Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder-Chapter 1635 - 77 : Playing with Vapors

*Briella*

I was feeling quite ill as we raced through the trees back to Ethereal Grove.

“The fact that the shadow creatures were there pretty much confirms that Tian is behind all of this,” Roy said as we ran.

Kryzen cursed under his breath. “He’s going to pay for this,” he said darkly.

Fear gripped me at the mention of the vile man’s name. My chest suddenly felt tight, and I had to stop running.

Kryzen and Roy immediately dropped down beside me. I hadn’t realized that I had fallen to my knees as I gasped for air.

“Briella,” Kryzen murmured, setting a hand on my shoulder. “Breathe. It’s going to be alright.”

I questioned how he could say that. We had just discovered that our greatest fears were right below our feet and had likely been multiplying their forces this entire time. I just shook my head hard, my breathing becoming even more labored.

“Stop that,” Kryzen ordered, giving me a small shake. His face was suddenly in front of mine, his piercing gray eyes holding mine. “We’re going to figure this time, I promise. I’m not going to let that bastard harm your home.”

His words actually snapped me out of my stupor. “My home?” I repeated through unmoving lips.

Kryzen nodded firmly. “The valley,” he told me gently. His strong but sure fingers tucked a loose strand of hair away from my face. “I swear to you, Briella, we’re going to do everything we can to protect this world.”

I clenched my jaw hard and focused on my breathing. I was actually a bit comforted by his words. “I’m sorry,” I managed to say.

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Roy told me firmly, patting my back soothingly. “What we just witnessed was shocking. I am quaking in my boots a bit as well.” His tone was light, even teasing.

I managed a giggle, but it was hard and frustrated. “This isn’t how a warrior should act in the face of danger,” I said a bit bitterly. I clenched my jaw hard as tears started to burn in my eyes. I had to be stronger than this. I couldn’t fall apart now when these people needed me.

“What are you saying?” Kryzen demanded, his hand tightening slightly on my shoulder. “Are you saying that your reaction right now makes you less of a warrior than you are?”

My eyes flew up to his. “Um...”

“Well, if so, you would be dead wrong,” he informed me sternly. He gestured at me. “This isn’t a weakness. If anything, it only emphasizes your empathy and need to protect the people you care about. Hell, even the people you hardly even know.”

I just stared at him for a moment. He almost sounded mad. “Kryzen?”

Roy chuckled, an amused, knowing sound, and stood up, gesturing vaguely in a random direction. “I’ll just be over there if you two need me.” He then walked off, away from us.

Kryzen started, meeting my gaze again and blinking hard as if he had just returned from somewhere far away. To my shock, he glowered at me. “I wish you would be more selfish sometimes,” he admitted. He shook his head with a hard laugh. “Sure would make it easier to protect you.”

I felt warm inside suddenly. I smiled at my mate and nudged his shoulder with mine. “You can’t protect me from everything,” I said. It was something I felt like I had to tell people over and over my whole life.

Kryzen sighed but nodded. “No, I know that,” he said. “And I don’t want to keep you locked away and coddled. That’s just not who you are and...” he trailed off.

“And what?” I asked, leaning toward him, trying to read the strange expression that suddenly stretched over his face.

His gray eyes were incredibly bright and warm. “And I love who you are,” he murmured.

My face flamed, and I reached down to grip Kryzen’s hand. “I love who you are too.” I leaned forward and kissed him, allowing my lips to linger over his for a long moment before pulling away to smile at him. “Thank you.”

***

“This is an outrage!”

I winced at the Alpha’s thunderous voice. Kryzen didn’t even flinch. Roy looked serious as well. They both leveled the Alpha with a look.

This was exactly what we feared the reaction would be when we told the Alpha and Luna of what we witnessed in the land of shadows. I couldn’t blame them. I watched the delicate Luna Arboria’s face become more and more horrified with each word we spoke.

“It’s true,” Kryzen said, stepping forward and lifting his chin. “We know what we saw, Alpha Thorne. Your animal companions have been captured, and they are going to be used against you, against all of us. We need to put a stop to it.”

Alpha Thorne glowered down at us. “Even if this supposed underground labyrinth does exist, what are you proposing? That we murder our animal companions?”

A loud protest filled the room. I couldn’t help but flinch as dozens of angry people started to shout. It was too bad we couldn’t meet with the Alpha and Luna privately. They insisted that if it was as dire as we said, the whole community needed to be present for it.

I stepped up, trying to make my tone placating but serious. “Please, believe us,” I practically begged. “Your friends’ eyes glowed red, and they were extremely violent. Of course, we wouldn’t ask you to harm your companions, but if they come here, we would need to defend ourselves.”

