Sould As The Alpha King's Breeder

Rosalie

“Well, I wanted to name him Talon, of course. I was desperately in love with Talon back then, you know,” Georgia said with a little laugh, giving Talon a teasing glance.

“I told you what would happen if you did,” Talon cut in, bringing his glass of whiskey to his lips and smiling knowingly at his wife.

“I hate to admit that Talon was right,” she laughed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “But he was right. Every time I said Talon, they both looked right at me. It was rather confusing for both of them, honestly. We even tried calling him TJ for a while, for Talon Junior, but he refused to acknowledge that, even though he was just a toddler.”

Ernest rolled his eyes, his arm draped over the back of Gemma’s chair as Georgia continued.

“Well, Talon had given our son the middle name of Ernest, a beloved dead uncle on his side of the family,” she paused, looking over at Talon to confirm this was correct. He shrugged, nodding. “Anyway, I started calling him Ernie, just thinking it was the cutest name I had ever heard, and it stuck.”

“And now we call him Ernest,” Talon finished, smiling softly at his son. Ernest pinkened at his father’s loving gaze, and turned his head to Gemma.

“I will let you choose the name,” he smiled down at her, his hand resting on her stomach, “As long as it’s not Ernest.”

“Oh, please,” Georgia laughed, waving her hand to dismiss his comment. “Ernest is a fine name. We could have named you Bartholomew-”

“Or Cornelius,” Ethan said with a wry smile.

“Or Richard,” Rowan said, leaning into the conversation.

“What’s wrong with the name Richard?” Kacidra cut in from the other end of the table.

“Well, it might have actually been a fine choice for you, Ernest. The nickname for it is Dick,” Rowan grunted as Ernest, who was seated directly across from him, kicked him in the shin.

“Nothing has changed,” Georgia murmured as she took a sip of her wine, giving me a sideways glance. I smiled, shaking my head as conversation erupted around me, the dining room feeling small, but warm, as we sat shoulder to shoulder around the modest-sized dining room table.

“Are Vicky and Paul coming?” Rowan asked, looking expectantly at Ethan. Ethan shrugged, but Talon shook his head, leaning forward to accept a bowl of green beans from Hanna.

“Vicky wants to be here, but Paul doesn’t want to risk it,” Talon said.

“I think that’s wise,” Ethan said soberly, giving me a look as ! settled back against my chair.

They were right; we didn’t know what was going to happen here in the North. Vicky and Paul had settled in Finaldi, starting a family of their own. They had three daughters, none of them yet sixteen. I didn’t blame them for not wanting to bring their children to what could soon be considered a war zone if Damian made any further moves. We were, essentially, waiting for

war.

“What did they name their daughters again? I can never remember.” Gemma was picking at her plate, slightly green around the gills.

I pursed my lips as I watched her struggle for a moment, looking as though she was going to throw up before she was able to regain her composure. Gemma had been sick her entire pregnancy so far with little to no relief.

“Well, there’s Caroline, the eldest. And then Katerina is the middle… or is she the youngest?” Georgia looked over at me for help.

is the youngest,” I corrected.

were talking about trying for a boy, if you can believe it,” Georgia said as she brought her wine

again? Isn’t that how Katerina came about?

Georgia replied,

a glass of water, “How did you come up

ask Ethan that. He was the one who

look at Ethan, who

he said simply, expecting that to be a good enough answer.

means she who rules,” I said to Gemma, turning my head to glare

wondered about her name. She’s the only Maeve I’ve ever met,” said

of, Gemma?” | asked, my chest tightening painfully at the thought of Maeve. I couldn’t bear it. I needed to change the subject away from

haven’t given it much

uh, busy.” Ernest gave Gemma a reassuring smile, his eyes seeming

name Eliza, or maybe Jennifer for a girl. I haven’t even thought of names for a

has a nice ring to it,” Rowan said

nudged him with my

few weeks ago,” Gemma began. “I don’t really remember the dream, but I remember hearing someone say Tasia, and I thought it was a beautiful

shaking the table as she did so. She swallowed, looking around before nodding once and bolting for the door. Rowan and Kacidra both began to

I nearly tossed my plate on the counter as I hurried through the kitchen, the porcelain dish rattling against the counter as Ethan caught up to me, his hand reaching

out the backdoor and was moving quickly through the backyard, her dress

darted out of his grasp, jumping down the steps leading out of the den

Hanna before she reached the back gate leading into the woods. She stopped short of the gate, however, and I almost tackled her to the

away from me but stilled as Ethan came to my side. She cowered, looking

going on long enough,” Ethan said sharply, his tone biting enough to make me wince. “Whatever you’re seeing, whatever

said, her

you to explain it to us, Hanna. We don’t

of her spells. “What do you see? We know you’ve seen Maeve. We know you’re able to see things

I cannot do that,” she said firmly, shaking her

you leave the table so

I’m crazy,” she

by this, seeing for the first time the real, deep-rooted frustration that plagued her. She didn’t want these powers. She had no way to control them. She likely didn’t know how

Gayla was here at this moment. We had buried her near the Temple of the White Queens over a decade ago and planted white roses over her grave. She had been a Seer. She would have known what to do to

of a building for years now,” Hanna began, her eyes still downcast. “I don’t know where it is, or what’s inside. I only know that I’m being pulled toward it. But I always get stuck; someone always pulls me back under. But after I met Rowan, I… I’ve been pulled to another place, like

saw his face change at the mention

I couldn’t control or manipulate them like my mother could. But this dream was different. Someone else was there with me, trying to communicate with me. I think

asked, hoping she

It wasn’t until I dreamed of Maeve for the first time that I realized I wasn’t completely alone. Maeve was in deep, deep water. She was dying. She

said, but I

then I saw the building again, this time much closer, like whatever I had done for Maeve had allowed me to close in on it. But it was loud and chaotic. Before… I thought the building