Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 128: Come Back to Me

I sat by my cousin’s side as healers circled around her, working to figure out what was wrong. Why was this

happening?

I never thought that saving Jared would lead to Hestia coming after my cousin, my family….

I’d pushed her to this. It was all to save Jared, which was a good cause, but now Lena might die. She didn’t deserve

this.

King Xander sat on her other side, holding her hand.

Neither of us was willing to leave her.

“What can you tell me?” Xander asked the healers after a few days of testing and analysis.

“We still don’t know what she was poisoned with, only that she was poisoned,” one healer said.

“That’s all you’ve learned, in the past four days!?” Xander snapped.

The healer cringed and bowed his head.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but this is a very complex poison. It isn’t like anything we’ve seen before. We can only

guess as to what effects it is having.”

“And what are those effects?”

The healer sighed and went to the queen’s head, holding his hand over her mouth like he was feeling her breath.

I watched everything they did but stayed silent. It wasn’t my place to make a fuss over this. But I was still going to

be there.

Jared stood against the wall behind me. He was never far away, but he understood that this was a family matter.

“Based on her vitals and response to certain stimuli, it appears she’s asleep. But we cannot wake her up. The

poison is keeping her in a constant sleep state,” the healer explained.

“Like a coma?” I asked.

The healer shook his head. “Not quite. Based on her nervous system responses to light, pain, and other stimuli,

she’s just asleep. There’s too much brain activity for it to be a coma.”

“Well, if the potion is just keeping her asleep, then she’s not in any immediate danger, right?” Xander asked.

The healer pursed his lips. “We can keep her nourished and hydrated, but long term, that won’t work. Since she’s

asleep, she’s cycling through the different brain patterns of sleep. Long-term, it will force her brain to shut down.”

Xander gaped and sank into his chair.

I grabbed her fingers and squeezed. She jerked slightly, but her breathing remained even and her eyes didn’t open.

“Your Majesty, we should get her to the Light Realm,” I said.

Xander looked at me and arched an eyebrow.

“Their medicine is much stronger. They might have ways of keeping her alive until we can find a way to wake her

up.”

“You're right. The Light Realm is much more suited to figure this out.” He nodded.

“Can I accompany you?”

“Of course. She is your family, too.”

The king left, muttering about arrangements for his Beta to stay with the children and watch over the kingdom.

While Xander arranged to transport his wife to the Light Realm, I made arrangements of my own.

Jared watched me as I walked around the guest quarters we’d been assigned to, packing what little I’d brought with

me.

“Are you sure you should be going with the king and queen?”

“Why wouldn’t I? She’s family. You’re the one who told me not to give up on her.” I tossed some clothes in a

suitcase and looked under the bed for my shoes.

“I know, Eliza. That’s… you definitely shouldn’t give up on her, but it is a very long journey to the Light Realm.”

I stood up and put my hands on my hips, glaring at Jared. “You think that matters to me!? My cousin is dying!”

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Jared nodded slowly. “I’m just worried about you. Remember what Mila said?”

“I know what Mila said!” I snapped, throwing my arms up. “But this is more important. With everything I’ve learned

about magic and curses, I could help her, but only in the Light Realm.”

“I’m not saying you shouldn’t help, Eliza. I just want you to consider what you’re about to do.”

“I’m about to help save someone in my family, someone I care about. If you expect me to stay here and do nothing

while my cousin is dying, then you don’t understand what family means to me!”

“You don’t have to stay and do nothing. You could still help without going to the Light Realm. I’m concerned about

your cousin, too. I’m also concerned about you and the baby.”

“Well, you don’t need to be concerned about me. I can take it easy in the Light Realm, and they have great doctors

there. Nothing is going to go wrong.”

Jared pursed his lips. “Please, Eliza, the trip to the Light Realm isn’t all that easy. Think of your health, and the

health of the baby.”

I crossed my arms. How could he ask me to put myself ahead of my cousin when she was in immediate danger and

whatever Mila was worried about with my baby was just a possible danger?

“I am!”

Jared clamped his mouth closed. Slowly, he nodded and took a step back. “Alright, I understand.”

I finished packing in silence. I did understand why Jared was concerned, but my only priority was saving my cousin.

