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 dream, you

“I didn’t know her,”

man had she raised you. A

allow you to lay a

need her

But before I could act, the large man, Damian’s crony,

the dirt

Maeve would’ve given this man a piece of her mind, maybe

was a

run!” Troy bellowed, just as the large man threw

the tunnel but tripped over Pete, who was still sprawled out on the ground. I caught myself on one of the

fingers tangling in my hair as he yanked me off the

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

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

had been cursing and trying to twist out of the

the man knelt on top of Troy, his knee keeping Troy flat on his stomach. Troy was furious, his lips pulled back over his teeth. “If you

and closed my eyes, trying to

going to be okay,” Troy

me wince. He

know her powers, do you, Troy? Spawn of a White Queen,” Damian pulled up

She hasn’t come into power yet!” Troy

him, trying not to cry. Had it just been me,

me, and if I cooperated, I could likely secure Troy’s safety

know how to open the tomb?” I exhaled, turning

aback by my sudden submission, but seemed

you‘re not going to

me,” I said, my voice

between me and Troy, blocking Troy’s view of my face.

A dead White

mustered all of the courage I had to

giving me a look

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

of his mouth twitching as he contemplated his response.

bluff. I didn’t know what to do with the moonstones once I had them.

at Troy. Shrugging, he handed me the knife, taking a step away from me lest i lunged at

feel in my hands. I could throw it at him, aiming for his neck, killing him in an

to worry about after that, the same man

head as he watched me while I lifted my hand up, bringing the tip of the knife to

the urge to grimace as the blade sliced shallowly into my skin. Damian was grinning broadly, his eyes

toward me, plucking the knife from my hand as I

do it, Maeve,” Troy

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

What next?

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

as

by Troy, his arms coming around my chest and moving me out

into the stone. Damian was already

for the

to get Pete

Do you not remember what happened in Dianny?” I whispered, watching

can’t use it without you,” Troy protested, his voice