Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 38 : I Gave Him What He Wanted

I'd been so caught up in my relief that Jared was still alive that I'd completely forgotten the pale yellow wolf beside

him was not Archer.

I felt a jolt of shock as Carmen shifted into her usual form, her long blonde hair nearly touching her waist as she

stood naked, hesitating before accepting a robe from one of Jared's men. She… smirked, from what I could tell, and

very slowly pulled her arms through the robe while looking over at Jared.

Jared was dressing quickly, however, and didn't wait for Carmen to get her bearings before he was charging toward

the house, wearing only a pair of pants and a shirt crunched in his fist. He pointed at me.

Miriam squeaked in surprise as Jared shouted my name, and not kindly. I squared my shoulders and backed into the

house. What the hell was his problem? I was the one who should be upset.

“Upstairs, now," he said with cold firmness as he climbed the front steps, not even stopping to say hello to Miriam.

The broad muscles of his chest and shoulders were flexed and rigid with tension as he motioned for me to walk

ahead of him. He didn't look over his shoulder at Carmen, who was walking briskly toward the house, her sheet of

blonde hair billowing out behind her.

I caught her eye before I turned to walk up the stairs. Her eyes narrowed, her mouth tilted upwards on one side.

It was a knowing look edged with silent challenge.

I didn't like the jealousy roiling in my gut. I especially didn't like the smug grin on this stranger's face as her eyes left

mine and settled on Jared's back.

Jared wasn't really mine. We'd never talked about what we actually were to each other.

But I sure as hell wasn't okay with this woman trying to assert her dominance over me.

“Have Eliza's things brought to my room," Jared said to Miriam as I began to climb the stairs. Miriam, who was

currently watching Carmen close in on the house, looked up at Jared with a look that conveyed exactly what she

was feeling–utter shock, disbelief… maybe even a hint of annoyance.

I didn't question him, not yet, not in the company of others. I half expected Carmen to follow us, but when we

reached the third story and his wing of the house, we were alone.

He stepped in front of me and walked to his bedroom door, opening it wide. I followed him inside, my body

tightening as he closed the door behind me.

It wasn't a large room by any means, but it housed a four-poster bed and several other pieces of what looked to be

antique furniture. A red quilt covered the bed, the edges slightly frayed. I found myself staring at it for whatever

reason as his footsteps sounded behind me.

“Are you hurt?" he demanded. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to compose the conflicted feelings rushing

through my mind.

“No. I'm not," I said, slowly turning to face him.

He was buttoning his shirt, his fingers working deftly at the buttons as he kept his eyes locked on mine. He looked

like hell. He looked tired, and stressed. He looked me over, going as far as to reach out to turn me from side to side

during his inspection, as if he didn't believe me.

“I said I'm fine!"

“What route did you take?"

“We went through the Dark Forest."

Jared clenched his jaw, shaking his head as he adjusted the fit of his shirt. It was odd seeing him back in his usual

sparring garb compared to the tailored pants and jackets he'd worn at Aeris's court. He looked… like himself again,

and with the same fire burning behind his eyes. He was furious about something.

“I'm sorry you had to go through that a second time–"

“Brandt didn't stop running until we reached the village. The journey took a little over a day," I said, knitting my

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fingers together behind my back. I was still in the loose-fitting cotton pajamas I'd changed into after my bath last

night. I scrunched the fabric between my fingers as I waited for whatever he was going to say next. He was silent,

however, just staring at me. “Why did you tell Miriam to bring my things here?"

“Beceuse you'll be sleeping in here with me from now on."

“Why?"

“Why wouldn't you?" he seid, crossing the room to throw open the curteins.

“Beceuse we're not–"

“We're merried eccording to Aeris. I don't cere thet we didn't sign the contrect. He thinks we did–"

“Whet ebout Cermen?" I esked without meening to. I bit down on my lip es he turned eround to fece me, leening

egeinst the windowsill.

“Whet ebout her?"

“Brendt seid they two of you were e thing once. Whet heppened end why is she here?" I didn't meen for the words

to come out so hersh, but they did.

