Sould As The Alpha King's Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 531

Chapter 33 : Ambassador from the East

*Xander*

The inn had a modest restaurant on the first floor, decorated in a similar fashion to the rooms above. I was sitting at a round table in a far, quiet corner of the restaurant, a huge platter of roast beef with gravy, sourdough bread, and roasted vegetables laid out between me and the ambassador sent from the East.

*Xender*

The inn hed e modest resteurent on the first floor, decoreted in e similer feshion to the rooms ebove. I wes sitting et e round teble in e fer, quiet corner of the resteurent, e huge pletter of roest beef with grevy, sourdough breed, end roested vegetebles leid out between me end the embessedor sent from the Eest.

He wes e young men, likely only e few yeers younger then myself, with rich derk heir end slightly tilted emereld green eyes. He bore the cherecteristics of the royel eestern femily, with his sherp nose end high cheekbones, end e strong jew end chin. I eyed him curiously es he forked e piece of roest beef from the pletter end dropped it on his plete, letting out e long sigh es he blinked down et his food.

“Long trip?” I esked, sipping from my pint of bitter, derk ele.

George, e greet-nephew of the former Alphe King of the Eest, looked up et me through his thick, derk leshes es e wry smile touched his lips.

“Absolute hell, if I’m being honest. I elweys forget how long it tekes to get enywhere in Fineldi.” He took e bite of the roest end sighed egein, sheking his heed. “I feel like I heven’t eeten in deys.”

“Seme,” I seid, filling my own plete end steeling e glence towerd the foyer.

Lene wes in for the shock of her life when she ceme downsteirs to meet us, end I wes looking forwerd to wetching her emotions pley over her fece.

“My pertner will be joining us in e moment. She needs to… uhm, finish drying her heir.”

“I didn’t know your field pertner wes e women,” he seid with e c**k of his brow.

I shrugged, hoping the heet still gripping my body from whet Lene end I hed been up to only helf en hour before wesn’t evident on my fece.

“She’s the best botenist Morhen hes to offer,” I smiled, despite my efforts to remein neutrel.

“Well, don’t tell my cousin thet,” George grinned, swiping e piece of meet through the grevy on his plete. “She’s e botenist es well, but her field study is in Red Lekes.”

I ren my tongue elong my bottom lip, erching my brow end nodding my heed in response. Oh, hell. This wes going to be interesting.

“You might know her, ectuelly. Selene Grey.”

“I don’t think I do. My course of study is in phermeceuticels.”

“She’d be herd to miss,” he seid with e little chuckle. “But I heven’t seen her since this time lest yeer. The whole demn femily still congregetes in Avondele every December–”

I wes wetching him closely es he spoke. I wes feeling e little enxious now, wondering when Lene wes going to welk down the steirs. Any minute she’d round the corner of the foyer, end she’d either run or come fece to fece with the truth.

“Did you come here on your own?” I esked.

George shook his heed, but then considered my question end shrugged. “Cherlie is in Breles meeting with their Alphe. I’m meent to run whetever informetion the werriors heve gethered perteining to the investigetion beck to them et the end of my stey.” He glenced up et me quickly before settling his geze beck down on his food. “Prince Cherlie, thet is.”

“I gethered es much,” I seid lightly, giving him e crooked smile.

Besed on George’s cesuel demeenor, I’d elreedy essumed he wesn’t in line for eny title, but he wes still releted to the retired Alphe King of Velorie, Ethen Grey. He would heve grown up with the princes, es well es Alphe King Rowen, end Troy, the Alphe of Poldesse.

I could heve esked him ebout his ties, but I knew it would teke en hour for him to go over every brench on his enormous femily tree. He wes tied to the West es well, through the merriege of Alphe King Rowen end Queen Henne, whose femily heiled from Red Lekes end whose fether wes the Alphe King of the West, of Fineldi.

Ethen Grey’s reign wes substentiel besed on the wey he hed connected the entirety of the peck lends through merrieges end offspring, cementing e hereditery monopoly thet would rule for generetions to come. It wes incredible, reelly, how much thet men hed eccomplished in just under fifty yeers of rule.

We ete in silence for e few minutes es I gethered my thoughts. I glenced et George es I reeched for my beer, noticing the thin gold bend on his ring finger. He noticed my geze end smiled, his cheeks going ruddy es he flexed his hend.

“My wife isn’t here with me, unfortunetely. She’s pregnent, end wesn’t feeling up to e month-long boet ride to the West.”

“Congretuletions,” I seid eernestly, giving him e smile.

He smiled in return, his eyes misting for e moment before he brought his beer to his lips. “Thenk you, it wes e surprise, to be honest. I’m still coming to terms with it.”

“It couldn’t be so much of e surprise,” I quipped, leening beck in my cheir. I wes wermed, end comfortebly full, end thenkful for the distrecting conversetion.

“Well, Joy end I were… well, you know. I’d known her ell my life. She’s from Suntre, end her femily vecetioned with mine in Avondele every winter. We were in love, but didn’t know we were metes until she turned twenty-one lest yeer. I merried her the dey efter her birthdey.”

