Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 97 : Time To Go

For our supposed honeymoon, Aries also wanted to throw our celebration ball as soon as possible, but it still took

him several days to plan it.

On the night of the ball, Aries sent some servants to me with a tailored dress. It was shimmering champagne-

colored satin. A floor length, spaghetti strap ballgown with a low back and swooping neckline.

As soon as I was dressed, Jared came to the door to get me. He was dressed in a nice suit and looked just as

handsome as at our wedding. I raked my eyes over his muscular physique, hidden behind the smooth lines of the

suit.

But not too hidden.

He grinned, his own eyes trailing over me.

I snagged my lower lip between my teeth and felt my cheeks warm.

“Shall we?" Jared held his arm out to me.

“Oh, wait, I need one more thing." I ducked back into the room and grabbed the diadem.

Mila had sent word that she'd come to us on the night of the celebration and I wanted everything prepared.

I looked in the mirror and set the diadem on my head. It tucked right into my curls and looked glamorous on my

head, almost like it belonged there.

“Okay, now I'm ready." I looped my arm through Jared's.

He creased his brow. “Are you sure you want to wear that. What if Aries recognized it?"

I shrugged. “After tonight, I don't think it will matter."

“You know that once we make contact with Mila, we'll be enacting my escape plan." He lowered his voice to a

whisper and glanced around.

Aries left us a lone a lot. Either he really thought Jared was helping him or he didn't think there was any way we

could escape.

It made me a little nervous about Jared's escape plan. What if there was something Aries had done to make it

impossible for us to really get away?

Jared and I made our entrance into the ball in our honor. As soon as we came through the doors, the music stopped

and everyone stared at us.

I smiled, my lips straining, and waved to everyone.

“This is weird," I muttered, keeping my smile in place.

“Do we know any of these shifters?" Jared asked in a whisper, also speaking through his teeth as he smiled and

waved.

“Ahh, welcome, our guests of honor. The newlyweds Jared and Eliza." Aries announced. He clapped.

Everyone in the room clapped.

Then the music started again and I sighed a big sigh of relief.

“May I have this dance, my beautiful wife?" Jared lifted my hand and kissed the back of it.

My stomach exploded in butterflies. I'd never get used to hearing him call me his wife. It just sounded so right!

“Why of course, dear husband." I giggled and followed Jared onto the dance floor.

He held me close in his arms, one hand on the small of my back, the other between my shoulder blades. His fingers

were warm and pleasantly rough against my bare back.

I looked into Jared's eyes and felt myself get sucked in. The whole world faded away. Aries, his party, the curse

boiling in my blood, none of it existed as I swayed in Jared's arms, lost in his embrace.

My heart felt like it was flying and I let him sweep me across the dancefloor.

When the song ended, another shifter came up to me and Jared. I'd never seen him before in my life, but he smiled

brightly and glanced at Jared.

“Do you mind if I dance with the beautiful bride?" he asked.

Jared looked at me carefully. Suddenly, he pulled me against him again.

I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck. Jared kissed me passionately, deeply, on the lips. I melted into

him, holding him close.

The kiss ended too soon as Jared pulled away. He whispered in my ear.

“Stay here and wait for Mila. I'm going to get everything set up. Wait for my signal."

“What will your signal be?" I whispered back.

Jared hooked his finger under my chin. “You'll know it when you see it."

Well, that was vague. I nodded as he turned back to the man that interrupted us.

“One dance," Jared said. He held up his pointer finger for emphasis.

The young male gulped and nodded. “Just one."

He held his hand out to me and I took it. The moment I was twirling through the crowd again, I lost sight of Jared.

I had to trust him with this escape plan, and he was right, it was better if I stayed here and kept the party going.

After my one dance with that male shifter, he passed me off to another. I wasn't sure why they were all so eager to

dance with me. For some reason, it felt like some pan that Aries had in place, like he wanted to test my relationship

with Jared or something.

The third male I danced with was a little over-eager.

“You're a great dancer," he purred, his blue eyes gleaming. He smirked and ran his hand up and down my sides.

I pushed at his chest slightly. “Hey, I'm married. I'm dancing with you out of courtesy, but don't push your luck."

He winked at me and slipped his arms around my neck, pulling me a little closer.

“I can't help myself, darling. You're just so beautiful."

I rolled my eyes. “Why don't you try that line on someone who isn't married?"

