Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 28 : Give Me Eliza

*Jared*

I ran the back of my knuckles over her exposed ankle and she didn't even flinch. She was sprawled out on her bed, face down, her arms and legs splayed with a pillow over her head. I slowly lifted the pillow to make sure she was still breathing and hadn't suffocated herself, but she was fine, out cold. Eliza slept like a rock. I was more than impressed by it, and slightly jealous if I was being honest. I let the pillow fall back over her head and crossed the room to pull the curtains closed, blocking out the late afternoon sunlight. Papers were strewn across the desk and the floor, all of them covered in ink blots and rough sketches of the Cryptex.

I picked up the discarded papers as I walked through the room, flipping through each page. She had terrible handwriting, almost illegible, but she was a historian, after all. I'm sure she was writing as quickly as her mind was moving.

Eliza sighed in her sleep, a breathy sound that sent a shiver of heat down my spine. She'd made that same sound when I'd taken her just as the first hints of early morning dusted through the curtains, a blue-hue glow spreading over her breasts as I'd dragged myself slowly in and out of her, my forehead resting against hers.

We were achingly spent, but it hadn't mattered. She'd whispered my name and I'd stolen with it a kiss like I'd never kissed anyone else, and likely never would again. That burning desire hadn't ceased until I could no longer keep my eyes open and submitted to sleep.

I looked over at her, wanting nothing more than to crawl into bed beside her and hold her to me, to run my fingertips over the curve of her hip and tangle my hands in her wild hair.

I would have, had I not been on my way to have dinner with Aeris.

"f**k," I breathed, closing my eyes against the memories of the night before as I reached down to adjust my pants, which were suddenly a bit too tight. That darkness inside of me, that piece of me at constant odds with my wolf, was pleading to take advantage of her current vulnerability. I detested that darkness, that shadow that clawed at me and begged me for release.

Eliza was bringing out a part of me I kept locked away, the very reason I wanted to be alone and spend my days on violent escapades that kept that darkness satiated and at bay. She wanted that part of me, though. And she'd had that part of me by the balls last night.

I slowly let out the breath I'd been holding. I was supposed to be waking her up for dinner, but maybe it was better if she wasn't there. I was constantly distracted whenever she was around. I couldn't be distracted tonight.

I started for the door, folding her scratch papers into a square and tucking them into the pocket of my jacket. I glanced over my shoulder at her once more before I left the room. Archer was waiting for me in the corridor, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the wall.

"She's asleep,” I said, tilting my head toward the door as I closed it quietly behind me.

“Brandt said it looked like she had a pretty bad headache,” Archer replied, shifting his position. “Are we waking her up?”

"No." I walked a few paces, then stopped, motioning for him to stay put. “Guard her door. I don't know what's going to happen tonight. If Aeris tries anything—"

“I'll guard her with my life," Archer said, giving me a little smirk.

I pursed my lips and gave him a narrow-eyed look. Archer wasn't going to let go of the fact Eliza and I had slept together, and knowing him, the teasing was only going to get worse. If Archer hadn't been a close friend of mine, I would have killed him years ago.

“It's not what you think," I said coolly. “Just make sure she's safe.”

*Jared*

I ran the back of my knuckles over her exposed ankle and she didn’t even flinch. She was sprawled out on her bed, face down, her arms and legs splayed with a pillow over her head. I slowly lifted the pillow to make sure she was still breathing and hadn't suffocated herself, but she was fine, out cold. "What is it, then?" Archer retorted, the corners of his mouth twitching as he found a teasing smile. “I'm not having this conversation with you, again.” I waved my hand in dismissal and turned on my heel, walking away.

Aeris leaned over the table, pouring me another heavy glass of wine. I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to give a gentle nod in thanks.

“Such a shame our dear Eliza couldn't make it," he purred, his orange eyes glassy with heat. Brandt shifted his weight beside me, his hand clenched in a fist on his thigh.

Dinner had been just as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. Aeris pulled out all the stops, pushing the most expensive wine and food in front of us that he could produce, despite the reports of the villages under his control going hungry. He talked in length about the “whores” he employed in his castle, wanting nothing more than to give one each to me and Brandt for the night. He even brought the women in and made them dance.

I could snap his neck. I could. I could just look into his eyes and let that darkness in my soul rip him to shreds.

“She's busy with the scroll,” I said as pleasantly as possible, sipping the wine.

Aeris snorted, shaking his head.

“Poor thing, slaving away all day. It's terribly difficult for them to read, you know. Women just don't have the same mental capacity as us males. You really shouldn't encourage her, Jared. It's a waste.” I stifled the fury beginning to ripple over my skin.

"Someone like that? Well... imagine the pups you could get out of her. Those hips? She'd have an easy time."

Brandt cleared his throat, reaching for his wine. I exhaled deeply, nostrils flaring.

"How much do you want for her? Name your price.”

