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

“I didn’t know her,”

a different man had she raised

allow you to lay a hand

her

could act, the large man, Damian’s crony, had his arm around Troy’s neck and was forcing him to

to his feet, gracefully brushing the dirt from his knees. He looked at

of my stomach. Old Maeve would’ve given this man a piece of her mind, maybe even

Maeve was a

as the

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

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

off of me!” I screeched, reaching up and pinching

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

to twist

of Troy, his knee keeping Troy flat on his stomach. Troy was furious, his lips pulled back over his teeth. “If you shift, Troy, I’ll kill her right now, right in front of

closed my eyes, trying to calm myself by breathing through

it’s going to be

hair again, making me wince. He laughed,

a White Queen,” Damian pulled up the sleeve of my skirt, exposing my skin. “Cut her and

hasn’t come into power yet!” Troy

been me, Damian would be on the ground beneath

I had the babies to consider. Damian needed me, and if I cooperated,

I exhaled,

taken aback by my sudden submission, but

do, but you‘re not going to

my voice edged

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

A dead White Queen must be

I mustered all of the courage I had to speak with my

giving me a look of

will open this door for you. I will show

contemplated his response. “What makes you think I need you to access

call my bluff. I didn’t know what to do

a moment, then turned his head to look down at Troy. Shrugging, he handed me the knife, taking a step away from me

examined the knife’s weight and feel in my hands. I could throw it at him, aiming for his neck, killing

that, the same man

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

my skin. Damian was grinning broadly, his eyes creasing

toward me, plucking the knife from my hand as I stole a glance at

do it, Maeve,” Troy

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

What next?

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

up to the tips of my fingers. It was uncomfortable, but

behind me, his voice lifted in excitement as the door began to give way, the rock crumbling

by Troy, his arms coming around my chest and moving me out of harm’s way

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

for the

Pete and

remember what happened in Dianny?” I whispered, watching Damian

use it without you,” Troy protested, his voice