Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder novel Chapter 833

Chapter 44 : Carmen’s Offer

I had no desire to talk to Carmen, but it didn't seem like I had much of a choice as I followed Brandt and Jared through the village.

“I thought she was supposed to be gone by now?" I asked, the words sharpened to an edge.

“She was refusing to leave until she talked to you first," Jared replied.

I still didn't understand his thought process when it came to Carmen. He was very nonchalant about it, especially since he had his suspicions about Carmen possibly being a spy for Aeris, or at least working for him in some capacity.

We left the village proper and began walking into the sparse woods that surrounded the village, walking along the same trail we'd taken during my arrival in the village weeks ago now. Several cottages dotted the area, their windows casting the forest floor in muted amber light as we trudged through mud and fog.

Three men were sitting on a porch, basking in lantern light, while a fourth roamed nearby in his wolf form.

Jared led me up onto the porch, pausing to allow one of the guards to unlock the door. I hesitated before stepping through the threshold.

She was sitting on a couch with her bare feet propped up on a pillow, her eyes flicking up to meet us as I followed behind Jared. She rolled her eyes back to whatever book she was reading.

“I'm not saying anything if you're here, Jared. I already told you that."

“I'm not playing your games tonight, Carmen," Jared replied as Brandt stepped inside the cottage and closed the door behind him.

Carmen looked up at him, tilting her head as she scanned his face.

“Then leave, so I can talk to your wife alone," she said curtly, chuckling to herself as she set her book down and rose from the couch. She was filthy, her long golden hair caked with dirt and in a long, messy braid that fell down her back. Black and purple bruises lined her eyes, and her nose was red and swollen from what had to have been a break.

I'd seen myself in the mirror this morning. I had similar bruising but not nearly as bad. I hated that I flushed with pride at the fact that I'd hurt her more than she'd hurt me.

Jared hesitated, glancing at Brandt, then at me. I gave him a nod, doing my best to curve my mouth into a convincing smile that said, 'I'm fine. There's nothing I'd rather be doing right now than sitting in a room with your bat-shit crazy ex-girlfriend.'

I failed, of course.

Jared took a heavy step forward, his eyes narrowed on Carmen. Her stone-cold facade faltered as he ran his fingertips over the hilts of the blades he always wore along his thigh.

Nothing was said between them, but whatever was lingering behind his eyes was enough to knock her down a few pegs.

Her eyes were downcast as Jared turned back around and motioned for Brandt to leave. He touched me lightly on the arm before stepping out of the cottage without saying a single word.

But I could feel his power in the room. It was a suffocating presence. I was sure that power was what he'd just shown Carmen.

I swallowed against the tightness in my throat as I scanned the room. It was sparsely furnished, nothing but a couch and dining table in the corner. A tea kettle was hanging from a hook over the hearth, its lid open and wafting steam.

“You wanted to speak to me," I said, squaring my shoulders.

Her lips twitched into a soft smile as she continued to keep her gaze on the floorboards.

“I'm surprised he let you," she replied, looking up at me. Her hair had fallen loose from her braid and fell over her face as she spoke. “I'm sure he's worried I'll infect your mind."

“Nothing you say to me will make me think any differently about him–"

“I wouldn't be so sure," she breathed, tilting her head as she looked me over. “I didn't believe it when I first heard about you. Everyone in Aeris's court was talking about the curly-haired girl Jared had brought with him. I assumed you were just some w***e meant for his enjoyment." She chuckled to herself, flopping back down on the couch. “Is it true you were sold to Aeris's brother as a breeder?"

I said nothing.

“Hmm… I guess it doesn't matter now, since you're married."

“Why are you working for Aeris?"

“I'm not," she said, exhaling deeply. “Is that what Jared told you?"

“That's what I assume–"

“I work for many people, some of whom are at odds with each other. No man is my master, Eliza."

Her voice rang out like a death knoll through the cottage, sending a shiver up my spine. She was looking directly into my eyes as she said it.

“Women like us… educated, forceful… we're rare. Do you understand that?"

“I'm not here to talk about character qualities with you–"

“Then why did you agree to talk to me? Was it simply curiosity?"

“You," I said, taking a step toward her, “wanted to see me."

“I did, that's true, but only to warn you about what's to come, what rumors are flying–"

“I already know that Jared is the brother of King Alexander. I know that he agreed to overthrow him if Aeris released you. Was that part of your plan with Aeris?"

“I had no plan with Aeris," she yawned. “I was just in the wrong place at the right time, you could say."

“I'm not playing games with you," Jared had said to her only minutes ago.

