Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 35 : She Doesn’t Know What She Can Do

♦Lena*

I tinned the envelope over in my hands as I sat on the edge of my bed in our hotel room. I hadn't

opened it. not yet. I already knew what was inside. I had something nearly identical back in my

apartment near campus, but it didn't matter. Inside the envelope was a reminder that my days of pin e

freedom were limited. George had asked what I was doing in Crimson Creek over the mind-link, but I

hadn't given him the answer he wanted. I'd only begged him to leave it alone, to say nothing. He'd likely

planned a trip north to Red Lakes to deliver- the envelope to me before he went back east. What would

he say when he returned home? And to who?

•'Back to reality." I murmured, slipping the envelope into my backpack just as Xander opened the door

to our room, without knocking of course. I'd avoided him all evening. He'd gone downstairs for dinner,

and hadn't mentioned me joining him. Whatever spat we'd had back at the estate wasn't over, but

neither of us were willing to be the bigger person and apologize.

There was a lot Xander wasn't telling me. but there was also a lot I wasn't telling him. That made us

even, right?

Xander met my eye. giving me a cold, dark stare as he dropped a to-go box on the dresser. I chewed

the inside of my lip as I watched him walk across the room and sit on the other bed. We stared at each

other for a moment, each of us throwing daggers with our eyes. It was incredibly immature, I can admit

that, but I wasn't in the mood to play games. Not tonight.

"Eat something." he said curtly, motioning with Iris hands toward the to-go box. I swung my legs into

bed and covered myself with the quilt in response, turning my back to him. I heard him growl, low in his

throat, but I ignored him.

It wasn't even nine o'clock. Xander rar ely slept, and I found it unlikely he was going to bed so early. I

knew he was still staring at me. He was likely going over- everything he wanted to fight with me about

in liis mind, just like I was doing. But in the end. I heard Iris bed creak as he rose and walked back

across the room, slamming the door shut behind him as he left.

***

♦Xander*

She didn't need to know. She really didn't. I didn't have a reason to feel guilty about leaving out some

small, but very important, details about what exactly had been going on in Crimson Creek.

But I did feel guilty. I felt guilty for snapping at her. I felt even worse now that she was giving me the

cold shoulder.

Nothing good would come from telling her what I'd learned about this place and its people. Lena was

somewhat submissive and reserved, yeah. But she was stubborn, compulsive, and indignant as well.

She'd take what I knew and turn it into a crusade, and I wasn't going to let her risk her life again.

Thankfully, with George now having come and gone, it felt like this chapter was finally closing for good,

at least I hoped.

I had nothing else to do but leave our hotel room and go for a walk. I couldn't just sit in there with her

while she pouted. She was looking for a fight just as much as I was. but not for the same reasons.

She was angry with me. I was only angry with myself.

Goddess. I'd almost done it. I'd almost put my mark on her. I should have, looking back on it. but

something inside of me hesitated, the only part of me that had a slu ed of will power against the rest of

my mind during our throws of passion.

Everything going forward would have been easier had I done it. We would've been linked, tethered

together, and she would have had no choice but to come with me, to my home, to my lands.

But I was realizing I felt much more for her than I'd anticipated. Marking her wasn't enough. Being her

mate in name only wasn't enough. I wanted her heart, and her soul, forever. But she wasn't yet twenty-

one.

I knew she was bora sometime in die spring, but that was it. I didn't know the exact day she'd turn

twenty-one and come into her powers, and that was if she was like the rest of us. I'd heard rumors

about her before even knowing of her. I'd heard the tall tales told in pubs and the whispers in churches

as I had made my way north to Morhan University.

I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. But I wasn't prepared for Lena.

I told her I loved her during an especially terrible feverish night in Gideon's run-down farmhouse. I was

sure she was dying.

Looking back now. I believed she only had seconds to live. She was in so much pain, and I would have

done anything to take her place. When I said it. I meant it. I hadn't ever been more sure of anything in

my life.

But now I couldn't find the nerve to say it to her face.

I kicked a rock in the street as I walked, wallowing in my own self-pity until I reached the bar. Bethany

was supposed to come down to the village to get the truck back from us, but I hadn't heard from her all

day. I had something I wanted to ask her before we left for Morhan. At least I had a few more days to

do so.

I was crossing in front of a narrow alleyway. my thoughts finally giving me some peace as I imagined a

frosted pint of a rich, golden ale. when someone gr abbed me from behind, nearly knocking me to the

ground as they tried to drag me into the alley. I swung blindly, my fist meeting with my assailant's jaw.

"F*ck. man!" Ben cried, letting go of my arm and holding Iris hand against Iris face.

