Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder novel Chapter 797

Chapter 8 : A Witch is Near

*Jared*

I was watching two teenagers beat the s**t out of each other, both of them covered to their ears in mud. Archer was barking commands and encouragement as the youths sparred, working on their stealth and awareness. It didn't feel that long ago that I had stepped into the ring for the first time, just as scrawny and full of confidence as these two boys were.

Now I leaned against the railing, watching my second-in-command lead the training sessions that used to be solely my responsibility. I flexed my hands, drawing them into fists. How much time did I have now, four months? Five, at the most.

Archer called the match to a halt, stepping between the two youths as they swayed and tried to steady themselves. He showed one of them how to strike without breaking his knuckles against his opponent's flesh, which was something I wish I'd known before getting into my first real fight.

It was a tough world out there for young, packless men. It was especially harder for those who hadn't yet come into their powers. Fighting with swords, daggers, and fists was their only option.

In two short years, the teens sparring in the ring would turn twenty-one and feel their wolves for the first time. There would be a celebration for them. The entire village would gather and shift and run into the woods beside them. These boys would be ready. They'd be strong and capable. And, if they were smart, they'd survive.

I wouldn't be there to witness it.

I ran my fingers through my hair, squinting into the bright, midday sun. Archer appeared at my side, mud-soaked and sweating. He took a swig of water from a large clay jug, one finger outstretched.

“What is she doing?" he asked through a mouthful of water.

I followed his gaze and saw Eliza walking through the village, her eyes downcast. She was swinging a large basket, her steps somewhat uneven on the mud and ice. I squinted at her, seeing her mouth curved into a playful, somewhat mischievous smile.

“She's daydreaming," I said softly, chuckling to myself as she stubbed her booted toe on a rock. She grimaced, muttering to herself before starting forward again.

“Who let her out of the house?" Brandt asked as he came up beside us.

“Maybe she's making a run for it–" Archer began, but I shook my head, still watching her with interest.

“She's not," I said under my breath. I found it highly likely she was coming to the sparring ring to fight with me again. I'd spent the entire night lying awake in bed, staring at the ceiling and going over every single word she'd said in my study.

I was more suspicious of her now than I had been when I rescued her from the breeder auction. She was far more educated than I'd realized, and in history, of all things.

I leaned against the railing as she continued toward the sparring ring, swinging her basket.

I wondered what she was going to fight with me about this time. She was going to flaunt the fact that she'd escaped the house–I was sure of that at least.

But she walked, and walked, and walked… right past the ring.

“Where–" Archer began, but I didn't hear the rest of his question.

I leaped over the railing, landing in the snow melt and mud with a splat that soaked through my boots and into my socks.

Eliza was walking straight out of the village, toward the Dark Forest.

***

“Get your ass back to the house!" I growled, grabbing her by the forearm.

She swatted at me, but I dodged her blow, tugging her toward me and away from the darkness that seemed to be creeping toward us.

“Or what?" she hissed, digging her fingernails into my hand.

I let out my breath, not in the mood to deal with her aggression, not today… not right now, and definitely not here. The windchimes in the distance danced and trembled, sending a chorus of bells through the air. My skin prickled with adrenaline as the wind ebbed around us before flowing back in the direction it came, like the forest itself was breathing.

“This place is dangerous," I said firmly, shoving her toward the village.

She dug in her heels, glaring at me.

“Well, Miriam sent me here!"

Miriam hadn't sent her here, not to the forest, or the healer for that matter. Our healer, an ancient gentleman named Ramus, had been on a journey up north for weeks, on an errand for me pertaining to my condition.

The note Miriam had sent with Eliza, which Eliza hadn't read, was to me. “Be nice to her," it read. “You could use some company of equal intelligence and–". I hadn't bothered to read the rest before I had crushed the note in my fist and tossed it into the woods.

Miriam sent her in this direction because she knew Eliza would have to walk past the sparring ring. Eliza would see us here and be curious, no doubt. But she hadn't accounted for Eliza being totally distracted by her own internal thoughts to pay attention to where she was going.

And now the forest was whispering Eliza's name, trying to draw her in.

“Look," I said bluntly, taking her by the shoulders. She glowered at me, but stood still, which was an improvement from trying to hit me. “There are things in those woods that are extremely dangerous."

“Like fairies and elves?"

