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,”

bluntly. “Rowan hates me

going through something

is it?” I asked

she looked away. “He found his mate, and… Hanna is wonderful. I like her a

has… powers.”

Red Lakes? Is

“Yes.”

is like…

“No…”

what can

don’t really

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

know what

“This is

***

when I lost my powers?”

recounted every detail from the moment I met Troy to the second I stepped off the boat in Winter Forest, leaving a few

bed now, resting a sandwich Gretchen had brought up for me on the swell of my stomach. “And… the moonstone we found in the tomb, I used it to

Is that what that pack is

is their city, The Sisters of

see. I think I understand. They think… bringing the stones together

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

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

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

door to the bedroom

eyes downcast as he moved to the end of the bed and stopped,

apology,” he said, looking up at me through his

I said with a smartass

said in a warning

glared at me, then cleared his

“For what, exactly?”

plea for

our constant

your control.” He ran his

sitting up a little straighter. “One on

“No,” he said shortly.

to sleep in my

“Absolutely not.”

can get me

turned bright red. Mom’s eyes widened as she looked down at her lap, trying not to

just as Troy knocked on

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

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

of mischief in his eye. I smiled at him, hoping at least one

bow,

our daughter,” she said, sounding every bit like a

then stopped when Mom’s gaze locked on

his weight uncomfortably. “I’m sorry for

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

talk to you since we got here.” Troy looked at me

tired. You don’t have to sleep in the garage again, I

have a lot to discuss with the two of them regarding your title,” Dad said over the

his fingers clasping down on my hand. “My

be taking your rightful seat as Alpha of Poldesse, after the

and I

nodded, tucking his hands

course,” Troy said, all

owe you thanks, Troy, for taking care of our daughter,” she said, sounding every bit like

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

welcome.” Troy shifted his weight uncomfortably.