Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 24: It's Here

*Xander*

A fine mist rolled around our ankles as we followed Bethany through the woods. She'd been rambling,

trying in vain to make sense of what she'd seen. We'd been walking in one direction for ten minutes

already, and soon we met the stone wall that cut through the forest, showing the boundary between the

estate and the forest, and rolling hills, beyond.

I hated this place. I constantly felt like I was being watched. I was walking behind Lena and Bethany,

my eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of movement, or any flash of eyes... but there was nothing.

I also had a sneaking suspicion about Bethany.

I hadn't told Lena what I thought about the situation. She was right about Morhan being involved in

some way, that was obvious. Why they would send students back to this place was the real mystery.

Unless, that is, were we some kind of sacrifice to whatever-whoever-was roaming these hills.

"It came this way, I'm sure. There's a break in the wall, just there," Bethany said hurriedly.

Lena looked back at me, a glimmer of apprehension in her eyes. I knew Bethany had something to do

with all of this, despite her meek and terrified behavior. It was no coincidence she had seen this beast

not once, but twice, and it just happened to be shortly before we were supposed to meet up with her to

hunt it. I didn't think she was the creature, no. But I knew she was attempting to lead us into a trap.

I also knew she was an unwilling cog in the wheel. She didn't want to do this. I didn't want to have to kill

her, but I would, if it meant saving my life, and Lena's.

I had it all planned out. Bethany would lead us to the creature, who was no doubt waiting for us

somewhere in the shadows. I'd kill it, then Bethany if I had to. We wouldn't return to the farm. I'd

already packed our things, and hidden what files and samples of the blood root I'd taken away where

no one could find them other than myself. Lena had been so caught up in the fact that we were going to

chase this thing that she didn't notice that her duffle bag was now stuffed with all of her belongings.

I'd take Lena to the Alpha of Breles, not the Alpha of Crimson Creek, who was most likely involved in

all of this in some way. Then, well, if the Alpha of Breles refused to act, I'd be forced to subject Lena to

the truth she was hiding from-a truth I'd known from the very, very beginning.

"We need to cross the wall," Bethany stammered.

"No, we don't. You said it came this way, and we'll wait here for it. It'll come back. It hunts at night,

right?" I replied, giving Bethany a sharp look.

She looked scared out of her mind, but she nodded nonetheless. Lena shifted her weight in front of me,

giving me a cold look for my sharp tone toward Bethany.

"We'll hide in this thicket near the wall. We won't be seen. We wait until sunrise. If we don't see it again,

we'll try again tomorrow night," I lied. I meant to incapacitate Bethany before the sun began to come up

and drag Lena to the train station by force.

But there was a crunching sound in the woods to our left, then something running through the trees. I

narrowed my eyes, catching a glimpse of two yellow eyes in the darkness.

It was only a rabbit.

Bethany, however, looked as though she was about to faint. Lena put her hands on Bethany's

shoulders and guided her into the thicket, murmuring reassurances. I rolled my eyes as I turned

around, one hand on the holster my freshly sharpened blade was tucked into. Lena was letting me

lead, at least.

Several hours passed. Lena fell asleep, which I was thankful for, her head lolling as she fought the

fatigue that was setting into her bones. She finally surrendered, her chin tucked into her chest as her

breathing slowed. I glanced over at Bethany, who was sitting wide eyed, her back against the wall.

"Come over here," I hissed. She turned her head to me, eyeing me with fear linging behind her gaze. “I

said-"

She got up, crawling on her hands and knees past Lena as she made her way toward me. I motioned

for her to sit on the other side of me, so I was still close enough to Lena I could reach out and grab her

in an instant if I needed to.

"I know what you're thinking," Bethany whispered, her voice barely audible. "I'm not involved in this,

Xander."

"But you know exactly what's happened at the farm, don't you? You've known this whole time-"

"I want this to end," she whimpered.

"You need to tell me the truth. All of it. Don't think I won't use this knife on you as well."

Bethany paled. She exhaled, then swallowed hard, gathering her thoughts. "Maxwell isn't who he says

he is. You've never been to the manor, but I have. Multiple times. He... he trusts me. He trusts me

because it's obvious I'm scared of him, Xander. His house is... the people that live there; his servants

and maids... they're old, but still young. No one has ever lived in that house but Maxwell."

"Then he'd be over three hundred years old, if I'm correct about the history of the region-"

"Two hundred years old," she corrected. "He's two hundred years old."

