Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 830

Chapter 41 : I Didn’t Miss

*Eliza*

Jared was gone for the rest of the day, leaving me alone in his huge bed. It was quiet in the house, and out the windows that lined the far wall of his bedroom, I could see people working in the gardens that circled the old manor. Large puddles of muddy water covered the village, reflecting the lights spilling from the cottages and shop fronts that wove along the well-beaten trail weaving through town.

I had no idea what Jared was up to. I also had no idea what exactly he wanted me to be doing right now.

I went through his dresser, trying to find something that would fit me other than the cotton pajamas I’d been wearing all day. All I had to my name was my journal, my pajamas, and the gray dress I wore during my job as a laundry maid… which Miriam hadn’t brought with her when dropping off my “things.”

I pulled out a soft, cream-colored long-sleeved shirt from his dresser, snapping it through the air to shake out the wrinkles. I changed into the shirt, which hit me mid-thigh. I rolled up the sleeves to my elbows and continued to rifle through his dresser, opening every single drawer until I found a pair of thick wool socks and a pair of thermal leggings that looked like they would have fit Jared when he was a child.

“Perfect,” I said, holding them up to test the length. I’d have to ask him for new clothes, I thought as I looked at myself in the mirror above the dresser. I ruffled my hair, grabbed my journal, and walked out of the room.

His study was just down the hall. I figured the best way to pass my time as the pretend lady of the house was to go through every book and artifact in his study and start to piece together the mystery of the Cryptex.

I closed the door behind me and looked around.

Dusty rays of muted daylight poured through the gaps in the shuttered windows. The bookshelves touched the ceiling on the far side of the snug room, some housing glass globes and crystals. It smelled like him in here, leather and parchment. I loved it, but also couldn’t work in conditions such as these. My mind was a tangled web in ordinary circumstances. I needed to do a little organizing, cleaning, and cataloging before any work could be done.

I knew Jared was going to be pissed I was touching his stuff, but I didn’t care. Wifely duties, right?

I walked to the windows and pushed open the shutters one by one until the room was filled with gray afternoon light, the smell of rain filling the room.

I set to work pulling books from the shelves, writing their titles and a brief description of their contents in my journal. I worked through a pile of books taller than me for what felt like several hours. I moved them into new homes, organizing them in sections by topic and content. He had quite a collection of lore and mythology, which would prove useful to us, I was sure, but I resisted the urge to start researching Draven and the Cryptex.

I needed to know everything he had in his collection and exactly where to find it, first.

Soon I’d gone through every single book he had in his study and cataloged every single one in my journal. This was a start, and a good one at that. Tomorrow morning I could wake up and get to work. I was impressed by the work I’d done today, smiling at myself as I looked down at his spotless desk and tidy shelves.

But I was impressed by him most of all. Some of his collection was just… unreal, a dream.

I couldn’t wait to talk to him about it the next time I saw him.

Another hour passed as I walked around the room, cataloging his collection of artifacts. By the time darkness fell and the room was cast in shadow, my journal was bursting with notes, and his study had never been so clean and organized.

I was just packing up to leave when I heard soft footsteps in the hallway outside the study, someone walking back and forth.

“Eliza? Are you up here?”

I opened the door to find Giselle and Scarlett standing in the hallway, both of them looking a little worried.

matter?” I asked, stepping out of the study

to be up here,” Giselle whispered. “But you missed dinner, so I thought we

in agreement. I let out the

both looked like someone was seriously hurt,

you really are married to Jared,” Scarlett whispered back, looking up and down

really know how to reply. “Uhm,

should go to the tavern to talk about this!” Giselle whispering, nudging Scarlett. “Effie’s apricot

Scarlett began, but Giselle waved her hand

times! Come on, it’ll

but Giselle turned her gaze to

go,” I

go then, it’s getting

the three of us speaking in low whispers as people went about their evening routines. Giselle rifled through the coat closet, handing me the same jacket I’d worn to

here at all?” I

arms through her jacket. “I didn’t see him or Brandt

Interesting.

arm in arm with Scarlett and Giselle. Lanterns lit the trail as we went along, our

of the village, the largest building in the village other than the house it would

room. A bar stretched across the far side of the tavern, several people leaning against it as a middle-aged woman with curly strawberry-blonde hair served pints of

was going to run into Jared here, but I didn’t see him or any of the men I would have recognized

up to the bar, leaning against it and speaking with a man I didn’t recognize while Scarlett and I sat down at a table

you saw him last?” she asked

turned to look at her, noticing the lines of concern

fine. Ready to get home,” I

cheeks colored a bit as she turned

table, the pink-hued

sweet flavor. Whoever Effie was, well, she could make a glass

to her usual quiet reflection. I told them everything I could about my experience at Aeris’s castle without giving too much away. I knew I could trust them, but

was getting rather late by the time we’d finished our glasses of wine, and Giselle got up

the other side of the room as I was putting on my jacket and looked up to see Tommy spinning Giselle in a circle, planting a kiss on her

breathed, the corners of her mouth

“Are they mates?”

mentioned whether or

open for Scarlett as we exited the tavern, glancing over my shoulder and smiling as Giselle whispered what

we walked, and I followed her gaze to the

I said lightly, making out Jared’s form in the group. “I wonder what they

to meet,” came a feminine voice behind