Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 820

Chapter 31 : Play the Game

I watched Aeris over the rim of my wine glass. He was dressed almost casually in a vest and white shirt, his thick golden hair and beard trimmed, but still slightly ruffled. He wasn’t a terrible-looking man by any means. Those eyes were strange, yes. But he was handsome, and he had a rather friendly face.

But I could see the strain and frustration behind his eyes as he cut into his steak and forked a piece of it into his mouth. He’d be surprised when I was the only one who showed up to dinner in his formal dining room, which he’d obviously taken great lengths to decorate with hot-house flowers and a dinner spread meant for an Alpha King.

But it was uncomfortably intimate with just the two of us.

“Play the game,” I’d been told by Jared.

Why me? What the hell were those men up to, anyway?

“What a pleasure it is to have you alone for an evening, darling,” he mused, tilting his wine glass against his lips.

I blinked at him for a moment, barely registering what he’d just said as I was so lost in thought, but gave him a tight smile nonetheless.

“Were you expecting company?” I asked, waving my hand in a short circle.

“Your companions, of course. I had something I wanted to discuss with Jared.”

“Ah,” I smiled, rolling my eyes. “Jared is quite ill. Archer and Brandt are useless without his direction. I do appreciate having you alone, however. I didn’t want to waste the opportunity to thank you for allowing me access to your vault. Jared isn’t nearly as interested in these things as I am.” A lie, of course.

“And how did you find it?”

I took a deep breath against the flush of unease rippling over my skin. How did I find his vault? Or how did I find the Cryptex?

Surely he knew Jared was looking for it, especially if he knew Jared as well as he said he did.

“A bit… messy,” I replied, flashing him what I hoped was a charming smile. “Tell me, how did you come across so many jewels?”

That was exactly what he wanted to hear from me. He wanted to prove I had no interest in the artifacts and books scattered haphazardly around the vault. He wanted to prove that I was just some bright-eyed, submissive female who could be bought for the right price.

Play the game, I told myself over and over. Keep him occupied.

But I wasn’t entirely sure what game Jared was wanting me to play.

“You like jewels, then?”

“Oh, yes. What woman doesn’t?” I batted my eyelashes at him, which he seemed to adore.

His face softened a bit as he grinned and poured us both another serving of wine.

“Did you find anything in particular you liked the best? I could take you there after dinner. You can have whatever you like.”

I wanted the books… the scrolls… the artifacts, even the broken ones.

“That’s not necessary, but thank you,” I replied, forcing myself to blush. “Jared keeps me well supplied and paid, I assure you.”

“But as a gift–”

shook my head,

lips, looking somewhat annoyed as he glanced at the door to

I asked, my stomach tying in a

not here.” Aeris turned

to whoever was listening that

I also guessed that that

my nose, draining the rest of my wine. Aeris absentee refilled my wine glass. The wine was already turning my cheeks a ruddy pink. I could feel it. I told myself to

you really believe I’m the breeder your brother

on his wine, his eyes watering. I arched my brows, swirling my

“My dear–”

that made his face twist with shock. “I am high born. My father is likely rolling over in his grave right now knowing

edge, “is what you’re doing with the likes of Jared

you,” I said

is?” he asked, his eyes like frosted amber as he ran his finger in a line across the table. “Who

waved my hand in dismissal, shaking my head.

Lord,” he corrected. “The true heir to the throne

of pure, unadulterated menace flash behind his

it? Lycaon’s most hated enemy was a White Queen… the reason he brought our people to this sacred place. I’ve even heard rumors she is masquerading as the Moon Goddess reincarnate! What a travesty. King Alexander should be hung by the castle walls with his wife and their children for such treachery,

breath as much as

strike a deal. What do you say? Our forces are ready to invade. Jared just needs to give the order. You can go, freed from my possession, if Jared agrees to

“N-no–”

furrowing his brow. An awkward silence settled over the table as he tapped his fingers on his glass.

not the brother–” I stuttered, Aeris’s breathy sigh cutting through

to dinner tonight had some interesting information about you, Eliza. I find it hard to believe a woman such as yourself is a product of being raised this far west, or even in this realm at all. Even with a more… progressive father. You are far too educated and ill-mannered to be a high-bred lady from any of my neighboring

“How dare–”

teeth were stained red now, making him look like some unearthly creature sent from hell to set me on edge. “He mentioned a girl had snuck aboard and only gave her name when the captain of the ship was about to turn the boat around and take her back to the port. This man is still alive, and will arrive in

of my lower lip, keeping my

man from the breeder auction had… the curls, the blue-green

chin toward the ceiling in preparation for whatever fight was coming my way. Filthy mouth? He’d hadn’t seen anything yet, that was

of you, a few of them.” He threw his napkin on the table, motioning to me as he rose to his feet. “Lift

dare you speak to me in such a

slammed my wine glass down, shattering the stem of the glass and slicing open the palm of my hand. Fear ripped the air from my lungs as Aeris began to loosen his belt, his

me to do anything is my husband,” I sneered, clenching my injured hand into a bloody fist as I backed away from him. “You are not my Alpha, and I am not your breeder. I

“Your husband?”

that caught him off-guard. I hadn’t meant to say it. I didn’t know why I

I sniffed, screwing my face into a scowl. “Jared.” I took a step back, noticing the unfiltered fury coloring

he hissed, straightening to his

croaked, desperately trying to keep my voice level. I might have taken this too far, but what else

bared his teeth at me,

was hot on my heels. But he hadn’t followed. My shoes clacked against the marble floor as I ran for our wing of the castle, little droplets

s**t, s**t, s**t.

***

as Brandt deftly wound a bandage around my hand. Jared was pacing back and forth across his bedroom, his arms crossed and head bent as he mulled over my