Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 713

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 713

Chapter 58 : Revenge or Hope?

"What?" I gasped, my hands slipping on the water bottle.

Payne reacted quickly, coming to my side. He grabbed the water bottle and clasped my handsaround it.

My mind raced in a million directions as I tried to figure out if I'd heard him correctly. Payne wasoffering to be my Beta? Why?

“Has Soren gotten his water?” he asked. “We should focus on him first.”

“I... yes, I gave him water,” I said, glancing at Soren.

He was resting soundly and easily. His breathing steady and his skin wasn't as flushed. Hopefully,that meant his fever was coming down.

“Perhaps we should let him rest. Care to talk outside?” Payne asked. He took the water bottle frommy hands.

"Um... sure...”

In a slight daze, I followed Payne out of the tent, glancing back once more to make sure that Sorenwas resting easily.

Payne was already outside. He still held the water bottle, his eyes fixed on the stars.

I made sure to leave the tent flap open so I could look inside and see Soren. If he needed anything,I'd be able to get to him quickly.

Payne had been acting strange around me for a while. He'd been giving me these looks andkeeping Ashley from saying “too much” around me. He'd been testing my reactions and responsesto things. I'd known it was happening but I never knew why.

But asking to be my Beta was the weirdest thing he'd done by far.

“Do you have something you want to tell me?” I asked when he didn't look at me or speak to me fora while.

Payne chuckled lightly. “Yes, I did.”

“You did... what about now?” I asked.

“So much has happened. I'm not really sure where to start...”

“Try starting from the beginning,” I suggested.

Payne gave me a sideways look and he smirked. His smirk wasn't sarcastic or mocking like Soren'’s.Payne's smirk was kind and humorous.

He turned to me and bowed slightly. He put his hand on his chest and then swept his arm outtoward me. It was a similar gesture to the salute he'd given me earlier but it was more pronouncednow that he wasn't supporting Soren’s weight.

"Miss Hathaway,” he said.

I gasped and took a half-step back. How did he know my last name? I'd only just found it outmyself!

"What was that gesture?” I asked motioning to the arm he still had angled toward me.

Payne smiled but then there was a flicker of dark agony in his eyes. He winced, swallowed hard andfinally managed to compose himself. So many emotions had run through him at once. It was hardto tell what he was thinking or feeling.

“My father... he used to be the Beta of Pomeni pack. His Alpha and best friend was KalebHathaway,” Payne explained.

I stared at him, frozen in place. I couldn't blink, I couldn“t speak. My mind was completely numb andblank.

What was Payne saying? Did we know each other?

"My father was Alpha Kaleb's most trusted subordinate and friend. He... treated us like family,especially since our mother died when we were very young,” he continued.

“You and Ashley,” I muttered to myself, shaking my head. I still felt like this information didn't quitefit in my brain.

Payne nodded. “Luna Jessica... She was like a second mother to us. Always so kind, so beautiful, andcaring. Sometimes, it felt like she saw us as her own children.”

My stomach fluttered with joy at knowing the kind of woman my mother was and sadness too,feeling how I would never know her kindness.

“When our pack grew bigger and stronger, the Luna and Alpha had you,” he told me.

“I don't understand... we knew each other...?" I asked, shaking my head.

Payne chuckled. “Probably not well. The pack got really busy and my dad often took Ashley and meon patrols and business trips with him because we didn't have a mother to watch us in the pack.Even if you did see me... well, you were so young, you wouldn't remember.”

Sighing, Payne looked away from me, his eyes angled to the ground.

I took a moment to process what he said. Payne and I were from the same pack? Why hadn't he saidanything sooner!?”

Slowly, Payne looked at me again.

“I'm sorry,” he said.

“For what?” I asked quickly.

“For not recognizing you at first. In my memory, you always had shiny, blond hair like your mother. Inever knew... You were just a little girl back then and looked quite different than you are now,” heexplained.

I shook my head. “This is... I've only just started learning about my past. I never thought I'd meetanyone that I knew back then.”

“Ashley and I didn't think we'd meet anyone from our pack again. We thought they were all... Butthey aren't. You're here and as the son of the Beta and you being the daughter of the Alpha andLuna... I should be your Beta,” he concluded, tying the conversation back into what we were talkingabout before.

“Payne I... Thank you. But... I'm not sure I'm worthy of your loyalty..." I shrugged, unsure what else tosay.

I'd only just learned that I was the daughter of an Alpha and a powerful witch Luna. The idea thatPayne wanted to pledge his loyalty to me...

