11

ALPHA NOIR glared at his son, who didn't even bother to spare him as much as a glance.

"Draekon, you cannot be angry that Zayn did what he did."

"He is my brother."

Draekon said sharply, his attention still on the petition scrolls before him.

"And he is her best friend!" Alpha Noir shot back. "I may trust Vaelora to be safe with you, but does he?"

Draekon finally raised his head, his gaze resting on Alpha Noir's figure.

"Vaelora is my mate now. My wife!"

The possessive tone in which Draekon said that, had Alpha Noir taken back for a second.

"I alone should worry about her safety!" He finished.

"You cannot...."

Alpha Noir was still speaking, when Draekon cut him off.

"You realize that Zayn's crime is a punishable offense, not so?" Draekon eyed his father closely. "It is treason. Vaelora has schemed to dissolve our bond. To remove herself as Luna! And Zayn aided her. Interfered with a royal mating bond!"

Thick silence ensued for a few seconds, Alpha Noir trying so hard not to let his worry show.

"Draekon, you cannot be certain that is their aim."

"The consort selection is clearly not for the good of the kingdom as she claims, but for her own selfish reasons."

"Selfish? The poor girl literally feels trapped! And Zayn only did what he thought was best--Help her."

"Regardless of how much you think his actions are justifiable, I do not share such sentiments. Zayn has broken my trust in him."

The words rolled off Draekon's tongue in icy finality, and Alpha Noir couldn't help the look of worry that crept onto his face now.

The last thing he had ever wanted, was for his sons to be at loggerheads. Not now, not ever.

Regardless of how ruthless many thought Draekon was, Alpha Noir had always thought he was the best brother that Zayn and Dione could have.

While Zayn may have been the moral compass that sometimes guided the brothers, Draekon was the powerful and protective figure that always ensured Zayn and Dione were never hurt.

Alpha Noir couldn't help but think about the times Draekon had actually put his own life on the line, just to ensure that no harm came to his brothers.

One of those times, had led to the untimely death of..... their mother.

And that was an extra baggage of guilt that Draekon had carried for most part of his life.

"Son, please...."

"No, father."

Draekon's voice was low, but rigid.

He stood from his seat and walked towards the window of his study, his back turned to his father.

"Until tomorrow when I decide his punishment, Zayn is to remain in his quarters."

******************

Vaelora halfmindedly picked on her meal, her thoughts all over the place.

Why did he agree to the consort selection so easily?

She didn't know why she couldn't shake that thought off her mind. The thought that Draekon was few steps ahead of her.

She suddenly felt so confused.

"My dear, is the meal not to your liking?"

Alpha Noir asked Vaelora, who just shook her head in negation.

The goddess knew she had been angry at the man for a while now.

He had always been a father figure in her life, even when Beta Hugo was still alive.

She still couldn't believe he didn't try to stop her union to Draekon!

In fact, he had championed the whole thing. And it hurt so much, considering he knew how much Draekon had always hurt her as a growing child and teen.

Just then, Draekon locked gazes with her, and she doused the urge to throw her fork at him.

The insufferable b*stard planned to punish Zayn for 'betraying' him!

All Zayn had done, was speak in support of the consort selection.

Zayn was currently confined to his quarters, and she just needed to know that he was okay.

Just then, the last person Vaelora expected to see, waltzed into the hall, looking so rough and..... drunk?

"Dione!"

Alpha Noir called, relief evident in his voice. No one had an idea where Dione had disappeared to, for the past two weeks.

"Dione...." She whispered, genuinely concerned about how he looked.

His beards were fuller than usual, his eyes sunken.

It also seemed as though, he had gotten a shade or two darker.

"Babyyy...." He drawled, making a bee line for her in unsteady steps.

The next minute, he was standing beside her, bending to her level and sniffing in the scent of her hair.

"Missed you." He muttered into Vaelora's ear, his tone quite shaky.

Draekon calmly watched, while the others on the table exchanged shocked glances amongst themselves.

"Dione, get a hold of yourself." Alpha Noir muttered.

"A hold of myself?!!" Dione blew out, starting a drama.

His breath stunk of fermented wine, and Vaelora suppressed the urge to wrinkle her nose.

"She was mine!! Mine, before big brother dearest stole her away!" He lashed out angrily, his eyes getting redder.

So suddenly, a sharp maniacal laughter escaped him, as he locked eyes with Draekon.

"You still haven't been inside, have you?" He asked, but Draekon didn't quite catch on. "You haven't been inside theeerrreee...." He stressed, laughing a lot more crazily as Draekon's eyes dulled in understanding.

The fury slowly began to brew within Draekon, but he wasn't one to easily lose his cool.

The atmosphere amongst the others on the table had fast turned awkward, and Alpha Noir was fast losing his patience.

"Vaelora would never let you have a feel of her....." Dione paused, trailing his index finger across Vaelora's cheek, and down her neck.

Vaelora sure didn't appreciate being objectified in such manner, but of course, she didn't mind anything that could humiliate Draekon.

"I wonder how difficult it must beee...." Dione slurred. "A hybrid of the two most sexually inclined races, being starved of sex." He cackled. "For a man with a libido as high as yours, I wonder....."

"That's enough, Dione!"

Alpha Noir hit the table in annoyance, standing from his seat to pull him away.

But just before he could, Dione made a grab for Vaelora's face, sticking out his tongue and licking the entire expanse of her cheek.

Everyone froze.

Draekon was pissed.

But Andronikos? Andronikos was MAD.

A loud guttural possessive growl resonated through the House of Veylor, as a loud bang shook the walls.

Everyone jolted in their seats.

After that, came another bang that rattled the core of the royal house. Draekon stood up immediately, making his way out of the hall.

"Stupid, stupid boy!"

Alpha Noir angrily dragged Dione by the collar, praying Draekon would show him some level of mercy.

**

**

Vaelora released a low sigh, feeling a lot better after washing up.

She had literally gagged when Dione's tongue kissed her face. It was surprising how that was the same person whose kisses, she used to love.

The mate bond was a funny thing.

As she stepped out of the bathing chambers, she met Draekon.

He was standing by the door, as though he had just come in.

For a better part of the night, he was with Andronikos, trying to calm the provoked beast.

His eyes lingered on Vaelora's form for a brief moment, wondering how he could possibly crush her tonight.

He was inexplicably angry. Hateful towards her.

Maybe it was due to the manner in which she had just sat there, letting Dione touch and lick her...

"Your only duty...." He began, taking slow steps towards her. "...is to me."

Vaelora couldn't explain why, but she felt oddly..... inferior in that moment.

"To serve 'beneath' me." Draekon muttered with frozen disdain, roughly grabbing her neck.

A whimper escaped her lips, and it was as though she suddenly escaped her few seconds of subservience.

"Let me go, you bastard!"

She had really worked on his nerves the whole day, and now..... he only wanted her to realize who was really in charge.

His hold on her neck tightened, as he pushed her against the wall. Not in a way that could choke her, but just enough to assert his dominance.

After a while, his hand left her neck, grabbing her jaw instead. She shot him a defiant glare.

"Little witch." He cursed underneath his breath.

"I said let me go..."

Unfortunately, her weak voice betrayed her.

She tried to struggle her way out, but he effortlessly held her in place.

Tears of humiliation stung her eyes, and it made Draekon crave to break her even more.

His scent suddenly flooded her senses, and her eyes gradually dulled in a hazy manner, locking with his fiery ones.

Slowly, his eyes fell to her plump pink lips, and his gaze turned 'hot'.

Without warning, he unceremoniously smashed his lips against hers, greatly feeling possessed by the urge to devour her.