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?”

move to hide it, either. He caught my gaze and I blushed, which was actually the reaction he had wanted. His

“Aaron!”

said he had a vision that his mate and their child would die, so he decided he

furrowed my brow, trying to gauge whether or not Aaron

serious. In fact, he told me his own mother had the same vision,

You’re joking!” I felt myself flush, my skin prickling with a chill as his words

parents told me after Aaron’s own mother cursed me, after his accident. My mom’s powers were

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,

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, but I do

tried to talk him out

I said

paused, the muscles of his

own mother

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

supposed to come into my power. I was. I told the nurse in the infirmary

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.

is this

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

“Well, when’s your birthday?”

at him.”Not until

August.” He stood, holding out his hand to

“Where are we going?”

Ernest he’s being an

you said not to interrupt

changed my

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

walking quickly down the corridor away from us, his back

are you going?”

wrenching my hand free from his grasp, but he squeezed my hand, tucking it behind his back, and we all came to stop

today. I have to go down to the village to escort him to the castle. Give him a little

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

I haven’t heard great things about this guy. Lance

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

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

But why?

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

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