Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 1397 - 152 : Family Time

*Zara*

“Briella!”

The half-amused, half-exasperated voice of my mate came back muffled by the windows leading out into the garden. I smiled softly as Noah’s boisterous laughter sounded. He sounded like he was having fun.

I winced slightly as I stood up from the plush armchair, rubbing my swollen stomach through the fabric of my dress. If this little one on the way was just as enthusiastic and high-energy as Briella, we would have our hands full.

I crossed the sitting room and looked out the window, grinning widely at the scene in front of me.

Noah was chasing our daughter through the lush gardens of the Drogomor estate. Our little girl was a toddler now and talking non-stop it seemed like. She was so smart and inquisitive. I couldn’t believe how fast she had grown.

I shook my head with amusement. Briella was only wearing pants as she ran from her father, her cheeks pink, and her lips in a wide mile as she giggled madly.

Noah called after her, holding a wad of fabric that I knew was the long-sleeve floral shirt the girl was refusing to put on. How they managed to get outside was a mystery to me. Noah had been helping Briella get ready for the day up in her room. It looked like she had somehow slipped past her father and ended up in the yard.

I watched Noah for a moment. We had a rare day off from our duties and were spending the day with Briella, wanting to get as much time with her before her sibling arrived. I loved him in his casual wear. He was donning a pair of black pants and a short-sleeved gray button-up. He looked so handsome with his dark waves slightly mussed and a wide grin on his face.

Briella ducked away from him and crawled beneath a bush. As Noah turned slightly to try and grab her, I saw frustration beginning to break through the amusement. I decided it was time to relieve him.

I stepped out of the ornate packhouse doors, grinning when Noah’s shoulders sagged in relief upon seeing me.

Briella squealed and ran over to me, allowing me to scoop her up in my arms. Noah handed the shirt to me, and I expertly maneuvered the clothing onto Briella’s flailing limbs.

With our rambunctious child finally fully clothed, I carried her over to a stone bench that sat amidst our fragrant garden, Noah following closely behind. We sat together on the seat, Briella seated on my lap. I picked some flowers within my reach and began to intricately braid them into the little girl’s unruly curls.

Briella wiggled a bit against the rounded swell of my pregnant belly. She seemed to just remember it was there and turned her head to look up at me with large, curious eyes. “When baby coming, Mommy?” she inquired brightly.

Noah and I exchanged a fond look before I answered gently. “Your brother or sister could arrive any day now.”

Noah and I chuckled when Briella nearly started to vibrate with excitement over becoming a “big girl” upon the baby’s arrival.

We spent the whole day playing with our little girl, taking walks through the nearby trails, and having a picnic in an open field. Thankfully, it was a beautiful day. It was difficult to keep Briella entertained indoors for more than a couple of hours. She had an adventurous spirit that caused the outside world to call to her.

After a full day of outdoor make-believe games, we tucked Briella snugly into her bed.

“Sweet dreams, my little adventurer,” Noah said fondly, dropping a kiss onto Briella’s forehead.

I smiled tiredly as Noah led me to our chambers. We had taken several breaks due to my pregnancy, but it had still been an exhausting day. Noah had fretted several times that we should turn back, but I was feeling fine overall and wanted to give Briella a fun-filled day.

“You’re grounded until the baby arrives,” Noah informed me curtly as he carefully lowered me against a collection of plush pillows on the sofa inside our room.

I scoffed up at him but winced. The advanced pregnancy left my ankles swollen and back aching lately, especially since I was often trying to keep up with our energetic firstborn most of the day.

Noah just raised an eyebrow at me when he saw me flinch in discomfort as if that proved his point. He gently removed my shoes and tenderly began to massage my sore feet. I let out a deep sigh, my eyes drifting shut blissfully under my mate’s attentive care.

Noah had deemed me grounded, but the next few days were even busier than the first.

“No, Briella,” Noah scolded gently as he scooped her up in his strong arms, holding her against his chest protectively.

I sighed with relief, eyeing the edge of the cliff Briella had been heading toward. Noah and I shared a look of concern before nodding resolutely.

As Briella grew and became much more mobile, we decided it would be best to use the next few days to childproof every inch of our ancestral stronghold grounds.

It became a fun game for Briella. We allowed her to wander as far as her little legs would carry her as we followed dutifully behind her. She seemed to find every possible thing she shouldn’t touch, whether it was a thorny plant or a fragile artifact. It allowed Noah and I to have them moved, or if dangerous to our little girl, disposed of completely.

It was definitely a team effort corralling Hurricane Briella’s fierce curiosity and inexhaustible energy, even within the safe bounds of our sprawling estate.

