The Alpha's Temptation

Chapter 216 Rogues

Ileus narrowed his eyes at Rolfe. He rubbed his hands over his mouth and tilted his head to glance at Tania who was blissfully unaware of their plans.

"You have to take the chance, Aly," Anastasia whispered. "I will be present over there to help her out."

"If Eltanin comes to know, he is going to create havoc." He pointed at the way Eltanin was holding his wife's hand on his chest. The man was being extremely possessive ever since they started. He rode with them for a little while and then was either behind them or fell back. He would take Tania's hand to his lips and kiss her once in a while as if to make sure that she was still there with him.

Anastasia took a deep breath. "Then I have to trick him."

Rolfe took a ragged breath. "We all need to trick both of them. We will tell our plans to Tania but at the end of the exit from Gavran Wilds."

"Okay!" Ileus said. He knew why Rolfe didn't want Tania to know of their plans right now. Both Eltanin and Tania were unaware of how terrible it would get when they exit it and both were looking so lovely in their own world that they didn't want to disturb the harmony. Tania was a resilient soul. The amount of pressure she was taking was no joke. Maybe, it was the nature of faes. Even Anastasia had undergone so much torture in her young age that when Ileus thought of it, a shudder wrecked his body.

"Aly?" she grabbed him tightly. _{wrapped his hands tightly around her and moved her closer to him on the saddle. He kissed the crown of her head. "Nothing, dear," he whispered.}

Eltanin was not happy that Tania was sitting behind him. He felt that she wasn't that protected. "Why don't you come to sit in the front, Tania?" he said.

She was resting her head on his back and was looking at the beautiful landscape of Vilinski, oblivious to the dangers around her or ahead of her. An occasional chirp from a bird, or spotting a rare rabbit or wild cherries would bring a smile on her face. She remembered how she used to forage at Cetus Monastery. "I am fine Elty," she replied. "There are cherries over there," she pointed to a bush in the distance. "Let's pluck some."

Eltanin couldn't refuse her. She hardly ever wanted anything for herself. Instead, she was only giving away herself, spending mentally and physically for his purposes. "Of course!" he said and veered his horse left.

Biham looked at them and his heart gave a warm tug. They were so much in love that he felt that this was what he missed in his life. He wondered if Kinshra would give him a second chance. At the same time a thought came to his mind. What if Sirrah knew Menkar? But he shoved the thought as soon as it entered his mind. He scoffed. Sirrah wouldn't know Menkar. He stopped for his daughter and son-in-law and waited for them as Eltanin cantered his horse to the wild bush while the rest of them rode ahead.

The little happiness that it brought on Tania's face to pluck wild cherries was worth a lifetime for Eltanin. As she plucked them, her face beamed with excitement and a beatific smile. Patiently, he followed her around the bush as she plucked them and ate a few, while throwing most of them in his bag. She would make him eat one or two in the middle of her animated conversation in which she explained that this was often a neglected fruit but was a great supplement on such travels.

"And how do you know so much?" he asked, entranced by her completely.

"When I was at Cetus, I would go hungry often. The cooks used to prepare meals for all the monks, but we servants had a very limited quota to eat." She sighed as she plucked one and hurled it in his bag. "Most of the time, the older servants would eat everything, and--"

He placed his hand over her mouth. "I don't want to listen to the rest."

She kissed his fingers and chuckled. "The positive thing out of that was that I learned how to forage."

"Weren't you Menkar's personal slave? Why didn't he ever treat you well?"

She shrugged. "Who knows?" She brushed her hands, ready to leave. "He would go out on long trips and come months later. In his absence, things would go awry!" _​

Eltanin tied the small bag carefully as if this was the treasure that he had to protect with life. Then he held her hand and together they came to where Wind was standing. Wind nuzzled his nose in Tania's hand. She giggled. "You really are an attention seeker, aren't you?" As she stroked his neck, she could feel his emotions. It was as if Wind was highly concerned about her. Tania stopped. This was new. Sensing Wind's emotions. Was she imagining things?

​ "Come, you must sit in front of me," said Eltanin as he picked her up effortlessly and made her sit on the saddle.

"Elty!" she protested, but the next moment he jumped and in one swift motion, he was behind her. His arm was wrapped tightly around her waist. Her back was pressed against his chest, her hips cradled by his thighs. The wolf ensured that his woman was warm and cozy as they traversed the rough terrain. They caught up with the rest of them soon.

The sun had started dipping in the horizon and the sky was segued in the colors of red, orange, purple and pink. It hadn't snowed for the whole day and that was a blessing. They entered a dense forest of pines and firs once again.

"Be aware of the rogues on this stretch," said Ileus. "And stay close! The last I heard was that there are vampire rogues also."

"Fuck!" Eltanin breathed and gathered Tania close. "Why did no one tell me that before? Tania, you will not stray even for a moment." His neck muscles had strained and his arms muscles bulged.

"Stop being so overprotective, Elty!" she scolded him, her voice a mere whisper.

"Just stay close to me, okay!"

"Where am I going to go?" she rolled her eyes.

The sun had fully dropped below the horizon and it got darker. Eltanin scanned the whole area like a predator. And so did Biham.

"We got rogues!" Rolfe signaled, sniffing the air. And the moment he signaled they saw a blur of movement on the sides.

"Let me take care of them!" said Anastasia. She hated them.

"They are dangerous Ana," Ileus warned her.

"Not for me! I will bloody rip their hearts out!"

"Let me help you!" Eltanin said.

The vampires stood only a few meters ahead, their gaze on Lusitania. One of them bared his fangs and hissed as he trudged closer. "You can hand over the girl to us, and we will let you go." He licked his lips, sniffing the air and pointing his chin at Tania.

Eltanin's shoulders drew back in tension. He growled at them, "Try coming near and I will sink my fangs in your throats!"

A whirl of wind. A movement. Tania's hair blew and she saw--