"Ben?" I said in shock, then fury as my vision went red. I shor ed him deeper into the alleyway. pinning

him against a wall. “What the f*ck are you doing here? Where have you been?"

“I've just been to Gideon's," he said, a little breathless, "and he told me you knew-"

"Oh. you're right. I do know, and you better Peking explain where the hell you've been-"

“I know where Elaine is," he said, his voice suddenly choked with emotion. “I've been looking for her. I

went... God. Xander. I don't know how to explain this to you."

God. Not Goddess. I let Ben go. shoving him against tire wall and then flexing the hand that had met

with his face. "You're one of them-"

"No. I'm not. I'm not one of them. My mother was." he said hurriedly, exhaling deeply as the words left

Iris mouth. "Most of us are like that in some way. hybrids—"

"You're a Peking hybrid?" I made a move to pin him against the wall again, but he shoved me away,

shaking Iris head.

"Listen to me. man. Okay? I'm trying to explain!"

I took a step away from him. leaning my weight against the opposite wall in the alley. He clenched and

unclenched Iris fists, flexing his jaw before spitting blood onto the stone pavers.

"There are two kinds of hybrids. Those like me. who were born this way. and those like Jen. who

were... turned. I can't shift, not like you can. I don't have the same abilities as typical wolves.

Powerless, actually. But I... you know."

"Yeah." I breathed, running my tongue along my lower lip. "Who else?"

"Practically everyone in Crimson Creek. Elaine. Bethany-"

"Bethany?"

"She's a little different. I don't know how to explain it-"

"Is there a problem here?"

We tinned to a warrior from Breles who was standing on the sidewalk, his amis crossed over his chest

as he peered at us with a look of disdain sharpening his homely features.

"No." Ben said, but I shushed him, taking a step toward the warrior.

"No problem here. sir. My friend was mugged, though, just up the road. We stepped into the alleyway to

get him cleaned up."

The warrior looked as if he didn't want to believe me. He was likely bored out of his damn mind and

looking for any excuse to rough up what he thought were a few locals. I pointed north, towaid the hotel.

"The guy stole his wallet." I lied, trying my best to look concerned.

“There's a curfew in place now. you know. Everyone has to be off the street by eleven." the warrior said

sharply.

I nodded, looking down at my watch. "Well, we have an hour to get a pint, don't we. Ben?"

Ben nodded, looking a little flushed. The warrior looked us both up and down before walking away, and

I let out the breath I was holding.

“Come on. we need to talk.” I whispered, and Ben followed me out of the alleyway and into the bar.

The bar was nearly empty save for the group of elderly gentlemen that seemed to permanently inhabit

the booth in the farthest comer of the bar. I gave them a once over, our eyes meeting for a fraction of a

second before I slid into a booth near the window. Ben taking the opposite bench.

"Where is Gideon? Is he coming here?"

"He told me you were staying in town. That's why I'm here. He didn't say anything about coming-"

"I assume he told you about me?" I said, but then the waitress came to take our order-two pints, no

frills, no food.

"He did." Ben nodded after a pause, watching the waitress as she walked out of earshot. "You know

how to close these tilings, then."

"It's not that sunpie." I breathed, shutting my eyes for a moment before opening them back up and

taking in Ben's face. A bruise was already forming on his jaw. I knew my knuckles would be swollen

and bruised as well. I thought about apologizing to him for a moment, but the waitress coming back

with our beers pushed that fleeting thought out of my mind.

“We have to," he luged. "There has to be some way-"

"There's only one person who can do that." I said, my low and edged with warning, "and she doesn't

know she can. Okay?"

"You're talking about-"

"Yes." I ground out. taking a long drink fr om my pint, "and I won't allow her to get involved. It's

dangerous."

“Elaine is... she's there. She was lined in. He used my image to lure her in." Ben looked extremely

distressed, his eyes creasing as he tried to prevent tears from spilling over liis lashes. I took a deep

breath, clenching my hands into fists on the table as I watched him continue to crumble in front of me.

"Take a drink," I urged, thankful the beer was strong enough to numb some of my own anxieties. He did

as he was told, and nearly choked on it. but he drank the entir e pint down nonetheless.

“I have to get her out." he said in a desperate whisper.

"There's nothing I can do about it. Not now."

"I don't think she has much time!"

"Do you realize what we're up against?" I hissed, leaning over the table so he could hear me without

our conversation being heard by others. "The second we intervene, it'll be a frill-scale war. Do you

understand? Every single f*eking Alpha will be involved."

"What's one man to a hundred Alphas?" Ben whispered, liis voice breaking with sadness.

"This isn't a man." I replied, then drained the rest of my beer. "This is a god. We don't stand a chance,

and I need to get Lena out of here, and safe, before anything is done."