The Alpha's Temptation

Alphard was stunned by his king's command. "But, Your Highness, this is dangerous!" he said, glancing every now and then at the woman who was with him.

Felis put his hand up and Alphard stopped speaking. "Do as I say!"

Scared of his king, Alphard ordered the soldiers to attach two horses to the wagon. As soon as it was ready, Felis helped his mother sit on the coachman's seat. It was broad enough for two people to sit. He hopped beside her.

"I will return in an hour," he informed Alphard. "Make sure that no fight erupts between soldiers of two kingdoms."

"Yes, Your Highness," Alphard said, bowing to him and glancing at the woman sitting beside him. She looked so serene even though she was sitting with the most dangerous man of Araniea. And that intrigued Alphard all the more.

Felis whipped the horses and they took off. He directed them towards the Hydra Kingdom. Taiyi wondered what was Felis's end game. She didn't ask him anything because right now she promised that she would trust him blindly.

"What are you doing?" Menkar shouted in his shrill voice with all his energy. "Don't you come in this woman's talks, Felis," he urged. "She is a trickster. She tricked your father and then left him. She left you knowingly. She knew that you are her son, but still she didn't come to meet her."

Anger bubbled inside Felis. He lashed his whip on the cage which was secured on a flat wagon with chains. "Stay quiet!"

Menkar winced and whimpered. "You don't know her, Felis," he continued. "She tried to kill me."

But Felis remained quiet. He whipped the horses savagely for them to move faster. He didn't want to hear the voice of the man who duped his mother into... producing someone as ugly as him. Felis was living in this world only for one reason, and that was to fulfill his father's dreams, which over the years had become his dreams.

After living for so long and having that purpose ingrained in his mind, he was wondering if his beliefs were being shaken by his mother. He had a kingdom to run. He had people to answer. He had a purpose to live. No. he couldn't allow himself to be shaken by his mother. Yet...

"Do you know that she left you on purpose?" Menkar's feeble voice penetrated his mind. "She is a horrible woman. You shouldn't believe all she says."

This time Taiyi became angry. She wanted to kill him right now. "Stop the wagon!" she said, gritting her teeth. "I will end his life now!"

But Felis didn't stop. "Hiya!" he lashed the reins of the horses.

All at once, the wheels of the wagon slid into a pit. The wagon jumped and so did the cage. "Ahhhh!" Menkar screamed as his head hit the roof. "Go slow. Go slow," he begged. "My body hurts."

They rode all the way to the Eridani River in silence. Felis helped his mother get down. As soon as she was on the ground, she walked to the banks of the river and looked at the blackness of the waters in it. She was always amazed as to how dark the waters were. Even the moonlight refused to penetrate the surface. It was said that nothing could survive in Eridani.

Suddenly, she heard iron chains groaning. When she turned her face to look at what was happening, she saw that Felis was untying the chains to release the cage.

"Ahhh!" Menkar let out another cry when Felis lifted the cage from the wagon and threw it on the ground.

Taiyi was surprised to see the sheer strength of his son. She saw the way his muscles rippled when he lifted the wagon and threw it on the ground. She saw the way Felis gritted his teeth upon seeing Menkar. But when she saw that Felis lifted a chain attached to the cage in his hands and wrapped it around his palm, she asked, "What are you doing Felis?" Dread skittered down her spine and a shudder passed through her.

Felis glared at Menkar for a long time. Then he started pulling the cage with his hands towards the river.

"Felis!" Menkar cried. "You must be joking. I will tell you all the secrets of Draka and Cetus. I will be very useful to you. I will get Sirrah with us. She knows the secrets of Pegasii. Together, we will rule the whole of Araniea! Don't do this!" He crawled to the other end of the cage.

Felis didn't listen to him. He pulled the cage to the edge of the river. "Look at it, Menkar and look carefully. This is the only place that will save you from my wrath!"

"Felis," Taiyi said as she touched his shoulder. She could never believe in her dreams that her elder son would do this. This was the closure he even needed. She didn't know what would happen to him after this.

When he turned to look at his mother, he saw that she was smiling through her tears. He allowed a smile on his lips. And the next moment, with a bellow to the sky, he yanked the cage and tossed it in the waters of Eridani.

Loud, blood-curdling screams of Menkar got drowned in the water as the cage sank inside it. "You will die a demon's death!" Menkar shouted, cursing him. "You will--" his voice drowned with gurgles. They heard his tail flapping furiously around the cage.

Taiyi and Felis watched the cage sink in the dark waters of Eridani. They continued to watch till the last bubble popped on the surface. And then some more. On an instinct, Felis wrapped his arm around his mother's shoulder as they stood at the edge of the river for some more time, each unable to believe that Menkar was... finished.

"Let's go back," Taiyi said in a hoarse voice.

Felis took his mother back to the wagon. He helped her sit on it and then jumped beside her. The journey back to the camp was silent, each in their own thoughts. But all the time, Felis held his mother's hand. He knew the night was coming to an end...