I blinked down at her, furrowing my brow.

“Who told you there are fairies–never mind. No. That's what we tell children to keep them out of the woods and so that they mind their parents–"

“But I saw a group of boys going into the woods on the other side of the village!"

I turned her toward the village, pointing into the distance where the trees were sparse and backed by rolling hills. “This place is sheltered by two forests. The forest of Ortiz to the south, which leads to the sea," I breathed, reluctantly giving this directional information away, “and to the north, the Dark Forest. There's one place where they touch, but it's far from here."

“Why build your village here if it's so dangerous?"

“Because no one would risk the trials of the Dark Forest. My village is safe here. My people are sheltered," I said, and to my relief she nodded, the tension in her shoulders loosen as she took a shuddering breath.

Eliza looked behind us at the Dark Forest once more before looking up at me, meeting my eyes.

“I didn't know–"

“I know," I said softly. I was fighting off a smile, and not a smile meant for her, but one for me. Eliza was surrendering.

Eliza didn't break from my gaze. She was searching my eyes, a look crossing her face that made me want to take a step away from her.

“What?" I asked, tucking my hands behind my back.

“You have strange eyes," she said casually, tilting her head to inspect me from a new angle.

“Uh, thanks–"

“Not in a bad way," she corrected, taking a step toward me, effectively closing the distance between us. “In a familiar way, actually."

Something roiled within my chest, a silent warning. Familiar? No one outside of my family had eyes like mine that I knew of. And, well, it was likely those family members had no idea I existed.

A chill ran through me as clouds began to gather overhead, blocking the sun.

“It's going to rain," I said, my eyes still locked on hers. “You should go back to the house."

“I wasn't trying to escape, just so you know."

“I–I know," I huffed, giving her an annoyed glare. “I said, you should go back to the house before–"

“Before it rains, I heard you," she sighed, tucking her hands in the pockets of her apron. She looked… disappointed, maybe even bored.

felt a pang of regret at the look on her face and almost offered my study to her, but quickly banished the thought from my mind. What was wrong with me? One sad look from the girl had me practically giving her whatever she wanted.

“The library," I began, but she shook her head and turned to the village, walking away. I was the one who was a little disappointed now. “Eliza," I said, and she turned her head to look at me over her shoulder. Her eyes shone like gems in the deepening gray light, her hair a soft brown halo around her delicate face. I found myself at a loss for words for a moment. I hadn't noticed the streaks of honey blonde and deep cherry that ran through her hair, brought out now by the overcast sky. She was striking.

“Yes, Jared?"

“Thank you for not fighting with me on this," I said, then gritted my teeth as I realized my mistake. Her eyes seemed to gleam with mischief, and maybe even a flicker of heat.

“Some other time," she replied, and it was a promise.

I let out my breath as she walked away. I stood still, watching her until her figure became blurred by an onslaught of rain.

I picked up the basket she'd left behind, carrying it to the sparring ring, which was now empty save for Brandt and Archer, who'd been waiting for me.

“What was that all about?" Archer laughed, blinking into the downpour.

“Miriam is up to her old tricks," I mused, wiping rain from my face.

Archer raised his brows but said nothing further as he climbed over the railing, the two of us walking toward the house. Brandt didn't follow. I wasn't sure what Brandt got up to most days. I'd never asked.

After a moment I paused to look over my shoulder toward the forest, which was nothing but all-encompassing darkness now.

“What?" Archer said, following my gaze with a hand on the dagger he always kept along his belt.

“There's a witch nearby," I replied. “Close. Possibly on the same trail we need to take to get to Aeris if the southern trail is impassable."

“Great. I f*****g love witches," Archer said sarcastically, tapping his fingers on his dagger.

I made a noise of agreement low in my throat. Archer went into the house, leaving me standing in the kitchen garden, my eyes still locked on the darkness in the distance.

I'd felt the power radiating toward Eliza while I stood with her on the outskirts of the Dark Forest. I'd felt her lost to it for a moment, not even aware that I'd been calling her name when I first approached.

“Like calls to like," I whispered into the rain, trying to make sense of the thoughts rushing through my mind.

I doubted Eliza was a witch.

But she was something. And maybe, just maybe, she was something I needed, in more ways than one.

I turned into the house, shutting the door firmly behind me, and then went to my study.