Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder-Chapter 1298 - 53 : Plan Lily

*Zara*

I’d had no opportunity to escape during the past week. I was under extreme supervision, which made me incredibly nervous. Frustration and despair were ever-swirling in my belly.

I still hadn’t felt a kick yet either, and my mind constantly dwelled on Noah. At the thought of him, more tears flowed, something that was a common occurrence nowadays due to hormones.

As I mulled over my situation, a guard knocked at my door. I considered ignoring it and pretending to sleep, but the knocking became more persistent, causing me to sigh.

“Come in,” I said in a low, tired tone.

The guard stared me down with disapproval. “Alpha Daven needs to speak with you.”

With that, he led me down the halls of the lavish mansion, which still felt like a horrible prison, until I reached Alpha Daven’s throne room.

The Alpha glared at me in silence for a moment before clearing his throat. “So, have you made any progress with my son, Miss Star?”

I wondered whether I should lie.

Figuring he’d know if I did, I shook my head. “No,” I muttered. “Gray is closed off and cryptic. He won’t answer any of my questions and was aggressive when I tried the last time.”

“Aggressive,” Alpha Daven said, then he rolled his eyes. Letting out a sigh, he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Yes,” I confirmed, lifting my chin. I may have hated the situation I was in, but I wasn’t going to back down now. “He was. He grabbed my arm and snapped at me.”

“I don’t have time for petty arguments.”

“It was not petty. I was simply trying to get some information for the process.”

“Right. Well, I think I know what to do next.”

My stomach clenched, and I widened my eyes. Was he going to hurt me in any way, or call all of this off and make me ‘vanish’?

Alpha Daven narrowed his eyes and added, “I have obtained a Luna Lily to see if that helps my son find his true mate.”

At least it wasn’t the worst-case scenario, I thought, but that was a horrible idea too. The lilies could be very dangerous, and I had seen that firsthand.

“Sir, that’s not the right way to use the Lily,” I said. “I’ve had experience with its effects before. It–”

“It worked in the past for bonds, and even outside of the Dark Realm, at a Moon Ball that you attended.”

“Well, yes, but–”

“But nothing. You’re not getting anywhere with him, so we will go with that strategy.”

If that was his decision, there was no point in bringing me here in the first place, I thought. I shook my head, trying to get through to him one more time.

I wished he could be reasonable, damn it.

“It will cause complications in relationships,” I explained. “Things take time to build. People need to be able to consent to this, and–”

“Then I will get their consent,” he spat out. “They will not be able to drink the tea before they understand and agree.”

The rogue priestess’s words rang through my head, causing me to wince. Something was off. I could feel it in the pit of my soul, but I knew he wasn’t going to listen to me.

“Still, it isn’t the right way,” I insisted.

“You could have made it the ‘right way’ but instead, here we are.” He waved his hand. “You will be provided accommodations regardless until Gray finds his mate.”

They sent me to my room, and once again, I was completely disheartened by how no one was listening to me. There was nothing I could do. Alpha Daven was set in his ways, and the ball was to take place in just a few days.

At least I wasn’t forced to see Gray again.

***

During the ball, I was sitting at a table with many Silver Fang guards surrounding me. If I thought I could try to run during this ball, I was definitely mistaken.

The full moon shined full above, which caused my heart to clench, thinking of Noah once more. We’d met under the full moon and confirmed our love.

Now, it was a reminder of where I needed to be. I let out a soft sigh and stared wistfully at the guests as they started to arrive.

Alpha Daven took his place at a stage-like area in front of all the attendees. People from the regional Dark Realm packs were in attendance.

I shuddered, wondering if members of the pack trying to get us to stop cultivating the Lily were going to show up and possibly cause trouble.

Greetings were given, and then Alpha Daven dove into the main allure of the ball. “We will be giving out Luna Lily tea to guests who consent! Tonight is the night to discover your mate. Enjoy it!”

I swallowed, an uneasy feeling settling within me yet again. Sure, everyone was giving their consent, but something was dreadfully off.

I knew the Luna Lily would definitely lead to huge problems. I could work with it in tandem with my magic, but only if I did so extremely carefully.

What had happened with Noah had taught me that.

And yet, no one listened to my warnings. Was this how the rogues felt when they were trying to warn us? I felt a pang of guilt at that thought.

In my case, I was going to be far less reckless than what was happening there at the dance, especially when cheers rang out, and most shifters rushed over to the punch.