"That's impossible-"

"I know. That's what I thought too. But he drinks it... the blood root. He has to."

"I need you to back up and tell me exactly how you ended up here," I bit out, although I did want to

hear what she had to say about Maxwell. I didn't like the way he'd been looking at Lena, or how he had

invited her up to the manor. There was a hunger in his eyes that I recognized as desire. He wanted her.

"I don't remember-"

"What do you mean you don't remember?"

Bethany clutched her knees to her chest, her fingers digging into her jeans until her knuckles turned

white. "None of this is real, Xander. Can't you see?"

"No-"

"I don't know how I got here. I've been stuck here, in an endless f*cking loop. This town... nothing ever

changes. There are no children, right? Not that I've ever seen. But there's so many young adults at any

given time, and not nearly enough work for everyone. I can't remember my life before three years ago. I

just... I look back, and my farthest memory is working in the herb garden, with Henry. He told me not to

ask questions. He'd told me it'd be okay-"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Crimson Creek doesn't exist," she whispered, closing her eyes.

I stared at her for a moment, watching the pained expression dance across her face.

"That's nonsense. Lena and I both arrived here, by the train. Lena went back to Morhan, and returned-"

"The train... that's how-"

I smelled it before I saw it. It was rancid, putrid like dying, rotting flesh. I grimaced, my eyes watering as

I blinked through the moisture and peered through the thicket at the woods, seeing and hearing nothing

but the soft breathing of Lena and Bethany. Bethany had gone rigid, her eyes wide as she looked

around without turning her head.

"Whose side are you on?" I whispered.

"Yours-" Bethany shakily replied.

"You don't know who Lena is, do you?"

"I do know," she said, her voice choked with a nearly inaudible sob. "That's why she's here. You have

to understand, Xander. I'm not-I'm not drawing you into a trap. If she wasn't with us tonight she'd be

gone by morning-"

"How do you know?"

Bethany turned to look at me, her eyes glistening with tears. She didn't have a chance to respond,

however. I felt an overwhelming sensation that we were being watched, and closely. I tore my eyes

away from her and stared out into the night, my hand going to the knife hanging from my waist.

"What is this thing, Bethany?" I asked, not bothering to keep my voice low.

"It used to be like us," she cried, reaching over to grab Lena's arm.

Lena's eyes fluttered, then opened wide, staring at Bethany and I with a shocked expression. "You let

me fall asleep?" she snapped, but then she noticed our expressions, and her eyes narrowed into

suspicious slits. "It's here-"

"Keep your voice down," I hissed.

I got onto my knees and unsheathed my knife. I wanted to shift, but I couldn't leave Lena behind. She

was too young to know her wolf. I was, unless Bethany proved to me that she was trustworthy, Lena's

only defense.

"How do we kill this thing?" I asked Bethany.

"We can't kill it, Xander. We need to study it!" Lena whispered urgently, grabbing onto my shirt as I

began to rise to my feet.

I pushed her away. "Enough, Lena, we're way past needing any of this for research. We're ending this,

now. And then we're going

home."

"Home?" Lena replied, a little breathless. She looked... disappointed.

"Back to campus," I ground out, flexing my jaw.

"It's here," Bethany whispered, pointing a shaky finger through the thicket.

I looked in the direction she was pointing, but saw nothing but darkness and the thin fog rolling over the

forest floor.

"Where?" Lena whispered hoarsely.

I looked around, rising to my full height. I didn't care I was in full view of the beast, if Bethany was right

about it being nearby. I wanted it to see me. I wanted it to see the gleam of violence in my eye, and the

edge of the blade glimmering in the faded

moonlight.

"I can smell you!" I called out into the darkness.

A branch in the distance snapped, sending a ripple of noise through the woods as smaller creatures

scurried out of the way of something large stalking toward us.

"Xander!" Lena cried as she struggled to her feet.

I pushed her back down, then gripped Bethany by the collar of her shirt, pulling her up so she was

standing next to me.

Then, I pushed her out of the thicket.

"Xander?" she cried, looking back at me with pure terror in her eyes.

My chest squeezed as I realized I may have made a grave miscalculation about Bethany's intentions.

Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she slowly looked away from me, her eyes locking on

something moving through the bushes on the other side of the clearing. I took a single step forward,

and then I saw it.

A wolf, but it wasn't-I couldn't explain it.

I knew immediately who it was.

"Bethany, shift! Now!"