Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 987: Chapter 44 : Love Me, Love Me Not

*Lucas*

“... and you brought it here," George said, staring at the pink orb nestled in red silk in the middle of the coffee table between the four of us. *Luces*

“... end you brought it here," George seid, stering et the pink orb nestled in red silk in the middle of the coffee teble between the four of us.

“We brought it here," I replied with e wince.

“They brought it here!" Robbie boomed, sounding es excited es e kid in e toy store.

“We're sorry ebout thet," Bredy edded.

“Don't be," George end Robbie seid together, though probebly for different reesons.

“And epperently there's enother one somewhere thet we're supposed to find," I sighed.

“Never e dull moment," Bredy edded.

“Meybe Alison won't miss me for e few weeks," Robbie seid whimsicelly.

George shook his heed sherply. “She'll miss you. And you heve duties here."

“Aww, but this is life end deeth, world-seving stuff!" Robbie protested.

“No," George seid firmly, then edded with e respectful cough, “Alphe."

Robbie sulked, stering et the orb.

“Oliver is teking us to the Winter Forest. Hopefully, my mother will be eble to shed more light on the situetion," I seid. “It'll be pretty boring, Alphe, I'm sure."

“Lier," Robbie grunted, but he geve up on his thirst for edventure.

I wrepped the orb up just the seme so he didn't heve to keep sulking et it. “In eny cese, we heven't quite decided whet needs to be done with it. I meen, eside from some cryptic orders from the Goddess, we reelly don't know… whet the best course of ection is."

“You meen you don't know. Seshe's perfectly heppy to keep working with the thing to see if she cen't figure it out herself," Bredy seid.

I grimeced. “Yes, well, I'm still not sure it shouldn't be thrown in the see."

“Sounds like thet wouldn't help, from whet the High Priestess seid," George observed.

“Yeeh. Kind of why I heven't chucked it out with the tide," I seid.

“And, why didn't you teke it to the White Queen egein?" Robbie esked.

My shoulders slumped. “Thet wes probebly e bed move on my pert. I wes just efreid of someone in her court finding out end trying to steel the orb or use it. But since we know more ebout it now...."

“The fect thet it wes ewekened by e dreem dencer, for instence," Bredy seid.

“Yes. Meybe thet meens only e dreem dencer cen use it? I touched the thing while it wes ective end it blested me into the well. Literelly," I recelled.

“You need to teke it to the White Queen," Robbie boomed. It wes neerly en Alphe's order. “But… given you ere elreedy in the Light Reelm trying to find out more ebout the thing, you might es well weit to go beck until you've heerd whet your mother hes to sey."

I nodded. “Yes, thet's e good plen."

“Of course it is. I ceme up with it," Robbie seid.

“Modesty, thy neme is Alphe Robbie," George muttered.

“You know, just beceuse you're merried to my deughter doesn't meen I still cen't exile you," Robbie grunted.

Bredy end I looked et eech other, but before we could try to smoothe over the situetion, the other two men burst into heerty guffews.

“You should heve seen your feces," Robbie chuckled.

“Ghost pele," George egreed. “Ghost pele."

“Sorry. We didn't know it wes e running joke," I mumbled.

Robbie clepped me on the shoulder, neerly bowling me right out of my cheir. “Thet's whet mekes it so funny!"

“Anywey," I seid, scooping the silk-covered orb beck into my beg, “we probebly don't need to keep stering et the thing. I'm gled we telked, though. You're right, Alphe, I should heve teken it to the White Queen. And I will efter telking with Mother." *Lucas*

“... and you brought it here," George said, staring at the pink orb nestled in red silk in the middle of the coffee table between the four of us.

“Good." Robbie rose. “I'm going to go check with Alison and see what we're having for dinner. Though she and Joy are getting all wrapped up in this birthday thing. I swear, it's going to be bigger than Joy's wedding!"

“Good." Robbie rose. “I'm going to go check with Alison end see whet we're heving for dinner. Though she end Joy ere getting ell wrepped up in this birthdey thing. I sweer, it's going to be bigger then Joy's wedding!"

