Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 670

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 670

Chapter 17 : Everyone Deserves Happiness

*Soren*

Growling, I rolled my eyes. My chest felt bruised where she'd hit me. It was a strong punch.

I still couldn't figure out if she'd burst into tears because she was upset, because I'd hurt her, orbecause she was trying to distract me. Whatever the reason, she'd wasted no time in using myhesitation against me.

Perhaps she was more dangerous than I'd considered before. All this time, I thought it was hersecrets and her past that would cause trouble and bring danger. She had some of her own powertoo.

“Calm down, Mila,” I hissed. “I'm not here about the damn box.”

"Y-you're not?” she asked, creasing her brow.

I sighed and shook my head. When I looked her over, pity swelled in my chest. This poor girl hadnever known friendship, love, or trust. She was so closed off and defensive, so mistrustful that shewas suspicious of everyone and everything, even when they were trying to be nice to her.

I felt sorry for her, always living with the mindset that she had to be on her own and had to surviveat all costs. Until that moment, I hadn't really considered the drawbacks of her life or how they haddamaged her in ways I couldn“t even imagine.

“I came here to make sure you were safe,” I said in a gentler tone.

Mila scoffed and shook her head. She clutched the box to her chest like she thought I'd leap overthe gravestone and wrestle it away from her if she relaxed her grip for a second.

Her mistrust filled the space between us. I didn't really need her to trust me but I would have likedher not to be so suspicious and paranoid. She probably couldn't help it at this point. Herexpectation that everyone just wanted to use her or get something from her or make money off ofher was a part of her DNA by now.

“I'll stay out of your way, Mila. I don't even need to know what is in the box, but you should comeback to the hotel with me,” I said, holding an arm out to the path through the temple.

"Why?" she snarled. Her knuckles were white as she clung to the box.

“You have no idea what is out here or how many people are after you. That box could put anothertarget on your head,” I pointed out.

Mila glared at me but I could see the wheels turning in her mind.

"I can take care of myself. I've done it all my life,” she insisted with a firm nod.

“Like you did when you were poisoned? Or when you were attacked in the woods?” I asked, archingan eyebrow.

Mila scoffed and shook her head. “Those were extreme circumstances. I'm feeling a lot better now,stronger. I won't let myself get caught again. That's how I avoid trouble.”

“I know you are a very capable woman, but stealth and secrecy can only get you so far. AlphaChandler has some of the worst, most dangerous, most successful bounty hunters after you. Theywill anticipate all your moves,” I warned.

“You can't threaten me to stay with you!?” Mila snapped.

I sighed heavily, my shoulders rising and falling. There was no way to break through her mistrust,was there? I wondered how she'd react if I told her about the night we spent together.

From what I gathered, she was still fuzzy on the details. It might shock her into compliance...

No, it wasn't the time to reveal that, not when she was so up in arms. She probably wouldn't believeme, anyway.

“I'm not threatening you. I'm merely suggesting that having some muscle looking out for you mightnot be such a bad idea,” I explained.

“You know, I believe that you really believe what you're telling me,” Mila said, her voice softer. “But Ithink it is all an act. You've convinced yourself that you want to protect me for my own good butthat isn't the truth. It never is.”

“I'll say this, you know as much about me as I know about you. Keep your inaccurate assumptions toyourself,” I snarled.

Mila's eyes flared with anger. “You're just a faker! Pretending to be nice to me, pretending you wantto protect me. At the end of the day, all you want is to use me, just like everyone else.”

She glared daggers at me and snarled

Taken aback, I didn't know what to say to her angry outburst.

“I'll give you props. No one has attempted to befriend me in order to use me before. You can't trickme into trusting you or letting my guard down!” she snapped. “You're just like the others, onlyworse because you're trying to play on my emotions.”

“Like the others? I saved you twice,” I reminded her again. “Have you already forgotten?”

"And how do I know that wasn't just some part of your elaborate game? No one offers their helplike that without expecting something in return,” she insisted, stamping her foot.

I snorted a humorless laugh and ran a hand through my hair. She was impossible to reason with.“So, I'll pay you back for your assistance but I'm not giving you anything more than faircompensation and you're not going to be able to hold it over my head in order to use me,” sheexplained with a firm head nod.

“I never asked for payment. Nor do I expect anything in return. Not now, and I won't come calling tocollect in the future,” I assured.

“Then you'll stop following me and leave me alone?” she asked. “Because you're never going to getwhat you really want from me!”

I smirked and chuckled. She was quick and clever. I found myself enjoying the challengingconversation.

“What do I want from you?” I asked.

Mila paused for a moment. That seemed to confuse her.

"Why ask me? Shouldn't you be asking yourself that question?” she retorted.

"Hmm."

I couldn't deny that I was curious about the box. Whatever was in it, Mila could have and usehowever she wanted. But it was strange to me that she'd been able to replace the box when all the cardin the flowers offered was a time and place to meet.

