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,”

They both beat the crap out of one another,” I said bluntly. “Rowan hates me too, Mom. He didn’t even

going through something very

I

twitched into a smile, but then she looked away. “He found his mate, and… Hanna is wonderful.

has… powers.”

Lakes? Is that why Kacidra is

“Yes.”

Hanna is like…

“No…”

what can

dreams. I don’t really know how to

been physically capable of jumping to my feet without struggling to get out of the bed,

you know what

onto my back. “This is going

***

when I… when I lost

over two hours to tell her everything. I recounted every detail from the moment I met Troy to the second I stepped off the boat in Winter Forest, leaving a few spicier things that happened between Troy and me out, of

swell of my stomach. “And… the moonstone we found in the tomb, I used it to bring Troy back to life,

Is that

Sisters of Artemis is

think I understand. They think…

would happen.” I swallowed, looking down at the sandwich. “But I think we’re supposed to be the ones to do it. Tasia

what Hanna and I think.” Mom had told me what happened to her and Hanna, how Tasia had come through the

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

then the door

the end of the bed and stopped,

you an apology,” he said, looking

Go on,” I said

in a warning

me, then

“For what, exactly?”

his glare, then glanced at Mom, a silent plea for help in his eyes. She

our

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

I said, sitting up

“No,” he said shortly.

to sleep in

“Absolutely not.”

he can get

red. Mom’s eyes widened as she looked down at her lap, trying

as Troy knocked on

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

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

glimmer of mischief in his eye. I smiled at him, hoping at least one of our children grew to look exactly like

bow, who was watching him

you thanks, Troy, for taking care of our daughter,” she said, sounding

impossible task-Dad said, but then stopped when Mom’s gaze locked on him. “Thank you,” he said,

you’re welcome.” Troy shifted his weight uncomfortably. “I’m sorry for

to scratch his beard as I exhaled deeply, rolling my eyes. I set the sandwich on the nightstand, attempting to swing my legs out of the bed but struggling. Troy

you since we got

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

have a lot to discuss

his fingers clasping down on my

seat as Alpha

Mom and I

his

Troy

owe you thanks, Troy, for taking care of our daughter,” she said,

stopped when Mom’s gaze locked on him.

weight uncomfortably. “I’m