Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder-Chapter 1319 - 74 : An Illustrative Dance

*Zara*

There were so many emotions swirling within me when my parents walked into the room. The first and foremost was relief and happiness.

It was beginning to feel like I was never going to see them again, especially during the couple of times I had been held hostage. Immediately following the elation was the wrenching concern and guilt as I watched their faces constrict with pain and worry for my wellbeing.

“Zara, we’re taking you home,” my father said, but not at all like he wasn’t giving me a choice. He and my mother were both completely convinced that this was what I would want.

Wasn’t it?

I glanced at Noah again and then tried to avert my eyes just as quickly, but those piercing blue eyes gripped me like a vice. He was watching me with a look similar to the one my father wore.

It was clear what he thought my answer should be, but there was also understanding and compassion. He wanted me to make the decision. The words he had spoken to me just the night before rang in my head.

“I won’t have you feeling like a prisoner while you’re in my home,” he had said fiercely.

Ultimately, this was my choice.

Noah made it abundantly clear that he wanted to help me and although we weren’t married, we were already bound together in other ways. Plus, I had already verbally committed to his impulsive charade against my better judgment.

Still, I knew what I had to do.

I squared my shoulders and looked my parents in the eye. “Thank you so much for coming to check on me,” I said. “But I will not be going home with you. Due to an unexpected twist of fate, my future now resides here in Drogomor as Noah’s future Luna and mother of his heir.”

It was far too easy and heartbreaking to read the devastation on their faces as they stared at me as if I were a stranger for a moment.

I tried not to look over at Noah, keeping my eyes on my distraught parents, but I could almost feel him relax beside me.

“Surely there must be some way to undo what has been done,” my mother said, her eyes widening as she continued to digest my words.

I shook my head. “I’m sorry, Mother. There isn’t.”

My father refused to believe it, and it was even more painful to see the fragile thread of hope wavering between him and my mother. “Despite the fact that you were married in a foreign realm, surely there must be some way to have the union swiftly annulled, given the unusual circumstances surrounding it.”

This wasn’t going well. They thought that I was being held prisoner here, at least in some way. I couldn’t have them worrying about me after they returned home. I needed them to see that I was happy and that I would be alright, for their sanity.

I smiled gently, although my heart felt like it was splintering as I just added to the elaborate lie. It broke me to lie to their concerned faces like this. “That’s not going to be possible,” I said. “But please don’t worry about me. I’m perfectly happy here and am being provided for. I know in my heart that I will be safe here with Noah.”

Knowing that this was probably what they needed to see, I reached over blindly for Noah’s hand. He was quick to take it and squeeze it gently.

I saw my parents’ eyes lock onto our hands and then to our faces. I kept a smile on my face even though I felt even more trapped after having piled on yet another lie on top of the mountain we had created.

My mother’s eyes screamed disappointment, but she offered us a smile. “Then, we must offer our heartfelt congratulations to the both of you,” she said, her voice strong, but I knew her long enough to know that it was straining slightly. “Since you came into our lives, Zara, all we have ever wanted was for you to find your happiness.”

I swallowed hard, tears threatening to prick at the back of my eyes. “Thank you,” I murmured, my throat thick.

My father followed suit, his eyes hard but he smiled at me. “As long as you’re sure that this is what you want, we won’t stand in your way.”

That made it harder than ever to look them in the eye as I nodded firmly. “Yes, I’m sure that this is what I want.”

I watched my parents visibly relax, even though their faces still looked disappointed. I couldn’t blame them for that. They had come all this way to rescue me. I couldn’t help but feel like I was letting them down.

Still, they seemed to believe me and accept my words, so I could only hope now that they would be able to return home with some peace of mind.

Alpha Isaac straightened and shifted slightly to face my parents. “There are guest quarters provided for you both and naturally, you are welcome to stay as long as you’d like.”

My parents nodded.

“That is very kind of you,” my mother said, but just a little stiffly. “Thank you.”

Alpha Isaac waved a hand. “It is no trouble at all,” he said.

I was a little shocked to hear some gentleness in his normally hard tone.

Both Noah and I relaxed, and I slowly dropped his hand. He gripped mine for a moment before reluctantly letting it go.

Noah and I both straightened almost immediately when my father turned to look at us, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Although if Zara does intend to be the future Luna of Drogomor, I expect to see official Light Realm documentation.”

I felt a lump form in my throat, and I once again had to force myself not to look at Noah, this time with panic. I stared at my father’s stern expression, and I could do nothing but nod in agreement.

