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.

struck by the oddest sensation of déjà vu as I watched him order the drinks. It felt like just yesterday he had bought me a lemonade during the Spring Festival when I was dying of heat stroke but too enraptured

been before I knew who he was. Before I knew him as Troy or even as Aaron. My mouth twitched into a smile as I watched him walk

every second of the past ten or eleven months-because it

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

in front of the Alpha

“Maeve?”

“Yeah?”

are a rough place. They’ve decayed

hopes

living, for one,” he said curtly, taking a deep gulp of his cider. I could 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 work. Also, I have very little money. Pennies, honestly, compared to what other Alphas

know I don’t care

you didn’t grow up in a castle

worried about me not liking

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

prickling with heat. “No, I won’t do that. The boys and I are coming with you

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

don’t know how safe it’s going to

our job now, isn’t it? To take care of the people of the Isles and restore

a lot more than

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

to be in so much

stifling a laugh.

the alcohol, or the

seen Vicky or Paul in hours,” Troy

thought she was supposed to be watching Sarah and Kat.” I looked

my younger

old enough to be out by herself.

grew up very differently than you did, Troy,” I laughed. “You were a pirate at thirteen. Sarah, well, Kat is likely out there bossing poor Sarah around as we speak. Sarah’s shy, you know. I don’t think I saw her at all

from Caroline, not wanting

her evening

see us, Maeve,” Troy murmured, draining his cup of cider. “You

reaching

to know that.

down and kissed me, softly at first, and

feel a little warmth spread through my belly

a dark alley

up again? I don’t think

beer garden before the chilly night air forced us to start moving again, 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 the

to Eugene, the Alpha of Red Lakes, Hanna’s father. Eugene was holding several large stuffed animals in his arms, his

have this one, it’s the smallest. Better luck next time, I say–” He handed Dad a fuzzy, pink teddy pair, patting Dad on

bear up and down before placing it on top of Charlie, who was sleeping

except for maybe Keaton; and so far, he had been unsuccessful. It didn’t stop him

in his jacket as we lingered

which was centered around an event taking place