The Alpha's Temptation

Chapter 147 Love To See His Tail

"What's he doing?" asked Tania, her skin pebbling with goosebumps as she watched Fafnir make strange symbols on the rails all over the ship.

"Stourin is a hidden realm, Tania," said Eltanin. "And only those who belong to Stourin can open the passage which leads to the underwater kingdom. My blood acts as a tether, which will find the passage and direct my ship to the exact point where the passageway will open underwater." He looked at the calm water, which reflected the light of the moon, as the sea breeze whipped his hair onto his face.

Tania was intrigued, as she too, looked into the direction where he was looking. She turned her head back and saw that the small bay where she saw ships and boats had reduced to a mere blot of lights on the horizon. "How will I get there?" she asked as she leaned against the rail. "I am not… a mermaid."

Eltanin and his crew that consisted of only mermen, could actually jump in water, and reach Stourin using the magic that they would be surrounded with the moment they touched the waters of Jade Sea. Since he was with Tania, it was an entirely different matter. He had to take this ship to the deep waters. "And that's why Fafnir is doing all that," he replied, motioning at the symbols on the rail. "Come here," he said. She ambled to him and he turned her back to his chest. "Watch this."

Once Fafnir had finished writing the symbols with his blood on the rails, he too went and stood behind them. Every other crew member was standing quietly in their place.

The ship steered itself in the direction of the point where the passage would be revealed over the waters. Tania could hear the gentle laps of water over the side of the ship as it floated on its own. In the dark of the night, the moon reflected over the surface, imparting it a shimmery glow. Suddenly, from the corner of her eye, she saw sparks and crackles of light. Ancient magic swam through the wood of the ship as symbols started shining a brilliant red at first and then a bright yellow as if they were on fire, stretching the entire length.

The ship came to a stop and bobbed on the water as Tania watched it with a gasp. She clung to Eltanin as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Don't be afraid, love," he whispered.

A line charged from the symbol in front of them and connected with the next. The line shot sharply, connecting every symbol like a click of a lock. They were nowhere near the land, but anyone could see that the ship was now glowing and pulsing with ancient magic, even though the air grew cold and frosty.

Tania's breath clouded in front of her. Eltanin held his beloved on the Stormy Eye in a warm hug. And when he felt that they were completely covered by the ancient magic, he spoke the words, "Domos Itdi." Go home.

As soon as he said that, Tania could feel a sudden jolt as the ship swayed dangerously. With a roar, the waves parted. It was as if the surface of the water tore with a loud rip. Stormy Eye swayed. Eltanin caught Tania tightly against a banister. The crew lowered the sails in tandem as Fafnir barked orders.

Fish jumped to the surface as foam gurgled around the ship and sea water sprayed across their faces. Eltanin could feel the ancient magic of the symbols permeating into his skin and reaching his bones. He had to keep his mate safe. With one hand he held her by the waist as she too swayed with the ship's dangerous rhythm and with the other, he held the banister.

The sides of the ship touched the surface of the water from left to right, sending everything untethered into the air. His chest rumbled and his neck muscles strained as his body felt torn in two fighting for control. He felt the ship might topple overboard when all of a sudden, a wide chasm opened in the sea giving way to a hollow around which waves swirled. The ship steered itself into that hollow, gliding over the water beneath it. Sweat broke out onto his face and he let out a rough exhale when the magic settled and slowly took its claws out of him.

Tania was mesmerized. Not for a moment had she closed her eyes. She could feel the strain on her mate, but she stood with him braving the dangerous swirls of the sea. _​

As the ship traversed the passageway, cool mist sprayed over their faces and their hair whipped back in the wind. She looked all around her and was stunned to see that the aquatic life was swimming around them. The ship went deeper and it seemed as if darkness was gobbling them up. She saw Fafnir going towards the rail with excitement. "Don't!" she warned him scared that he might get sucked in the strong current. He looked at her, grinned and then leapt forward into the swirl. Tania shrieked. "Fafnirrr!"

"He will be fine," Eltanin said, kissing her temple.

"B— but how. He just—" she snapped her head in the direction where he had jumped. A streak of shimmery light followed her gaze and she saw something illuminating from the waves. "That—" she pointed at the shimmery tail of a huge fish.

"That is Fafnir," Eltanin chuckled. "He is a half werewolf-half merman."

With a loud thud, water splashed around them and a stunned Tania watched Fafnir speedily disappearing into the depths of Jade Sea. "Oh. My. God." She rasped. "He never showed that he is a half merman. And mermen glow?"

Eltanin laughed. He left her waist as the ship became steadier and walked to the bow of the ship. She followed him. "Fafnir's father, Aenon, was a merman who fell in love with his mother in Draka. He was a part of the group that had come to Draka when my grandfather, the king of sea, sent for his daughter, Taiyi. She was with her mate and hadn't returned after giving  birth to me. While Taiyi returned, Aenon stayed back having fallen in love with a she-wolf. He had to return and later it had come to light that the girl was pregnant. Under my father's tight security, she gave birth to a baby boy. Fafnir was taken by father ever since and under his strict watch, he grew up to be a fine warrior. Aenon had learned that he had a son and he had returned to retrieve him and take him back, but Fafnir refused."

Tania shivered. "That is…" She didn't have words.

"Aenon was heartbroken, but he insisted that Fafnir should at least see whether he could shift into a merman. At first, Fafnir was reluctant, but later he took to water like a fish. He loved his transformation. And that is why he loves to come back at every chance he gets to the Jade Sea."

Tania laughed as she watched Fafnir, who was now doing some acrobatics on the side. She still couldn't believe that he was a merman. "I would love to see his tail!" she said, clasping her hands.

Eltanin growled. "You won't go near it!" That's where their shafts were hidden and merman were sensitive creatures around their tails.

"Why?" she asked, pouting.

"For safety purposes."

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