Royal Alpha: A Tale of Love and Power

Chapter 2: The Arrival of the Alpha:

His entrance was sensational to the entire Eldoria. He was darkly alluring, an epitome of almost dangerous power. Vaguely heard whispers of the reputation accorded him a man of mystery and power, business brutality, hard-edged arrogance—his financial empire at one time had rivaled even Elara's financial empire. Their first meeting was during a high-profile conference within the magnificent Eldorian Convention Center, to which all of the cream from the cream of the kingdom's elite assembled to thrash out issues of global interest. This was the first pointer that Eldoria was indeed serious about its progress and innovations—the keynote address for which was to be given by Elara. "Elara stood at the podium, addressing the influential leadership and investors. Strong was her message, clear her voice—this was the future of renewal energy and an ideal way of operation across domains with nations of the world. An appreciative, spellbound audience hung on to her words, not daring to breathe a word.". "This is the loving step forward, and we must encase whatever power an inventive approach to the making of our promise for the future," Elara continued. "Aurora Industries shall be at the forefront in this commitment to creating technologies serving not only the interests of our kingdom but those of the greater world." Her eyes fell immediately upon a man entering the room. There was Alexander: his overwhelming tallness, his commanding authority, and this gaze, which could cut through, seemed to slink through the crowd much like a predator does among the prey. He was impeccably dressed in a perfectly tapered outfit that showed off strong shoulders and great posture. He really did have charisma. Their eyes locked, and for an instant, the world went still for both. From the distance between them, a spark was unmistakable—like the clashing of two forces, both powerful and unyielding. Elara managed to put as much force into her words as she could, but her mind had partly been with the man who personified the riddle. Later, as Elara mingled, she literally bumped into Alexander. He walked over with an air of confidence in his stride, never once locking his gaze away from hers. "Princess Elara," he addressed her with a half-bow, his voice smooth but commanding. "Impassioned speech. Your vision for the future is truly inspiring." One of Elara's eyebrows arched. "I have heard so much about you, Mr. Storm. I must admit, I didn't expect to see you here." Alexander smiled, almost a curving of his lip into a wolfish grin that spoke of hidden depths. "I go where the future leads, Your Highness, and it seems that our paths are destined to cross." Elara looked at him a moment, caught by that burning intensity in his eyes. "Tell me, Mr. Storm, what brings you to Eldoria?" "Call me Alexander," he said smoothly. "And I'm here for business opportunities. Aurora Industries is at the forefront of renewable energy, and I have interests in how our companies might work together to take it to greater heights." Elara found interest in the subject. For a man bearing the reputation of being ruthless in business, there was something about Alexander that he liked. "Well Alexander, I am always open for talks that bring gain towards our kingdom and planet. Perhaps we could both meet and talk about these possibilities." "I would be honored," Alexander said with eyes glinting with interest. "I look forward to it." Now, for the rest of the conference, Elara found herself growingly conscious of Alexander in the room. He could speak to anybody, charmed in people where he directed his attention. There was, however, a sharpness to him that seemed to remove him from the crowds with a sense of business. Later that evening there was a gala in the grand ballroom of the Eldorian Convention Center. It was a really opulent room with crystal chandeliers that cast warm light across all smartly attired guests. She flowed through graciously; that royal carriage spoke for royalty. She rose to meet the center of the room and felt a slight tap on her shoulder. Turning, she saw Alexander behind her, holding two glasses of champagne. "May I offer you a drink, Princess?" The words were polite, but the voice had an imp in it. Elara took the drink with a nod. "Thank you, Alexander. I must say, you never fail at making an entrance." He chuckled, his eyes dancing. "I try not to disappoint. And from what I have seen, neither do you." He raised his glass, and they clinked. The conversation flowed, and Elara couldn't help but be charmed by that most powerful of mixes: the suave, urbane Alexander, charmer and intellectual. Here, he spoke strongly on what he referred to as his vision of the future—words striking a deep chord with her in many ways. "You know," Elara said reflectively, "for a man of your reputation, you certainly have an optimistic view of the world." Alexander's face relaxed. "Reputations can be deceiving, Your Highness. I'm driven by a desire to make a difference, just like you. Sometimes that requires taking risks and making difficult decisions." Elara nodded, knowing full well the weight that his words carried. "I hear you. Running a kingdom and running a corporation aren't easy. We believe in what we're doing here, and nothing—absolutely