Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 244

Chapter 24: What's in a Name?

Gemma

I slipped from Ernest's bed, quiet as a mouse. He rolled onto his side and wrapped his arms aroundhis pillow, barely waking as he moved and quickly fell back to sleep, his eyelashes fluttering againsthis cheeks.

I reached down and gathered my clothes, clutching them to my naked chest as I searched in vain formy underwear in the darkened room.

The only light was an eerie green glow coming from the windows where rain hammered against theside of the castle. Thunder boomed in the low-lying clouds, the sound strangely comforting as Ipulled my shirt over my head and shimmied into my skirt. The storm raging outside the castle wallshad covered the sounds of pure ecstasy coming from the Alpha’s quarters, and I felt deliciouslyexposed as I snuck from the room, carrying my shoes in one hand, my underwear still very muchmissing,

Oh, I was behaving like an idiot. I was setting myself up for heartbreak. I couldn't help it. I reallycouldn't. Ernest's hands on my body and his words whispered against my neck had awakenedsomething deep within me. I couldn't put out the flame now, no matter how hard I tried.

And I had tried.

But I smiled softly to myself as I walked down the corridor, a blush touching my cheeks asi ascendedthe stairs, and I realized I was walking with a slight

limp.

Oh, what would Maeve say when I told her “Ouch!” I dropped my shoes, bringing my hands to myface as I cradled my nose. I could smell the blood before it began to flow, the wetness rolling frommy nostrils over my lips and between my fingers. “Shit, Gemma!” Aaron grabbed me by theshoulder, using his free hand to tilt my head back by my chin. He was soaking wet, the waterdripping from his clothes onto the floor. “I'm so sorry. I didn't see you. I couldn't-"

"Where are you coming from at this hour?” I said, my voice a nearly inaudible gurgling sound as theblood rolled into my open mouth.

“I went for a.. for a run.”

He was lying

I took my hands from my face, inhaling deeply and then sneezing with force, which caused him tojump backward out of my line of fire. “Is it broken?” he asked, gingerly stepping forward again.“No,” I said, sighing with relief. Luckily I'd found some tissues on a side table to stem the bleeding.“But it hurts. What did I run into?”

“My shoulder. I didn't see you walking by at all.” His voice was trembling slightly. I narrowed myeyes to peer at him through the dark but could barely even see the outline of his figure.

"Where are you going? Your room is on the fourth floor?”

*** I forgot something.”

"Forgot what?

“It's nothing.”

He was lying again. I just knew it. I pressed him further.

“It's obviously something if you're wandering the castle sopping wet.”.

“I just told you. I was out for a run.”

“Don't lie to me, Aaron!” I stepped forward, thinking I was closing the distance between us butended up to the side of him.

“I'm right here, Gem!”

“You don't get to call me that,” I hissed, turning toward his voice. And I have it on good authorityyou were seen boarding a train today, the two o'clock train to the Port of Valoria. What were youdoing there?

"Ernest sent me

“No, he didn't. I was with him-“I bit my lip. I hadn't meant to say that out loud. But before I couldretract my statement or attempt to deflect, Aaron had me by the shoulders again, steering meacross the corridor and into a storage closet

"What the hell — I nearly screamed before his hand flew over my mouth and he pressed me againstthe wall of the closet, his free hand reaching up to turn on the tiny, flickering lightbulb over ourheads.

Chapter 24: What's in a Name?

"Don’t scream,” he said calmly, his hand still planted firmly against my mouth. He took his handaway, and I inhaled deeply, a shriek erupting from my mouth before he clamped his hand over itagain. “No one can hear you over this storm, Gemma. I'm not going to hurt you. I need your help.”“My help?” i said into the palm of his hand. I gripped his forearm, pinching his skin with my nailsuntil 1 drew blood and he finally let go.

But he was blocking the door.

“I'll scream again,” I warned, stepping toward him.

He wiped his bloodied hands on his wet jeans and looked up at me, shaking his head. “You won't.”"Oh? Let me out or take your chances-" “This is about Maeve. She's in danger. I need to get her outof Valoria, tonight.” He stood there, only feet from me, his face drawn with deep lines of fatigue.“What?”

“I've been at the port, you're right about that. I was trying to get word to my boat.”

“You're boat? What are you talking about, Aaron?”

He took a step forward, fixing me with a serious stare. “Romero. Did you know he’s in the tower,right above our heads?”

"Romero —The Romero? Of,"

"Of Poldesse, yes.” “Don't lie to me!”

“I'm not lying!" he pleaded, looking as though he was about to drop to his knees. He lookedabsolutely exhausted.

“Did you run here? From the port? You shifted and ran all that way, didn’t you?"

