Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 114: Lineage of the Queens

Troy

Maeve and Ethan needed to talk; that was obvious.

Things had been tense between them since we had arrived in Winter Forest several weeks ago and had only escalated from there. The situation with Tasia and the moonstones was out of our control and only made things worse, but that was over now.

I had been trying to find a way to put Maeve in Ethan’s path, knowing the two were too bullheaded to actually find a time to hash things out on their own, but so far had been unsuccessful.

The days following our battle with Tasia had been shockingly chaotic and full, with everyone preparing to go their separate ways and start new lives.

I had seen more of Ethan and Rowan than anyone as it was, spending most of my time in the Alpha’s office in the castle pouring over maps and whatever records of Poldesse Ethan had managed to get his hands on.

Rowan was always there, doing much the same for his new pack, slightly pale as he prepared to take over the role of Alpha of Drogomor on his own once Ethan returned with Rosalie to Winter Forest.

But I got a lucky break on Saturday, just a few days before Rowan and Hanna were meant to be officially wed. Rosalie

had pulled me aside shortly after breakfast, asking if I’d be willing to go to Winter Forest with her to pack up Rowan and Maeve’s belongings.

I didn’t even wonder why Rosalie would ask me something like that. I knew she could have Gretchen do it and have warriors send their belongings to not only Mirage, but to Avondale.

Rosalie wanted a break from the turmoil the rift between Maeve and Ethan was causing, and I could tell she knew I was looking for an escape as well.

We landed in Winter Forest in the early morning on Sunday, meaning to be back in the air the following morning. It was meant to be a quick, calculated trip-no frills. But when we reached the port of Winter Forest, I could tell Rosalie had something else on her mind.

“I still don’t know how you managed to convince Maeve that I could come with you,” I said, reaching up to take her hand as I helped her out of the seaplane and onto the dock.

“It was easier than I expected, honestly. Maeve doesn’t want to be carting the boys around right before you all make the long journey to the Isles. Plus, I know for a fact the last thing she wanted to do was go through all of her things. She always hated doing things like that, organizing and getting rid of things.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed Maeve tends to thrive in chaos,” I laughed, and from there on the conversation took an easy turn into less meaningful ramblings as we walked up to the house.

“It can’t be easy on you… packing up their things like this,” I said softly, my footsteps crunching in the snow. It had

snowed quite a bit since we left Winter Forest, and there had been a lot of snow then. Now it clung to the top of the wall that surrounded the house.

“I knew this was coming, in one way or another. It goes by fast, you know. One day they’re little, and the next day… well, I honestly didn’t expect Maeve to find her mate so quickly. And Troy, I am glad it’s you. I hope you know that.”

I swallowed against the lump in my throat as we entered the house. It couldn’t have been easy for Rosalie to say such a thing to me. I was the son of her worst enemy, a woman who caused immense grief to Rosalie.

And now I was not only her daughter’s mate and husband, but the father of her grandchildren. Grandchildren that shared my, and my mother’s, blood.

Rosalie said nothing further as we shed our coats and boots, as we were quickly greeted by Gretchen, who was trembling with anticipation to hear the news of everything that had happened in Mirage over the past several weeks.

She ushered Rosalie through the house and into the kitchen, where their conversation faded to a low murmur. I was left alone in the foyer, unsure of whether or not to follow.

I decided to go upstairs, grabbing an armful of cardboard boxes that Gretchen had rested against the stairs.

We only had a day to prepare Rowan and Maeve for their new lives, after all.

in Maeve’s room was a deep violet, of course. She loved the color purple. It matched her bedspread, a thick quilt made of varying shades of purple fabric and well worn from years of

on the walls; pictures of a younger Maeve and her friends, her parents, even a few of her and Rowan as children, and put

nothing would fit her anymore, so I left

one of the drawers, suddenly remembering the first day Maeve spent

drawers of the bedside table out of the table completely, dumping the meager contents on

a few hours later, I found her curled

awful. I hadn’t known what to do. I was convinced at that moment that I had

of her bed and looked down at the journal in my hands. It was her’s, well-loved and often

my fingers over

have opened it and read it. But I chose to put it

from the doorway, gingerly stepping inside with two mugs of fragrant, milky tea in her

empty room, save for the bare furniture. She nodded, taking a deep breath as she looked around. She handed me the

I don’t know. It didn’t feel final. I always thought Ethan would change his mind, and she would come

to Mirage, exactly? || never really understood

two decades, even with Ethan here with me in Winter Forest. Georgia and Talon did a fine job as

the subject of passing on his title to Ernest, it caused a bit of a rift between Ethan and the High Elder Council. They weren’t too keen

became an issue.” She sat on the edge of the

elect their Alphas, you know. The Elders of Valoria were worried about something like that happening to the

Why not just

He was Ethan’s heir, the rightful Alpha by birthright, and he was several years older than Ernest as well. But Ethan just wouldn’ t do it. And

much worse, if I’m

it more than anything. Maeve would be White Queen one day;

in Mirage. And Ethan wasn’t ready for that. That’s all it came down to. He let one of our children go, one that would come back,

archaic, Rosalie,” I said, unable to

world we live in. Heirs, lines, lineages… politics. We can’t escape it as royals. Your sons won’t be able to escape it, either. Triplet sons in line for

many years,”

same. After a moment of somber silence, I spoke again, asking the question that

tell you about her visions

her eyes widening.

what Hanna believes her to be is

rose to her feet. “Come with me. Gretchen is making dinner, and I have some loose ends to tie up this evening before we go back to Mirage, but….” she trailed off, her voice fading

for a short walk to the castle grounds. The castle

the library, the same room where Ernest had relinquished his title of Alpha and the old Lycennian woman had warned

and I inside its walls, however. She was on a mission, and she quickly crossed the

the ceiling height bookshelves.

the hearth, thankful for the warmth. I had never experienced cold quite like that before, so dry and biting it was painful on

this before,” she murmured, pulling a large, leather bound book from the shelf. She walked

the hearth, motioning for me to sit as she opened it, fanning through what looked like thousands of pages, yellowed and

the names of the previous White Queens etched into the granite, I thought that knowledge had

but only 2:00 in the afternoon, and the speckles of dust seemed to float in the faint, golden sunset

looked down at the page,

This

my great grandmother’s time