Suddenly, Alpha Issac turned to give us a similar serious look. “Yes, I couldn’t agree more. I too would like to see this documentation.”

This time, I felt Noah stiffen next to me, but he was quick to respond before our silence could grow too much to cause suspicion. “Of course. We will get that to you as soon as we can.”

***

That was the longest breakfast I had ever had to sit through. I was shocked when the conversation actually moved off us and our parents actually started to have a lighthearted conversation about the pack affairs in Drogomor. Noah’s father even offered to take my parents on a tour while they were there.

Noah relaxed considerably as well now that the topic of discussion was off us. Neither of us had touched our food much since sitting down but now, he was eating calmly. He met my gaze for a moment and offered me a gentle smile, which I returned halfheartedly.

Once we were all done eating, Alpha Issac announced that he needed to discuss some pack-related matters with Noah. A couple of maids tried to offer my parents an escort to their room, but I told them firmly that I would show them to the guest room.

I glanced at my parents as we walked down the long hallway. They were holding hands now that we were out of view of Noah’s family. I took this time to look them over. It felt like it had been ages since I’d seen them last, and I marveled at the obvious bond between them just as I had all through growing up around them.

Even now, the two of them were obviously stressed out from not being able to take me home, and they were still so clearly in love with one another. Their steps were so in sync, my mother walking just a bit faster to meet my father’s long strides, but Father was clearly slowing slightly to match my mother’s steps as well.

Even as they were doing something as simple as walking, they were doing so in a harmonious dance that was so illustrative of the love they had for one another. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

“I’m really glad to see you both,” I told them as we stepped into the large guest room.

Their bags were already there waiting for us. My father stepped over to them and looked them over as if making sure everything was there.

“This is a nice room,” Mother said, wandering over to the window to look out over the lush garden below us. She turned to face me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders, pulling me against her chest. “I was so hoping we could take you home with us, but I am glad to see you’ll be living comfortably.”

“I really will be doing well here,” I said, pulling away slightly so I could look at Father as well. “So please don’t worry about me.”

“We are always going to worry about you, Zara,” my father said, crossing the room to join us by the window. He put a hand on my shoulder. “It’s just what parents do, Sweetheart.”

I looked down at the smooth wood flooring, digesting this before meeting his gaze. “Well, please don’t worry more than you have to then,” I requested finally.

I gently stepped out of Mother’s embrace so I could hug my father.

“That’s all I can promise,” he said with a sigh, dropping a kiss on the top of my head.

“It’s so good to see you,” I told them both again. “I’ve missed just watching your beautiful relationship. It’s such a breath of fresh air after everything I’ve seen lately.”

My mom’s eyebrows furrowed with concern. “What do you mean, Zara?” she asked.

I felt my bottom lip go between my teeth before answering. “I’ve experienced some things that just don’t line up,” I said slowly, feeling a lump form in my throat as I fought to stay calm. “I watched a fated mate be rejected, but then I also saw love bloom without the evidence of the golden threads.”

Mom smoothed my hair back, her lips tightening slightly as she took in my words.

I felt my breathing start to pick up a bit as the hard truth started to slam into me. “I thought I understood what love was all about. I’ve seen it between the two of you and have helped countless couples in the past but lately, I don’t really understand what the purpose of being a matchmaker truly is.”

“Zara—” my father started.

I cut him off, not really hearing him. I looked up and I could feel the haunting look coming into my eyes. “It just seems like things are going to unfold the way they are supposed to, with or without me.”

Mother looked at me with such understanding that it nearly brought tears to my eyes. She took my hand. “Zara, love isn’t about fate. It is a constant choice.”

I blinked at her and then glanced between her and my father. “But the two of you are so obviously destined for one another. Things seemed to come easy for your relationship because of the mate bond.”

Mother nodded. “Yes, the mate bond is a powerful thing that has definitely added to the love your father and I have for each other, but we have had our share of tough times along the way.”

I looked over at my father, surprise probably coloring my face. “Really?” I asked.

Father nodded. “Yes, it’s true. Your mother and I agreed to not allow the troubles that arose between us to affect your life as much as we were able.”

I shook my head hard, unable to fully believe what I was hearing. “What kind of troubles did you have?” I asked, turning to my mother.

She just shook her head. “Nothing for you to worry about,” she assured me. “But that is beside the point, Zara. The point is that despite all of that, your father and I chose to love each other.”

My mind reeled as I looked at my parents. I couldn’t help but feel like a bubble had burst.

I had a lot to think about.