Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 814

Chapter 25 : Bravo, Eliza

*Jared*

I woke with a start, blinking into the early morning sunlight that was drifting through the ceiling-height windows on the far side of the room. I was incredibly warm and pleasantly satiated. It was no wonder, based on the woman currently curled up next to me with her head resting on my arm.

She was fast asleep, a rogue curl lifting and falling against her cheek every time she released a breath. I tucked the curl behind her ear, my fingertips lingering on her cheekbone for a moment. Her naked body was bathed in sunlight, glistening like gold. I fought the urge to cup her breast, my hands aching to feel the weight of them again.

Speaking of aching… I closed my eyes and hissed out a breath, trying to stop my mind from going over every second from the night before. I was ready to take her again, right now.

“f**k,” I groaned, running my hand over my face. What the f**k had I been thinking?

I slowly removed my arm from beneath Eliza, clenching and unclenching a fist as my entire arm tingled. She didn’t even stir. I watched her as I gathered my clothes, my heart squeezing in my chest as her eyelashes fluttered and a soft, sleepy smile drifted across her lips.

This wasn’t fair to either of us.

I’d f****d up royally, and I didn’t know what to do now.

I picked up what was left of my shirt and shrugged it on. All of the buttons were gone, and would no doubt be found by the maids who were likely to gossip about it to the other servants.

It didn’t matter. We’d be out of this place by midday. I’d make sure of that.

I cursed under my breath as I searched for my pants. I found my boxers at last and pulled them on, turning around the room for the rest of the remains of my outfit from the ball. Eliza stirred, mumbling something in her sleep. I froze, holding my breath as she turned over and hugged one of the pillows to her chest.

I could see my pants peeking out from underneath her. I chewed my lower lip and sighed, seeing no solution other than to risk the three-second walk across the hall to my own bedroom, hopefully without being seen.

I couldn’t wake her. I wasn’t ready to have the conversation I needed to have with her. It was going to hurt. My heart was already shattering just thinking about it.

Part of me prayed that I was the only one feeling the way I did. Maybe she was just looking for a bit of fun and a warm body to explore. But dancing with her at the ball last night had ignited something inside me that I didn’t think I’d ever feel.

It was a cruel twist of fate, truly. Rage rippled over my skin just thinking about it. Borrowed time… I only had five months.

Five months had felt like an eternity only yesterday, but now I felt like I was watching my life slipping through my fingers, a life that was lying right in front of me, still tangled in the bedsheets.

“Don’t be foolish,” I whispered to myself. There was a reason I didn’t get close to women, not anymore. I’d avoided them at all costs lately in the event I ever felt a flicker of a mate bond so I wouldn’t hurt anyone, especially myself. It was selfish, sure, but the idea of finding my mate and then watching her witness my untimely death was a crushing, suffocating weight.

And if death didn’t come on the eve of my twenty-fifth birthday?

Those dark powers would consume what was left of me. I’d be powerless against them, my wolf the only thing keeping them in check.

I unlocked the door, wincing as the lock clicked and the door groaned as I opened it, then crept into the hallway.

“Well, well, well,” Archer mused, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the wall on the opposite side of the corridor. I cursed beneath my breath and shut the door to Eliza’s room behind me, glaring at Archer. “You look well rested.”

“Shut up, please,” I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose.

do that to your

“Leave me alone, Archer–”

for once in your life,” Archer

talking

interrupted by Brandt’s door opening and a young, timid-looking woman walking into the corridor in nothing but a shift covered by what looked like the shirt Brandt was wearing last night. She saw

“Good morning,” Archer grinned.

the ribs and he grunted as the woman squeaked an inaudible response and darted down the hallway, a tarnished ball gown clutched against her chest. Brandt peeked his head around the doorframe, his cheeks burning with a ferocious blush but a smile on his face nonetheless. Archer pursed his lips, chuckling to himself. Brandt looked me up

“Eliza?” he asked.

deeply, glaring at both men as I walked between them and into my room, shutting

Great.

***

over the informal breakfast table laid out in the dining hall. She picked at her plate, her cheeks burning red

my food. I was defensive of Eliza already,

a prick!”

sucked in his breath and squirmed, reaching under the table to rub his shin as he glared at Eliza. I looked Archer up

I hadn’t verbally confirmed it. While I considered their merciless teasing all in jest, it still ground

snuck out of her room without having the

that look in her eyes–that crushing

same deeply

I said beneath my

quipped, which startled me

at her, holding her gaze for a few seconds longer than I meant to. She gave me

I needed to tell her, and then I needed to

in return, but only

the dining room, bouncing off the golden wallpaper and nearly bursting my

walked around the table, resting his hand on my shoulder. I fought the

with a look of fierce desire made me want to reach up

bad would it be if I

put on last night, Jared.

lingered a little too long on her name.

said brightly. I looked at her, wondering what exactly she

of dance. He trained for years in my court

see the curiosity bubbling behind her

“Really?”

once part of this court,

at me, her sea-green gaze

I mouthed at her, but she only

being the breeder his brother purchased from the auction. She knew I was leaving without the scroll. We would’ve been halfway home by

and I’ve known him for a long time,”

arched my brow at her, still vexed that she was playing this game but also curious about where she was planning

have you known

was curious about Jared’s collection, and that’s how we were introduced.” She exhaled, her eyes shifting

my chair, crossing my arms over my chest as she wiped an actual tear