Finally, after three days, we were finally satisfied to the extent we had childproofed our grounds. It would still be a few years before we allowed Briella to venture out on her own, but I had a feeling that that day would sneak up on us.

“We can’t follow her around forever, Noah,” I said with exasperation as we walked up the steps leading to our house.

Noah pursed his lips, adjusting Briella against his shoulder where she had fallen asleep. “Watch me.”

I shook my head, but my heart warmed at his sweet protectiveness towards his little girl. “She’s already wildly independent,” I pointed out as if he needed reminding. “She’s not going to put up with you constantly hovering for much longer.”

“She just needs to put up with it until she’s thirty or so,” Noah said with a shrug as if it was no big deal. He was smirking a bit, so I knew he was at least partially teasing. Something told me he was more serious than joking though.

I suddenly felt sorry for future teenage Briella.

Shrieks filled the room as Noah play-wrestled with our daughter. I grinned as I watched my two favorite people roll around on the rug. Briella climbed on top of her father and grabbed his shoulders in her tiny fists, laughing uncontrollably.

Briella had contagious laughter. Noah was laughing just as madly as he grabbed her ankles and held her upside down briefly.

The three of us were settled in the library, father and daughter sprawled out on the plush rug while I tried to read in a chair nearby.

Needless to say, I wasn’t getting much reading done, but Noah and Briella were much more entertaining than any book I could find.

Briella was so young, yet she already had a deep bond with her father. It was obvious in the way they grinned at each other like they were plotting something and in the gentle way he held her. I could watch them interact forever.

Currently, their little wrestling match was threatening to grow far too rowdy as they started to roll toward some priceless, delicate decor.

I heaved myself out of the reading chair. “Alright, that’s enough,” I said sternly. I didn’t even have to raise my voice. The two immediately froze and looked up at me, Briella blinking innocently while Noah gave me a sheepish look.

Noah released our still giggling toddler from where he had been blowing raspberries onto her belly. I raised an eyebrow at him, but he just shrugged, grinning unabashedly now that he was looking at me and could tell I wasn’t mad.

I smirked at him and took Briella’s hand, guiding the wound-up child out of the room for an overdue nap.

Just minutes later, Noah and I gently rocked a sleeping Briella between us on the plush sofa in the corner of our daughter’s nursery. I pushed some dark curls away from the little girl’s forehead affectionately.

“She needs to stop growing,” Noah grumbled, stroking his finger lightly against Briella’s chubby cheek.

I giggled lightly, trying to do so quietly as to not wake the slumbering child. “I’d normally say you were being ridiculous, but she really is growing quickly,” I said fondly. “She’s going to grow up to be so kind and brave. I’m already so proud of her.”

“Me too,” Noah agreed, his tone wistful. He then reached over and stroked my belly through my thin dress. “This little one will be too. I’m sure.”

I smiled at him, leaning over Briella so that I could rest my head on Noah’s shoulder. He continued to rub my swollen tummy lightly in a soothing circle that had my eyelids threatening to flutter shut.

For some reason, worry started to flutter in my stomach. I swallowed before moving slightly to face Noah, keeping my voice hushed. “I’ve been growing more worried lately about the state of our realm,” I confessed. I didn’t want to ruin this precious moment, but it had been weighing heavily on my mind for months now.

Noah sighed, suddenly looking much older than he was. “I have as well,” he said. By his tone, I could tell he knew exactly where I was going with this.

I continued anyway. “Political tensions between realms seem to be growing by the day,” I said, my voice breaking a little. I looked down at Briella and then put a protective hand over my stomach. “I fear mysterious dissenter groups could threaten the peaceful life I want for our children.”

Noah’s deep blue eyes were sad, but something else was building behind them. He reached out and gripped my hand. “There will always be threats,” he said, but his voice was soft and consoling. “But we will face them together. We’ll remain vigilant so that we can protect our family.”

I let out a shuddering breath, wishing it were truly as simple and easy as he made it sound.

“I mean it, Zara,” he said. His tone shifted to a fierce one. His eyes darkened. “I won’t let anyone take you or Briella away from me again. I will protect my family.”

My eyes rounded slightly, but I nodded. I knew what had happened with Malphas changed Noah, probably almost as much as it changed me. He still blamed himself for what happened. I knew he would be even more protective than he used to be because of it.

I leaned toward him so I could kiss him. “I know you will,” I told him, feeling emotion pour from me as I pressed my lips to kiss a second time.

We lay curled around our precious daughter on the sofa, hoping and praying our family would have a safe and peaceful future.