Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 1182 - 93 : Healing the Past

Chapter 1182: Chapter 93 : Healing the Past

*Daphne*

The new market square was well underway. I stood in the middle of it all, inspecting the smooth wooden booths decorated with colorful awnings. Excitement shot through me and I hoped to the Goddess that Rion would make it back in time for the grand opening later in the week.

My heart lurched as I thought about my husband, who was away meeting with regional Alphas in neighboring communities. He was serious when he decided to take extra precautions to keep our pack safe. He wanted to build relationships with the nearby packs so that we could band together if a threat was posed to any of us.

It was wise and I was grateful that he was doing it, but I still missed him terribly when he was away.

Although they couldn’t verbally articulate it yet, I knew that Ayla and Selene missed their father too. Before bed when I was tucking them into their cribs, they would coo to me in almost a questioning way as if asking for him. My chest would tighten but I answered that he would be back soon.

“Luna Daphne, a couple of the shopkeepers would like some advice about pricing their goods,” Alma said, breaking me out of my thoughts.

I jumped slightly and turned to face her, hoping my expression was excited enough. “Thank you, Alma. I’ll see to them now.”

Both Alma and Delia have been helping me manage preparations for the upcoming festival that was taking place in order to celebrate the opening of the market square. They were busy with the academy but still wanted to help with the market as well. We were so lucky to have such dedicated women in our pack.

Alma nodded at me and grinned. “I’m so excited for the festival! It’s going to be so much fun. I know the kids are going to love it! Lyle and Lillian are already making plans to play every single game.”

I smiled fondly as I thought about the two young twins who were attending the academy. They were rambunctious little ones. I wondered idly whether my girls would have that much energy and then giggled to myself. With Rion’s blood, they would likely have at least double that amount.

My enthusiasm was growing exponentially as Alma and I went from booth to booth to speak with the shopkeepers. In just a few short days, this plaza would be thriving with fruit and vegetable stands as well as colorful booths filled with clothing and home goods.

I wanted it to be so much more than just a shopping district though. It was also going to have an area for children to play nearby, as well as benches for our pack members to commune with one another. It was my hope that it would bring us all closer together and make our pack that much stronger.

“Luna Daphne.”

I turned to face one of our younger guards. He had expressive brown eyes and a slightly scruffy beard.

“What is it?” I asked with concern.

“A young woman with an infant from Jax’s brood is waiting just outside the main gate, begging to speak with you and Alpha Rion.”

I felt my eyebrows furrow. It could only be the female whom Rion had wanted to help, the mysterious female.

I stepped out of the main gate. The guards insisted on watching from the gate in case they needed to intervene, to which I agreed with an internal eye-roll.

The conflict I felt during my initial interaction with the young woman only doubled when I saw her standing beneath the shade of a tree, clutching her baby to her bosom protectively. She looked no better than she had last time, with her face sunken in from malnourishment and her bright eyes surrounded with dark circles.

I felt compassion for her but knew I also needed to be cautious to protect my pack. “Why have you come back?” I asked, trying to ride the line perfectly between concern and suspicion.

The female shifted the baby slightly in her arms before stepping forward. “I know that Rion doesn’t trust me, but I need help and I just can’t see any other option.”

I stared at her, waiting, and that was when I saw the growing desperation in her shimmering hazel eyes.

“I don’t want my son to grow up a drifter,” she said through clenched teeth, and I realized her eyes were shining with tears. “Please, I am willing to give him up for adoption if you and Rion assure me that he will be well-cared for and that you’ll personally see to it that he grows up happy and healthy.”

I felt a large lump in my throat at her maternity. All she wanted was for her child to be happy and loved. That was all I wanted for my own girls, so of course I understood completely. I carefully stepped toward her and put a hand on her trembling shoulder. “Come with me.”

Rion wasn’t due back for another few days, but I knew he would approve of my decision. I led the young woman, Anais, to Delia, who agreed to care for the baby. I then escorted Anais to the healer so that she could start being weaned off of all the drugs and alcohol.

I was sitting in a rocking chair with both girls held tightly to my chest when Rion came home a few days later. My heart ached for Anais, for all the pain that she had endured in her young life.

She was battling a crippling addiction and yet, she still had the strength to try to carve out a better life for her baby. I hugged Ayla and Selene closer to me, unable to even imagine being unable to raise them for any reason.

“There are my beautiful girls,” Rion murmured softly, stepping into the room.

I moved carefully, my heart hammering instantly as my eyes swept over my husband’s handsome form. He shook his head, gesturing for me not to move. He crossed the room quietly, both of us not wanting to wake up our daughters, who were fortunately deep sleepers for the most part. He scooped up both girls, skillfully adjusting them in his strong arms without waking them.

