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Bad Compromise
Last Updated:
2024-05-05 07:06:20
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EllaSilver manacles burn into my wrists. The hot, slippery metal slides over my bones as I curl into myself, trying to shelter myself from the pain. Water drips onto my filthy hair. It’s ice cold, which is a welcome relief from the sweltering heat radiating through the room made of sweating pale stone.There’s a single door and no windows, and I have no idea if I’m underground or high, high above in some tower. Everything from the brief moments of clarity I had after being pulled from the river to now are blurry. Flashes of being dragged by my hair through wet mud. The feeling of silver being sliced over my bruised skin. The sound of manacles being locked in place, and muffled voices lifted in snarling laughter at my expense.I woke up some time ago thirsty and in the worst pain I think I’ve ever felt. The pain radiates from my wrists and writhes a snake through every vein, over every muscle, setting deep in my bones.The worst of it lingers in my lower belly. A dull, cramping ache h
Last Updated : 2024-05-06The Alpha King's Breeder Annihilation
EllaThere’s nothing in my head but the sheer will to survive as Petra swings Ryatt’s sword. She miscalculates how heavy it is, and based on the way her arms tremble and bow, she’s never wielded a sword before, either.The gem-encrusted hilt slides out of her hands, the sword whizzing through the air. A screech of pain sounds nearby, and I spare a glance in the direction of the sound.A wolf—one of Petra’s warriors—is twitching on its side while blood pools around his body.I don’t hide the smirk that stretches over my cracked lip as Petra slowly turns her gaze back to me. I step to the side, then step again, putting a few feet of distance between me and the deranged witch. All around us, warriors, guards, and even some of her slaves are starting to gather to watch the fight.I mean to give them a show they’ll never forget.If I can muster the strength.Each step is painful. Each breath rattles through my lungs. My blank thoughts flash with images of Ryatt. He can’t find me without th
Last Updated : 2024-05-07The Alpha King's Breeder A Rogue and a Witch
RyattThe village of Cerserne sits on the southernmost border between the Roguelands and Rifthold. Quiet, scant, and nothing but rolling, grass covered hills, it’s a peaceful place. The men quickly ushering their wives and children into the scattered pale stone cottages aren’t at peace, however, not with a band of wolves marching into their village. The burly man in brown leather who walks in my direction looks murderous, but his expression shifts to one of skepticism and concern as he recognizes the dark emblem of the Roguelands on the armor on the bodies of my warriors who are still in their human forms. I walk between the dozen or so warriors, Granger walking a few paces behind me. My warriors part to allow me to edge right up to the Alpha of Cerserne–an Alpha who once allied with Kane. “What do I owe the…pleasure?” he croons, giving me a dramatic bow. His thick black beard brushes against his chest as he rises to his full height and crosses his arms over his broad chest. I s
Last Updated : 2024-05-08The Alpha King's Breeder Head in a Bag
EllaThey follow me like baby ducks. I’ve counted thirty-eight of them so far, though several of the witches are barely able to walk on their own. Everytime I speak, thirty-eight sets of eyes light on mine, unblinking. If I stop walking abruptly, the dozen or so strongest unsheath blades and bows and arrows we stole from the dead warriors we left in the caves. The caves… well, the witches and I didn’t leave right away. Those strong enough to fight killed the rest of the warriors while the others went to free their sisters from the networks of cells hidden along darkened corridors. All of the strange pyres were staunched, and the walls…. I glance around at the witches setting up camp along the base of a cliff. Most of them are splattered with blood, and their hands are covered in it. They painted the walls of those caves red. I exhale deeply and continue poking the fire in front of me. Rain rips through the camp in sheets that pass as quickly as they come. A huge storm just tore th
Last Updated : 2024-05-09The Alpha King's Breeder Calming the Storm
