Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 99: The Coronation

Maeve

“Where the hell is he?” | asked Myla, who was leaning against one of the columns in the ballroom,

looking a little flustered herself. She was dressed in an insanely flattering sea -green colored gown, the

same color as the silky ribbons wo ven into her braids. She shrugged, tilting the remaining cham pagne

in the flute she was holding into her mouth.

“Where is anyone we know? There has to be five-hundred people here, if not more. I haven’t seen

Keaton since we en tered the castle!”

“I’m surprised Keaton even agreed to come. It sounds like he and Troy had a major falling out-”

“Keaton is mad at Troy for leaving their little group of pi rates, that’s all. They’re brothers in all aspects

but one. They’ll be friends again.”

“Just not Alpha and Beta.”

To my surprise, Myla shrugged, tapping her flute with her nails.

“I should probably get another drink. Gemma is way ahead of us, you know. Last I saw her she was

tearing up the dance floor with Ernest. I don’t think she knows up from down at this point.”

“Oh, they deserve a little fun. Especially now that Ernest isn’t tied into being all poised and proper. I’ve

never seen him

so happy, honestly.” I ran my hands down my dress, wonder ing if I’d be able to dance in it.

“I can get you another drink, if you want?”

“No, it’s okay. I should probably go to the nursery and, uh, use that Goddess-forsaken breast pump

again. It’s basically what they use on cows, you know. That’s what I am. A dairy cow. I hate to pump

and dump and waste this liquid gold, but the babies have enough to last them for the night, and I have

been drinking.”

“From breeder to feeder,” Myla uttered dramatically, and I almost choked on what little remained of my

champagne.

Just thinking about pumping made my breasts ache, but they were full and threatening to soak through

my gown if I didn’t do something about it, and fast. I had pumped enough milk to see the boys happily

fed for the rest of the night, but that didn’t stop my body from deciding it needed to make more.

I sighed, looking around once more for Troy before leav ing the ballroom and heading toward the

servants’ quarters, which were bustling with noisy activity. The nursery was on the second floor and

was a cozy little apartment of sorts with a room for the nanny, a playroom, and a bedroom for the ba

bies of both our family and those who belonged to the ser vants.

“Can I help you with anything, Princess?” said a maid, her face flushed and hair frazzled from the

activities of the evening.

“Oh, no. It’s alright. I was just going up to the nursery to uh, to uh…” I trailed off, feeling sheepish.

“Oh my dear, the babies have gone to bed hours ago. In gra is upstairs with them,” she replied, tilting

her head toward the servant’s stairwell that led up to the upper floors of the

castle.

“I just need to uh, to um…” Goddess, I should’ve had that second glass of champagne.

“You need the pump? Ingra thought you might eventually. Come with me.” She turned on her heel and

sped off, and I hiked up my skirts to follow her, careful not to get in the way as servants passed by with

trays stacked with used plates and silverware.

She led me to one of the sitting rooms reserved especially for the use of our workers, which was cozy, comfortable, and a quiet refuge from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the servants’ quarters and busy

commercial kitchen.

She closed the door behind us, helping me undo the clasps on the back of my dress so I could free my

arms from my sleeves and fold the fabric that covered my chest down over my lap.

And ah, what a relief it was to sit in solitude for a moment, letting the milk flow. I felt renewed in a way,

ready to face the rest of the evening as the maid silently carried the pump away and helped me

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redress.

“The boys are just fine upstairs. Master William had a bit of a fuss but settled down once he was placed

in bed with the others,” she told me softly, clasping my dress and reaching up to adjust my immaculate

updo.

“He doesn’t like being alone,” I said with a somber smile, a wave of guilt washing over me. I should be

with them, I

thought, not parading around in a fluffy, star-covered dress and drinking champagne.

But maybe Troy was right in that I needed a moment to just be Maeve.

I looked at my reflection in the dainty little mirror on the wall, unsure of what I saw. I looked regal. I

looked like a queen.

An imposter.

Yeah, it was time for that second glass of champagne.

I followed the maid back through the servants’ quarters, telling her repeatedly to find me if anything

were to happen to the boys, even if it was the smallest thing that felt huge to me, like they just needed

comfort, or to nurse.

Soon, I found myself back in the main hallways of the cas tle, which were busy with passing servants

and party-goers dressed in their fineries. I began to walk back toward the ball room, taking my time.

