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?”

tiny shorts he was wearing, and he made no move to hide it, either. He caught my gaze and I blushed, which was actually the reaction he had wanted. His mouth twitched into a smile as he stretched his arms above

“Aaron!”

feet on the couch, facing me. “Ernest said he had a vision that his mate and their child would die, so

gauge whether or

his own mother had the same vision, and she was the driving force behind getting your

my skin prickling with a chill as

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

was just a dream until his mom said something about it. This

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, but I do know Ernest became Alpha at a ridiculously young age, sixteen or seventeen, when his

Ernest believes it. I tried to

true,” I said

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

mother

have. It’s not real, just like

in the infirmary to save some of my blood for healing and

now determines your future? How do you know your blood doesn’t have healing powers, or whatever it

lingering on mine. “She believed it. I

exactly is this

floor. “That I won’t find my mate. That I

“Well, when’s your birthday?”

up at

holding

“Where are we going?”

Ernest he’s being an

thought you said not to

changed

my brow as I took his hand, suspicious beyond measure. Aaron was a master of deflection. He obviously didn’t want to talk about the day he got hurt in front of me, or his mother, or my possible curse. But, I was thankful for the break in conversation. I didn’t want to

back into the hallway, but we were surprised to see Ernest walking quickly

are you going?” Aaron

but he squeezed my hand,

turned, looking flustered. “I forgot the Alpha of Greenbriar was arriving for a conference today. I have to go down to the

said, digging my fingernails into Aaron’s hand. I felt him stiffen beside me and inhale, but his face was calm and firmly fixed on Ernest. Ernest ran

things about this guy.

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,

three of us. I swallowed, exhaling as Aaron removed his heel from my toes. It had been

But why?

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

and his entourage from the train station to the road leading to the castle. Lance will meet them there. I’d definitely feel better if you went with her, Aaron. Thank you