Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 103: Surviving

*Jared*

I had done it. I was taken over by both relief and sadness. I thought of Eliza and I let the tears fill my eyes and spill

down my cheeks. What I wouldn't have given to see her one more time and thank her for all that she had done to

try to save me.

“Moon Goddess, please be with her and keep her strong for our child."

“Tisk. Tisk. Tisk...." Hestia clicked her tongue and shook her head as she crossed her hands over her chest. “I think

you may have forgotten a step."

I looked up at her, confused.

“Weren't you supposed to reject your mate first? That was a very important first step," she reminded me.

“Wh-what…?" I clamped my hand over the gushing blood. I was becoming lightheaded but I tried to think. I tried to

remember....

'The order is important. Reject her, get your blood on the Cryptex, take your life before the curse claims you....'

That was right. The maiden told me to reject Eliza. She had reminded me how important the order of events had to

be.

I'd screwed up. I'd acted too hastily. “How could I have forgotten something so important?" I murmured.

“It's understandable. The details in dreams can be hard to hold onto. It's too bad though. All you've done is the

same thing your father did." Hestia headed toward the window again. “You've bled on the Cryptex. But without

rejecting your mate before you die, all you've done is push the curse to your own child, condemning them to live

your same tormented existence."

“N-no...." I gasped as weakness consumed me.

So much blood had already poured from my wrist, and my arms fell dead at my sides. Numbness began to take me

over and the edges of my vision blurred.

“You think you're saving Eliza? No. Your child will be cursed and your mate will be left to carry the burden alone!"

I imagined our child, sweet and innocent, having to carry on the burden of this curse into the future.

It broke my heart into a million pieces. But I couldn't stop what had already begun. Every second that ticked by and

I remained alive was a second that could usher in the dark curse to claim all of us.

Hestia's words shook me to the bone. I'd lost too much blood to move or even cry out. There was nothing I could

do.

How had I been so stupid!? I'd been so focused on saving Eliza that I'd forgotten the most important part.

“The Diadem...." I murmured. “It can save our child."

Hestia laughed. “That was a spell designed for you and your mate. It won't work when you are dead."

Groaning, my muscles gave out completely and I slumped over, face-first onto the floor. My mind grew fuzzy and I

knew I was slipping away quickly.

“But, I can save you," Hestia urged. “Be my servant, and I will set all of you free."

I closed my eyes and let my sweet Eliza's face fill my imagination. I would die but she would live. She would be

strong, and I knew my death would give Eliza time to properly plan for our child to break the curse, the same way

my own mother had.

“Jared, there isn't much time. I can–"

“No!" I said with all the strength I could muster.

“Fine, go ahead and die. I can just wait for your cursed child to come of age."

“Wait...." I coughed and sputtered out blood.

“It's too late now." Hestia hissed and then vanished.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain etching up my arms and deep throbbing in my chest, and a wave of darkness washed

over me. I felt my wolf snap and snarl almost ferally.

Oh no. Was this the curse? Had I been too late? Was it coming to claim me, to claim us?

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Crack!

My bedroom door opened and I smelled Eliza with what little sense I had left.

“Eliza...." I gasped.

With each searing breath, the pain increased as the curse seemed to creep into every part of me. But I fought hard

to muster the words.

“Jared!?" Eliza threw herself on the floor and pulled my head into her lap so I could see her face and feel the

warmth of her breath on my neck as she sobbed.

She was so pale, eyes already brimming with tears as she wrapped her arms around me and held me close.

Her sniffles broke through my foggy, distant thoughts and I remembered what I had to do.

“Eliza...."

Even though she was distraught, there was something so overwhelmingly beautiful about her. Her face was so

tender, and she was glowing under her skin.

Her wolf must have woken up....

She was radiant with strength and power.

My heart fluttered in my chest at seeing her. I had been the luckiest man alive. I'd never seen anything so gorgeous

and amazing.

My wolf, who had snapped and was near violence inside of me, instantly calmed. He felt his own peace and love for

Eliza's wolf override whatever the curse had planned.

It was the first time that we were looking upon our mate and feeling the mate bond.

Now that she'd gotten her wolf, the mate bond was fully activated, and it was strong. There was no denying it now. I

would have to reject her in order for Eliza and the baby to survive.

“Eliza… I, Jared… r-reject you… as m-my mate...."

“What?" she gasped as a sickening look came over her face, her tears frozen on her lids. “What are you saying?

Jared!"

