Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 35: No Time to Write Wrongs

Maeve

I went back to my room. Troy’s room, after dinner to find it spotless. The mess I had made was righted, and I noticed as I opened the drawers in the bedside tables that he had placed everything back inside, including the wadded-up papers and random rocks. I smiled to myself as I shut the drawers, looking around before thinking better of going to bed right away, and decided to visit the infirmary instead.

Cleo wasn’t there, but I found Myla still sprawled out in the bed in the center of the room, her eyes shut and mouth slightly open as she lingered in a deep, ceaseless sleep. I touched her face, then her hair, murmuring a silent prayer over her as she slumbered.

“She’ll wake up from it,” said Keaton.

I nearly jumped out of my skin, turning to find him leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. “You scared me,” ! said, blood hammering in my ears.

“Sorry, I didn’t think anyone would be down here. Cleo’s found a friend in Meran, I’m afraid. Both talkers, those two.”

“I didn’t realize you were on a first-name basis with Cleo-”

“Well, she’s my mate’s mother. I suppose that allows for some kind of intimacy.”

The blood drained from my face as I looked up at him, then back down at Myla. “What did you just say?”

“My mate,” he said matter-of-factly, taking a single step into the room and looking down at Myla.

“No, she-”

*Why don’t we step outside for a minute, Maeve? I think the two of us have some things to talk about.” He turned on his heel and walked out of the infirmary with me close behind him, my mind reeling at his revelation.

Myla’s mate? Him? A pirate?

I suddenly remembered the strange look on his face when Myla was brought aboard the ship, how he had gone to her immediately. struggling to maintain his composure as she laid limp in the stretcher.

Crazier things have happened, I thought dismally, thinking of how shocked I had been when I found out Gemma and Ernest were mates.

Oh, Gemma. I wished she was here. She would be thrilled for Myla. And she would definitely have scolded me for being anything but happy for her.

I buried my grief, following Keaton up the many staircases until we reached the main deck.

“You’re too hard on him, you know.” Keaton was leaning on the rail, looking out over the water. His shirt was billowing in the soft breeze as the waves beat against the sides of the boat, the sails overhead pulling us further into the open water.

“He must have explained what he did to me,” I said shortly, leaning on the rail in a similar fashion, my hair still knotted in a bun on the top of my head. I was thankful for it; I didn’t like the wind whipping my hair into a tangled frenzy.

“He did. You have to realize, though, that he was expecting to find you there in Drogomor.”

“Wasn’t that the whole point? Pretending to be my breeder to gain access to the castle?”

Keaton looked at me for a long moment, then looked away, sighing. “He said you wouldn’t understand.”

ask about his mate bond with Myla, but he had quickly changed

was going to happen, he wouldn’t have set foot on Valoria, you have

word means

I can see why Troy likes you.” Keaton smirked, his eyes a deep greenish-gold in the twilight

know me, not anymore. That Maeve

13:46

Chapter

to

rather ominous.” He pushed against

all, really. He

of being anything other than himself, I assure you.” He chuckled then shaking his

אווה ווה או הוריזונה

What do you mean?”

percent Troy. I’ve met Aaron, the little prick. He’s worthless. Had he been the one with you in Valeria, well, you’d

real Aaron had been kind of a wuss when we met as children. Perhaps Keaton was right and I would’ve been trying to run the real Aaron out of town if he’d been my

long have you

me for a moment, deciding whether or not he wanted to tell me anything of substance about

Your band?”

amok on Avondale. Beach Rats, we were called. They’re everywhere in the Isles. No pack to claim them, no homes to go back to. Troy didn’t say a word to any of

can’t imagine,” i said quietly, totally shocked and suddenly heartbroken for Troy. I remembered the portrait of the woman in his journal, the woman whose face was blurred like it had come from a distant, fragmented memory.

on Avondale when he was four or five, and just left,

sick to my stomach at how I had been treating Troy

dismissal. “He doesn’t like to talk about it.

I won’t, I promise.”

beautiful kid, and I mean really beautiful, with those weird eyes of his and his thick hair. We used him as bait, with permission of course, to lore old ladies away from their purses at those fancy beach-front restaurants under the guise of not being able to find his mommy, and all that. We made a killing

guessing that’s when the piracy began?” Something about this felt vaguely

off Avondale. More opportunities elsewhere, if

I don’t follow —

Reconstruction, and we ran goods for merchants on our cruiser for years. One of those runs was how we found the Persephone. She was beached on an island south of Suntra, rotting in the sun for Goddess knows how long We worked like dogs until we had enough

the idea of three little boys growing up alone for so long,

was our navigator, always. He was the reason why we kept the sails. Loves maps, that guy. He wanted nothing more than to stand at the helm with that damn compass in

asked, trying not to

*The pretty face, obviously”

are too good. Every band of pirates needs

why you’re

“Someone’s gotta do it

No Time

stood in silence for a moment,

when you were young?” I asked, tucking a loose strand of