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.

was your mother’s

“I didn’t know her,”

different man had she raised you. A better

allow you to lay a

need her

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

dirt from his knees. He looked at me,

to well in the center of my stomach. Old Maeve would’ve

was a

Troy bellowed, just as the large man threw him to

my heel and started back toward the tunnel but tripped over Pete, who was still sprawled out on the ground. I caught myself on one of the beams holding up the entrance to the tunnel, one arm wrapped protectively

from behind, his fingers tangling in my hair as he yanked me

me!” I screeched, reaching up and pinching his hand with

than me. I thrashed and squirmed against

trying to twist out of the large man’s

pulled back over his teeth. “If you shift, Troy, I’ll kill her right now, right in

still and closed my eyes, trying to calm myself by

be okay,”

tugged my hair again, making me wince.

powers, do you, Troy? Spawn of a White Queen,” Damian pulled up the sleeve of my skirt,

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

my gaze on him, trying not to cry. Had it just been me, Damian would be on the ground beneath my feet, begging

needed me, and if I cooperated,

to open the tomb?” I exhaled, turning to look Damian square in

my sudden submission, but seemed

do, but you‘re not going

said, my

let go of my hair completely and positioned himself between me and Troy, blocking Troy’s view of my face. I swallowed the

Princess A dead White Queen

courage I had

brow, giving me a look of pure

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

blinked, the corner of his mouth twitching as he contemplated his response. “What makes you think I need you to access the

your decision, Damian,” I said, hoping he didn’t call my bluff. I didn’t know

then turned his head to look down at Troy. Shrugging, he handed me the knife,

as I examined the knife’s weight and feel in my hands. I

after that, the same man who had his

I lifted my hand up, bringing the

my skin. Damian was grinning broadly, his eyes creasing with

hand as I stole a glance at

it,

gaze. Then I turned from him and walked to the entrance of Lycaon’s tomb, my breath catching in my throat as the air seemed to still

What next?

inhaling deeply, then placed it on the symbol

racing through my palm and up to the tips of my fingers. It was uncomfortable, but I fought against it,

as the door began to give

moving me out

built into the side of the hill, carved into the stone. Damian was already inside of it, looking around, his face twisted

the

we have to get Pete and get

remember what happened

Troy protested, his voice