Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 800

Chapter 11 : A Special Gift

I wasn’t sure what I was thinking. My conversation with Jared had left me furious, then guilty, and overall… wanting.

I wasn’t able to sleep at all that night. I tossed and turned, going over every word that had passed between us.

On top of my severely conflicting emotions, I’d entirely forgotten about the reason I’d gone to his study again in the first place–the map.

He’d seen right through me, of course. He’d warned me of the dangers I’d face on my own. Maybe it was the fact that I’d been mulling all of this over at close to three in the morning, but I’d started to feel like maybe he was right. I was safer here than I was on my own, at least for now.

But Jared’s words continued to plague me well into the next morning. “Why are you so mean to me?” he’d asked.

Because I’m scared as hell, and too much of a coward to admit I’d bit off more than I could chew.

I slouched on my usual stool in the laundry, a cup of now-tepid tea sitting untouched in front of me. I owed him an apology, a real one.

Luckily for me, a cart had arrived in the village earlier in the morning, filled to the brim with groceries. Giselle had screamed in delight when a box of cherries was carried in, and now the entire house smelled of baking.

I was planning on bringing a basket of freshly baked cherry pastries to the sparring ring as a peace offering. It was the best I could do, other than behave myself and wiggle into his good graces. If he trusted me and didn’t find me a threat, I could eventually ask him to release me, and maybe even help me get home.

But when I thought about going home, I… well, I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to go home, not yet. Despite everything, I’d made it this far, hadn’t I?

Exploring the Dark Realm, finding and touching actual artifacts here had been my dream, and while it’d had a rocky start… I was here. I found it unlikely Jared was going to kill me, especially if I stayed on my best behavior. I was safe.

I’d won the race to explore the secrets of the Dark Realm just by making it here. None of my colleagues had the guts. It was mine to discover, if I played my cards right. “Where is all of yesterday’s laundry?” Scarlett muttered to herself, looking around the room. It was nearly ten in the morning and our usual onslaught of dirty, tattered clothing from yesterday’s sparring and chores hadn’t been delivered the night before. The laundry room was empty.

“Maybe no one ruined their clothing?” I offered.

Scarlett gave me a look, obviously panicking about not having anything to do with her hands. She was picking her nails and fidgeting.

I turned my tea cup in a circle, wondering what I was going to do with the rest of my day if we didn’t have anything to wash and mend. Giving Jared a basket of cherry pastries, a beaming smile, an apology, and if he was lucky, a promise of good behavior going forward were the only things on my list.

I heard whistling in the hallway and Scarlett abruptly turned on her stool, facing away from the doorway. I arched my brow at her and straightened up just as Archer walked into the room holding a basket of the muddiest, most tarnished clothes I’d ever seen.

He dropped the basket at my feet, giving me a wink.

“What the hell is this?” I scoffed, gingerly picking up a shirt that fell to pieces in my hands.

“A special gift from Jared,” Archer grinned, his eyes narrowed and full of mischief.

“What? Why?”

was off her stool in an instant, rounding the table with desperate, outstretched hands as she reached toward the basket.

looked up at Archer, who towered over

walk, maybe. If you’d be okay with that,” Archer continued, the mischief draining

so livid, I would have felt incredibly sad for

before turning toward the doorway, her

turned on his heel and followed

my lower lip as I looked down at the basket. Scarlett and I

was going to apologize to you,” I said beneath my breath as I picked

he’d threatened me with, and it was going

then I

***

awake, and still sitting on my stool with the very last piece of mending laid out in front of me on my worktable. I

I folded up the last shirt in a neat square and set it on top of the basket, taking a moment to catch my breath. My fingertips were raw and covered in bandages. My back felt broken, and my legs were tingling from lack of use. I was afraid that if I stood up too quickly, my knees would buckle and all of the blood would

and slowly stretched my aching body until I was standing straight, then I clutched the basket and carried it out

into the laundry, giving me a smile and

arduous climb to the third floor of the house would be my final

my legs shaking with fatigue. I was exhausted. Maybe Jared was right. A day full of mending had been enough to keep me out of his business. I wanted nothing more than to crawl

third floor I noticed the snug hallway was filled with muted light coming from an open door at the very end of the hall. I heard papers rustling,

amount of what strength I had left, and walked toward the door, making out what looked like a four-poster bed

He was shirtless, his tattoos on full display.

over his chest, smirking as I neared and set the basket down a

I was expecting him to inspect the laundry to make sure it was up to snuff, but he just looked at me, his gaze trailing

“Thanks.”

I exhaled, “For snooping around. I won’t do

I heard him take a quick step in my direction,

make you

looked up at him, quirking my brow.

he said, retreating a step as I straightened

apologizing to me, but I turned and walked down the

“Wait,” he said softly.

right away. I heard him retreat into his room for a moment, then in a flash he was behind me, touching me lightly on the back of my arm. He gently placed a thin leather book

“What is it?”

of the journal. I met his eyes, and the corners of his mouth twitched into a smile. “I figured since

gesture was incredibly kind. I didn’t really know how to voice just how much it meant. I’d lost my journal just before I

tracing the uneven surface of the leather. It was hand-sewn, and as I opened it, I noticed the rough, hand-pressed paper that was dappled with dried flower

looked up to find

you