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."

Phoebe replied. “Love is love. It might not be a huge rush of wolfy hormones, but it's something deeper and

right," I agreed.

me out of

you doing?" I asked, stumbling

obviously you have to go talk to him

“Now?" I repeated.

Right now. Get it all ironed out

at Phoebe,

action,

took a deep breath

went back inside the packhouse from the

staring at the orb as though it

rapping

guess?" Lucas responded with

blasted you right out of our cabin the last

is going to

the bed next to him.

We've got so much hanging over our heads, and besides

I twisted a lock of hair behind my ear. “Um…

the orb back in his

you know I love

turned back to look at me,

love me?" I asked

a conversation we should be having until tomorrow night,"

put my hand on his knee. “I mean it. I mean, Brady's not Phoebe's true mate and they've decided to stay together. If… if WE'RE

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

stay with me even if

didn't say

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...."

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

when Lucas didn't follow. Sometimes, men

made my way down to the beach, finding a little, hidden alcove just for me. If

and held the orb in my hands, letting my dream

brought me somewhere… else. Only this time it was a place

years old? The book in

over to see what I'd been reading that day, only to freeze when a

playground much these days," one of them snarked, filing into a line across from me. In

me replied with a shrug, not even looking up from my

at his cohorts

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

starting to taunt me turned bright red. “You trying

of it,"

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

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

hands, landing it right in the rich, wet dirt around the roots