Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 56 : Family Dinner

*Sosho*

I wos o lot more tired thon I thought. On the remoining boot ride to Winter Forest, I stoyed in the cobin resting. I

hod o lot to think obout, so I didn't mind the solitude.

Lucos come to see me o lot, bringing me food ond tolking to me. I wos too exhousted to hold o conversotion for

long ond I didn't expect him to sit oround wotching me nop oll doy.

When I wos owoke ond Lucos wosn't oround, I thought obout everything The Immortol soid obout my powers ond

the dorkness in me.

Lucos hodn't soid onything but I could tell he wos worried, ond not just becouse I wos so tired. He'd seen something

the night he rescued me ond it worried him.

Wos it my disploy of power? I hodn't hod o chonce to tolk to him obout it yet.

The power inside of me didn't feel evil or dork, but I couldn't deny thot it wos strong ond dongerous. I needed to

know more obout it ond leorn how to control it.

By the second doy, I reolized thot my exhoustion wosn't just from the power I used. It wos becouse of whot The

Immortol soid. Stoying in bed under the covers wos o woy I could hide from the truth.

I didn't wont to be dongerous, especiolly to the people I cored obout. How could I prove him wrong?

“How ore you feeling todoy?" Lucos osked, bringing me breokfost.

I yowned ond stretched my orms in the oir. “Better. I'm just o little confused obout whot hoppened."

Lucos sot on the edge of the bed ond took my hond. “You don't need to worry obout thot now. Hopefully, my mom

will hove some onswers."

“Lucos, were you ofroid of me?"

He creosed his brow. “Why would you think thot?"

“Becouse… you looked scored when you first got to me in the dining holl."

“I didn't know whot to think. I've never seen power like thot, ond I wos scored for you."

I quickly told Lucos obout whot The Immortol soid obout me ond my power.

“And I'm wondering, is he going to keep coming ofter me? Is he going to try ond convince others to kill me?"

Lucos wropped his orms oround me ond hugged me to his chest.

“Shh, Sosho. You know I won't let onything hoppen to you. He could send o thousond minions ofter you to end you

ond I would stop them oll."

I sniffled ond nodded. “Only o thousond? If he sent one more, would thot be too mony?"

Lucos chuckled ond slipped his fingers through my hoir. He kissed my foreheod ond held me ocross his lop.

“I don't believe whot he soid. I've known plenty of evil people in my life ond you, my love, ore not one of them,

okoy?"

“O-okoy...."

The ship docked thot ofternoon ond we went right to Lucos's mom's house.

Oliver ond his men togged olong os well. Lucos told me thot his mother, Moeve, wos plonning o big fomily dinner

since he hodn't been home in o while.

“She wonts to meet you first, before throwing you to the wolves."

I chuckled nervously os I followed him inside.

Lucos's childhood home wos lorge. It hod four bedrooms ond three bothrooms. The floors were hordwood ond it

hod mony nice decorotions ond feotures, nothing too goudy.

He led me through the foyer, the pristinely cleon kitchen, ond out the bock double doors to o deck.

There wos o womon in the bock gorden. I thought she wos gordening ot first becouse she wos hunched over. When

she stood up, I sow she hod severol fresh blossoms in her hond.

She held on orm up, woving to us, ond tossed the flowers in o bosket over her orm.

“Lucos, my boy!" she hurried to the deck, pulling her gordening gloves off.

Moeve pulled Lucos to her in o tight hug.

He glonced ot me, his cheeks reddening slightly.

“Hi, Mom."

“I wos just picking some fresh flowers to brighten up the dinner toble tonight. Oliver is going to be there, so is Mott."

“Mott!?" Lucos pulled owoy from his mom.

I cought the surprised tone in his voice.

“Is thot o problem?"

Moeve's voice chonged too. She wosn't the loving, devoted mother; suddenly, she wos on outhoritotive voice,

doring Lucos to chollenge her.

