Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder-Chapter 1342 - 97 : Harsh Reality

*Lorelei*

My anxiety was sky-high by the time we pulled up in front of the Drogomor gates. After getting clearance from some guards at the iron gates, we were led inside and immediately escorted kindly to the Drogomor mansion. As soon as the large, impressive building came into view, I was sinking down into my seat.

Noah’s aunts gave me sympathetic but also encouraging looks as the car was shifted into park and we all stepped out into the mid-afternoon sun.

I took a deep breath in and smiled when Zara burst out of the doors, Noah close behind her. As soon as she was close enough to do so, Zara threw her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly.

“Thank you so much for coming,” she murmured, squeezing me. She stepped away and smiled kindly. “You look well, Lorelei. I’m so glad. Please come inside. We have lunch all ready for you.”

Noah was hugging his aunts and ushering them inside as well. We all headed inside.

The Drogomor mansion was stunning, with lots of blues and golds. There were celestial motifs painted on the walls, honoring the Moon Goddess. We were led into a gorgeous dining room, and I was so enthralled by all the decorations that I didn’t notice him right away.

“Hello, Lorelei.”

I barely stifled a gasp as I whirled to see Gray standing by the long dining room table. He was dressed in a crisp black button-up shirt and dark jeans. His stringy black hair was a little longer than it had been before, making him look even more rugged and handsome.

I shook my head hard as I thought the word handsome. He was a jerk, and even though he looked gorgeous, I could feel my heart begin to splinter as soon as he said my name.

It hurt to look at him. It hurt to stare into his deep brown eyes.

I looked away with difficulty. “Hello, Gray.”

I could feel all the eyes in the room suddenly turn onto us, especially the few guards who seemed to be stationed not far away from Gray, who was watching me with what looked like apprehension.

Gray cleared his throat audibly, breaking the tense silence. “It’s good to see you,” he said hastily. “I really hope that you’ve been well.” 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

“I’ve been fine,” I lied, feeling my whole face heat up under the scrutiny we were under.

“Good,” he said simply.

Someone coughed, the sudden sound awkward.

Noah stepped forward. “Let’s all sit down and have some lunch,” he urged, leading his older aunts to their seats on the far side.

Zara took my arm and led me to the same side. “You can sit beside me, Lorelei,” she said.

I was grateful that I didn’t have to sit next to Gray. Being in the same room as him was nerve-wracking enough, and I wasn’t sure how I would have fared if we were sitting next to each other.

Lunch was tense. I could barely taste anything although they had made an impressive spread of tiny sandwiches, meats, and fruit. Gray stared at me through the whole meal while forced, polite conversation went on around us.

“So, Lorelei, you’re working at a daycare now, right?” Zara asked me suddenly.

My head snapped around as I looked at my friend, but I managed to nod and smile politely as half a dozen eyes turned to look at me. “Um, yes, I am,” I said, trying to keep my face from turning red as I grappled for something more to say. “I’m really enjoying it so far. The children are very sweet.”

I made the mistake of glancing over at Gray, who was listening intently. He smiled warmly, and it caused my heart to skip a beat.

“I have no doubt that you are really good with the children, considering your sweet disposition,” he said.

Silence followed and I completely failed at keeping my face from burning. “Thanks,” I muttered.

Lunch felt long and I was relieved when it was finally over, until Zara stepped in and took my arm. “Why don’t we all go out to the garden for a nice stroll and to get some fresh air?”

Zara and I had our arms linked as we went out to the lush rose garden surrounding the Drogomor mansion. But just a few minutes into our peaceful walk, she dropped my arm and fell back to walk with Noah and his aunts. I started to fall back as well, but then Gray fell into step beside me, matching my strides.

My heart started to pound. We were walking so close now that our arms were practically touching.

“It really is good to see you, Lorelei,” he said after a moment.

I gritted my teeth together. “Yes, you’ve mentioned that,” I said.

I sucked in a breath and then turned fully to face me. I forced myself to keep walking until his clear voice rang out.

“I know that I was needlessly cruel to you the last time we saw each other,” he said, his tone genuine, which caused me to pause.

Tears threatened to burn in the back of my eyes, and I swallowed hard. “Yes, you were quite cruel to me,” I agreed.

“And words will never be able to fully express how deeply I regret it,” he said.

I refused to face him, so he stepped around me so that we were eye to eye. I made the mistake of meeting his endless dark brown eyes as he continued.

“Please, Lorelei. Please give me a second chance, a chance to make it all up to you.”

‘And let him hurt me again?’ I mentally asked myself. I bit my lip hard, tears stinging my eyes as my arms folded across my chest protectively as if to shield my fragile heart.

My eyes moved slightly and made contact with Noah’s aunts, who were all standing nearby in support of me, sending me looks of compassion and encouragement.

Their voices rang in my mind, reminding me to set boundaries for myself and to put myself first.

