Sould As The Alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 2: Some kind of Animal

Maeve

He stood only inches from me, his arm outstretched and his fingers gripping my arm. He had a bottle of beer in his other hand, the foam bubbling over the lip of the bottle. He let go once I regained my balance, giving me a sideways smile that showcased a single dimple in one cheek.

He was ruggedly handsome with tanned skin and brown unruly curls that were tucked behind his ears. He was tall, towering over my 5’8″ frame with ease. I felt hot, a little too hot, as I looked up at him, running my tongue along the inside of my lower lip.

“Uh, thanks,” 1 croaked, slightly taken aback. He nodded, his eyes taking in my face, eventually meeting my own.

One eye was blue, an icy, glacier blue. The other was steel gray. I couldn’t help but stare.

“Take a picture,” he said, his voice slightly lifted and playful.

“What?”

“Take-take a picture, it’ll last longer,” he stammered, his cheeks going a rosy pink as his mouth widened into a boyish grin.

I looked at him, blinking, then shook my head. “Are you serious? That’s the cheesiest-”

“Couldn’t help myself.” He breathed; his eyes still fixated firmly on my own. “I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to say that all day.”

I opened my mouth to speak, then closed it again, forcing down a laugh that was inching up my throat. There was a moment of silence then, just long enough to be acutely aware of the fact that we were still standing on the sidewalk,

staring at each other.

“You’re rather tall for a lady,” he said in all seriousness, taking a small sip of his beer.

“1-what?”

” SAID YOU’RE RATHER TALL FOR A—” he said loudly, leaning close as though I couldn’t hear him.

“I heard you the first time!” I interrupted, and this time I did laugh. “What’s wrong with you? Thank you for, um, stopping me from falling but… did you hit your head, or something?”

“Why do you ask?” He sipped from his beer again, his mouth twitching into a smile as the mouth of the bottle touched his lips.

“24” I was truly at a loss for words,

“Well, nice meeting you,” he said, turning away. I gaped after him as he took a few steps forward, then turned around again, tilting his head in the direction of the bar. “Want a beer?”

I did want a beer, and I was oddly curious about this man and his strange behavior. He was teasing me, trying to get a reaction out of me somehow. I liked it.

“You’re not going to try to kidnap and murder me, are you?” I asked in response. He pursed his lips, looking around at the crowd of people still hovering on the sidewalk as they watched the aftermath of the fight.

“Well, not anymore. Everyone heard you say that,” he said, looking around in mock suspicion before tilting his head toward the bar again in earnest. “You coming?”

“I’m actually supposed to be meeting someone

“Great, l’if go with you.”

“Why?” I laughed, shaking my head. “You have no idea who I am or where I’m going.”

“Well, I’ll probably know soon. That counts for something, right?”

hanter

some kind of Animal

stepped off the sidewalk and woited for him to catch up, the beer still clutched in his hand, My stomach did a little flip as he reached my side. I didn’t know why I thought letting this,

the beer as we walked, but I shook my

don’t want your germs,

one brow, giving me a look that sent a warm ripple up the

Maeve?’ I thought to

mouths are cleaner

one, and it’s not true,” I

“How do you know?”

brushed your teeth

you

in a literal

he laughed, the sound full and genuine. He passed me the beer, and this time I took it, drinking

was empty, the table cleared

I said, looking around for Myla’s tell-tale raven black curls. She was

meeting someone?” said the man, following my gaze as I scanned the

is my friend’s stall,” I said, tapping my finger on the empty

man took another sip of beer, emptying the bottle.

I replied, reaching up to twist my hair into a bun on the top of my head. It was hot, the sun beating

lingering on the back of my neck as I tied my hair back. I wanted to look at him as intensely as he was

breaking the spell. I looked for Myla one last time

I live here,” I said, purposefully leaving out the fact that I, in fact, lived at the Alpha of

Myla’s stall, his hands stuffed into the pockets

I was genuinely curious. He was deeply tanned, his skin a fiery bronze against his loose, white button up shirt. He looked as though he had been somewhere tropical for a long

with fewer people than this,” he said as a woman shoved past him. I reached out and

brings you here,

around. “I’ve never been to Valoria. Thought I’d check it out. I’ve never even

retched loudly into a waste basket. I snorted with laughter as my companion motioned toward the man, sarcastically alluding to the idea that this was the culture he had come

always like this?” my new friend asked, his voice lifted

festival People come from all over, you know. There are a least ning packs in Valenia now, Drogamer being the biggest there are files over there” | sald, pointing to an open heht m the far

He stopped walking, glancing over at me with one

Nanaume no They’re moatly event for

just amule people?” he asked. It was a casual question, but his face was lined with concern as he

not just for single people, I guess But people sometimes find their mates during these fostivals At least that’s what I was

sweat from my brow, my breathcoming a little faster than usual. A bead of sweat rolled down my temple and pooled in

ao red?” he

the drink with both hands and letting the frosted glass chill my fingers,

“You look awful.”

of the lemonade and blinked into the

you have

I look

the street and sit down somewhere? Before you pass out?” He didn’t wait for my reply, taking me forcefully by the elbow and leading me off the street and into the shade of an awning covering the entrance of a shop. I plopped down on a shaded bench, sighing with reliel. He didn’t sit down beside me like I had expected, however. He reached down and began to pull down the zipper of my

“Hey!”

“What?”

you’re doing?” | swatted his hand away, almost spilling the

he replied,

“I can do it-”

He reached down again, but I caught his hand in mine, digging my nails

You’re trying to undress me in

with jest. “You want