People were starting to funnel inside from the garden, heading into the ballroom from the terrace.

It must be time, I thought, taking a deep breath. Rowan would be crowned Alpha and Drogomor.

And then Troy and I would be crowned Alpha of Luna of a pack we only knew as an enemy.

Before I could take another step toward the ballroom, someone had me by the waist, and I was

whisked into one of the many small sitting rooms that lined the main hallway on the first floor. I yelped

in surprise, but found myself face to face with Troy.

“Where the hell have you been? I’ve been looking for you -” | stammered, my heart racing. He gave me

a hungry look, and then slammed the door closed, the lock clicking in place. “What are you doing?”

“I want you,” he growled.

My mouth dropped out. “Right now? You’re about to be come an Alpha in like, five minutes!”

“That’s plenty of time,” he said as he closed in on me, em bracing me roughly. “We haven’t done this in

weeks,”

“You smell like scotch –” he kissed me thoroughly, and I pulled away, laughing. “And you taste like it

too!”

“It’s expensive scotch if that makes a difference,” he replied as he backed me up against the wall,

running his hands over my waist. “I want you out of this dress-”

“Troy, you are wasted!”

“… yes, I am.”

He paused, breathing heavily for a moment before he arched his brow, giving me a curious look.

Then, in a blur of motion, he disappeared beneath my skirts. I yelped again in surprise, smacking him

repeatedly.

“Get out of there! If someone sees,”

He had my underwear between his teeth and ripped them clean off of my body. I lost all ability to think

rationally at that moment, and in a split second he had his mouth on my flesh,

and I succumbed to him.

Thank Goddess he had locked the door. If anyone had en tered the room they would have caught us in

a very compro mising position as he knelt, all of his body hidden by the skirt of my ball gown,

everything but his shoes.

“Oh, Goddess,” | moaned, breathless, arching my hips to ward him.

His hands were gripping my thighs, keeping me pinned against the wall.

A ripple of loud applause seemed to vibrate the entire castle, the sound coming from the ballroom. It

distorted as a wave of ecstasy washed over my body, weakening my knees to the point that Troy’s grip

on me was the only reason I was still upright.

“We have to go-” | panted, feeling more like falling into a heap of blue fabric on the floor then righting

myself and pre tending like Troy hadn’t just forcibly gone down on me right before I was crowned Luna.

He was fumbling beneath my skirts, trying to free himself from the many layers of fabric. I helped him

out, worried for a moment he would tear the fabric.

He jumped up, exhilarated. His hair was a mess, and I fought with him for a moment as I tried to flatten

it, but his curls were impossible.

“I look fine, s-Stop! Stop it!” he swatted my hand away as he bent back to the floor to retrieve what was

left of my un derwear.

“What am I supposed to do now?” I fussed, pointing to the lacey fabric that was now torn in two pieces.

He shrugged,

49

and tossed them into the fireplace. “Hey!”

“You won’t be needing them,” he said shortly, then glanced at me, a boyish gleam in his eyes,

“Especially later.”

“That’s enough. Let’s go before we miss our coronation

Troy stepped toward me, running his hands over my arms. “I love you,” he said, having lost some of the

slur in his voice.

“I love you. You were just using me to sober up, weren’t you?”.

He winked, then took me by the hand and led me out of the room.

Rowan was standing on the stage, facing the crowd as Dad pinned the royal broach of Drogomor on

his sash. I was clasping Troy’s hand, squeezing it, as the coronation took place.

“What does the crest say? I can’t see it from here!” I asked Troy, who narrowed his eyes as he peered

up at the sash.

Troy said something in a language I didn’t understand be fore clarifying, “it means Keepers of the

Flame.”

“What flame?” | asked, knitting my brow. I looked back up at the stage, trying to get a glimpse of the

crest of Winter Forest.

Dad seemed pleased with his work, patting the brooch of Drogomor gently as he moved out of the way

and the High Priestess of the Church of the Moon Goddess stepped for

ward and began to pray over Rowan, then stopped to face the crowd.

To my surprise, Hanna had stepped onto the stage and was quickly ushered toward Rowan.

“No way,” I whispered, excitement bubbling through me. I knew her coming to Mirage had been a

massive step in their relationship, but this?

“Can they do that, not being married and all?” Troy asked in a low whisper.

“I don’t know, but I -” | noticed the ring on her finger, shimmering in the light of the chandelier. It was

green and looked to be made of stone. I swallowed hard in disbelief. “Wow, Rowan. You did it.”

