Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 69 : Swallowed By Darkness

*Jared*

I woke before the sun and pulled my arms from around Eliza.

For a moment, I just watched her.Her face was so soft and peaceful as she slept, hair curling around her soft features so perfectly.

It was hard to pull away.I could have laid with her in my arms forever.

But Abe and I had a lot of work to do.

I kissed Eliza’s cheek and brushed my fingers lightly down her face.

She squirmed and turned away from me.I smiled to myself.She was perfect, and she was all mine.

Stretching, I threw some clothes on and nudged Abe’s tent.

"Get up, sleepy.We’ve got a long day ahead of us."

Abe groaned and I heard him shifting around.

While he got ready, I lit a fire and threw together a quick breakfast for us–a few fried eggs, some coffee, and bacon.It was the perfect energy boost we needed.

Abe crawled out of his tent and took the coffee I offered him.

He guzzled it down and then devoured his breakfast.

Afterward, he stood up and stretched, yawning like a fog horn.

"Ready to get to it?"I asked.

Abe smirked.

"That rock pile doesn’t look so bad.I bet we’ll have it cleared by noon."

"Right…."

The first rocks we moved out of the way were small and easy to toss aside.

It was just like brushing pebbles or gravel out of the way.

But it didn’t take long for Abe and me to get to the larger rocks.

One by one, we lifted them and hoisted them out of the way.

By the time Eliza woke up and started on her own breakfast, we’d been working for a few hours, and it barely felt like we’d made a dent.

I let my eyes wander toward Eliza as she moved around the camp.

Her tight pants clung to her hips, hanging low enough that I could see the edge of her underwear.

When she bent over, the hem of her shirt pulled up her back, revealing a lickable amount of her skin.

Unconsciously, I licked my lips.

"Hey, are you working, or am I going to do this whole thing myself!?" Abe snapped.

I shook myself out of my daze and looked at my friend.He was huffing and puffing as he shifted a massive rock.I went to him and helped lift.

"I just needed a little break," I smirked.

"Yeah, I know what you needed."

Abe shook his head.We tossed the large rock aside and each got back to work on some of the smaller, more manageable rocks.

The sun was getting higher in the sky and hotter.

Sweat soaked through the back of my shirt and dripped off my brow.

I pulled my shirt off and used it to wipe the sweat off my face and the back of my neck.

I tossed my shirt on the ground.

Abe did the same, only he tied his shirt around his head like a doo rag.

I shielded my eyes from the sun and looked at the rock pile.

as we’d been working and for as much as we’d moved, it didn’t even seem like we were a quarter of the way

every day from now until my birthday digging, and we might never get

wandered

coals since it was daytime and there was

map was on her lap and her eyes were fixed

see that look of concentration, the way her brow scrunched up just a tiny bit, and how her eyes narrowed in an

knew she was focused, not

packed some dynamite,"

asked,

and we

this is the way, then

"Hey guys!"

rock pile, waving the map around.Her feet slipped on the shifting rocks, causing several to knock loose

come to you," I

shook her head and reached us at the top

it?" Abe

need water." She handed

"Oh, you’re a Goddess!"

the canteen, around the corners

like drinking

took

"Alright, I’m hydrated.

What’s the big deal?"

Eliza the canteen

it over her shoulder and

and I think I might

sheepishly and bit her

to dig through these rocks anymore, all

sighed and flopped down

knew if I sat down, I wouldn’t want

city.I can’t promise it will

What other

sang, throwing his head

to the map and ran her finger along a few of

"Here."

She tapped the map.

river that goes into the city.But I didn’t realize it because… it looks like it’s

river?"

and looked at the rough map

is that cave we went into with the

out that cave and then the

is our way into

underground river?" I

a little

that came up commonly

a mythical city might have a mythical underground river leading to

like in real life.But I honestly didn’t think much of it because I was focused on this road.Now, I’m thinking it is worth going

"Yes!"

jumped up and threw his fist in

the cave more.I mean, I was the one that pointed it out

Eliza glanced at me.

over the rock

hard but made

it turned out to be a dead end, it wasn’t

come back and get back

much in the grand scheme of

exploring the cave in hopes of finding something so we don’t have

can check the cave

any time clearing the path." I rolled

"Get your things.Let’s go."

packed up the

if we ended up coming back, it was better to clean up

it would make it harder for them to

last night, but that didn’t mean they

this?" Eliza asked as we loaded

so well it

more to do with our mate bond, if we really were mates.But small moments like this made me feel like it was true, even if we couldn’t fully

sure about this, I trust

"Do you?" I sighed.