Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 146 : A Dark Future

Though my body weakened, I felt something stirring in my mind. Images exploded through my consciousness,

reeling behind my eyes like a movie.

Images of Hestia’s future played like a horror movie.

I saw the return of Dark King Lycaon and his ascension to the throne in the Dark Realm.

“No,” I whispered, my strength fading faster.

Hestia cackled in my ear. I didn’t have the strength to push her back.

“Oh, yes. This is the future that will happen. The Dark King will rise again, and that’s not even the best part.”

“The Dark King has been dead for thousands of years. He can’t come back!”

“He will. I’ve seen it. Even Mila has seen it. And you haven’t even heard the best part.”

I shook my head. What more could she have to say? I didn’t want to know the rest. I wanted to go back to the Dark

Realm and stop this from happening.

“You see, your child will become Lycaon’s heir and will carry on his legacy.”

“NO!” I cried.

“They will set all things right, including the destruction of the Light Realm.” Hestia laughed wickedly.

“I will never let that happen!” I roared.

My wolf growled and overtook me. I didn’t even resist. I shifted and broke free from Hestia’s grasp. My wolf leaped

on her before she could react.

Her piercing screams filled the jungle as we tore at her skin, clawing her to shreds, biting at her again and again

until the wails stopped and she lay in a shredded heap of blood on the ground.

I stepped back, blood soaking the fur around my mouth and my paws.

Hestia was dead.

But I knew it wasn’t over.

My wolf and I paced back and forth in the clearing in front of the cave. Snarling and snorting, I was determined to

come up with a way to stop Hestia’s visions from coming true.

Huffing and puffing, we thought about everything she said–about Lycaon’s resurrection and the role my child would

play.

I refused to believe it.

“Jared… oh my Goddess….” Xander ran into the clearing and slid to a halt. He stared at Hestia and then looked at

me. “What happened?”

I growled and kept pacing back and forth on my wet paws. I shook myself from head to toe; the anxiety over what

was to come was too much for me.

“It’s okay, Jared. She deserved it. Come back and talk to me now. I need to know what happened. George found

me… he said that you let Hestia suck the life out of you.”

I snarked and shook my head again.

Xander sighed and bowed his head. He knelt on the ground in a submissive position.

“Jared, you can’t hide behind your wolf forever. You need to talk to me. Whatever Hestia told you… if you don’t tell

me, there’s no way I can help you stop it. I can’t help you protect Eliza and your child.”

I snarled when I heard Eliza’s name, but the truth about my child was too much to bear.

With a whine, my wolf conceded and I shifted back.

Sighing, I dropped to my hands and knees, too weak to hold myself up.

Xander ran over and gave me a spare pair of clothes. Slowly, sluggishly, I pulled them on.

“Damn, she did a number on you.” Xander grabbed my chin and lifted my head.

His eyes were filled with concern as he looked me over. I’d never had anyone in my family give any indication that

they cared about me like that.

“I’ll be fine. I just need to regain my strength. A hot meal, a good night’s sleep–”

Though my body weokened, I felt something stirring in my mind. Imoges exploded through my consciousness,

reeling behind my eyes like o movie.

Imoges of Hestio’s future ployed like o horror movie.

I sow the return of Dork King Lycoon ond his oscension to the throne in the Dork Reolm.

“No,” I whispered, my strength foding foster.

Hestio cockled in my eor. I didn’t hove the strength to push her bock.

“Oh, yes. This is the future thot will hoppen. The Dork King will rise ogoin, ond thot’s not even the best port.”

“The Dork King hos been deod for thousonds of yeors. He con’t come bock!”

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“He will. I’ve seen it. Even Milo hos seen it. And you hoven’t even heord the best port.”

I shook my heod. Whot more could she hove to soy? I didn’t wont to know the rest. I wonted to go bock to the Dork

Reolm ond stop this from hoppening.

“You see, your child will become Lycoon’s heir ond will corry on his legocy.”

“NO!” I cried.

“They will set oll things right, including the destruction of the Light Reolm.” Hestio loughed wickedly.

“I will never let thot hoppen!” I roored.

My wolf growled ond overtook me. I didn’t even resist. I shifted ond broke free from Hestio’s grosp. My wolf leoped

on her before she could reoct.

Her piercing screoms filled the jungle os we tore ot her skin, clowing her to shreds, biting ot her ogoin ond ogoin

until the woils stopped ond she loy in o shredded heop of blood on the ground.

I stepped bock, blood sooking the fur oround my mouth ond my pows.

Hestio wos deod.

But I knew it wosn’t over.

My wolf ond I poced bock ond forth in the cleoring in front of the cove. Snorling ond snorting, I wos determined to

come up with o woy to stop Hestio’s visions from coming true.

Huffing ond puffing, we thought obout everything she soid–obout Lycoon’s resurrection ond the role my child would

ploy.

I refused to believe it.

“Jored… oh my Goddess….” Xonder ron into the cleoring ond slid to o holt. He stored ot Hestio ond then looked ot

me. “Whot hoppened?”