He grinned and chuckled and spun me away from him.

I caught sight of a cloaked figure at the edge of the dance floor.

Mila! It had to be.

When my dance partner pulled me back, I put a hand up.

“That's enough for me. I need to grab a drink."

“Fine, fine. But when you're ready to dance again, I'll be waiting." He winked and bowed as he backed away.

Shaking my head, I went to the drink table first. I didn't want it to look like I was meeting up with Mila. I wanted to

be more casual.

Slowly, I meandered toward her, greeting everyone that I bumped into.

I sipped my sparkling beverage, no alcohol, and kept slowly heading toward Mila.

When I did reach her, I greeted her like I had everyone else.

“Thank you for coming to my party."

Mila lifted her head, revealing her eyes and face from under her hood. I saw the resemblance between her and

Ciana, the same blonde hair and blue eyes. There was no doubt in my mind that this was Mila.

“I was surprised to find you hear."

“It was necessary. Unfortunately, it was the only way we could get our hands on the diadem."

Mila's eyes traveled to my head. “Is that it?"

“Yes." I nodded.

Mila nodded too. “Good. It looks like we have almost everything we need."

“Almost?" I creased my brow.

“Where is the pendant?"

Automatically, my hand flew to my neck and all I touched was skin.

The necklace was gone!

I gasped and glanced around like I'd find it just lying on the floor at my feet.

I'd put it on my neck when I put the dress on! It had been there when I put the diadem on too, I'd seen it in the

mirror.

I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck. Jared kissed me passionately, deeply, on the lips. I melted into

him, holding him close.

Where had the necklace gone?

Where had the necklace gone?

Panic took me over. My heart hammered; blood rushed in my ears.

How could I have lost Jared's mother's necklace!? This wasn't happening, this couldn't be happening.

I shifted my eyes to the dance floor and caught sight of the shifter that had been very handsy with me. He was

dancing with someone else and I narrowed my eyes.

Had he been handsy just to steal my necklace!?

I watched him closely as he danced with that other woman. He was just as handsy with her as he was with me. I

saw him skillfully slip off her bracelet and necklace and they disappeared into his pocket as he spun her away from

him, just like he had done to me!

“You little thief…"

“What is it?" Mila asked.

“That guy stole my necklace," I hissed.

Mila arched an eyebrow. “We will need it."

“I'll get it back, discreetly."

Mila nodded and backed into the shadows.

I finished my sparkling cider and cut across the dance floor, directly toward the thief. Without asking, I cut in

between him and the woman he was dancing with… his next victim. She was wearing a lot of fine jewelry too, and I

wasn't about to let him rob someone else.

“My, my, you just can't get enough of me, can you?" He wiggled his eyebrows at me. “Unfortunately, there are a lot

of fine ladies here tonight that I need to dance with."

This guy seriously thought he was some Casanova!

I grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the dance floor, refusing to let him get away.

“You have until the count of three to return my necklace," I hissed when he tried to pull away again.

His eyes widened for a moment and he grinned slickly. “I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."

“One." I glared at him.

He laughed and shook his head, trying to pull away again.

“Two…" I tightened my hands on his arms and his laughter stopped instantly.

Sometimes, the shadow inside of me reared up and made me stronger! I saw pain flicker in his eyes as my fingers

tightened even more.

He must have sensed the change that came over me. It wasn't a change I liked, letting the darkness rise up, but if it

got the necklace back…"

“Three."

“Okay!" He pulled back and shoved his hand in his pocket. Swiftly, he produced the necklace and handed it over.

I snatched it away and quickly clasped it around my neck. Taking a deep breath, I clutched the pendant and pushed

the shadow back down.

“Now, one more thing… I expect you to return everything else you stole to the other women you robbed."

“Yes, yes, of course." He nodded to me.

“And no stealing anything else," I insisted as he moved away from me.

What a creep!

I found Mila against the wall again. Other people moved around her like she was invisible. I wondered if she was

using some kind of magic to conceal herself.

“Did you get it?"

“Yes." I touched the pendant around my neck again, just to be sure.

A caught a flicker out of the corner of my eye. Double-taking, I looked back at the window where I'd seen the flicker.

There was a light from outside flashing in the window. It was subtle, but it was just the kind of signal that Jared

would give me.

“Mila, it is time to go."