Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 46: Granddaughter of Willa

Chapter 46: Granddaughter of Willa

Maeve

“They should’ve been back hours ago.” i exclaimed, turning towards Myla, who was equally as concerned.

“They’re probably fine, Maeve,” Keaton said, but his eyes and posture betrayed him. He was getting nervous too, especially now that the sun was beginning to rise over the water.

“I’m going to go find them. They can’t have gone far,” I said with conviction, raising my hand to cut him off as he opened his mouth to argue.

“I’m going to-“Myla began, but Keaton rounded on her.

“No, neither of you are going anywhere,” he said firmly.

Cleo was watching the exchange nervously, wringing her hands.

“I’m going!” I said again, just as barking sounded from the jungle behind us.

I spun around as the dog, otherwise known as Duck, came sprinting onto the beach, his ears flat against his head and his body trembling with fatigue.

“Goddess!” Myla cried as Duck nearly slammed into us, laying down on his side.

“I’ll go get him some water,” Cleo said hurriedly as she turned and quickly walked away.

I knelt beside Duck, stroking his back.

“What’s wrong?’

“Danger,’ he said, closing his eyes as he panted, his tongue lolling in the sand.

“Where?

*Follow,

“Rest now,’ I said to him, continuing to stroke his fur. I looked over my shoulder in the direction he had come, a chill running up my spine as the jungle seemed to whisper menacingly in the breeze.

“Did he talk to you?” Myla asked, her eyes full of worry.

I nodded, looking up at Keaton. “He said ‘danger.’ He’s exhausted. Something happened out there.”

* Aye, I can see that.” Keaton crossed his arms over his chest, looking from Duck to the Persephone. And then, he looked at Myla.

“I can’t leave the ship with Robbie and Troy gone. I just can’t-”

“I know, I understand why.” Myla said softly, a knowing smile touching her lips.

“The crew, Myla—”

promise you.” She rose to her feett, stepping forward and kissing him hard enough for a blush to rise to my own cheeks.

returned with the water and had to hold him back by the scruff of his neck to

back against the sand and promptly falling

to go as soon as he wakes up.” I said to Myla, who nodded in

to pet

over the fact that Myla was leaving on a quest

he was the captain of the Persephone. He hadn’t abandoned his ship or his

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46: Granddaughter of

group of men

wiping his mouth on his sleeve as he jogged over to us, looking

with him?”

with Maeve and Myla into the jungle. Troy and Robbie

was wondering where they were,” he began, then righted himself, straightening his shoulders as he nodded at Keaton, “Yes,

here,” Keaton said quickly. “We need to get at least one of the engines running by sundown,

back over to where the crew was congregating, crouching down

their heads bent in inaudible

bile rising in my throat. I quickened my pace, passing the tent and walking a few paces into the jungle, leaning on a tree for support

forehead against the tree, “Please, I

jungle floor as they raced after Duck. I was gripping Myla’s fur for dear life,

had been running for an hour, if not more, but the sun was still high in the sky

wolves and Duck to drink from the creek. Duck was sniffing frantically, his nose leading him around a

They knew to follow Duck, however, and I trusted their judgment in locating Robbie

jungle to a wide, open valley of low

around in awe as we continued on. I was not expecting this. We were past the jungle now. We couldn’t see mountains from our camp on

a stop about an hour later. He looked around nervously, then began to whine. Myla and Pete looked at each other, then sniffed the air, whining to alert me to some smell they were picking up on that

out of

as I sat up, reaching to rub the tender bruise forming on my back when I stopped, fear taking hold

people were standing around us, surrounding us, holding a variety of spears and long knives. They charged, driving Myla and Pete back into the brush. Duck

didn’t. I got to my knees, then rose to my full height, squaring

did. They were all oddly dressed and wore masks that varied in shape and color. A murmur passed around the group, and then someone pushed through, a woman, her face hidden behind a mask made entirely of what

up to me, reaching out and touching three of her fingers to my forehead, then took them away, tightening her

bending at the knees until she touched the ground. The group

said, her voice carrying a strange lilt to it as she spoke, “A youth, not

passed

I said, watching the woman as she tilted from side to side as though sizing me up.

asked,

“Where are they?”

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Granddaughter of

take you

The woman took a step

that had been painted all over the map. The same symbol on the altar in the Temple of the White Queens.