Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 23: Train Ride to Nowhere

Troy

I was in deep.

Totally and completely in over my head.

And as I watched Horace approach, his gnarled figure limping through the garden as though he were simply out on a stroll, I tensed, my shoulders tight and rigid as I straightened up to my full height and leaned the rake I was holding against one of the freshly pruned bushes.

The garden had become our meeting place after Maeve had caught me on the outskirts of the castle grounds on my first day in residence. Horace and I had been leaving notes to each other beneath a pile of fallen stones in the dilapidated shed since I arrived in Valoria several weeks ago as prepared to masquerade as Aaron, the breeder. Aaron, the one I knew she was falling in love with.

She didn’t know me. She couldn’t know me. And when she cried out his name while I moved within her, I could have screamed and beat my fists in agony. Oh, I was in trouble. Meeting my mate was not part of the plan.

Neither was trying to save her life.

I was here to trick her, to stall until Damian’s warriors arrived to take over the castle. That was the original plan, at least. No one had said a thing about killing her. Romero wanted me to actually bed her and get her pregnant, potentially holding her hostage until the child was born and Romero could do away with her, or worse, keep her alive to harness her powers.

But I wasn’t Romero’s pawn. I hadn’t even known he existed until the Persephone made port in Avondale, the capital of the Isles, six months ago when Alpha Damian demanded my presence and vaguely explained the mission.

I never considered myself part of Poldesse. We smugględ and pirated for them, sure, but I had grown up running wild with the other orphaned “beach rats” until Keaton had stolen enough coins and gems to have the rotten body of the Persephone towed from its shallow grave on a beach on the island of Suntra and fully renovate her.

Then we sailed the high seas. That was my home. My pack. That was where my loyalties lie.

But then I found out I had a living grandfather, and everything changed.

I would have done anything to know him, to look upon his face and maybe, just maybe, see a hint of the mother I couldn’t remember.

But Romero was a monster. A sick, deranged old man. And as I stood in the garden waiting for Horace to make his way toward me, I realized how much of a monster I was being to Maeve myself.

I had to get out of it. I had to get her out of it.

“So, it’s done? You’ve-”

“Slept with her?” I hissed, keeping my voice low lest the gardeners were listening. I always spent my mornings in the garden, not having much else to do. The physical labor was good for me.

“Yes. Were you successful?”

me, my obvious disdain for him seemingly adding years to

Maeve, I had

toward the pile of gardening equipment and pushed past

“Where are you going?”

him, narrowing my eyes into slits. “Did Ernest not tell you? He’s sending me on an errand. I’ll be back tomorrow

scanning the garden as he took a step toward me, his arm outstretched as though the skeleton of a man was going to attempt to grab me and physically prevent me

can wait. He’s not going anywhere, obviously,” I snorted, looking up at Romero’s tower for

back here, you

the greenbelt. I beelined for the trees, cursing under my breath that I hadn’t had time to change out of the dirt-smeared jeans and T-shirt I was wearing. I picked grass clippings from my hair as I walked, tripping over a few roots on my way down. Maeve was supposed to meet

***

23: Train Ride to

sparkling

not forever. I’ll be

Ernest has you going on?” She sipped her drink,

in the library a week ago. I had been trying to avoid her as much as

I said, gripping my pint of beer for dear life

her glass again, then made a

“What’s the matter?”

to the port and not one of his warriors?” “Because I have nothing to

the market stalls were flooding with people. “What are you

don’t know. I

face somewhat clouded

you upset?” I

“What happens now, Aaron?”

my cheek the way I always did when she mentioned Aaron’s name. I knew this

packed up on a ship headed for Finaldi in a week’s time. What’s the plan? I thought helplessly. looking over at her and trying to steel my expression. Damian’s men would be here in two weeks to take

could get word to the

I said honestly, looking into her eyes. “But I promise you’re

mouth to speak as I quickly drained the last of my beer, wiping my mouth on the back of my hand. I stood and rounded the table, squeezing her shoulder as I bent down, whispering, “We can talk about this later.

skin, and I walked off the curb. I tucked them in the pockets of my jeans as I walked, willing myself

for the Port of Valoria when I requested one two weeks ago. I was looking for the Persephone, knowing she would dock at the port at least once during my stay. I knew Keaton wouldn’t be a part of Damian’s invasion, he had made

be bringing

glancing over my shoulder every once

train. I could have shifted, of course, but I didn’t know my way around the center of Mirage. The railway to the port was new, constructed in the last ten years or so based on what Maeve had told me, and it would