Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder novel Chapter 301

Chapter 81 : The Moonstone Sinks into the Ocean

Maeve

Gemma was sitting at the kitchen island, pouring a hefty amount of cream into her coffee. She stirred in two spoonfuls of sugar before setting the spoon down and lifting the mug to her lips.

I was standing near the sink, the carafe of coffee in my hand as I prepared to pour myself a mug. It had been a long night with little sleep. Dad had finally gotten me into my bed, tucking me in without even giving me an opportunity to take my boots and coat off, acting like if he didn’t get me into bed and tuck me in like he used to when I was girl, I would disappear right before his eyes, like a dream.

I hadn’t even had a chance to talk to Mom. He had made her go back to bed before I even reached the top of the stairs.

Mom was always the first one awake in the mornings. I thought I’d

see her in the kitchen, making coffee. Instead, I made it myself, alone, until Gemma came in from where she had slept on the couch in the den.

“Is everyone staying in the house? The whole family?” I asked her as I poured a small cup of coffee. Cleo had been wary of the fact still preferred coffee over tea, saying something about the effects of caffeine during pregnancy, but I hadn’t listened.

Coffee in the morning was my ritual. I wasn’t the same without it. I did try to make it a bit weaker than I had before my pregnancy.

“Oh, not. Not usually. Talon and Ernest are in Mirage, so Georgia

wanted me to stay here instead of at home, so I wouldn’t be taking care of George all alone. Vicky’s girls wanted to put on a talent show for us last night, and it got late, so they stayed over. I don’t think they like staying in the castle, it’s more fun over here.”

“I’ve missed a lot, haven’t 1?” I couldn’t hide the hurt in my voice as I sat down on the stool across from her, reaching for the bottle of cream. She slid the sugar bowl toward me, smiling somberly.

“You missed a lot of drama, that’s for sure. But you’re here now; that’s all that matters.”

“Do you know where Troy is?” I hadn’t spoken to him since we left the ship, and Dad had shut me in my room, where Troy hadn’t joined me. Gemma pursed her lips, sighing deeply.

“Rowan made him sleep in the garage.”

“What? Why?”

“Because your dad wouldn’t let Rowan lock him out of the house entirely. I saw the three of them leaving the house early this morning when Georgia came into get George so I could sleep a

little longer.”

Gemma didn’t seem concerned, but I was reeling. She noticed this and shook her head, sipping from her coffee. “They’re not going to kill him, Maeve.”

“Are you sure? Rowan and Troy beat each other up pretty good last night.”

“Well, based on what Rowan’s face looked like this morning, I would say Troy was the winner, huh?” Her eyes twinkled with mirth

as she set her mug down, turning it in a circle.

I heard footsteps in the foyer, and Georgia appeared, carrying George against her shoulder. He was roughly two months old and very active, squirming and chomping down on her shoulder.

“He’s trying to eat me,” she laughed, handing him to Gemma and running her finger along his cheek and tickling him under the two sets of rolls beneath his chin.

He grinned, his dark blue eyes creasing up at his grandmother. “And I said I have nothing for him. That time for me has passed!” Georgia said in a goofy voice that George seemed to love. He cooed and squealed, then promptly turned his head toward Gemma’s chest, rooting with vigor.

“Oh, he’d try. Trust me. Ernest had to start sleeping with a shirt on because George got him once when he was sleeping between us. I think it scared Ernest to death, he wasn’t expecting it.”

“Ah, men and their useless nipples.” Georgia kissed Gemma on the top of the head as she passed by, heading toward the den. She stopped to squeeze my shoulder and kiss me on the cheek, unusual behavior on Georgia’s part who I had always considered the crazy aunt who had taught us bad words and encouraged us to be naughty in front of our parents.

“When will Mom be up?” I asked Gemma, turning to face her. Gemma was fumbling with the buttons of her flannel shirt, making shushing sounds to George as he began to fuss.

“She sleeps late now. It’s been hard for her since… well, Ethan told me I couldn’t say anything to you, Maeve. I’m sorry.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s something you have to talk about with your mom. He said it… wasn’t my business. He’s been a real crab lately.”

“Something bad happened, didn’t it?”

“Yeah… it was bad. But ….” She looked into my eyes, sighing. “Do you remember my necklace? The one my mother left me. You saw it once in Mirage, you mentioned it”

“Yeah, I remember…” A chill ran up my spine, picturing the dainty necklace in my mind.

“Well, it has powers,”

I stumbled out of the chair, spilling my coffee. George unlatched from Gemma and twisted his face into a grimace, surprised by the noise. He wailed, clenching his tiny fists.

“Maeve! What’s the matter?”

I was already sprinting through the house, sliding to a stop in front of the front door. I pulled one of Rowan’s coats on and slipped my feet into a pair of my dad’s rubber boots that were sitting by the door before I ran outside.

I slowed on the stairs, careful not to slip, but started running again once I hit the driveway, one arm cradling my huge stomach as I ran through the gate and down the snow-covered road.

***

The cruiser was docked at the port, covered in snow. Duck was running through the snow on the dock, playfully barking as he pounced, sticking his long snout into the snowdrifts sneezing, thoroughly enjoying himself. “Duck!” I called to him, breathing heavy as I skidded to a stop on the slippery planks of the dock. Duck barked at me in reply, his tail wagging.

Dad walked onto the upper deck of the cruiser, crossing his arms

over his chest as he looked down at me. “What the hell are you doing out here in your pajamas, Maeve? It’s freezing.”

“Where’s Troy?” I said in a strained voice, struggling to catch my breath. I was very much looking forward to not carrying around an extra sixty or seventy pounds when this pregnancy was over.

Troy walked up to the railing, and I sighed with relief, leaning forward with my hands on my knees.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice brimming with concern.

“G-Gemma has the other moonstone-” | cried, looking back up at them. It had started to snow again, fine flakes that fell in a dizzying pattern. It was more like the flakes were suspended in the air, and I was suddenly dizzy, unable to differentiate the sky from the ground. It was all the same color.

I sat in the snow with a crunch, and both Troy and Dad ran from the deck and were at my side in a matter of seconds.

“She was wearing it the night she died. I was trying to help her when Ernest was carrying her out of the castle, and he pushed me away. My hand grazed her chest, I felt the necklace on my hand. It-it stung me. I remember,”

My vision blurred, and suddenly I was flat on my back, Dad and Troy leaning over me with their faces darkened with concern.

“Nice to see you too, idiot!” I hissed. Rowan dramatically put his hand over his heart, pretending he was going to faint in a dramatic way.

“I got it! I got it-” Troy was walking briskly forward, holding the moonstone up in the air. I turned, making Dad come to an abrupt stop. Duck was barking at him, baring his death.

Rowan lost his balance and grabbed onto Troy’s arm, and the two of them fell off the dock into the swallow, icy water.

“Meeting the prisoner… again,” he said shortly, talking about Opaline. I hadn’t even thought of her since we‘d reached Winter Forest.