Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder novel Chapter 805

Chapter 16 : Into the Woods

I'd never felt that kind of magnetic heat. It'd been like my body wasn't my own anymore, begging to be claimed.

I wasn't a total novice. I'd gone to the University of Mirage, for Goddess's sake, the party capital of the pack lands. There had been times when a drunken kiss had gone further than I'd expected but… I'd never felt what I'd felt with Jared. Even the guy I thought I'd been in love with couldn't hold a flame to what I was feeling now. A single kiss from Jared had sent me spiraling into a haze where my mind had no control over my actions, and if I let it happen again, it would ruin me. He would ruin me.

This wasn't the usual run-of-the-mill attraction.

It was safe to say I hadn't slept at all after I'd peeled myself from his desk and reluctantly left his study.

I woke the next morning to Archer coming through my bedroom door carrying a pile of clothing and outdoor wear. He tossed it in a heap on top of me, telling me I had ten minutes to get dressed.

My heart was in my throat the entire time I struggled into the clothing. Flexible thermal leggings and a matching shirt were paired with thick wool socks and an even thicker wool jacket that brushed against my knees, several sizes too big. The boots I'd been given were new, and exactly my size.

I felt like I was dressing for an execution. I looked around the room, my eyes resting on a still-sleeping Scarlett curled up in her bed.

If Jared was serious about taking me to Aeris, well, I'd never see her again… or Miriam, or Giselle, or any of the other friends I'd made during my time at his house.

I didn't know where I stood with Jared now, not after what happened.

But that kiss had kept me up all night. I bleakly wondered if he'd been thinking about it, too.

“Come on, we're burning daylight," Archer said as I stepped out into the darkened hallway.

“The sun hasn't even come up," I murmured, shifting the weight of the heavy backpack he'd given me. I wasn't sure what was inside, but it was enough to strain against my shoulders as I followed him outside and into the mist-covered village.

The remnants of the party last night were visible in the gray morning light. Fog snaked around choked-out warming fires where the embers were still burning, sputtering under a blanket of moisture. There were even a few people curled up in their wolf forms, asleep where they'd fallen.

I could make out two figures standing in the distance, but that was it. Brandt and Jared were talking amongst themselves, decked out for our journey.

“Where's everyone else?" I asked, a little hesitant as the four of us caught up to each other. Jared didn't look down at me as Brandt turned to greet us.

“It's just going to be us," Brandt replied, giving me a soft smile in greeting.

“Let's get going, then," Archer said, pulling a thermos from his backpack and tossing it to me. “You're carrying the coffee."

“Okay," I murmured, a jolt of apprehension shooting up my spine as the three men started to turn toward the still-dark forest ahead of me. I wanted to ask why we were going this way, but in truth, I had no idea where Aeris lived. I found it easier to just keep my mouth shut.

“Keep up," Jared said to us as we crossed the healer's cottage.

glanced back at me, his eyes grazing my face. He looked to be checking on me, and I gave him a soft smile in response. But he didn't smile back. He simply turned his gaze back to the forest and put a few paces worth of distance between us.

Ouch.

Archer and Jared took the lead as we crossed beneath the windchimes and charms, which were silent and still. Brandt ended up walking next to me, keeping in step with me as the village fell away behind us.

We'd make camp eventually. The men would rest.

Would I finally take the opportunity to run?

***

Hours had passed, of that I was sure. I was getting tired, and hadn't eaten anything since the morning before. I didn't have the nerve to ask to stop, not after what had happened between me and Jared. The usual fire in my soul was nothing but a dying ember. I spent several hours passing the thermos of coffee back and forth between the three men. That was my job, apparently–coffee girl. But when it came time for me to take a swig, I found the coffee to be laced with a heavy dose of whiskey that had me seeing stars for several minutes.

“Usually we'd take the whole crew," Brandt mused. He'd been talking at me for some time, but I hadn't had much to say in response so far. “It's strange having only a crew of four."

“Three," I corrected, a little hotly. “I'm just goods."

He gave me an odd look, then laughed lightly, “What're you talking about? You're part of our crew now."

“Jared said he's taking me to Aeris–"

“Taking you with us, not to him. You're part of our crew now. A bandit, a bounty hunter–"

“A brute, or sadistic savage. Whatever floats your boat, Eliza," Archer chimed in, walking several paces in front of us with Jared.

I gaped at him, my cheeks going red. Brandt looked thoroughly confused, but Jared nearly stopped walking altogether.

He turned to Archer, whispering something under his breath that sounded like, “What did you hear?"

Archer was a little too smug for my liking. I felt that internal flame ignite as he looked over his shoulder at me, his cheek dimpling with mischief. Jared looked at me for the first time in several hours, but I couldn't tell if his expression was apologetic or just willing me to keep my mouth shut.

Anyway, f**k him.

“You're a piece of work, Archer," I bit out.

“A piece of work that will save your ass if anything comes bounding out of the woods to try to make a meal of you," he retorted, winking at me.

“That's enough," Jared said sharply.

We'd stopped walking and were now in a small clearing surrounded by towering trees. The forest was so dense that I couldn't see more than a quarter mile in any direction.