Luna Arboria shook her head, a hand over her heart. “And to do that, we would have to fight,” she said. It wasn’t a question.

Roy nodded. “Yes.”

People started to shout again, protesting loudly against fighting their companions.

Alpha Thorne looked livid as he stared us down. “You have upset my people,” he said. “Please leave immediately while we sort this out as a community.”

We shared a look, knowing we had little choice but to obey.

“Well, that could have gone better,” Alyna said with a soft sigh.

“They are clearly allowing their affection for their companions to cloud their judgment,” Roy said as we walked back to our guest house. He crossed his arms. “That won’t be something easily remedied. It is clear their bond is unlike any other.”

Kryzen was glowering as we walked, but I could almost hear the gears turning in his mind as he silently went over the meeting in his head.

We decided the best thing to do now was nothing. We headed back to the guest house, feeling like if we did any kind of investigating at the moment, we would likely be seen as suspicious and end up being asked to leave the grove. I didn’t want to risk that. We still needed to stick around to figure out what to do next.

“You’re making us all dizzy, little brother,” Alyna quipped as she watched Kryzen pace around the living room.

“Alpha Thorne was so affected by the reactions of his people,” he said, thinking aloud and completely ignoring his sister.

“Yes, but I wouldn’t consider that an uncommon practice among Alphas,” Roy said slowly but tilted his head curiously in response to his best friend’s musings.

Kryzen finally stopped pacing and turned to face the rest of us, who were resting on the couch. “What I mean is that we might have a chance at convincing Alpha Thorne if we ask to meet with him privately,” he said. “And maybe with just a couple of us. Perhaps Roy and I should meet with the Alpha and Luna alone. That way, they won’t feel like we’re outnumbering them.”

“That could work,” I said, sitting up in my seat. “Maybe give it some time though. Send in a request for another meeting tomorrow afternoon at the earliest.”

Kryzen gritted his teeth together, clearly against waiting, but he obviously knew I was right. We had to go about this carefully and delicately if we were to be heard.

We all jumped slightly when a knock sounded at the door. Roy stood to answer it, pulling the door open to reveal Raya.

I stood up and went to the door. “Raya. What are you doing here? Is everything alright?”

Raya nodded, looking almost shy as she stood there. She looked up bravely. “I’d like to speak to you, Miss Black, alone.”

My eyebrows rose, but I nodded, giving my friends a reassuring look before following the girl outside. She didn’t stop in front of the door. She wordlessly handed me an enchanted rope before grabbing one for herself, and we headed off.

Only when we were safely on the ground did she speak. “I wanted to tell you that I believe you about our companions turning bad.”

“They aren’t bad,” I said consolingly. “They’re just not themselves, but I promise we’ll do what we can to help them.”

Raya nodded. “I know,” she said. “I know Alpha Thorne can come off as kind of tough, but he means well. I’d like to show you something if that’s okay, but we have to walk a bit.”

I was intrigued, so I agreed immediately.

About an hour later, we ended up in a large field with blooming wildflowers and tall green grass.

“There,” Raya said in a hushed voice, gesturing ahead of us.

I hadn’t seen them since the grass was so tall, and they were nestled in the tall blades, resting peacefully. One of the large beasts lifted its head as we approached. I could make out a round, sleek face and large yellow eyes. A few more joined, and I backed up a step when they rose to their full height, spreading their huge leathery wings. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

“We call them cloudjumpers,” Raya said, grinning at my reaction. She held her hand out. One of them gently sniffed her palm. “Would you like a ride?”

I was terrified but grinned at her. “Absolutely.”

I couldn’t help but squeal as I held on for dear life, digging my fingers into the cloudjumper’s thick fur.

Raya laughed as she flew alongside me. “I knew you would be good at this,” she said gleefully.

I stared down at the world below us, marveling at how small everything looked from up there. Cloudjumper was a good name for the furry beasts. They did seem to be hopping among the clouds.

The world looked so peaceful below, with its rich greenery and gorgeous landscape. I felt a pang of sadness as I thought about how it wasn’t as peaceful as it appeared. I looked at Raya, just now processing what she said. “What do you mean?”

I yelped as my cloudjumper dipped slightly, clearly playing with the cloud vapors.

Raya giggled, raising her voice at me to be heard above the wind swirling around us. “I could just tell that you are the kind of person who the cloudjumpers would trust. They are difficult to tame and only allow those with a deep trust and understanding to ride them.”

I sucked in a breath and set my hand against the back of the beast. I had felt something between me and it, like a tether was pulling us together.

I understood much more deeply why the people of the grove refused to believe us. We couldn’t convince them with words alone.

We needed another way.