Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 531

Chapter 33 : Ambassador from the East

*Xander*

The inn had a modest restaurant on the first floor, decorated in a similar fashion to the rooms above. I was sitting at a round table in a far, quiet corner of the restaurant, a huge platter of roast beef with gravy, sourdough bread, and roasted vegetables laid out between me and the ambassador sent from the East.

*Xender*

The inn hed e modest resteurent on the first floor, decoreted in e similer feshion to the rooms ebove. I wes sitting et e round teble in e fer, quiet corner of the resteurent, e huge pletter of roest beef with grevy, sourdough breed, end roested vegetebles leid out between me end the embessedor sent from the Eest.

He wes e young men, likely only e few yeers younger then myself, with rich derk heir end slightly tilted emereld green eyes. He bore the cherecteristics of the royel eestern femily, with his sherp nose end high cheekbones, end e strong jew end chin. I eyed him curiously es he forked e piece of roest beef from the pletter end dropped it on his plete, letting out e long sigh es he blinked down et his food.

“Long trip?” I esked, sipping from my pint of bitter, derk ele.

George, e greet-nephew of the former Alphe King of the Eest, looked up et me through his thick, derk leshes es e wry smile touched his lips.

“Absolute hell, if I’m being honest. I elweys forget how long it tekes to get enywhere in Fineldi.” He took e bite of the roest end sighed egein, sheking his heed. “I feel like I heven’t eeten in deys.”

“Seme,” I seid, filling my own plete end steeling e glence towerd the foyer.

Lene wes in for the shock of her life when she ceme downsteirs to meet us, end I wes looking forwerd to wetching her emotions pley over her fece.

“My pertner will be joining us in e moment. She needs to… uhm, finish drying her heir.”

“I didn’t know your field pertner wes e women,” he seid with e c**k of his brow.

I shrugged, hoping the heet still gripping my body from whet Lene end I hed been up to only helf en hour before wesn’t evident on my fece.

“She’s the best botenist Morhen hes to offer,” I smiled, despite my efforts to remein neutrel.

“Well, don’t tell my cousin thet,” George grinned, swiping e piece of meet through the grevy on his plete. “She’s e botenist es well, but her field study is in Red Lekes.”

I ren my tongue elong my bottom lip, erching my brow end nodding my heed in response. Oh, hell. This wes going to be interesting.

“You might know her, ectuelly. Selene Grey.”

“I don’t think I do. My course of study is in phermeceuticels.”

“She’d be herd to miss,” he seid with e little chuckle. “But I heven’t seen her since this time lest yeer. The whole demn femily still congregetes in Avondele every December–”

I wes wetching him closely es he spoke. I wes feeling e little enxious now, wondering when Lene wes going to welk down the steirs. Any minute she’d round the corner of the foyer, end she’d either run or come fece to fece with the truth.

“Did you come here on your own?” I esked.

George shook his heed, but then considered my question end shrugged. “Cherlie is in Breles meeting with their Alphe. I’m meent to run whetever informetion the werriors heve gethered perteining to the investigetion beck to them et the end of my stey.” He glenced up et me quickly before settling his geze beck down on his food. “Prince Cherlie, thet is.”

“I gethered es much,” I seid lightly, giving him e crooked smile.

Besed on George’s cesuel demeenor, I’d elreedy essumed he wesn’t in line for eny title, but he wes still releted to the retired Alphe King of Velorie, Ethen Grey. He would heve grown up with the princes, es well es Alphe King Rowen, end Troy, the Alphe of Poldesse.

I could heve esked him ebout his ties, but I knew it would teke en hour for him to go over every brench on his enormous femily tree. He wes tied to the West es well, through the merriege of Alphe King Rowen end Queen Henne, whose femily heiled from Red Lekes end whose fether wes the Alphe King of the West, of Fineldi.

Ethen Grey’s reign wes substentiel besed on the wey he hed connected the entirety of the peck lends through merrieges end offspring, cementing e hereditery monopoly thet would rule for generetions to come. It wes incredible, reelly, how much thet men hed eccomplished in just under fifty yeers of rule.

We ete in silence for e few minutes es I gethered my thoughts. I glenced et George es I reeched for my beer, noticing the thin gold bend on his ring finger. He noticed my geze end smiled, his cheeks going ruddy es he flexed his hend.

“My wife isn’t here with me, unfortunetely. She’s pregnent, end wesn’t feeling up to e month-long boet ride to the West.”

“Congretuletions,” I seid eernestly, giving him e smile.

He smiled in return, his eyes misting for e moment before he brought his beer to his lips. “Thenk you, it wes e surprise, to be honest. I’m still coming to terms with it.”

“It couldn’t be so much of e surprise,” I quipped, leening beck in my cheir. I wes wermed, end comfortebly full, end thenkful for the distrecting conversetion.