“Everyone is obviously tired and hungry. It's getting dark–"

“It's been dark," I corrected.

Jared exhaled, looking annoyed. “As I was saying," he ground out, narrowing his eyes at me, and then Archer, “we're going to camp here. Brandt, Archer, find a spot nearby, something sheltered." Archer grunted in response, following Brandt into the trees. Jared gave me a level look.

“What?" I asked.

“Have you eaten today?"

“Of course not. Archer got me up before breakfast," I said as I took off the backpack I'd been carrying for the entire day. I sighed deeply, closing my eyes for a moment as I rolled my shoulders.

“Here–" Jared took the backpack from me and extended his hand.

“I can walk just fine on my own," I said, but he grabbed my hand anyway and pulled me after him into the forest.

His touch was just as warm as it had been the night before, and I felt a rush of longing course through me. I tried to remove my hand from his grip but he noticed and squeezed, then turned to look at me over his shoulder.

“We'll talk later."

I chewed the inside of my cheek to stop myself from asking what exactly we had to talk about in the company of his comrades.

“Brandt said I'm part of the crew. Does that mean you're not giving me to Aeris?"

“That depends on how much he wants for you," Jared replied.

I scoffed, but then softened as I caught the briefest hint of a teasing smile touching Jared's lips. He led me through a tangle of heather and alder bushes. On the other side, Archer and Brandt were making camp. There would be no fire, I realized.

Jared tossed my backpack to Brandt, who made quick work of pulling out the contents. I'd been carrying all the food, apparently.

“Sit down," Jared said to me, motioning to a mossy area at the edge of camp.

I didn't hesitate, but I wondered if I'd be able to get up again as fatigue immediately began to set into my muscles. Food and water were passed around as the men sat down nearby, and an hour passed in near silence.

“Why didn't you shift and do this trip as wolves?" I asked, glancing from man to man.

Brandt shifted his weight and looked at Archer, who shrugged.

“We needed to be able to carry weapons and supplies," Archer replied. “In case we run into anything our wolves can't handle."

“Like what?" I asked as I lay down on my side, using my backpack as a pillow. It was full dark now, and I couldn't see much beyond the subtle glow of Archer's eyes in the faint moonlight.

“Witches, of course… fairies and the like, goblins and trolls–"

“Don't listen to him," Jared cut in, and I thought I heard the hint of a smile in his voice.

“Dragons," Archer continued, chuckling to himself.

“You're lying," I yawned. “There's no such thing!"

“But there is. I've seen one," Archer argued.

Brandt, who was sitting closest to me, shifted his weight uneasily.

“When have you seen a dragon?" Brandt asked, his voice tangled with nerves.

“You were with me, Brandt. Do you not remember? At that tavern near Elmor. She served me a pint and then you took her upstairs–"

Brandt grumbled to himself as Archer hissed with what sounded like giggles. But then Jared laughed, a rich sound that I hadn't yet heard from him. I smiled, not from the stupid joke that Archer was still gabbering about. I wish I could see his face, or any of their faces.

I began to drift into sleep, lulled by the sound of the men conversing like the old friends they were.

I heard Jared as if from far away telling Archer he was taking first watch. I heard Brandt talking in a low whisper to Jared as they moved into a defensive position around the camp. But then I felt Jared's presence next to me, his thigh brushing against the top of my head. He was sitting next to me, his back against the tree behind us.

I might have been dreaming about it, but I was almost sure he'd pulled the jacket I'd been using as a blanket over my shoulders, tucking me in. Had his knuckles slowly grazed the curve of my jaw, or was I only imagining the fevered warmth of his touch against my skin again?

Somewhere in my dreamland, I heard the soft whisper of wind chimes dancing in a soft breeze.

I dreamt of sweeping plains and stone circles. I dreamt of castles made of ivory and people dressed in riches beyond belief. I dreamt of Jared, shirtless, my fingers tracing his tattoos as we sprawled out in a tangle of sheets on a four-poster bed.

And then I drifted into the deepest kind of sleep, where there was nothing but darkness.

***

“Don't make a sound," Jared commanded, his hand coming over my mouth as he pulled me against his chest.

I tried to scream out of the pure shock of being woken up so roughly, but he held his hand over my mouth tight enough I found it hard to breathe. I opened my eyes to pale blue light drifting through the canopy of the forest, the first inklings of morning.

He was holding me upright, my back pressed against his chest as he slowly crept behind the tree he'd been sitting against.

He paused, holding his breath as a rustling burst through the trees only a few yards away from the clearing. A large, tawny-colored wolf eyed us both, his snout twitching. Jared nodded, and the wolf took off again.

He released his hand from my mouth and I sucked in a desperate breath.

“What the hell is going on!"

“Shut up!" Jared hissed, continuing to back us deeper into the woods.

Suddenly he stopped, his body going rigid. I heard a piercing screech that sounded like a woman screaming in the distance, followed by the howling and snarling of two wolves. The forest around us groaned, a rush of wind hurtling toward us as Jared turned me into his chest and ducked his head from the onslaught of twigs and dried leaves that showered over us.

I lifted my head just in time to see a large creature rush out of the woods, and right toward our camp.