I stayed in the rocker, just watching Rion as he lovingly cradled our daughters as he carried them to their cribs. He gave each a tender kiss on the head before tucking them in with the utmost care. His rugged face was so gentle that it made me want to cry tears of happiness.

Rion reserved the most loving look for me, however. I nearly gasped when he turned away from the cribs to face me, his eyes boring into mine, making it very clear that he missed me. I had to stifle a giggle when he scooped me up into his arms and carried me bridal-style out of the room.

“I missed you so much, Daphne,” he murmured against my hair as I wound my arms around his neck, pressing myself tightly to him.

“I missed you too,” I said, my cheeks heating up slightly from the truth of that statement.

Rion lowered me onto the bed, kissing me fervently. I gasped against his mouth and as badly as I wanted to continue, something too important was weighing heavily on my mind.

With great difficulty, I put a hand against Rion’s chest. His gray eyes met mine questioningly.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, reading my expression easily.

I sat up and took a breath. Rion held onto my hand, sensing that I was getting ready to tell him something serious.

“Anais is back,” I told him, watching his dark gray eyes widen. “I’ve put her in the healer’s care so that she can heal from all the drug use. Delia is looking after her son. Anais wants to put him up for adoption so that he can have a better life.”

Rion was quiet for a moment as he processed all of that. His jaw clenched and then he stood up so suddenly that I almost fell back against the bed.

“I should go talk to her,” he said.

I stood up as well, alarmed by how tense he was. “I’m coming with you.”

Rion nodded, taking my hand.

It had only been a few days since Anais came to stay with Mara, another healer who worked under Althea and was skilled in these matters, but she was already showing so much progress.

The bags under her bright eyes were fading and she had gained some much-needed weight. I had already thought she was beautiful when I first saw her, but she had a healthy pink hue to her cheeks now which made her even more pretty.

Rion and I sat in front of Anais in the middle of Mara’s home. The young mother’s eyes were averted to the top of the table but when she lifted them, they were determined, her slim jaw set.

“I know that I’ve had a less-than-ideal past,” she said in a low but strong voice. “But I don’t want to rob my child of a good life because of that.”

“You won’t,” I tried to soothe her, my heart cracking at her words. I glanced at Rion. His face was pained.

“Do you have anywhere to go?” he asked her gently.

Anais shook her head, her long brown hair sweeping over her shoulders as she moved. “I’m leaving to find a good home for me and my baby. Right now, I want to be able to stand on my own two feet. I’ll be back for him when I’ve found us a suitable place and have my life back in order.”

Rion and I glanced at each other and I could tell that he wasn’t exactly happy with that plan. “You don’t have to leave immediately,” I told Anais. “I think it would be a good idea if you stayed for a few more days to ensure you’ve made a full recovery.”

After a moment of hesitation, Anais nodded. “Thank you,” she murmured quietly.

“When you’re ready to leave, we will do our best to ensure your safety by making calls to some of our allies in other communities,” Rion added. It wasn’t an offer, judging from his tone. It was a promise.

Anais looked grateful, but the shame was a much stronger emotion. She bit her lower lip and looked down at her lap, her dainty fists clenched tightly in the material of her skirt.

I straightened in my seat, unable to stomach her feeling ashamed despite the fact that she was trying to get better and be better for her child. “For now, you should reset and work on healing,” I said gently. I offered her a small grin. “Tomorrow, we’re going to have a festival in order to celebrate the completion of our market square. Please enjoy the festivities with your son before you leave.”

Anais’ vibrant hazel eyes lit up slightly at that and she nodded, bowing her head gratefully to Rion and me.

“I feel so sorry for her,” I told Rion as we left the healer’s home and headed back to our own children, to our own home.

Rion put a comforting arm around my shoulders. “Mara said she’s getting better and stronger every day,” he consoled me, rubbing my arm through the thin jacket I had put over my dress. “She’s going to be alright. Before too long, she can come back and start a life with her son.”

I nodded, leaning against Rion as we walked, relishing in his strength and unyielding support.

Rion let out a breath, sensing that I wasn’t completely comforted by his words. “Let’s get you home,” he murmured gently. Then, he smirked. “I have some unfinished business to attend to.”

I felt both my eyebrows go up toward my hairline. “What business?” I asked, confused by the sudden playfulness.

Rion lowered his head and nipped my earlobe before whispering in my ear. “When I got home, I had you on our bed. As soon as we get back, I intend to finish what I started.”

A giggle bubbled up my throat as Rion hugged me tightly to him and continued our way home.