Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 799

Chapter 10 : Next Time

I had to wait to sneak into his study. I still didn’t know how many people lived in the house and occupied the dozens of rooms within its walls. Someone would snitch on me if I was seen creeping around in his wing of the house, that was for sure. So, I sat in the common room, warming my toes by the fire and pretending to read a book until the last of the people lingering around the dining room table retreated to their rooms.

I waited a while longer, listening to creaking pipes and faint voices until total silence fell, broken only by the dying fire in the hearth. The wait had been excruciating, but I knew I had at least a few minutes to view the map before having to sprint back to my room.

Jared’s quarters were on the third story and accessed by a tight, walled-in staircase that creaked with each step. I winced every time I put my foot down. Someone had said that Jared and his crew gathered in a tavern nearby most nights. I was safe. Right?

The corridor outside of his study was dark, especially with no moonlight coming through the single window that lit the hallway. I fumbled around, one hand on the wall as I felt my way down the hallway, blinking frantically to try to adjust my vision to the darkness.

I found a doorknob and pushed it open, stepping into a room, but it didn’t smell like dust and parchment. It was pitch black, and I felt along the wall for a light switch. I’d come to find out that some parts of the house were wired for electricity, all thanks to a single crude windmill at the far end of the village. I figured Jared, being their fearless leader, would have electricity in his wing of the house at least.

I took a blind step into the room, reaching along the wall in my search for light, but was met by the sharp scent of the laundry soap and the feeling of fabric against my cheek. I reared back, swinging my arms against what I believed to be an assailant, and dropped the book with a sharp thud on the floorboards.

“s**t!” I whispered, fumbling as I reached forward, my fingers grazing what felt like shirts and coats hung on a rod. “Just a closet,” I breathed, bending down to retrieve the book. It wasn’t where I thought it’d landed, and I stepped further into the closet, Jared’s clothing brushing against my head as I finally located the book and stood swiftly upright.

But my movement had sent a tremor through the clothing, and something above my head slid from what I believe was a shelf, and knocked me cleanly in the skull.

“Ouch! Damnit!”

I backed out of the closet, holding my forehead as I felt along the wall for another door. My hands brushed against a doorknob and I gripped it, pushing my way into what I knew was his study.

I sighed with relief, pulling a cord along the wall that set the study in a warm amber glow. An antique clock was ticking away in the corner of the snug room, and the light of the dusty, cobweb-covered chandelier reflected off bottles of fine scotch and whiskey sitting on a bar cart.

I felt oddly comfortable in the room despite the fact that I wasn’t supposed to be there. It was dusty and smelled of leather and… manly things. It smelled like Jared.

I looked around the room, finding the space where he’d pulled the book from the shelves along the wall. I put the book back as gently as possible, then turned to the desk.

I tucked my hands behind my back in an attempt to stop myself from touching anything and leaned over the desk, scanning the map.

“You really have no sense of boundaries,” Jared said behind me.

I jumped, then quickly composed myself, but my body was heating rapidly as adrenaline began to course through my blood. He walked across the room, soundless, and poured himself a drink.

I glanced at him, then looked back at the map. I couldn’t focus anymore, not with Jared making himself comfortable on the old leather sofa directly behind me.

“I never met someone so light on their feet,” I said through gritted teeth. “Are you sure you’re not a dancer instead of a warrior?”

“I’m not a warrior,” he replied. “And I’m a great dancer, if you care to know.”

one arm extended along the back of the couch. He looked ruffled, and the top buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing smooth,

and he was

you find anything?” he asked sarcastically, swirling the dark

returning the

“Why?”

already, several times. I could recite

at each other for a moment, a tense silence

the map,” he said. “You

“You would’ve said no.”

what you believe is an escape from this house is futile at best. My crew and I would be the least of

let his words settle between us for a moment as I

the only crew of bounty hunters. We’re not the only packless rogues, either. It’s not safe out there for a

about me,” I cut

don’t. But I assume you’re not from

but I held his gaze. He nodded, his eyes boring

you?” he asked, and not for

“It doesn’t matter.”

but he beat

that you

“You’re not a prisoner.”

“Then what am I?”

jaw, looking more than annoyed by my questioning. When he said nothing more, I turned back to look down at his desk, seeing the sketch of what I believed to be an amulet

he asked

He wasn’t sitting comfortably anymore. He was rigid,

you designing a necklace for your sweetheart?” I teased, but he continued to stare, his gaze shifting to the paper as he rose from the sofa with a

said, taking the paper from my hands. He was leaning on the desk next to me, close enough his thigh brushed against mine. “I’ve been looking for it for

“Why?”

right away, but he had a distant look in his eyes. For a moment I thought… I thought maybe he was going to open up to me a bit, to tell me why he had a study like this and about his interests in history and academia. We were

want to find it,”

my eyes. We were incredibly close to each other now. I could reach out and run the back of my knuckles

was wrong with

room was off limits,” he breathed, folding the sketch back into

know.” It was all I could think to

air was heavy between us, rippling with

voice trembling slightly, and not out of fear. I wanted to… kiss him. I wanted him to throw me against the desk and

for a moment, he’d been under the same spell as

him, noticing the cold look in his eyes. Fury

asked, my voice dripping