Breeder To The Brutal Alpha King

Kaden’s POV

​For ten agonized minutes, I sat at my desk, staring blindly at the door. I strained my ears, waiting to hear Martha’s footsteps returning or any news from the hallway, but there was nothing. Just total, excruciating silence.

​My heartbeat was racing, and my wolf was tearing at my chest, clawing to get to her.

​”Damn it,” I spat, shoving myself out of the chair. ”To hell with this.”

​I couldn’t just sit here while she was in agony. I didn’t care if she hated me. I had to know she was alive. I had to know she was okay.

​I rushed out of my study, walking fast down the quiet hallway until I reached her room. The door was open just a little bit, letting a warm slice of light spill out into the dark hall.

​I pushed the door open without a sound and stepped inside.

​Ruby was lying on her back in the middle of the large bed, her eyes squeezed tightly shut, her pale face slick with sweat. Small, pained whimpers escaped her lips every few seconds. The pack healer, an older female named Clara, was leaning over her, gently pressing her hands against Ruby’s lower abdomen while humming a soothing spell.

​The sight of Ruby suffering tore straight through me.

​”What’s wrong with her?” I demanded, my voice low and laced with a raw Alpha growl that made Clara jump.

​Clara quickly turned around, bowing her head. ”Alpha Kaden! I... I am trying to calm her down. The baby’s aura is acting up. It happens sometimes in early pregnancy when the pup’s wolf spark first kindles, but Lady Ruby’s body is fighting the sudden surge of raw energy. The pain is coming from the pup’s stress.”

​”What needs to be done?” I rasped, taking a cautious step closer to the bed. My whole body was tense, rigid with a terrifying urge to comfort her, yet terrified of stepping over the line.

​”I am trying to ground the pup’s aura,” Clara explained, looking flustered. ”But it is not accepting my energy. It is searching for its father’s bloodline to calm it down.”

​I swallowed hard, looking down at Ruby. Her breath was hitched, her lips trembling in pain. Forget the promises. Forget the slap. I couldn’t watch her suffer like this.

​I moved closer to the edge of the mattress, leaning down slightly. ”Ruby...” I murmured softly, my voice laced with gentle concern. ”Hey. You’re going to be fine.”

​The moment she heard my voice, Ruby’s eyelashes fluttered. She didn’t open her eyes, but in her semi-conscious, pain-riddled state, her hand shot out from under the blanket.

​She blindly reached for me, her soft fingers wrapping tightly around my wrist.

​My breath hitched.

​Before I could move or pull back, Ruby pulled my broad hand down and placed it flat against her warm, flat stomach.

​A heavy, sudden silence fell over the room.

​The very second my palm touched her skin through her thin gown, a spark of pure, electric warmth surged from her abdomen straight into my palm. It was the distinct, thrumming heartbeat of a tiny, growing pup.

​Ruby let out a long, shuddering sigh of relief. The deep lines of pain on her forehead smoothed out completely. Her tense body relaxed into the soft mattress, her breathing instantly slowing into a calm, steady rhythm.

​I froze, completely stunned. My jaw went slack as I stared down at my hand resting over her belly.

​”Oh...” Clara gasped quietly, a soft smile spreading across her face. ”Look at that.”

​”What... what just happened?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper, afraid that if I spoke too loud, the magic would break.

​”The growing pup loves your energy, Alpha,” Clara explained softly, packing up her small leather bag of herbs. ”Because you and Alpha Kane are twin brothers, your bloodlines and Alpha scents carry almost the exact same warmth. The pup felt your presence and thought its father was comforting it. It instantly felt safe.”

​Clara looked up at me with pleading eyes. ”Sit with her for a while, Lord Kaden. Hold her hand on her stomach until she falls into a deep sleep. That will keep the pup calm for the rest of the night.”

​”I... alright,” I murmured.

​Clara gave a small bow and quietly slipped out of the room, leaving the door shut behind her.

​Slowly, carefully, as if she were made of fragile glass, I sank onto the edge of the bed beside her. My broad hand remained pinned under hers, resting flush against her flat stomach.

​Ruby didn’t wake up. She simply nuzzled her face deeper into the pillow, her grip on my fingers relaxing as she sank into a peaceful, pain-free sleep.

​I sat there in the quiet room, staring down at her glowing, restful face. The tiny spark of life beneath my palm beat steadily against my skin, sending waves of possessive, dangerous warmth crashing through my chest.

​Kane’s pup, I reminded myself bitterly, swallowing the lump in my throat. It’s Kane’s pup.

​Ruby’s personal maid remained in the room with us, sitting quietly in the corner, keeping a watchful eye as the hours ticked by. I didn’t say a word, and neither did she. The only sound in the room was the soft, even rhythm of Ruby’s breathing.

​By the time midnight arrived, Ruby was lost in a deep, painless slumber.

​Slowly, I gently pulled my hand out from under hers. The sudden loss of her warmth felt like a physical blow, but the moment I realized she was truly okay, I knew I couldn’t stay a second longer. It was time to leave.

​I stood up from the bed, my heart heavy, and turned to the maid.

​”Alert me instantly if anything changes,” I instructed in a low, quiet command.

​The maid bowed her head right away. ”Yes, Alpha.”

​I stepped out of the room, shutting the door silently behind me. The cold air of the hallway hit me like a splash of ice water, snapping me back into reality.

​I walked straight to my private suite. Once inside, I shut the door, walked over to the edge of my bed, and sat down heavily, burying my face in my hands.

​I took a long, shaky breath, letting the darkness of the room wrap around me.

​”Kaden,” I whispered into the quiet room, my voice rough and filled with warnings I wasn’t sure I could keep. ”Stay the hell away from her.”