The Alpha's Temptation

For the entire night, Biham kept thinking what he should do. He couldn’t sleep and paced his room or went to the garden outside. He wanted to meet Kinshra like yesterday and he knew that she might resent him. His heart accelerated at the thought that she would not only meet him and would send him away. At least she wanted to be with their child.

As he walked, he tried to recollect the situations that led to rejecting Kinshra. But as much as he tried, all he could remember was that she was accused of using dark magic and that she would withdraw in her world a lot. He would find her staring in space, dazed, as if completely detached from the world. Sometimes, she would mumble incoherent stuff. He thought that she was speaking in the fae language but Sirrah had said that she was chanting dark spells.

Anxiety trickled in his chest as his stomach knotted. What if he misjudged? What if he came under the pressure of his wife? What if Sirrah accused her wrongly? By the end of the night he had walked almost to the northern periphery of the palace. Far in distance, he could see the rolling hills and a small line of Ivory Forest. When the first rays of light fell on it, the forest sparkled a brilliant white with green shimmering somewhere in between. At that moment, he knew what he had to do.

He sent a message to Ileus that they would be going to the Draka Kingdom. Once he had made his decision, he went back to his bedchamber and slept peacefully. It was in the late morning that he woke up and that too when the guard knocked on the door announcing General Balfour’s return.

Biham rose hastily and got dressed. He didn’t want to wait. He wanted to go to Draka as soon as possible. However, he had to take the report from Balfour.

“Most of the Nyxers have already retreated, Your Highness,” Balfour said. “The borders are safe as of now. I met Princess Tarazed before I came here and she asked me to extend her heartfelt thanks to you. At the same time, she has asked you if it is possible to send her sister, Petra over at Pegasii for a few days.”

Biham smiled and nodded. He couldn’t decline Princess Tarazed’s request. “Sure, that is not an issue. You can ask her to send Princess Petra over here, but I won’t be here for a few days. You have to take care of her in my absence.” _{are you going?” Balfour asked, surprised and not very happy to receive the news.}

“Vilinski!” Biham rasped with excitement. “But keep the information up to you only.”

Balfour’s eyebrows shot to the roof. His lips curled up. Understanding his king’s enthusiasm, he bowed to him and left.

When Biham came to the dining hall, he saw that Anastasia and Ileus were ready to leave. Rigel and Lerna were standing over there with them and talking.

Ileus rubbed his hands excitedly and said, “Ready?”

Biham was ready. He thought that they had to go out to the garden to enter a portal to Draka, however what happened next was a shock to his senses.

Ileus flung his hands forward. Smoke and shadows burst around him. They enveloped him and others. All Biham could see was darkness and something whizzed past him with so much speed that he almost lost his balance. His mind became dizzy and his ears popped. A scream choked on its way up his throat. By the time he could recover, he found himself in a library. Of Draka.

The smoke and shadows around him retreated. He sank on his knees with teary eyes and coughing. His face was flushed red. He looked around and found Prince Rigel and Lerna too in the same condition. Both Ileus and Anastasia were standing as if nothing had happened.

“What the hell was that—?” he asked as he got up.

“Father!”

“Lusitania!” Biham exclaimed. “You? What are you doing here? Did you know that we were coming?” His gaze went to Rolfe who was standing with his arms crossed across his chest, glaring at Ileus.

“No father!” she said in a breathy voice. “All I saw was shadows bursting in the library.” She had shrieked and ran away from there, when Rolfe had announced that probably Ileus was coming. _​

Biham held his waist and cleared his throat as Lusitania helped him to sit on the chair. Angered at the way he was brought here, he too glared at Ileus. Ileus only smiled as he went to greet Rolfe. The two men slapped each other’s arms and embraced.

Lusitania couldn’t help staring at Anastasia. And her wings. Suddenly, she had an urge to open her wings and spread them. But her heart stabbed with a thousand sad emotions when her reality struck her. She didn’t have wings. “Princess Anastasia!” she said and bowed to her. Lusitania felt as if Anastasia knew her so well. “Doraslu yii Draka!”

Anastasia’s face beamed with a smile. “Vala vam.” Lusitania closed the distance between her and Princess Anastasia not because she was greeting her, but because she was feeling this strange pull towards her.

“Wait, what language were you speaking?” Rigel asked, totally surprised.

Lusitania gaped at him. Even she didn’t know how to speak that language, it just came out naturally. And it shocked her wildly.

Anastasia held Lusitania’s hands and squeezed them lightly. She glanced at Rigel and said, “We are speaking the fae language.”

Biham’s eyes became wide with surprise. “H—how is this possible?”

Anastasia giggled. She said to Lusitania, “We have come here to take you to Vilinski. Your mother Kinshra wants to see you.”

“M—my mother?” Lusitania stuttered as warmth and elation blasted inside her.

Anastasia nodded vehemently.

The doors of the library opened all of a sudden and Eltanin walked in with his father. Alrakis was… stunned. Although Eltanin had told him about the prince and princess of Draoidh, meeting them in person was a thrilling experience. “Welcome to Draka!” he said and bowed. Both Anastasia and Ileus curtsied back. So did Rigel and Lerna.

Eltanin too was astonished to see Princess Anastasia. He had heard about her, but seeing her was… mind blowing.

“Is Lusitania going to Vilinski?” he asked, his curious gaze darting from King Biham to Ileus to Anastasia.

“Oh thank the gods!” Rolfe’s desperate voice came from behind. “Making her learn Yunabi was taking all the time in the world in Draka! She would be able to learn it better in her land.”

Lusitania’s face became red. Anastasia cupped her face and said, “You don’t have to be ashamed of it. He’s right. You are a half fae and your powers will be able to show themselves nicely in Vilinski.” Then she tilted her head to look at Eltanin and said in a teasing voice, “Can I take your wife with me?”

“Only if you can allow a werewolf in your lands!” Eltanin said. He wasn’t going to let his wife go alone. And that too in a different realm? The notion sent a wave of shudder inside him.

“Folks, I suggest that you all pack your luggage!” Ileus remarked. “It’s a long way to Vilinski!”