nothing—is going to stand in our way." Their conversation flowed very well into the night, but the more the minutes went by, the more surging their chemistry was. It was when the gala was reaching its climax that Alexander finally took her hand, lifting it to his lips and pressing a gentle kiss against her knuckles. "It has been a pleasure, Princess Elara. I look forward to our next meeting," he said softly. Elara felt her heart had just stopped its beating as she locked eyes with him. "As do I, Alexander. Until then." The next couple of days passed in a whirlwind of meetings—from Aurora Industries to the throne—the days were quite full. Still, she could not shake the feeling that Alexander had left. There was something in him that seemed to be like a magnet on her, and she just could not get him off her mind. One evening, Elara sat working her way through some papers in the study. The door opened and Liora walked in with a folder. "Your Highness, I have here some information on Alexander Storm," she said, passing the folder over to Elara. "I thought you might find it useful." She opened the folder, and her eyes scanned through. It was a rather long dossier on Alexander and his business enterprises, successes, and his personal background. She admired his successes but marked things in his life that were challenging and controversial. "Thank you, Liora," said Elara, laying the folder down. "This is very helpful. Obviously, Alexander is a very influential man. To understand where he is coming from is probably going to be critical for us to move multi-dimensionally." Liora paused a moment before speaking again. "Elara, if I may… be careful. Alexander is known for being very ambitious, and his methods can be… unconventional." Elara warmed up to Liora's concern. "I hear you, Liora. I'll keep that in mind. At the same time, I also believe that much possibility opens up for collaboration, so I guess we shall just see where it takes us." Days turned to weeks, and in no time, most of Elara's and Alexander's acquaintances had grown too many to count. The two met frequently to go through serious business talks on the collaboration front between Aurora Industries and Storm Enterprises. Every meeting was entwined with professional discourse and matters much more personal; the lines between business and pleasure began to blur more with each passing day. One afternoon, Alexander invited Elara to one of his research facilities on the outskirts of Eldoria. It was a facility that made up a whole wonder of modern engineering, developing pathways for the installation of high-advanced renewable technologies. During familiarization with the facility, Elara could not but notice the zeal with which Alexander's staff was going about its work. Certainly, he had won a good deal of loyalty and respect from people, something very honorable. "Quite impressive, Alexander," Elara said, trying to conceal her admiration at the ultra-modern machines and the heavy work the people were doing around. "Your team really does seem to work well." Pride beamed in Alexander's face. "Thank you so much, Elara. Our goals seem to be much akin to the goals of Aurora Industries. I believe that together, we can do even more." Their walk ended at the rooftop of the facility, where solar panels and wind turbines dotted the landscape. The scene was breathtaking—a setting sun far into the landscape, making gold with its rays far away. Elara felt a sense of comradeship with Alexander, though they actually hailed from very different backgrounds. They shared the same vision of the future: a drive to be of some positive impact upon the world. "Sometimes it's easy to forget why we do what we do," Elara mused, gazing out at the horizon. "But moments like this remind me of the bigger picture." Alexander nodded contemplatively. "Not only in profits and power, but in a legacy—a better place for future generations to come." Night had started, and the conversation flowed from one to another without any strain, speaking about what they wanted to achieve and their dreams; Elara felt a kind of bonding that spoke of more than a business partnership. Indeed, the facility was bathed in a warm glow from the sun beginning to set just over the horizon. That evening, within the palace, thoughts of him just would not cease—Alexander. Somehow, he had kindled a certain something inside her, a kind of promise and excitement in an area of her she felt she had allowed herself to stay detached from for far too long. But with such excitement came a little trepidation, for Alexander was most definitely an imposing figure. There was potential there for his and her greatness from the collaboration, but it held risks at the same time. She knew Elara needed to walk between her ambitions and being careful about the position she held—a princess, a leader. Just as Elara was about to go to sleep, she wondered what would come in the next few days. Since Alexander's arrival, much unfolded in her life. It's kind of like a rollercoaster of emotions and possibilities from which it's going to be very interesting to find out where their ways will lead them. One thing is sure: Eldoria's world is changing, and Elara intends to meet these changes with whatever life had offered her—adversities and blessings—to ensure that she has a plan for a bright future.