Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 113: Like Nothing Happened

Maeve

“Can I have a bite of that?” I asked, motioning toward the turkey leg wrapped in greasy brown paper that Troy was holding up to his mouth as he prepared to take a bite. He arched his brow, then sighed, handing me the leg and shaking his head at me as I took the largest bite possible.

“I could have bought you your own-“.

“I didn’t want one until you had one,” I grinned, enjoying my bite.

Troy wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we continued to walk through the square in the University Center of Mirage, which was now housing a huge market and festival to celebrate the Winter Solstice.

It felt odd being not only this happy but this carefree. Three days ago, I had been standing outside the remains of the cave system, in a white, soiled dress, thinking my family had just been crushed to death.

Now I was walking around Mirage beneath webs of paper lanterns, my mate’s arm around my shoulders and his turkey leg, which was now mine, in my hand.

I could see Gemma in the distance, standing in line to buy a mug of mulled wine. Ernest was behind her, George fast

asleep in a carrier strapped to his chest.

“Where are the boys?” I asked, a moment of panic washing over me as the crowd seemed to swell. I knew they were with our family, but I didn’t see them now.

ILL

“With your parents,” Troy said as he pointed off in the distance. Mom was pretty easy to spot with her white hair. She was pushing a double stroller, and Dad was walking beside her, carrying Oliver in his arms. “They’re fine, see? I’m sure your parents will find us when the kids start getting hungry. Speaking of which, since you stole my dinner, I’m

going to have to get something else-”

He turned me toward a long row of booths selling all kinds of treats. I continued to munch on the turkey leg as Troy tried to decide between a basket of fried chicken or a burger. I was hoping for the fried chicken.

“Are there festivals like this in the Isles?” I asked as we waited in line.

Troy shrugged, crunching the empty paper cup of cider and tossing it into a trashcan. “I doubt it. There weren’t before, not under Damian’s rule.”

“Keaton told me once that you used to distract old women from their purses so the rest of the boys could steal,”

“Ah, of course he did,” Troy smiled, shaking his head.

The conversation was momentarily interrupted as Troy stepped forward to order his food, glancing at me before telling the man behind the booth what he wanted. I pointed to the picture of fried chicken, and Troy rolled his eyes, leaning forward to drop a handful of coins into the man’s hand.

| stepped to the side, turning to look over the crowd once again in search of my parents, but they were now lost in the swell of festival goers.

“Anyway,” Troy continued as he turned back to me with a bucket of fried chicken in his hands, “Avondale used to have several hotels along one of their beaches, in a neighborhood that used to house the castle of the Alpha, as well as a handful of mansions built for high ranking pack members from way back in the day-”

“You’re just going to eat it plain? No honey, nor hot sauce?” || interrupted as Troy began to walk away from the booth, passing the table of condiments.

He gave me a dirty look then turned back to the table, doctoring up what would no doubt be my second, or maybe third, dinner.

We fell in step with each other as we continued on through the market, passing a piece of chicken back and forth. I was pleasantly full, and pleased, when Troy ushered us into a sprawling beer garden in the center of the market. I sat on the grass while he bought another round of cider.

he had bought me a lemonade during the Spring Festival when I was dying of heat

or even as Aaron. My mouth twitched into a smile as I watched him walk back

past ten or eleven months-because it

the red jacket, that bastard cut in front of me in line,” he said as he sat down next to me, handing

does he know he just cut in front of the Alpha of Poldesse,”

“Maeve?”

“Yeah?”

a rough place. They’ve decayed significantly since the war your parents were involved in. I don’t remember it any other way, but I worry… I know you can handle it. I just

hopes

smell that his was laced with bourbon, probably from the flask Dad had tucked into Troy’s pocket before we left the castle. “The castle of Poldesse is in ruins; it’s going to need a lot of

know I don’t care

grow up in a castle back in Winter Forest, that your parents kept you as humble as

about me not liking where

concerned about you coming with me right away. I think you should stay here or in Winter Forest for a few months, until I have

won’t do that. The boys and I are coming with you from the start. We’ll live on the

enough to know I was digging in my heels on this matter. He sighed, looking out over the groups huddled around the

don’t know how safe

make it safe. That’s our job now, isn’t it? To

to be a lot

as he discreetly tilted his head toward the corner of the beer garden, where Caroline, my sixteen-year-old cousin, was sitting in the grass with a young

to be in so much trouble!” I

stifling a laugh.

in the air, the alcohol, or the fact that she

or Paul in hours,” Troy

was supposed to be watching Sarah

of my

out by herself. She’s

pirate at thirteen. Sarah, well, Kat is likely out there bossing poor Sarah around as we

away from Caroline, not

her

can definitely see us, Maeve,” Troy murmured, draining his cup of

I replied, reaching

to know that. Everyone looks at you

leaned down and

warmth spread through my belly and

find a dark alley somewhere?”

get beat up again? I don’t

this time in search of my parents and our children. I was bursting with milk after eating my weight in food, and three or four cups of hot cider, and was thankful to see them toward the entrance of

large stuffed animals in his arms, his cheeks reddened from the cold, which made him look even more jolly than he usually

his prizes. “I see you have none, Alpha King. Here, you can have this one, it’s the smallest. Better luck next time, I say–” He handed Dad a fuzzy,

bear up and down before placing it on

Dad up, except for maybe Keaton; and so far, he had

had Oliver tucked in his jacket as we lingered near

market, Dad and Eugene were continuing their conversation, which was centered