Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder Chapter 61 Is He Back?

I relaxed a little– but not completely.

“Who are you?” I asked him.

He was tall, with a muscular build. He had that sa strong, chiseled jawline and dark hair, though his wasn’t black like Ethan’s.

They looked so very much the sa. There were clear differences between them, but they were slight– the dip of his nose, the space between his eyes, and his eyes. They reminded of Ethan’s, but they were gray.

The biggest difference, though, was this man’s smile.

It ca so easily, so naturally– like the sun rising in the morning and setting in the evening. It just happened without effort.

In all of the ti I was with Ethan, how often did I see him smile? Hardly ever at all, and when I did, it always seed forced.

The man’s expression thus made it impossible to mistake him for Ethan.

Who was this person? And could I trust him?

Just like with the dangers of the forest – a coiled snake behind a fallen log, a beautiful tantalizing mushroom that might be poison – I couldn’t assu that he wasn’t deadly just because he looked kind and inviting.

The man didn’t answer my question for a long mont. Instead, he ca over to where I was sitting and made himself comfortable next to , his hips settling near my feet on the bed. I was still curled up, but if I were to stretch my legs back out, he would be nearer to my waist.

His hand reached up and gently brushed my cheek. I flinched, but I realized that he was simply checking my wound.

“Your face seems to be healing already. That’s good. I’m sure it still hurts. I can get you so more dicine, if you’d like.”

“Who are you?” I asked again, pulling away from his hand.

I hadn’t forgotten my station in life, and for all I knew, this man was pretty important. If this was his house, it was opulent, and he was wearing nice clothing– a black button-down shirt and black slacks.

Besides... I didn’t want to be rude, but I also didn’t appreciate a strange man dragging his hands down my skin, either.

He smiled at . “You can call Soren,” he said.

“Soren?” I repeated. It was an interesting na. I couldn’t tell if it was his first or last, either.

“That’s right,” he said. “Can I get you anything? You must be hungry. When we brought you in, you were so injured, we just wanted to make sure we got so water and dicine. But now that you’re awake, I think we should get you sothing to eat.”

I stared at him for a long mont, not sure how to respond. I wanted to trust him, but I still wasn’t sure if I could.

“Why are you helping ?” I asked him.

“Because...” he paused for a mont. “I feel just awful about what happened to you.”

He seed so sincere, and yet, I had a tough ti believing him. Maybe it was because he looked so much like Ethan– and Ethan would never, ever say those words to anyone.

“What do you an?”

“I an, a beautiful young woman cos here to our islands, for who knows what reason– I imagine, for a fresh start. She’s probably excited to be here, and then...” he sighed. “Out of nowhere so hooligans step in and rough her up, taking her stuff and injuring her.”

He shook his head, a sad expression on his handso face. “That’s just not right.”

“How do you know I ca here to start again?” I asked him.

“Oh, that’s why a lot of people co here,” he replied nonchalantly. “It’s a beautiful place to make a new beginning.”

He smiled at , and I felt a warmth inside, like maybe he was right.

Like maybe I could start over.

That didn’t an my past was completely behind , though. I had to rember that. Madalynn could still be after . So could other people.

I wrapped my arm around my abdon protectively. I felt like I was safe in this room at this mont, though.

Wasn’t I?

“I’m not sure how long I’ll be staying,” I said with a sigh.

A look of disappointnt clouded his face for a mont, as if he were upset that I wasn’t going to be there forever.

“Okay,” he said. “But regardless. I feel really bad that you were injured on my watch and I can’t let that happen.”

“Your watch?” I repeated.

“I am currently in charge of the security here. And I can guarantee that whoever those b*stards were, I’ll hunt them down and make sure they pay.”

He paused, and changed to a much kinder tone. “But those are not for you to worry about. You are safe here. You can be sure of that.”

I knew my eyes were wide as I stared at him. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing—from a man who looked so much like Ethan.

“What is it?” he asked . “Why are you looking at ... like that?”

“It’s just... you just reminded of soone, that’s all,” I told him.

He cleared his throat. “Soone kind, intelligent, and dashingly handso, I presu,” he joked. He held his hand up to his chin and made a face, one eyebrow raised, posing for .

I couldn’t help but laugh at his silly behavior. “Uh, soone intelligent and dashingly handso, yes....”

