Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 54 : Catching Up

*Soren*

As Mila left the village, I watched her back fade into the darkness. I shook my head.

So, she was off on another venture on her own. She still hadn't learned anything.

I hadn't expected her to stick around, especially after she refused my request to stay. I had expected her to keep

me in the loop as she promised to do.

Was I getting soft by believing she'd change?

Fortunately, I was prepared for her not to change. I was prepared for her to do something like this.

Payne joined me on the porch. He handed me a travel backpack.

“Ready to go?" he asked me, looking into the darkness after Mila.

“Let's do it," I said. Shouldering my backpack.

Payne nodded respectfully.

I'd noticed a change in Payne since he'd told me everything about Mila and Pomeni pack and the artifact. He was

showing a lot of respect and care toward Mila. It seemed like he supported everything she chose to do now but he'd

still be there to help her out when she needed it.

He never complained or showed any impatience anymore.

We headed down the street but hurried steps came after us before we got far.

“Wait! Wait for me!" Ashley called, running up behind us.

“Ashley, what are you doing here?" Payne asked, creasing his brow.

Ashley scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Why wouldn't I be here? You're going after Mila, aren't you?"

She looked between me and Payne. I glanced at Payne.

“Aren't you?" she pressed.

“Yes," I confirmed, nodding.

“Then I want to go, too. If she really is the heir to our Alpha and Luna, then she's the only hope for us to reestablish

our pack," Ashley pointed out.

“If we're going to go, we've got to go. She's not far and we can still catch her," I said, nodding down the street.

Ashley and Payne nodded and followed along with me. I hadn't thought to invite Ashley initially but it made sense

now that she'd explained it to us.

We caught up to Mila in the next village, just as the sun was rising.

I paused and held Ashley and Payne back.

“You don't want to go to her?" Ashley asked, creasing her brow.

“Not yet… I want to know what she's doing…" I said in a low voice.

“But…"

“Ashley, Mila doesn't want us to get involved," I pointed out. “We need to give her some space or she will try to run

off again."

“Okay, that's a good point," Ashley agreed, nodding.

“Also, as a larger group, we could attract unnecessary attention. It is easier for us to protect her while we are

discreet," I said.

“We can keep a safe distance and follow her," Payne agreed.

For two days, Payne, Ashley, and I followed Mila as she kept heading north. I couldn't think of where she was going,

but we held back and gave her room.

On the third day, we ended up in a decent sized village at the base of a mountain range.

Mila moved easily through the crowd but I could tell she was tense and on alert.

Looking around, I saw a small group of hitmen closing in around her. I held a hand up to stop Ashley and Payne

again.

“Keep an eye out. She senses something and there are men closing in around her," I said.

Ashley and Payne fanned out.

Mila quickened her pace. She started to blend into the crowd. If she got too far ahead, we'd lose her completely!

I looked at Payne and Ashley, nodding to them once.

As one, we moved in and each of us grabbed one of the bounty hunters. I dragged mine behind the nearest

building and thrust him into the wall. He grunted and fell unconscious.

They'd been so focused on Mila, they hadn't been prepared for another attack.

I rejoined Payne and Ashley who had taken out their bounty hunters just as quickly and easily.

“I don't see her, Soren," Ashley said, standing on tiptoes.

“That's okay, just make sure there are no other bounty hunters in the area. Meet back here in ten minutes," I

insisted, pointing to the ground in front of me.

We broke apart again and scanned the area for more bounty hunters. I didn't find any or a trace of any. The village

seemed completely safe and sound.

I met back up with Payne and Ashley in the street.

“It's all clear, Boss," Ashley reported.

“But Mila's gone. What do we do now?" Payne asked.

“It's fine. I can find her," I assured. I pulled a small object out of my pocket and held it in my palm. The needle on

the compass spun around. I narrowed my eyes and moved my hand back and forth trying to get a lock on where it

was pointing.

“Is that a compass?" Ashley asked. “Do you think that Mila is magnetic north?"

Payne shot Ashley a sharp look.

“It isn't a compass… Well, not exactly. It is a specialty item," I explained.

The needle would settle in one spot, then it would jump in another direction. Mila couldn't possibly be jumping

around like that.

“What is it?" Ashley asked.

“A while back, I came across a special stone. They are moonstones that come in pairs called Camswell. I had one of

the stones built into the charm on Mila's bracelet and I turned the other into a compass, seeing as she keeps

running off," I explained. I turned around and tried to calibrate the needle.

“Wow, you really made a compass just for her?" Ashley asked. She laughed nervously.

