Sould As The Alpha King's Breeder

Maeve

Damian was not what I was expecting. He was an older man, tall and lean. He was probably not much older than my own father, but was significantly gray, his eyes framed by wire-rimmed

glasses. He looked more like a kind old schoolteacher than the super-villain of my nightmares, but based on Troy’s body language I realized there was much more to the man than I could gather based on a single glance.

Damian was standing, rocking on heels, and watching us. Pete was lying on the ground nearby. unconscious, and another unfamiliar man of a size that rivaled Robbie was leaning against one of the dead trees, his arms crossed over his chest.

“What are we waiting for?” Damian said in a casual, almost friendly voice.

Troy didn’t move; he was still as a statue, his focus on Damian.

“How are you here?” Troy finally said, his voice edged with fury and confusion. Damian arched his brow, giving Troy an incredulous look.

“I made some new friends,” Damian smiled, shrugging as he took a single step forward, craning his neck to look around Troy to catch a glimpse of me. “Ah, would you look at that? The rumors are true She does look like Ethan.”

“We‘re leaving,”

“And going where exactly, Troy? I owe you; you know. When I first got word about the level of your intimacy with the princess, well, I thought it would cause me nothing but grief. But you’re here now, with her. This will all be over quite soon, and you can have your prize-”

“Prize?” I asked, looking up at Troy.

His shoulders fell a fraction of an inch, but he still stared straight forward, his eye on Damian, unblinking

I knew the original plan and the fact Troy was going to be paid handsomely for breaking Romero out of the castle, but that wasn’t what Damian had been planning all along. Troy was tricked. Surely, Damian didn’t mean to pay him still, if he had been planning to do so at all.

“I did promise you didn’t l?” Damian took another step forward.

“Promise him what?” I snapped, attempting to step out from behind Troy.

Troy blocked me, pulling me back behind him. But Damian had seen me fully, and his eyes widened, then his mouth curled into a malicious smile.

“Well done, Troy.”

“Don’t speak to me, or to her. Leave, now!”

I’d never heard Troy speak in such a tone before, his voice carrying through the clearing in a crisp. commanding way

“I was going to make you my heir, you know. You, the rightful prince-but wait, Romero is dead, isn’t he Troy? My man Horace saw to that, for you.”

“What is he trying to say, Troy?” I whispered into his back.

“Why don’t you tell her for yourself, Troy? Who you really are?”

“I suspect she already knows.” Troy answered, his tone biting.

I had no idea what he meant, honestly. He was Madalynn’s child; I knew that much. He mentioned his father’s name had been Behar. And his grandfather was

“You’re a prince,” I said quietly, the pieces falling into place. I didn’t know why the thought hadn’t crossed my mind before.

“More than that,” Damian folded his hands behind his back and paced, meeting my eye. “He’s the hereditary Alpha of Poldesse.”

I bit my lip to prevent myself from saying my thoughts aloud. Surely, Troy wasn’t planning on acting on that

“It can be all yours, Troy. The Kingdom of the Isles. Valoria is weak, ready for your hand to rule. I paved the way for the dynasty your grandfather always wanted. All you have to do is give me the girl.”

“No,” Troy said firmly without hesitation.

your mother’s dream,

“I didn’t know her,”

been a different man had she

allow you to

would it matter? I just need her

lunged forward, knocking Damian flat on his back. But before I could act, the large man, Damian’s crony, had his arm around

dirt from his knees.

beginning to well in the center of my stomach. Old Maeve would’ve given this man a piece of her mind, maybe

Maeve was a little

as the large man threw

still sprawled out on the ground. I caught myself on one of

fingers tangling in my hair as he yanked me off the beam and dragged me toward the door of

up and

but he wasn’t much taller than me. I thrashed and squirmed against his hold on my hair until I heard his

and trying to twist out of the

was furious, his lips pulled back over his teeth. “If you shift, Troy, I’ll kill her right now, right in front of you.” Damian produced a knife from his pocket, testing the sharpness of the blade on the sleeve

eyes, trying to calm myself by breathing

be okay,”

tugged my hair again, making me wince.

White Queen,” Damian pulled up the sleeve of my

She hasn’t come into power yet!” Troy said

cry. Had it just been me, Damian would be

babies to consider. Damian needed me, and if I cooperated, I could likely secure

tomb?” I exhaled, turning to look Damian

by my sudden submission, but seemed pleased, loosening his grip

you‘re not going

said, my voice

positioned himself between me and Troy, blocking Troy’s view of my face. I swallowed the fear that tightened my throat and waited for him to say, or

White Queen must be laid

Damian.” I mustered all of the courage I had to

me

need me, don’t you? I will open this door for you. I will show you how to

his mouth twitching as he contemplated his response. “What makes you think

know what

then turned his head to look down at Troy. Shrugging,

it, especially as I examined the knife’s weight and feel in my hands. I could throw

big, burly bodyguard to worry about after that, the same man who had his huge hand pressing Troy’s head into the

ahead, Princess,” Damian said calmly, tilting his head as he watched me while I lifted my hand up, bringing the tip of the knife to the palm of my

urge to grimace as the blade sliced shallowly into my skin. Damian was grinning broadly, his eyes creasing with pure, unadulterated greed as I squeezed my hand, my

hand as I stole a glance at Troy,

it, Maeve,” Troy

turned from him and walked to the entrance of Lycaon’s tomb, my breath catching in my throat as the air

What next?

out my hand, inhaling deeply, then placed it on the symbol in the center of

little pricks of electricity racing through my palm and up to the tips of my fingers. It was uncomfortable,

lifted in excitement as the door began to

chest and moving me out of harm’s way as

built into the side of the hill, carved into the stone. Damian was already inside of it,

for the

going, we have to get Pete and get back to

need the moonstone, Troy. Do you not remember what happened in Dianny?” I whispered, watching Damian

use it without you,” Troy protested, his