Sould As The Alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 17: Ernest’s Mate

Maeve

“Don’t say your name? Why?”

*Just in that context. I don’t… we can’t-”

“I know,” I said hurriedly, feeling foolish. It couldn’t be personal. That had to be what he meant. I fidgeted, looking past him toward the door. He followed my gaze, then snapped his head back around, giving me a serious look.

“Leave them alone, Maeve. I know what you’re thinking.”

“I just really need to talk to Ernest—”

“No, you don’t.”

“You don’t understand, Aaron. Gemma is in a bit of a crisis right now,”

“Because they’re mates? That doesn’t sound like a crisis to me.” He stood there, staring at me blankly as my jaw dropped open.

“How the hell did you know that?”

“Uh, he told me? Is it supposed to be a secret-”

I turned from him, pacing over to a set of couches that had been pushed up against the wall so that the maid could polish and wax the floor. I felt a little guilty as I looked down at the very obvious footprints left in the fresh wax, but the room was rarely used. It was my first time spending more than a few minutes here myself. “Well, if you know about it then it’s not a secret, is it?”

He shrugged, reaching up to crack open the window. “What do you need to talk to him about that’s so pressing you’d interrupt them?”

“I wasn’t going to interrupt them,” I lied, pursing my lips as he cast me an incredulous look. “I just wanted to talk to him privately.”

“About why he won’t marry and have children?”

Igaped at him again, my jaw nearly hitting the floor. “You know about that? You know why?”

“Yeah, he told me all about it.” Aaron’s tone was so casual that I laughed, unable to stop myself. He peered at me, tilting his head as I sat down on one of the dusty couches. “Do you seriously not know? How could you not know? Your whole reason for being here is to produce the heir he refuses,”

“Refuses? No, he can’t have children.”

“Oh, he’s perfectly capable of having children.”

“1-How?”

over, sitting down on the arm rest with his legs splayed open. I could see the outline of his cock in the comically tiny shorts he was wearing, and he made no move to hide it, either. He caught my gaze and I

“Aaron!”

He pivoted on the arm rest and put both of his feet on the couch, facing me. “Ernest said he had a vision that his mate and their child would die, so he decided he would

gauge whether or not

same vision, and she

skin prickling with a

had special traits, like my mother, but seers were rare if they were real at all. At least, that’s what my parents told me after Aaron’s own mother cursed me, after his accident. My mom’s powers were well known, but we descended from the Moon Goddess herself as White Queens. Aunt Georgia

right now, I promise. And I know how ridiculous it sounds. He said he thought it was just a dream until his mom said something about it. This all happened shortly before they left, I guess, his parents, for

little laugh, despite the painful tightening in my chest at his words. My Uncle Talon and Aunt Georgia had ruled over Drogomor in my father’s place. Dad wanted to be in Winter Forest with us, not thousands of miles away in Valoria. I didn’t know the details of the exchange of power,

Ernest believes it. I tried to talk

I said

narrowed his eyes at me, shaking his head. “You’re kidding, right? It’s fanciful at best-” He paused, the muscles of his neck contracting in the dim light as he swallowed.

own mother

have. It’s not real, just like Ernest’s vision was

to come into my power. I was. I told the nurse in the infirmary to save some of my blood for healing and she only… she only smiled.

said now determines your future? How do you know your blood doesn’t

watching me intentionally, his eyes lingering on mine. “She believed it. I could see it in her eyes. I know

exactly is this

shrugged, leaning forward over my knees to look down at the floor. “That I won’t find my mate.

“Well, when’s your birthday?”

at him.”Not until

holding out his hand

“Where are we going?”

he’s being

thought you said

changed

Aaron was a master of deflection. He obviously didn’t want to talk about the day he got hurt

see Ernest walking quickly down the corridor away from us, his back turned and his

you going?” Aaron

free from his grasp, but he squeezed my hand,

flustered. “I forgot the Alpha of Greenbriar was arriving for a conference today. I have to go down to the village to escort him to the castle. Give him a little tour.” He sighed deeply, running

stiffen beside me and inhale, but his face was calm and firmly fixed on Ernest. Ernest ran his fingers through his hair again, ruffling it beyond repair, then looked me

great things about this guy. Lance says

to work things out with—”Aaron stepped backward, his heel crunching my toes. I let out my breath in a hiss, glancing up at him and noticing the abrupt change in his demeanor. He was looking forward, his gaze traveling well past Ernest and into a darkened corner of the corridor where it wound back toward the grand entrance

the three of us. I swallowed, exhaling as Aaron removed his heel from

But why?

sound?” Aaron said, still looking over the top of Ernest’s head at the figure lurking

road leading to the castle. Lance will meet them there. I’d definitely