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

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of the stomach.

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

surprise me, Troy. I always

Maeve. For

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

now. Let’s

than me. He had roughly an inch on Troy, although he was not nearly as strong. Hayden swayed and staggered at each of my blows, and soon I

“That’s enough-”

his eyes at him before taking three long strides across the floor and

me out of the room

out as the red – eyed Rogue covered the entrance of the room

to Tasia. She’s ready for you

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

about running, Maeve,” he said coolly, “it’s entirely too easy to get lost

must feel like home to you,” I quipped, my

smirking. “Did you ever hear the

out of what is now Winter Forest?

you hear what she did, exactly?

a lantern up as we walked into the pitch

massive volcanic explosion, so leg end

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

me sharply on the

Many years had gone by, by the time that hap

systems created by the eruption. The same caves we stand in

is that possible? The eastern

already left them, for guidance and help. Lycaon’s betrayal angered the Goddess herself, you see. Morrighan had access to that

White Queen ever used her powers to their fullest? It’s 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 your

your grandmother used her gift to heal her pack during a sickness, I believe? How boring. Especially when she could’ve brought down entire kingdoms had she simply

White Queens are

what Tasia said. She said you didn’t mean to do it, and

Watch your step,

over my head, illuminating a massive cave, the light reflecting off huge stalactites that formed like

1 B

all around us.

ouchert

Once she does that, and kills both you and your mother, the Moon Goddess will have no physical tie

Romero into saying

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

one else could know about the moonstones. He, and Carl, were right in that

Power.

cave. How often I had explored the for est outside of the castle grounds whenever we visited Mirage when I

reflecting off the stalactites as we covered more ground. The

to a

I saw

to hide

51

“How did you

don’t say anything,” she warned, turning her gaze back to an area that was hidden from view

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

as Carl pulled me

back, revealing Grace, the

only smiled,

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 longer blocked

Hanna’s eyes, her face bruised and bloodied, as she sat next to Rowan, who was kneeling, his wrists bound behind his back, looking

my hand in hers. I could feel her trembling, but her face remained sharp,

going to ask you again,” Tasia sneered, walking over fo Hanna as she directed her words at Mom. “Where are the