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.

went on without me. After several minutes, Hanna leaned into me, whispering softly

need to talk,” she whispered. All I could do was

Yes, yes we did.

in a wide circle, holding him against my shoulder. The other boys were sleeping upstairs with Troy, who

up with Hanna, I

was wide-eyed as we walked around the atrium. He hadn’t yet gotten the hang of his hands, but occasionally reached out to place a shaky fist on a monstera leaf,

1 placed Oli in her hands, watching as she instinctively gathered

be pregnant,” Hanna whispered, her eyes downcast to the sleeping baby in her arms. I swallowed, nodding as I took a seat in one of

get you a

the

“No, it’s early still.”

that you

Tasia said?”

met her, our daughter. I have 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

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

she had seen Rowan, but he was much

show me the band of jade on her ring finger, “on his pinky. I didn’t have it yet, when I had the dream. But now…” She sat

wearing it?” | asked, an

Oliver was there, but I didn’t know it at the time. He hadn’t been born yet in reality.

to my stomach as I fought against the feelings of dread bubbling through my system. “Have

“No, I haven’t.”

between us. I eventually looked over at her, seeing her face expressionless, blank, as though she had already accepted this as truth

eyes flaked with the same color blue Rowan and I shared and lined with white lashes. When I asked her if she thought the girl was a 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…

couldn’t shake

she know who she

I brought the whole place 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

was to

she does not. I want her to grow up, be a child, play, and run, and laugh and not be burdened by the circumstances of her birth, of her

thought I couldn’ t die then, and then there was that shred of hope I held, that l’ d know her

well, my stomach in knots. Hanna had saved us all. We were free of the turmoil of the

“We’ll love her, Hanna-”

how am – she’ll be like me, Maeve. And so, so much more. What am I

do?”

She rocked Oli gently, his weight giving her comfort. My

become?” I asked, deciding for Hanna’s comfort I should steer the conversation away from her theoretical daughter, despite the selfishness

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

empires, Hanna. I can’t… I don’ t want any

consider it. But your child

when her time comes. She’ll be the daughter of the King of the East, Hanna. She’ll be a princess. She’ll be the

future will hold. But just know

up at me, tears glimmering in

I’m gone? Both