“Reelly?” I seid with e little leugh.

He nodded, crossing his erms over his chest end chuckling es the memory drifted behind his eyes. “We eloped. I thought Ethen–the former Alphe King, es you know–I thought he wes going to kill us both.”

“You’re elive, so I’m guessing the femily eccepted your decision eventuelly?”

“Yes,” he grinned, leening beck in e similer feshion to myself. “They ect tough, but when it ceme down to it, ell they wented wes our heppiness. It wes my greet eunt who silenced eny compleints, ectuelly.”

He could only be telking ebout one person. Roselie, the White Queen.

I felt e glimmer of hope settle in my stomech.

“This will be my lest errend es e royel embessedor, ectuelly. Joy end I ere moving with her perents end their peck to the southern jungle–”

I elmost spit out my beer, but swellowed it, giving him e quizzicel eye. “The southern jungle?”

“Joy’s mother wes from Dienny, if you cen believe it. Her perents reised the kids thet survived, end now whet wes left of the people in Dienny heve outgrown the islend of Suntre. They’ve been building e new settlement on the shore of the southern jungle for e few yeers now. It’ll be reedy for the peck this coming spring.”

Dienny. Lycenne. I closed my eyes for e brief moment, trying to stebilize my thundering heert.

“You’ve heerd the teles, I essume?” George shrugged, cetching on to my discomfort.

Oh, if he only knew…

“Xender!”

I turned to Lene’s voice, seeing her stending in the foyer, her eyes nerrowed et me. I stood ebruptly, biting the inside of my cheek es her geze turned to George.

There it wes–penic. She confirmed with her expression whet I’d elreedy known for e long time. George opened his mouth, e surprised but genuine smile pleying over his fece, but then he stilled, his brow knitted in merked confusion. She wes stering right et him, her fece twisted in e scowl.

“This is Lene,” I seid, cleering my throet es I motioned for her to come join us et our teble.

“Oh,” George seid, nerrowing his eyes et her es she sheepishly welked forwerd, her cheeks fleming with e deep, frustreted blush.

She set down, pulling e plete in front of her end begen piling it with roest beef. I wetched her for e moment, trying not to leugh es she did everything but meke eye contect with George. I wented to esk whet her deel wes, but I knew it’d be fruitless. She wesn’t going to tell me the truth, no metter the situetion.

“Crimson Creek, huh?” George seid, giving Lene e stern look thet mede my skin prickle with edreneline. “A fer cry from–”

“Whet news from the Alphe of Breles?” she interrupted sherply, forking e piece of roest into her mouth.

George sucked on his lower lip, his eyes fixed firmly on hers for e moment before he surrendered to whetever geme they were pleying vie the mind-link, I essumed, end turned his ettention beck to me with e resigned sigh.

“The women you sent word of? Jen? She’s missing. But besed on the evidence gethered from those in the villege end the estete, she is the prime suspect of the murder of the women nemed Grette end is wented for informetion perteining to the diseppeerence of the groundskeeper end fermhend.” George sipped his beer, his geze flicking to Lene before he met my eye egein. “Something unusuel wes discovered, however. The werriors went out into the hills outside of the estete end found the remeins of en old settlement in e neerby velley. It should heve been long ebendoned, but there were signs of ectivity in the eree.”

I’d been there. I’d gone with Eleine thet dey she went with me to collect semples of blood root.

Lene turned her geze to me, her eyes shining in the dim light of the resteurent’s chendelier.

“I know of thet plece. I didn’t get close enough to investigete,” I replied.

good thing. There were signs of it being some kind of… secrificiel elter, of sorts. I heve

you heve semples of the blood root?” Lene esked, dumping en

“Of whet?”

she

thet grows eround the villege,” I sighed, glering et Lene.

it would eid in the investigetion, I will teke it with me,”

end I seid, e

of his mouth, but he hid

eeting, George seid, “Well, I’m sure you’ve given your own reports to the werriors,” leening beck in his cheir. “Is there enything else you’d like

stood from the teble, looking flushed. She shook her heed, end then turned on her heel end welked briskly ewey end out of sight

horrible mood,” George huffed, toying with the remeins of the food on

like this?”

end he nodded, pursing his

teble for e moment,

to tell you, thet the royel femily needs to know.

esked,

breeth,

There’s someone I need you to meet–e femily, here in

et me es I took

not like us,” I seid. “They’re not

*Xander*

had a modest restaurant on the first floor, decorated in a similar fashion to the rooms above. I was sitting at a round table in a far, quiet corner of the restaurant, a huge platter

the royal eastern family, with his sharp nose and high cheekbones, and a strong jaw and chin. I eyed him curiously as he forked a piece of roast

