Breeder To The Brutal Alpha King

Chapter 176: The Journey

Rebecca’s POV

​I took a deep breath as I pushed open the heavy front doors and stepped outside, my silver heels clicking softly against the stone steps. I had expected to wait off to the side with the rest of the lower-ranking staff. Instead, the moment I walked out, I froze.

​Alpha King Kaden was already standing by the lead vehicle, waiting for me.

​My breath completely hitched in my throat. He looked terrifyingly calm and impossibly powerful, dressed in a sharp, dark suit that fit his broad shoulders perfectly. The tailored fabric made him look more like a wealthy corporate businessman than a ruthless werewolf king, but the sheer dominance rolling off him was unmistakable. The guards stationed along the driveway stood at rigid attention, their heads bowed out of pure respect for their King. Kaden ignored them entirely. His piercing green eyes were fixed solely on the door, and the moment I appeared, his gaze locked onto me like a predator spotting its prize.

​He didn’t move. He just watched me walk down the steps, his eyes raking over the blood-red gown that clung tightly to my slim, curvy figure. The dress was a second skin, highlighting every curve of my waist and the slope of my hips.

​As I reached the bottom step, Kaden took a slow step forward, cutting off my path. The intense scent of him—cedarwood, mint, and raw Alpha power—wrapped around me instantly.

​He leaned down slightly, his voice dropping into a low, gravelly vibration meant only for my ears. "Looking like this..." His eyes slowly traveled over me. "You’re making it very difficult for me to behave myself, Rebecca."

​A sudden flush of heat rushed to my cheeks. He was still the ruthless King who held my leash, but lately, there was a dangerous change in the way he looked at me. He was cold, yes, but it was a burning, possessive kind of cold. He was falling for me, and that terrified me more than his anger.

​I quickly lowered my eyes, my fingers clutching the fabric of the coat Stephanie had lent me, trying to hide how much his words made my heart hammer.

​Kaden let out a low, amused hum at my silence. He turned slightly toward the open door of the very first SUV, where a high-ranking guard was holding the handle.

​"In," Kaden said, his tone shifting back to a short, firm command that brooked no argument.

​I blinked, my eyes darting past his shoulder toward the other cars down the line meant for the regular pack members and maids. I hesitated, shifting my weight from one heel to the other. "Shouldn’t I go with the others? There is no way a slave belongs in—"

​"Now, Rebecca," he snapped gently, his green eyes darkening with warning.

​I didn’t dare test his patience further. Hurrying forward, I climbed into the back seat of the luxury SUV. The interior was pure wealth; the seats were made of the softest black leather, and the cabin smelled beautifully of expensive cologne and rich wood. Wanting to put as much physical distance between us as possible, I slid as far away from his side as the seat allowed, pressing my back tightly against the door panel.

​Kaden slid in right after me, his massive frame instantly making the spacious vehicle feel incredibly small. The guard closed the heavy door with a solid, airtight thud that echoed through the space, making me feel instantly trapped in his territory.

​The caravan of cars began to move, rolling smoothly down the long, private road. I turned my head toward the window, watching the familiar gates of the packhouse fade into the evening shadows.

​Inside the SUV, the silence grew heavy enough to suffocate a person. Kaden sat completely still, his long legs crossed at the knee. He wasn’t looking at a phone or reviewing pack papers. He just stared straight ahead at the road, his jaw clenched tightly. Even though he wasn’t touching me, his dominant presence filled the entire car, and I could feel the intense warmth radiating from his body. My skin prickled as memories of that same warmth consuming me last night flashed vividly through my mind.

​"You’re shaking," Kaden said suddenly, breaking the quiet.

​His deep voice was so abrupt that I jumped slightly. I quickly wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hide the trembling of my hands. "I’m just... cold."

​He didn’t answer right away. Instead, his large hand reached out in my direction. I froze, my eyes widening as I braced myself, thinking he was going to pull me over to his side or punish me for my distant attitude. But his long fingers wrapped right past my shoulder, his knuckles brushing against my bare collarbone as he pressed a button on the door panel.

​Within seconds, a deep, soothing warmth spread through the leather seat, heating my back and thighs.

​Kaden pulled his hand back, but he didn’t look away from me this time. He leaned his head back against the headrest, his piercing green gaze fixed on my profile.

​"Are you taking the medicine for your womb?" he asked, his voice low and serious.

​I stiffened slightly at the reminder of my role as his breeder, but I quickly nodded my head without looking at him. "Yes. I took it this morning."

​"Good," Kaden murmured. He reached over, his fingers gently grasping my chin and forcing me to turn my head so I had to look him in the eye. His thumb brushed lightly over my lower lip. His touch wasn’t brutal, but it was unyielding. "I expect you to be on your best behavior tonight, Rebecca. This summit is important. There will be many Alphas there who would love nothing more than to find a weakness in my armor. Do not give them a reason to look at you."

​"I am a slave in a silver collar, Alpha Kaden," I whispered, my voice laced with bitter defiance. "They are going to look anyway."

​His grip on my chin tightened just a fraction, a flash of dark jealousy crossing his features before he mastered it. "Then let them look. But if any of them tries to touch what belongs to me, I will tear their throats out in front of the entire council."

​He slowly released my chin, his hand resting on the leather seat between us, just inches away from my thigh.

​"Go to sleep," Kaden said quietly, his eyes turning back toward the windshield. "It’s a one-hour drive to the Crystal Pack’s territory. I need you awake and focused when we arrive."

​I swallowed hard, turning my face back to the dark window as the highway lines blurred past. Sleep was completely impossible. My mind was spinning out of control. It wasn’t just because I was locked in a car with the man who claimed my body so ruthlessly last night. It was because of the devastating secret Stephanie had just uncovered.

​Queen Helen had cheated on him.

​I stole a quick, cautious glance at Kaden’s harsh, handsome profile in the dim light of the dashboard. He loved his late Queen with a blind, worshipful intensity. If this rumor was true, and if he ever found out that his perfect golden memory was a lie... it would destroy him.