Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 98 : He’s in Bad Shape

“If you're here for food, why didn't you ask?" I called down to the sad group.

“You think we're stupid? It's not like you would just give it to us. We know that you're bloodthirsty leeches!" the crying boy's mother shouted.

I closed the window and looked at Soren.

“Mila…"

“They're hungry. We have the food."

“You can't go out there."

“Watch me!"

I hurried out of the room and down to the kitchens. It wasn't much, but I grabbed some loaves of bread.

Through the walls, I heard the women shouting at me.

“I knew it! I knew it!

“You selfish, greedy freak!"

“You're hoarding it all to yourself!"

When I opened the front door, they all stopped talking. I went to the kids and tore off chunks of bread, passing them out. They stopped crying immediately when they took bread from me and quickly started chewing on it.

Soon, the air was filled with the sound of munching and crunching from the hard crust of the bread.

I made sure each child got some, ignoring the adults.

“Take it slow. If you're too hungry, eating fast will make you sick," I warned.

The boy that started all the crying blushed when I patted his head.

All the adults were dead silent, staring at me as I checked on the children. Even if they wanted to hurt me, I was in no danger. They were too shocked and awed to do anything to me.

Soren came out onto the lawn. I was a little surprised he hadn't rushed out right after me.

The women closest to him trembled and cowered away from him.

“My apologies," he said, nodding his head to the crowd. “Had we known that you'd run out of food, we would have acted sooner. I have my men preparing soup now. Come inside and eat. With everyone here, we can recalculate how much food is left and daily rations to make sure it lasts as long as possible."

Soren held his arm out toward the pack house door.

Murmurs went through the crowd and I saw the way they looked at each other. They were suspicious, like we were inviting them into a trap of some kind.

None of them said anything. They stared at Soren and they stared at me. I understood their reluctance to accept our help but I hoped they would, for the sake of the kids.

The smell of the soup wafted out of the open front door and suddenly, they all perked up. Licking their lips and salivating, they headed inside.

Soren and I followed.

the tables set and were dishing up

the soup. If they hadn't had anything to eat in days, something light like this was the best option. They needed to take it slow, give their bodies time to digest and absorb the nutrients they were

and the first woman who called me out came down and sat next to me. She plopped her soup down, staring at me like I'd pounce on her and

you, Miss

started crying and complaining about being hungry. He sat close to

can just call me Mila. It is nice

soup, Mila?" he pushed his empty

let that food settle first. Having

and bowed

melted and I reached into my pocket, pulling out a small hard candy. I pressed it into the palm of

about something small

He opened his mouth like he was going to pop it right in but then he stopped. He kept it in the

ask you

“Yeah, okay."

him. She was still closed

all run out of food so quickly? We thought the intruders didn't care about food or

the woman

sniffed. “Because those bastards

to the looters from the other packs and

they could… They burned our storehouses, shredded our perishables, and dumped all our produce into the muddy river. They came into our houses and ransacked them for valuables,

my brow. “How did the pack

came over and sat beside me. From the look on his face, he'd been listening in. He

sent our men here as a temporary headquarters. They secured what was left and kept it safe,"

Ben scoffed. “Brutal barbarians, all of them! Of course, they would bully the weak. They knew we'd be afraid of them

want to do something so vicious? Was it just to be cruel? It's not like it did them any

eyes flicked to the woman across from

food so

thing to do. It was a

would they go through

reading my mind,

“Because they were afraid."

I tried to say something back, it didn't work. Sighing, I squeezed Soren's hand. Ever

the raiders were afraid of

unlimited, especially when under a lot of pressure and in threatening circumstances. If the raiders threatened to kill

be scared of

the Norwind villagers outnumbered the raiders. If Norwind survivors all banned together, the raiders could have lost or been overpowered. It was too big of a risk for

the woman sitting with us, a somber

of taking all your hope and risking a big fight, they dumped the food. They didn't have to fight or kill you all in the moment

spoonful of soup into her mouth before gritting through her teeth. “Damned raiders. They'll pay for this. Even if

so," Soren

Angelica. My sister Lilian is there." she

at her. She turned up her nose

“She's still a bit cranky. Sorry

“I understand," I said.

“Momma!"

out of his seat and