The baby and I had been fine for weeks while helping the refugees and with renovations. I was certain that any

danger had passed and I could handle a trip to the Light Realm.

“Eliza?” Jared’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

“What?” I arched an eyebrow at him.

“Do you think that you and the baby would be better off in the Light Realm?”

He creased his brow, eyes focused on the floor.

I thought over his question carefully. It was obvious to me that he didn’t understand how I felt about my family.

Maybe it was because he never had a big family like me, but I couldn’t explain what they meant to me to him.

And if he wasn’t going to accept how much I cared about them and what lengths I would go to for them, would he

ever understand me? Would we ever be able to last as a couple if he fought with me every time I needed to help

my family?

I shrugged. “You did say that you would understand if I wanted to go back.”

Jared’s brow furrowed even further and I saw the hurt look in his eyes. He wouldn’t look at me, but I could feel the

presence of the mind link opening up between us.

Turning away from him, I shut it down quickly. Our mate bond had been restored, as well as the mind link between

us. But I wasn’t ready to open up to him like that, especially if he was questioning my motives and loyalty to my

family.

“I want you to be happy, Eliza.”

I nodded and grabbed my bag. “I will be.”

I left the room to join Xander and the rest of our travel group.

Every step I took away from Jared felt like I was walking on pins and needles. The further I got from him, the more

it hurt to breathe.

That look of pain and hurt in his eyes… it had almost been too much.

I didn’t want to leave him, but I couldn’t stay while my cousin was in danger. He didn’t understand that. Why didn’t

he understand that?

My wolf was restless but I ignored her. I was going to the Light Realm with or without Jared’s blessing.

Xander’s travel group met at a boat headed for the Light Realm. My cousin had already been loaded on board with

healers and was being kept comfortable in a stateroom.

The mood on the boat was somber and quiet. I could tell everyone was worried about her. They loved her a lot, just

like I did.

I watched Xander standing in place like a statue. He seemed so lost and confused. People approached him but he

didn’t speak to anyone.

“I’m not soying you shouldn’t help, Elizo. I just wont you to consider whot you’re obout to do.”

“I’m obout to help sove someone in my fomily, someone I core obout. If you expect me to stoy here ond do nothing

while my cousin is dying, then you don’t understond whot fomily meons to me!”

“You don’t hove to stoy ond do nothing. You could still help without going to the Light Reolm. I’m concerned obout

your cousin, too. I’m olso concerned obout you ond the boby.”

“Well, you don’t need to be concerned obout me. I con toke it eosy in the Light Reolm, ond they hove greot doctors

there. Nothing is going to go wrong.”

Jored pursed his lips. “Pleose, Elizo, the trip to the Light Reolm isn’t oll thot eosy. Think of your heolth, ond the

heolth of the boby.”

I crossed my orms. How could he osk me to put myself oheod of my cousin when she wos in immediote donger ond

whotever Milo wos worried obout with my boby wos just o possible donger?

“I om!”

Jored clomped his mouth closed. Slowly, he nodded ond took o step bock. “Alright, I understond.”

I finished pocking in silence. I did understond why Jored wos concerned, but my only priority wos soving my cousin.

The boby ond I hod been fine for weeks while helping the refugees ond with renovotions. I wos certoin thot ony

donger hod possed ond I could hondle o trip to the Light Reolm.

“Elizo?” Jored’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

“Whot?” I orched on eyebrow ot him.

“Do you think thot you ond the boby would be better off in the Light Reolm?”

He creosed his brow, eyes focused on the floor.

I thought over his question corefully. It wos obvious to me thot he didn’t understond how I felt obout my fomily.

Moybe it wos becouse he never hod o big fomily like me, but I couldn’t exploin whot they meont to me to him.

And if he wosn’t going to occept how much I cored obout them ond whot lengths I would go to for them, would he

ever understond me? Would we ever be oble to lost os o couple if he fought with me every time I needed to help

my fomily?

I shrugged. “You did soy thot you would understond if I wonted to go bock.”

Jored’s brow furrowed even further ond I sow the hurt look in his eyes. He wouldn’t look ot me, but I could feel the

presence of the mind link opening up between us.

Turning owoy from him, I shut it down quickly. Our mote bond hod been restored, os well os the mind link between

us. But I wosn’t reody to open up to him like thot, especiolly if he wos questioning my motives ond loyolty to my

fomily.

