Sould As The Alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 82: The Two Stones

Maeve

Mom patted the bed, inviting me to lay next to her.

I wiped the tears from my face before turning down the thick covers, sliding into bed beside her. She was in a sitting position, holding the cup of tea in her lap as she looked over at me, taking me in.

“You’ve changed a lot,” she said with a smile, reaching out to tuck my hair behind my ears. “You’re very tan. And I’ve never seen your hair quite this light-”

“You can mention I weigh a million pounds now. It wouldn’t hurt my feelings.”

She rolled her eyes and sipped her tea. “You look beautiful, Maeve. Healthy.”

“I don’t want to be pregnant anymore,” I whimpered as I buried my face in the pillow.

“Well, by the looks of it, it could be over any day now,”

“Five more weeks…” I grimaced as one of the babies kicked me firmly in the ribs.

“Five? But-”

I pulled the covers over my head. “I’m having twins.”

“Oh,” Mom said, unable to hide the joy in her voice. “Well,

sometimes twins come early. We’ve had a few sets born in the village. Remember when the triplets were born a few years ago? That was quite a feat-”

“Mrs. Abrams was miserable, Mom. I’m sure she still is-”

“I saw her a few days ago at the market, sweetheart. She seemed happy, just… a little frazzled.” She set her teacup down on the bedside table with a clang, and then reached over to stroke my side. “You’re going to suffocate under there.”

I pushed the covers away, my face twisted in hurt. “Dad hates me.”

“He doesn’t hate you!”

“I’m pregnant with his arch nemesis’s grandchild, Mom!”

“Arch nemesis?”

“Maddalyn! He’s so, so mad at me. I’m surprised he hasn’t killed Troy.”

“We definitely discussed it,” she laughed, her eyes creasing with mirth.

Tarched my brow. “Last night? I figured Troy told him who he was this morning,”

“We‘ve known for a while, honey. Ernest brought Troy’s sketchbook back from the castle. The one of Maddalyn is… impossible to deny. Dad told me he looks like her, too. He must be beautiful.” There was pain in her voice when she said the last part.

“What did Maddalyn do, exactly?”

Mom exhaled, then laughed softly, shaking her head. “I don’t know where to begin!”

“The beginning would be fine.”

“Hmm… well, Maddalyn came into my life before… I was still a breeder then. She was unhappy with the arraignment. Your father and Maddalyn were betrothed; at least that’s what Romero and King James had wanted. She was cruel to me in those days, before the war. Just… a mean girl, not yet a villain.”

“Does it bother you that Troy looks like her?”

“Well, I haven’t met him yet, Maeve. But no, from what Ernest and Gemma have told us, it sounds like Troy is nothing like his parents. I won’t deny that Maddalyn was beautiful. She was. She truly was. Just not on the inside.”

“He wasn’t raised by her. He doesn’t know her at all.”

“I gathered that from what Ernest knew about Troy’s relationship with Romero.”

Thank the Goddess for Ernest. He had saved me from having to explain everything that had happened before the invasion.

“Your dad isn’t going to kill Troy. But he will be asking questions. I heard Rowan tried to fight him,”

another,” I said bluntly. “Rowan hates me too, Mom. He didn’t even say hi to me

going through something very complicated right now,

it?” I

mouth twitched into a smile, but then she looked away. “He found his

has… powers.”

of Red Lakes? Is that why Kacidra

“Yes.”

is like…

“No…”

what can she

I don’t really

to my feet without struggling to get out of the bed,

do you know what

my back. “This is going to

***

it when I… when

the second I stepped off the boat in Winter Forest, leaving a few spicier things that happened between Troy and me out, of

resting a sandwich Gretchen had brought up for me on the swell of my stomach. “And… the

Is that what that pack

Sisters

They think… bringing the stones together

at the sandwich. “But I think we’re supposed to be the ones to

I think.” Mom had told me what happened to her and

into place, and I felt suddenly at peace. We had made it this far,

then the door to the

room, his eyes downcast as he moved to the end of the bed and stopped, his arms crossed over

owe you an apology,” he said, looking

I said

said in a warning

then cleared

“For what, exactly?”

sharpened his glare, then glanced at Mom, a silent plea for help in his eyes. She shrugged, smiling at him, clearly

missed our constant

terse with you for something outside of your control.” He ran his tongue along his lower

sitting

“No,” he said shortly.

is allowed to sleep in

“Absolutely not.”

he can get me pregnant)”

Mom’s eyes widened as she looked down at her

Troy knocked on the open

gave him a beaming smile, which I don’t think he was expecting. He blushed, taking a step into

had showered and shaved, and it looked like someone had given him a haircut. Georgia likely got her hands on him, I thought. She always gave Rowan a haircut whenever she visited, not liking the men in her life with

and at ease, a glimmer of mischief in his eye. I smiled at him, hoping at least

mom a slight bow, who was watching him with

thanks, Troy, for taking care of our daughter,” she

near impossible task-Dad said, but then stopped when Mom’s gaze locked on him.

his weight

rolling my eyes. I set the sandwich on the nightstand, attempting to swing my legs out of the bed but struggling. Troy came to my side, glancing at Dad before he took my hand and helped me onto my

able to talk to you since

fine… just huge. And tired. You don’t have to sleep in the

lot to discuss with the

fingers clasping down on my

be taking your rightful seat as Alpha of Poldesse, after

wedding?” Mom and I said in

his hands

Troy said,

our

said, but then stopped when Mom’s

his weight uncomfortably. “I’m sorry for