I watched in awe as a sash was placed over her shoulder. She smiled shyly at Rowan, who looked

absolutely elated.

Then they were crowned Alpha and Luna of Drogomor.

“Wow,” I whispered, fighting back tears.

Rowan had chosen to keep Lance in his position as Beta, which seemed to please everyone in the

ballroom. They clapped heartily as Rowan, Hanna, Lance, and his wife left the stage and returned to

the crowd.

“Our turn. Come on.” Troy took me by the hand as a war rior approached us, motioning for us to come

forward and as cend the stairs to the stage. My heart was in my throat, my body racked by nerves. We‘d have to do all of this a second time when we reached Avondale, whenever that would be.

The Elders were standing behind us, and I noticed Troy nod to an elderly man as we took our positions

on stage. | wondered who he was, but was quickly forced to leave his gaze as the High Priestess

stepped forward, leaning toward Troy to speak into his ear.

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“Have you no Beta?” she asked, her voice edged with dis approval.

Troy opened his mouth to speak, but a sudden rush of surprised conversation swept over the ballroom.

The High Priestess stepped out of the way, turning to face the crowd, giving us a full view of Keaton

making his way toward the stage.

Keaton was dressed in full pirate regalia. A jet-black tri corn hat was perched on the top of his head,

decorated with tropical feathers and slightly worn at the edges. His hair was loose, flowing over his

shoulders in waves of gold, separated by braids that had small golden beads on the ends.

He wore a very smart sea-green velvet jacket over his starch white poet shirt, and his skin – tight

trousers were tucked into boots polished to such a gleam I imagined a per son could see their reflection

clearly in the leather. Every sin gle finger had a ring on them, and he wore a hoop earring in one ear,

and a fat diamond in the other.

“He should have cut off his hand and started wearing a hook. That would’ve really brought the whole

look together,” | whispered.

Troy snorted with mirth, shaking his head as Keaton part ed the crown, stopping several times to tip his

hat toward the onlookers giving him the most judgmental gazes.

He didn’t bother to use the stairs to the stage, instead jumping up onto the platform, which was at least

three feet off the group. He nodded tightly at Troy and me, then cleared his throat as he turned to a

warrior standing off the side, and damn near ripped the sash meant for the Beta clean out of his hands.

The crowd was absolutely dumbfounded. Everyone was shocked into silence-everyone but Gemma

and Ernest, who were standing toward the back of the ballroom, whooping and cheering with marked

enthusiasm despite Dad’s death glare in their direction.

Keaton took off his hat and bow dramatically to the crowd, and a few short, confused claps sounded

around the room. Then, he stood slightly behind Troy, smirking at him.

“What the hell is wrong with you two? This is a coronation, not a pissing match!” Dad’s sneer was only

audible to those on the stage, and I heard the group of warriors who had been tasked with holding the

sashes, crowns, and broaches snick ering as they tried to maintain their composure.

Keaton waved his hand in dismissal, then settled his eyes on Myla, who had just been escorted to the

stage herself.

“Very interesting indeed,” mumbled the High Priestess as she stepped forward once again and

reluctantly began the ceremony.

Keaton and Myla were first, their sashes soon decorated with emblems and brooches to signify their

new rank. Keaton fished through his pockets as the High Priestess moved to ward me and Troy, pulling

a exquisite tiara made of gold, ameralds, and sea glass from his pocket and placing it on My

la, who was beaming.

I smiled despite Keaton’s obvious disregard for the cere mony. They looked happy, and very much in

love.

The ceremony went by in a blur of words I didn’t quite comprehend. Troy was soon decked out in a

short crown, placed on his head by the Priestess, and a brooch was placed by my Dad, who gave Troy

a look of intimacy that squeezed my heart.

I was next; a tiara was placed on my head as I was made to repeat the vow to serve our people, to

protect our lands, and to honor the Goddess.

“I know you have it. The moonstone,” the Priestess whis pered as she placed the crown on my head.

“We must speak, soon, about how to return the stone to its rightful home.”

The blood drained from my face as she backed away, turning to the crowd to announce us as the new

Alpha and Luna of Poldesse.

TE

Applause drowned out the blood hammering in my ears as | stole a glance at the Priestess, who gave

me a single, grave nod.

I had a feeling our troubles were far from over.