Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 99 : Taken

*Eliza*

I didn't struggle against Archer, as much as I wanted to.

Why were we running away and leaving Jared to get arrested!? He hadn't done anything wrong!

The moment we were deep enough in the forest, Archer released Mila and me.

“What was that for!?" I pushed his shoulder.

“Just following orders," Archer tapped the side of his head.

“What happened back there… I don't understand…" I shook my head. We'd been so close to freedom! How had it

gotten so messed up?

My stomach dropped and covered my eyes.

“No. No…" I whispered. I'd thought our escape was too easy! Had Aries allowed us to escape simply to turn us over

to the royal guard?

It was all starting to make sense! Had Aries ever wanted our help at all or had this been his plan all along? Had he

known we'd tried to escape and this was the setup? How was he always two steps ahead of us?

Jared… I hope you're okay.

We'd fallen for Aries' tricks. I'd been so sure that we could outsmart him and that once we had the diadem, nothing

could stop us.

I shook my head and looked at my feet. Jared and I had seriously underestimated Aries. That was not a mistake I

was going to make again!

“It seems that Aries made a preemptive move against Jared," Mila offered.

“Look, we can't stop here," Archer interrupted. “Jared told me to get the two of you back to the village. I'm not

going to deny his last order to me."

“Okay…" I nodded. It wasn't what I wanted to do but Archer was right. We had to respect Jared's wishes and get

back to the village. There, we could regroup and figure out what to do next.

Archer headed into the woods and I followed.

“Wait," Mila argued, her commanding voice pulling us both to stop.

“What is it?" I glanced at her nervously.

“We must go after Jared now and save him," she insisted.

“Just the three of us?" Archer shook his head. “No way. We need more backup. We need a plan."

Mila crossed her arms and gave us both a hard look. “If they reach that blockade, there will be no saving him."

“What do you mean?" My heart thumped and my palms got cold and clammy.

My mind raced in a million directions. What was the deal with the blockade? Was it some kind of prison? Was it a

torture chamber?

I didn't want to think that my cousin and her husband tortured prisoners but… I doubted they were aware of

everything their guards did to get answers and meet out justice.

“The blockade is practically impenetrable. Once they get there Jared's fate will be sealed. He will die!" Mila's words

sent a shiver down my spine.

Jared couldn't die. Not when we were so close to having everything we worked for. It wasn't fair! Breaking the curse

was finally in our grasp. This couldn't be the end!

Mila was right. We had to rescue Jared and we couldn't let him get stuck in the slow-moving wheels of the justice

system. It would be the death of him. The death of all three of us!

Absently, I touched my stomach, thinking of the little life growing inside of me. Jared had to live or our child

wouldn't. I knew he'd never accept that and neither would I. He would do whatever he had to in order to stay alive,

for the two of us.

I chewed the inside of my cheek and looked at Archer. “We should listen to her."

Archer shifted his weight from one foot to the other. I could see the conflict in his eyes. He grimaced and rubbed his

hands together.

“Eliza… Jared wants you safe at the village…"

“I know, but me being safe is meaningless if he's dead!" I stamped my foot.

Archer rubbed his temples.

“Besides, with the curse, we're running out of time. If he gets stuck in there, even if they don't execute him right

away, well… if we can't get him out…" I looped my arms around myself. I couldn't bring myself to say the words.

The truth was, if Jared got trapped at the Blockade and we couldn't break the curse, it wouldn't matter if he was

executed. The curse would kill him. It would kill me and our baby, too… for the safety of our child, I couldn't risk it!

“I know, Eliza, you're right," Archer sighed heavily. “We'll get Jared."

“Thank you." I threw my arms around Archer's neck and squeezed.

“Ack!" Archer stumbled back and caught himself.

My cheeks burned as I pulled away. “Sorry. I just…" I didn't know what had come over me. Was it more pregnancy

hormones?

“Eliza, I'm not going with you. I need to prepare to break the curse. There is a lot I must do beforehand," Mila said,

touching my arm.

“I understand. Is there anything you need from me?"

Mila nodded. “The pendant and the diadem. I can use them to prepare for breaking the curse."

I tugged the diadem from my hair and handed it over. Mila quickly tucked it somewhere inside her cloak.

Gently, I massaged my scalp where the diadem had been tucked into my hair. It had pinched the roots slightly.

“The pendant, too." Mila nodded to my neck.

Swallowing hard, I touched the pendent. Parting with it felt wrong. Now that Jared had been arrested, I felt almost

like I was betraying him by giving away his mother's necklace.

Sighing, I unclasped the chain and handed it over to Mila. I hesitated again as she held her hand out.

“I will take good care of it, Eliza," she assured.

“Thank you," I croaked.

I dropped the necklace in her hand. Mila tucked it away in her cloak.

