Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 243

Chapter 23: Train Ride to Nowhere

Troy

I was in deep.

Totally and completely in over my head.

And as I watched Horace approach, his gnarled figure limping through the garden as though hewere simply out on a stroll, I tensed, my shoulders tight and rigid as I straightened up to my fullheight and leaned the rake I was holding against one of the freshly pruned bushes.

The garden had become our meeting place after Maeve had caught me on the outskirts of thecastle grounds on my first day in residence. Horace and I had been leaving notes to each otherbeneath a pile of fallen stones in the dilapidated shed since I arrived in Valoria several weeks ago asprepared to masquerade as Aaron, the breeder. Aaron, the one I knew she was falling in love with.She didn’t know me. She couldn't know me. And when she cried out his name while I moved withinher, I could have screamed and beat my fists in agony. Oh, I was in trouble. Meeting my mate wasnot part of the plan.

Neither was trying to save her life.

I was here to trick her, to stall until Damian's warriors arrived to take over the castle. That was theoriginal plan, at least. No one had said a thing about killing her. Romero wanted me to actually bedher and get her pregnant, potentially holding her hostage until the child was born and Romerocould do away with her, or worse, keep her alive to harness her powers.

But I wasn't Romero's pawn. I hadn't even known he existed until the Persephone made port inAvondale, the capital of the Isles, six months ago when Alpha Damian demanded my presence andvaguely explained the mission.

I never considered myself part of Poldesse. We smuggled and pirated for them, sure, but I hadgrown up running wild with the other orphaned “beach rats” until Keaton had stolen enough coinsand gems to have the rotten body of the Persephone towed from its shallow grave on a beach onthe island of Suntra and fully renovate her.

Then we sailed the high seas. That was my home. My pack. That was where my loyalties lie.

But then I found out I had a living grandfather, and everything changed.

I would have done anything to know him, to look upon his face and maybe, just maybe, see a hintof the mother I couldn't remember.

But Romero was a monster. A sick, deranged old man. And as I stood in the garden waiting forHorace to make his way toward me, I realized how much of a monster I was being to Maeve myself.I had to get out of it. I had to get her out of it.

“So, it's done? You've-"

“Slept with her?” I hissed, keeping my voice low lest the gardeners were listening. I always spent mymornings in the garden, not having much else to do. The physical labor was good for me.

"Yes. Were you successful?”

"Well, we'll have to wait and see, won't we?" I sneered, grasping the rake once more and running itover the freshly cut grass. Horace's lips stretched into a thin smile as he watched me, my obviousdisdain for him seemingly adding years to his life. He was always lurking around, keeping an eye onme. I hated him immensely. I didn't trust him. And if he ever laid a finger on Maeve.

Speaking of Maeve, I had somewhere to be.

I tossed the rake across the lawn toward the pile of gardening equipment and pushed past Horace,who looked after me in surprise.

"Where are you going?”

I looked back at him, narrowing my eyes into slits. “Did Ernest not tell you? He's sending me on anerrand. I'll be back tomorrow night.” It was a lie.

“Romero wants to see you. You need to be at the castle,” Horace said quickly, his voice low andbeady eyes scanning the garden as he took a step toward me, his arm outstretched as though theskeleton of a man was going to attempt to grab me and physically prevent me from moving.

“He can wait. He's not going anywhere, obviously,” I snorted, looking up at Romero's tower for amoment before flashing Horace a beaming, although fake, smile. “See ya!”

"Get back here, you insolent boy-"

I was already leagues ahead of him, walking briskly through the garden and out onto the pathwayleading down into the village through the greenbelt. I beelined for the trees, cursing under mybreath that I hadn't had time to change out of the dirt-smeared jeans and T-shirt I was wearing. Ipicked grass clippings from my hair as I walked, tripping over a few roots on my way down. Maevewas supposed to meet me at the bar. I wanted to get there first.

Chapter 23: Train Ride to Nowhere

"What do you mean you're leaving?” Maeve took the glass of sparkling water from her lips, herblonde brows knitted in a frown.

“It's not forever. I'll be back tomorrow night.”

“What is this errand Ernest has you going on?” She sipped her drink, her full, pink lips lingering onthe glass a moment.

I felt warm all over, and not from the heat of the day. We hadn't been together intimately since thatnight in the library a week ago. I had been trying to avoid her as much as I could. I always tried toavoid her. But she kept pulling me back in. I could've reached across the table and taken her by theback of the neck, bending her over

“I have to fetch something from the port for him,” I said, gripping my pint of beer for dear life as theimage faded from my mind.

She sipped from her glass again, then made a face, putting it back down on the café table.

“What's the matter?”

"Why would Ernest be sending you to the port and not one of his warriors?” “Because I havenothing to do.”