EllaI’m not sure what time it is. Ryatt picked me up and carried me out of the tub hours ago, laying me in bed with so much tenderness it nearly broke my heart.We’ve been lying here ever since. My cheek rests against his arm while his other one cradles me, his hand tucked under my breast.He’s asleep. His rhythmic breathing is the only sound in the room other than the rain softly padding against the foggy windows. The fire burned out long ago, and the room is cast in silver gray light as the sun finally begins to rise.I want to stay here forever–in this room, with my mate’s warmth penetrating my skin. Outside the door leading back into the main rooms of the inn, our reality awaits. War, unrest, death and despair. I killed Petra, sure, but I know we have more trials to face. More enemies to conquer.Ryatt stirs as that silvery, stormy morning light starts to creep up the bed. His legs are tangled in the sheets, and the soft lighting makes his scars and roping, intricate tattoos all
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IsaacI gently lift Sydney out of Maddy’s arms. He blinks, then a fleeting smile stretches over his face before he falls back asleep with milk dribbling down his cheek. Ryan is already sleeping in the double-wide crib tucked beneath the window in our bedroom, his chubby arms and legs splayed out like a starfish. Sydney likes to be swaddled but I’m terrible at it. I mumble curses under my breath as I try to adjust his swaddle and gently lay him down beside his brother, who is in nothing but a diaper, which is just the way Ryan likes it. Thank the Goddess it’s a sweltering summer night. I edge away from the crib with my hands out in surrender, grimacing as my foot catches that damned squeaky floorboard I keep forgetting to tell someone to fix, but the twins remain asleep. So does my wife. Maddy’s wine-red hair falls over her shoulder and back as she rolls over on her side and curls into the blankets. She whispers something to herself in her sleep, but it’s lost on me. I’m too focus
Last Updated : 2024-05-11The Alpha King's Breeder Tendrils of Black
EllaAll is well. Nothing is amiss. Our daughter is growing as she should be. Here’s a list of herbs. The alchemist in the market can make you a bundle for teas and spicing your food. You should be eating this as often as you can. It’ll help with the aches and fatigue. The midwife’s words echo in my mind.All is well. No signs of distress. No inklings that a curse is eating me alive. I watch the village of Hannis from my window at the inn as I cradle the swell of my stomach. No one suspects a thing is wrong with me. Maybe Petra was wrong. Maybe she lied and was only trying to scare me, but the memories of Kane’s blade slicing my skin ebb through my mind and leave scars in their wake. I need to know for sure if I’m cursed and what it means. And, more importantly, how to break it. The midwife comes and goes with a smile on her pleasant face, but I haven’t left the room. I’ve barely touched the cold breakfast foods laid out on a small table near the window. The tea has grown cold.
Last Updated : 2024-05-12The Alpha King's Breeder The Truth Comes Out
Ryatt“She’s oddly quiet,” Granger says as we step out of the pack house in a village called Reighnier, where the pack Silent Crest resides. I glance at my mate who is walking back to the two-story stone cottage we’ve been given to sleep in for the night. Her long dark hair is neatly braided down her back, and her brown cloak is spotless as she pulls open the door and slips inside. I exhale, my stomach tightening as I fumble with the leather armguards around my wrists. “She’s tired. I spoke to her this morning. We’re going to see another healer once we reach Twin Rivers.”Or what’s left of Twin Rivers. The once prosperous city on the banks of the river that separates the Roguelands from Rifthold is barely more than a village of tents and refugees now. It was flattened during the war, just like Rifthold. Once we cross the river, it could be weeks until we find someone to help Ella with the pregnancy symptoms that plague her day in and day out. “Is this wise, Ryatt?” Granger asks in
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The Alpha King's Breeder The Proposal
BrieLogan steps into my dad’s office. All eyes turn to him as he scans the men–Sydney, Grandpa Ryatt, my father, a few others that serve both my father and grandfather as generals, captains, and commanders. Logan’s eyes are like polished, imperfect emeralds as he eyes my grandpa wearily, like he’s not entirely sure he understands what Ryatt just said to everyone in the room. “Brie, you don’t need to be here for this,” Aviva whispers behind me, knitting her fingers in mine. But Logan growls, “She stays.”A silent, heavy, creeping hint of tension scatters around the room. The entire castle would explode if someone lit a match right now, I’m sure. My spine tingles as Logan turns to Ryatt and says, calmly despite the bite in his voice, “There’s nothing in Emberfyll.”“Quite the contrary,” my grandfather replies immediately, rounding my father’s desk, his shadow powers simmering and coiling around his fingers, “Debris has been washing up on the southern shore of Tarsian for decades now.
