Sould As The Alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 112: The Next Adventure

Maeve

It was 7:00 in the morning, and the pale sunlight coming through the windows of the informal dining room off the kitchen was doing nothing to help illuminate the room.

Thad woken to Troy readying the boys for the day. He was trying not to wake me, but my sleep had been so shallow I had only been lingering on the edge of true sleep for several hours at that point. He was taking the boys to Ingra so I could rest, for which I was thankful, but the hour between 6:00 and 7:00 proved to be restless and lonely.

I wasn’t the only one who hadn’t been able to sleep. Gemma was seated across from me at the round table, stirring sugar into her coffee. Ernest was using his finger to swipe a taste of oatmeal against George’s tongue, and to his left sat Rowan, and then Troy, who was talking in a low whisper over the sound of coffee being sipped and silverware scraping against bowls of oatmeal with honey and cream.

Hanna was seated next to me, close enough that her shoulder brushed against mine as she reached for what would be her third bowl of oatmeal. She had color in her cheeks, and her hair was pulled away from her face in a tight ponytail. She looked rested, compared to the rest of us.

It was obvious no one wanted to talk about what had happened. But a stale silence lingered over the table. I slouched, looking down into my untouched breakfast, and

wondered what the hell was going to happen next.

“If… theoretically, that is, you could shift into anything… not just a wolf,” Gemma began, her voice breaking through the blanket of awkward silence, “what would you be?”

“Like an animal, or… object?” Ernest replied, momentarily taking his full attention from George, a spoon covered in oatmeal just inches from the baby’s face. George grabbed the spoon with his chubby fists and brought it to his mouth, giving me a huge, oatmeal-covered grin as I met his eye. I couldn’t help but smile at how pleased he was with himself.

“An object?” Rowan eyed Ernest with suspicion, “Like what? A toaster?”

“You could make everyone a nice snack after battle-” Ernest quipped, which elicited a hearty laugh from Troy.

“Well, I think I’d be an eagle or an owl, for example. I’ve always liked owls,” Gemma said curtly, annoyed that the men were ruining her game.

“I’d still be a wolf,” Rowan interjected, looking slightly peeved.

“Well, that’s no fun, Rowan. You wouldn’t want to be something like a bear or a mountain lion?” Gemma brought her coffee to her lips, arching her brow at him.

“Who would win in a fight? That is the question. A wolf or a mountain lion?” Ernest was fighting to wipe oatmeal from George’s face.

“Oh, a lion, for sure,” Hanna quipped, but the sound of her voice sent a hush over the table. None of us had heard her

speak since what happened in the caves.

An awkward few seconds passed, and I felt heat prickling against my cheeks. Why could no one talk about what happened? Even the “family meeting” led by Dad the night before had been silent, awkward. Everyone was too tired or too stunned to add anything to the conversation.

“I’d be a beaver,” Troy said, pouring himself another cup of coffee. Rowan looked shocked. 1

“A beaver? Why on earth-”

“Because I’ve had too dam… much of this conversation this morning.”

Everyone looked at him. Troy’s eyes were shining with mirth as he waited for the group to catch on to his silly joke. Ernest sputtered with laughter, and Gemma rolled her eyes. It took Rowan a moment too long to realize Troy’s ridiculous play on words, and the group immediately turned on him, saying he was the toaster of the group now.

| settled back against my chair, holding my mug of coffee in my hands as I watched the conversation take on a new air of ease. I caught Troy’s eye and smiled softly at him, hoping he caught the silent look of gratitude in my eyes.

several minutes, Hanna leaned into me, whispering softly in my

need to talk,” she whispered. All I

Yes, yes we did.

like usual. I was carrying Oliver in a wide circle, holding him against my shoulder. The other boys were sleeping upstairs with Troy, who had

up with Hanna, I took

occasionally reached out to place a shaky fist on a monstera leaf, often startled by the warm and dampness of its leaves. I watched him

1 placed Oli in her hands, watching as she instinctively gathered him to her chest.

sleeping baby in her arms. I swallowed, nodding as I took a seat

get you a

whisper of a smile touching the corner of her mouth as she looked

“No, it’s early still.”

makes you think that you are? Is this because

Tasia said?”

every reason to believe that what the old woman from Lycenna, my great aunt, said is true… about the prophecy, about what this child will become. I just don’t know what that will look like, exactly. I’m scared,

dream she had the night she slept with Rowan. She had finally reached the temple she had been dreaming about for years, standing on the shore just outside of its entrance. It was not the temple of the White Queens, nor any temple familiar to either of

had seen Rowan, but he

pinky. I didn’t have it yet, when I

was he wearing it?” | asked, an uneasy feeling wrapping itself around my

at the time. He hadn’t been born yet in reality. But his eyes… and his hair… oh

a brick wall. I felt somewhat sick to my stomach as I fought against the feelings of dread bubbling through my system. “Have you

“No, I haven’t.”

her, seeing her face expressionless, blank, as though she had already

hair. Silver eyes flaked with the same color blue Rowan and I shared and lined with white lashes. When I asked

makes me think otherwise. You hadn’t yet become the White Queen, Maeve, and you mentioned the boys were nearing twenty-one. I truly believe Rosalie will grow into old age, and you as well. This girl, my daughter… she is what the old woman said she would be.

against the absurdity of it but couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that

she know

down on her …. I dream danced, hoping I’d see the girl again. She was there, and she was very upset. She told me I had to fight, and I comforted her. I knew her name, Maeve, and she said she had never heard it said out

she was to

have no memory of these visions. I hope she does not. I want her to grow up, be a child, play, and run, and laugh

die. But she hadn’t been born yet, so I thought I couldn’ t die then, and then there was that shred of hope I

We

“We’ll love her, Hanna-”

I know she will be loved. But how am – she’ll be like me, Maeve.

do?”

and she knew it. She rocked Oli gently, his weight

you think Oli will become?” I asked, deciding for Hanna’s comfort I should steer

down at the baby, sighing deeply. “A king. I

I don’ t

I’d consider it. But your child will

the King of the East, Hanna. She’ll

future will hold. But just know that

up at me, tears glimmering in her

her-when I’m gone? Both