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?”

in the comically 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

“Aaron!”

he had a vision that his mate and their child would die, so he decided he would never marry or have

brow, trying to gauge whether or not Aaron

me his own mother had the same vision, and she was the driving force behind getting your dad to bring you

prickling with a chill as his words settled. Aunt Georgia never

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

ridiculous it sounds. He said he thought it was just a dream until his

to be in Winter Forest with us, not thousands of miles away in Valoria. I didn’t know the

believes it. I tried

I

best-” He paused, the muscles of his neck contracting in the dim light as he swallowed. “You’re

own mother cursed me,

not real, just

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. She smiled because

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

mom,” I breathed, looking over at him. He was watching me intentionally, his eyes lingering on mine. “She believed it.

is this

to look down at the floor. “That I won’t find my mate. That I won’t come into my powers

“Well, when’s your birthday?”

up at

August.” He stood, holding out his hand to me and shaking it when

“Where are we going?”

he’s being

said not to interrupt

changed my

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 think about

hallway, but we were surprised to see Ernest walking quickly down the corridor away from

Where are you

grasp, but he squeezed my hand, tucking

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 his

face was calm and firmly fixed on Ernest. Ernest

sure? I haven’t heard great things about this

in a hiss, glancing up at him and noticing the abrupt change in

of us. I swallowed, exhaling as Aaron removed

But why?

said, still looking over the top of Ernest’s head at the figure lurking in

road leading to the castle. Lance will meet them there. I’d definitely feel better if you went with her,