Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder by Alice Knightsky
Chapter 60 Why Is Ethan Everywhere?
**Ethan’s POV**
“Not only are these cities along the west coast being attacked, but we’ve also gotten requests for reinforcements from both the eastern and northern borders,” Talon said, reporting the latest news to me as we were walking back to my suite.
“On what scale?” I asked.
“Scattered. Doesn’t seem to be military actions- more like rogues.”
“Any information on which group is behind it?”
“No, Alpha. It could be multiple groups. The rogues all know most of our men are now at the West coast fighting against Alpha Kai’s invasion. They’re not going to miss this opportunity.”
We stopped at my door. “Ok, give me the map and the report. I’ll take a look at it later tonight. You can let James know first thing in the morning.”
Talon stood there, but he didn’t move.
“What else?” I didn’t lift my head as I flipped through the pages of the reports from the frontline and pictures of the most recently a*s*saulted villages.
“Alpha, it’s already two in the morning. We have the steering committee at six, and-”
“Alright, see you in the morning, then.” I dismissed him for the rest of the night.
“Ethan, not me!” Talon urged. “It’s you! You’ve barely slept!”
“I’m fine.” I opened the door and closed it behind me before Talon had the chance to protest any further.
In the past couple days, I had managed to stay focused on my work. There was plenty to do, especially with the conflicts heating up along the border. War was something I was familiar with, something I knew. It was a good distraction from the other emotions that kept attempting to bubble to the surface.
I hadn’t been in my room very long at all when there was a knock at the door. I considered ignoring it, but then it opened and my sister, Georgia, walked in.
I stifled a groan. “Georgia? It’s two in the morning. What do you want?”
She just looked at me fora moment before she said, “I’m leaving.”
I put down the documents and looked at her. “Where are you going? And why?” Talon followed her into my room, his brow furrowed with worry and regret.
“Georgia,” he said quietly and urgently, and I realized he was already aware of my sister’s proclamation, “You need to calm down.”
I didn’t understand why this was affecting him the way that it was. She was my sister, and I knew that he cared about her, but he was acting a bit more emotional about Georgia leaving than I would’ve expected.
“I don’t need to calm down.” Georgia stepped away from him, pivoting on her heels as she came toward me. “I can’t stand to be here one more f*uc*king minute!”
I rarely had this much patience with her, but I tried not to escalate the situation into a fight.
“Georgia, with everything that’s happened, we’re all upset. But things are uncertain beyond the capital right now. If you’re here, I know you’re safe.”
“I’ll be safe at home,” she said, her hands on her hips. “I cannot stay here one more d*mn minute, Ethan! Every time I see that woman’s f*uc*king face… over dinner, in the hallway… I want to smack her smirky little smile right off! That haughty b*tch…”
I knew she was talking about Madalynn, and I understood why she felt that way- but I was already dealing with that situation, even if she didn’t know the details.
“Enough,” I said. I didn’t have time for this right now.
“Enough?” my sister chirped. “Believe me, Ethan, I’ve had enough! I was supposed to be on my way back to Drogomor days ago when Rosalie first… when this first happened!”
She’d said Rosalie’s name, and I felt my stomach twist at the sound of it. I’d forbidden just about everyone from even speaking it aloud, but Georgia wouldn’t pay any mind to my command, anyway.
She always did what she wanted. Maybe it was best if she did leave.
“Georgia, come with me,” Talon was saying, his hand looping through her arm and pulling on her. Georgia jerked away from him, but he was able to calm her a bit and guide her out of the room.
Absently, I wondered if I would see my sister later, or if she would just depart overnight without another word. I didn’t want to think about that at the moment, either.
I had a few hours before I was expected back in the war room. A declaration of war was inevitable. From that point on, my time would be consumed with planning our attacks.
I was happy about it. Anything that took my mind off of Rosalie and our baby was a good thing.
Right now, though, it wasn’t working as well as I’d hoped.
“Why did Georgia have to mention her name?” I mumbled to myself.
Every time I heard it, fresh emotion bubbled to the surface again, and the image from that night flashed before my eyes. It was as if I was watching her fall all over again.
All of the emotions rolled over me in waves—shock, rage, denial… and another one I didn’t want to acknowledge. Sadness.
It wasn’t just sadness, though. It was a heaviness that had settled deep into my soul and weighed me down, pulling on my heart and threatening to drag me under.
I couldn’t acknowledge it, though. I had to continue to ignore it— all of it.
I ran my hands down my face and shifted my thoughts toward the war again. I knew how to be a leader and a warrior. I was good at that.
And thinking about that was safer.
**Rosalie’s POV**
My head was pounding. Pretty much every part of my body ached as my eyelids fluttered a few times.
I didn’t want to open them. I didn’t want to be awake. Being awake meant the pain would be back.
I didn’t even know where I was. The last memory I had was of fists and feet pummeling me. All I’d been able to think about was protecting the baby, this little life.
The baby!
The thought of my child had my eyes opening and looking down.
I wasn’t in a ditch at all. I was in a bedroom, and I couldn’t see my stomach because there was a nice, soft, white bedspread thrown across me.
I was confused, but it didn’t stop me from throwing the covers back and inspecting my abdomen.
While I could see bruises on my exposed arms and what I could see of my legs, when I pulled my shirt up and my pants down to look at my belly, everything appeared to be fine. I wanted to go into the bathroom and make sure I wasn’t bleeding, but I honestly felt like everything was all right.
Even though my body ached, a sense of peace settled over me. I knew instinctively that there was no reason for me to be scared, because my child was going to be okay.
I replaced my clothing and put the blanket down, wondering where I was. A part of me was tempted to think that, maybe, I was back home and everything that had happened was all a dream- if I wasn’t aching and if the room wasn’t so different
It was a really nice room, with mahogany furniture and large windows. The curtains were white like the bedspread, and the rug on the floor looked plush and expensive.
A large dresser sat across the room, with a wide mirror. I couldn’t see my reflection in it from where I was, and I figured that was a good thing. The way my face hurt, I had to a*s*sume it didn’t look too good, either.
Next to the bed was a nightstand with a glass of water. My throat was parched, and I wanted to take a drink, but I didn’t trust it. I had no idea who had brought me here.
The bed itself had a nice, soft mattress and plenty of pillows. It was large enough for at least two people, and the blankets were so comfortable.
It wasn’t the same as my room in the castle, but it was no dump. So where was I- and how had I gotten here?
The door opened, and a man stuck his head inside of the room.
Instinctively, I crawled back toward the headboard, pulling my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms around them- my veins filling with icy shock as I stared into that familiar face.
Ethan!
So, after everything I had been through, I still wasn’t able to escape from him? But as the man came further into the room, I realized it wasn’t Ethan after all.
Suddenly, I remembered what had happened when I just got on the boat.
Why did I keep thinking I saw him everywhere? What was wrong with me? Why did I think that everyone looked like him?!
Still, as this man came closer to me, I couldn’t help but notice a strong resemblance between him and Ethan. So maybe I wasn’t crazy.
He closed the door behind him. In a soft, caring voice, he said, “I’m so glad to find you awake this time. Please, don’t be scared of me. I would never, ever hurt you.”
No, this man was most definitely not Ethan.