Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 1133 - 44 : A Brother’s Betrayal

Chapter 1133: Chapter 44 : A Brother’s Betrayal

*Eva*

He was going to pay dearly for this.

I shrieked angrily, the edges of my vision tinting with red as I paced back and forth in front of my throne. I took some pleasure in the sharp clacking sounds that the bottom of my heels were making. It made me feel powerful. I counted the harsh clicks, feeling my anger simmering down ever-so-slightly.

“That spineless coward,” I spat between my teeth.

I pictured my brother in my mind. I had to admit that seeing him for the first time after over a decade had given me some kind of reaction in my chest. I recalled his devotion to me when we were children, the way he held my hand and vowed to keep me safe no matter what. He had promised to always be with me.

And then he ran off with that little bitch.

I took a deep breath in through my nose, but it did little to calm me. With another shriek, I turned and knocked a vase off of a nearby table, watching with satisfaction as it shattered into tiny shards all over the smooth floor.

Just when I thought I had Rion where I wanted him, completely loyal to me, he went and turned his back on me again. How could it be that not even magic could keep him doing my bidding? I had been so close. I just needed a little more time.

Rion’s confused and unfocused eyes were beautiful. I could feed him any information that I wanted him to take as fact while he was under that spell. We could have been fighting side by side, just like our mother would have wanted.

“Oh, dear brother,” I said with a dark chuckle. “You are going to pay dearly for turning your back on me. How could you? And to your only sister, your only flesh and blood?!”

I had lifted my hand toward another vase, ready to knock it off so I could pretend it was that worthless princess’ head when I caught sight of my followers, watching me with wide eyes.

I giggled before straightening. I lowered my hand slowly before glancing down at my sharp nails, pursing my lips. It seemed like my sudden silence only served to make them more uneasy. I caught them exchanging wary, uncertain glances with one another.

“My brother is a traitor,” I said in a stern, flat voice. “I want you all to see to it that he pays for his disgusting betrayal toward me.” No one spoke so I regarded them sharply, whipping my head toward them and narrowing my eyes. “Do you hear me? I want them found and dragged back here by their sorry necks at once!”

The group stiffened and once again shot each other nervous looks. A few of them looked up toward the ceiling and down at the floor–anywhere but at me.

My patience had grown thin long ago. “Now!” I shouted.

That woke them up. They shifted, looking ready to bolt in different directions when suddenly, one of my bolder disciples stepped forward. I recognized him as my follower’s informal spokesperson. He looked up at me with his dark eyes.

“Mistress, if I may, perhaps we should reconsider–”

“Reconsider?” I demanded in a loud, screeching voice.

He flinched but continued with a nod. “Yes, Mistress,” he said quickly. He glanced at the rest of the group before facing me once again. “Of course, I mean no disrespect. However, I fear that pursuing the Dark King’s daughter now would risk provoking open war. Surely that’s not what we want to happen.”

I lifted my chin, hoping it would make me appear even more threatening. I felt my anger rising further. My fists clenched at my sides. “You dare to question me?” I demanded dangerously.

I watched my other followers cringe at my vicious tone. A couple of them glanced worriedly at the bold follower who had dared to speak out of turn. They had a right to be concerned for him. He was definitely on thin ice. After my brother’s betrayal, I wouldn’t stand for even the smallest hint of mutiny.

I descended the steps of my throne, taking my time so that everyone in the room could feel my powerful presence and relearn to fear it. I stopped at the bottom step, which still allowed me to tower over my bold disciple. He looked uncertain but stood straight with his jaw clenched tightly. He did have the wisdom to lower his dark eyes to the floor.

“I will have the princess’ blood to raise our fallen mother.” I spoke slowly and clearly, allowing iciness to flow through the words. I hissed the next part, taking great satisfaction in the way it caused the man in front of me to shiver. “No matter what the cost.”

It had the desired effect. The man’s head whipped up in shock, his eyes rounding as he took in my words. He ducked his head and nodded once, almost imperceptibly.

I narrowed my eyes. “What was that?” I asked in a steely voice.

He looked up again, his lips tightening, eyes wide with fear. “Yes, Mistress.”

I smirked. “That’s more like it,” I said. I turned to the rest of the room. I felt my eyes blazing hotly as I once again thought of my brother and the little princess he ran off with. “I want all available trackers searching for the traitor,” I commanded in a loud voice that echoed through the room. “Rip the forest apart if you must! Bring them back to me. Failure is not an option.”

