Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

His face tensed, and he had to control his voice from trembling. “And even after he did it, he didn‘t even

bother to say

anything to me and just abandoned me!! For a few

years… I thought it was a miracle that I even survived!!”

I‘d never seen Soren like this. He was furious

and he was hurt.

I couldn’t help but gently squeeze his hand back.

He seemed to realize

that he was losing control of his temper, and he took a few deep breaths to level his tone.

“I can‘t tell you everything, but I can tell you that what I said before about me being in charge of this islan

d is true. Alpha Romero gave me this island to oversee.”

Listened and I started to feel the panic bubbling up inside of me. If Soren had been working with Alpha

Romero, then did that mean Damian, Madalynn, and Romero all knew I was still alive?

Was that why Ethan came here?

Was I too naive to think that no one else knew I was alive...

He noticed my nervousness and asked, in a concerned tone, “Ro?”

“Soren, shall I thank Alpha Romero for letting me stay in his territory then?” I tried to test his reaction.

Soren seemed surprised about what i‘d asked, but his answer

made me feel much better. “Unless you insist. This is my island, and I do not need to report my guests to

him.” He looked at me sincerely,” I‘ll never mention you to

anyone without getting your permission.”

I nodded to acknowledge what he said.

“I’m sorry, Ro, I didn‘t mean to hide anything from you, I just didn‘t think you needed to know all of that.”

He

apologized.

asons he gave to me were the same reasons why I hid my identity from him in the first place.

I looked at him, and told him, “I didn‘t tell you who I was either. We are even now.”

However, deep down, I knew the situation may be far more complicated than I thought. Another question

raised in my head. Was all of this a coincidence?

Turning

to Soren, I saw that his eyes were heavy. He was tired. I should let him rest. But I needed to ask now.

I would ask again when he was awake, especially if I got an answer I wasn‘t satisfied with. “Soren,” I said

, my tone not accusing him of anything, but full of wonder. “What are the chances that you and I would m

eet? And that you would have no idea who I was? And yet, I was carrying your half–brother‘s baby?”

“You know, Ro, I was just thinking that exact same thing,” he said, a little chuckle escaping his lips. His v

oice was gravely, heavy with sleep. “It‘s a strange world, isn‘t it? But that‘s what happened. I think the Mo

on Goddess knows what she‘s doing. She knows that my half–

brother wronged me in the past, and now, she is giving me a chance to help another soul that he has wro

nged by taking care of you and his–your–child.”

“Yeah, I think you‘re right,” I said.

And I wanted to believe him. I wanted to believe that he could get back at his half–

brother and still treat me–and my child–with kindness.

“I should let you sleep,” I said, seeing that his eyes were already closed, and his breathing was

becoming more even as he started to doze off. “Do you need anything else before I go, Soren?”

“No,” Soren said, his eyes only slitted. “But Ro, listen to me.” His fingers grasped my wrist, but

not in a threatening way, not even tight enough that I couldn‘t pull away if I‘d wanted to.

But I didn‘t try. I would hear him out.

“What is it, Soren?” I asked, sitting still and leaning toward him so that I could hear what he had to say.

“Ethan is dangerous,” he said, opening

his eyes for a second to gaze into mine. “Stay away from him. He‘ll try to get you back because it will hel

p him get what he wants. You‘ve got to be careful.”

I nodded in understanding. “Okay, Soren. I will.”

“Promise?” he asked me.

“Yes, I promise.”

“Good.” He reached up and brushed a lock of hair away from my face, his fingers grazing my cheek and

lingering on my shoulder as he pushed my long hair out of the way.

“You‘re so beautiful, Rosalie. Anyone who couldn‘t see your value, not just because of your pretty face, bu

you. Ethan… doesn‘t deserve you.”

With that, Soren let go of me, and promptly fell asleep.

I sat there for a long moment thinking over his words.

That was the first time he‘d called me Rosalie.

My skin was still warm from the touch of his fingertips.

Soren had a good point, one I wish I would‘ve thought about before I had planned to let Ethan back into m

Ethan led me to believe that there was a possibility that the three of us–Ethan, the baby, and me–

could live in this house together, knowing that the house was just a tool for him to get to Soren.

Was there a single thing that man had told me in all of the time that I‘d known him that was true?

“Yes,” I thought, as I got up and walked out of the bedroom I‘d planned to share with him. “He‘s been tellin

when he said he planned to kill me.”

Why in the world would I walk right back into a situation where I would have my baby and then die?

I wouldn‘t

Then how about Soren?

I looked back at Soren‘s sleeping face. Would I still trust him like I did in the past?

He had said that it was a coincidence that he had been the one to find me when I was injured.

Perhaps that was the truth.

But whether it was or whether it wasn‘t here I was–in his care.

And so was my child–Ethan‘s child.

The child of the man Soren hated most in this world.

As much as Soren seemed to like me, how would he see my baby?

If—–if somehow everything wasn‘t a coincidence…

Just a slight peek into that possibility sent terrifying shivers down my spine.

If Soren wasn‘t exactly harmless as he appeared to be, then what did it mean for me–for us?

Would he try to use my baby as a pawn? As some sort of chess piece he could use

to maneuver between Alphas or manipulate the other powerful men in the world?

I realized that my ignorance about the war and the details of the situation

between Soren and Ethan led me to where I was now, but all I could do was

to get my head out of the past and move on, or else I was going to keep making mistakes.

And the next one just might cost me my life.

My hands moved to my abdomen.

I comforted the little one in my belly silently, “Don‘t worry, I‘ll protect you. At all costs.