Sould As The Alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 24: What’s in a Name?

Gemma

I slipped from Ernest’s bed, quiet as a mouse. He rolled onto his side and wrapped his arms around his pillow, barely waking as he moved and quickly fell back to sleep, his eyelashes fluttering against his cheeks.

I reached down and gathered my clothes, clutching them to my naked chest as I searched in vain for my underwear in the darkened room.

The only light was an eerie green glow coming from the windows where rain hammered against the side of the castle. Thunder boomed in the low-lying clouds, the sound strangely comforting as I pulled my shirt over my head and shimmied into my skirt. The storm raging outside the castle walls had covered the sounds of pure ecstasy coming from the Alpha’s quarters, and I felt deliciously exposed as I snuck from the room, carrying my shoes in one hand, my underwear still very much missing,

Oh, I was behaving like an idiot. I was setting myself up for heartbreak. I couldn’t help it. I really couldn’t. Ernest’s hands on my body and his words whispered against my neck had awakened something deep within me. I couldn’t put out the flame now, no matter how hard I tried.

And I had tried.

But I smiled softly to myself as I walked down the corridor, a blush touching my cheeks asi ascended the stairs, and I realized I was walking with a slight

limp.

Oh, what would Maeve say when I told her “Ouch!” I dropped my shoes, bringing my hands to my face as I cradled my nose. I could smell the blood before it began to flow, the wetness rolling from my nostrils over my lips and between my fingers. “Shit, Gemma!” Aaron grabbed me by the shoulder, using his free hand to tilt my head back by my chin. He was soaking wet, the water dripping from his clothes onto the floor. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you. I couldn’t-”

“Where are you coming from at this hour?” I said, my voice a nearly inaudible gurgling sound as the blood rolled into my open mouth.

“I went for a.. for a run.”

He was lying

I took my hands from my face, inhaling deeply and then sneezing with force, which caused him to jump backward out of my line of fire. “Is it broken?” he asked, gingerly stepping forward again. “No,” I said, sighing with relief. Luckily I’d found some tissues on a side table to stem the bleeding. “But it hurts. What did I run into?”

“My shoulder. I didn’t see you walking by at all.” His voice was trembling slightly. I narrowed my eyes to peer at him through the dark but could barely even see the outline of his figure.

“Where are you going? Your room is on the fourth floor?”

*** I forgot something.”

“Forgot what?

“It’s nothing.”

He was lying again. I just knew it. I pressed him further.

“It’s obviously something if you’re wandering the castle sopping wet.”.

“I just told you. I was out for a run.”

“Don’t lie to me, Aaron!” I stepped forward, thinking I was closing the distance between us but ended up to the side of him.

“I’m right here, Gem!”

call me that,” I hissed, turning toward his voice. And I have it on good authority you

“Ernest sent me

was with him-“I bit my lip. I hadn’t meant to say that out loud. But before I could retract my statement or attempt to deflect, Aaron had me by the shoulders again, steering me across the corridor and into a storage

over my mouth and he pressed me against the wall of the closet, his free hand reaching

24: What’s

from my mouth before he clamped his hand over it again. “No one can hear you over this storm, Gemma. I’m

hand. I gripped his forearm, pinching his skin with my

was blocking

I warned,

wet jeans and looked up at me, shaking his head. “You

Maeve. She’s in danger. I need to get her out of Valoria, tonight.” He stood there, only feet from me, his

“What?”

right about that. I

are

step forward, fixing me with a serious stare. “Romero. Did you know he’s in the tower,

“Romero –The Romero? Of,”

Poldesse, yes.” “Don’t lie

not lying!” he pleaded, looking as though he was about to drop

here? From the port? You

and falling as he took a deep breath. “It was faster than waiting on the train.

bellowed, which caused him to wince and tilt his head toward the

okay?” He stepped closer to me, his hands outstretched in surrender, “Like I said before, I needed to

you talking

“I’m trying to explain—”

“What ship. Aaron?”

His hands were clenched into fists and

mouth to speak but nothing came from between my lips, only the sound of my labored breathing as I tried to catch

I had, I asked, “Who

knew the whole time, didn’t you? That I wasn’t Aaron of Red Lakes?” He leaned against the door, his eyes bloodshot and lined with dark

he? Aaron? Did

“You have to. You have to trust me right now. You can hate me later. Maeve is in-“| “Danger? What the actual f*ck, Aar. What

“My name is Troy.”

“Your last name?”

“Black Troy Black..”

are

have a

“So, you’re a rogue”

have time for this.” He grabbed my shoulders, shaking me. “Please, Gemma. Listen to me. Maeve has to get out of here. You need to get out of here. You

He was desperate

understand-get off

24: What’s

his face. “I love her. I can’t