Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 10 : Passion in the Night

*Lena*

"Kiss me," he breathed again, the words sending a ripple of gooseflesh over my arms.

I hesitated, suddenly wrecked by nerves. I'd never even kissed anyone before. I hadn't even thought

about it, to be honest. I’d been so wrapped up in my studies, so wholly devoted to a future that had

always seemed so incredibly out of reach that I’d sacrificed everything else in my life in order to reach

my goals. Xander had experience. He knew how to do these things. He had done some of them, in

fact, not even an hour ago with Jen.

I almost pulled away just thinking about him kissing her, but now Xander was standing only inches from

me, his voice fueling the embers of desire that he'd awoken only a week before, when he put himself

between me and Slate.

"I don't know how," I whispered, bowing my head.

He caught me by the chin, lifting my face to meet his gaze again. I was on the edge of taking a step

away from the me I'd always been... and on the other side of that edge?

I was ready to give in.

"I'm surprised by that,” he said, tilting his head to look at me fully. His face was contorted in the nearly

pitch black of the room, little beams of light from the window highlighting his cheekbones and lips as he

leaned forward. "You're beautiful, you know. You have to know that.'

I couldn't answer him. His nose brushed mine, his breath tickling my cheek as he leaned down to kiss

my jaw. I closed my eyes, finding it hard to breathe.

His lips met mine in the gentlest kiss. I felt warm all over as his arms wrapped around me, running

down the length of my back as he pulled me closer, pressing me against his chest.

"That wasn't so bad," he said, resting his forehead against mine.

His hand was pressed against my lower back, his finger curling and digging into my skin. Not enough to

hurt, but enough to make his desire known.

I closed my eyes as his mouth met mine once again, but this time the kiss was more intense. He

reached up to cup my cheek, willing me to deepen the kiss. He ran his tongue along my lower lip,

parting my lips with his tongue as he slowly began to devour me with his mouth.

My knees were absolutely useless. I felt myself beginning to crumble in his arms, but he was holding

me upright, pressing me against him so tightly my breasts were pressing into his bare chest. I could

feel his arousal hard against my belly, nothing separating US but his boxers and my thin cotton

pajamas.

My own desire was at an all-time high. I was ready to give in fully, blinded by lust and need. So, when

he took a step forward and guided me down on top of our sleeping bags, I didn't protest. I reached up

and ran my fingers through his hair, pulling him into a deeper, hungrier kiss. He was holding himself up

on one elbow, his other hand running down the length of my belly and hip until he reached underneath

me, cupping my ass in his hand.

He was settled between my legs, his cock pressed against my inner thigh. My core was aching, and I

was suddenly desperate for him. For all of him.

T*ck,' he groaned, breaking away from the kiss to kiss my neck, then my collarbone. His free hand

went under my shirt, his touch warm against my skin as he explored, inching closer and closer to my

breasts.

I was panting, gripping the back of his neck for dear life as his kisses trailed along the exposed skin

above the collar of my shirt.

"You've never done any of this before," he whispered against my skin, more to himself than to me..

I shook my head, unable to think of anything but the way his touch was setting me on fire.

"Do you want to?‘

"Yes-'

A crash sounded from outside, sending a low vibration through the cottage that made the bed tremble.

Xander shot up, shielding me with his body as he turned to the window.

"What was that?" I whispered as he adjusted his weight so he was sitting beside me instead of leaning

over me. A rush of cool air washed over my body in his absence.

There was a scream outside, and then the sound of people running. I heard Bethany call out as she ran

past the cabin, her voice a frantic, desperate cry.

Xander was off the bed in an instant and dressed quicker than I thought possible. I got up, frantically

searching the ground for my socks and slippers but he grabbed my arm, shaking his head.

"Stay here," he said gruffly, letting me go and pulling on his jacket.

"No," I said, the spell of lust officially broken as I pulled on my slippers and pushed past him, fetching

my thickest jacket from the coat rack.

"Lena!" He followed me out into the living room, trying to reach the door before me, but I was a step

ahead of him.

I threw open the door and ran down the porch steps, Xander cursing under his breath as he followed.

I could see flashlights flickering off into the distance, toward the barn. All of the lights were on in the

bunkhouse, and I could see people through the windows.

"What the f*ck is going on?' Xander bellowed, passing me in a few quick strides.

There was another ear-piercing scream in the distance, and Xander broke into a sprint, disappearing

from view in a matter of seconds.

I ran after him, tripping and falling to my knees twice as I ran past the bunkhouse, warehouse, and

barn. Everyone was running into the fields along the path that cut through the grain, toward the firepit

where we had all been not more than two hours before.

By the time I'd caught up to the group, everyone was circling around something near the stone wall that

cut the farm off from the endless, rolling hills in the distance. I stopped, panting as I tried to catch my

breath. Xander pushed someone out of the way, snatching a flashlight from someone else as he

pushed toward the front of the group.

