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?”

busy and out of his personal space,” he replied with a smug smile. Scarlett was off her stool in an instant,

Archer, who towered over her by more than

with that,” Archer continued, the mischief draining from behind his eyes and replaced by…

would have felt

me before turning

then turned on his heel and followed Scarlett out of the room, leaving me

I looked down at the basket. Scarlett and I usually tossed clothing this ragged into the

as I picked up the

with, and it was going to take me

I had

***

midnight. Everyone who lived in the house had gone to bed, but I was still awake, and still sitting on my stool with the very last piece of mending laid out

catch my breath. My fingertips were raw and covered in bandages. My back felt

I was standing straight, then

his head into the laundry, giving me a smile and nod, then told me to deliver the laundry to Jared’s room when I

the third floor of the house would be my final punishment, it

tired to care that every step creaked loudly throughout the house. I paused on the last few stairs leading to the third floor, out of breath, my legs shaking with fatigue. I was exhausted. Maybe Jared was right. A day full of

finally reached the 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, and the sound of a drawer opening,

of what strength I had left, and walked toward the door, making out what looked like

as I approached. He was shirtless, his tattoos on full

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

“Thanks.”

exhaled, “For snooping around.

eyes. I doubled over, my hands on my knees as my head began to spin. I heard him take a quick step in my direction, but I waved him away. “I’m fine,” I said. “I just haven’t

can make

at him, quirking my

the kitchen, no,” he said, retreating a step as

gave him a soft smile. He looked like he was on the verge of apologizing to me, but I turned and walked down the hallway before he could say anything further. Better to let him stew on his idea of a punishment for a

“Wait,” he said softly.

turn around right away. I heard him retreat into his room for a moment, then in a flash he was

“What is it?”

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

The gesture was incredibly kind. I didn’t really know how to voice just how much it meant.

of the leather. It was hand-sewn, and as I opened it,

looked up

you