Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 900

Chapter 106: A Losing Battle

Archer left me at the table with his maps. I glanced at the map and all the lines Archer had drawn on it. They were carefully labeled. He wasn't just tracking Aries; he was tracking every known associate of Aries, too.

Smiling, I traced one of the lines with my fingers. There was a reason I valued Archer's work, and it was because he was so thorough and dedicated.

My wolf bristled, agitation taking over. In my head, he whined and shifted around restlessly. When we didn't have anything else to focus on, that's how he was, all the time.

I gripped the edge of the table and closed my eyes, taking deep, calming breaths.

It wasn't enough.

My wolf's anxiety trembled through me, my fingers shaking and my hands tightening around the table edge until my knuckles turned white.

I needed something else to think about.

Sifting through the pages on the desk, I found some descriptive notes on Aries and the things he'd done, including crashing my wedding, forcing me to join him, and getting me arrested, along with an entire list of things he'd done before that.

I shook my head and crumpled the page in my hand.

Aries–he was nothing but a villain. I was going to destroy him.

“Aries, I'm coming for you. I promise, before the Moon Goddess, that I will kill you. You'll never make it to the capital. You'll never enact your plan."

“Uhh… Jared, who are you talking to?" Archer reappeared behind me.

Smirking, I shook my head. “I was just promising myself, and the Moon Goddess, that I wouldn't let Aries succeed."

“That is a good promise to make. We're going to pack up camp and head to our next rendezvous point. Are you coming along? We should catch up with Aries soon."

“Yes, I'll come along."

Tracking down Aries was the perfect distraction my wolf and I needed to keep our minds off Eliza and everything she was going through… everything I'd put her through.

I helped Archer and his men pack up the camp. They were traveling at night when they could move around undetected and hidden by shadows.

Just as the sun set, they were ready to get moving. I planned to go with them but....

“Argh!"

I doubled over as my wolf fought for control. He was too agitated for me to soothe, his mind in total chaos.

“Jared?" Archer ran to me.

“Go… just go. I'll catch up."

Archer nodded and he gathered his men and they left me there.

I gritted my teeth and tried to hold on.

“Stop it!" I demanded.

My wolf was beyond reason. My entire body trembled and I fell forward, shifting in an instant. Before I could protest, my wolf raced back toward the village.

The only thought on his mind was Eliza.

The next morning, I sat straight up, hopped off Eliza's bed, and gathered my things quickly. It was much later than I anticipated. My wolf hadn't let me shift back as soon as he usually did and I slept in.

I made sure to be quiet as I collected everything. If Eliza woke up and saw me, I knew she'd be upset. I couldn't face her yet.

She still had too much power over me and whatever she felt, whatever she wanted to say, it would devastate me.

Not to mention, I knew that this was my fault. If she would never forgive me, I couldn't bear it. Seeing me would only agitate her more, and I didn't want to hurt her. I'd done that enough…

Slowly, I backed out of Eliza's room and closed the door again, careful not to make a sound.

Sighing heavily, I turned down the hall.

“Watch out!"

“Oh no!" I grabbed the woman I nearly collided with, saving her and the tray of food she was carrying.

It was Eliza's mother. She glared sharply at me and grabbed the breakfast tray, righting herself.

“I'm terribly sorry, Gemma. I wasn't watching where I was going."

“Obviously. What are you doing, sneaking out of my daughter's room so early?"

I glanced at the closed door and chewed the inside of my cheek. “Well, my wolf is feeling very protective of her with what she is going through."

Gemma poked me in the chest. “You mean what you're putting her through!?"

I bowed my head. “Yes...."

“Why are you torturing her? After rejecting her like that, you should just leave her be. Let her come home with me where she belongs."

Gemma tried to brush by me, but I stood in her way.

“I'm not keeping her here. She is free to return home with you and your husband if she wishes. I'm guessing she has turned down your offer, since she is still here."

Gemma narrowed her eyes. “How dare you!? You've broken my daughter's heart! I warned her from the start...." She clamped her mouth shut suddenly.

“Warned her? Warned her of what?"

Gemma shook her head.

“Warned her of what!?"

She fixed me with a hard look. “I warned her that you were no good for her, that she was rushing into things with you and that she would get hurt… rather, that you would hurt her."

“You told her that?" I stepped back.

I knew that Eliza's parents didn't approve of me, but I hadn't known how much. She had been very upset after talking to them but she hadn't given me the details.

She was probably trying to spare my feelings or give me the chance to prove myself to them without upsetting me.

Eliza really was an amazing woman. I knew I'd be lucky if she ever spoke to me again.

“Of course, I told her that! And you proved me right."

“You don't understand...."

“I don't want to hear your excuses. There is no justification for what you did."

“No, there isn't. But I still care about Eliza, and I'm not going to stop fighting for her. The curse is broken and she's alive. Isn't that what you should be focusing on?" I arched an eyebrow at her.

She sniffed and turned her chin up. “I'm a mother. I'd be a bad one if I wasn't looking out for her heart as much as her physical health."

“So, I suppose all the progress we made with each other was for nothing, now."

Gemma shrugged. “What progress?"

My jaw dropped. “You're telling me that you lied to Eliza when you finally gave us your blessing? How does that translate into you looking out for her?"

“I knew from the moment I saw you that you weren't good enough for her. And just look how far you've dragged her down. If she'd listened to me, she wouldn't be hurting so badly now. She'd be safe at home with her family, people who love her and treat her right."

Gemma brushed by me and reached for Eliza's door.

“She's not a prisoner, Gemma. She stays because she has hope and because this is the life she wants."

Gemma glanced over her shoulder at me.

“Don't presume you know anything about my daughter!"

“I understand your feelings toward me. Just know that I am doing everything I can to fix this."

“Right...."

She disappeared into Eliza's room, muttering under her breath. I caught a few curses and insults directed at me.

Sighing, I rubbed the back of my neck. I couldn't blame Gemma for her desire to protect her daughter. She had every right to hate me for causing Eliza so much pain.

But I didn't expect her to understand the lengths I'd had to go to.

The only thing I could do know was find a way to reverse the rejection. Then, Eliza wouldn't be in pain. It might be enough to get her to forgive me, or to start to forgive me.

I headed to my study and started going over new books I'd had shipped in that specialized in the mate bond. I'd sent messages to several major libraries and archives to have them send whatever materials they had on the subject.
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255