The Alpha's Temptation

The line at the gates of the kingdom had grown longer. It took over three hours for Kypho to get inside the gates. The guards checked all the details of the metal card tediously. When the checking was over, the guard stamped his entry and asked him to sign in the register.

As soon as Kypho entered, he rushed to the main market, his patience running thin. Just like what Platt had said, he was there waiting for Kypho. They gave his horse to a local corral and then walked all the way to his house.

As usual, as Kypho settled after taking a bath, Platt gave him weeds to smoke. They both sat down and started talking about the developments in Draka.

"Lusitania is now the queen," said Platt. "The king has announced her as his mate and his wife. They were both married in the Kingdom of Stourin."

Kypho's brows furrowed. He was surprised that the marriage was such a hushed affair. It was a big mistake on Menkar's part. He should have intervened earlier only. He gritted his teeth and said, "So that means that both of them were in Stourin all this while?"

Platt shook his head as he smoked. "No, they were all in Vilinski. Lusitania's entire family from Vilinski is here, including her mother, Kinshra."

Kypho jerked his head back in shock. "How come? Biham had rejected her!" He remembered how it all happened.

Platt shrugged. "I don't know. It has all happened very fast. They were not here for a long time and we were all wondering where they were. Alpha Alrakis was pretty tight-lipped about their location. It was a shock to see both of them back to Draka along with her fae family. And would you believe that Prince Ileus and Princess Anastasia are with them?"

Kypho was stunned. He got up and began pacing his room. It was difficult for him to process the information. There were too many events that he couldn't join together. He was sure that now that Eltanin had announced Lusitania as his wife and Queen of Draka, it would be impossible to touch her. Their only hope was Nora.

"Where is Nora?" he asked, leaning at the ledge of the window and looking out. "We need to change our plan and do something as quickly as possible. After that we will be leaving Draka and going to Eridanus!"

Platt exhaled the smoke from his nose and mouth. "Why Eridanus and why not Aquila?"

"Because King Eridani's daughter, Princess Eri, had been eyeing King Eltanin for a long time now. I am sure that she is quite peeved now. With a little bit of advanced information of Lusitania's death, she would speed up actions to enter the Draka Palace before anyone else." Kypho chuckled. "She will be able to give us political asylum."

"And what about the High Priest of Cetus Monastery," asked Platt.

Kypho didn't reply to him. He was anyway going to kill Platt after all this was over and take Nora with him.

When Kypho didn't reply, Platt went back to smoking his weeds. Nora hadn't come back till late evening. They had dinner and then too, she hadn't returned. They both grew impatient and restless.

"Why don't you go and check her out?" Kypho grunted.

"My duty starts tomorrow in the morning? I can't just enter the palace before my duty starts!"

---

Lusitania was lying on the bed in the evening of the next day, too tired to move. Even today numerous guests had arrived and they congratulated the newly wedded couple. Too many formalities had to be carried out. Many changes were made for her security. She had to choose her royal seal, her royal tailor, royal healer, servants, assistants and a plethora of other royal things. She was dead tired.

Her mother had left for Pegasii along with her father. Others remained right there. Ileus and Anastasia were planning to leave the next day.

As for Eltanin, he had become too busy after taking charge from his father.

"Would you like to have some tea, Your Highness?" asked Nora.

Tania raised her eyebrow and then glanced at Flora who was helping her to remove her shoes and anklets.

"Yes, please," Tania replied.

As if waiting for this, Nora bowed to her and rushed to the kitchen. She asked the cook to prepare tea for the queen. The moment the tea was prepared, Nora took it back to the queen's bedchamber, but she stopped in the middle. She hid behind a pillar and added double the amount of wolfsbane into her tea. She knew that she would be caught if the queen died. She contemplated on whether to take the tea herself or let someone else take it.

After some time, she called one of the younger servants who was attending Tania and said, "Can you please take it to the queen's chamber? I forgot to bring the pastries for her from the kitchen. I will follow you. Also, if she asks, please make an excuse for me. Tell her that I couldn't even stand for a minute feeling unwell."

"Sure." The servant smiled and took it from Nora.

Nora hurried back to the kitchen and the unsuspecting servant went to the queen's chamber with tea.

Nora rushed out of the palace. This was such a perfect opportunity to escape. She was going to go to Platt and they would both give the good news to their master. She knew that she would be out of danger once she was out of the palace. However, as soon as she reached the gates of the palace, she was stopped by the guards.

Dread blasted in her chest. "What happened?" she asked. Surely no one would suspect so fast. Wolfsbane would take at least an hour to take its effect.

"You are wanted by the queen," the guard replied gruffly.

Nora's shoulders stiffened with tension. "Okay," she replied quietly. She would go somewhere else and then leave. No one would come to know.

But what happened next was unexpected.