Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 28 : The Truth

*Lena*

‘•What do you remember?" Xander asked as he handed me a glass of water.

“Everything," I winced, swallowing against the pain that seemed to radiate over every inch of my body.

I'd been out for three days, according to Xander. He looked like he hadn't slept the entire time.

He told me everything that had happened after I lost consciousness. I listened as intently as I could,

even though I was on the edge of sleep once more. I felt like my body was fighting itself, every cell and

fiber at war with some unknown enemy. My throat was sore, and my eyes watered. I felt like I had a

cold or flu, to be honest. I didn't necessarily feel like my stomach had just been ripped open by a

raging, rabid beast who Xander told me, point blank, had been Jen.

“I thought you were going to die," he said after a long pause in his retelling of the past three or four

days. His voice was stem, almost like he was disappointed in me.

“I'm sorry-"

“No, I am sorry. This situation... I acted out of impulse."

“You were trying to find my friend." I replied weakly, my voice catching in my throat. We'd captured the

beast, but there was still no sign of Elaine and Henry. I tried to give him a smile, but didn't have the

strength. In truth, waking up from my pained, uneasy slumber to his face looking down at me was the

best thing that had ever happened to me. Dramatic, yes, but I could barely describe the relief and sheer

joy at the fact he was alright.

He'd saved my life by allowing me to stay here, with total strangers. My wounds were healing slowly,

but they were healing. Xander had stayed by my side the entire time.

“I don't think I can get out of bed yet." I whispered, closing my eyes again.

“It's fine. There's nowhere you need to be-"

"Our field study-"

“It's over. Lena. It's done. We can't go back. When you're well enough to walk, we'll stay in Crimson

Creek. Gideon has an apartment there-"

“But graduation-"

“Morlian is giving you back every single penny you paid in tuition over the years, as well as your

diploma and a stellar recommendation to any job you want after this, Lena, mark my words. I'll wring

the dean's neck if not."

I couldn't help but smile. For the first time in my life, I had not a single care in the world. It felt nice. I

was relaxed. I was happy, if that was even possible given the situation. I wondered what kind of

medicine I'd been given to make me feel this way.

“You should try to eat something." Xander coaxed, but I shook my head.

“Alma made me eat soup earlier, and I couldn't keep it down," I said, opening one eye to peer at him for

a moment before closing it again. "But I did drink the tea. It was sweet. I-I liked... I liked..."

* Xander*

She fell asleep again, her mouth slightly ajar as she drifted away mid-sentence. She'd been doing this

for days now, flowing in and out of consciousness. I chewed my bottom lip as I looked down at her.

I was growing more and more concerned about her as the days went on. She hadn't been able to keep

anything down but an occasional sip of tea. I knew Alma was dosing her heavily with something to

keep her at rest and relieve the pain, but I felt like it might be too much.

Then again, I remembered vividly the pain of the wound Jen had given me when she bit me. The

scratches on my back and shoulders, which had already healed without an ounce of discomfort, were

markedly different from what Lena was experiencing. Jen had nearly ripped her in half.

Alma was probably right. Lena needed to stay asleep, and calm, until the near-fatal injury began to fully

heal.

Every day Lena seemed to get a little better, but then she'd run another vicious fever. She'd cry out for

her parents, her whimpers cutting into my soul as I held her against my chest, rocking her back and

forth as though she were an infant. I'd already sent a letter, being as vague as possible about the

situation and hiding the fact that Lena was involved entirely.

I hated that I couldn't tell them the truth.

I knew very little about her relationship with her family. She was closed off in that regard. She was a

fantastic actor, I could give her that much. There wasn't anyone else I'd trust to lie througli their teeth

like Lena could. But someone needed to know what was going on in Crimson Creek.

The Alpha of Crimson Creek's warriors laughed me away when I went to his heavily guarded

compound to try to tell him about what had been happening. The Alpha of Breles likely didn't care

about what was happening this far west. Maxwell Radcliffe was gone, apparently, on some errand far

north, and no one could get ahold of him.

It was now a waiting game.

I pulled a blanket up to Lena's chin and tucked it around her, gripping her upper arms for a moment and

saying another desperate prayer I knew would go unanswered.

I didn't know if anyone was listening to my pleas for not only her survival but my forgiveness.

