Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 653

CHAPTER 153 : I LOVE YOU, MATE

*Xander*

Seven Years After Their Wedding

“No,” I said firmly as I shrugged off my jacket. I tossed it over the side of one of the chairs in the breakfast nook nestled in our private kitchen, which was currently full of cooking smells, toys, and screaming children.

Lena arched her brows as she stirred a pot of stew, her hair tied in a large, messy bun on the top of her head.

“What do you mean, no?” she replied with a smug laugh, her eyes sparkling with mischief and excitement.

Alexis darted between my legs, and I almost tripped over her as I made my way toward the kitchen island, laying my palms flat on the surface.

“Lena,” I said slowly, flexing my jaw as a scream pierced the air. Alexis, who was now seven, and Jaqueline, her six-year-old sister, were currently holding Rosie, who was five, down on the rug and tickling her while our sweet, amiable two-year-old daughter Daphne stood by and watched, her mouth twisted in a mischievous smile around her thumb.

That’s right, we had four daughters. And we had a son, Rhys, who was currently clutching Lena’s shirt so tightly his knuckles were turning white as he eyed his sisters. We’d just returned from the Realm of Light after celebrating Rhys’s first birthday with Lena’s family, and judging by the look of the wing of the castle designated for our private use, none of the children had adjusted to life back at home after being spoiled by their grandparents for two months.

“What are we supposed to do with another one?” I said through gritted teeth, Lena rolled her eyes, pressing one of Rhys’s ears to her chest while she covered the other with her hand.

“You should have thought of that,” she whispered, “before you knotted me that night we spent in Avondale!”

I ran my tongue along the inside of my lower lip, fixing her with a playful glare. I remembered that night well, very well. How could I possibly forget?

Especially since nine months from that night, we would have an everlasting reminder of our late night romp on one of the private beaches in the Isles of Denali.

I relaxed my shoulders, huffing a breath as I pointed my finger at her. “This is the last one, okay?”

“You said that after we got pregnant with Daphne,” she laughed, shifting Rhys to her other hip.

“Well, I mean it this time,” I said, extending my hands toward Rhys so I could give his mother a break for a moment. Rhys eyed me skeptically like he always did when Lena was also in the room. When it was just the two of us, or us and all of his sisters, he was fine. But Rhys was my spitting image to the point I was almost convinced that none of Lena’s DNA had mixed in with mine to create our son. It was sometimes frightening how much he looked like me, like looking decades back in time every time I looked into his eyes. He had black, softly curling hair and even darker eyes, flaked with crimson and amber. He was going to be tall and lean, which was evident already.

his dad, Rhys only had eyes for

snapped his head toward Lena as I walked him

possible. It was a large “house” within the castle’s walls, situated inside the left side

was filled with children’s toys, and the walls were littered with drawings and paintings. Neither of us had the heart to throw any of their art away, so we hung

way to our family’s wing, I’d picked up an armful of toys that had been left out

I passed her in the hallway, and two more were admiring a colorful mural made with chalk that roped around a curved corridor. Upon closer

a time when this castle was cast in a shadow of darkness and mystery. It was almost unrecognizable now, every

other in chokeholds on the carpet. Alexis, Rosie, and Rhys all looked like me with their dark hair, but Daphne and Jaqueline favored Lena’s family. Jaqueline’s copper blonde curls reminded me of Maeve, and Daphne’s straight golden locks were about as close as any of the kids were going

scooped Daphne up by her ankles, dangling her upside down before tossing her next to her brother. The older girls began to try to wrestle me, but I was

down to the infirmary tonight,” Lena warned from the kitchen over the sound of running water. I had Rosie and Jaqueline pinned beneath

Rosie squealed. Lena

tickling the little girl mercilessly. I looked up and watched Rhys slide off the couch, looking over his shoulder at the fray and giving me a devilish smirk before waddling back over to his mother, who likely had free hands

off my back and onto the floor. I sat up,

tonight,” I said to Alexis, who looked slightly disappointed. She was starting to realize there was more to Lena and me than just being Mom and Dad. We were still Alpha King and Luna Queen of Egoren, and while we had the freedom, and desire, for our kids to just be kids for as long as they could,

female, that title was her birthright. Lena had taken her to the temple of the White Queens in Winter Forest during our latest trip, and she’d stood with her mother as Rosalie,

altar. It was a sight to behold, if I was being honest. Alexis looked up at Lena and I think, at least I thought, she saw her mother for what she was for

worried that Alexis might be starting to feel the weight of that birthright, even at only six

just the way things were for those of us who were fortunate, or unfortunate, enough to carry

looked over at Lena, who had her back turned to us as she continued preparing dinner for the children. I rose onto my knees so I could look over the top of the couch, catching a glimpse of Rhys as he pulled a few pots out of a lower cabinet

children. So

we were

as I shifted my weight and crossed my

liked it when Ava came

Alexis shrugged, sitting down next to me on the carpet. “She lets us read her

you understand why Mom and I have to

and Grandma,” she said, toying with the fringe on the end of the carpet. “And be queens

shoulder. She smiled up at me, but I could see the disappointment in her eyes. “We’re going to come back. It’s

up and

Pictures of our family lined the walls, interwoven with their drawings and dried flowers hanging in

I said as I looked back