Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 111 : Bait

*Soren*

Fists clenched, I stomped toward Thomas, glaring at him. Mila and I finally had some alone time and now this…

I was angry, frustrated, and more than a little wound up.

Thomas arched an eyebrow at me as I approached.

“Something wrong?"

“This better be urgent," I snarled.

Thomas smirked and shook his head. “I didn't interrupt something, did I?"

Scoffing, I threw my head back. “Tell me why you called me here."

Thomas had hit the nail on the head, but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. He would just tease me

anyway, and we had more pressing matters, according to him.

“Patrol reported a breach on the southeast side of the packland. Mila's maze was breached," he told me.

“How?" I asked, creasing my brow.

Thomas shrugged. “We haven't figured that out yet. All we can tell is that at least one intruder got inside and has

been sneaking through the packlands for about 30 minutes or so."

“Do we know who they are or what they want?" I crossed my arms, my annoyance quickly dissipating as the safety

of these people became my only concern.

“No," Thomas shook his head. “We couldn't identify the intruder. Soren, if this is one of the king's men… we've been

exposed."

I held up a hand to keep Thomas from working himself up more.

“I doubt that the king would send one lonely soldier to warn us he was coming. Right now, focus on the Norwind

survivors. Check for any injuries, fatalities, or damages."

“Already done. No one was injured, definitely no fatalities, and no damage. This intruder slipped in. It was like they

didn't want to be found, like a spy."

“Hmm."

“They were cunning and didn't leave a trace. Our patrols couldn't track them down. You still think the king isn't

involved?"

I shook my head, not sure of anything. “Were there any pack members that could identify the intruder? Any

witnesses?"

Pretty much everyone was at the party, other than you and Mila. no one spotted the strangers."

I stroked my chin.

“You're wrong, Thomas, not everyone was at the party…"

“Ashley!"

I nodded. With silent consent, Thomas and I headed to Ashley's place. It was a temporary house that was set up for

the warriors who were coming and going with supplies. Ashley had claimed a single room for herself.

Her room was empty.

I sighed and bowed my head.

“Eros," I muttered.

“It had to be," Thomas agreed.

“s**t! Eros was a trick to lure me away. I left Mila and the baby…!"

I bolted from Ashley's room, heart racing. Without looking back, I tore across pack territory toward the cabin.

Thomas was hot on my heels but I wasn't listening to anything he was saying.

How could I let myself fall for such a simple trick!? It was so obvious!

Just before I got to the cabin, I saw two figures limping out of the woods. One of them was Payne. He had Ashley

supported on his arm and he was half dragging her.

I stopped dead and raked my eyes over her. She wasn't physically injured, and I didn't smell blood.

Her face was pale and she seemed to be having trouble walking on her own. I thought her face looked red and

puffy, like she'd been crying, but it was hard to tell in the low lighting.

“What's wrong?" I asked, nodding to Ashley.

Payne growled. “Eros came."

“So, it was him," Thomas grumbled. “No wonder he could get through Mila's maze. The matebond… It probably

made the spell think that Eros was a friend, allowing him to get through."

Ashley scoffed and shook her head. “Well, he won't be able to do that ever again…"

She sighed and leaned against Payne, her eyes glistening.

With how much emotional pain she was in, it was like she'd had her heart broken. But the only way for Eros not to

use the matebond again…

I frowned. “You rejected him?"

Ashley nodded. “I made sure he was gone. He's left the territory, and hopefully, now the spell will keep him out.

We're not connected…"

I glanced at Thomas. He shrugged. What did one say to someone who voluntarily rejected their mate?

Payne broke the silence, thankfully.

“Where were you rushing off to? Were you going somewhere?"

“I was worried about Mila. I thought Eros lured me away so he could get to her. I was on my way to find her."

Ashley shook her head. “Mila? She wasn't with Eros. He didn't get close to her, I promise."

I wanted to ask Ashley why Eros had come there. She seemed to know more about it. Fresh tears streaked her

face. It wasn't the time to bother her with questions about the man she was grieving for.

He hadn't kidnapped Mila and it didn't sound like she was in danger. I could leave the rest unanswered for now.

Sighing, I nodded gratefully. My heart stopped racing and I unclenched my fists.

“Thank you, Ashley. Why don't you take the next couple of days off? If you need anything…"

Ashley sighed heavily and smiled weakly. “Thanks."

“I'm sorry you had to go through this."

Ashley snorted. “No, it was necessary. Now, I can move on."

“That is very wise. I think you are incredibly strong."

Ashley's smile widened slightly.

“I'm going to get her to bed," Payne said.

I nodded as the two of them left.

Thomas touched my shoulder. “Since Mila's safe, I'm going to go strengthen the weak spots in the perimeter."