Something else had guided her to the graveyard and the headstone where the box she hadn't asburied. That was worth being curious over. I didn't think Mila was a seer or psychic. She hadn't givenany indication that she had power like that.

I'd met a few psychics before and talking to them was head spinning. It was like they lived with onefoot in another dimension and they were seeing and experiencing two lives or timelines at the sametime.

But Mila was steady and grounded. She was focused and intense. That didn’t go hand in hand withpsychic powers.

So, how had she learned about the box? She'd only dug up one place in the graveyard.

Sighing, I shook my head. All I ever wanted from her was honest answers. She seemed incapable ofgiving me that.

“Soren?” Payne's voice drifted through the darkness.

"Over here,” I called out automatically, keeping my eyes on Mila.

Payne showed up and stopped dead. He glanced at Mila, tilting his head slightly.

She was still standing behind the headstone, box clutched to her chest. It was easy to see that shewas standing on a springboard, ready to launch herself and run off at any moment. She was stillglaring straight at me.

"What did you replace out?” I asked, calling him back to the issue at hand

“Uhh...” Payne looked at me and sighed. "A woman.”

“A woman delivered the flowers,” I said, nodding absently.

"She was wearing a cloak and I didn't see her face or her features. By the time I caught sight of her,the fog hid everything, including the color of her cloak. She was fast and I lost her the moment thefog wrapped around her,” Payne reported.

“No scent?” I asked.

“If there was, I think the fog absorbed it. That stuff is harsh... it really messes with my senses. I feellike I can barely hear, see, or smell when it is thickest,” he said, a visible shudder running over him.I'd felt the same. Fortunately, I knew where I was going and who I was following which made iteasier to track Mila.

“There was something else,” Payne said.

I flicked my eyes away from Mila for a moment to see the concerned expression on Payne's face.Then I looked back at her, holding her in place with my gaze.

"What was it?" I pressed.

"Even though it is night time, I saw several new faces entering Miltern. They are obvious becausethey aren't walking around all dazed and miserable. Although, based on how they look and theweaponry they are toting, I think we know why they are here.” Payne nodded toward Mila.

Mila stiffened and I wondered if the news would be enough to convince her to remain with me forprotection. She probably thought Payne was lying since he was loyal to me...

“They were knocking on doors and shaking people down for information on Mila. I don't thinkthey'll stop there. They look like the type to kill anyone that gets in their way,” he added.

I turned my attention to Payne and stroked my chin. These bounty hunters were determined andfocused. They wouldn't easily fall for a false lead but I knew Payne and I could think of a way to sendthem in the wrong direction.

Movement caught the corner of my eye and I glanced at Mila.

She was running away from the graveyard. Every so often she glanced back, as if she expected tosee us chasing after her.

Did she really think she could get away from me? I'd tracked her down in that thick, sensemuddying fog!

Should I go after her? That was the bigger question.

She'd made it clear she didn't want me following her. Perhaps not following her was the only way togain an ounce of her trust.

Then again, not following her meant not protecting her.

I'd tried to avoid getting entangled in her problems but the more I tried to stay out of it the more Iwas dragged in. I'd already dealt with two threats against her but they kept popping up out of thewoodwork.

At this point, I couldn't pretend nothing had happened. I couldn't pretend there wasn't somethingbetween us.

Maybe it was simple curiosity about her past or why Alpha Chandler wanted her. Not because Iwanted to use her to my advantage but knowing an alpha“s weakness, especially one like AlphaChandler, could be most beneficial.

If Mila wasn't so self-involved, she'd realize there were bigger things going on than just her. Andthat included my relationships with alphas

I wasn't in the business of trading one life for my peace and freedom. However, knowledge of AlphaChandler's desires and plans could be most advantageous.

There was still the unresolved matter of our one-night stand. As much as I wanted to brush it off asjust that, a one-night stand, the fact that she didn't know about it didn't sit well with me.

I'd never taken advantage of a woman before in my life. Whatever was in her system that night hadmade her need and want that connection but I couldn't let her live her life without knowing it hadhappened.

There hadn't been a good time to address it since she was always trying to run.

I didn't know what was between us now. It could have been something entirely different, but wewere connected. Whether she wanted to admit it or not.

It wasn't like I was doing joyful backflips over the idea.

I continued to watch her as she faded into the distance.

Trouble, that's all Mila was and all she'd brought so far. At this point, I'd invested far more in herthan I had in anyone else in a long time. It would be a shame to let that all go to waste if she wereto be killed.

I decided right then and there that the only repayment I needed for the help I'd offered was thatshe live a long and healthy life. Long enough, hopefully, to make friends, learn to trust, and behappy.

Everyone deserved that...

Now, I just had to see it through. Anyone that wanted to come after her would have to comethrough me first. I'd destroy whoever tried to take that chance from her. It was me, my healer, myprotection that gave her a new chance at life and I wasn't about to see it ripped away.