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."

me to allow you to do this," I teased, and she swatted me playfully. “What am I supposed to wear to this thing, anyway? I only have the dress I

motioned for me to follow her into her room,

at my door,

a dresser. “And… a sweater. Oh, leg warmers, of course. It's going to be chilly when

she'd tossed at me while trying not to drop the towel that was currently the only thing stopping

I don't want to miss anything." Giselle was already dressed in an ankle-length skirt

go get Scarlett," she said with a mischievous grin

I protested, but Giselle was already walking out of the room and across the hall. I rushed after her, not wanting to push Scarlett into joining

on, girl! Let's go!" Giselle said as I followed her through the threshold of the room

on her bed, a book open on her

don't have to come–" I said quickly, but Giselle nudged me in

the

shoulder and tapping her dainty fingers against the cover of her

“Don't you want to see him before he leaves

was solely focused on rousing Scarlett out

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

ever heard Scarlett say, and I was shocked she'd actually agreed to 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

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

to look out over the village, which was cast in a deep golden glow as the sun began to set

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 string music filled the

or cider?" Giselle beamed, spinning a reluctant Scarlett in

fetch me a

said softly, adjusting her

and Scarlett gave

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,

then turned

brow, crossing my arms

just f*****g wink at me?" I muttered to

said,

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

me the jug. I took a small sip,

to Scarlett. She gingerly

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

I jumped, startled by his abrupt appearance in our tight circle. I didn't realize I'd gripped Scarlett's arm and pulled

young man purred into Giselle's ear. “It's my party, and dancing with you

the other pups, Tommy. I'll dance with you when you're a wolf, not a boy," Giselle teased, then

intimacy of the kiss, and with absolutely no regard to Scarlett and me standing right there, not

crowd, the two of them 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, and on Scarlett as well. I nodded at

to Jared, whispering into his

I asked, taking the wine

a moment, then shook her head,