Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 135 : Between the Dark and the Light

*Lena*

I ran my hand down Xander's back, my thumb grazing over his spine. I could feel each vertebra clearly, and my

heart sunk in my chest as I stepped closer to him, wrapping my arms around his waist.

“You need to eat more," I coaxed, glancing up at him.

His eyes were on the water, however, and the port of Breles that was just visible on the horizon. His mouth twitched

as he looked down at me, a look of understanding passing behind his eyes.

“Alma will make sure I'm fed, I assure you. She probably won't let us leave until I'm back to my usual weight."

I gave Xander a soft smile, and it was all I could muster. His nightmares the past week had lessened but weren't

gone entirely. Some nights he'd been able to sleep through the night without waking, but most of the time he tossed

and turned, crying out in his sleep. I just laid there, being as still and quiet as possible so I didn't startle him, and

silently cried as he suffered.

At first, he'd refused to sleep in the same bed as me. We'd spent a few nights in Avondale looking for Oliver, but to

no avail. Will hadn't seen or heard from him, and to my surprise, both he and Hollis were torn to shreds about it.

Hollis and I even spent an evening just talking in one of the sitting rooms at the palace, talking like the friends we

used to be.

Grief has a funny way of pulling people together, I guess.

We'd been on the ship to Breles for three days. We should have been on land by now, but had to travel far north to

skirt past a hurricane that was tormenting the narrow pass between the Isles and Breles. This boat ride was eating

up the time we had to visit Crimson Creek. I was closing in on the eighth month of my pregnancy with every day

that passed, and the babies in my family were always born a little early.

But my focus was wholly on Xander. We'd already fought over the way I was treating him and my constant

hovering. He said I was driving him insane, and maybe I was. But he rarely touched his food and was sleeping like

s**t, so what else was I supposed to do but constantly remind him to eat and shut his eyes?

Xander wrapped his arm around my shoulders as the boat pulled into the port. It was dusk, and the city was dark

and empty beyond the port, which was still bustling with warriors. The war camp had turned into a village now, and

I noticed women and children walking around. I wondered if people were starting to come back to Breles, to pick up

the pieces and continue on with life.

I guess I'd find out.

We disembarked, Xander carrying the single duffle bag we were using to carry our things. Xander kept his arm

around my shoulder as we walked through the camp, heading to an area where supplies were being sorted and

driven from Breles to Crimson Creek.

We rounded a corner and I felt my breath hitch in my throat as I saw my dad talking with an unfamiliar warrior in

the center of the tent-lined street. He turned halfway to us, and his face showed no emotion for a moment as he

squinted into the sunset at our backs. But then he turned fully, his hands falling to his sides.

I ran to him, holding my belly as I struggled to keep my breath steady.

“Don't–don't run, I'm coming," Dad said in a strained voice as he ran over to me, throwing his arms around me.

“Are you alright? Your mom said you were coming here, but I don't understand why."

“I'm fine. We're going to Crimson Creek to check in our friends," I said into his shoulder. I let him go and stepped

away from him, looking up into his face, but he was looking at Xander. “Dad," I said softly, but his gaze didn't falter.

He continued to look at Xander, his eyes blank of any and all expression. “He asked me to marry him, and I said

yes."

“I know," he replied. “He asked me–"

“You told him no–"

“That was before," he interrupted, a soft smile touching his lips. It was gone in an instant. “He stopped here before

he went to Mirage. He asked again."

“And what did you say?"

“I said no, again."

I pursed my lips, but he just tilted his head to the side, chuckling a little.

“Why?"

“Because it's not up to me, Lena. You're in control of your own life. You always have been. I just wish… I'm sorry I

wasn't strong enough to show you that from the beginning."

I hugged him again, closing my eyes as I pressed my cheek against his chest.

“There's a train leaving for Crimson Creek in a few minutes," he said quietly. “You need to go now if you want to

board–"

“A train? How?"

“We cleared the tracks a few days ago. Everything is starting to feel a little more… better. We're making progress."

A group of civilians walked by carrying baskets of supplies. I watched them as they walked between a pair of tents

toward one of the brick commercial builds, which had lights on inside.

“Breles will be rebuilt. People can start coming home, soon, we hope… before winter comes, at least."

I squeezed his arms, smiling. It was over. We'd made it through the war. We were all going to be okay.

I hadn't noticed that Xander had walked up behind me until he laced his fingers in mine, nodding at my dad in

greeting. Dad's eyes hardened on Xander for a moment, but he nodded back nonetheless.

Well, their relationship would need some work. But I could confidently say that they would have all the time in the

world to form a bond.