The moment it was out of sight, a strange anxiety gripped my chest. I hated not seeing it, not having it around my

neck.

Even though I was fully clothed, I felt naked and exposed. Glancing down, I ran my hands over my dress, just

making sure that it still covered me. It was silly, I knew that.

“If we're going to track the royal guards, we've got to leave now. We can't let them get too far ahead," Archer

warned.

“Just one more thing…" Mila trailed off.

“Yes?" I turned my full attention to her.

“I can get everything prepared, but Eliza, you and Jared must come to me before the new moon."

“Okay, I'll try."

“No, don't try! If we don't do this before the new moon… it's all over."

Mila's warning felt like a bucket of ice being poured down my spine. I shuddered.

“O-okay."

“Come on, Eliza, we really have to get moving." Archer motioned for me to follow.

“Mila, where should we meet you?"

“When you rescue Jared, find me in your dreams. I will be ready for you and will lead you to me."

“Alright. Thank you, Mila." I reached out and took her hand. Part of me wanted to hug her but I'd only just met her. I

squeezed her hand and smiled.

“Go now. Get Jared so that we can finally break this curse!"

Mila pulled away from me. She hurried into the shadows and vanished almost immediately.

“Are you ready to go now?" Archer urged.

“Yes, let's go."

“Wait, on second thought, you should change first. Running around in a ballgown isn't the most… inconspicuous

thing to do," Archer said, teasing me a little.

“I didn't bring a spare change of clothes… I wasn't expecting Jared to get arrested."

“Don't worry, Jared took care of everything."

Archer ducked behind a tree. When he came back, he held out my backpack. The same one I'd hidden some things

from Aries's vault and the Cryptex.

“There are some spare clothes in there and a pair of shoes. Hurry and change."

Archer turned his back on me. I went behind the nearest tree and changed quickly. It was almost a shame to leave

behind such a nice dress and nice matching shoes. Then I thought about how Aries had given them to me and

because of him, Jared was in the custody of royal guards.

Wrinkling my nose, I tossed the satin dress on the ground and stomped on it.

I slipped the sneakers on, grateful that Jared had thought ahead. Archer was right, I definitely needed the right

shoes to go running off through the woods.

“Okay, I'm ready." I put my backpack on and came out from behind the tree.

“Good, we can still catch them! With all their prisoners they're probably moving kind of slow."

I crouched low, mimicking Archer. We stayed in the underbrush, moving swiftly and silently.

I wanted to ask Archer what we'd do when we caught up to the guards, how we'd get Jared free. I wanted to ask

him if he had a plan or if we were just winging it.

But I knew that talking was a bad idea right now. We needed to be quiet and stealthy.

I reached for the pendant around my neck, thinking of how it was the one thing that linked me to Jared while he

was arrested.

My hand grasped at air.

Oh, right… I'd given Mila the necklace!

Suddenly, I smiled and touched my stomach. The necklace wasn't the only thing that linked me to Jared. We still had

our child.

Archer and I made it back to the clearing where the royal guards had surrounded us.

“I'm going to look around for clues. Do you know anything about tracking?" Archer asked.

“I'm an anthropologist, I can find clues," I assured, nodding.

Archer and I spread out and started looking for clues and signs of which direction the royal guards had taken Jared

and his men.

Most of the grass and small plants had been trampled down, making it difficult to find a clear path.

The bright moon overhead cast silver light on the clearing. My heart lifted slightly and I felt like the Moon Goddess

was guiding me.

Something on the ground glinted.

My heart leapt into my chest. I pushed some of the leaves and grass away.

“Archer, over here."

It was Jared's wedding band. He must have left it as a clue, knowing we'd come after him. I hated seeing it on the

ground, not on his finger.

Archer came over and studied the surrounding area. “This way, they went this way." He pointed.

I grabbed the ring and tucked it into my pocket. Soon, very soon, it would be back in it's rightful place, on Jared's

finger.

Archer and I crouched down again and headed in the direction the royal guards had gone.

Once out of the clearing, it was a lot easier to follow their trail. They probably weren't trying to cover their tracks

because it would be insane for anyone to attack any entire entourage of royal guards, even if they were escorting

prisoners.

Archer and I alone weren't a threat.

Again, I wanted to ask what Archer's plan was.

I opened my mouth to speak but something warm and heavy clamped over it.

A hand!

I tried to scream but my whole body lurched. Someone had their arms around me and was dragging me backward,

into the shadows, away from Archer.

I kicked out with my legs, trying to make a sound, but we were already too far away. Archer didn't know I was gone!

“Settle down. You'll only hurt yourself." A crackling voice hissed in my ear.

I felt the blood drain from my face. She turned me to face her and a violent shiver ran over me.

This dangerous and volatile witch didn't need to introduce herself.

It was Hestia…