Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 844 - 60 : Only Her

Chapter 844: Chapter 60 : Only Her

*Jared*

I was making promises I couldn’t keep.

Eliza would dig in her heels like she usually did if I had anything else to say. If I told her no, that we were not going to find a mythical city with only my tattoos to lead us there, she’d throw her usual fit and snarl and hiss like the rabid beast that she was.

But I loved her for it. I loved her tenacity and drive and utter unshakable willpower that leached into everyone around her, including myself.

If, by the grace of Lycaon himself, this curse could be broken and I could live as a free man untethered from ancient magic, well... she would be the true leader of my village and my home, of my life, and my heart.

I had taken notice of the fact that I told her that I loved her and she didn’t say it back. Oh, well. I wasn’t some love-sick teenage pup groveling for her attention. I’d never said it to anyone before, and I meant to never say it to anyone again.

Only her.

“What do you think Archer and Scarlett are doing?” Eliza asked as she unwrapped her arms from around my waist.

“Making up for lost time, I hope,” I said in a whisper, reaching out to tuck a rogue curl behind her ear.

Her hair was longer than it had been when I first met her. It still fanned out away from her face, the spirals of chestnut and mahogany draping over her shoulders and down her back. She was so beautiful.

I held out my hand to her and led her to the couch that faced the fireplace. She sat down while I worked the dying embers back into a flame, and then I sat on the floor in front of her, resting my head against her knees.

Quiet descended on the room, broken only by the birch logs hissing and cracking in the hearth. Her fingers were in my hair, her nails gently scratching my scalp. I let out a low hiss of approval as my body began to relax.

I hadn’t slept in days, not since Archer was wounded and Eliza took the opportunity to steal away into the night with Scarlett as an accomplice.

“Archer told me you were cursed before you were even born,” Eliza breathed, her fingertips grazing the curve of my ear.

I closed my eyes. I hadn’t ever wanted to have this conversation with anyone, but Eliza needed to know. She’d taken the revelation that I was the long-lost–and still lost–brother of the Alpha King in stride, after all.

“My father, Justin,” I began, biting down on his name. “He wanted to overthrow my grandfather, King Sebastian.” I took a pause, tilting my head back to look up at her. Her eyes were shining in the light of the fire as she met my gaze. “I don’t know much about who these people were other than their titles. I wasn’t even born yet. I never met them.”

“It’s alright,” she replied, the corner of her mouth twitching into a smile. “I just need to know how this happened.”

“I don’t know how it happened,” I admitted.

But I could guess.

“My father tried and failed to overthrow King Sebastian. He was killed for it, and my mother was forced to flee. I don’t know how or why my brother was left behind, or who protected him. I was born in Saboreef. I lived there until I turned fifteen and went north, seeking adventure.”

In reality, I’d sought escape from the aristocratic life of the couple that had raised me since I was three years old. I would have never fit their mold, and I never even bothered to try.

“Did you know your mother?”

“I have fleeting memories of her,” I replied, which was the truth. Would I be able to pick her face out of a crowd? Probably not, but her voice still occasionally tickled my subconscious, as whispers lifted in a song... the same song in the locket that Abel had given that bastard Lock to try to get the Dark Witch off Eliza’s trail.

I needed to tell her about Hestia, too. I’d allow Abel to help with that when the time was right.

“My mother died when I was three,” I continued. “I was raised by her aunt and uncle. My aunt was originally from Suncrest, like Aeris mentioned. I spent a good deal of time there as a child when my uncle was away on business in the capital.”

“What did your uncle do for work?”

“I have no idea,” I admitted. “He died when I was ten, and my aunt died just before I turned fifteen. She tried to give me over to Aeris, to live in his court. I obviously didn’t do that.” I stretched my legs out in front of me as Eliza’s touches began to trail down from my hair and along my neck. I closed my eyes against her touch, the wolf within me trembling with relief.

“I remember my mother being sick,” I said quietly, willing the long-buried memories of my early childhood to the forefront of my mind. “Bedridden. She put the locket around my neck.” I could almost feel the weight of the gold in my hand as I spoke of it. “She told me it would keep me safe. I had no idea what that meant, or why you know the song.”

“What about the Cryptex?” she asked quietly, stretching her arms down my chest as she leaned her cheek against the top of my head.

I melted into this new touch, her body wrapped around mine.

“I don’t really know. I’m under the assumption my father may have had it in his possession at one point. That’s just my gut feeling.”

