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.

scream, as well as the

included, erupted through the library and echoed

the walls.

the Persephone, arriving at nearly the same time, I had totally forgotten to

who she had loved as much as I had, was

fact, alive.

so sorry -” | leaped from the couch and took Charlie from her arms before she dropped him in her haste to rise from the couch. Cleo had risen, equal ly as pale

and

mourned her death

healthy, robust, holding her cherubic son proudly

nma was

by the time Myla reached her and threw her arms around her. Alison looked

I patted Charlie against my

my tears of

George was rather

quite

the other end of

who were happily snoozing in the radiating warmth of the wide fireplace. Alison reached up to run her fingers through George’s hair, who cooed happily,

my lap, his round cheeks

rosy.

been fruitful,” I replied with a soft

have… she would

Alison flushed with sudden

visit…” | tapered off, notic ing the tears glistening in Alison’s

alright. Truly. I did what

do you mean?” While Robbie

account was what I was most interested in. She

everything she had ever known

two eldest sisters… and their children. I was able to convince my other sisters and

her grief. She didn’t

the deaths of many, many of

with a soft, somber smile, her eyes glistening with warmth as

with a little laugh, remembering the

manhandled by Robbie

sometimes Troy’s, orders.

just over a week. We didn’t know if Tasia was coming for us, or what we would find if we went back… Robbie was only one of four men who got out of… of the

have all been

shame in feeling sadness. I cry all the time,” I said honestly, but the

well and accounted for. Alison’s family

her lips. George was reaching for her, his chubby fists opening and closing as she held him

Troy

even seen before had been opened up, cleaned and decorated richly, and several large white tents had been erected in

I had

family from Winter Forest arrived, and all hell seemed to break loose.

as we stood on the stairs, watching through the window as servants

us about the conference?

Maeve asked after several moments of

the answer. “Because he’s going to announce

deeply, shaking her head as she