Sould As The Alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 108: Last Words of the White Queen

Maeve

Hayden paced around the room for a long while, lingering in meditative silence as I watched him. Occasionally, he turned to glance at me but made no further moves to touch me, or Troy.

| was kneeling next to Troy, trying desperately to wake him up. He was struggling to keep his eyes open for more than a few seconds at a time, the effects of the wolfsbane still gripping his body.

I looked around for anything sharp, anything I could cut myself with to give Troy some of my blood, and finally resort ed to bringing my hand to my mouth, preparing to bite into the flesh beneath my thumb.

“Uh, no. Don’t do that.” Hayden was at my side in an in stant, knotting his fingers in my hair and pulling sharply. I screeched, which seemed to rouse Troy from his stupor enough to bare his teeth and grimace, his fingers twitching.

“Ah, see? All you had to do was scream to wake him up. Let’s try again.” He pulled my hair so hard, some of it came clean out of my scalp. I grimaced, shaking as I held in the scream threatening to erupt from my mouth.

“Scream!” he demanded, twisting my hair violently until 1 could help but whimper. Troy moaned, rolling onto his side. “It’s useless. This is no fun.” He tossed me onto the ground, shaking his head as he walked away and began to pace again.

“What do you want?” | winced as I rubbed my head. My hair was already falling out in droves after having the boys, but now I was sure I had a bald spot.

“I’m nothing more than a babysitter right now, I’m afraid. Until it’s your turn.”

“My turn for what?”

“Well, once Tasia finishes up with Hanna, then you’re next. I think she wants to kill you in front of Troy, at least that’s what I hope. And then your parents, of course. I’m sure she’ll have the White Queen watch-”

“My parents?” I stammered. “Are they here?”

“Last I heard, the rogues were battling with some Drogo mor warriors in the forest, so they know you’re nearby. Gosh, Tasia is just so happy she was able to take care of this now, in stead of waiting for the solstice.”

Llicked my lips, glancing at Troy before meeting Hayden’s eyes again.

“What was she planning to do on the solstice?”

“Well, that is when the stones are at their most powerful. She was going to bleed the two of you dry, you and your mother, that is, and activate the stones to heighten her power enough to bring the entirety of the packlands to the ground.”

I wondered if Hayden was supposed to be telling me any of this. He didn’t seem like the sharpest tool in the shed, that was for sure.

“She doesn’t mean to combine them?” I asked.

“Well, no. She doesn’t want the Moon Goddess to come down and smite her, I guess. I’m not sure how that all works-” he waved his hand in dismissal.

“Smite her?” I couldn’t help but laugh. Having already talked to Tasia, I knew her end goal was to kill us all, take over the pack lands, and end the rule of the White Queens forever, paving the way for those of the Lycaon bloodline to rule.

But she wanted something else from Hanna. That’s why she had her alone.

“What does Hanna have to do with all of this?” I asked, squeezing Troy’s arm. He was starting to stir now, trembling as the effects of the wolfsbane left his system.

“Well, from what I understand, Hanna is either going to give birth to the next White Queen, who has some prophecy about her as well, but I don’t know the specifics, or she’s go ing to try to turn Hanna to our side. Hanna is very powerful, as you know. More powerful than Tasia from what Carl has said. Carl wants Hanna for himself, so it’s likely he will force Tasia to keep her alive-”

“Shut him up, Maeve. I can’t take one more second-” Troy groaned, a little green around the gills.

“Goodmorning sunshine,” Hayden said mockingly, crouch ing only a few feet away from us and tilting his head as he peered at Troy.

“Get away from me. From her-”

“I’m on strict orders to keep an eye on you both.” Hayden exhaled, standing. He glanced at me, his mouth pulling into a wide, delirious smile before he kicked Troy right in the center

AiVoucher

of the stomach.

I jumped up and lunged at him, swinging blindly, missing his jaw by a fraction of an inch.

always thought you’d end up

Maeve. For the love

this time landing a punch right in the center of his chest. He staggered backward, stumbling, and caught

Let’s talk this

nearly as strong. Hayden swayed

“That’s enough-”

taking

his grip on me as he pulled me out of the room

you taking me?” | bit out as the red – eyed Rogue covered the

to Tasia. She’s ready for you

tunnel, which forked at one point, reading us along a narrow passageway full of moss and tan gled tree roots, the space

about running, Maeve,” he said coolly, “it’s

feel like home to you,” I quipped, my

“Did you ever hear the

how Morrighan chased Lycaon out of what

what she did, exactly? How she used her power to try

shook my head. He was walking behind me, holding a lantern up as we walked

her powers to bring down the north east ern mountains, sparking a massive volcanic explosion, so leg end goes. Lycaon had no choice but to leave his family behind and seek refuge

mate and had children for another woman. That is where the people of Dianny came from, from what ! was told.

sharply on

Many years had gone by, by the time that hap pened. The

cave systems created by the eruption. The same

possible? The eastern mountains are hundreds of

angered the Goddess herself, you see. Morrighan had

a once in a lifetime occurrence, from what I’m told. Your mother’s life was spared when her true mate took on her burden of death, and he was only spared because

of years and it was sacred to us. But your grandmother used her gift to heal her pack

White Queens

future, didn’t you? That’s what Tasia said. She said you didn’t mean to do it, and for whatever reason you were spared. You won’t

How sad. Watch your

as we began to walk along a decline. He held the lantern up over my head, illuminating a massive cave, the light

1 B

all around us.

ouchert

and your mother, the Moon Goddess will have no physical tie to our world. We’ll be free of her, and Lycaon’s descendants can finally rule what is rightfully

into saying the powers

help to access you, Maeve. All I had do was offer Damian riches, and the possibility of having a single day

He, and Carl, were right in that regard. Greed was rampant. And what did everyone

Power.

vastness of the great cave. How often I had explored the for est outside of the castle grounds whenever we

nearby, reflecting off the stalactites as we covered more ground. The strange, crystalline

a

saw my

| stammered, unable to

51

concern. “How

turning her gaze back to an area that

burned in the center of the space, but the flames were strange. They were the brightest, most vivid blue I had ever seen, and beneath the fire, no embers burned. I saw the eudialyte stones

view as Carl pulled me to a stop,

let her hood fall back, revealing

meeting you here,” I snarled. She only smiled, giv

her perch atop one of the crystal formations. She hopped down, brushing pale dust from her pants as she stalked toward me, taking me forcibly by the elbow and leading me over to where Mom was standing. I could now see the rest of the space, my view no

gasped as I met Hanna’s eyes, her face bruised and bloodied, as she sat next to Rowan, who was kneeling,

| started, but Mom reached out to me, taking my hand in hers. I could feel her

sneered, walking over fo Hanna as she directed her