The Alpha's Temptation

Furious at the guard, Eltanin stormed outside the room to reprimand him severely. As soon as he opened the door, he grabbed the guard's neck in his large hands as a ferocious growl came out of his throat. "You have the gall to pound on my door like that? Do you wish to die?"

The guard paled as he was pinned to the wall behind him. "Y—Your Highness," he said, his voice warbled. "A guard was murdered," he squeaked. Sweat coated his face.

Eltanin narrowed his eyes. He removed his hand from the guard's neck and waited for him to speak further.

The guard rubbed his neck and continued, "His body was found in the gardens that overlook Alpha Alrakis's room."

Eltanin stared at the guard as shock blasted through him. "If you are wrong, you will find yourself dead in those gardens!"

The guards started trembling. "Your Highness, Alpha Alrakis is keen to have you with me as soon as possible."

Eltanin gritted his teeth. He was having such a wonderful time with his mate. He had just wrenched a lovely orgasm from her and now this terrible news. He rushed back to take a last glimpse at Tania. She was sleeping soundly, tucked inside the blanket under which she was lying naked. He sucked in a sharp breath and then strode out of the room with her mental image in his mind.

There was a lot of commotion where the body of the guard was lying. It was listless, with its head towards the ground. A sword was plunged in chest, through his heart and he must have died a brutal death. Blood had caked around him. The torches that burnt around in the garden lent a fiery glow to the trees and hedges. His father was standing there with his arms crossed across his chest. He was studying the body with his brows furrowed. Fafnir was waiting for instructions as to what to do next with his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Eltanin knew that the commotion wasn't about the fact that the guard was murdered. It was more about the fact that he was found murdered in the gardens that overlook the balcony of his father. It was kind of a scandal. His gaze swept over the body of the guard and he noticed that his sword was still in its sheath. It meant that he was attacked from behind and that he didn't struggle or had the chance to defend himself.

After a long moment of silence which stretched uncomfortably between everyone who was there, Eltanin asked, "Whose sword is that?"

"That sword has been decorating the wall of my room above my mantle all these years," said Alrakis.

Eltanin whipped his head to look at his father with surprise. Only the servants were allowed to enter his room.

"The sword was swiped with another one sometime and I overlooked it," Alpha Alrakis said, rubbing his hand over his mouth.

Eltanin opened the mind link with his father. "Did you kill him?" he asked.

Alrakis chuckled. "I wouldn't need a reason to kill him if I had to and then why would I dump his body in my garden? Have you lost your brains somewhere?"

Eltanin became quiet. He turned to the General and ordered, "Get the healer to examine the body, and round up every servant that attends to my father."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Seal the doors that lead to this garden until the investigations are complete." He looked at his father. "Double the security around him."

"I will, Your Highness," Fafnir bowed to him and marched out of the garden.

Eltanin could feel his father's sadness. "Come with me, Father," he said. "We have to talk."

Alrakis took a deep breath in and he walked back to his room with his son. The two didn't talk at all in front of other guards and servants, but when they entered his room, Eltanin closed the door behind him and said, "You are going to stay in this room until the mystery is clear."

"What? Are you trying to put me in house arrest?" Alrakis snapped. He was already under tension. "I told you that I haven't murdered the guard and why would I? I didn't even know that man until this night!"

"Don't be so impulsive in your thoughts!" Eltanin chided. "I am doing it for your safety. Who knows that the murderer is still out there and his target was you and not the guard?"

"Then why the hell would he murder a random guard and not me?" Alrakis retorted and went to stand near the mantle from where the sword was stolen. His gaze went to the fake sword that hung there. The one that was stolen was a battle souvenir, and the one in front of him was a regular one that was forged in their kingdom for the soldiers. It had the insignia of the kingdom carved in the hilt.

"Maybe this was a warning. The murderer must have found a loophole in your security!"

Alrakis pounded a fist on the marble of the mantle. The stone cracked and some pieces flew in the air. "Then find this man, Eltanin. And don't punish him. Find him for me."

"I will, Father," said Eltanin. "But until then stay in your room."

"Okay," Alrakis let out a deep breath.

After a little more conversation about the murder, Eltanin walked out of the room and found Fafnir waiting along with the healer. "Examine the body properly," he said. "Keep it in the cold storage until I allow you to cremate it."

"Yes, Your Highness," said the healer with a bow and left.

Eltanin turned his attention to Fafnir. "Yulemas is coming soon," said Eltanin. "I don't want a word of this to go out.

"Yes, Your Highness," Fafnir replied.

"Where is princess Morava?"

"She is in her room, grieving Giada."

"Increase the security of her quarters too."

Fafnir gave a tight nod. Eltanin suddenly became worried about Tania. His heart accelerated at the thought. He took in a deep breath and rushed back to his chamber.