Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 2 : Rejected

*Lucas*

A pothole almost unseated me as my chauffeur, Ian, navigated us back toward my mansion on a hill from our stop at the post office.

“Ian, a little slower, please?" I said with a wince, pretty sure that last one was going to bruise my ass.

Not that it would be the only bruise on my body. I reached up and touched my cheek once more.

Sasha f*****g Wentley.

She packed a lot more of a punch now than I remembered her having as a kid, but she was still as feisty as ever.

A smile tugged at my lips, but I quickly covered it with a cough as Ian peered at me in the rearview mirror.

Mirrors were going to be the death of me.

When I'd snagged her deep, navy eyes at Nostalgia, I could hardly believe I was seeing her again after all this time. Sure, she'd become curvier in some places, places I couldn't help but notice as I approached her and her friend at the bar. With a tight skirt and a push-up bodice that was completely strapless, showing off miles and miles of fair skin, it was impossible not to notice. I was a red-blooded Lycaon male, after all.

She iced me out immediately, which was disappointing, but I guess at my twenty-seven to her twenty, I'd had more time to get over the past–seven years, to be exact.

I really should have found a new direction, and a different tight-dressed target, when her eyes telegraphed “f**k off" at me in that mirror. But her lavender scent was too tempting, too intoxicating to be ignored.

A whiff or two would be fine, I'd decided. I'd even contented myself with ignoring her, as she'd wanted, and talking with her friend. I could still breathe her in.

Sasha thwarted my carefully laid plan when she stood to go to the ladies' room, however. I'd gotten a few lungfuls of that sweet lavender, but not nearly enough when she slid off her barstool and stomped away.

And then that asshole....

That asshole–he dared touch what was....

I didn't finish that sentence in my mind. I didn't want to suspect something that was truly unbelievable and very, very poorly timed.

But when that bastard laid his grimy hand on her, the puppy was gone and replaced by my wolf. And he was pissed off.

I was surprised the whole bar hadn't heard my growl, crowded or not.

Then he'd started pushing her back into the darkest corner of the hallway, no doubt to do some dark deeds, and I lost it. I lunged, grabbed, and smacked faster than the fat asshole could stop his beer gut from jiggling.

The way my wolf was howling with rage, he was lucky I hadn't shifted right then. An ache had started in my bones, my wolf trying to come out to rip the i***t's throat out. Luckily, I'd had my temperamental wolf long enough to know how and when to get him to back down.

Still, my wolf whined as I let the bastard walk away.

That left Sasha staring at me, and me staring at Sasha.

I hadn't expected hugs and kisses but… she slapped me. What the hell was that for?

as those large eyes, deep and wide

favorite features of hers. They were as sharp as a knife, and they spoke volumes without her

front of her, daring me to respond in kind. But my wolf was

the same air as her. It was a risk to reach up and push her hair behind her ear, but well worth it to see a hint of warmth break the cold death glare she held

a sigh. I wasn't going to be seeing the girl again anyway, so it shouldn't matter. But my inner wolf

I wondered whether, if Sasha were old enough to have a wolf, hers would be all preening and smug right

herself was all preening and smug right

time, Ian did not meet my eyes. I could see his lips twitching, though, and it added to

turned my attention to the pile of mail next to me. It was so big, it was being held in place by a length of twine. Such was the

was tempted to slit the twine with a claw and start getting

time, thank the Moon Goddess, but there was no shirking my other duties. Sleep had become a

here, sir," the graying

blinked, looking out

a modern, yet cozy style. How I'd managed to make it look cozy at its large size was a marvel of modern engineering, and, I thought proudly, a testament to my engineering skills. Sunlight glinted off of tan brick and tall windows. Ivy was just starting to creep

a great weight slide off

out of the driver's seat and come around to

pain in the ass, Ian," I grumbled, stepping

“I

my head, stomping across the cobblestone to the front

foyer of stone tile floor and a sweeping, curved staircase. I walked right past the staircase,

friend roommate, Brady, as he sat at the table eating cornflakes. Thanks to a serum synthesized from the blood of the

Brady groused at me,

there always?" I grunted, finally elongating a claw and slashing through the twine holding my

counter, carrying with it all manner of

sighed and started

the next, he was leaning over

at him. “Will

Brady grinned unrepentantly. “Nope."

was Brady's second favorite hobby, scaring the crap out of me with

His first....

some girl waiting for you in your

right now," was his

I had to open my

from ordinary shop owners and citizens about plumbing, electricity, water quality, and the like. City water was purified and just fine. Outside the city, however, it was still a bit hit-and-miss as the kingdom continued

really about redoing the palace steps because, and I quote, 'Mr. Nibbles is having a hard time climbing

even come with a photo of the small, aging black terrier, as though that would help persuade the

on to the

of just moving on from boring complaints, but I followed Brady's movements as he snatched a general report to the royal staff out of the

both sobered, looking

civilization again, rogue Lycaons who believed any breach of the ancient borders was an attack

tried to respect the ancient borders, keeping them to their side and us to ours, but as the borders of the kingdom expanded, we'd begun bumping heads with the rogues. This had led to some