ERANA: Must Murder The Alpha King

The Symbol

The knife sank into his chest, and Erana could hear his heartbeat slowing gradually—Darius's captivating hazel eyes closed peacefully in death. That was what she wanted. That was everything she had hoped for. Who knew she would one day cause personal pain to the werewolf who growled at her as a child? Who knew that tension would be placed to rest at a time like that?

"Are you even listening?" His voice broke through her thoughts, jolting her back to reality. She realized she had unintentionally touched the knife in her pocket. She immediately pulled her hands away. All of that was a fantasy. She could not kill him right now; That would ruin the plan!

Darius was Lysander’s only son. He was destined to be the Alpha King. If she needed to bring the entire clan down, she needed him. He appears naive and gullible, and according to legend, an Alpha descendant becomes profoundly involved and attracted to a woman he has s*x with for the first time. Though his attraction to Luna after s*x would be more assertive and last a lifetime, she was willing to take advantage of the little control she had.

Once she had him under control, she would infiltrate his territory and obtain her mother's enchanted book of secrets. Her arm was still bleeding, and the bump on her head hurt. Darius carefully examined her wounds before offering her a hand to help her stand.

"Can you walk?" he asked. She shook her head and pretended to be weak.

"My ankle twisted while fleeing," she claimed. "I... I am unable to move on my own."

Darius, who appeared as gullible as she suspected, agreed to her explanation. He listened carefully to her words, fascinated by the movement of her lips, and searched for a healing herb nearby. He was far too lovely, and Erana despised niceness. She is been to battlegrounds and witnessed tough men fall before her. Never in her life did she expect to meet someone who was overly sentimental. Does he realize she is a stranger? How did he find it so easy to trust her? Erana grew impatient with his tender care; the delay disrupted her plans. The annoying guy kept stalling. She simply could not keep up anymore.

Darius tended her wounds with a healing herb, and she forced a grateful smile. No matter how impatient she was, her father taught her manners.

"Thank you," she said. The wind ruffled her hair, and she tried to appear seductive by placing a strand behind her ears.

"So what happened?" Darius queried. "Why did those men pursue you?"

She looked at the lifeless bodies of her sacrificed men, silently begging forgiveness for their unwitting participation in her plan. They had been faithful companions, but sacrifices were required for the greater good.

"My parents planned to marry me off to an abusive man," she claimed, tears welling up in her eyes once more. "They determined I was too old to remain in their care. Those men were his guards, sent to remove me from my home forcibly."

Darius listened intently, his compassion reflected in his gaze.

"You are safe now," he reassured her. "You will not suffer any harm." I will shelter you until your family arrives."

"Where do you live?" she asked.

"I stay with the Midnight Clan. It would be dangerous for you to remain among my pack as the only human. We cannot jeopardize your safety. Instead, I will take you to a remote hibernation location where you can stay until you are ready to return home."

Erana smiled and nodded, even though it was not part of her plan. She had hoped he would take her to his clan, not some remote location. Nonetheless, she had to maintain a facade of compliance. Without further ado, he took her in his arms and carried her deeper into the woods. The wind chilled her skin, causing sensations that she dismissed. Chills that prompted hot s*x. Unfortunately, she was not the romantic type. Romance was not her concern, but she needed it to lure this prince. Her heart was as unyielding as steel, focusing solely on her mission.

When Darius arrived at an abandoned house, he gently laid her on a soft bed and attended to her comfort.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, lighting a candle in the dim room.

"Safer than before," she admitted.

"I advise against lingering here; it is dangerous," Darius warned. "I have responsibilities to attend to. Notify me when you are ready to depart, and I will escort you home."

"I do not want to go back home," she admitted, clutching his arm and pretending to be afraid. "I do not trust anyone. What if they harmed me again? I would rather accompany you instead."

Darius gently released her hand. "I cannot bring you into the clan because it would endanger you. I also have a Luna waiting for me at home, and I do not know how she will feel about you. Trust me and stay here for your safety. When you are stronger, I will lead you home."

Erana acquiesced, concealing her frustration, as his resolve remained firm. Oh! So he had a Luna? Well, too bad she would be stealing Darius from her for a while. Although Darius was undeniably attractive, his lone hazel eyes brought back memories of her mother's death. Those eyes, which had once belonged to a feral beast, haunted her since childhood. He possessed a fang that growled at her and attempted to devour her. He may not recognize her, but she acknowledges him well. When his father was gone, the young wolf sniffed her from the wardrobe and moved towards it just as she trembled and curled her arms around her legs. She had always dreaded animals since she was a child. So, seeing one up close didn't make her feel any better. Just like his father, she also noticed them, those fanged teeth. How much she hated those! When she gets the chance, she will use the same teeth to stab them and get rid of this crippling fear once and for all. She saw him transform into a werewolf and noticed a scar on his back. The scar looked like the symbol on the amulet she wore.

Perhaps Darius held the key to discovering the truth buried in her past.

"Goodnight, Darius," she said coyly as she reclined on the bedding. The following day, she will start her plan to make him fall for her and exploit his weakness against his people. She would first bring down his father through him, then frustrate his life to the point where he could not take it anymore.

"Let me know if you need anything," he offered politely. "I will check up on you tomorrow."

"Please do," she showed him a puppy look. "I feel nervous all by myself."

***

Darius arrived at the Midnight Clan and watched his people climb the mountain to their huts. He was back in human form, inspecting everything they did as the wind blew his long hair into his face.

"Hello, love!" He felt soft arms wrap around him. His heart throbbed against his chest, and his eyes glowed with attraction. He recognized his Luna right away.

"Tori," he softly clasped her hand.

"You are so obsessed with your people," she said, letting go and standing beside him.

"You will be an amazing leader like your father when you become king."

"I never considered myself a royal type," Darius laughed. "I do not believe I am fit to be king."

Tori grimaced.

"Do not say that," she said, covering his mouth with her hands. "You will always be my King, regardless of what. I am your Luna. Together, we are going to build a mighty clan. A clan strong enough to face adversity."

Darius tapped her cheeks while smiling.

"Thanks, Tori," he said before kissing her cheek. His attraction towards her wasn’t as strong as it should be, but he saw her worthy enough to run his kingdom with him. She was intelligent, and her beauty was enough to get people talking.

"Last night, I heard screams at the border. Where were you at the time?"

Darius understood what the question was about. He distracted himself with a lady in distress with her toddler.

“O! God! Will you stop?” The lady wailed as she attempted to keep the child from crawling away from her.

"It is fine," he reassured her, picking up her child and handing him to her.

She smiled as she said, "Thank you." Tori folded her arm with a jealous expression.

"You enjoy helping ladies in town but not conversing with me," she sulked.

"Do not say that," he defended himself as he returned to her.

"So, where were you last night? Did you attend to the scream at the border? Was that a woman's voice you heard?" She questioned jealously. "I searched for you all night and did not see you. "Where did you go?"

Darius had no desire to argue with her.

"I will see you soon, My Luna," he said, caressing her arm and walking away.

"Do not you dare cheat on me, Darius," she warned. "You are well aware that your father will not spare you."

Darius waved her bye and headed back to town. He needed to get some foodstuffs and head back to this stranger soon. This stranger whom he had a very strange feeling about.