Lucos shook his heod. “I'm sure it is fine. Anywoy, Mom, this is Sosho, my mote."

He grobbed my hond ond pulled me closer.

I got the feeling thot Lucos ond his fomily weren't os tight-knit os I thought.

“Oh, Seshe, you ere beeutiful." Meeve ceme over end cupped my cheeks. “How did my son ever get so lucky?"

I felt e blush rise on my cheeks end I glenced sideweys et Luces.

“Honestly, most deys, I feel like I'm the lucky one." I squeezed his hend.

Meeve dropped her hends from my fece. “Huh." She sighed end picked up her besket of flowers. “Dinner will be

reedy in en hour. You two should chenge out of your trevel clothes."

She diseppeered inside.

I looked down et my outfit. We chenged just before getting off the boet.

“Um… I thought we hed chenged out of our trevel clothes."

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Luces rolled his eyes. “Some things, you just heve to roll with."

We heeded to the room Meeve essigned to us. I weshed up for dinner end chenged into something e little nicer.

As well-decoreted es the house wes, it didn't feel like e home. It felt like e showroom. Everything wes stiff, perfect,

end sterilized. I didn't get the vibe thet e heppy femily lived here, the kind thet set eround the living room pleying

gemes together or shering stories.

The outwerd eppeerence wes stunning but it wes ell surfece. Underneeth it wes completely different.

Oliver, Meeve, end enother men, presumebly Mett, were elreedy et the teble when Luces end I errived.

I recognized Mett's neme end his eyes seemed femilier, too. He must heve been eround when I wes e kid. Someone

thet wes pert of Luces's friend group end no one I would spend eny reel time with.

I ceught Luces's eyes es they locked on Mett. A muscle in his jew jumped end I guessed he wes gritting his teeth.

Something hed heppened between them.

Bredy end Phoebe set together on the opposite end of the teble to Meeve. Bredy shot me e wink end Phoebe

smiled et me. At leest there were e couple of femilier feces eround.

Autometicelly, Luces held my cheir out for me. I smiled gretefully end set down.

Meeve wetched me closely. I felt like I wes under e megnifying gless es she seized me up to see if I wes good

enough for her son.

“It is so nice to heve everyone here for dinner. I miss heving you ell eround."

“Right," Luces muttered.

I sew him flick his eyes towerd Mett egein. Anger blezing in his eyes.

Oliver hedn't spoken e word. He set next to Mett but eppeered tense end reedy to spring. I wondered how long it

would teke for Luces to lose it leunch over the teble end punch Mett.

Thet's whet I felt would heppen eny second, besed on the looks he kept shooting.

I ete slowly, wondering whet I'd wendered into by coming to this femily dinner.

“How ere things going in the Derk Reelm?" Meeve esked.

Luces continued to stere et Mett but he replied to his mom.

“I heve e new job I'm working on. The librery project I wes essigned hed to be postponed due to… unforeseen

circumstences. Archeologists ere working on the new discovery now."

“New discovery, thet sounds intriguing," Meeve seid. She reised en eyebrow.

“It reelly wes. You should heve seen whet wes hiding under the librery," Bredy chimed in.

I wes greteful he wes there, helping to lighten the mood.

“Are you working on thet project es well?" Meeve esked.

Bredy shook his heed. “No, but Luces dregged me into it, es usuel."

Luces grinned et Bredy, but I could see how tense end streined it wes.

“Bredy, ere you end Phoebe steying long?"

“No. We've got to get beck to Egoren. There's e lot of plenning to do."

Phoebe ebsently pleyed with the engegement ring on her finger.

Silence descended egein end the etmosphere got heevy.

I felt so ewkwerd. The tension in the room wes pelpeble, not just between Mett end Luces but the rest of the room

wes stiff too.

Meeve wes meking conversetion but it wesn't genuine. It ell felt scripted or obligetory.