She arched her brow, looking out over the street where the market stalls were flooding with people.“What are you fetching?”

“I don't know. I didn't ask.”

She gave me another look, her face somewhat clouded with emotion this time.

“Are you upset?” I asked.

“What happens now, Aaron?”

I bit the inside of my cheek the way I always did when she mentioned Aaron's name. I knew thisconversation was coming. I had fulfilled my duties as a breeder this past week. Now we waited.

If she was pregnant well, the real Aaron would've been packed up on a ship headed for Finaldi in aweek's time. What's the plan? I thought helplessly. looking over at her and trying to steel myexpression. Damian’s men would be here in two weeks to take over. Romero would be free. Maevewould be at his mercy.

But not if I could get word to the Persephone first.

“I don't know,” I said honestly, looking into her eyes. “But I promise you're going to be okay.”

She gave me a quizzical glance and opened her mouth to speak as I quickly drained the last of mybeer, wiping my mouth on the back of my hand. I stood and rounded the table, squeezing hershoulder as I bent down, whispering, “We can talk about this later. I have to go if I'm going to makethe next train.”

I desperately wanted to kiss her, especially as she opened her mouth to protest. My fingers ached asmy touch left her skin, and I walked off the curb. I tucked them in the pockets of my jeans as Iwalked, willing myself not to look back.

The post office had given me a schedule for the Port of Valoria when I requested one two weeksago. I was looking for the Persephone, knowing she would dock at the port at least once during mystay. I knew Keaton wouldn't be a part of Damian's invasion, he had made that very clear. But, Ineeded to catch her first and get word to Keaton somehow, let him know I needed him to linger inthe waters off the coast of Valoria and expect me to board when Damian and his pack flooded porton their way to Mirage.

And I would be bringing Maeve with me.

I bought a train ticket and waited on the platform, glancing over my shoulder every once and awhile to be sure Maeve hadn't followed me.

The Persephone was supposed to dock today, and I had at least a six-hour journey to the port bytrain. I could have shifted, of course, but I didn't know my way around the center of Mirage. Therailway to the port was new, constructed in the last ten years or so based on what Maeve had toldme, and it would take me directly to the port, and from the port I could do my best to locate Keatonand his crew.

But when I finally reached my location, well after the sun had set over the southern horizon, I wasmet with a nearly empty port, the little seaside village quiet and somber in the light evening rain.

I walked into one of the taverns near the docks, running my fingers through my hair to bring thewet strands away from my face.

I sat down, looking around as I did so, hoping to see a familiar face. “What can I get you, mister?” Aplump waitress with a pretty, young face was standing before me, her round hazel eyes alight withflirtation.

smiled at her, nodding to the bar. “Whatever's on tap. I'm not picky.”

She smiled, bobbing her head and walking away, joining up with a group of women who wereobviously working in the tavern, the trio looking at me over their shoulders as the waitress pouredmy beer.

I looked around again, spotting a man sitting in a corner booth with his head hanging over a largeledger, pencil in hand. He looked up at the window periodically, frowning, his wire-rimmedspectacles following down the bridge of nose as he checked his books again. I stood, ignoring thefact that the waitress was on her way over with the beer, and walked toward the man, sliding intothe booth and sitting opposite him.

He looked up, surprised.

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Chapter 23: Train Ride to Nowhere

“I'm looking for the Persephone,” I began, watching suspicion twist his brow. “She was supposed tobe docked here today.”

"Aye, yeah. She was meant to dock. The weather's holding off several of the larger ships that arecoming from open water.”

“So, she hasn't been here yet?”

The man shook his head, arching his brow in my direction. “You have business with the captain ofthat ship?”

"He's a friend,” I said honestly.

The man looked back down at his ledger, my suspicions about the contents being correct. He was aport master, and the estimated arrival and departure times were clear as day in ink in his books."Well, don't wait up for him. This storm is holdin’ strong; I doubt anyone is going to attempt tocross the channel tonight. Could be tomorrow afternoon before they drop their anchor.”

“Is there a way to get word to him in my absence? A letter, perhaps?” I reached into my back pocketand pulled out my wallet, flashing a handful of bills. The man’s eyes narrowed for a moment beforehe leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. “That ship is well known on the seas, youknow. Captain Keaton, is it? He's a smuggler.” .

"Yeah, and there's a cut from his recent shipment for you if you can get a letter to him when hemakes landfall.”

The man sighed deeply, looking outside for a moment before looking back at me, his expressionrelaxing as he held out his hand, palm out and open. I placed the bills in his hand and he tore apiece of paper from his ledger, handing it to me along with a pencil.

“Be sure this gets into his hands directly,” I said as I reluctantly passed him another bill, waiting forhis nod of understanding.

Keaton, there's more to this than I realized. Wait for me. Don't leave the waters of Valoria. I willcome to you in a week.