He nodded, his chest rising and falling as he took a deep breath. “It was faster than waiting on thetrain. I needed to get back here.”

"Why were you there? Tell me the truth!” I bellowed, which caused him to wince and tilt his headtoward the door.

“Keep your voice down, okay?” He stepped closer to me, his hands outstretched in surrender, “Like Isaid before, I needed to get word to my ship-"

"What are you talking about"

“I'm trying to explain—"

"What ship. Aaron?”

“My name isn't Aaron!” His hands were clenched into fists and trembling at his sides, his eyesdowncast toward the floor.

I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came from between my lips, only the sound of mylabored breathing as I tried to catch my breath.

Once I had, I asked, “Who are you?”

“You knew the whole time, didn't you? That I wasn’t Aaron of Red Lakes?" He leaned against thedoor, his eyes bloodshot and lined with dark circles. I nodded, my breath catching in my throat. Iswallowed as the hair stood straight up on my arms.

“Where is he? Aaron? Did you-"

“No. Aaron is fine. He's alive, and well. I promise you that.” “How can I believe a single word yousay?” “You have to. You have to trust me right now. You can hate me later. Maeve is in-*I “Danger?What the actual f*ck, Aar. What the hell is your real name? Who are you!”

“My name is Troy.”

“Your last name?”

“Black Troy Black.”

"What pack are you from?”

“I don't have a pack.”

“So, you're a rogue”

“No! Jeez, Gemma! We don't have time for this.” He grabbed my shoulders, shaking me. “Please,Gemma. Listen to me. Maeve has to get out of here. You need to get out of here. You have to goback to Winter Forest.”

He was desperate

“I don’t understand-get off of me!”

Chapter 24: What's in a Name?

He let go of my shoulders and let his arms drop to his sides, defeat lining his face. “I love her. I can'tlet them. I can't.” He backed away, looking at me pleadingly.

*Please, just let me go. Just leave, whoever you are. Just leave the castle tonight. Please!” i begged.“I can't do that. Not yet.”.

“Why?

“I need you on my side,”

"Your side of what? What happened to Aaron? Why the hell are you here?!”

He told me everything, the words falling from his lips in rapid succession as he leaned his backagainst the door, closing his eyes. Aaron had been left on an island in the Isles of Denali while Troyhad come to Valoria in his place. He told me how he had no intentions of even touching Maeve, thathis mission had been strictly to break Romero out of the tower.

He told me about Horace, the explanation sending ripples of gooseflesh up my arms as the piecesof the puzzle began to fall into place. Horace was a spy. and Troy was sure there were others in thecastle working toward that same end, the end that took my breath away.

Troy had been deceived by everyone, he explained. His true mission was much, much more than hehad anticipated. Poldesse was coming. They were coming for Drogomor. Alpha Damian and hiswarriors were coming to take over and leave destruction in their path.

He told me he was Romero’s grandson. He told me about Romero's sick mind, and his sick plan.

“I love her,” he repeated. Over and over. “I wanted her. I couldnt stop myself. I took advantage ofthe situation. I have to get her out.”

“It's too early to know if she's pregnant,” I stated, my voice shaky and uncertain. He looked up atme, tears welling in the corner of his eyes. He only . nodded, grimacing as he struggled to take abreath. He had quieted after telling me his story, but something else was weighing on him.Something severe.

I stepped forward, reaching out to him, my hands trembling as I touched his shoulder.

“Damian wants something. Something that only Romero can give him,” he said quietly, sleepily.“What is it?"

“I don't know. I tried to ask. Romero is sick in his head, I'm sure of it. His words are nonsensicalramblings. I.. I think he’s deceiving Damian. I think this is a trap. I think all of us, including Damian,are falling into a trap.”

“I don't understand.”

“I don't know what else to say. This is all I know.”

“And what of Maeve? Will she be safe in Winter Forest?”

He shook his head from side to side, his eyes downcast. “I don't know. I need to wake Ernest.”

“No, please don't,” i begged, my heart twisting into a knot. I didn't trust Troy. I had no idea whetherwhat he was saying was true, I didn’t know if he actually meant to go down to Ernest's room andstrangle him to death. “Let me do it. I will tell him. I promise I will tell him.”

“You have to do it right now.”

"Wh-why? You said they were coming but... the Isles are so far-"

“I was looking for my ship when I noticed the name of Damian's cruiser on the port master's ledger.It was supposed to reach the port today. If not for the storm, we would have been overrun byDamian's army. He has a fleet. He was using the port reservation as a decoy.”

"An army? He's sneaking an army into Valoria? Are you serious?”

Troy stepped forward, his eyes deadly and utterly serious.

“The weather won't stop them, Gemma. We have until morning.”