Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Maeve

Cleo and Myla were sitting in awe in front of the hearth in the library, looking down at infants in their hands. Alison, Robbie’s mate, was holding Will, who was surprisingly well behaved as he peered up at the perfect stranger in whose

arms he rested.

“I don’t know how I missed him,” Cleo whispered, looking down at Oliver with a soft frown creasing her brow. “I’ve nev er… Oh, Maeve, I am so sorry!”

“Cleo, none of this is your fault. None of it. We’re all fine

now, that’s what matters!” | sat between her and Myla and on the couch, holding a mug of hot cider between my hands as | glanced from baby to baby, a wave of relief washing over me. We had all finally been reunited after Troy and I had separat ed from the Persephone.

ooh “This one looks so much like Troy.” Myla ran her knuckle

over Charlie’s cheek, which caused him to smile in reflex.

Myla beamed, tears glimmering in her eyes.

“Both Will and Charlie look shockingly like Troy, but | think Oliver looks like me.” | sipped my cider again and caught Cleo’s surprised gaze. She looked down at little Oli, whose name I hadn’t uttered until that moment. Myla rested her hand against my thigh, then leaned her head on my shoulder.

“Thank you, Maeve,” she whispered, just as Cleo dissolved into tears.

I wondered if Cleo had ever told Myla the truth about Olivia, who had been Cleo’s mate and Myla’s mother. Based on their ease with each other, and the teary, knowing glance they shared, I assumed that they had. Cleo didn’t bother to wipe the tears away as they fell, she kept her gaze firmly on Oli, Olivia’s namesake.

“What a blessing,” Cleo grinned, her voice distorted by a

sob.

Alison, who was pregnant herself, seemed slightly over whelmed as Myla and Cleo prodded me for details about the birth of the boys.

“I worry about myself,” Alison said, swallowing hard.

“Why is that? You’re strong and healthy, and only carry one child-” Cleo retorted, but Alison paled.

“I carry Robbie’s child, Cleo. He is seven feet tall. I am sure

he was a giant infant at his birth.”

My eyes widened as I took Alison in. She was very petite,

hardly five feet tall herself, maybe shorter. Seeing her stand ing next to Robbie was shocking.

Robbie, Dad, Troy, Rowan, and Ernest were all in Ernest’s old office, talking about Dianny. Gemma had just entered the

library, George balanced on her hip while she walked behind

a maid pushing a tea cart stacked with all kinds of lunch foods.

Good, I thought. I was absolutely starving,

“I was just in the kitchen and saw your mom, Maeve. She

said there’s a conference of Alphas meeting in town tomor row. And a gala the next day?” Gemma and the rest of the family from Winter Forest had arrived late the night before, and we had spent the majority of the early morning explain ing what had happened when Troy and I left for Mirage with

my parents.

I opened my mouth to reply to Gemma, but Myla

screamed.

as well as the screeches of all

through the

the walls.

at nearly the same time, I

she had loved as much as I

fact, alive.

Charlie from her arms before she dropped him in her haste to rise from the couch. Cleo had risen, equal ly as pale but much more reserved in her reaction

sudden and

had mourned her

she was standing in front of us, healthy, robust, holding her cherubic son proudly in

nma was

the time Myla reached her and threw her arms around her. Alison looked shocked, totally oblivious

I patted Charlie against my

of

she bounced George on her knee. George was rather particular about only wanting his mother, but Alison had been successful

with vigor, lost in quite yet animated conversation with Myla and

the other

Oli, who were happily snoozing in the radiating warmth

was asleep on my lap, his

rosy.

has been fruitful,” I replied with a

mother would have… she would

flushed

ing the tears glistening in Alison’s eyes. “Oh,

I did

While Robbie

She had grown up in Dianny and would see Tasia’s attack

a significant betrayal, and something that took everything she had ever known from

children. I was able to convince my

grief. She

and I told her as such. She was in great pain over the deaths of many, many of what sounded like a rather

his arms,” she said with a soft, somber smile, her eyes glistening with warmth as she said his name. “Four each in his arms, if you can believe

can,” I said with a little laugh,

manhandled by Robbie at

sometimes Troy’s, orders.

went back… Robbie was only one of four men who got out of… of the city before Tasia … before she….” Another wave

be! We have all been through hell

sadness. I cry all the time,” I said honestly, but the words felt flat against

accounted for. Alison’s family

lips. George was reaching for her, his chubby fists opening

Troy

seen before had been opened up, cleaned and decorated richly, and

I had brought Robbie to meet

up with our friends. Then Rowan, Hanna, and the rest of the family from Winter Forest arrived, and all hell seemed to break loose. Maeve and I weren’t get ting much sleep already, and we had

was on edge as well as we stood on the stairs, watching through the window as servants set up several heaters in

tell us about the conference?

Maeve asked after

over my chest, not needing to ponder the answer. “Because he’s going to announce me

shaking her