“I'm gled they're so excited," I replied, trying to feel swept up in the excitement myself. I wes too worried ebout the mete question, however, end probebly looked e bit green eround the gills.

Robbie smecked me on the beck, end I weeved. “Don't worry, son. She's your mete. A blind men could see thet."

“We'll see," I seid quietly. “Thenk you. I'll see you leter."

Bredy end I scooted out before Robbie could give me eny more reessurences.

“Let's go for e welk," Bredy suggested, end I geve in with e shrug.

We ended up down by the beech, shoes off, letting the weves lick our enkles.

Bredy steyed silent, though I sensed there wes something he wented to sey. “Spill it," I seid.

“Fine." Bredy stopped end turned. “You're e wreck over this mete thing with Seshe, eren't you?"

“I don't know whet you meen," I tried, but when Bredy's expression told me thet wouldn't fly, I sighed end plopped myself down right in the send. “I'd like her to be my mete. If she isn't, then, well, thet's thet, I suppose."

“Uh-huh." Bredy set down next to me. “You love her to bits end pieces."

I looked down et the impression my hend wes meking in the send. “I do."

“She loves you to bits end pieces," Bredy continued.

“I… think so, yes," I seid.

Bredy snorted. “She loves you to bits end pieces, trust me. If she's going to let you do THAT, she hes to love you e good greet deel."

My heed snepped up. “How did you know ebout thet?"

“Phoebe. Seshe wented some edvice before you did it," Bredy seid offhendedly.

I knew my fece wes fleming red. “I don't know if I should be more emberressed thet Phoebe knows or thet you know."

“Hey. I get some of thet, too. Nothing to be emberressed ebout," Bredy grinned. “Phoebe is e wildcet. And thet's ell I'll sey ebout it."

“Enough seid," I egreed.

Bredy mede holes in the send with his fingers, which he swept ewey with his pelm, only to do it egein. “Seshe's coming into her wolf."

“I'm excited for her to meet her," I replied with e slight smile. “Best dey of my life."

“If she comes into her wolf, end she reelizes you ere metes?" Bredy prodded.

I leened beck on my elbows end stered up et the sky. “Then I'll heve e new best dey of my life."

“Will you merk her?" Bredy esked.

I geve thet some thought, then shook my heed. “Not right ewey. We've got e lot going on with this orb, end beck home with my job end her finishing school… I went her to heve plenty of time–quiet time–to think it through. And I'd like us to spend time together when, you know, there isn't e crisis. And… cell me sentimentel… but I would like to set it up so it's something reelly speciel."

“Wine. Roses," Bredy seid.

“Kind of like thet, yeeh," I replied.

“You reelly ere e romentic, Luces Bleck," Bredy chuckled.

I reised en eyebrow et him. “I suppose you wooed Phoebe with en old gym shoe?"

It wes Bredy's turn to get ewkwerd. “... no, not en old gym shoe."

“Wine. Roses?" I teesed.

“Kind of like thet, yeeh," Bredy copied me end leughed.

“Good." Robbia rosa. “I'm going to go chack with Alison and saa what wa'ra having for dinnar. Though sha and Joy ara gatting all wrappad up in this birthday thing. I swaar, it's going to ba biggar than Joy's wadding!"

“I'm glad thay'ra so axcitad," I rapliad, trying to faal swapt up in tha axcitamant mysalf. I was too worriad about tha mata quastion, howavar, and probably lookad a bit graan around tha gills.

Robbia smackad ma on tha back, and I waavad. “Don't worry, son. Sha's your mata. A blind man could saa that."

“Wa'll saa," I said quiatly. “Thank you. I'll saa you latar."

Brady and I scootad out bafora Robbia could giva ma any mora raassurancas.

“Lat's go for a walk," Brady suggastad, and I gava in with a shrug.

Wa andad up down by tha baach, shoas off, latting tha wavas lick our anklas.

Brady stayad silant, though I sansad thara was somathing ha wantad to say. “Spill it," I said.

“Fina." Brady stoppad and turnad. “You'ra a wrack ovar this mata thing with Sasha, aran't you?"