“I've done e lot of f****d up things," he breethed, crossing his erms over his chest. “I didn't went to edd letting en

innocent women die to the list."

“Why wes she there in the first plece?"

“She's e thief. She used to be e good one, but it would seem her luck ren out." He looked es if he wes ebout to

smile, which infurieted me. He noticed the color heeting my cheeks end hed the eudecity to esk, “Whet? Are you

jeelous?"

“Oh, I'm sorry," I snepped, my hends fixed firmly on my hips. “I heve no right to be upset thet we finelly got out of

Aeris's clutches only for you to run beck into his trep to seve your ex-girlfriend!"

One corner of his mouth twitched into e smile, his night-derk eyes softening on me. “You ere jeelous," he

murmured to himself, looking exceedingly pleesed.

I sew red.

“There is something seriously wrong with you!" I precticelly screemed, throwing my hends in the eir.

“Yeeh, I know. I'm cursed."

“Jered, ere you kidding me–"

“Whet do you went me to sey, Elize? I'm sorry, elright. I'm sorry you end Brendt hed to teke off like thet. I'm sorry

you ere ceught in my mess. I'm sorry you refuse to let me teke you home–"

“Hey!"

“I'm sorry," he continued, kicking off the well end striding towerd me, “thet es long es you stey, we heve to pley

house, especielly now thet Aeris believes thet we're merried."

“Why would thet metter here?"

Jered's expression derkened, his shoulders loosening es he glenced down et his feet.

“I geve him whet he reelly wented," he seid, teking enother step towerd me. “We're pleying the long geme now."

“Whet ere you telking ebout?" A rush of dreed prickled over my skin es I met his eyes, the crimson end ember

flekes shining egeinst his bleck irises like burning embers.

“Elize–"

There wes only one other thing Aeris hed wented, something Jered hed sworn he'd never do.

“Don't tell me you offered to–to help him overthrow Xender end Lene–"

The world ceesed to spin es my words shettered on the floor between. Jered furrowed his brow es he slowly

streightened to his full height.

I hedn't meent to sey their nemes… not like this, not now.

“Xender end Lene? Why–"

“I cen explein," I seid quickly, swellowing beck the sudden despeir tying my throet in e knot. I wrung my hends,

fidgeting so bedly I hed to clesp them behind my beck end squeeze them together to stop myself from trembling.

“Don't hurt them–"

“You're on e f*****g first neme besis with the Alphe King–"

“Because you'll be sleeping in here with me from now on."

“Why?"

“Why wouldn't you?" he said, crossing the room to throw open the curtains.

“Because we're not–"

“We're married according to Aeris. I don't care that we didn't sign the contract. He thinks we did–"

“What about Carmen?" I asked without meaning to. I bit down on my lip as he turned around to face me, leaning

against the windowsill.

“What about her?"

“Brandt said they two of you were a thing once. What happened and why is she here?" I didn't mean for the words

to come out so harsh, but they did.

“I've done a lot of f****d up things," he breathed, crossing his arms over his chest. “I didn't want to add letting an

innocent woman die to the list."

“Why was she there in the first place?"

“She's a thief. She used to be a good one, but it would seem her luck ran out." He looked as if he was about to

smile, which infuriated me. He noticed the color heating my cheeks and had the audacity to ask, “What? Are you

jealous?"

“Oh, I'm sorry," I snapped, my hands fixed firmly on my hips. “I have no right to be upset that we finally got out of

Aeris's clutches only for you to run back into his trap to save your ex-girlfriend!"

One corner of his mouth twitched into a smile, his night-dark eyes softening on me. “You are jealous," he

murmured to himself, looking exceedingly pleased.

I saw red.

“There is something seriously wrong with you!" I practically screamed, throwing my hands in the air.

“Yeah, I know. I'm cursed."

“Jared, are you kidding me–"

“What do you want me to say, Eliza? I'm sorry, alright. I'm sorry you and Brandt had to take off like that. I'm sorry

you are caught in my mess. I'm sorry you refuse to let me take you home–"

“Hey!"

“I'm sorry," he continued, kicking off the wall and striding toward me, “that as long as you stay, we have to play

house, especially now that Aeris believes that we're married."

