Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 74: I'll Take That as a Yes.

Alright, Tallis and Theo might be two different people, but they both could be jerks!

Since the conversation with Tallis didn't go anywhere, I decided to call it a night.

But what I didn't expect was a group of thick, muscular thugs that appeared from nowhere, blocking my way back to my parents' house. They snickered and closed in around me.

"What do you want?" I asked harshly.

"They don't want anything. However, we have an unfinished score to settle," Hawke's angry, frustrated voice barked out from behind the thugs.

"I didn't do anything to you," I insisted, crossing my arms and trying to act more like a guy.

"Well, the last time we spoke, I ended up knocked out and face down in the dirt. You're telling me that you had nothing to do with that?" Hawke shouted viciously.

Apparently, he remembered more than I hoped. He wasn't drunk tonight, either.

"Grab this little twit!" Hawke ordered.

His thugs jumped at me. I jumped back, but they'd already closed in around me and one caught me from behind. All four of them grabbed my arms and legs and pinned me down to the ground.

I struggled against them, hissing and trying to bite whatever got close to my mouth. Hawke's thugs were too well trained and they were too strong!

"Hold that little swine down. I'm going to teach him a lesson for messing with me," Hawke chuckled, shoving the toe of his boot into the ground.

Now that I was eye level with his boots, I could see they were steel toed. If he kicked me with those, he'd break every bone in my body. I had to stall him.

"That's funny, seeing as the last time we met, you seemed to be interested in me, regardless of me being a boy," I hissed, still struggling against his cronies holding me down.

One of them nearly let me go as his head whipped around to Hawke.

Hawke sneered and shook his head. "Don't listen to this piece of crap. He's just trying to mess with you. Hold him steady."

Nothing I said now would turn their heads. Whether they were all loyal to Hawke or to Hawke's cunning dad, it wouldn't save me a good beating.

Hawke pulled his foot back, knee bent, ready to deliver a horrible kick to my side. I closed my eyes and held my breath, waiting for the heavy blow.

It never came.

"What the..."

I opened my eyes just as a pack of wild animals burst from the forest and attacked Hawke.

"Get them off, get them off!" Hawke screeched, flapping his partially broken arms around like he was fending off a swarm of bees.

cronies ran at him, trying to pull

some of the smaller ones, the squirrels and rabbits, jumped on them and bit them. All of them were screaming and floundering around like they were

up and rubbed my sore arms. Hawke looked so pathetic, trying to fight off a gaggle of wild animals with his near useless arms. His

his group further and further

kind of organized attack had to have been summoned by someone. I glanced around

in the trees. He could also organize an animal attack

way! I didn't believe in

there must be some sort of connection between

and I went after Tallis. As soon as I

me, which made me think he didn't want me to see him and made it even more

a minute," I called, reaching out to grab his arm before he

and pulled away from

who you think I am. How many times do I

figure out some other

just wait a minute, please?" I asked, my voice a little

me

him. "It

arched.

three times now and I don't think he will stop. I've been lucky, but if I

asked sharply.

place to stay with the traveling carnival. Can I stay with you? I can't

me. He was so surly and grumpy all the time. I almost thought he was more intolerable than the Dark Prince. Yet, here

wrong with

could tell myself that I had a valid reason to stay with the

to stay. So, can I stay with you?" |

sighed heavily and started walking through the woods again. He hadn't confirmed I could stay with him but he hadn't flat out denied me, either. I decided to take

performers had gone to

just waved in return.

his friendly, charismatic brother a

is with you, Tallis?" Nelson asked. "Ah, young sir, hello again!"

going to stay with me," Tallis

it kill you

and then laughed heartily and wiped a tear from his eye. "Yes, m'boy, it would probably kill Tallis to be

and shook his head. I gave him a triumphant smile.

become... friends?" Nelson

curtain office. He had a hot plate going with a big

he said, dipping a ladle into the steaming

I admitted, my stomach growling

get some bowls," Nelson

chair and Tallis nodded toward it. I sat down and he stood right behind me. I'd half expected him to run off the moment someone else was

bowls of soup and handed one to me and Tallis. He perched