“It has come in handy so far. It's how I found Mila when Chandler took her," I reminded him.

“But Soren, why does it keep spinning? I doubt Mila is running in circles around us," Ashley pointed out.

“Damn! I can't get it to lock on. It's not working," I hissed. I snapped the compass closed angrily.

“There could be something in the area interfering with the connection between the stones," Payne suggested.

“Interference," I muttered. I looked around to see if there was anything in the immediate area.

The mountain range cast shadows over the village.

“Mountains. This is Mount Lournet," I said, pointing to the tallest mountain.

“What's the significance of that?" Payne asked.

“The artifact. There's a piece of it hidden here. She must be coming after it herself…"

I groaned and shook my head. Mila's parents had hidden a piece of the artifact here. It made perfect sense that

she'd come here.

But why was she coming after the artifact herself? I'd promised to help her. She'd even given me the map.

Frowning, I looked at the compass in my hand. That would explain why the Camswell stones weren't sensing each

other. The artifact was powerful. Even a piece of it could emit magical energy.

The connection between the stones was subtle. Any other magical energy could easily throw it off.

“Dammit!" I muttered, kicking the ground.

I'd been so sure that I wouldn't lose her because I had the compass to rely on. We'd been discreet, we didn't spook

her, and we protected her. I'd done everything right! And I even had a backup plan with the Camsell stones.

Arrogance was my downfall.

I paced in the street.

Payne and Ashley sat on the steps of a building, waiting for me to give them instructions and give them directions.

It was hard for me to admit that I wasn't sure what to do. We'd come here with such clear direction and means to

keep up with her.

I shifted my eyes to the sky. It was late afternoon and a faded sliver of the moon hung in the blue sky.

“What are we going to do now?" Ashley asked, breaking through the silence.

“Ashley!" Payne snapped.

“I haven't figured that out yet," I grumbled.

“We have to catch up to her. There could be other bounty hunters waiting in the mountains," Payne said.

“Unlikely. There weren't any more in the village and no one else knows where the artifact is hidden," I said, waving

off Payne's concerns.

“We don't know that for sure. We can't know if the ones we incapacitated had others lying in wait outside the village

or if they got word to them," Payne reminded me.

“Right." Sighing, I glanced up at the sky again. “I want to try something. Give me a minute."

Ashley and Payne sat back down. When Ashley opened her mouth again, Payne grabbed her arm and pulled her

back down.

I nodded to him and looked up at the Moon Goddess.

Mila had told me that when she used magic she could feel a strong connection to the Moon Goddess. As shifters, we

were all connected through the Moon Goddess.

Closing my eyes, I took several deep breaths. I focused on Mila, her scent and what she was wearing.

Silently, I prayed to the Moon Goddess.

“Please, lead me to your beloved daughter. I know you protect her and guide her. Lead me to her now," I whispered

to myself and the Moon Goddess.

Suddenly, I felt a ripple go through me. I could feel Mila and visualize her perfectly in my mind. She was wearing the

same thing I'd seen her in before she disappeared in the crowd.

The connection I felt was weak but I knew it was from her.

“Come with me," I said, motioning for the two of them to follow me.

“Where are we going?" Ashley asked skeptically.

“After Mila," I said.

“You can't know where she is. Do you?" Ashley asked.

“Ashley, will you stop!?" Payne growled.

“She's this way," I insisted.

“Is your compass telling you that? I thought it was just spinning. Am I the stupid one? Can I not read it?" Ashley

asked in a nervous voice.

“Seriously, Ashley, it is not the time for this!" Payne said. “We need to focus on catching up to Mila."

I just motioned for them to follow me.

It felt like the direction I was being drawn in was the same direction as the map location for the artifact piece. We

were headed toward the mountain.

I thought of the map that Mila had given me. I'd spent time memorizing it so I could hide it and no one would be

able to take it off of me and use it for themselves.

We'd go up Mount Lauren and the moonlight would guide us to it. Between the moonlit path and my knowledge of

the map, and the pull I felt toward Mila, I knew we were going in the right direction.

Fortunately, Payne and Ashley were loyal enough to me that they wouldn't keep interrupting me and asking

questions. They would follow along and question me later.

Honestly, I didn't have a good answer for their questions. Maybe it was just luck, or the map, or the Moon Goddess

really was guiding me, but I didn't really know what was leading me in that direction.

Near the base of the mountain, I saw a familiar figure. Beautiful hair down her back, a familiar outfit. Her physique

was a perfect match to Mila from behind.

Sighing a big sigh of relief, I hurried to her. We'd finally caught up to her and she was safe!