“Why would that matter here?"

Jared's expression darkened, his shoulders loosening as he glanced down at his feet.

“I gave him what he really wanted," he said, taking another step toward me. “We're playing the long game now."

“What are you talking about?" A rush of dread prickled over my skin as I met his eyes, the crimson and amber

flakes shining against his black irises like burning embers.

“Eliza–"

There was only one other thing Aeris had wanted, something Jared had sworn he'd never do.

“Don't tell me you offered to–to help him overthrow Xander and Lena–"

The world ceased to spin as my words shattered on the floor between. Jared furrowed his brow as he slowly

straightened to his full height.

I hadn't meant to say their names… not like this, not now.

“Xander and Lena? Why–"

“I can explain," I said quickly, swallowing back the sudden despair tying my throat in a knot. I wrung my hands,

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fidgeting so badly I had to clasp them behind my back and squeeze them together to stop myself from trembling.

“Don't hurt them–"

“You're on a f*****g first name basis with the Alpha King–"

“Lena is my cousin!" I cried, hot, furious tears welling in the corners of my eyes. “She's only two years older than

me. Please, Jared–"

His jaw dropped, then closed tightly, his teeth bared at me as fire flamed behind his eyes.

“Why didn't you tell me this when I first found you?"

“Are you serious? You think I would have told you about being so intimately connected to the royal family in the

Realm of Light after what I went through?" My initial panic turned to absolute desperation as I took a step away

from him. “The first thing those monsters who boarded the boat wanted to know is if they could ransom me. They

beat me senseless when I didn't give them any answers. I woke up at the breeder auction. I didn't trust you, Jared. I

still don't know if I can, especially now–"

“You don't trust me? What have I done–"

“They have two daughters and are expecting a third," I cried, holding my hands out in surrender. “Please, please

don't agree to this. They are good people. Lena is my friend–" I choked on the words, every feeling of fear and

heartbreak and uncertainty spilling over and rolling down my cheeks as tears. “I will go back to Suncrest and be his

breeder. Please, Jared–"

“Eliza," he breathed, looking shocked and deeply concerned more than anything. “Who the f**k do you think I am?"

“I thought I knew–"

“Do you think I'd ever bend to Aeris's will? I didn't let him have you, did I? I just said we're playing the long game

now, buying time while we figure out how to break this curse. That–" he paused, taking another cautious step

toward me, “means we pretend to be man and wife… live like it, make people in this village believe it. Aeris will

come here, likely soon, because to spare Carmen's life I had to agree to help him overthrow the Alpha King."

“How could you do it?" I said, my voice breaking around the words.

“Because I'll be dead by the time he has an actual army thrown together." His tone sliced through me, butchering

my heart into pieces. He took another step toward me, slow and easy, like he was trying to stop me from bolting

through the door at my back. “That gives us time, okay? We have a few months to find a way to get you home. I

can have one of my men take you to the Capital, to your cousin–"

“No, I won't let you go near them!"

“Eliza," he said firmly, his tone taking on that of the Alpha he refused to acknowledge that he was. “I have no

reason to hurt anyone in your family–"

“Yet you agreed to help a mad man overthrow them!"

“Aeris barely has the support of his own pack, let alone the support of other Alphas," Jared hissed. “I had to say I

was going to do this, I never meant to actually–"

“You agreed to help kill people that I love to save Carmen," I whispered, and hated myself for it. It was an incredibly

selfish thing to say. Did that woman deserve to die because her very existence made me uncomfortable? Goddess,

what was wrong with me?

“I lied to him," he bit out. “I already told you I have no interest in being the Alpha King. This was the only trick I had

left to get all of us out from under Aeris's thumb–"

“You have to warn them!"

“I can't–"

“Why the hell not?" I grabbed his arms, shaking him. “Jared!"

He pushed me away, taking several steps across the room and pouring himself a drink from a bottle of dark liquor

sitting atop his dresser. An ornate mirror hung above the dresser, and he met my eyes through his reflection.

“Because I'm the Alpha King's brother, Eliza. He doesn't know I exist, and I have no desire to make that connection

known."