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, rounding the table with desperate, outstretched hands as she reached toward the basket. “No, these aren’t for you, Lettie. You have the

slowly looked up at Archer, who towered over her by more than a

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

livid, I would have felt incredibly sad

Scarlett stammered, glancing at me before turning toward the

wink, then turned on his heel and followed Scarlett out of the

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

I said beneath my breath as I picked up the basket and dumped the contents

me with, and it was going to take

then I had a

***

on my stool with the very

were raw and covered in bandages. My back

was standing straight, then

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

third floor of the house would be my final

third floor, out of breath, my legs shaking with fatigue. I

door at the very end of the hall. I heard papers rustling, and the sound of a drawer

a little higher, which took an incredible amount of what strength I had left, and walked toward the door, making out what looked like a four-poster

the doorway as I approached. He was shirtless, his tattoos on full display. He was disheveled,

crossed over his chest, smirking as I

foot. 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 over my face. That smug grin faded when

“Thanks.”

sorry,” I exhaled, “For snooping around.

my head began to spin. I heard him take a quick step in my direction,

make

him, quirking my brow.

useless in the kitchen, no,” he said, retreating a step as I

just going to go to bed,” I yawned, and gave him a soft smile. He looked like he was on the verge of apologizing to me, but I turned and walked down

“Wait,” he said softly.

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 in

“What is it?”

pocket and set it on top of the journal. I met his eyes, and the corners of his mouth twitched into a smile. “I figured since

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

of the leather. It was hand-sewn, and as I opened it, I noticed the rough, hand-pressed paper that was

whispered, and looked up to

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