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 it's something deeper

right," I agreed.

me out of

I

have to go talk to him now," Trina

“Now?" I repeated.

yes. Right now. Get it all ironed out

Phoebe, who

action, really," Phoebe

women were nodding now. I took a deep breath

up as I went

to find. He was brooding in our bedroom, staring at the orb as though it were a snake that was going to

to touch it again?" I asked, rapping

Lucas responded with a lopsided

it nearly blasted you right out

chuckled and covered the orb 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

sat down on the bed next to

over our heads, and besides that we're both trying to be Royal Engineers," Lucas

of

orb back in his bag among his

know I love you, right?"

to look at

me?" I

conversation we should be having until tomorrow night," Lucas said

and they've decided to stay together. If… if WE'RE not mates, we could do the same. I can't… I can't imagine

of

don't want to stay with me even if we're not mates?" I whispered,

say that...."

from under his and stood, deeply hurt by how calculated he was being about all of this. “Never mind, Lucas. If being true mates is sooo important to you, maybe I shouldn't be

“Sasha...."

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

over me when Lucas didn't follow.

made my way down to the 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 sand and held

as usual. My vision swirled and brought me somewhere… else. Only

years old? The book in my lap nearly dwarfed me, but that was the sort of thing I read in those

been reading that day, only

these days," one of them snarked, filing into a line across

a shrug, not

glancing around at his cohorts to make sure

go away," nine-year-old me

starting to taunt me turned bright

of

predicament. He must have been twelve or

“Could you just go, please? You're interrupting an important

it right in the