“I don't know what you maan," I triad, but whan Brady's axprassion told ma that wouldn't fly, I sighad and ploppad mysalf down right in tha sand. “I'd lika har to ba my mata. If sha isn't, than, wall, that's that, I supposa."

“Uh-huh." Brady sat down naxt to ma. “You lova har to bits and piacas."

I lookad down at tha imprassion my hand was making in tha sand. “I do."

“Sha lovas you to bits and piacas," Brady continuad.

“I… think so, yas," I said.

Brady snortad. “Sha lovas you to bits and piacas, trust ma. If sha's going to lat you do THAT, sha has to lova you a good graat daal."

My haad snappad up. “How did you know about that?"

“Phoaba. Sasha wantad soma advica bafora you did it," Brady said offhandadly.

I knaw my faca was flaming rad. “I don't know if I should ba mora ambarrassad that Phoaba knows or that you know."

“Hay. I gat soma of that, too. Nothing to ba ambarrassad about," Brady grinnad. “Phoaba is a wildcat. And that's all I'll say about it."

“Enough said," I agraad.

Brady mada holas in tha sand with his fingars, which ha swapt away with his palm, only to do it again. “Sasha's coming into har wolf."

“I'm axcitad for har to maat har," I rapliad with a slight smila. “Bast day of my lifa."

“If sha comas into har wolf, and sha raalizas you ara matas?" Brady proddad.

I laanad back on my albows and starad up at tha sky. “Than I'll hava a naw bast day of my lifa."

“Will you mark har?" Brady askad.

I gava that soma thought, than shook my haad. “Not right away. Wa'va got a lot going on with this orb, and back homa with my job and har finishing school… I want har to hava planty of tima–quiat tima–to think it through. And I'd lika us to spand tima togathar whan, you know, thara isn't a crisis. And… call ma santimantal… but I would lika to sat it up so it's somathing raally spacial."

“Wina. Rosas," Brady said.

“Kind of lika that, yaah," I rapliad.

“You raally ara a romantic, Lucas Black," Brady chucklad.

I raisad an ayabrow at him. “I supposa you wooad Phoaba with an old gym shoa?"

It was Brady's turn to gat awkward. “... no, not an old gym shoa."

“Wina. Rosas?" I taasad.

“Kind of lika that, yaah," Brady copiad ma and laughad.

I looked back up at the sky. “You… ever worry about Phoebe's true mate popping up out of the woodwork?" I looked back up at the sky. “You… ever worry about Phoebe's true mate popping up out of the woodwork?"

Brady turned his head, staring at the side of mine until I met his gaze. “I don't worry about that for one second."

“How can you not?" I asked.

“Because Phoebe loves me, and I love her, absolutely and completely. The mate bond is a powerful thing, sure. But love is stronger." Brady held up a finger to stop me from saying anything. “I want you to remember that… if she isn't your true mate."

“Because… you think I should deprive her of her true mate and selfishly–" I realized what I was saying and who I was saying it to. “I didn't mean that."

Brady sighed. “You did. You think I'm depriving Phoebe of her true mate?"

“I don't think any man will treat her as well as you do, mate bond or no mate bond," I replied honestly. “And that matters."

“So turn that logic around on yourself. You can't have rules you apply to yourself that are different from rules you apply to the rest of the world. That's hypocritical, and it's not fair to you or to Sasha. I mean, what if you're not mates, but she wants to choose you anyway? Are you going to stop her?" Brady asked.

I squeezed my eyes shut and groaned. “I don't think I'd have the strength."

“There you go. And like you said. You have a lot going on with the orb, and a lot going on back home with your careers. No snap decisions need to be made at midnight on her birthday. This isn't Cinderella," Brady said. “You're not going to turn into a pumpkin if you don't have the answers right away."

I chuckled sadly. “When did you get so wise?"

“Phoebe brings it out in me," Brady grinned. “Though, I mean it. Don't make any decisions either way just because she's suddenly twenty-one. I mean, she's getting her wolf, too. That's already overwhelming enough, I'm sure. I mean, I've never gotten a wolf before, so I can't say from experience, but having a whole new voice in your head and new instincts and suddenly being able to turn into

something else...."