“You're mistaken," I ground out, holding onto the last shred of sanity I had left for this man. “She isn't for sale.”

“A trade, then?" Aeris's eyes were sparkling under the light of the chandelier above his head. He tapped his manicured fingertips on the table as he leaned back, sighing deeply.

"No-"

“That man you seek, perhaps? What if I knew where he was?" Aeris glanced up at me as he inspected his nails.

I blinked, narrowing my eyes at him. “You don't know who he is, Aeris. I'm not in the mood for games."

“Give me Eliza and I will-"

"No," I said with finality, meeting his eyes.

He leaned back in his chair, his mouth twitching into a smirk.

“The hard way, then? Ha, why must it always be this way with you, Jared? The things we could accomplish together"

“Thank you for dinner," I interrupted rudely, nodding at Brandt as the two of us rose from the table. “Not so fast,” Aeris growled, his eyes glowing like polished amber.

He waved to a guard standing by the door, who opened it, allowing a small, rat-faced man to stride inside. He was dressed for the road in stained, tattered clothing. I could smell the liquor on him from across the room, mingled with sweat and the tang of body odor.

I knew who he was immediately.

“Go into her room and lock the door,’ I said to Archer over the mindlink.

“I really didn't want to have to do it this way," Aeris drawled, leaning back in his chair with his legs crossed as the man approached. “It seems Lou is missing a breeder... the same breeder my brother purchased just before you killed him. Interesting, is it not, that Eliza matches the description of her toaT?"

Brandt glanced at me, his face an expressionless mask.

“Tell me, Lou," Aeris mused, tilting his head. “How'd you come across this w***e in the first place?" “A trading ship,” Lou said in a hoarse, gravelly voice. “She put up a fight."

Rage ripped through me, blurring my senses as I slowly turned to face Aeris.

“You're saying this breeder was taken to the auction against her will?" I asked, trying to maintain my composure. “And now you think you have a claim to her, whoever she is?"

"Lou?" Aeris said, inspecting his nails. “Where did you say this trading ship was coming from?"

“The Realm of Light, Alpha.”

Aeris's eyes flicked up to mine, a gruesome smile stretching across his lips.

“I've heard of women from that realm. Highly educated whores with nothing but freedom and no consequences. Confident sluts, wouldn't you say? Tell me, Jared, is Eliza an animal in bed like they're rumored to be?"

“Stop,’ Brandt said urgently through our link, his eyes still fixed on Lou. “Don't give her away."

"Eliza is not from the Realm of Light,” I said sweetly, then chuckled, turning my attention to Lou. "And you surprise me, Aeris. I've known you for years, and I thought I knew you to be above taking the word of a man who let a female best him."

Lou turned a fiery red, his eyes narrowing on mine.

“Ya' smug motherfucker"

“Jared, Jared, Jared," Aeris breathed, shaking his head. “Do you see the situation you've caused? My brother spent an outrageous amount of money on that w***e, my money. Now Lou will have to pay me back because the breeder I'm entitled to is missing! Then he'll be out of the money he needs to keep his stock comfortable and fed"

“That sounds like a personal problem between you and Lou,” I hissed through gritted teeth. “And if you refer to Eliza as a w***e one more time-"

“She belongs to me!" he slammed his fists on the table, sending the wine glasses crashing to the ground. “You'll regret this-"

“Goodnight,” I said firmly, bobbing my head before glancing at Brandt.

Brandt ran his tongue along his lower lip as we walked through the dining room and through the door.

“She's still asleep,” Archer said in a whisper as the three of us convened outside Eliza's door. “I dropped an entire dinner tray on the ground and she didn’t even stir.”

“Good,” I breathed, running my fingers through my hair. “We need to leave, tonight-"

"He's bluffing, Jared," Brandt said, shaking his head. “Eliza has a meeting with him tomorrow about his collection. If he has anything that could help you-"

“I'm not putting her in danger!"

“I don't think you're going to have a choice in the matter,” Archer argued. “This is Eliza we're talking about. She's going to throw a fit about it if you say she can't go."

“I will carry her out of here over my shoulder if I have to," I seethed.

Archer was right, though. I hated to admit it. Eliza would dig in her heels and force my hand.

“Aeris will pursue her even if we leave. He has scouts. They know where the village is. If we take off in the middle of the night, it puts us all at risk,” Archer said firmly. “We're stuck.”

“We're not stuck," Brandt breathed. “The man from the breeder auction hasn't seen Eliza since that night, right? If Aeris is using him as a witness to try to pressure us into leaving her behind, well... we could take care of that issue.”

“Brandt's right, but he's probably here with his friends, some escorts and guards, probably. But it's nothing we can't handle. Get that man out of the picture and Aeris has no proof that Eliza's his breeder.”

I ran my tongue over my lower lip, seeing red. These were the same men who'd forcefully taken Eliza from the ship and tried to sell her. They were the reason she was in this mess in the first place. “Let's go."