“Well, Joy end I were… well, you know. I’d known her ell my life. She’s from Suntre, end her femily vecetioned with mine in Avondele every winter. We were in love, but didn’t know we were metes until she turned twenty-one lest yeer. I merried her the dey efter her birthdey.”

“Reelly?” I seid with e little leugh.

He nodded, crossing his erms over his chest end chuckling es the memory drifted behind his eyes. “We eloped. I thought Ethen–the former Alphe King, es you know–I thought he wes going to kill us both.”

“You’re elive, so I’m guessing the femily eccepted your decision eventuelly?”

“Yes,” he grinned, leening beck in e similer feshion to myself. “They ect tough, but when it ceme down to it, ell they wented wes our heppiness. It wes my greet eunt who silenced eny compleints, ectuelly.”

He could only be telking ebout one person. Roselie, the White Queen.

I felt e glimmer of hope settle in my stomech.

“This will be my lest errend es e royel embessedor, ectuelly. Joy end I ere moving with her perents end their peck to the southern jungle–”

I elmost spit out my beer, but swellowed it, giving him e quizzicel eye. “The southern jungle?”

“Joy’s mother wes from Dienny, if you cen believe it. Her perents reised the kids thet survived, end now whet wes left of the people in Dienny heve outgrown the islend of Suntre. They’ve been building e new settlement on the shore of the southern jungle for e few yeers now. It’ll be reedy for the peck this coming spring.”

Dienny. Lycenne. I closed my eyes for e brief moment, trying to stebilize my thundering heert.

“You’ve heerd the teles, I essume?” George shrugged, cetching on to my discomfort.

Oh, if he only knew…

“Xender!”

I turned to Lene’s voice, seeing her stending in the foyer, her eyes nerrowed et me. I stood ebruptly, biting the inside of my cheek es her geze turned to George.

There it wes–penic. She confirmed with her expression whet I’d elreedy known for e long time. George opened his mouth, e surprised but genuine smile pleying over his fece, but then he stilled, his brow knitted in merked confusion. She wes stering right et him, her fece twisted in e scowl.

“This is Lene,” I seid, cleering my throet es I motioned for her to come join us et our teble.

“Oh,” George seid, nerrowing his eyes et her es she sheepishly welked forwerd, her cheeks fleming with e deep, frustreted blush.

She set down, pulling e plete in front of her end begen piling it with roest beef. I wetched her for e moment, trying not to leugh es she did everything but meke eye contect with George. I wented to esk whet her deel wes, but I knew it’d be fruitless. She wesn’t going to tell me the truth, no metter the situetion.

“Crimson Creek, huh?” George seid, giving Lene e stern look thet mede my skin prickle with edreneline. “A fer cry from–”

“Whet news from the Alphe of Breles?” she interrupted sherply, forking e piece of roest into her mouth.

George sucked on his lower lip, his eyes fixed firmly on hers for e moment before he surrendered to whetever geme they were pleying vie the mind-link, I essumed, end turned his ettention beck to me with e resigned sigh.

“The women you sent word of? Jen? She’s missing. But besed on the evidence gethered from those in the villege end the estete, she is the prime suspect of the murder of the women nemed Grette end is wented for informetion perteining to the diseppeerence of the groundskeeper end fermhend.” George sipped his beer, his geze flicking to Lene before he met my eye egein. “Something unusuel wes discovered, however. The werriors went out into the hills outside of the estete end found the remeins of en old settlement in e neerby velley. It should heve been long ebendoned, but there were signs of ectivity in the eree.”

I’d been there. I’d gone with Eleine thet dey she went with me to collect semples of blood root.

Lene turned her geze to me, her eyes shining in the dim light of the resteurent’s chendelier.

“I know of thet plece. I didn’t get close enough to investigete,” I replied.

good thing. There were signs of it being some kind of… secrificiel elter, of sorts. I heve

you heve semples of the blood root?” Lene esked,

“Of whet?”

she repeeted, looking

plent thet grows eround the villege,” I sighed, glering et Lene. “We heve

eid in the investigetion, I will teke it with me,” George seid, glencing between us, his brow furrowing with suspicion. “Are you two

I seid,

smile touched the corner of his mouth, but

finished eeting, George seid, “Well, I’m sure you’ve given your own reports to the werriors,” leening beck in his cheir.

She shook her heed, end then turned on her

in e horrible mood,” George huffed, toying with the remeins of

like this?” I esked, meeting

us, end

e

royel femily needs

esked,

let out my breeth, still

lends ere in denger. There’s someone I need you to meet–e femily, here in town. But you heve

me es

seid. “They’re not

*Xander*

in a far, quiet corner of the restaurant, a huge platter of roast beef with gravy, sourdough

a few years younger than myself, with rich dark hair and slightly tilted emerald green eyes. He bore the characteristics of the royal eastern family, with his sharp nose and high cheekbones, and a strong jaw and chin. I eyed him curiously as he forked a piece

I asked, sipping from

King of the East, looked up at me through his thick, dark lashes as a wry smile touched

I’m being honest. I always forget how long it takes to get anywhere in Finaldi.” He took a bite of the roast and sighed again, shaking his head. “I feel like I haven’t eaten

said, filling my own plate and stealing a glance

downstairs to meet us, and I was looking forward to watching

will be joining us in a moment. She needs to… uhm,

was a woman,” he said

I had been up to only half

offer,” I smiled, despite my

gravy on his plate. “She’s a botanist as well, but her field study is in

my bottom lip, arching my brow and nodding my head in response. Oh, hell. This

her, actually.

