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 screeches of all

through the library and echoed

the walls.

of the chaos of not only my family, but my friends from the Persephone, arriving at nearly the same time, I had totally forgotten to mention one major piece of information to

loved as

fact, alive.

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 unexpected

mourned her death

she was standing in front of us, healthy, robust,

nma was

Myla reached her and threw her arms around her. Alison

as I patted Charlie against my

my tears of utter,

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

in quite yet animated conversation with Myla and Cleo at

the other

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

was asleep on my lap, his

rosy.

fruitful,” I replied with a soft

she would have loved to

Alison flushed with

visit…” | tapered off, notic ing the tears

I did what I could

do you mean?” While Robbie

berserk, Alison’s account was what I was most interested in. She had grown up in Dianny

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

go. Nor would my two eldest sisters… and their children. I was able to convince my other sisters and their families to

her grief. She

pain over the deaths of many, many of what sounded like a rather large im

her eyes glistening

a little laugh, remembering

had been manhandled

sometimes Troy’s, orders.

at the beach for 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 city before Tasia … before she….” Another wave of tears fell over Alison’s pale lashes, her cheeks pinkened with an

all been through hell and back,

is no shame in feeling sadness. I cry all the time,” I said honestly, but the words felt flat against

for. Alison’s

his chubby fists opening and closing as she held him against

Troy

Parts of the castle I hadn’t even seen before had been opened

the evening I had brought

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 spent the majority of the

stood on the stairs, watching through the window as servants

didn’t he tell us

asked after several

ponder the answer. “Because he’s going to

deeply, shaking her head