My heart felt full and warm as I said goodbye, but only for now, to my dad. Xander and I walked on and eventually

found the train station, which was the only repaired building in what seemed like all of Breles.

“Do you remember when we met?" Xander asked as we waited to board the train, which was currently being

stocked full of all kinds of supplies for the vampires in Crimson Creek.

I looked up at Xander, twisting my face into a scowl.

“The day you ruined my life, you mean?"

“That's a highly exaggerated accusation," he growled, then leaned down to kiss me on the forehead.

“Yes, I do remember the day we met. But I remember you before that, you know. I went to a party that you were at

once, you and Adrian. Adrian was walking around with a huge gash on his forehead and got blood all over Cressida

Mayfaire's fancy downtown apartment."

“Yeah, I remember that night. Barely," he laughed. “Do you know how he got that wound?"

“How? I thought it was a fight."

“A keg stand–we don't… do those in Egoren. It's safe to say Adrian and I had a great time pretending to be college

students, but we were way in over our heads from the beginning."

A warrior walked up to us, and Xander stepped forward to explain what we were doing there, and our intentions in

Crimson Creek. The warrior peered around Xander to look at me, taking in my hair and the striking features I

shared with my father and grandmother. He nodded, motioning for us to board one of the three passenger cars

connected to the supply train. There were several other people traveling to Crimson Creek. We walked through the

first two passenger cars to the third and final one, which had overnight sleeper cabins.

“Is it okay that we use one of these? We don't even have tickets–"

“I'm the Princess of Valoria's fiance," Xander said as he knocked on the cabin door. No one answered, and he

shrugged as he opened it and motioned me inside. “Special privileges come with my new title, I would assume."

“Okay, Alpha King," I teased. I squeezed into the snug cabin, which wasn't more than a bench that folded out into a

bed and shelving on the other side to hold our duffle bag, as well as an incredibly small bathroom.

I sat down on the bed, signing with relief. My feet were absolutely killing me, and I knew they were swollen.

“You okay?"

“I'm fine, just tired," I breathed, taking off the clunky orthopedic tennis shoes my mom had bought for me recently.

They were the ugliest things I've ever seen, and Xander nearly choked himself to death on a laugh when he saw me

wear them for the first time, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

I didn't feel like Alexis was coming anytime soon, unfortunately. I had another few weeks to suffer through ugly

shoes and clothes that didn't fit.

I'd brought a few dresses, which was all that would fit my body as it was now, but Xander tossed me one of his T-

shirts to sleep in as we readied for bed. We'd be in Crimson Creek in roughly seven hours, unless the train made

other stops. An almost full night's rest was exactly what I needed.

As long as Xander didn't have another nightmare… but I pushed the thought from my mind as I settled into the

crook of his arm.

The train lurched forward while we laid in the bed, which was uncomfortable, but it was a bed so I couldn't complain

that much.

“Where is Adrian, anyway?" I asked after a few moments of silence.

“He'd better still be in Egoren," he said with a sleepy chuckle, then sighed. “Abigail and Adrian will be here after

Alexis is born, I know that for sure. She wants to visit her family and… well, she wanted to be the one to tell you this

so don't tell her I told you."

“Told me what?"

“That Adrian and Abigail got married last month," he said, his knuckles gently stroking my upper arm.

I sighed, smiling as I snuggled into his chest. “That's really good news," I said honestly, smiling a little broader. Our

huntress was now a married woman. Who would've thought?

“You're not mad?"

“Why would I be mad?"

“Because she got married without you there."

“Was she worried about that?"

He shrugged. I blew out my breath, laughing a little. “I'm not mad at all. I'm looking forward to seeing them

though." A thought sparked in my mind, something I hadn't thought to ask before. “How do you cross over into my

realm?"

“Moonstones," he answered matter-of-factly. “We call them moonlight crystals in the Dark Realm, but it's the same

thing. They're not like the moonstones in this realm, though–less powerful, from what I understand. Legend has it,

when Lycaon created my realm, he filled it with moonstones, deep in the ground, just so he could have a fraction of

the powers he would have had if he'd inherited the Goddess's moonstone in full. We mine for them now. That's how

I was able to travel through with an army. Everyone had their own crystal."

“Wow–"

“Mine's in my watch, and it's a little different. Those crystals don't work more than twice, to come in and out. I don't

know why. But with a moonstone from your realm–" he held up the watch he'd been wearing since the day I met

him. I don't think I've ever seen him take it off. “I can come in and out however many times I want."

“What if," I said, my mind beginning to reel as the sunstone necklace around my neck began to warm, “no one

needed the moonstones to cross into our realms?"

“What do you mean?"

“What if there wasn't a portal at all? And we were just… open to each other?"