“Good idea."

“Besides, I don't want to be the third wheel," he said, winking.

I chuckled and waved to Thomas. “Fine, I'll see you tomorrow.

When I got to the cabin, I burst through the front door. “Mila!"

Silence.

My heart sank like a stone. I ran around the inside of the cabin and then went outside, looking around, trying to

catch her scent. There were several scent trails leading in different directions.

Where had she gone?

I didn't smell Eros at all, so I knew he hadn't taken her. If her fear was strong enough, I would have felt it, wouldn't

I?

I looped around the cabin again, looking for any clue. Back in the cabin, I plopped down on the couch. Something

under the cushion crinkled.

Creasing my brow, I reached underneath and found a note written in Mila's handwriting.

***

Thomas, Payne, and I headed to the palace.

We'd made sure there were plenty of warriors to guard Pomeni and then arranged to leave. Despite my protests, as

well as Payne's, Ashley insisted on coming with us.

She was still recovering from the matebond but she seemed to do better when she was with us, her closest friends.

And when she had something to focus on, like going after Mila.

“I'm coming with you, Soren. It is my fault. I should have killed Eros right then and there. Maybe then, Mila wouldn't

have gone missing," she insisted.

“It isn't your fault, Ashley," Thomas assured.

“It is! I was weak and I believed his lies!"

“No, you believed your mate. And there is no shame in that."

“I don't blame you, Ashley." I patted the note I kept in my pocket. Whether Eros had been there to hurt Mila or not, I

knew she hadn't left because of him.

I kept us moving at a brisk pace. I didn't want to fall too far behind Mila.

“Soren, we can't keep moving at this pace," Payne warned me when Ashley wanted to rest and take a water break.

“Then catch up when you can, I'm going to go ahead."

“No! I can keep up." Ashley got to her feet and brushed by Thomas.

I nodded and turned, hurrying off in the direction of the palace.

As much as I trusted Mila, I couldn't believe she'd taken off on her own, again! Would she ever learn to trust me?

At least, this time, she left me a note telling me where she was going and why. It wasn't good enough!

She was pregnant and a target of the Alpha King and his enemies. It was risky to be running off on her own,

especially when she couldn't use her magic as liberally and when I couldn't fully feel her through the matebond.

Why did she always have to run off and put herself in such dangerous situations!?

I glanced back to make sure the others were still following me. They didn't have the same urgency I had but I

wasn't going to slow down. If they wanted to lag behind, they'd get left behind.

Sighing, I touched my pocket with the letter again. I could understand why Mila left.

She had to help Helen. Her aunt was her last remaining family member and link to her past. I would have done the

same thing.

But it didn't change the fact that she could have waited for me at the cabin and we could have come up with a

safer plan!

“Soren, why didn't we leave right away? If you're in this much of a rush now, why wait a whole day before going

after her?" Thomas asked.

He caught up to me and kept pace at my side.

“Because Mila asked me not to. She gave clear instructions in her note."

“Why did you listen to her? Aren't you worried?"

I stopped dead.

“Of course, I f*****g wanted to go after her immediately! She's my mate and pregnant with my child… but she

asked me to trust her, and I need to do that if I'm going to make her my Luna."

Thomas nodded slowly and we started moving again. “What if they harm her? What if she was wrong?"

I clenched my fists and closed my eyes.

The last thing I wanted to think about was Mila being in danger or in pain, or falling into a trap.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down. Being angry and furious wasn't going to help Mila. I had to

stay calm, for her sake.

“There's no 'what if.' If Sebastian or Dylan or whoever the f**k wants Mila dead they would have given Eros the

order to kill her long ago. But he hasn't. If anything, he's tried not to hurt us."

Thomas nodded.

“Besides, it's not like we can just show up at the palace and make demands. We need time to come up with a plan.

We're going up against the ruler of the realm and we can't be reckless. Running off half cocked… that won't work

this time."

“Alright, do you have any ideas about what the king wants with Mila?"

I shrugged. “I have a guess…"

Thomas chuckled. “One downside of talking with you, Soren, is that you always leave me wondering with your

vague responses. Can you sum it up for me, in one sentence?"

I scoffed. “The king on the throne is afraid of the real Sebastian and he knows his old foe is out there. He couldn't

spend time and resources looking for him because then the people might get suspicious about his interest in one

man. He'd have to find ways to justify it and it would just draw far too much attention to him and the real

Sebastian."

“That was more than one sentence."

I glared at Thomas. “He needs to protect his identity and that means getting his enemy to come to him."

“Soren, in case you didn't notice, you still haven't answered my question. What does he want with Mila?"

“To use her as bait…"