“We need to find out what it was before it was taken apart. I think... I think the city of Myrel is the answer. Your tattoos–”

“I know,” I whispered, taking one of her hands in mine.

Another moment of silence settled between us.

“I was an idiot, Eliza. I’m sorry,” I said on a breath. I could feel her smug smile even though I couldn’t see her face.

“It’s brave of you to admit that,” she teased, patting me on the chest. “I thought it was idiotic as well.”

“I am curious to understand why you thought stealing through the Dark Forest was a good idea.”

“I wasn’t afraid. I kind of like it in there.”

I furrowed my brow, a feeling of unease settling in the pit of my stomach.

“It felt like... home, somehow. Does that make sense?”

“Not at all–”

“It’s distracting and disorienting, which was exactly what I needed. All I could think about was keeping Scarlett alive, so I did. That storm nearly killed us, and then the rogue... but we made it.”

“Do you have any witches in your family?”

“I... I don’t think so, not the same kind of witches you have here in Egoren–”

“Do you have powers?”

She snorted, lifting her head as I turned around to look up at her.

“Of course not, Jared. What are you implying?”

I didn’t know how to explain this to her. The forest definitely called to her that day Miriam sent her on a fool’s errand to the healer’s cottage. I heard her name clear as day on the wind. Then the witch in the forest caught on to her somehow, hunted her, and came close to killing her.

Why?

“What is it, Jared?”

“Nothing,” I replied, resting on my knees. “I’m tired, honestly.”

I couldn’t decipher the look behind her eyes as she nodded, her curls trembling around her face.

“I should go back to my room–”

“I wouldn’t do that,” I said with a shake of my head as I rose to my feet, stifling a groan. My body was aching worse than ever, that shadow chipping away at me day by day. “Archer wants to be the one to take care of Scarlett. He’s fiercely territorial.”

“So are you,” she quipped, giving me a narrow-eyed look.

I had no right to make a move on her, not after I’d tried, and failed, to send her away. But I could see that rosy heat staining her cheeks as I placed my hands on either side of the couch cushions and leaned into her until we were nearly nose to nose.

“Because you’re mine,” I growled.

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” she retorted, tilting her head to the side. “It seems like Abe might want a piece of me, too. I have my pick of bandits of Egoren–”

I snorted with mirth and pushed off the couch, walking around it as I began to unbutton my shirt.

“What’s so funny?”

“You’re not his type.” I glanced over my shoulder at her before pulling my shirt over my head. Her cheeks flushed as she twisted her face into a scowl. “He also said that to me, and Brandt alluded to it.”

“Well, it sounds like I’m your only option, so it’s my bed or nothing.”

“What is his type?” she asked.

I let out my breath, my hand gripping my belt loop for a moment before I undid my belt and let it fall to the floor.

I’d heard the Realm of Light was much more progressive than Egoren. They seemed to be years ahead socially and economically. Abel may have had a different life had he chosen to stay in the Realm of Light after the war. But here....

“His mate was his type. Sam died shortly before the war in your realm and Abel... I don’t think he’ll ever get over it.” I crossed the room and opened the door to the ensuite bathroom to brush my teeth. I heard the couch creak as Eliza rose and drifted toward me, curiosity blurring her expression.

“What happened to her?”

“Him,” I corrected, looking at her reflection in the mirror. “Sam was killed by thieves, I believe. Abel hadn’t taken over this village yet. It was right after he left our village. I don’t know the whole story, but Sam and Abel were on their way to the capital to sign up for the draft and only Abel made it there.”

“I didn’t know–”

“Don’t tell him I told you,” I said, rinsing out my mouth and turning to face her. I was in nothing but my boxers now, but her eyes didn’t graze my body. They were firmly locked on mine. I could tell she was going through the internal catalog of information she’d gathered on Abel, trying to piece together the persona he’d fed her.

Abel was a fox amongst wolves–cunning, quick, and incredibly devious when he had something to gain.

“We’ll meet up with Abel tomorrow,” I said after a moment. “There’s something we need to discuss.”

“Okay,” she breathed, blinking a few times as if clearing her thoughts.

“I can sleep on the couch if you want the bed,” I offered, even though it was the last thing I wanted to do.

“I think we can share a bed,” she replied, giving me a soft but fleeting smile.

I needed to build her trust again. If I’d been able to do that once, well... I had a shot.

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