The Alpha King's Breeder Now Lie in It
LoganBrie looks exhausted, but otherwise… happy, thank the Goddess, as she sits between her mother and Misty, listening to their conversation and picking at a sandwich. I lean my elbows on the table across the room where I’m sitting in silence, alone, still waiting for my mind to catch up with my body after Maeve jumped with us from the middle of the ocean to Veiled Valley. A shadow moves into view, crossing through the doorway before a shadow breaches the informal living area. Ryan looks around before turning the corner, beelining for me, waving away several rushed questions coming from the group of women on the couches nearby. He braces his hands on the table beside me, leaning down to whisper into my ear, “I need to speak to you in private before Ryatt returns. Can you come with me?”I glance at Brie, who’s watching us with her brows furrowed in worry. I suck my teeth before nodding, and Ryan moves back a step so I can stand. Brie and I have been using the mind-link as much as
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BrieI pull the stool out from under my vanity, sinking down and facing Blake. I’m older than him by a few months. We’ve always been close, even when we were younger, and he tended to want to play rowdy boy games with Aris. He always sat quietly and played tea-party with me, though, without fail. He’s also the pariah of the family and knows it. His powers rival Ryatt’s, which is a terrifying thought. In fact, I often question who’s more powerful–him or Maeve? But that’s not a fair question at the moment, given that Maeve’s powers aren’t even fully developed yet. Blake, however… he exudes energy that makes my skin tingle as he sits in my desk chair, resting his elbows on his knees. “You found us, didn’t you?” He nods, a flash of guilt darkening his irises. “I admit I didn’t even look until Maeve cornered me. She felt you, she said. Sensed your arrival back in our waters.”I wonder how much Logan told the family. Probably everything, I’m sure. That man can talk, and I love that abou
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BrieAt first I think I’m dreaming that I’m in my room in Veiled Valley. Familiar smells and textures unravel my senses, shielding me in a sense of calm serenity I haven’t felt in a very long time. Sunlight trickles through the curtains as they lift in a soft, warm summer breeze. Birdsong flutters through the air, breaking through murmured conversation nearby, but it sounds like a gorgeous day outside. The kind of summer day I’d spend in the garden before shifting and running into the mountains to that overlook, where a waterfall funnels back toward the city of deep, emerald green and crystal. The vision fades for the space of a breath, my eyes growing heavy once again. I wonder what I’ll dream of next? I hope it’s a good dream. But my stomach rolls and pitches, and I choke on a cough. Bright pain tingles through my body, settling at the base of my neck where a headache of epic proportions explodes, and suddenly wherever I am is too bright and far too loud. I groan, twisting into t
The Alpha King's Breeder MY Mate
LoganI hit solid ground with a crunch that reverberates through my body, shocking me back to life. Dark stone and stained glass come into view, and it’s all familiar. We’re in Veiled Valley, in the castle.I blink, sucking in a breath, then curl to a seated position before swaying to my feet, my vision blurred, but I can just make out the outline of Maeve clutching Brie to her chest as Brie slumps over her arms. I run, slipping over the stone floor, and pull Brie out of Maeve’s grasp just as she begins to fall to the ground. “What is wrong with you?!” I shout at Maeve, kneeling and cradling Brie as my knees hit the ground. “What were you thinking?!”I smooth Brie’s hair out of her face. Her eyes are closed, and she’s pale, barely breathing. “Hey, Brie? Brie, come on–” I run my hand over her face, smoothing pale silver tears from her eyes, but she remains frozen. I look up at Maeve, who’s panting, a horrified look on her face. She shakes her head over, and over, mouthing something