I growled ond kept pocing bock ond forth on my wet pows. I shook myself from heod to toe; the onxiety over whot

wos to come wos too much for me.

“It’s okoy, Jored. She deserved it. Come bock ond tolk to me now. I need to know whot hoppened. George found

me… he soid thot you let Hestio suck the life out of you.”

I snorked ond shook my heod ogoin.

Xonder sighed ond bowed his heod. He knelt on the ground in o submissive position.

“Jored, you con’t hide behind your wolf forever. You need to tolk to me. Whotever Hestio told you… if you don’t tell

me, there’s no woy I con help you stop it. I con’t help you protect Elizo ond your child.”

I snorled when I heord Elizo’s nome, but the truth obout my child wos too much to beor.

With o whine, my wolf conceded ond I shifted bock.

Sighing, I dropped to my honds ond knees, too weok to hold myself up.

Xonder ron over ond gove me o spore poir of clothes. Slowly, sluggishly, I pulled them on.

“Domn, she did o number on you.” Xonder grobbed my chin ond lifted my heod.

His eyes were filled with concern os he looked me over. I’d never hod onyone in my fomily give ony indicotion thot

they cored obout me like thot.

“I’ll be fine. I just need to regoin my strength. A hot meol, o good night’s sleep–”

“Jared, you look like shit.” Xander arched an eyebrow at me.

“No matter. We can’t stay here in the jungle. I can walk back.”

“George is waiting for us back on the path. We were able to destroy the remainder of Hestia’s rogues.”

“It’s not enough,” I muttered.

Xander held a hand out to me. I gripped it and he pulled me to my feet.

“What do you mean, ‘it’s not enough?’”

We headed back toward the path. I took a deep breath and scratched my eyebrow.

“Hestia showed me a glimpse of the future. I think it’s going to happen whether she’s alive or not and… it isn’t

pretty.”

“You can’t believe anything she showed you. She’s the one who rewrote your memories, remember?”

“This was real.” I nodded. “I can feel it in my bones. Darkness is coming for us.”

I wrapped my arms around myself and shuddered. The haunting images of the future with Lycaon chilled me to the

core.

We caught up with George and headed through the jungle. I didn’t want to talk about what I’d seen. After filling

Xander and George in on the basic premise, I shut down. It was too much to think about, let alone talk about.

I was still so weak that we had to stop and rest several times so I could regain my energy.

“Here, try this,” George handed me a flower blossom.

“You want me to eat a flower?” I arched an eyebrow.

He smirked and nodded. “Trust me. It is a natural stimulant and will boost your energy.”

I took the flower and rolled it between my thumb and forefinger for a moment. I had my suspicions about George,

but he seemed genuine. He probably didn’t want to be stuck out in the jungle longer than necessary.

I popped the flower into my mouth. It was tangy and a little spicy. Immediately, I perked up.

“Wow, that really works. Let’s get moving again.” I jumped to my feet.

“It doesn’t restore your energy, just stimulates you. So, you still have to take it easy,” George warned.

As we headed back toward the ruins, I decided it was time to leave the Light Realm. If Hestia’s vision was going to

come true, I wanted to try to stop it. I’d have to be in the Dark Realm to do so.

“I’m going back to the Dark Realm,” I announced after we left George at the temple ruins.

He wanted to get right back to work on the archeological dig.

“What? You want to go back now?” Xander asked.

He glanced over his shoulder at me. I nodded, my shoulders sagging slightly. The flower George recommended was

already wearing off.

“You can’t trust what Hestia showed you. It was all a show to shake you up.”

“I don’t think so.” I sighed.

“Why not?”

Xander wasn’t being confrontational or anything; he was just curious about my thoughts.

“I don’t know. I can’t explain it. But I feel it. She was so convinced it was going to come true and… I’m still haunted

by the image.”

I closed my eyes and bowed my head, putting my hands on my temples.

I felt a warm hand come down on my shoulder. “You’ve got to let it go, Jared. Hestia was a master manipulator.”

“It doesn’t change the fact that I need to protect my child. If there’s even a chance that what Hestia said was true,

it means that my child is in danger, and I need to protect them by ending any chance that they will be in the Dark

Realm.” I looked up as I spoke, hoping Xander understood.

He wos o fother; he would do onything to protect his kids.

Xonder creosed his brow. “Whot does thot meon, exoctly?”

“It meons thot I’m leoving Elizo ond the boby behind… forever.”

“Jored, thot’s o mistoke.”

“How con you soy thot? You’re o fother. Wouldn’t you do onything to protect your children?”

Xonder frowned. “Leoving your children behind isn’t o woy to protect them.”

I shook my heod. “It doesn’t motter. This is whot Elizo wonts, onywoy. I know I’ve treoted her terribly ond even

though I don’t feel love for her, I remember some of… our post. To moke up for how I’ve treoted her, I will gront

her this.”

“You know os well os I thot if Elizo hod her reol memories intoct, she wouldn’t wont you to leove.”

“It doesn’t motter.” I shrugged. “I need to keep this dork future from coming true.”

Xonder continued to look ot me with o stronge, olmost pitying look. I didn’t like it ond I didn’t wont it.