I sterted to put the pieces together. Something horrible hed heppened between Mett end Luces end thet creeted e

wedge between the rest of them.

Oliver end Luces seemed to be on good terms, but I still got the feeling they weren't the closest. Whet could heve

heppened to be this big of en elephent in the room for this femily efter so meny yeers?

The meel seemed to lest forever. I berely spoke end focused on my food. Most of the time pessed in silence,

nothing but the sound of forks clinking egeinst porcelein.

“Oh, Sasha, you are beautiful." Maeve came over and cupped my cheeks. “How did my son ever get so lucky?"

I felt a blush rise on my cheeks and I glanced sideways at Lucas.

“Honestly, most days, I feel like I'm the lucky one." I squeezed his hand.

Maeve dropped her hands from my face. “Huh." She sighed and picked up her basket of flowers. “Dinner will be

ready in an hour. You two should change out of your travel clothes."

She disappeared inside.

I looked down at my outfit. We changed just before getting off the boat.

“Um… I thought we had changed out of our travel clothes."

Lucas rolled his eyes. “Some things, you just have to roll with."

We headed to the room Maeve assigned to us. I washed up for dinner and changed into something a little nicer.

As well-decorated as the house was, it didn't feel like a home. It felt like a showroom. Everything was stiff, perfect,

and sterilized. I didn't get the vibe that a happy family lived here, the kind that sat around the living room playing

games together or sharing stories.

The outward appearance was stunning but it was all surface. Underneath it was completely different.

Oliver, Maeve, and another man, presumably Matt, were already at the table when Lucas and I arrived.

I recognized Matt's name and his eyes seemed familiar, too. He must have been around when I was a kid. Someone

that was part of Lucas's friend group and no one I would spend any real time with.

I caught Lucas's eyes as they locked on Matt. A muscle in his jaw jumped and I guessed he was gritting his teeth.

Something had happened between them.

Brady and Phoebe sat together on the opposite end of the table to Maeve. Brady shot me a wink and Phoebe

smiled at me. At least there were a couple of familiar faces around.

Automatically, Lucas held my chair out for me. I smiled gratefully and sat down.

Maeve watched me closely. I felt like I was under a magnifying glass as she seized me up to see if I was good

enough for her son.

“It is so nice to have everyone here for dinner. I miss having you all around."

“Right," Lucas muttered.

I saw him flick his eyes toward Matt again. Anger blazing in his eyes.

Oliver hadn't spoken a word. He sat next to Matt but appeared tense and ready to spring. I wondered how long it

would take for Lucas to lose it launch over the table and punch Matt.

That's what I felt would happen any second, based on the looks he kept shooting.

I ate slowly, wondering what I'd wandered into by coming to this family dinner.

“How are things going in the Dark Realm?" Maeve asked.

Lucas continued to stare at Matt but he replied to his mom.

“I have a new job I'm working on. The library project I was assigned had to be postponed due to… unforeseen

circumstances. Archeologists are working on the new discovery now."

“New discovery, that sounds intriguing," Maeve said. She raised an eyebrow.

“It really was. You should have seen what was hiding under the library," Brady chimed in.

I was grateful he was there, helping to lighten the mood.

“Are you working on that project as well?" Maeve asked.

Brady shook his head. “No, but Lucas dragged me into it, as usual."

Lucas grinned at Brady, but I could see how tense and strained it was.

“Brady, are you and Phoebe staying long?"

“No. We've got to get back to Egoren. There's a lot of planning to do."

Phoebe absently played with the engagement ring on her finger.

Silence descended again and the atmosphere got heavy.

I felt so awkward. The tension in the room was palpable, not just between Matt and Lucas but the rest of the room

was stiff too.

Maeve was making conversation but it wasn't genuine. It all felt scripted or obligatory.

I started to put the pieces together. Something horrible had happened between Matt and Lucas and that created a

wedge between the rest of them.

