Captured by the Cruel Alpha のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 31 - チャプター 40

*Varek*He looks stunned when I say it. I keep my expression carefully blank, waiting for him to make up his mind.“If I offer land, there will be a guarantee of a son.”“You misunderstand. Land will be given before you or your son get even a second alone with her.”Though the thought of even allowing that goes against this uncomfortably vicious feeling in the pit of my stomach.I let him see the sharp edge of my teeth. “Though there are less expensive options available.”His jaw tightens. “Don't mock me.”I lift my goblet. “If Princess Fiona is out of your budget, and you have no interest in taking one of the Caldaran courtesans, take your son and ride home before noon.”Ronan and Lucian are both stiff and silent beside me. I can only guess who they are thinking of, but it hardly matters. I don't have the softness of the King of Solara and none of the courtesans are my children.“You want a warrior breeder, there is another available.”The old man’s eyes blaze. His son shifts in his

*Fiona*Before he even gives the order, I've turned from him. I walk toward Liora, noting that her expression doesn't ripple and that she hasn't moved from in front of the door. The stupid courtesans peer out of the parlor with wide eyes as I pass. I clench my jaw and force my breathing to remain even as I ignore them and keep my pace steady, putting as much space between the two of us as possible. My heart is racing. I hadn't meant to do that. I hadn't meant to pull his dagger, hadn't meant to try to punch him. I didn't even know I could do that, given how completely he'd overpowered me on the mountain. He is bigger, stronger, an alpha, and he has years of combat experience on me. Was it just his arrogance at work that let me take his dagger and land those blows? I highly doubted that he'd let me, given the situation. He'd definitely been about to break my wrist before I struck him, and I doubted that my bullshit training to keep busy had been the reason I had been successful at g

*Fiona*The silence between us is heavy with everything Liora doesn't want to say, but I can see in her eyes that she is on the verge of telling me either because she's needed to talk about it for a long time or because she trusts me for some reason. Maybe that passing loyalty to Varek is a little less than passing."What?"I lean on the windowsill. "The way you talk about him and his stubbornness about his plans…" I turn back and meet her gaze. "You make it sound like he's made plans you've had to just live with when you'd rather not. You might even hate them.”She flinches and looks away."You're not good at hiding your bitterness now that I'm really listening."Her lips twitch. "I have no idea what you want me to say, princess. But I have no reason to say it."I shrug. "No, but I hear venting makes you feel better. What is it that you wanted and he decided it didn't serve him?" She shifted. "I can tell it's more than just a new dress."For a moment, I think she won’t answer. Then h

*Fiona*I barely make it back to my chamber before the laughter claws up my throat. The guards close the door behind me, and I press my back to the wood, covering my mouth with both hands. I don’t dare let it out, but my shoulders shake with the effort.Varek is definitely melting down, scrambling, and probably pulling at straws. The fear that he might just have me killed in the middle of the night passes quickly. He has a castle filling with suitors, and Liora knows him better than most. He's too stubborn to cut his losses like that. He's probably too arrogant to think he still can't make me do as he wants, but he can't risk pissing me off and letting me spill the secret.The alpha kings want me as a breeder, but they aren't signing up for someone they have no physical or mental power over. The few who won't care likely won't play Varek's game. I bite down on my lip, finally exhaling through my nose until the giddy rush ebbs. I settle my mind. I need to use this leverage to get out o

*Varek* I rub my jaw, considering it. "They're cousins?""Probably. I don't think there are any other lords down that way… why?"My hands clench. This had to be what Cara hadn't wanted her husband to tell me in the hallway. She had been in Caldara when I had been in the battle where I'd met Dante. It must have been a good day when she arrived at her husband's castle and met him. The memory cut through my mind. His eyes had been devoid of hesitation or feeling when he attacked me. Back then, his shifted form was only slightly smaller than I am now. I learned much later that he was much younger than me and nearly untried. He had been relentless, and it wasn't until a white flag had been flown in the distance that he stopped.We had been on opposite sides as support then, and I knew just from the few blows we'd traded that there was a chance I would have lost my life. The thought of him here, in my halls, at my table, sets me on edge, especially with his connection to Cara, who had not