The Alpha's Temptation

A blush crept on her cheeks and Eltanin wanted to trace it with his thumbs, but he had to wait to lift that veil.

They turned towards the priest. Eltanin nodded and the priest started chanting holy mantras.

All the while Eltanin kept on looking at his mate, his wife, who was about to become his queen. His glance went to his father, who was also looking at both of them with a hint of pride and love. Eltanin wished that his mother was also with him during this important event of his life and he resented that she was so immersed in her work as a ruler that she didn't have spare time for him.

---

As soon as Eltanin and Tania had left, Taiyi had come near the portal. She touched it and hoped that it listened to her. However, the portal expanded a little and then with a sigh, collapsed. She bit her lip in frustration, wondering how to reach Cetus fast. At the same time she wanted to be at Eltanin and Tania's wedding ceremony at Draka. Frustrated that she had lost the opportunity she turned back. She didn't want to tell her plans to Eltanin because then she was sure that he would have never allowed her to go.

As she was contemplating on what to do while walking back, she heard a loud crackle. It was as if someone had fired a firecracker. She spun and saw that the portal was expanding. She walked fast towards it. She didn't know why it was expanding, but she had no time to ponder. She spoke the coordinates out. They turned into symbols and flew over the four corners of the portal. As soon as the portal was just enough for her to cross, she stepped in it. When she stepped out, she was in Cetus Monastery, disguised as slave.

According to her father's instructions, Taiyi had come to Cetus Monastery. She whipped her head around and saw that the place was pretty quiet. It was early in the morning and it was chilly. She pulled her hood up, gathering her dirty skirt. She walked through the thicket where her portal brought her into the main gardens.

As she passed by the garden, she found a few men staring at her. She flashed yellow teeth and smiled at them. They cringed and started doing their work. Taiyi walked to the Monastery, crossed the courtyard in order to reach the kitchen. That was the best place to get the information.

The cook, an old bulky woman, saw Taiyi and said kindly, "Come and eat something. You look like you haven't eaten in days." Taiyi commended herself on her disguise. She went to the cook and soon they started talking.

In the next one hour, Taiyi was carrying a tray of food for one of the scribes and she took the route where she came across the library of the High Priest. There were two guards on the door. Suddenly, the door opened and she saw a man crawling out of it. He had a hunched back. The spy. A smile crept on her lips when she saw that he was wheezing and panting. She lowered her head, turned and quietly walked away. But she had gone to a corner and hidden. As soon as the spy left, she waited for a long time and then walked to the library. The guards stopped her, crossing their javelins in front of the door.

"Who are you?" one of them growled.

She gave them the tray of food and said, "You can give it to the High Priest. I will leave. The handler sent me here." She was about to put the tray on the ground when the guards looked at each other. Only very few used the word, 'handler' and they knew for whom.

They removed the javelins and allowed her to go inside. When she entered the door, she saw Menkar and he was slumped on his chair with a small bottle in his hand that was swinging limply over the armrest.

Her heartbeat accelerated and her eyes widened when she saw that the man was almost unconscious. He was murmuring something incomprehensible. She bowed to him, knowing fully that he didn't even know she was there, and placed the tray on his table. After giving him a long look, she rounded the table. Her lips lifted into a smile when she looked at the green bottles in the drawer. She didn't waste time. Picking them up the ones that were full, she tied them in her shawl. After doing what she had to do next, she left.

When Menkar woke up, he felt renewed. He placed the bottle back in the drawer, locked it and then lazily looked at the table. But a shock rippled through him when he saw a sketch on this table. Shaking uncontrollably, he got up and held the edges of the table to stop himself from falling. He whipped his head to scan his chamber but there was no one. Quickly, he rolled the sketch and bellowed at the guards. "Who came in my chamber?"

The guards opened the door and rushed in. "Only two people," said one of them, shaking with fear and confusion.

The whole of Cetus Monastery was searched for the slave woman who had come in his chamber using the word 'handler', but she was nowhere to be found.

---

The priest had chanted the mantras. He looked at Eltanin who nodded.

Eltanin held Tania's hands in his and said, "Today by the blessings of Moon Goddess, I accept you, my mate, as my wife and Queen of Draka Kingdom. Will you swear to be by my side and serve me and my kingdom with your utmost?"

Her lips curled up. "I swear that I will."

"Do you swear that you will put the kingdom above your own benefits?"

"I will."

"Then by the power bestowed to me, I announce you as the Queen of Draka and Luna of my heart."

Alrakis handed him the crown for the queen.