Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 19 : Get Away from Me!

*Lena*

I slept like the dead the entire train ride back to Morhan. It was like leaving Crimson Creek had given

my body permission to relax, and within minutes, I was in the deepest stupor imaginable. Seven hours

later I found myself walking through the college town Morhan University was named after, my duffle

bag slung over my shoulder as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

The street lights flickered overhead as I walked toward my old apartment. It was fall break, and

normally that meant my roommates and I would have an entire week of downtime to study for our

semester finals. But this year, our senior year. I would be alone while Heather. Viv, and Abigail were

away for their field studies.

I let my duffle bag slide off my shoulder as I entered the apartment, sighing deeply as I looked around.

Nothing had changed, for which I was grateful. It felt good to be home, even if it meant my field study

was on pause. Even though my old room was currently packed away in boxes, I'd have a pillow to lay

my head on in a bed I didn't have to share with Xander.

Xander. I hadn't even thought about him since I woke up from my journey back to Morhan. I sighed,

trying to brush away the feelings of regret lingering in my heart as I bent to untie my shoes in the

narrow front hallway.

I stepped into the apartment, dragging my duffle bag behind me as I made a mental checklist of

everything I needed to do while I was home. First, was laundry-we had a washer and dryer, which was

a major upgrade from the washing tub and line at the farm. Next. I wanted to spend a few days in the

library researching anything I could find about blood root. Last, I had a few phone calls to make and

letters to write, which I was dreading.

"What're you doing here?"

I dropped the strap of my duffle bag and looked up at Abigail, who was standing in the center of the

living room in nothing but a terry cloth robe and a towel wrapped around her hair.

‘•What are you doing here?" I repeated.

We were shocked to see each other. I w'as supposed to be in Crimson Creek, and Abigail w'as

supposed to be across the sea, in Mirage.

“You first," she said, furrowing her brow at me.

“It's a long story-"

“I was just about to have a glass of wine. Want one?"

Yes. I definitely did.

Abi kept her eyes fixed on me as she stepped into the kitchen and popped the cork on a half-full bottle

of cheap wine. She looked suspicious. I'm stue my expression was very much the same.

“So?" I said, accepting the wine she’d poured.

“So... I'm obviously not in Mirage." she said with a little sigh, but then her mouth twitched into a smile. "I

got another opportunity, and I will leave next week."

“Where?"

“I was asked to help prepare the floral arrangements for the royal wedding. I'm going to Avondale for a

few7 weeks to train with the Alpha of Poldesse's head florist before graduation. Then, well, I guess I

got that invitation to the wedding after all. I'll be at the palace the day of the wedding, setting up all the

flowers and centerpieces." Her cheeks were pink with excitement.

I gave her my best smile, but inside. I was conflicted. “That's incredible-"

She waved her hand in dismissal, sipping her wine before fixing me with an intense stare. "Enough

about me. It's not all that interesting. Why the hell are you here and not in Crimson Creek?"

I took a deep breath, then winced.

“Lena?"

“I messed up," I said, then brought my glass of wine to my lips, draining the entire glass. “I slept with

Xander."

Our usual hangout, a cozy bar on a usually busy street comer just outside of campus, was nearly

empty as w7e sat at a snug table overlooking the street. Abigail was listening intently as I told her

everything over mugs of mulled wine. Occasionally she arched one of her perfectly sculpted auburn

eyebrow's, but that was it. She didn't interrupt.

I found it easier to tell her all about the insane happenings on Radcliffe Fann-the murder, the dying

plants, and the mysterious blood root, than telling her about Xander. I'd never truly voiced my feelings

about the situation.

“So, you broke up with him?" she asked as she motioned for a waiter to bring us another round. I

shrugged, miming my tongue along my lower lip as I tried to organize my thoughts.

"We weren't really together," I replied.

Abi gave me a look then sighed as she leaned back against her chair. "Sounds like you w7ere. Lena, is

this really what you want?"

“What do you mean?"

“To be single forever, to run around in the w7oods with a basket gathering cool plants? I mean, that's

great and all, but w'hat about the rest of your life outside of work and school? Don't you want a family?

A husband?"

"A mate," I said with finality. "But Xander's not my mate. I feel like I would know7, even just a little, if he

were."

“What did he say w7hen you ended it?"

“Nothing. He didn't say anything. He just looked at me and then told me he'd see me when I got back,

that w7e'd talk about it then."

"Well, it doesn't seem like it’s over-"

"It is," I huffed, crossing my aims over my chest. "I don't like how... how7 out of control I feel around

him."

Abigail gave me a curious look. “What do you mean?"

I bit my lip, wondering how71 could even explain this to her.

