Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 13 : They’re Mates?

*Eliza*

I'd spent the majority of the day in the garden off the kitchen, knee-deep in mud as I helped two other maids turn the soil to make room for a spring crop.

It was hard work, and messy too. But it was surprisingly therapeutic, and I found that the hours ticked by in relative peace. There was no laundry to be done today. Most of the household staff had the day off, save for the kitchen staff. There would be a huge party tonight for a young man who was turning twenty-one and coming into his wolf, and Miriam had made it clear that unless you were cooking, you had to be out of the house and enjoying yourself.

I did try to help in the kitchen. I'd met up with Giselle in the early morning to ask her about Scarlett, and whether she knew about her nightmares. After I found out the rumors behind Scarlett's situation, sitting around doing nothing all day was impossible. I needed to be busy to keep my mind off it.

It turned out I couldn't stand the heat, so to speak, in Miriam's exceedingly busy kitchen, which was in full swing in preparation for the party. Poor Giselle was up to her elbows in pie dough and Miriam was in a frantic mood, barking commands at everyone. I asked for a job, and she breathlessly told me to go out to the garden and find something to do, so I did.

And that's when I ran into Jared for the first time after I'd littered his clothing with cross-stitched flowers.

I was under the impression he'd react in one of two ways. He'd either be incredibly pissed, or he'd say nothing at all.

To my surprise, he'd been somewhat playful about the entire thing but made it clear that another one of his so-called punishments would follow, tonight.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to it, or at least the aftermath.

After soaking myself to the bones in the garden, I retreated to the washroom to bathe and ready myself for an evening of debauchery.

“They do get pretty rowdy," Giselle mused as she scrunched a thick conditioner into my hair. I sighed deeply as her nails dug into my scalp. It felt rather good. “But you'd better come back to the house by midnight."

“Why?"

“Because," she said, then she paused to dump a pitcher of warm water over my head. “Some of the younger men who aren't as experienced in their wolves tend to, well, go a little wild. Jared won't let them hurt anyone, but I've been chased through the village a time or two."

I swiveled in the bath to face her, giving her a shocked look.

“You've been chased?" I said, but she gave me a brilliant grin.

“I never said I didn't like it!"

I splashed her with water as the two of us fell into a fit of girlish giggles. It felt good to have another young woman to talk to.

“I'm going to set your curls, get up!"

“I honestly just let them dry however–"

“I know," she scolded as I rose from the bathtub and wrapped myself in a towel. “That's what's wrong with them." She patted the stool she'd been sitting on in front of a vanity and I obliged, letting her run a comb through my hair.

Another maid walked into the communal washroom, looking for a compact of blush. All of the women who worked in the house had shed their gray dresses and aprons, and I realized I had nothing else to wear, other than my nightgown.

Giselle started coiling my curls around her fingers, casting them in something that smelled like lavender and daffodil.

“My mother had hair just like yours," she smiled, stepping back to examine her work. “Once you're dressed, I'll have you sit in front of the fireplace so your hair dries faster."

she swatted me playfully. “What am I supposed to

some clothes. Don't you worry." She motioned for me to follow her into her room, which was a few doors down

at my door, noticing

through a dresser. “And… a sweater. Oh, leg warmers, of course. It's

to drop the towel that was currently the

room in the foyer. Come on, get dressed! I don't want to miss anything." Giselle was already dressed in an ankle-length skirt and sweater, her hair loose around her shoulders. She shrugged on a wool jacket as I dressed, thanking her for letting me

said with a mischievous grin as she

already walking out of the room and across the hall.

said as I followed her

on her

quickly,

you've skipped the last

replied, shrugging a shoulder and tapping her dainty fingers

is going to be there," Giselle coaxed. “Don't you want to

going?" I asked, but Giselle was solely focused

promise to keep me out of whatever schemes you're planning tonight,"

come out to the village with us with so little prodding. Giselle and I stepped out of the room while Scarlett dressed, and soon the three of us walked out of the house and into the

sit by the fire so your hair dries," Giselle murmured as she reached up and tried to adjust the frizzy curls now springing

was cast in a deep golden glow as

a wide circle around several warming fires. We passed tables lined with food and drink on our way to one of the fires, and lively

Giselle beamed, spinning a reluctant Scarlett

to fetch me a

said softly, adjusting her

okay," I smiled, and Scarlett gave me a soft, shy smile in

the crowd. Men of all ages were congregating around the fires, all of them jolly and loose with drink. I scanned the crowd and saw Jared standing with Archer and a few other men I recognized from the group I'd traveled with through the woods when they'd taken me from the breeder auction. As if he could feel my gaze, Jared turned his head, meeting my eyes for a

then turned back

crossing my

f*****g wink at me?" I

said,

entire glass jug of wine clasped in her hands. “Don't tell Miriam I took the whole

handed me the jug. I took a small sip, then

to Scarlett. She gingerly took it from

you are," said a boisterous young man who appeared out of nowhere, grabbing Giselle around

our tight circle. I didn't realize I'd gripped Scarlett's arm and pulled her closer to me until she nearly dropped the wine and I had to catch it before it hit the

man purred into Giselle's ear. “It's

with you when you're a wolf, not a boy," Giselle teased, then

the intimacy of the kiss, and with absolutely

laughing and twirling with the music. Through the crowd of dancers I caught Jared's eye again, his gaze fixed firmly on mine. His expression was slightly concerned, like he'd witnessed what had just happened and was checking in on me,

my eye, I noticed Archer stepping closer to Jared, whispering into his ear. Scarlett took the jug of wine from my hands and took a long, deliberate

I asked,

for a moment, then shook her