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.

to pull the beasts

on them and bit them. All of them were screaming and floundering around like

of wild animals with his near useless arms. His guys

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

was standing in the trees. He could also organize an

way! I didn't believe in

be some sort of connection between Theo

I went after Tallis. As soon as I started approaching the woods, he vanished between the trees. This time, I wasn't letting

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

to grab his arm before he

growled and pulled

you think I am. How many times do I have to ask you to leave me

needed to figure out some

I'm not after you for that. Can you just wait

turn to face me but at least, he wasn't

moved closer to him. "It is different this time

eyebrow arched.

I said, holding my hands up to show I wasn't joking. "Hawke has come after me three times now and I don't think he will stop. I've been lucky, but if I stay in the

Tallis asked sharply.

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

time. I almost thought he was more intolerable

was wrong

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

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

He hadn't confirmed I could stay with him but he hadn't flat out

most of the performers had gone to bed for

Tallis just waved

friendly, charismatic brother a friendly greeting. Who

asked. "Ah,

me," Tallis grumbled in a

him a look. "Would it kill you to try to sound

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

scoffed and shook his head. I gave him

me, how did you two become... friends?" Nelson

a hot plate going with a big pot of soup on it.

I just whipped this up," he said, dipping a ladle into the

I admitted, my stomach growling

sit, I'll get some bowls," Nelson said,

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

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