My heart sank as I saw people taking huge sips, gazing around and locking eyes with their fated mates. Blue threads tinged with gold were fluttering around like streamers, connecting people.

The Moon Ball heated up as people began to dance, laugh, and enjoy themselves, but I only felt hollow inside. The feeling of impending doom was heavy on my shoulders.

No one saw anything wrong with drinking the punch, but I knew deep down in my heart that it would lead to so many problems. I couldn’t define them yet, but they were problems, nonetheless.

My eyes fell upon Gray, who had been in the corner most of the time wearing a deep frown. He had a drink next to him, and I wondered if he was going to actually find someone.

Maybe this mess would have a happy ending for me so I could leave, I thought, but I still felt a deep pang of worry for everyone else there.

A woman approached him, one with a confident gait. A certain energy seemed to rise around Gray. It was blue, with a hint of gold.

I blinked, watching as threads reached out from him to the woman and realizing that he was meeting his fated mate. I scooted closer to listen in on their interaction.

Gray’s eyes were laser focused on her, and I could see the increased rise and fall of his chest as his breathing became more rapid.

The woman cocked her head, a wry smile playing on her lips. "So, you drank it too, huh?"

Gray shuffled his feet, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah... I did...."

He trailed off, eyebrows knitted together.

"Now you feel it too," the woman said softly. She tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "The pull, like fate is yanking us together... the mate bond.”

“I guess I do.” Gray forced a laugh. "So, I guess we’re stuck together, so we might as well get to know each other."

“It might not be a good idea,” she said. “I’m just a servant here.”

“I’ve never seen you before,” Gray insisted.

“I’ve served you for two years, but you never looked at me.”

“It’s crazy to think I’ve never noticed you before. What is your name?”

"Lorelei." She extended a slender hand. As their palms touched, a spark jolted through them. Lorelei flushed. "S-so, what do you like to do for fun?"

Gray gazed at the ground. "I’m kind of a loner. I like quiet spots in nature where I can think, hidden groves, flower fields...."

Lorelei’s green eyes lit up. "Me too! I love nature. It’s like a wide-open sanctuary.”

The two continued to talk about their interests. At least his fated mate could get him to talk. I sighed, wondering why he still seemed to be coming across as resisting the pull.

But, in the end, they were indeed talking.

It was cute. They seemed to get along together well, and I thought they would make a good mated pair.

Yet... it still didn’t quite feel right, given it was triggered by the lilies.

I wondered if I was put off by them because I’d seen their effect on Noah... or was there something more?

I returned to my table as the guards around me began thinning out somewhat. Most of them had partaken in the Luna Lily drinks and were on the lookout as blue threads formed.

I scowled and rested my head on my hands as the music of the ball rang in my ears. Alpha Daven eventually approached my table and sat down.

“Seems this plan may be a success,” he said.

“Seems it may be,” I replied in an exhausted tone.

“Good. Well, I am satisfied. You’ll be returned to your parents after the wedding.”

“After the wedding?!” I said in a bitter tone. “But I need to get back to Drogomor! Who knows when the wedding will be?”

“The place that wants to severely punish you, right,” the Alpha growled, shaking his head. “You can make your own bad decisions, yes, after the wedding. I want you there.”

“Why is my presence important?”

“The publicity of your attendance will be good,” he explained. “Since you didn’t do your job, we can use your reputation in this way. It will be a good look for Silver Fang.”

My reputation was definitely backfiring on me now, I thought. At least I knew I’d be able to leave at some point. After a sigh, I nodded. “Fine. When will the wedding be?”

“I will speak with Gray. The preparations will likely be made at once.”

“They still haven’t made anything official, though–”

“They will.”

I frowned but didn’t push the argument further.

Honestly, that reminded me of how fast Noah had tried to marry Serena, but I chased that thought away from my mind. At least I would be reunited with him faster.

With these heavy thoughts in mind, I excused myself, thankfully allowed to wander for once given that people were not paying attention and in high spirits.

I was so tired, and escaping tonight just seemed like a way to die in the woods. So, I just wandered out of the garden for some fresh air.

A breeze hit me, allowing me to relax just a little as I felt a strange tingling sensation rush through me.

Gazing up at the moon, I wondered why I felt light all of a sudden, and not in a bad way.

Something caught the corner of my eye, and I turned my head, giving a loud gasp when I spotted it.

Golden threads were beginning to sprout from my chest.