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.

him, trying to pull the beasts away, but

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

looked so pathetic, trying to fight off a gaggle of wild animals with his

pack of wild animals pushed Hawke and his group further

organized attack had to have been summoned by someone. I glanced around the forest and saw a glimpse of shadow

in the trees. He could

way! I didn't believe in

there must be some sort of connection

went after Tallis. As soon as I

He was acting like he was trying to evade me, which made me think he didn't want me to see him and

called, reaching out to

pulled away from

are you following me? I told you, I' m not who you think I am. How many times

figure out some other

Can you just wait a minute, please?"

walking. He didn't turn to face me but at least, he wasn't running

caught my breath and moved closer to him. "It is different this time because I need your help."

eyebrow arched. "Is that supposed

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

Tallis asked sharply.

with the traveling carnival. Can I stay with you? I can't go back to the pack

He was so surly and grumpy all the time. I almost thought he was more

wrong with

myself, but at this moment, I could tell myself that I had a valid reason

So, can I stay with you?" | asked again, pleading with him with

the woods again. He hadn't confirmed I could stay with him but he hadn't flat

carnival tent, it was quiet. It seemed like most of the performers had gone to bed for the night.

course, Tallis just waved in

friendly, charismatic brother a friendly greeting. Who else did

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

with me," Tallis

a look. "Would it kill you to try

tear from his eye. "Yes, m'boy, it would probably kill Tallis to be

head. I gave

Nelson asked, motioning for us to

I went into Nelson's curtain office. He had a hot plate going with a big pot of

up," he said, dipping a ladle

admitted, my stomach growling

I'll get some bowls," Nelson said, bustling around the small

stood right behind me. I'd half expected him to run off the moment someone else was there to watch

ladeled up three bowls of soup and handed one to me and Tallis. He perched on the edge of his folding table desk to eat his