Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 45 : Stay

*Sasha*

“Your hair is so beautiful," Trina gushed as she brushed through my long, blond locks. Another new friend was doing my nails, as I had done for her.

“I wish I had those tight curls you have," I responded.

Phoebe sipped her mimosa and then raised her glass to us. “Pedicures next!"

“I like the way you think," Trina said.

It was a lovely afternoon, in a series of lovely afternoons. The women of New Dianny had welcomed me with open arms. I'd never been so pampered, nor felt so much like I… belonged. There were more dream dancers in New Dianny that I could exchange experiences with. None of them had my kind of power, but it was still nice to talk to people who “get" it.

“You know," Trina mused, sharing a wink with another girl, “you should stay here, like, permanently. Make New Dianny your home."

I blinked at her, startled. “You… you'd really like me to stay?"

“Of course, silly!" Trina said. “You're the coolest person we've ever met!"

“But I bring… a lot of trouble with me," I replied with a wince.

Trina shrugged. “Our Alpha was an accomplished pirate. I'm sure any trouble you bring will just end up walking the plank."

Laughter bubbled up in me and soon we were all giggling. “Yeah, I got that impression about him," I said.

“There's nothing Alpha Robbie can't handle. Just think about it, okay?" Trina asked.

“Okay," I agreed with a nod. “I'll think about it."

“Oh!" Trina exclaimed. “How excited are you for your birthday?! Luna Alison and Joy have been planning the bash of the century!"

I blushed. “They really shouldn't go to so much trouble."

“Sure they should! It's not every day a dream dancer comes into her wolf," Trina winked.

“Well… I suppose not, though it must happen here more frequently than anywhere since Lycennia," I said.

“Probably. But it's still a big deal." Trina finished my nails and flopped back on her lounger, soaking up the sun. “And you'll find out you're mates with that handsome devil you pal around with."

I pushed my hair behind my ear nervously. “Actually, I'm kind of worried about that. I have feelings for him. But what if he's not my mate?"

“He's your mate," every woman there, including Phoebe, insisted.

“And… you know… there's all the stuff we have going on back home and in the Dark Realm and...." I went on.

“Ugh. Honestly, people in love are SO silly sometimes!" Trina sighed. “If he's your mate, and we all know he is, that stuff isn't going to matter. Really. You'll just want to be together all the time."

“I already want to be with him all the time," I admitted softly.

“Then you should tell him so," Phoebe said. “I mean, what does this mate business even mean? If my true mate walked right in front of me right now, you know what I'd be doing? Racing right back to Brady. It's biological, yeah, but it's also a choice. Why don't you two just decide to stay together regardless?"

I gave that some thought. “Yeah. We could decide to stay together regardless."

is love. It might not be a huge rush of wolfy hormones, but

right. You're right," I agreed.

and tugged me out of my lounger by the

are you doing?" I

to go talk to him

“Now?" I repeated.

all ironed out

Phoebe, who was

of action,

I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders. “Alright,

cheer went up as I went back inside the packhouse from the

bedroom, staring at the orb as though it were a snake that was going to

asked, rapping my knuckles gently on

you guess?" Lucas responded

fact that it nearly blasted you right out of our cabin the

again with the silk. “I was just wondering what the other orb is going to look like, where it is, and what the hell we'll be doing with THAT one once

sat down on the bed next to

We've got so much hanging over our heads, and besides that we're both trying

twisted a lock of hair behind my

the orb back in

you know I love you, right?" I

to look at

love me?" I asked

know very well this isn't a conversation we should be having until tomorrow night," Lucas said

mean, Brady's not Phoebe's true mate and they've decided to stay together. If… if WE'RE not

patted my hand. “Sasha. I could never deprive you of your true

if

didn't say that...."

being about all of this. “Never mind, Lucas. If being true mates is sooo important to you, maybe I shouldn't

“Sasha...."

the orb out of Lucas's bag over his protests and stomped toward the

washed over me when Lucas didn't follow.

beach, finding a little, hidden alcove just for me. If Lucas was going to be so disappointing today, then maybe I'd have better luck with the

and held the orb in my hands, letting my

to be working as usual. My vision swirled and brought me

an old stump. I was perhaps… nine years old? The

I started heading over to see what I'd been reading that day, only to freeze when a bunch of boys wandered into my

one of them snarked, filing into a line across from me. In the line were Lucas

with a shrug, not even looking up

at his cohorts to make sure

you can go away," nine-year-old me sniffed,

turned bright red. “You trying to tell me what

dream of

me right now," the boy said while the other boys snickered at his predicament. He must have been twelve or older, yet this little wisp of a bookworm was telling him to

grunted, turning back a page. “Could

out of my hands, landing it right in the rich, wet dirt around the roots of the stump. “What did you say