I knew in my soul that I was too rigid and closed off to have realized I was falling in love with her until

she was on death's doorstep, and I hated myself for it.

I left the bedroom and walked througli the house. I was met by the usual cooking smells as I walked

down the stairs. Alma and her youngest brother, a young man named Abel, were standing near the

health talking in low tones as I nodded in their direction before heading toward the front door.

"I put a roast on for dinner. You need to eat something other than soup," Alma said in a motherly tone.

I gave her a tight smile, hoping that would be enough, and stepped out onto the porch.

Every day had been the same since I'd arrived at Gideon's farm. I spent most of the day with Lena,

talking to her even though I didn't think she could hear a word I said. I checked on her wounds and

moved her legs on occasion, trying to keep her muscles from deteriorating from lack of movement and

strain. She'd already grown so weak.

I hadn't told her about what Alma said, not yet. I hoped that one day I'd have the strength to do so, but

not today.

Today, I was going to kill Jen.

It had to be done. And I was going to be the one to do it.

Gideon was waiting for me in the bam with his brother Silas. The two of them were leaning against one

of the old stalls, watching as Jen slumped against the fallen beam, her body wasted and sunken. She

didn't look like a person any longer. It was truly horrific. But the words that had been coming out of her

mouth had been even worse.

Hunger had made her desperate. She was saying anything and everything to try to convince us to let

her go. But I could hear the lies in her voice. Gideon was right. Jen was no longer there, and she hadn't

been for a long time. Whatever she was now, well, was primal, second nature, something hidden deep

within every shifter that was never meant to see the light of day.

But today she was weak, and tired, and pleading for us to just kill her.

"I'll end it now, but I want answers," I said as I knelt a few feet in front of her.

She could barely move her head at this point, but her eyes lowered to look me straight in the face, her

mouth twitching into what could have been a smile.

“Your friends?"

"Elaine and Henry. Where are they?"

"I took them back to him," she said in a gravelly voice, closing her eyes.

"To who? Maxwell?"

She opened her mouth, the muscles of her neck straining in a way that made me think she was trying

to laugh, but she was too weak to make the sound.

"Maxwell is nothing compared to him."

"I don't know who you're talking about-"

"He'll come for her. She’s the one he wants. He's been searching for her since the door-door opened

for him-" she drew in her breath, choking on air. Her head lolled forward, her muscles giving way. her

neck too weak to hold up her head.

"We can give her some blood," Gideon suggested with a shrug. "Alma has plenty of chickens-"

"No," I said quickly, narrowing my eyes at Jen. "No. She's not going to tell me anything usefill."

"Traitors," she groaned, flicking her eyes up at Gideon and Silas. "He knows. He knows about you...

he'll come."

Gideon's expression was stone cold serious, but Silas took a single step away from Jen. his eyes

widening just a fraction.

“Who?" I asked, my impatience growing.

"The true king." she murmured, then chuckled, using whatever strength she had left to lift her head

enough to look me in the eyes. "He wants your mate, little wolf. He's been trying for years to find one

suitable." She drew in her breath with a hiss, her eyes watering as her expression abruptly, and

horridly, changed. "Xander, please, kill it! Oh, oh Goddess, just kill it! You have to-" Jen's eyes rolled

back in her head and she convulsed, then went totally, and completely still.

I felt the blood drain from my face as I slowly rose to my feet. I knew in the moment that Jen. the real

Jen. not the beast that had taken over her body and mind, had just spoken to me. My heart felt as

though it were about to burst as I turned away, numing my hand over my face and looking at Gideon,

who looked somewhat uncomfortable, but not totally unbothered.

"Is she gone? Jen?" I asked.

It felt like a strange thing to say. Alma was right, apparently. Anything was truly possible.

"Yes," Gideon replied, meeting my eye. "It's time."

"I want to know the truth," I said as I steadied myself against the doorframe, closing my eyes for a

moment. "How did she become this? Was she always like this?"

"No, she wasn't. She was made to be this. I don't know how they do it. Most don't survive, but for

whatever reason, she did. It was likely against her will, unless she was... manipulated. Xander, L..."

Gideon glanced at his brother, the two of them sharing a look that told me I was about to be absolutely

pummeled by the truth.

Gideon took a step toward me, holding out his hand in surrender.

"You can trust us. Don't be afraid."