Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 823

Chapter 34 : A Face I Hadn’t Seen in Years

*Jared*

I watched her examine the new Cryptex, turning it over in the sunlight pouring through the window. She was holding it with her hand wrapped in a towel, using the end of her toothbrush to gently prod the sides, looking for the mechanisms that cause the connective pieces to spring loose.

Watching her work was intoxicating. I’d never seen someone so wholly focused on a single task. The way she examined the Cryptex was intrinsic, practically second nature. My movements in the background didn’t seem to bother her at all as I packed up our things in preparation for our journey home.

The weight I’d been carrying on my shoulders since arriving at Aeris’s kingdom was lifting as the early morning hours ticked by. It was likely Eliza and I could walk right out of this place now. All I’d have to do was tell Aeris that Eliza was my wife, and show him the contract Archer had delivered to me before the sun had come up, signed by a now very wealthy priest and undated

I’d made sure to cover our tracks.

The priest was a follower of the older church, a more pagan sect of the Church of Lycaon. Aeris wouldn’t recognize the man’s name, I knew that much, not when he favored the startlingly wealthy and pompous preachers of the new-wave church situated on his castle’s property. The priest’s temple was situated on the outskirts of the city, built against and within the wall leading to the villages beyond. I told Eliza about it as we lounged in bed before the sun rose, my fingers trailing over her bare skin.

We were safe.

Eliza sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping as she gently set the Cryptex on the table.

“What’s the matter?” I asked as I shrugged on my leathers.

“It wants me to touch it,” she said on a breath, shaking her head. “It won’t open for me otherwise.”

“Don’t worry about it for now. We can deal with it when we get back to the village,” I replied, hoping this was enough to break her concentration so she could get dressed and ready to go. She turned to look at me over her shoulder, a soft, somewhat sleepy smile touching the corners of her mouth in reply. “We’re getting out of here, alright? Everything is going to be okay.”

I prayed I was right.

There was a sharp knock on the door, then Archer’s voice broke through the air.

“Are you ready? We should get going.”

I exhaled and opened the door a crack, meeting Archer’s gaze. The corridor outside my bedroom was still dark, not a hint of early morning yet dancing over the marble tiles.

“The southern trail?” I asked, meeting his eyes. I could hear Eliza moving around the room behind me, the sound of fabric hitting the floor making me tighten my grip on the door as I held it as closed as possible without shutting Archer out completely.

“Passable from what I saw. The river is still running high but if we’re careful–” he shrugged, a faraway look in his eyes.

“Okay, we’ll try.” I reached out into the corridor and gripped his shoulder.

swallowed, his throat straining from the

“He was here recently, with his father. They were heading back east shortly before we arrived from the intel

and you can go east,” I said, nodding my assent. He pursed his lips, giving me a quick nod in return.

to grin, then arched his

with

as I shut the door. I heard

moved around the room and packed her notes and the Cryptex into a leather backpack–khaki trousers that were still far too long for her were cuffed several times, resting just above the boots she was now wearing. A leather belt was cinched around her waist, the dagger I’d given her sheathed along her thigh. Her airy white shirt was tucked into her belt, billowing out around her arms and chest, giving me a glimpse of an hourglass figure. Seeing a woman in pants was

face with a ribbon made of coarse homespun fabric, loose curls falling over her forehead and ears. She lifted the backpack,

“Are we ready?”

said, stifling the emotion

her eyes shone like sea glass in the morning light pouring through the windows. I wanted to reach out and brush my knuckles over her

to be true feelings for her as I made a final round around the room, making

paper, she wasn’t really mine. As much as it killed me, I needed to keep her at a distance until I could find a way to return her to her own people.

that. She had to go home. I had to let her

the road,” I said as

to walk

behind us as we reached Archer

side, turning us around to face him as the Alpha started down

had a

unease rippling in my chest as I felt Eliza go rigid beside me. “Thank you for your hospitality,

his hand, heated annoyance playing over his face as his strange eyes focused on mine. He glanced at Eliza, then back to me, his eyes narrowed. “Come, walk in step with me, Jared. Your

toward Archer. She stumbled, Archer catching and steadying her. She looked up at me with a look that made my throat contract. I saw

have matters to

Archer and Brandt. The expression on my face was enough

step with Aeris as we walked out into the front garden, the gates leading into the city looming in the distance. I could see tents and a crowd beginning to gather. Eliza and my men walked ahead of us, getting further and further away with every

you want to discuss?” I asked as Aeris as I walked slowly toward the gate. I chewed the inside of my cheek

thought I’d just let you walk out

would I

property,” he said as he reached the gate, but he leaned against it, preventing me from

that made Aeris stand a

Aeris said, his eyes going wide, then narrowing on mine. “Don’t play

needed her to get close to you so you’d give

is not your

crinkled it, rubbing dirt into the parchment to make it look worn. It wasn’t signed, of course. But it would be if Aeris had the gall to follow us back to my village, I’d make sure of it. Aeris’s nostrils flared as he looked up at me, his face turning a vivid red and twisting with rage. I held it just out of reach as he tried to snatch it from me, giving