Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 826

Chapter 37 : Home, to the Village

Brandt didn’t stop running, not even once, until we reached Jared’s village. The Dark Forest passed us in a blur of shadow and rain. Maybe he felt the same crushing weight I felt as the trees whispered and rattled, maybe he saw the same shadows that lingered in the darkness, little flecks of light dancing against the tree trunks, like stars… or eyes.

We were never alone in the Dark Forest. Whatever else was there with us obviously didn’t think we were worth pursuing. Maybe those indescribable beings who called the forest their home sensed that we were rushing–broken, tired, and scared–and let us be.

I was thankful for it, and I was more than thankful to hear the sound of wind chimes rustling in the spring rain as we broke through the trees near the Healer’s cottage, the village rising in the distance.

Home–I felt it with overwhelming certainty.

Brandt nearly collapsed as he skidded to a stop next to the sparring ring. I slid off his back, my knees buckling and legs tingling painfully from gripping his back with my thighs for an entire day. People were running toward us with blankets, shocked faces blurred by the downpour that pounded the top of my head and my face as I looked up to see a hooded Giselle, her eyes alight with worry.

“Jared?” I croaked.

“Not here–” Giselle began, but Brandt’s voice cut through the rain, strong and demanding.

“Five scouts, two along the southern trail and three in the Dark Forest. Don’t be seen,” he said to the men beginning to gather around him. I glanced at him as Giselle helped me up, seeing him wrapped in a blanket and shivering with exhaustion and cold. “Jared might be alone, or he’ll be with–with Carmen. Archer was meant to be heading east, toward the capital.”

Giselle furrowed her brow, mouthing “Carmen?” with a look of shock flashing behind her eyes. Brandt stalked off as several of the men convened next to the ring, one of them barking orders as the rest began to shift.

“Where’s Miriam?” I said through chattering teeth as Giselle wrapped her arm around me and walked me toward the house.

Lights twinkled in the windows, and several people were standing on the porch, watching as we approached. It was well into the night now, and muffled voices poured from the open door of the house as people were roused from sleep by the commotion we’d caused.

“Let’s get you into a hot bath first,” Giselle whispered, rubbing my arm as she guided me up the front porch steps, glaring at everyone nearby.

Miriam met us at the door, looking more than concerned.

“Oh, my dear,” she breathed, taking me into her arms and holding me to her chest. “I am so happy to see you again.”

***

I slept well into the next day, curled up in my old bed. Scarlett and Giselle had fussed over me for what felt like an eternity until I’d fallen face-first into my bed, asleep before my head hit the pillow.

Gray daylight drifted through the open window between our beds, lace curtains dancing in a humid breeze. I rolled over, rubbing sleep from my eyes to find Scarlett’s bed made, and empty.

I had no idea what time it was. No one had roused me to start another day’s washing and mending. It took me a few minutes to come to terms with the fact that I’d spent the last two days sprinting through the Dark Forest in the rain, and before that… close to a week in Aeris’s kingdom.

that felt like a dream–a nightmare, especially since Jared hadn’t made it

of course. I rolled over in bed to face the wall, clutching the sheets to my chest. I bit down on the

backpack the night before, not saying a word about the map, the scroll, or the Cryptex as she laid out everything to dry on top of the dresser. I’d wrapped the Cryptex in cloth before packing it. Rain wouldn’t ruin it… but

wasn’t there. I cursed under my breath and swiped the scroll, with was falling to pieces in

go through his things while he was away. I sat down at his desk, huffing a dusty breath as I carefully unrolled what was left

as I scooped it into my hands and balled it up before tossing it toward the door. It landed with a wet splat, even more useless than it had been when Aeris gave

at the Cryptex for a long

mess with it right now, not when my body was also tense with

he? Had he made

in his sheets, his fingertips roving slowly over the curve of my hip as he spoke to me in a

every evening when I’m back from

with Miriam,” I’d replied. “She won’t allow me to step

had been so easy, so unlike anything I’d ever experienced with

say to him, that I needed to say. That I

what

drawers, finding a stack of paper and a few quill pens like the

lost with the rest of the supplies when the witch’s familiar

on the desk, staring at it blankly for several aching minutes. I should have done this the moment I found safety in

related to my studies. They were used to not hearing from me. But I’d taken off this time with no itinerary, and all I’d left behind was a letter for my brother George, telling him I was going on an adventure and not

trade ship would never make it to its destination, lost at sea, no one left aboard to

Mom,’ I scribbled, unsure of what else to say other than I was alive,

that part yet. Mom was sure to hit the ceiling with rage if this letter ever got to her. Dad

eventually. I have a lot to tell you, a lot I’ve seen and experienced. It

letter and set

my breath, scribbling one single line of

somewhere out west. But I’m fine. I met someone, and I think–’ I paused, the pen hovering over the paper. ‘I think I might

stay.

and rummaged through his desk for envelopes, finding a few that were yellowed with age and rather stiff. I wondered if

the Cryptex once more before rising from the

tonight’s meal. I peeked into the laundry room, finding Scarlett with her back to the doorway and an unfamiliar woman stirring one of the tubs, her eyes lifting to meet mine as she

whirled around, giving me a

I didn’t come down to

don’t be. Miriam has other plans for you,

furrowed my brow, watching an expression I couldn’t read spread over Scarlett’s