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.

I was back in Jared’s house, all of that felt like a dream–a nightmare, especially since Jared hadn’t made it

sheets to my chest. I bit down on the feelings of fear, jealousy, and despair as I tried to focus my mind on what needed to

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

cursed under my breath and swiped the scroll, with was falling to pieces in my hands,

He obviously trusted everyone here enough not to go through his things while he was away. I sat down at his desk, huffing a dusty breath as I carefully unrolled

hands over my face, cursing under my breath 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

the Cryptex

with it right now, not when

he made

memory of us tangled in his sheets, his fingertips roving slowly over the curve of my hip as he spoke to me in a low whisper. We’d joked about pretending to be husband and wife, coming up with silly little scenarios to distract us from the act of having to leave Aeris’s castle

expect dinner to be on the table every evening when I’m back from the sparring ring,”

I’d replied. “She won’t allow me to

so unlike

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

come back, what was I supposed

opened a few drawers, finding a stack of paper and a few quill pens like the one he’d gifted me when he gave

now, lost with the rest of the supplies when

piece of paper down on the desk, staring at it blankly for several

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 to touch anything in my bedroom

family had assumed I’d snuck onto the trade ship–the trade ship would never make it to its destination, lost at sea, no one left aboard

to say

was sure to hit the ceiling with rage if this letter ever got to her. Dad would just be happy I was

abilities, trying to keep my emotions in check. ‘I’m fine. I’m safe. I’ll be home, eventually. I have a lot to tell you, a lot I’ve seen and experienced. It was worth it,

the letter and set it aside,

my breath, scribbling one single line of

think–’ I paused, the pen hovering over the paper. ‘I think

think I might stay.

letter and rummaged through his desk for envelopes, finding a few that were yellowed with age and rather stiff. I wondered if this realm used stamps at all, but I figured

before rising from the desk and leaving the room, locking the

for 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

giving

“I’m sorry I didn’t come down

has other plans

watching an expression I