I saw the look in his eyes. He cast his head down, a look of disappointment crossing his face.“Listen, Payne, you work for Soren because he is a trustworthy leader. He's proven himself. Me... I'mnobody. Just because my parents were Alpha and Luna, that doesn't mean I'm a good leader,” I toldhim, shrugging and sighing.

Payne smiled lightly. “I work for Soren because he saved me and Ashley.”

“l know..."

"He never expected us to pay that back, in fact, he has always expected that Ashley and I would takethe first opportunity we could to avenge our pack. And that is an opportunity we both keep lookingfor. Soren never held it against us and he won't ever forbid us from taking that opportunity when itcomes,” he said.

I licked my lips and nodded. Everything Payne was saying resonated with what I felt. I wantedrevenge for my parents and my pack. It turned out, we wanted revenge on the same people for thesame thing.

If he was willing to follow me, then perhaps the three of us working together made more sense thaninvolving Soren. At least, the three of us would understand each other's needs and desires on thismatter.

“Now that we've found you,” Payne continued, pulling me from my thoughts. “We actually havehope that we never had before. Hope has replaced the desire for revenge.”

"Hope? What do you mean?” I asked, furrowing my brow.

“It would be my honor to serve you as Beta, like my father served your father. And it would be bothmy honor and Ashley's to stand beside you, Miss Hathaway, the only heir to our Pomeni pack. Youare our hope to restore the pack,” he said.

"M-me?” I squeaked in a hoarse, raspy voice.

Panic thudded in my chest and I glanced from side to side. What was the fastest way to get out ofthere?

Payne spoke with such reverence, loyalty, and pure-heartedness. It was overwhelming. What had Idone to deserve that kind of loyalty and honor?

When I looked at him, I saw the gloss over his eyes. He looked like he could cry at any moment. Andthey were tears of happiness, joy, and hope. He was completely sincere and genuine.

Never in my life had anyone treated me like that. No one had ever shown me such respect,confidence, and sincerity. He wasn't just treating me like a friend, he was treating me like a superior.My shoulders sagged suddenly with the weight of the responsibility he had laid on me. It wasn't abad weight or a crushing weight. It was just the reminder of my birthright, beyond personalrevenge. There was more to my bloodline than pain and death.

Was it really my responsibility to rebuild the pack and restore hope?

Did I want that responsibility?

My heart grew heavy and I couldn't decide. It was so much to carry around with me when all Iwanted was my freedom and a peaceful, quiet life.

“Payne, I appreciate the gesture...” I said with a heavy sigh. “But I'm not Soren. I'm grateful that Ihave friends like you and Ashley but you don’t owe me anything. There is no need for you to do anyof this. I'm just Mila, okay? Please call me Mila like before...”

Payne bowed his head respectfully. “It is true that Soren saved my life, and Ashley's. However, youdid so too, once upon a time. We have owed you our lives longer than Soren.”

“What? No... I never-"

“You don't remember, of course not,” Payne said, cutting me off. "When you were young, after ourpack was destroyed, you ran into a girl and an injured boy... in a burned-out house.”

My mind shifted back to the dream April had put me in. I could so clearly see the injured boy andgirl. But I didn't know them... Did 1?

“You used your power to save that boy. It allowed him to bring his sister to safety, to protect herand feed her and keep her alive. Thanks to you, that boy is here today, standing before you now,talking to you... thanking you.”

My jaw dropped and my eyes widened. “Y-you... y-you're that b-boy?” I asked

Those two children had been so lost and alone. The girl was too young to be left alone and I knewwhat Payne had said was true. If I hadn't healed him, Ashley wouldn't have survived. She probablywouldn't have left that burnt-out house and starved or been killed by raiders.

Soren had been with me in that dream. He must have known that it was Payne and Ashley.

Was it a coincidence or fate that brought us all together now?

Payne smiled widely. “Goddess bless that we were able to replace you again!”

He bowed, lower this time, and used the special gesture he had from before. It must have been atraditional greeting from our pack.

"Whatever you decide, I will support you and protect you. Ashley will stand by you too. I believe thatthe three of us can rebuild our pack someday, but you don’t need to worry about that right now,”he offered.

I sighed and nodded, a little grateful that he wasn’t going to push me for an answer.

Laughter echoed through the woods and I whipped around. I'd practically forgotten that we weren'talone out here. Our conversation had been so intense!

Ashley and Eros came out from the bushes. Eros leaned in and whispered something to her.Immediately, Ashley started to laugh, her face reddening.

Payne's eyes narrowed.

“Did you get the herbs to treat Soren?” I asked before Payne could say anything.