I coughed and sputtered as I felt the rendering of our mate bond deep inside. Blood filled my throat, and it became

hard to even take a breath.

She sobbed louder while holding onto me. I saw the heartbreak and confusion in her eyes. I could feel our mate

bond ripping, tearing us our wolves apart from each other.

“Please...." I stammered, blood gurgling in my throat as I tried to explain.

“No! Jared, No!"

She leaned over me. Her hair covered my face and chest, wafting her delicious scent all around me.

“No! You're not rejecting me!" she demanded through teeth clenched with pain. “You're not leaving me. You're

going to survive and be a father to our baby!"

“Eliza, I–"

“Shut up!"

I heard something ripping and then fabric pressed to the wound on my arm. She was trying to stop the bleeding

and save my life.

“No." I tried to pull my arm away.

“I'm saving you, Jared. I'm not letting you go!"

I gripped her wrist. I was fading, and I needed her to accept it, but then we were both seized by the final shattering

of our mate bond.

I could see her face turn ice white and that she was wracked with pain, and I hated not having the strength to hold

her and knowing she would soon be alone.

“Why did you do this!?" she cried, staying strong through the pain and holding onto me as all went black and I took

my last breath.

***

*Eliza*

My body was wracked with unimaginable pain as I fought through Jared's rejection, holding onto him and trying my

best to keep him alive.

“Jared!" I screamed as his body went slack in my arms. “No!"

I looked at the blood seeping from his wrist and saw the flow had subsided. I pressed my ear to his chest to listen

for sounds of life, breathing, a heartbeat… anything.

But there was nothing. I knew that he was gone.

I began to sob as I felt Archer behind me trying to pull me away from Jared's body. My wolf surged inside of me and

I used what strength I had left to cling to him.

“Eliza." My mother's shaky voice called from behind me before she wrapped her arms around my trembling body.

She held me still and I remained calm as Archer cautiously stepped forward, his gaze wary and uncertain.

He knelt down and carefully gathered Jared's body in his arms. I watched silently, my eyes wide with shock and

disbelief as Archer placed Jared on the bed, gently laying him down.

“Eliza," Archer said softly, his eyes filled with sorrow. “He's gone...."

I glared at him, anger and desperation coursing through me. I did not want not to accept that Jared was gone. Even

as the pain of his rejection threatened to crumble me to the ground. I could not accept that this was the end after

all that we had been through.

“There must be something we can do...." I whispered. “Please… someone. Help me."

But I knew that there was nothing that anyone could do. I knelt down beside the bed, my heart collapsing in on itself

over and over as I looked into Jared's lifeless face.

“Goodbye, my love," I whispered, before leaning over to kiss his still warm cheek.

“Eliza! Jared!"

I gasped and looked toward the door again. My vision was still blurry, but I saw a blonde woman with a cloak sweep

into the room.

Mila.

“Mila! You made it," I cried. “But it's too late!"

She took a moment to examine Jared's body.

“No, it's not too late. But we need to act fast," Mila said as she dropped to her knees beside me and produced the

Diadem.

She wrapped the locket around it and then picked up the Cryptex, still soaked in Jared's blood. “Oh, Jared… you

really shouldn't have done this...."

“Can we save him, can we break the curse?" I pleaded.

“Yes."

“What do you need from me?" I asked immediately.

My eyes flitted from Jared's lifeless face to Mila. I could feel the panic in my chest thicken but was reassured

because I could also see the strength and determination in Mila's eyes. A surge of adrenaline coursed through my

veins, pushing away the pain of the mate bond rejection so I could help Mila save Jared's life.

“I need your blood." Mila pulled a knife out and pointed it toward me.

I held my hand out without even hesitating. Mila cut my finger and collected my blood on the Cryptex.

Her voice murmured softly, her words in a language I didn't understand. Maybe I was too out of it.

Mila stabbed the tip of the Cryptex into the Diadem. The Diadem flashed a blinding light.

“Argh!" I squinted my eyes shut.

In an instant, my entire body felt lighter and Jared's body convulsed. I looked at his arms to see the curse tattoo

marks fading.

The curse was completely broken… Mila had done it!

Our child was safe, I was safe.

But what about Jared? His body had jerked, what did that mean?

“Jared?"

I heard him sigh.

I gripped his hand and I thought I felt a faint squeeze in return, although it could have been my imagination.

In the next moment, his body went slack again.

“Jared!?" I shook his shoulders. “Mila, Mila, help him!"

“You're not going to die today, Jared," Mila promised and she began rapid chest compressions while chanting her

magical words.