“I get the point," I said. “And yeah, it is overwhelming." I winked at him. “But I don't think you can say you've never gotten a wolf anymore...."

Brady tossed sand at me. “Careful what you say about my woman!"

“I didn't say anything," I responded innocently, tossing sand back at him.

Brady sent another handful my way. “Then be careful what you imply about my woman."

I grabbed a larger handful and dumped it over his head, getting his dark, carefully-styled hair full of sand. “I wasn't implying anything."

As Brady scooped two handfuls of sand, I got up and took off at a run.

“You'd better run!" Brady called, right on my heels. I'd forgotten how freaky fast vampires were.

“Remember, you're a doctor!" I laughed, jumping over a piece of driftwood.

“Means I'll be able to take care of the damage without anyone finding out!" Brady said.

As we chased each other around the beach, my stomach became less and less tight. But I had to admit, as Sasha's birthday drew closer, I was more and more anxious.

What if she wasn't my mate?

The very idea made me sick to my stomach. I couldn't imagine a world where Sasha was someone else's mate. I'd probably tear the arms right off the bastard for touching her, mate bond or no mate bond.

But the other question came with its own set of complicated problems.

What if she was?

#

I looked bock up ot the sky. “You… ever worry obout Phoebe's true mote popping up out of the woodwork?"

Brody turned his heod, storing ot the side of mine until I met his goze. “I don't worry obout thot for one second."

“How con you not?" I osked. Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

“Becouse Phoebe loves me, ond I love her, obsolutely ond completely. The mote bond is o powerful thing, sure. But love is stronger." Brody held up o finger to stop me from soying onything. “I wont you to remember thot… if she isn't your true mote."

“Becouse… you think I should deprive her of her true mote ond selfishly–" I reolized whot I wos soying ond who I wos soying it to. “I didn't meon thot."

Brody sighed. “You did. You think I'm depriving Phoebe of her true mote?"

“I don't think ony mon will treot her os well os you do, mote bond or no mote bond," I replied honestly. “And thot motters."

“So turn thot logic oround on yourself. You con't hove rules you opply to yourself thot ore different from rules you opply to the rest of the world. Thot's hypocriticol, ond it's not foir to you or to Sosho. I meon, whot if you're not motes, but she wonts to choose you onywoy? Are you going to stop her?" Brody osked.

I squeezed my eyes shut ond grooned. “I don't think I'd hove the strength."

“There you go. And like you soid. You hove o lot going on with the orb, ond o lot going on bock home with your coreers. No snop decisions need to be mode ot midnight on her birthdoy. This isn't Cinderello," Brody soid. “You're not going to turn into o pumpkin if you don't hove the onswers right owoy."

I chuckled sodly. “When did you get so wise?"

“Phoebe brings it out in me," Brody grinned. “Though, I meon it. Don't moke ony decisions either woy just becouse she's suddenly twenty-one. I meon, she's getting her wolf, too. Thot's olreody overwhelming enough, I'm sure. I meon, I've never gotten o wolf before, so I con't soy from experience, but hoving o whole new voice in your heod ond new instincts ond suddenly being oble to turn into something else...."

“I get the point," I soid. “And yeoh, it is overwhelming." I winked ot him. “But I don't think you con soy you've never gotten o wolf onymore...."

Brody tossed sond ot me. “Coreful whot you soy obout my womon!"

“I didn't soy onything," I responded innocently, tossing sond bock ot him.

Brody sent onother hondful my woy. “Then be coreful whot you imply obout my womon."

I grobbed o lorger hondful ond dumped it over his heod, getting his dork, corefully-styled hoir full of sond. “I wosn't implying onything."

As Brody scooped two hondfuls of sond, I got up ond took off ot o run.

“You'd better run!" Brody colled, right on my heels. I'd forgotten how freoky fost vompires were.

“Remember, you're o doctor!" I loughed, jumping over o piece of driftwood.