The Alpha King's Breeder Wherever Home Is
LoganBrie folds her arms under her chest against the sudden, humid chill in the air. Thunder booms around us as the Artemis creeps toward the towering waves that should be crashing down on the deck but seem to hang in midair, casting long shadows over the ship. I rest my hands on the railing, caging Brie in against the wooden slats while we look up at the waves, neither of us breathing. In fact, everyone aboard the Artemis is standing on the deck, watching the unnerving sight in absolute bone-chilling silence. The waves simply vanish ahead of us, rolling back into the depths, allowing the fleet of over a dozen boats to pass. It’s unreal. It doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. “Are you all right?” I ask my mate, resting my hand on her upper arm. She nods but is beyond words at this point. I don’t blame her. I feel like I’ve been holding my breath for the last half hour as the Artemis leads the charge. Several men scale the ratlines to hang from the masts, keeping an eye on the shi
The Alpha King's Breeder Nothing Can Change It
Brie“There’s four main ports on the continent,” Logan says, bending over the crude, illustrated map of Crescent Falls and Eastonia for Alex. “Here, in Maatua. Just south of that is Avalone, in Veiled Valley. I believe that’s where we’ll be closest. However, if we come out of the veil far south, there’s a port here, in Tarsian, which is part of Eastonia. And if we’re somehow north.” He breaths, tapping the map with his knuckles. “We’ll be here, in Crescent Falls.”“And Emberfyll is… where?” Alex asks.“Somewhere… over here, I believe.” He drags a finger south from Tarsian and sharply east. I follow it, my chest tightening as I look up at him. We’re on the Artemis right now, tucked away in Alex and Monica’s private quarters. Behind us, the Asteria, the Atropos, and two other grand ships bob in the water. Beyond them, an entire fleet of ships of varying sizes follows our progress away from Tempest Valley and into the open, toward the veil. We’ve been on the water for two weeks. Before
The Alpha King's Breeder You're Going to Help Me
MaeveMom stands with her arms crossed on the balcony overlooking the ballroom in our castle. In the city below, the once beautiful, tropical landscape is cast in shadow. The crystal bridges lined with greenery are now painted in banners of black. A field of flowers stretches beyond the gates of the castle, left by mourners. Left for my sister. Veiled Valley has never been this quiet and dark. The sun has barely shown itself since Brie left us. The castle itself has barely stirred in that time. It’s magic just… can’t handle Brie’s loss. It mourns with the rest of us, sometimes sending a low, choked groan through the corridors that make the lights flicker, like the magic is crying. “I’m not ready,” Mom says quietly as she watches the women below mingle in small circles, most, if not all of them, dressed in dark fabric–mourning gowns. “I’ll tell them we’re waiting. It's not a problem,” I reply, gliding to her side, reaching to lay my hand over hers as she grips the balcony, but she t
The Alpha King's Breeder Melody Remembered
LoganBrie moves like the water, like a tree swaying in the wind, the most natural I’ve ever seen her. Her full, luscious curves are on achingly full display in the bikini she’s wearing, which does little to hide what… what I want to claim as mine. Her body, her mind, her soul… Even after spending the majority of the afternoon and evening in my wolf form, thinking finally having the opportunity to shift would clear my head, it only made those feelings worse. Feelings that tell me I’m making a mistake. Leaving her behind, choosing Emberfyll over her…. It’s the worst thing I’ve ever done. Sawyer sighs beside me, lifting his drink to his mouth. It’s rum, which I’m not a fan of but have been drinking since the boats pulled up to the dock, mostly against my will. “She’s beautiful,” he says, nudging his shoulder against my arm. “I know.” I wish she knew. I wish I could show her that, make her believe it somehow. Show her how much she’s worth, but… I’d be crossing the line we nearly cro
