Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 103: Surviving

*Jared*

I had done it. I was taken over by both relief and sadness. I thought of Eliza and I let the tears fill my eyes and spill down my cheeks. What I wouldn't have given to see her one more time and thank her for all that she had done to try to save me.

“Moon Goddess, please be with her and keep her strong for our child."

“Tisk. Tisk. Tisk...." Hestia clicked her tongue and shook her head as she crossed her hands over her chest. “I think you may have forgotten a step."

I looked up at her, confused.

“Weren't you supposed to reject your mate first? That was a very important first step," she reminded me.

“Wh-what…?" I clamped my hand over the gushing blood. I was becoming lightheaded but I tried to think. I tried to remember....

'The order is important. Reject her, get your blood on the Cryptex, take your life before the curse claims you....'

That was right. The maiden told me to reject Eliza. She had reminded me how important the order of events had to be.

I'd screwed up. I'd acted too hastily. “How could I have forgotten something so important?" I murmured.

“It's understandable. The details in dreams can be hard to hold onto. It's too bad though. All you've done is the same thing your father did." Hestia headed toward the window again. “You've bled on the Cryptex. But without rejecting your mate before you die, all you've done is push the curse to your own child, condemning them to live your same tormented existence."

“N-no...." I gasped as weakness consumed me.

So much blood had already poured from my wrist, and my arms fell dead at my sides. Numbness began to take me over and the edges of my vision blurred.

“You think you're saving Eliza? No. Your child will be cursed and your mate will be left to carry the burden alone!"

I imagined our child, sweet and innocent, having to carry on the burden of this curse into the future.

It broke my heart into a million pieces. But I couldn't stop what had already begun. Every second that ticked by and I remained alive was a second that could usher in the dark curse to claim all of us.

Hestia's words shook me to the bone. I'd lost too much blood to move or even cry out. There was nothing I could do.

How had I been so stupid!? I'd been so focused on saving Eliza that I'd forgotten the most important part.

“The Diadem...." I murmured. “It can save our child."

Hestia laughed. “That was a spell designed for you and your mate. It won't work when you are dead."

Groaning, my muscles gave out completely and I slumped over, face-first onto the floor. My mind grew fuzzy and I knew I was slipping away quickly.

“But, I can save you," Hestia urged. “Be my servant, and I will set all of you free."

I closed my eyes and let my sweet Eliza's face fill my imagination. I would die but she would live. She would be strong, and I knew my death would give Eliza time to properly plan for our child to break the curse, the same way my own mother had.

“Jared, there isn't much time. I can–"

“No!" I said with all the strength I could muster.

“Fine, go ahead and die. I can just wait for your cursed child to come of age."

“Wait...." I coughed and sputtered out blood.

“It's too late now." Hestia hissed and then vanished.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain etching up my arms and deep throbbing in my chest, and a wave of darkness washed over me. I felt my wolf snap and snarl almost ferally.

Oh no. Was this the curse? Had I been too late? Was it coming to claim me, to claim us?

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Crack!

My bedroom door opened and I smelled Eliza with what little sense I had left.

“Eliza...." I gasped.

With each searing breath, the pain increased as the curse seemed to creep into every part of me. But I fought hard to muster the words.

“Jared!?" Eliza threw herself on the floor and pulled my head into her lap so I could see her face and feel the warmth of her breath on my neck as she sobbed.

She was so pale, eyes already brimming with tears as she wrapped her arms around me and held me close.

Her sniffles broke through my foggy, distant thoughts and I remembered what I had to do.

“Eliza...."

Even though she was distraught, there was something so overwhelmingly beautiful about her. Her face was so tender, and she was glowing under her skin.

Her wolf must have woken up....

She was radiant with strength and power.

My heart fluttered in my chest at seeing her. I had been the luckiest man alive. I'd never seen anything so gorgeous and amazing.

My wolf, who had snapped and was near violence inside of me, instantly calmed. He felt his own peace and love for Eliza's wolf override whatever the curse had planned.

It was the first time that we were looking upon our mate and feeling the mate bond.

Now that she'd gotten her wolf, the mate bond was fully activated, and it was strong. There was no denying it now. I would have to reject her in order for Eliza and the baby to survive.

“Eliza… I, Jared… r-reject you… as m-my mate...."

“What?" she gasped as a sickening look came over her face, her tears frozen on her lids. “What are you saying? Jared!"

I coughed and sputtered as I felt the rendering of our mate bond deep inside. Blood filled my throat, and it became hard to even take a breath.

She sobbed louder while holding onto me. I saw the heartbreak and confusion in her eyes. I could feel our mate bond ripping, tearing us our wolves apart from each other.

“Please...." I stammered, blood gurgling in my throat as I tried to explain.

“No! Jared, No!"

She leaned over me. Her hair covered my face and chest, wafting her delicious scent all around me.

“No! You're not rejecting me!" she demanded through teeth clenched with pain. “You're not leaving me. You're going to survive and be a father to our baby!"

“Eliza, I–"

“Shut up!"

I heard something ripping and then fabric pressed to the wound on my arm. She was trying to stop the bleeding and save my life.

“No." I tried to pull my arm away.

“I'm saving you, Jared. I'm not letting you go!"

I gripped her wrist. I was fading, and I needed her to accept it, but then we were both seized by the final shattering of our mate bond.

I could see her face turn ice white and that she was wracked with pain, and I hated not having the strength to hold her and knowing she would soon be alone.

“Why did you do this!?" she cried, staying strong through the pain and holding onto me as all went black and I took my last breath.

***

*Eliza*

My body was wracked with unimaginable pain as I fought through Jared's rejection, holding onto him and trying my best to keep him alive.

“Jared!" I screamed as his body went slack in my arms. “No!"

I looked at the blood seeping from his wrist and saw the flow had subsided. I pressed my ear to his chest to listen for sounds of life, breathing, a heartbeat… anything.

But there was nothing. I knew that he was gone.

I began to sob as I felt Archer behind me trying to pull me away from Jared's body. My wolf surged inside of me and I used what strength I had left to cling to him.

“Eliza." My mother's shaky voice called from behind me before she wrapped her arms around my trembling body. She held me still and I remained calm as Archer cautiously stepped forward, his gaze wary and uncertain.

He knelt down and carefully gathered Jared's body in his arms. I watched silently, my eyes wide with shock and disbelief as Archer placed Jared on the bed, gently laying him down.

“Eliza," Archer said softly, his eyes filled with sorrow. “He's gone...."