Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 49: The Sacred

Maeve

Troy and I walked through the building, surprised by the amount of noise coming from the corridors as we headed down the many, many stairs to the lower-level courtyard.

The buildings are where everyone lives, stacked on top of each other,” Troy said, smiling as a little girl ran past us, chasing after what must have been her older sister.

*This place is ancient, Troy. How old do you think this place is?”

Troy exhaled, looking around as we walked towards the courtyard, reaching up to run his hand along the wall.

“A thousand years, maybe more?”

“More?” I sucked in my breath, unable to process it.

“Well, how many White Queens have there been over time? Count back and that’s likely as old as this place, and even Winter Forest, should

be.”

“Mom said Winter Forest wasn’t the original settlement of the White Queens. There’s a ruin on an island across from the inlet. That’s where the pack used to live, but everyone believes it was taken over by the water hundreds of years ago.”

“See? This is very, very old stuff.”

I nodded, swallowing against the anxiety tightening my chest and throat. This was an old place. A strange place. And I had the oddest “out of body feeling as we walked the halls. We finally turned the corner and passed through the archway leading to the courtyard, stopping short of the entrance as Duck came bounding towards us, followed by Myla and Pete.

“Where’s Robbie?” Troy asked, furrowing his brow.

“He’s out chasin’ tail,Myla said with a laugh. Pete blushed deeply, lowering his gaze to his feet.

“Still?” Troy snorted, shaking his head.

“So, you saw him? And he was alright?” I asked hurriedly. Myla nodded her head, wiggling her eyebrows at me and Troy.

“Oh, he’s more than alright, I’ll say that much. He told me all about it,” Myla said.

“Why?” Troy asked, looking from Myla to Pete, who was looking more and more uncomfortable with the conversation.

“Why not?” Myla said with a soft chuckle, “What else were we supposed to do while we were waiting for you guys to come down? What were you up to, anyway?”

Troy cleared his throat, and I stifled a blush. Myla arched her brow, puffing out her cheeks as she tried not to laugh.

can

is a little jealous-” Myla

blushing. And I had the opportunity to, you know,

it?” Troy laughed, crossing his arms

saving himself for his mate.”

you, Pete.” I said, smiling

will follow me,” came a voice from behind us. We turned around, finding a young girl standing still as a rod in the archway, her eyes wide with nerves as she spoke. She was young, very young, likely no

up over the river. People were swimming in the slowly moving, shallow water. It

narrow gravel pathway leading downhill into another shallow valley through a thicket of trees. Stepping out of the trees, we stopped, all of

setting sun.

as the towers at the city’s entrance. Music was wafting up from the lake, and voices lifted in gaiety

lanterns that were strung through the trees. It was beautiful, and quite romantic, and I felt a sudden urge to find a dark corner

blushed deeply, clearing my throat. Troy looked down at

murmured, feeling a little hot. What was

this!” Myla exclaimed, looking up at the sea of

“Have you been able to mind-link

shaking her head, “No, I tried but I couldn’t get through. Do

deeply. He bent his head close to mine as

definitely.” I replied. “But I don’t think these people are going to

eyes were still

onto a wide dock. Flowerpots lined the dock, and sprays of flowers I couldn’t name were in full bloom. The deep floral smell

table that was low to the ground, and Una was sitting

sitting on the cushions. The older man must have been Ismir, Una’s

eyes. We sat around the table, as did the young girl, who elbowed her brother before taking a seat next to him. “This is my family,” Una said, beaming

her eyes wide, and a look of sheer longing

Troy whispered, leaning his head close to

I replied, watching Myla gush over Una’s brood. “Myla will have ten children, I’d bet

looked at him, seeing the confusion flash behind his eyes, his tanned face blushing deeply the same way mine had when I

is it about this place that is making us act, and think,

into his eyes, my heart quickening as he

creasing with what

mouth to say something, but the words were lost, hanging on the tip of my tongue, just out

you, I thought, unable

large platters of the most delicious food I had ever tasted were brought out over the course of three hours. Hot, spiced tea was poured

met Una’s, who was watching me closely, a look

pink, and his eyes unable to hide the fact that he was having the best day of his entire

true beauty, curvy and strong, with an angular face and thick, glossy black hair that fell over her shoulder in tight ringlets. Her eyes were a strange color, however, a shade of gray that reminded me of the color of the inlet back home. Gray like glacier silt, the clay left behind as the glaciers moved across the land over the millennia. Neither of her parents had the same color eyes as she did,