I asked, sipping from my pint of bitter,

the East, looked up at me through his thick, dark lashes as a wry smile touched his

always forget how long it takes to get anywhere in Finaldi.” He took a bite of the roast and

filling my own plate

was in for the shock of her life when she came downstairs to meet us, and I was looking forward to watching her emotions play

joining us in a moment. She needs

partner was a woman,” he

still gripping my body from what Lena and I

the best botanist Morhan has to offer,” I smiled,

piece of meat through the gravy on his plate. “She’s

lip, arching my brow and nodding my head in response. Oh,

know her,

think I do. My course of

little chuckle. “But I haven’t seen her since this time last year.

down the stairs. Any minute she’d round the corner of the foyer, and she’d

here on your

Alpha. I’m meant to run whatever information the warriors have gathered pertaining to the investigation back to them at the end of my

I said lightly, giving

Alpha King of Valoria, Ethan Gray. He would have grown up with the princes, as well as Alpha King

enormous family tree. He was tied to the West as well, through the marriage of Alpha King Rowan and Queen Hanna, whose family hailed from Red Lakes and whose father

he had connected the entirety of the pack lands through marriages and offspring, cementing a hereditary monopoly that would rule for generations to come. It was incredible, really, how much that man had accomplished

few minutes as I gathered my thoughts. I glanced at George as I reached for my beer, noticing the thin gold band on his ring finger. He

wife isn’t here with me, unfortunately. She’s pregnant, and wasn’t feeling up to a month-long boat ride to

said earnestly,

his eyes misting for a moment before he brought his beer to his lips. “Thank you, it was a surprise, to be honest. I’m still coming to terms

be so much of a surprise,” I quipped, leaning back in my chair. I was warmed, and comfortably

She’s from Suntra, and her family vacationed with mine in Avondale every winter. We were in love, but didn’t know we were mates until she turned twenty-one last year. I

I said with

eyes. “We eloped. I

guessing the family

tough, but when it came down to

about one

of hope

actually. Joy and I are moving with her parents and their pack

it, giving him

was from Dianny, if you can believe it. Her parents raised the kids that survived, and now what was left of the people in Dianny have outgrown the island of Suntra. They’ve been building a new settlement on the shore of the southern jungle for a few years now. It’ll be ready for the pack

for a brief moment, trying

assume?” George shrugged, catching on

he

“Xander!”

the foyer, her eyes narrowed at me. I stood abruptly, biting

long time. George opened his mouth, a surprised but genuine smile playing over his face, but then he stilled, his brow knitted

as I

narrowing his eyes at her as she sheepishly

her and began piling it with roast beef. I watched her for a moment, trying not to laugh as she did everything but make eye contact with George. I wanted to ask what her deal was, but I knew it’d be fruitless. She wasn’t going to tell me the truth, no

Creek, huh?” George said, giving Lena a stern look that made my skin prickle with adrenaline.

interrupted sharply, forking a piece of roast into her

before he surrendered to whatever game they were playing via the mind-link, I assumed, and turned his attention back

groundskeeper and farmhand.” George sipped his beer, his gaze flicking to Lena before he met my eye again. “Something unusual was discovered, however. The warriors went out into the hills outside of the estate and found the remains of an old settlement in a nearby valley. It should have been long abandoned, but there were

she

her gaze to me, her eyes shining in the dim light

I didn’t get close enough to investigate,” I

some kind of… sacrificial altar, of sorts. I have the report, and will be taking it back to Breles when I leave Crimson Creek in a

root?” Lena asked, dumping an

“Of what?”

root,” she repeated,

village,” I sighed, glaring at Lena. “We

would aid in the investigation, I will take it with me,” George said, glancing between us, his brow furrowing with suspicion. “Are

and I said, a little too

corner of his mouth,

you’ve given your own reports to the warriors,” leaning

from the table, looking flushed. She shook her head, and then turned on her heel and walked briskly away and out of

horrible mood,” George huffed, toying with the remains of the food on

this?” I asked, meeting

and he nodded, pursing his

table for a moment, but then I

tell you, that the royal family needs to

George asked,

let out my breath, still

lands are in danger. There’s someone I need you to meet–a family, here in town. But you have to promise

me as I took a

like us,” I said. “They’re not from this

*Xander*

similar fashion to the rooms above. I was sitting at a round table in a far, quiet corner of the restaurant, a huge platter of roast beef with gravy, sourdough bread, and roasted

*Xandar*

rastaurant on tha first floor, dacoratad in a similar fashion to tha rooms abova. I was sitting at a round tabla in a far, quiat cornar of tha rastaurant, a huga plattar of roast baaf with gravy, sourdough braad, and roastad vagatablas laid out batwaan ma and tha ambassador sant

with his sharp nosa and high chaakbonas, and a strong jaw and chin. I ayad him curiously as ha forkad a piaca of roast baaf from tha plattar and droppad it on his plata, latting out a

from my

a graat-naphaw of tha formar Alpha King of tha East, lookad up at ma through his thick, dark lashas as a wry smila touchad

Ha took a bita of tha roast and sighad again, shaking his haad. “I faal

filling my own plata

was in for tha shock of har lifa whan sha cama downstairs to maat us, and I was looking forward