Several people had started to back away, turning their heads with looks of sheer terror and disgust.

"Oh, my Goddess!" Jen cried, her face pale and glossed with terror as she walked backward out of the

group.

A man, whose name I didn't know, took her by the elbow, leading her away. I watched as they started

down the path back toward the bunkhouse, but Jen stopped, doubling over and retching.

"Move," Henry said sternly, pushing me out of the way as he moved in on the group.

People immediately moved out of his way, some of them walking several paces backward and standing

shellshocked with wide eyes as Henry knelt beside Xander.

I glanced around, crossing my arms over my chest as I walked forward. I hesitated for a moment,

seeing someone else run off to vomit as I slowly began to move in on Xander and Henry again.

I stood behind them and looked down.

It had been an animal at some point, but what kind, I could no longer tell. Its body was contorted in

impossible angles, its fur peeled from its skin.

Blood soaked the ground and was splattered on the stone wall behind it.

Something had torn it to absolute shreds.

"Did anyone witness this?" Xander cried out, looking around the astonished group.

No one spoke.

"What is it?" I whispered to Xander, but he didn't answer.

He looked at Henry, who was looking down at the unrecognizable creature, his paw outstretched as

though he was going to touch it.

"Bethany!" Henry screamed. Bethany ran forward, slightly out of breath. "Take everyone back to the

bunkhouse. Do a headcount. Now."

Bethany didn't hesitate. She began barking orders, and the group was quickly rounded up, their

darkened figures disappearing into the grain field.

Xander, Henry, and I were all that was left.

"Get her out of here," Henry said, reaching out to touch the dead creature with a catch in his voice. He

scooped it into his arms and lifted it as though it weighed nothing. It looked like nothing more than skin,

and I noticed for the first time it was headless.

"Good Goddess," I choked, covering my mouth with my hands as Henry turned, walking past us without

even looking in our direction.

"Come on, Lena," Xander said, void of any and all expression. He placed his hand on my back, gently,

encouraging me to move forward.

"What was that thing?"

"Lena, please," he said, his voice catching. He cleared his throat, his shoulders tight with tension as we

began to walk forward.

"Xander, what was it!?"

He didn't answer. I kept in step with him as we walked toward the cottages. I could see everyone

congregated in the bunkhouse, their voices a faint murmur as we passed the building. They were

arguing, and I could hear Bethany trying desperately to keep the peace.

"Should we go inside?"

"I’ll go, it's alright."

"Xander, please, what was it? I couldn't tell.'

"Go inside and go to bed. Please, Lena. Don't fight me on this." His voice was edged with something I

couldn't decipher. It wasn't fear, it wasn't anger. It was, I realized with a pang of terror, desperation.

I walked up the steps and onto the porch but then turned around to face him. I opened my mouth to

speak, but he reached around me to open the door, pushing me inside.

"Wait-" I said, but he started to close the door again.

"Do not open this door again, for anyone, not even for me," he said gruffly, looking right into my eyes.

"Do you understand?"

"I-"

"Tell me you understand, Lena. Say that you will keep the door locked until daybreak, alright? I will

come and get you in the morning. I'll knock once, then pause, and knock twice after that." His voice

was a low, almost inaudible whisper as he watched me from the doorway.

"I'll keep it locked. I won't go out." I swallowed against the lump in my throat.

Not even twenty minutes ago we were wrapped in each other's arms, and now I was standing in the

darkened living room of the cottage, trembling with panic. He nodded once, then firmly shut the door. I

took a step forward and put the lock in place.

"Now move the chair in front of the door," he commanded from the porch.

"That seems excessive-"

"Just do it, Lena!"

I surrendered, and moved the chair in front of the door, pushing it against the doorframe.

"Stay away from the windows, do you understand?"

"Xander, what is going on?"

"I’m going to find out."

With that, his footsteps retreated down the steps, and he disappeared into the night. I fought the urge

to move toward the windows and watch him, but I backed away instead, sliding into the bedroom and

climbing into my sleeping bag.

Something terrible had happened. No one would have panicked over the death of an animal, not in

normal, expected circumstances.

But whatever had happened to the unrecognizable creature had been exceedingly violent.

I pulled the sleeping bag up to my chin and turned to face the window, laying my head against the

corner of Xander's pillow. It smelled like him, which gave me immediate comfort.

He had a musky, woodsy smell, something very masculine but also unique to Xander, and Xander

alone. I closed my eyes, settling against his pillow for a moment before reaching for it and hugging it in

my arms. I was absolutely petrified after what had happened outside near the firepit, but I was also still

pulsating with unsatisfied desire.

The combined forces of those two conflicting feelings momentarily blinded me to the fact that Xander

was bossy, and had been the reason I was at this creepy farm in the first place.

I closed my eyes, saying a silent prayer for him. and for some sleep for me. Then I spent the next

several hours waiting for the sun to come up.