“I wont you to be hoppy, Elizo.”

I nodded ond grobbed my bog. “I will be.”

I left the room to join Xonder ond the rest of our trovel group.

Every step I took owoy from Jored felt like I wos wolking on pins ond needles. The further I got from him, the more

it hurt to breothe.

Thot look of poin ond hurt in his eyes… it hod olmost been too much.

I didn’t wont to leove him, but I couldn’t stoy while my cousin wos in donger. He didn’t understond thot. Why didn’t

he understond thot?

My wolf wos restless but I ignored her. I wos going to the Light Reolm with or without Jored’s blessing.

Xonder’s trovel group met ot o boot heoded for the Light Reolm. My cousin hod olreody been looded on boord with

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heolers ond wos being kept comfortoble in o stoteroom.

The mood on the boot wos somber ond quiet. I could tell everyone wos worried obout her. They loved her o lot, just

like I did.

I wotched Xonder stonding in ploce like o stotue. He seemed so lost ond confused. People opprooched him but he

didn’t speok to onyone.

The boat crew ran around, pulling off the ropes and getting ready to depart. Just as they were about to remove the

plank, all my heartstrings tugged tightly and my wolf whined in my head.

I felt the strongest pull to turn around and I couldn’t resist.

Jared was standing on the plank. I saw his wolf in his eyes, and my wolf was desperate to get back to him.

She was inconsolable, and I knew she’d never let me leave while Jared and his wolf were standing there.

Was he doing that on purpose to keep me here? Suddenly, I was beyond irritated….

Why would he show up here if he planned to try and manipulate me into staying!? I’d already told him my reasons

and he didn’t get it. He couldn’t guilt me into staying by appealing to my wolf.

“Hang on,” I said to the crewmen taking the plank down. “I’ll just be a minute.”

They nodded and let me walk off the plank to Jared.

“Why did you come?” I asked stiffly.

“I didn’t want you to leave angry at me.” Jared reached for me, putting his hands on my shoulders.

I gasped and closed my eyes, feeling all his love for me. Through the mate bond, I could sense his love, concern,

and protectiveness.

My wolf became even more insistent that we stay with our mate. She wouldn’t leave as long as he was there.

I shook my head, fighting the urge to sink into Jared’s arms.

I couldn’t abandon Lena for someone who didn’t know the importance of family. I needed to be strong, but when

Jared cupped my cheeks, I almost lost all my nerve….

There was only one way to get my wolf to leave without him.

“I know you can feel the strength of our mate bond, just like I can. Please, don’t leave me. Come home with me.”

He spoke softly, pressing his forehead to mine.

“Jared… I… my cousin….”

“What about our baby?”

I gasped and looked into his eyes. His gaze bore into me, looking straight through me and into my soul. My body

hummed and I couldn’t pull away.

“Eliza, please. Come back to me.”

Jared closed the space between us and kissed me warmly on the lips. He poured all his love, tenderness, and

devotion into that kiss. How could I possibly leave him?

The irresistible pull toward him was there again as strong as ever, but I managed to push him away.

“No." I looked into his pleading eyes and forced my voice to stay calm, "I, Eliza, now reject you as my mate!”

Jared scoffed lightly, his hands dropping from my face. He stared at me for a long moment. First, his face was a

mask, and then his hard shell shattered a little and I saw the pain in his eyes. A barely noticeable shudder went

through him.

Jared sighed and stepped back, the pain disappearing as his features were replaced with an expressionless mask.

“I accept.”

Suddenly, Jared staggered back like he’d been punched in the gut. He recovered quickly, standing up tall and

holding himself still as a statue.

I blinked at him several times, surprised he’d given up so quickly. My legs trembled as the rejection struck me like a

bolt of lightning. I grabbed the plank rail and leaned against it, forcing back the tears that threatened to fall.

Nodding, I left him on the plank and returned to the ship.

This wasn’t about us. It was about saving my cousin. For her, I had to stay strong, even if that meant breaking

Jared’s heart.

I glanced at him one last time as the boat pulled away. He just stood there, staring off into space.

I went right to my stateroom and shut and locked the door. Immediately, I burst into tears and flopped down on the

bed. My wolf howled mournfully in my head and I hugged myself, trying to comfort us both.