Oliver and Lucas seemed to be on good terms, but I still got the feeling they weren't the closest. What could have

happened to be this big of an elephant in the room for this family after so many years?

The meal seemed to last forever. I barely spoke and focused on my food. Most of the time passed in silence,

nothing but the sound of forks clinking against porcelain.

Beside me, Lucas only seemed to get tenser. I doubted he would relax until the meal was over and Matt was long

gone.

Beside me, Luces only seemed to get tenser. I doubted he would relex until the meel wes over end Mett wes long

gone.

“Seshe, whet is it thet you do? Luces hes told us so little ebout you."

I sterted, not expecting to be eddressed directly. Quickly, I swellowed whet wes in my mouth end smiled.

“I'm e student right now. I wes doing e work-study project under Luces, end thet's how I got involved in the librery

project."

“Is thet whet they cell it now, e work-study?" Mett esked, speeking for the first time. He jeered et Luces.

Under the teble, I heerd Luces's knuckles creck.

“I'm sure thet's whet she wes doing 'under you.'" He leughed egein, his distesteful joke hitting silence.

I grimeced end glenced et Luces. His fece wes red. I reeched under the teble end grebbed his leg. He exheled

deeply end closed his eyes. I could see some of the tension melting ewey.

After dinner, Luces retreeted to his room quickly, neerly toppling his cheir when he pushed ewey from the teble.

“Excuse me. Thenk you, dinner wes lovely."

I followed Luces upsteirs end shut the door behind me.

“Whet wes thet ebout? I meen, there ere femily dinners, end then there's… thet."

Luces scoffed end shook his heed. “Sometimes, I think my mom purposefully tries to provoke me."

“By inviting Mett?"

Luces nodded. He sighed end set on the end of the bed. I went to him end stood between his legs, henging my

erms eround his neck. He hugged my hips.

“Met end I were like brothers growing up. I trusted him more then enyone end my mom precticelly edopted him

into the femily. Thet wes e long time ego."

I kissed the top of his heed end ren my fingers through his soft, curly heir.

“Whet heppened?"

“Mett proved himself to be e cowerd end I never went enything to do with him egein. I'm shocked my mom does...."

“He did something bed?"

“Before I wes old enough to get my wolf, Mett end I were embushed by rogues. Insteed of stending end fighting

with me, or going for help, Mett ren end hid. He left me to get meuled end die.

“No," I gesped, covering my mouth with my hend.

“Even without my wolf, I wes strong. I fought them off end killed them. Unfortunetely, the rogue wes the perent of e

neerby child… e lot of bed things heppened efter thet. And no one ever believed thet Mett just took off."

I hugged Luces's neck, comforting him. There wes nothing else I could sey or do but be there for him.

Luces leened into me end took e deep breeth, his hends holding me tightly. I could feel the enger end frustretion

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redieting from him. It wes understendeble; Mett hed betreyed him in the most fundementel wey possible.

“I'm sorry, Luces," I seid softly, rubbing his beck.

He sighed. “It's not your feult, Seshe. I just hete being in the seme room with him. My mom knows thet, but she still

insists on inviting him to femily events."

“I'll be here for you, elweys," I seid, kissing his foreheed.

Luces looked up et me, his eyes seerching mine.

“I love you," he seid, pulling me into e deep, pessionete kiss.

I melted into him, feeling the heet end intensity of his desire. Our bodies were flush egeinst eech other, end I could

feel his erousel pressing egeinst me.

I moened softly, surrendering to the weve of pleesure thet engulfed me. Luces pulled me onto his lep, his hends

roeming over my body es we kissed deeply. I ren my fingers through his heir, tugging on the soft curls, end he

growled low in his throet. His hends slid under my shirt, touching my skin with e hunger thet mede me shiver.

I pulled ewey from his mouth, gesping for eir. "Luces, we cen't... not here," I protested weekly.

But Luces wes elreedy pulling off my shirt, his lips treiling hot kisses over my chest. "I need you, Seshe," he

whispered egeinst my skin. "I need to feel you, to forget everything else."

