Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 33 : Ambassador from the East

* Xander*

The inn had a modest restaurant on the first floor, decorated in a similar fashion to the rooms above. I was sitting at a round table in a far, quiet comer of the restaurant, a huge platter of roast beef with gravy, sourdough bread, and roasted vegetables laid out between me and the ambassador sent from the East.

He was a young man. likely only a few years younger than myself, with rich dark hair and slightly tilted emerald green eyes. He bore the characteristics of the royal eastern family, with his sharp nose and high cheekbones, and a strong jaw and chin. I eyed him curiously as he forked a piece of roast beef from the platter and dropped it on his plate, letting out a long sigh as he blinked down at his food.

‘’Long trip?" I asked, sipping from my pint of bitter, dark ale.

George, a great-nephew of the former Alpha King of the East, looked up at me tluough his thick, dark lashes as a wry smile touched his lips.

‘‘Absolute hell, if I'm being honest. I always forget how long it takes to get anywhere in Finaldi." He took a bite of the roast and sighed again, shaking his head. “I feel like I haven't eaten in days."

"Same," I said, filling my own plate and stealing a glance toward the foyer.

Lena was in for the shock of her life when she came downstairs to meet us. and I was looking forward to watching her emotions play over her face.

"My partner will be joining us in a moment. She needs to... ulun, finish drying her hair."

"I didn't know your field partner was a woman," he said with a c**k of his brow.

I shrugged, hoping the heat still gripping my body from what Lena and I had been up to only half an hour before wasn't evident on my face.

"She's the best botanist Morhan has to offer." I smiled, despite my efforts to remain neutral.

"Well, don't tell my cousin that." George grinned. swiping a piece of meat through the gravy on his plate. "She's a botanist as well, but her field study is in Red Lakes."

I ran my tongue along my bottom lip, arching my brow and nodding my head in response. Oh, hell. This was going to be interesting.

"You might know her, actually. Selene Gray."

"I don't think I do. My course of study is in pharmaceuticals."

"She'd be hard to miss," he said with a little chuckle. "But I haven't seen her since this time last year. The whole damn family still congregates in Avondale every December-"

I was watching him closely as he spoke. I was feeling a little anxious now. wondering when Lena was going to walk down the stairs. Any minute she'd round the comer of the foyer, and she'd either run or come face to face with the truth.

"Did you come here on your own?" I asked.

I'm meant to ran whatever information the warriors have gathered pertaining to the investigation back to them at the end of my stay." He glanced up at me

gathered as much," I said lightly, giving him a crooked

retired Alpha King of Valoria. Ethan Gray. He would have grown up with the princes, as well as Alpha King

asked him about his ties, but I knew it would take an hour for him to go over every branch on his enormous family tree. He was tied to the West as well, through the marriage of Alpha King Rowan and Queen Hanna,

pack lands tlu ough marriages and offspring, cementing a hereditary monopoly that would rale for generations

ate in silence for a few minutes as I gathered my thoughts. I glanced at George as I reached for my beer, noticing the thin gold band

unfortunately. She's pregnant, and wasn't feeling up to a month-long

said earnestly, giving

his lips. "Thank you, it was a

be so much of a surprise," I quipped, leaning back in my chair. I was

known her all my life. She's from Suntra. and her family vacationed with mine in Avondale every winter.

I said with a

eloped. I thought Ethan- the former Alpha King, as

alive, so I'm guessing the family accepted your decision

act tough, but when it came down to

could only be talking about

of hope settle in

will be my last errand as a royal ambassador, actually. Joy and I are

my beer, but swallowed it. giving

you can believe it. Her parents raised the kids that survived, and now what was left of the people in Dianny have outgrown the

a brief moment,

the tales. I assume?" George shrugged, catching on

he

"Xander!"

turned to Lena's voice, seeing her standing in the foyer, her eyes narrow'ed at me. I stood abruptly, biting the inside of my cheek as her

opened his mouth, a surprised but genuine smile playing over his face, but then he stilled, his brow knitted in marked confusion. She was staring right at him, her face twisted

I said, clearing my throat as I motioned for her to come join us at our

George said, narrowing his eyes at her as she sheepishly

of her and began piling it with roast beef. I w'atched her for a moment, trying not to laugh as she did everything but make eye contact

stem look that made my skin

from the Alpha of Breles?" she interrupted sharply, forking a piece of roast into

sucked on his lower lip, Iris eyes fixed firmly on hers for a moment before he surrendered to whatever game they were playing via

to the disappearance of the groundskeeper and farmhand." George sipped Iris beer, his gaze flicking to Lena before he met my eye again. "Something unusual was discovered, however. The w'arriors went out into the hills outside of the estate and found the remains of an old settlement in a nearby valley. It should have been long abandoned, but there were signs of activity

I'd gone with Elaine that day she went with me