was so much tension in the air that it could be cut by a knife. He said, "I would like to carry this forward, King Eltanin. I would like to propose that Rigel be engaged to Princess Lerna today itself in the temple of Moon Goddess. If you would be so kind as to stay back, you can witness their engagement."

Mintaka knew that Eltanin's army was encamped outside Orion. He couldn't invite his wrath.

Eltanin narrowed his eyes at Mintaka and replied, "I do not agree."

Everyone whipped their heads at him as if they heard him wrong.

Mintaka gulped. "But King Eltanin--"

Eltanin raised his hand to stop him. Then he walked to where Lerna was sitting. He held her hand and tugged her to stand. "After what happened today and after my interactions with you and your family, I do not have trust in you. The only person I trust here is Rigel. Hence, I do not agree to an engagement." He looked at Mintaka's shocked face. "I propose that my sister be married to Prince Rigel today. They are mates and 'engagement' is a useless affair that you want to buy time. I don't have confidence in this plan and so Lerna will stay here only if she marries Prince Rigel, otherwise she will come back to Draka with me. And so will Prince Rigel!"

Mintaka's mouth fell to the floor.