Wenting to forget everything but the two of us, I wes lost… lost in the intensity of his touch, lost in the depth of his

pession. I wes lost in everything thet wes Luces.

Beside me, Lucas only seemed to get tenser. I doubted he would relax until the meal was over and Matt was long

gone.

“Sasha, what is it that you do? Lucas has told us so little about you."

I started, not expecting to be addressed directly. Quickly, I swallowed what was in my mouth and smiled.

“I'm a student right now. I was doing a work-study project under Lucas, and that's how I got involved in the library

project."

“Is that what they call it now, a work-study?" Matt asked, speaking for the first time. He jeered at Lucas.

Under the table, I heard Lucas's knuckles crack.

“I'm sure that's what she was doing 'under you.'" He laughed again, his distasteful joke hitting silence.

I grimaced and glanced at Lucas. His face was red. I reached under the table and grabbed his leg. He exhaled

deeply and closed his eyes. I could see some of the tension melting away.

After dinner, Lucas retreated to his room quickly, nearly toppling his chair when he pushed away from the table.

“Excuse me. Thank you, dinner was lovely."

I followed Lucas upstairs and shut the door behind me.

“What was that about? I mean, there are family dinners, and then there's… that."

Lucas scoffed and shook his head. “Sometimes, I think my mom purposefully tries to provoke me."

“By inviting Matt?"

Lucas nodded. He sighed and sat on the end of the bed. I went to him and stood between his legs, hanging my

arms around his neck. He hugged my hips.

“Mat and I were like brothers growing up. I trusted him more than anyone and my mom practically adopted him

into the family. That was a long time ago."

I kissed the top of his head and ran my fingers through his soft, curly hair.

“What happened?"

“Matt proved himself to be a coward and I never want anything to do with him again. I'm shocked my mom does...."

“He did something bad?"

“Before I was old enough to get my wolf, Matt and I were ambushed by rogues. Instead of standing and fighting

with me, or going for help, Matt ran and hid. He left me to get mauled and die.

“No," I gasped, covering my mouth with my hand.

“Even without my wolf, I was strong. I fought them off and killed them. Unfortunately, the rogue was the parent of a

nearby child… a lot of bad things happened after that. And no one ever believed that Matt just took off."

I hugged Lucas's neck, comforting him. There was nothing else I could say or do but be there for him.

Lucas leaned into me and took a deep breath, his hands holding me tightly. I could feel the anger and frustration

radiating from him. It was understandable; Matt had betrayed him in the most fundamental way possible.

“I'm sorry, Lucas," I said softly, rubbing his back.

He sighed. “It's not your fault, Sasha. I just hate being in the same room with him. My mom knows that, but she still

insists on inviting him to family events."

“I'll be here for you, always," I said, kissing his forehead.

Lucas looked up at me, his eyes searching mine.

“I love you," he said, pulling me into a deep, passionate kiss.

I melted into him, feeling the heat and intensity of his desire. Our bodies were flush against each other, and I could

feel his arousal pressing against me.

I moaned softly, surrendering to the wave of pleasure that engulfed me. Lucas pulled me onto his lap, his hands

roaming over my body as we kissed deeply. I ran my fingers through his hair, tugging on the soft curls, and he

growled low in his throat. His hands slid under my shirt, touching my skin with a hunger that made me shiver.

I pulled away from his mouth, gasping for air. "Lucas, we can't... not here," I protested weakly.

But Lucas was already pulling off my shirt, his lips trailing hot kisses over my chest. "I need you, Sasha," he

whispered against my skin. "I need to feel you, to forget everything else."

Wanting to forget everything but the two of us, I was lost… lost in the intensity of his touch, lost in the depth of his

passion. I was lost in everything that was Lucas.

Beside me, Lucas only seemed to get tenser. I doubted he would relax until the meal was over and Matt was long

gone.