Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 80 : Blood in the Snow

Maeve

Snow was falling in thick, heavy sheets as we walked along the dock, our footsteps absorbed into the vacuum of total and complete silence that accompanied such weather. I could barely see the village through the snow, just hints of the multi-colored cabins that were nestled near the shore. The snow was heavy, sliding from the metal roofs as the cabins warmed within and wood-smoked funneled through chimneys.

My steps felt unsteady as I walked, not used to being on solid ground after five weeks at sea. The journey took longer than we expected, having met bad weather as we passed through the Isles and various challenges with the boat as we crept through the ice filled water of the north-eastern coastline. There had been a few times we had almost given up, debating whether to turn west and seek refuge in Breles, unsure of what awaited us if we stayed east and landed in Valoria.

But none of that mattered anymore.

I was home.

I stopped at the edge of the dock where the wide–plank floorboards met the rocky trail leading back to the village. I remember stopping here before, but on the other side, looking out over the port at the seaplane idling on the water, waiting to take me to Mirage, to my destiny

1. LV.

Would I have still gone if I knew what was in store for me?

Troy had said something to me, but his words vanished into the snow. I looked up, seeing a darkened figure standing on the bluff just above the port. I immediately knew it was my dad.

Troy fell behind as I walked forward, the snow piling around my ankles as I trudged up the slope leading into the village. I watched my feet, unsure of what to do or say when I faced him. I knew Dad was matching my pace. He always had. He had never let me get too far ahead of him or fall too far behind.

He was waiting for me at the top of the slope where the gravel road began. I could just make out his face in the dim light cast by the porch lights of the nearby cabins. His hair was wild, much longer than when I had last seen him. Snowflakes were sticking to his beard and eyelashes. His face was expressionless.

“Hi, Dad,” I said softly, biting the inside of my lower lip. I didn’t realize I had my arms wrapped beneath my belly before I felt a wave of shame wash over me, causing me to tuck my chilled fingers into the pockets of the oversized wool coat I was wearing.

“Hey, kid,” he breathed, and the briefest hint of a smile touched his cheek and was gone before I could even blink.

I stared at him, my mouth opening and closing as I tried to will myself to speak. He tilted his head, his eyes creasing against the silent tears welling in the corners of his eyes. “Where’ve you been? It’s been a long time”

I ran to him, throwing my arms around him as he curled his body around mine, locking me in a warm embrace. I didn’t try to stifle the sobs as I broke down, clinging to his jacket so hard my nails left marks in the leather

“It’s okay,” he said into my hair, resting his cheek against the top of my head. “It’s fine. You’re home now.”

“I’m home,” I mumbled against his jacket, the words barely audible, “Where’s Mom?”

“She is at the house, asleep.”

“Oh,” I said weakly, a fresh wave of my tears soaking into his jacket as I pressed my face against his chest. She was alive. She was still alive.

“We need to talk about-” Dad paused, his body going rigid with tension

I squeezed him harder, knowing he had spotted Troy, who had likely just reached the top of the slope and was in full view of Dad. I turned my head to look over my shoulder at Troy, giving him a weak smile. He gave me one of his signature crooked smiles, but then he shifted his gaze toward the road, his brow furrowing as he began to slowly lower our bags onto the ground.

I peeked over Dad’s arm just in time to witness a blurred figure sprint by, stopping in front of Troy in a spray of snow, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

“You get one shot,” Troy said slowly, letting go of our bags and straightening to his full height. “Because I deserve it.”

Rowan wound his arm back and punched Troy cleanly in the jaw. Troy shook his head, spitting blood into the snow before looking back up at Rowan. He caught Rowan’s hand in his as Rowan attempted to swing at him again, and arched his brow. “I said one!”

“Troy!” I squeaked, but Dad promptly shushed me, an odd look in his eyes as he watched Troy and Rowan start to beat the living hell out of each other in the middle of the road.

“You have a lot of explaining to do, Maeve,” Dad said, continuing to watch the fight. He grimaced when Rowan reared back and headbutted Troy in the nose, and then arched his brow, slightly impressed, when Troy put Rowan in a headlock in return, forcing Rowan to his knees.

trying to free myself from his

vibrating as he

is really

love him,” I said bluntly and with enough force to draw Dad’s

replied, his voice soft and calm against the sounds of Troy and Rowan fighting in the background of

glare at the two idiots behind me, losing my patience.

his leg wrapped around one of Rowan’s and his arms pinning Rowan’s arms to his side. Troy had taught me that move, something he called a sweep, and I knew he

at my words and my dad’s steely gaze, but Rowan used that to his advantage, turning on

said beneath his breath, tilting his head as he watched them continue to roll through the snow and murmur curses. “I used to be young once, you

one of them hitting Troy squarely in the chest where his wound was. I flinched as I watched Troy double over, holding his hand out in momentary surrender. It had healed well over the

at me?” I asked Dad, not

as he rested his chin on the top of my head. “There’s

be upset

“I didn’t find you.”

the hurt in his voice as he spoke, and my eyes began to water as I turned my focus back on Troy and Rowan, who

about the idea of him, and Mom, falling into Damian’s trap. I swallowed my words, resting my head against his arm as we watched Troy and Rowan. I shifted my gaze to the side, catching Pete out of the corner of my eye. He was standing still with his backpack sliding off of his shoulder and

woman standing in front of him, facing him. She was wearing nothing but a plush bathrobe and flannel pajama pants, her hair knotted in a loose

watching them with interest. We had been in Winter Forest for ten whole minutes

our house in the distance blanketed

I replied, too overwhelmed to argue that we should break Rowan

couldn’t help but stare. Neither of them looked at us as we passed by, but I recognized her-Kacidra, Aaron’s twin sister, who I had only met the one time their family had visited Winter Forest ten years ago. I

we

“1-I know.”

happened while

was Mom,

arm was still resting over my shoulders as we

would’ve told me if she were dead. Dad wouldn’t lie to me and tell me she was sleeping if she was dead. Rowan’s focus wouldn’t have been on Troy. He wouldn’t have even cared about Troy if Mom had

turned the corner and started walking up the driveway. A light was on in the living room, setting the deck above the garage alight in

just been standing beneath the shelter of the deck while the first spring rain pounded against the floorboards above my head, going over the proposal my Dad had pitched to me only moments before. Go to Mirage. Give the pack of Drogomor

Be a mother.

as we reached the gate, unable to step forward.

dead,” I said without thinking, staring blankly

“How?”

killed him. When we

to talk about it right now. It’s

between us as I continued to stare forward,

Maeve. Sleep. Sleep in your own bed.” Dad shuffled his feet, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked up at the

“Is she hurt?”

“Yes.”

the ground and reached up to wipe my nose on my jacket sleeve. “How

“Maeve, please”

“Maeve?”

shadowed by the deck above her head. I took one cautious step towards the gate, my hands trembling as I reached up to push

“Ge-Gemma?”

the wall on the side of the house and flipped the switch, flooding the driveway in light. I almost passed out, my vision

Maeve, are you alright?” Gemma came forward, patting a bundle