When I w7as young, my emotions often got the better of me. I sometimes lost control, and it got me in

trouble, or worse, hurt. I'd spent the majority of my life hiding my true feelings behind a curtain of

practiced calm reserve. I rarely raised my voice. My smiles were often forced. I languished in an

emotionless stupor most of the time, happy to just seem normal to everyone around me and not a girl

teetering on the edge.

Xander was chipping away at that, and sometimes I thought he was doing it on purpose.

"I don't like the person I become when I'm around him," I said, thinking that was close enough to the

truth to be believable.

“Is he not a good person?"

"He is. I think... I think he's great. But he's bossy, and demanding... and sometimes cold. And. the

events of the past few7 weeks threw7 us together, Abi. It's not like I even had to chance to really fall in

love with him-"

"Love?" she asked with a twinkle in her eye.

I paled, then shook my head. "It doesn't matter how71 feel-"

"That's all that matters. Lena. Jeez, this is your first time falling for someone, isn't it? Not as easy as the

s make it seem, huh?"

A smiled a little at this. She glanced over to the other end of the bar, where a group of older women

w7as gathered around a table. They were obviously a book club, judging by the books stacked in front

of them. They were currently arguing about one of them.

"They're reading 'Tempest Tossed.'" Abi smiled, tapping her finger on the table. A waiter placed tw7o

mugs of mulled wine in front of us, and she smiled her thanks up at him. "I read it recently. There

wasn't much else to do w'hile all of you w7ere gone."

"Oh, what's it about?" I asked, thankful the subject had changed.

Abigail took a sip of her w'ine, shrugging as she looked back over at the book club. "This girl who ends

up on this really epic quest that takes her through the southern pass, if you can believe it. It's

incredible. It doesn't even feel like fiction. It has pirates, treasure, and a love story. She finds her mate,

but he isn't who he says he is at first. It's all about the origins of the White Queens, too. I know you're

not into that kind of thing-"

“Who's the author?" I said into my w'ine, struggling to sw'allow7 as my throat tightened.

She shrugged again.

"I have it at home. You should read it. The author didn't put their name; it only says M.B."

The walk back to our apartment was marred by a frigid drizzle. Abigail and I w7ere wanned through

and through by the spiced, mulled wine as we walked, our aims linked. She wanted to stop at the

comer store across the street from our apartment for some snacks and magazines before we headed

home, and I obliged.

Inside the store, how'ever, I had an intense feeling I was being watched. It wasn't until w7e were exiting

the store that realized that w7as, in fact, the truth.

Slate was leaning against a streetlamp just outside the door. He was staring right at me as Abigail and I

exited the store, puffing on a cigarette as he looked me up and down. Abigail scowled, and I went rigid

as we attempted to walk past him, but he stepped in our way.

"Going home so soon? It's not even midnight." he sneered, tossing his cigarette onto the ground.

"Get away from us, Slate!" Abigail warned, her eyes flashing as she bared her teeth at him. Abigail was

a few months older than me and was capable of shifting. I didn't doubt for a second that if Slate

stepped any closer to us, she would shift and rip him to shreds.

"I just w'anted to say hi and ask how7 your field study is going, Lena," he purred.

"Don't talk to me," I bit out, narrowing my eyes at him.

We attempted to w'alk past him again, but he started to follow7.

"Tilings not going well with Xander?"

"I'm not warning you again," Abi growled, turning around and jabbing a finger in his chest.

Slate reached out and grabbed me by the aim. I swung around, using the plastic bag holding the

bottles of shampoo and conditioner I'd bought in the store to strike him in the head. He jumped

backward, grimacing as he held his hands to the side of his face.

"You'll regret that, Lena, when I tell the dean-"

"Go ciy to your uncle; see if I care! If you ever touch me again-if I ever even see you again. Slate. I'll kill

you!" Fury was pulsating through my body. My fingertips were prickling with heat as Abigail hurled

curses at him as he retreated. She laid her hand on my forearm, squeezing as she began to pull me

away. Slate called us bitches then took off.

"Well, you showed him. That had to have hurt."

"I hope it did," I murmured, reaching into the bag to check the contents. The force of the impact had

given the shampoo bottle a massive dent.

But Abigail went quiet all of a sudden, looking into my eyes. She stopped walking abruptly, turning me

to face her.

"Lena... what's going with your eyes?"

I reached up, touching the upper edge of my cheekbones with my fingers. I knew7 exactly what she

saw.

"It's nothing-"

"Ar e you finding your w7olf early?" she asked, and seemed excited, which cut through the

overwhelming panic I felt. I nodded, shrugging, hoping she w'ould look aw7ay and not ask any further

questions.

"Well, we have a few7 things to celebrate tonight, don't w7e?" she grinned, linking her aim in mine once

more as w7e walked across the street and back into our apartment.