Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 809

Chapter 20 : Alpha Aeris

We set out on the last part of our journey before the sun had risen over the horizon. Brandt and Archer were chipper, and it was obvious the blanket of tension brought on by walking through a forest full of people-eating witches and whatever the hell else was lurking in its depths had lifted.

Jared and I had stayed out on the cliff for hours, but we’d hardly spoken. I was thankful for the silence, too caught up in my own mind to even think about the Cryptex or the curse Jared had somewhat explained, if not in detail.

I was also reeling from just sitting next to Jared, which was ridiculous. Having a gentle, open conversation with him had been a first. We hadn’t argued, not once, during our time on watch. It’d left me feeling even more confused about my feelings than after our fiery spat in his study.

There was something about him that was pulling me in like a magnet despite my frequent attempts to stay out of his way. I hated it–at least, I was trying to hate it. I was trying to hate him.

But I just… didn’t.

I kept reminding myself that he did, in fact, hold me hostage. He was a cold, calculated man who killed people for a living. And, he was cursed.

Not only that, but I’d just agreed to help him track down the man who’d cursed him in the first place by interpreting a mystical scroll he was getting in return for killing the brother of an Alpha.

Goddess. What was I thinking? The book I was going to write about this, if I survived, was going to be a best seller for sure.

“What exactly are we walking into?” I asked the group as we walked along a long dirt road. Grasses taller than my head grew on either side of the road, making it impossible for me to see where we were going. “Is Aeris a friend to our crew? Or, is he… not so friendly.”

“Oh, he’s a real prick,” Archer chimed in, walking with his usual swagger a few paces in front of me. He looked over his shoulder at me, a boyish smile dimpling his cheeks.

“Everyone is a plaything to him,” Brandt added. “He is one of the most influential Alphas in Egoren and believes he can skirt every rule–”

“He throws a damn good party,” Archer interrupted.

Jared, who was walking ahead of us, turned his head and glared at Archer.

“What do you mean he skirts every rule?” I asked, panting a bit as I fought to keep up with the men and their long strides. It was obvious they wanted to get this journey over and done with.

“He is rather vocal about his disdain for the Alpha King,” Brandt replied. “Some people have taken offense to a White Queen on the throne as his Luna, among other things.”

Lena–my stomach tightened into a painful knot but I kept my face expressionless, I hoped. “What other things?”

his heel and

gaze fell on me and I involuntarily went rigid. “Aeris follows old principles and laws that could put you, Eliza, in

you mean?” I pressed, tired of the men dancing

entertainment,” Archer said with a shrug. “No matter if you’re one

fixed on my face. His arms were crossed over his chest, his whole body tight with tension. “Which is why we need to handle this situation delicately. Aeris is backed by several Alphas who aren’t thrilled with the current political climate and the changes being made in the capital, but so far those changes haven’t reached this far west, so Aeris is still allowed to

man, awaiting their solution to

“we’re not going to say anything about it. You are part of our crew.

exactly what I’m researching? Does he know about your curse?” I

looked

knows?” Archer asked, but Jared waved him away,

for my collection. From this moment forward, you are an expert in antiquities, who was trained under your father and took over his trade when he died because he had no sons. That

not?” I asked, trying to keep my voice from lifting with

matter, because we’ll be in and out. This will only take a few hours at the most,” Jared tried to assure me,

Aeris we’re talking about. He’s probably planning a parade in

in a scowl. “No f*****g fighting,” he said, then turned to me, pointing an accusatory finger inches away from my nose. “And you’re

my eyelashes at him. “I’ve never misbehaved a

as he choked back his own laugh. Jared, on the other hand, ran his tongue

and the challenge behind

surrender before turning his back to us

***

the tall grasses an hour later and crested a steep hill. I had to bend over and rest my hands on my knees to catch my breath after the climb, but I found myself even more breathless after catching my first glimpse of Aeris’s

a sprawling city made of white stone, an enormous castle rising at its center. Cottages and farms dotted the landscape leading into

casually behind the men for some time and noticed their behavior shift as we neared the main gate leading beyond the wall. Archer and Brandt cut off the road and dropped the bags of things they’d looted from the witch’s house into the tall grass. Jared ran

going on?” I hissed as Archer and

didn’t like this. Not at

you said

I nearly ran into Archer’s back. I peeked between him and Brandt, noticing Jared standing rigid as a half dozen men dressed in

and who are you?” barked one of

his hands in a motion of surrender, taking a single step forward. “Alpha Aeris is

and clenching his fists. “You’re trespassing on Alpha Aeris’s territory, you filthy forest scum.” Archer grabbed me and pushed me off the road. I stumbled, falling to my knees just as the leader of