My voice faded away as I thought about the other adjective he’d used. “But maybe not so much that other part.”

He put his hand down and dropped it onto my leg, which was still under the cover. He did it naturally, and seemingly without any sensual intentions, so it didn’t make feel uncomfortable.

“I’m so sorry,” he said in a gentle voice. “Well, while you’re here, rest assured, you will be cared for. I will make sure your every need is t. You can stay in my ho as long as you need to. I will help you find a job, if that’s what you ca here for...”

“Thank you, but I’ve troubled you enough...”

“No trouble at all,” he interrupted . “I insist!”

“But–”

“There is no ‘but’.” He raised his index finger and waved it left and right. There was a delightful smile on his face.

I was learning sothing about this man. He had the magic to make people around him feel relaxed and lighthearted.

“But surely I can’t be the first person to be the victim of a cri on your island,” I tried to reason with him.

“No,” he admitted with a slight shrug of his broad, muscular shoulders. “But you just might be the most beautiful.”

I stared at him for a second, my eyes wide.

He withdrew his hand and cleared his throat, seeming to feel awkward. “I’ll, uh, go have the maids make you sothing to eat.”

He stood, and I instantly felt a few degrees cooler, like his nearness had ward without even realizing it until he was gone.

“Thank you,” I told him as he stepped toward the door.

“Of course,” he said, giving a kind smile. “Oh, and I forgot to ask... what’s your na?”

I thought about the persona I’d made up earlier and decided I needed to stick with it– for now.

“Ro,” I said. “My na is Ro.”

He arched an eyebrow for a mont, like he was surprised at that na, but then he nodded.

“Ro. Interesting. All right. I’ll see you soon.”

I lifted a hand and gave him a wave.

When he was gone, I settled back into my pillows and rested a hand on my abdon.

Soren seed like a good person, but I just had a feeling that I was missing sothing.

Sothing important.

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**Ethan’s POV

In the war room, everyone was busy, and no one bothered to ask how I was doing. Even Talon let it be.

I was glad for that.

My beta leaned in to explain the next agenda item. “We have a witness,” he said. “A man that they picked up near the scene of the attack at one of the northern villages. When our n got to him, everyone thought he was dead, but he survived. He may be able to provide information to help us identify which rogue groups are involved.”

Talon signaled for the witness to be brought in.

The man was thin and a bit dirty, his clothes disheveled as if he’d been traveling for a while. His eyes were downcast when he stepped through the door between two guards. He was middle-aged, and looked like he could’ve been a business owner of so sort. I had no reason to think he would not be a reliable witness.

The mont he lifted his eyes and saw my face, he took several steps back.

“You...!”

The guards grabbed him by the shoulders as he moaned in fear, his skin paling, his eyes wide.

“Calm down!” one of the guards shouted, pulling on him roughly. “This is Alpha Ethan! Be respectful.”

As I watched his bizarre reaction, an unpleasant thought occurred to .

I looked towards Talon, who imdiately understood my concern.

“It’s all right.” Talon stepped in, putting his hand up to still the guards and keep them from hurting the man as he struggled against them. “We’re scaring him.”

Talon gave the man a cup of water, then spoke in an assertive but soothing tone. “I assure you, you have nothing to fear here. All of us are loyal to the king.”

So of the man’s fear seed to dissipate, though he was still leaning back toward the door.

Talon looked around the room and suggested, “Too many of us here could overwhelm the witness. Please allow to speak with him in private. I’ll provide a detailed report in two hours.”

I gave him a nod. With my approval, no one else had any further objections.

Once Talon moved the witness to a comfortable private room, he mindlinked .

“Now you can speak freely,” I heard Talon say in a soft tone.

“Ye... yes, sir,” the man muttered.

Word by word, Talon asked, “Did you see Alpha Ethan– the one standing next to just now– during the attack?”

It sounded like the cup in the witness’s hand fell on the ground. I heard water splashed.

“Do not be afraid. You can speak the truth.” Talon’s voice was assuring and convincing.

But I knew I didn’t want to hear the answer.

“Ye-yes,” the witness stamred.

My heart sank.

No one else looked so much like except for– him.

After these many years, was he still alive after all?

“Are you back?” I asked myself.