My disciples scattered to obey my command like a bunch of sewer rats. I smirked as they took off in different directions. I didn’t miss the troubled looks they sent one another. I would need to work on that, teaching the scum to obey me without question.

It was that same hesitation that had led Rion away from me.

I vowed that as soon as I had him back, he would think twice before betraying me. I would make him regret it.

I gritted my teeth hard as I thought about Rion. He knew what I had endured because of that little princess’ family. I had opened up and told him almost everything. He knew the extent of the pain and torture that I experienced. My hands curled into fists at my sides as I remembered cruel hands slapping me across the face and chains binding my wrists.

I stiffened when my second-in-command approached me once the others were gone. He had a grave face, with the start of wrinkles appearing around his mouth and eyes. His hair was completely jet black though, with not even a single gray strand. I saw just a hint of myself in him. He looked like he had been through much in his life.

“Eva, we need to talk,” he said in a low, serious voice.

I scoffed, waving a hand at him, annoyed by the preamble. “Then talk.”

He straightened, his blue eyes narrowing slightly, though he knew not to allow them to form full slits.

It was always wise not to cross me.

“It’s about this plan of yours,” he said finally.

“Careful now,” I cautioned, my anger sparking once again. I kept my tone dangerously pleasant, however. “I’ve been crossed too many times today. I wouldn’t push your luck.”

He continued anyway, in a placating tone that I found condescending. “Reviving Hestia should not come at the price of our lives,” he argued firmly.

I looked away from him, resisting the urge to go find another vase to smash.

The silence stretched between us for several moments. Finally, he spoke in a flat tone. “I fear that you have let vengeance cloud your judgment.”

I sneered at him. Oh, I would have my revenge. I disagreed with him about it clouding my judgment though. I believed that it made me more powerful. It was what had driven me to this point. I had been patient and steadfast in order to fulfill this destiny. Every move had been meticulous up to this point. Vengeance was what drove it all forward.

I waved him off, making my opinion on the matter extremely clear. “The ritual will go ahead as planned on the next Blood Moon,” I insisted firmly. “Once my mother returns to walk this earth once again, not even the mighty Dark King will be able to stand in her way.”

***

*Daphne*

As soon as Rion and I were heading down the side of that cliff, we had wordlessly agreed that we wouldn’t rest until it was absolutely necessary. We didn’t speak to each other for a few hours as we moved briskly through the forest. It was as if speaking to each other, even in low whispers, would jinx us and Eva’s followers would immediately find us.

It was silly, but neither of us were willing to take the chance.

We had put a considerable distance between ourselves and Eva’s lair when we finally decided to stop and rest. We were both filthy, and hungry, but also relieved to be able to rest, even just for a moment.

“I can’t believe we made it,” I said finally, breaking the hours of silence that had stretched on between us.

Rion didn’t answer right away, and I knew why. We weren’t out of the woods yet, literally and figuratively.

I looked down at the ground before daring to look back up into his expressionless face. He looked like he could be chiseled out of stone with how still he was. “Are you okay?” I finally ventured.

His gray eyes finally focused on me. He nodded once. “Yeah,” he said in a low voice. He tilted his head as he regarded me. “You?”

I let out a shaky breath. “Yeah.”

We sat in silence for another beautiful few minutes, listening to the sounds of the forest, from the wind whistling in the trees to the buzzing and chirping of random insects.

Although the peaceful and vibrant audio atmosphere should have put me even slightly at ease, I found I was restless. My body ached terribly, clearly needing the reprieve, but I couldn’t help but feel like Eva’s dangerous disciples were hot on our heels the longer we waited around.

Evidently, Rion agreed because he stood up quickly from the fallen log we had occupied. “Let’s go,” he said, holding a hand out to me. “We should move on.”

As much as every muscle in my body wanted to protest, I drew in a breath before taking his hand and allowing him to help me to my aching feet.

We might have been safe at that moment, but we both knew that Eva wouldn’t give up the hunt so easily. Until she was dealt with for good, we could never truly rest easy.

Rion gripped my hand firmly and started to tug me along behind him. “Come on. Let’s get you home.”

Despite everything, my heart stuttered slightly at the word.

Home.

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