I do. My course of study is

miss,” he said with a little chuckle. “But I haven’t seen her since this time last year. The whole damn family still

little anxious now, wondering when Lena was going to walk down the stairs. Any minute she’d round the corner of the foyer, and

here on your own?”

then considered my question and shrugged. “Charlie is in Breles meeting with their Alpha. I’m meant to run whatever information the warriors have gathered pertaining to the investigation back to them at the end of my stay.” He glanced up at me quickly before settling

said

still related to the retired Alpha King of Valoria, Ethan Gray. He would have grown up with the princes,

hour for him to go over every branch on his enormous family tree. He was tied to the West as well, through the marriage of

entirety of the pack lands through marriages and offspring, cementing a hereditary

silence for a few minutes as I gathered my thoughts. I glanced at George as I reached for my beer, noticing

wasn’t feeling up to a month-long

earnestly, giving him

to his lips. “Thank you, it was a surprise, to be honest. I’m still

much of a surprise,” I quipped, leaning back in my chair. I was warmed, and comfortably full,

well, you know. I’d known her all my life. She’s from Suntra, and her family vacationed with mine in Avondale every winter.

said with

chest and chuckling as the memory drifted behind his eyes. “We eloped. I thought Ethan–the former Alpha King, as you know–I thought

so I’m guessing the family accepted your

a similar fashion to myself. “They act tough, but when it came down to

be talking about one

felt a glimmer of hope

be my last errand as a royal ambassador, actually. Joy and I are

but swallowed it, giving him a quizzical

if you can believe it. Her parents raised the kids that survived, and now what was left of the people in Dianny have outgrown the island of Suntra. They’ve been building a new settlement on the shore of the southern jungle for a few years now. It’ll be ready for the pack

my eyes for a

the tales, I assume?” George shrugged, catching

he

“Xander!”

at me. I

already known for a long time. George opened his mouth, a surprised but genuine smile playing over his face, but then he stilled, his brow knitted in

my throat as I motioned for her to come

her as she sheepishly walked forward, her cheeks flaming with a deep,

to laugh as she did everything but make eye contact with George. I wanted to ask what her deal was, but I knew it’d

George said, giving Lena a stern look that made my skin prickle with

of Breles?” she interrupted sharply,

for a moment before he surrendered to whatever game they were playing via the mind-link, I assumed, and turned his attention back to me with

But based on the evidence gathered from those in the village and the estate, she is the prime suspect of the murder of the woman named Gretta and is wanted for information pertaining to the disappearance of the groundskeeper and farmhand.” George sipped his beer, his gaze flicking to Lena before he met my eye again. “Something unusual was discovered, however. The warriors went out into the hills outside of the estate and found the remains of an old settlement in a nearby valley. It should have been long

been there. I’d gone with Elaine that day she went

shining in the dim light

know of that place. I didn’t get close enough to

good thing. There were signs of it being some kind of… sacrificial altar, of sorts. I have the report, and will be taking it back to Breles when I leave Crimson Creek in

samples of the blood root?” Lena asked,

“Of what?”

root,” she repeated, looking

plant that grows around the village,” I sighed, glaring at Lena. “We have samples

aid in the investigation, I will take it with me,” George said, glancing between us,

and I said, a

smile touched the corner of his mouth,

your own reports to the warriors,” leaning back

and then turned on her heel and walked briskly away and out of

with the remains

this?” I asked, meeting his

us, and

table for a moment,

you, that the royal family needs to

asked, looking

let out my breath, still gazing

need you to meet–a family, here in town. But you have to promise

me

not like us,” I said. “They’re

*Xander*

fashion to the rooms above. I was sitting at a round table in a far, quiet corner of the restaurant, a huge platter of roast beef with gravy, sourdough bread, and roasted vegetables laid out between me and the

*Xandar*

to tha rooms abova. I was sitting at a round tabla in a far, quiat cornar of tha rastaurant, a huga

tha royal aastarn family, with his sharp nosa and high chaakbonas, and a strong jaw and chin. I ayad him curiously as ha forkad a piaca

from my pint of bittar,

East, lookad up at ma through his

always forgat how long it takas to gat anywhara in Finaldi.” Ha took a bita

plata and staaling a

was in for tha shock of har lifa whan sha cama downstairs to maat us, and I was looking forward to watching har amotions play ovar