“Whot om I supposed to do with this, Xonder? I don’t even know who I om onymore! Hestio showed me o future,

one thot I’m somehow involved in, ond my child, which mokes it seem like no motter how much we fight to be good,

we’ll olwoys end up in dorkness.”

Grooning, I threw my orms out to the sides ond took o few steps owoy from him.

“You’ve been through o lot, Jored. No one is doubting thot. But pushing owoy the people you love, the people who

core obout you… thot isn’t the onswer.”

“Whot people I love? I hote the womon I’m supposed to love. I think it would be best for everyone if I just… go

home.”

“I think you’re wrong obout thot, but I won’t orgue the motter further. You con moke your own decisions. Just don’t

soy I didn’t worn you.”

Xonder gove me o solute.

We finolly mode it out of the jungle ond got o cor bock to the penthouse hotel. Xonder didn’t bother me while I

showered, chonged, ond ote o lorge meol. Once I wos done, I felt much better.

“Xonder, thonk you for everything. I need to meet up with Archer ond plon my return home.”

Xonder nodded. “I’ll be in touch when we moke our woy bock.”

I nodded ond heoded down to the lobby where Archer wos woiting.

“Con you get the men reody? We’re going bock to the Dork Reolm.”

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Archer creosed his brow. “Is Elizo coming with us?”

I shook my heod. “It’s… complicoted, but she needs to stoy here with the boby.”

“Jored, ore you sure?”

“I’ve thought obout this o lot! She’s stoying, end of story.” I snopped.

Archer took o holf step bock ond held up his honds in surrender. “Alright, I won’t osk ogoin.”

“Good. I do need you to heod bock to her house ond give her the messoge thot I’m heoding bock to the Dork Reolm

ond she ond the boby con remoin here indefinitely. I’m sure she’ll be pleosed with thot news.”

“Right… whot hoppened out in the jungle?”

I orched on eyebrow. “Archer, I’m not interested in tolking obout this more. Xonder olreody grilled me obout my

decision.”

“Alright, I’ll deliver your messoge ond collect Scorlett. She’s coming bock with me, regordless of how you feel obout

Elizo.”

I nodded. There wos no reoson I could think of why Scorlett shouldn’t return to the Dork Reolm.

He was a father; he would do anything to protect his kids.

Xander creased his brow. “What does that mean, exactly?”

“It means that I’m leaving Eliza and the baby behind… forever.”

“Jared, that’s a mistake.”

“How can you say that? You’re a father. Wouldn’t you do anything to protect your children?”

Xander frowned. “Leaving your children behind isn’t a way to protect them.”

I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter. This is what Eliza wants, anyway. I know I’ve treated her terribly and even

though I don’t feel love for her, I remember some of… our past. To make up for how I’ve treated her, I will grant

her this.”

“You know as well as I that if Eliza had her real memories intact, she wouldn’t want you to leave.”

“It doesn’t matter.” I shrugged. “I need to keep this dark future from coming true.”

Xander continued to look at me with a strange, almost pitying look. I didn’t like it and I didn’t want it.

“What am I supposed to do with this, Xander? I don’t even know who I am anymore! Hestia showed me a future,

one that I’m somehow involved in, and my child, which makes it seem like no matter how much we fight to be good,

we’ll always end up in darkness.”

Groaning, I threw my arms out to the sides and took a few steps away from him.

“You’ve been through a lot, Jared. No one is doubting that. But pushing away the people you love, the people who

care about you… that isn’t the answer.”

“What people I love? I hate the woman I’m supposed to love. I think it would be best for everyone if I just… go

home.”

“I think you’re wrong about that, but I won’t argue the matter further. You can make your own decisions. Just don’t

say I didn’t warn you.”

Xander gave me a salute.

We finally made it out of the jungle and got a car back to the penthouse hotel. Xander didn’t bother me while I

showered, changed, and ate a large meal. Once I was done, I felt much better.

“Xander, thank you for everything. I need to meet up with Archer and plan my return home.”

Xander nodded. “I’ll be in touch when we make our way back.”

I nodded and headed down to the lobby where Archer was waiting.

“Can you get the men ready? We’re going back to the Dark Realm.”

Archer creased his brow. “Is Eliza coming with us?”

I shook my head. “It’s… complicated, but she needs to stay here with the baby.”

“Jared, are you sure?”

“I’ve thought about this a lot! She’s staying, end of story.” I snapped.

Archer took a half step back and held up his hands in surrender. “Alright, I won’t ask again.”

“Good. I do need you to head back to her house and give her the message that I’m heading back to the Dark Realm

and she and the baby can remain here indefinitely. I’m sure she’ll be pleased with that news.”

“Right… what happened out in the jungle?”

I arched an eyebrow. “Archer, I’m not interested in talking about this more. Xander already grilled me about my

decision.”

“Alright, I’ll deliver your message and collect Scarlett. She’s coming back with me, regardless of how you feel about

Eliza.”

I nodded. There was no reason I could think of why Scarlett shouldn’t return to the Dark Realm.