I wasn't, either. I looked her up and down, then turned on my heel and walked toward the door.

“I did steal his mother's locket," she said lightly.

I turned around to look over my shoulder at her. She was twirling a lock of her hair around her finger, looking contemplative.

“Do you want to know why?"

I didn't answer.

“I wanted him to overthrow his brother as well." She sighed, her eyes flicking up to mine. “I tried to understand why he wouldn't, but my mind is just… well, Jared and I have always had different priorities. I saw Jared rise up the ranks and take over this village. He's a born leader. But then he… turned twenty-one. He wasn't as easy to manipulate after that."

I chewed my lower lip to prevent myself from saying anything.

“That's what you're here for, isn't it, to help him break his curse? I heard rumors about your skill set when I was a prisoner in Aeris's castle."

“I don't believe you were a prisoner–"

“Oh, I was," she said with a little laugh, knitting her fingers over her stomach. “Suncrest is a fantastic place to sell jewels and artifacts. That whole city has incredible wealth. How was I supposed to know that a necklace I'd stolen from an Alpha's drunken daughter in a neighboring pack was a family heirloom dating back to Lycaon's time? Word of the missing necklace reached Suncrest before I did. They were looking for it, and they found it with me. But Aeris recognized me from when I traveled there with Jared years ago. He made me a deal–"

“So you are a spy," I said, taking a step toward the door.

She rolled her eyes.

“No, I work for someone else, someone with more power and much more to offer than Aeris. I made that clear, but Aeris is a cunning man. He read Jared for the fool that he is. Jared would have never accepted Aeris's terms unless he had something Jared wanted. That thing was me, apparently."

I fought against the fury heating my skin, steeling my expression.

“And now I'm here," she breathed. “And will likely be stuck here for a while–"

“You're supposed to be gone already–"

“Jared made the call to keep me locked up," she said slyly, her eyes glimmering with mischief. “I had… quite the day with him today. Much cozier than being in the sparring ring. It was like old times–"

I turned from her and closed in on the door, my body nearly trembling with rage.

“Where is his mother's locket?" I asked, closing my eyes with my hands wrapped around the doorknob.

“That stupid f*****g locket," she laughed. “I tossed it over the bluff on the other side of the village."

“What? Why?"

“Because after he turned twenty-one and got that busted piece of gold as a gift, he wouldn't stop opening that locket and listening to the song it played. It drove me insane." She hummed the tune, rolling her eyes as I slowly looked over at her, my blood thundering through my veins. “It was driving him crazy, so I took it and threw it away. He kicked me out of the village after that. That's when I saw the full force of his dark powers for the first time. Sure, I'd seen glimpses, especially in bed but… never like that."

I was having a hard time focusing on her words. My mind filled with the song she'd hummed, its chords refusing to ease their grip.

“Does he let you into his study?" she asked as I turned the knob. When I didn't answer, she said, “I haven't been there in years. I was the only person allowed when–"

“Why did you want to talk to me?" I snarled, the words trembling as they left my lips.

“To warn you," she said casually, adjusting her position on the couch.

“Of what?"

“Of falling in with men like Jared because you have nowhere else to go."

I stole a glance at her, noticing the smile spreading across her face.

“I take it you're from the capital, and likely came out west on your own for a little adventure? That's how you ended up at a breeder auction, totally in over your head. Jared saved you like he saved all the others and you're warm and cozy in his bed, right?"

I gritted my teeth as she continued.

“He wanted to lock me away, you know, keep me in that house and have his pups and worship the ground he walked on. For a time I thought that was what I wanted, too. He was powerful, wealthy… rough when I wanted him to be. But I wanted more, and when I made that clear, he made it even clearer that wasn't going to happen–"

“I don't believe a word you say–"

“Then believe this, Eliza," she said as she sat up, her hair falling over her back. “Listen to me when I say I can show you places you've never even dreamt of. The two of us, with our skills… ha, think of what we could accomplish, who we would be–"

“You made him bring me here because you want us to work together?"

“Isn't there something you want?" she replied. “Something you're looking for? Some prize that would make your unorthodox education worth it? Or are you fine warming a Dark Lord's bed until he gets tired of you and moves on to the next sad, submissive female he finds?"

I opened the door and stepped outside. Jared and Brandt were leaning on the railing of the porch, their arms crossed over their chests. One of the guards walked past me and closed the door, locking it as I met Jared's gaze.

I was sure he'd heard everything she said.

“We need to talk," I said sharply, then walked briskly down the stairs and out into the night.

And as I put distance between me and Carmen, my mind curled around the tune she'd sung.

The same song I'd composed as a child.