Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Advisor to the Alpha

I had lost Maeve in the swell of the crowd an hour ago. Around me was a sea of finery, moving in the

rhythm of a string quartet. I had never witnessed such luxury, and a large part of me hoped I wouldn’t

be expected to hold parties of such a size when Maeve and I inevitably moved to Avondale and lived in

the decrepit and long–neglected castle along the shore.

We’d have quite a bit of work to do before we would ever be able to be the kind of hosts that Ethan and

Rosalie were right at this moment.

But this wasn’t my party.

It was, in all aspects, for Rowan.

I could just see the top of his head as I leaned against one of the columns on a far wall, a tall glass of

scotch in my hand as I watched the crowd. He was talking to a group of men and their companions,

likely Lunas or Betas‘ wives. He seemed at ease as he spoke, his hair trembling as he laughed, leaning

into the conversation.

He didn’t give himself credit for how good he could play the part. I wondered, as I lifted my glass to my

lips, if I had the wherewithal to play Alpha as well.

“Are you hiding?” Hanna said as she approached, looking flushed and slightly uncomfortable. She had

a glass of cham

pagne clutched in her hand so tightly that her knuckles were white.

“Yeah, you could say that.”

“I am too,” she sighed, sipping from the champagne. “My dad is here. Did you know that?”

“Oh, yes. I met him…” I gave her a look, and to my surprise, she laughed, which I don’t think she did

very often.

“Poor Aaron. I can’t think how he must feel right now. I think the fact that you and Rowan, especially

you, are becom ing Alphas is overshadowing the idea of him becoming Alpha King of the West

someday. That is….” She looked a little weary suddenly, peering up at me through her dark lashes.

“I have no interest in being Alpha King of Findali, Hanna.”

“But it is your birthright through your grandfather, from what I’ve heard.”

“And who did you hear that from?”

“This may be a party for Rowan, but all anyone can talk about is you.” She sipped from her

champagne, scanning the crowd. A few heads were turned in our direction.

I let myself blush, somewhat thankful to hear someone close to me say it out loud. I realized I hadn’t

ever had so much as a polite conversation with Hanna before this mo ment, but I found her nice, easy

of temper, and just as unso ciable as myself. You had to be those things to be successful in a

relationship with people like Maeve and Rowan, who tended to steal the show wherever they went.

I looked around, hoping to set my gaze on my wife. She was hard to miss in that fluffy blue gown and

her towering height. I thought I could see her copper–blonde curls, but I could have been wrong.

Anyway, she was likely enjoying her self, and for that I was thankful.

Ernest stumbled up to us, clutching Gemma by the arm as they laughed. They were both drunk; that

was obvious.

“Oh, Hanna! I was looking for you!” Gemma slurred, her mouth stretched into a beaming smile. Gemma

was really beautiful all done up, and Ernest seemed to notice. He was currently whispering in her ear,

and based on the color of her cheeks, I would be willing to bet they would disappear from the gala

altogether and go back to their room to enjoy them selves while George was staying the night in the

nursery with the rest of the boys. George would have to take a bottle tonight whether he liked it or not.

That is, if the two of them could manage to get up the stairs with nothing but champagne coursing

through their veins.

I smiled as I brought my scotch to my lips, sipping the drink slowly and enjoying the burn of it while I

watched Gem ma fire off words in rapid succession to Hanna, who was try ing her damnedest to make

sense of whatever she was saying.

I turned from my friends to look out at the crowd once more, catching the eye of Lynus, the elder who

represented Avondale. He was staring right at me, and lifted his flute of champagne in my direction as

he nodded his head. I lifted my scotch in a similar salute.

1

To my surprise, he motioned me over.

“Great,” I mumbled, glancing at Hanna before walking out of our quiet sanctuary.

“You all will have seen Troy at the conference yesterday,” Lynus said as I walked up to the group of

men standing in a tight semi–circle around him.

Their eyes took me in skeptically, but no one said a harsh word. They just stared, which made me more

uncomfortable than an insult would have.

“We’ve heard a lot about you, Troy Black. What an inter esting story you have,” said a man of roughly

fifty. He was tall and lean with graying brown hair and kind, dark eyes.

I nodded, wishing I had pockets to tuck my hands into to stop myself from fidgeting. “Only bad things, I

hope,” I said without thinking.

The man, who was introduced as Silas Evermore, a promi nent businessman with ties to the Alpha of

Breles, laughed heartily. “To be sure, to be sure.” Silas took a swig of his scotch, then motioned toward

my glass, which I was gripping for dear life. “Not a champagne man, I take it?”

“I prefer beer, but this is too fancy an event for that, I’m afraid.”

“Ah, that is true. Alpha King Ethan has really outdone him self with this shindig, hasn’t he? Do you

know his son well? Rowan?”

I searched Silas’s eyes for a moment, finding them friend ly enough.

“I do. He’s my wife’s brother and a good friend now.”

“Now?” Silas arched his brow, leaning forward into the semi–circle of curious companions. “And were

you not friends before?”

“Of course not.” I laughed, bringing my drink to my lips before adding, “He beat me up the first time we

met. I de served it, of course. I did kidnap his sister and aid in Damian’s invasion, after all.”

A shocked silence fell over the group, and everyone was staring at me. Silas’s mouth was forming a

perfect O as he continued to stare, surprised by my words. What was I sup posed to say, if not the

truth?

But then he laughed, the sound booming over nearby conversations, which caused other groups of

party–goers to stop and stare. I sipped my drink, shrugging my shoulders at Lynus, who was

dumbfounded.

“You were right about him, Lynus. What a gem.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond, but the conversation carried on without me. Lynus eventually moved to

my side, close enough to reach out and tap me lightly on the elbow.

“I’d like to talk to you, in private.”

“Alright,” I answered, then the two of us dipped our heads in farewell to the group of men and I followed

Lynus out of the ballroom to an outside terrace, which overlooked the gar den.

Lynus walked to the edge of the terrace, out of earshot from other small groups and couples who were

mingling in the coolness of the night. He glanced around to make sure we were truly alone, which sent

a shiver of unease up my spine.

For the first time that evening, I felt as though my suit was a bit too tight.

“Troy, you are not at all what I was expecting when Alpha Ethan summoned the Elders to hold a

conference,” he said, his voice edged with seriousness.

“I didn’t mean to disappoint-”

“I knew your parents. Behar, specifically.”

I exhaled deeply, nostrils flaring. “I assure you I am not at all-”

“I’m not worried about that, Troy. I think you’ll make a fine Alpha for Poldesse. I know what it’s like

there, on the Isles. I lived there during the start of Damian’s reign. You would’ve been in your infancy,

then. I remember… listen. I-” he paused, looking down into his empty flute of champagne before turn

ing to me, his eyes glistening with sadness.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect from you. I know Ethan to be a level–headed and thoughtful man. The

news that you, the child of Maddalyn and Behar, had not only been found but had married Ethan’s

daughter, shocked everyone. I can’t even begin to explain what was said. But you must know this, and