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,

through something very complicated

is it?” I asked with

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

has… powers.”

Lakes? Is that

“Yes.”

is

“No…”

what can she

don’t really know how to

had been physically capable of jumping to my feet without struggling to get

do you know what

Goddess,” I sighed, rolling over onto my back. “This is going to be a very long

***

felt it when I… when I

I recounted every detail from the moment I met Troy to the second I stepped off the boat in Winter

sandwich Gretchen had brought up for me on the swell of my stomach. “And… the moonstone we found in the tomb,

of… Dianny? Is that what that pack

city, The Sisters of Artemis

understand. They think… bringing

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

had told me what happened to her and Hanna, how Tasia had come through the dream

place, and I felt suddenly at peace. We had made it this far, overcome so much. I was looking forward to just being home for

then the door to

moved to the end of the bed and stopped, his

said, looking up at me through

Go on,” I said with a smartass

Mom said in a warning

then cleared his throat. “I’m

“For what, exactly?”

silent plea for help in his eyes.

our

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

I said, sitting up a little

“No,” he said shortly.

Troy is allowed to

“Absolutely not.”

not like he can get

turned bright red. Mom’s eyes widened as she looked down

just as Troy knocked

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

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

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

a slight bow, who

for taking care of our daughter,” she said,

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

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.

talk to you since

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

their way back from Mirage; they will arrive in the morning. Troy, we will have a lot to discuss with the two of them regarding your title,” Dad said over the

fingers clasping down on my hand.

rightful seat as

Mom and

nodded, tucking his hands

Troy said, all

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

then stopped when Mom’s gaze

shifted his weight uncomfortably. “I’m sorry for kidnapping