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.

just like his dad, Rhys only had

my arms but snapped his head toward Lena as I walked

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

another room right next door. The entire area 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

my way to our family’s wing, I’d picked up an armful of toys that had been left out in a long trail from one side of the castle to the other,

more were admiring a colorful mural made with chalk that roped around a curved corridor. Upon closer inspection, the mural had been a picture of our family, including every maid and servant we had

this castle was cast in a shadow of darkness and mystery. It was almost unrecognizable now, every darkened corner now bursting with light

over to where the older girls had each 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

next to her brother. The older girls began

of running water. I had Rosie and Jaqueline pinned beneath me, and Alexis was on my back with her arms wrapped

squealed.

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 for the

my back and onto the floor. I sat up,

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

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

honest. Alexis looked up at Lena and I think, at least I thought, she saw her mother for what she

might be starting to feel the weight of that birthright, even

of us who were fortunate, or unfortunate,

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

many children. So many

we were having

as I shifted my weight and crossed my legs, motioning for her

liked it when Ava

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

understand why Mom and I have to

with the fringe on the end of the carpet. “And be queens and kings,

are correct,” I replied, nudging her with my shoulder. She smiled up at me, but I could see the disappointment in her eyes. “We’re going to come back. It’s just

dressed up and be a queen

shifted my gaze toward the far wall. Pictures of our family lined the walls, interwoven with their drawings and dried flowers

said as I looked back at