I put up a hand to stop Gray before he could say anymore. His jaw clamped shut and although his dark eyes were sad, he nodded once and stepped back. “I understand that you need space. Just know that I’ll be here for you if and when you’re ready to talk.”

He turned to go and continued down the path. My emotions chose that moment to spill over, and I barely suppressed a sob as I turned and hastily made my way to the mansion, somehow blindly hurrying through the large building and up the stairs to the guest bedroom that Zara provided for me.

As soon as I shut the door behind me, I crumpled to the floor and started to cry. I sucked in sharp breath after sharp breath as I lay on the floor, curling in on myself as the sobs shook me.

Gray’s face flooded my mind as tears coursed down my cheeks in rivers. I tried to muffle my hiccups and pathetic gasps with my hands, feeling as if my heart was going to burst out of my chest and shatter into thousands of pieces.

How could that man do this to me? How could he suddenly act so sweet as if he never said one vile thing to me? He’d made me feel like dirt, like I didn’t even deserve to exist on the same planet as him.

Maybe it truly was a mistake to come here, I thought. I wondered if I was foolish for even considering the possibility of forgiveness. I was still hurting, and I was beginning to suspect that I would be for a long while.

And yet, there was something about Gray’s expression and tone that caused me to pause. Suddenly, he was once again the Gray who I’d fallen in love with initially. He was courageous and courteous, and he had a light about him that shone through the thick protective wall I had built over the past few months.

He spoke gently to me, not at all in the harsh way he had spoken to me months earlier. More questions filled my mind. Could he really have come around? Did he truly wish to make amends as Zara claimed?

My sobs began to subside as I remembered his words and the genuine way they were delivered.

Tears pooled in my eyes once again as I realized in desperation that that was what I wanted. I wished so badly that I could accept his apology and move on so that we could be together, but when I thought about doing so, fear gripped me like a vice and threatened to drag me down.

I couldn’t do it. I wasn’t strong enough, not anymore. The little girl who believed in fairytales and true love was long gone, buried deep beneath the harsh reality of real life and rationality.

A hesitant knock sounded on my door, and I jumped to my feet, wiping my face on the sleeves of my dress. I swallowed hard and backed away from the door, calling for the person to enter, hoping and praying to the Moon Goddess that it wasn’t Gray.

Zara poked her head in, her green eyes wide with what looked like regret. “Oh, Lorelei,” she murmured, her lips turning down even further as she saw my red-rimmed eyes. “I am so sorry. Is it alright if I come in?”

I just nodded, not trusting myself to speak. Zara quietly entered the room, closing the door softly behind her. She grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the bed, helping me sit as if I was recovering from a serious injury. “I am so sorry,” she repeated.

“Don’t be sorry,” I said, my voice still shaking. “I just felt so foolish. I was really hoping that I could forgive him, but I’m too afraid of being hurt again.”

Zara suddenly wrapped her arms around my shoulders and hugged me. I started to sob again, brokenly repeating myself over and over as I grappled with the conflicting feelings.

Zara just held me and murmured, “I know,” and, “It’s going to be okay,” as many times as I repeated myself.

When my sobs finally died down, Zara pulled away so she could look me in the eye. “I’m so sorry for this, Lorelei,” she said regretfully. “I thought that there was a chance this could go well, and I urged you to come out here. You got hurt again because of it.”

“No, no,” I said, waving my arms around. “Thank you for having me. It... it was good, I think, to know for sure.”

But I didn’t know anything for sure. I was still extremely torn over Gray and everything else.

Zara nodded as if she understood that I was still not sure about anything. She put a hand on my shoulder. “Gray is going to remain here until his father is found and apprehended,” she explained, causing my eyes to widen. “So, you have time to process things. I’m sorry again. No one can truly decide what is right for your heart except for you. Take all the time you need.”

“Thank you,” I told her sincerely.

The two of us looked at the door when another knock sounded. Zara looked at me and I nodded, so she called for the person to enter.

It turned out to be three people. Noah’s aunts came bursting in, their eyes concerned. When they saw me and my sorry state, they all rushed forward.

“I am so sorry that happened dear,” cried Harriet, hugging me fiercely.

“We are here for you, darling,” Genevieve added.

“You were very strong when he was speaking to you,” Marguerite said, giving me a hug as well. “We all think so.”

“Thank you,” I said, touched by all of them, Zara included.

They were all concerned for me and seemed to really just want me to be happy. I wasn’t sure I could say the same truly for Gray.

I swallowed hard and forced myself to look them all in the eye. “I do believe that Gray was remorseful for what he did to me, but I’m just not over it yet,” I admitted. I bit my lip for a moment before adding, “I want to return to Midnight Sun.”

The four of them looked saddened by this, but they seemed to understand as well.

I just had to face the fact that I wasn’t strong enough.

The thought put a large lump in my throat.