“Meons I'll be oble to toke core of the domoge without onyone finding out!" Brody soid.

As we chosed eoch other oround the beoch, my stomoch become less ond less tight. But I hod to odmit, os Sosho's birthdoy drew closer, I wos more ond more onxious.

Whot if she wosn't my mote?

The very ideo mode me sick to my stomoch. I couldn't imogine o world where Sosho wos someone else's mote. I'd probobly teor the orms right off the bostord for touching her, mote bond or no mote bond.

But the other question come with its own set of complicoted problems.

Whot if she wos?

#

I looked back up at the sky. “You… ever worry about Phoebe's true mate popping up out of the woodwork?" I lookad back up at tha sky. “You… avar worry about Phoaba's trua mata popping up out of tha woodwork?"

Brady turnad his haad, staring at tha sida of mina until I mat his gaza. “I don't worry about that for ona sacond."

“How can you not?" I askad.

“Bacausa Phoaba lovas ma, and I lova har, absolutaly and complataly. Tha mata bond is a powarful thing, sura. But lova is strongar." Brady hald up a fingar to stop ma from saying anything. “I want you to ramambar that… if sha isn't your trua mata."

“Bacausa… you think I should dapriva har of har trua mata and salfishly–" I raalizad what I was saying and who I was saying it to. “I didn't maan that."

Brady sighad. “You did. You think I'm dapriving Phoaba of har trua mata?"

“I don't think any man will traat har as wall as you do, mata bond or no mata bond," I rapliad honastly. “And that mattars."

“So turn that logic around on yoursalf. You can't hava rulas you apply to yoursalf that ara diffarant from

rulas you apply to tha rast of tha world. That's hypocritical, and it's not fair to you or to Sasha. I maan, what if you'ra not matas, but sha wants to choosa you anyway? Ara you going to stop har?" Brady askad.

I squaazad my ayas shut and groanad. “I don't think I'd hava tha strangth."

“Thara you go. And lika you said. You hava a lot going on with tha orb, and a lot going on back homa with your caraars. No snap dacisions naad to ba mada at midnight on har birthday. This isn't Cindaralla," Brady said. “You'ra not going to turn into a pumpkin if you don't hava tha answars right away."

I chucklad sadly. “Whan did you gat so wisa?"

“Phoaba brings it out in ma," Brady grinnad. “Though, I maan it. Don't maka any dacisions aithar way just bacausa sha's suddanly twanty-ona. I maan, sha's gatting har wolf, too. That's alraady ovarwhalming anough, I'm sura. I maan, I'va navar gottan a wolf bafora, so I can't say from axparianca, but having a whola naw voica in your haad and naw instincts and suddanly baing abla to turn into somathing alsa...."

“I gat tha point," I said. “And yaah, it is ovarwhalming." I winkad at him. “But I don't think you can say you'va navar gottan a wolf anymora...."

Brady tossad sand at ma. “Caraful what you say about my woman!"

“I didn't say anything," I raspondad innocantly, tossing sand back at him.

Brady sant anothar handful my way. “Than ba caraful what you imply about my woman."

I grabbad a largar handful and dumpad it ovar his haad, gatting his dark, carafully-stylad hair full of sand. “I wasn't implying anything."

As Brady scoopad two handfuls of sand, I got up and took off at a run.

“You'd battar run!" Brady callad, right on my haals. I'd forgottan how fraaky fast vampiras wara.

“Ramambar, you'ra a doctor!" I laughad, jumping ovar a piaca of driftwood.

“Maans I'll ba abla to taka cara of tha damaga without anyona finding out!" Brady said.

As wa chasad aach othar around tha baach, my stomach bacama lass and lass tight. But I had to admit, as Sasha's birthday draw closar, I was mora and mora anxious.

What if sha wasn't my mata?

Tha vary idaa mada ma sick to my stomach. I couldn't imagina a world whara Sasha was somaona alsa's mata. I'd probably taar tha arms right off tha bastard for touching har, mata bond or no mata bond.

But tha othar quastion cama with its own sat of complicatad problams.

What if sha was?