Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 30: He Found Her

*Lena*

"How long-"

"Four days," Xander said as he sat on the edge of the bed, his arms crossed over his chest. He looked

absolutely frazzled. His hair, which he normally wore brushed back and neat, was sticking up at odd

angles, and his eyes were rimmed by dark circles from lack of sleep.

I'd woken up from my nightmare only to find that what had felt like only moments had been several

long, fever-fueled days. I swear I had just closed my eyes to Xander's voice only an hour ago. The

expression on his face told me everything I needed to know, however. He looked too surprised to see

me lucid, and even more shocked to hear my voice.

He didn't look relieved. He looked nervous, and skeptical, his eyes creasing every time I took a ragged

breath. My lungs felt like they were on fire. My mouth was dry, and my lips blistered and cracked. I

couldn't remember the last time I'd been sick with even a head cold. Whatever this was, well, it had

almost killed me.

"It's been a week, Lena," he breathed, running his hand over his face. "We killed that hybrid-Jen. She's

dead."

"Oh-"

"And the Alpha of Breles has been notified. He sent warriors to Crimson Creek to investigate-" he

paused as I coughed loudly, my vision blurring as my eyes watered. "Goddess, Lena, this conversation

needs to wait-"

"No," I protested. "I need to know what happened."

Xander looked at the door to the bedroom, looking impatient.

"The Alpha of Crimson Creek is nowhere to be found. Radcliffe estate has been cleared out pending an

investigation into the disappearances of Elaine and Henry, and Gretta's murder-"

"Cleared out? You mean no one is there?"

"Bethany is there now. But she sent everyone else away. Radcliffe... Maxwell, he's missing as well."

"I don't understand-"

"They fled. Morhan University is playing dumb, trying to say they never sent us to Crimson Creek for a

field study and that we went on our own accord. There's a formal investigation happening at the

University now. You were right, Lena. Morhan was trying to hide something. The dean resigned

yesterday-"

"Does this mean we're not getting credit for our field study?"

Xander glared at me as he chewed his lower lip. He rolled his eyes, exhaling through his nose as he

shook his head. "Is that really all you care about?"

"I cheated death," I said dryly, the corners of my mouth twitching into a smile. "The least they could do

is let me graduate next month."

"They will. I promise you."

"You don't need to promise me anything," I breathed. My eyelids were already feeling heavy, and I

hadn't been awake for more than an hour.

Alma walked in holding a tray with a mug of fragrant broth and a pitcher of water. She looked me up

and down, the furrow in her brow relaxing as she stepped into the room and closed the door behind her

with her foot.

"She's really here this time." Xander said quietly as Alma set the tray on the bed, her eyes boring into

mine for a moment.

"This time?" I asked weakly.

Alma cked her tongue at me, shaking her head as I opened my mouth to ask what Xander mea: She

lifted the mug of broth to my lips, urging me to take a sip, but nothing more.

"You've been screaming, crying, and talking for days. But you never fully woke up." The pain in

Xander's voice was evident, and the look on his face as he said it ripped into my heart. He looked like

he hadn't slept at all. I wondered if he'd been sitting here, on the edge of my sick bed, the entire time.

"Xander, I'm sorry-"

"Gideon needs to see you, Xander." Alma's voice was stern as she turned her gaze on Xander. "Lena

needs to rest."

Xander ran his tongue along his lower lip, looking like he'd rather do anything than leave my side. Alma

was standing her ground, however, and the look she was giving me made me want to cower and

submit to whatever she told me to do, as well.

Xander took one last look at me before he tore himself from the room.

"He needs to rest as well," Alma said softly as she lifted the mug to my lips again. I swallowed painfully,

but the warmth of the broth was already calming the irritation in my throat.

"You're a healer, aren't you?" I asked, wondering if what I'd said had even been audible.

"Not very often," she replied, not meeting my eye as she continued to help me sip from the mug until it

was nearly empty. "You're going to be hungry, but you're not ready to eat solid food yet. Just broth for

now. I'll bring tea later, with your medicine."

I wasn't hungry at all. I felt nothing, honestly. My arms and legs felt fixed in place, fatigue pinning my

body to the bed as Alma guided me back onto my pillow. She began to unbutton my shirt, and I felt a

jolt of shock wash over my body. I tried to reach out to grab her wrist to stop her, but only one of my

fingers twitched in response.

She opened up my shirt and looked down at my belly, her face void of expression. I'd hadn't even seen

the wound yet. I wasn't sure I wanted to.

She said nothing as she began to button up my shirt again. She pulled a thick quilt back over my body,

tucking it in around my shoulders. "A few days more of rest. I'll bring you something to help you sleep-"

"No," I cried, my voice strained and desperate.

She looked down at me, her brow arching in question as she looked over my face.

"I-I had dreams. I saw a man-"

"Who?" her tone was so sharp it made me flinch.

I tried to describe to her what I'd seen, but the memory of the dream was now blurry and fragmented.

"He said... he called me his queen. That he'd tried with so many. I don't remember what he looked like "

Alma straightened to her full height, her eyes going wide. She slowly backed away from me, then

turned on her heel and took one single step toward the door. I was barely able to turn my head, but out

of the corner of my eye, I could see her gripping the doorframe.

"Alma?" I whispered, panic beginning to well in the pit of my stomach.

"I-I'll be back shortly." She was gone before her voice even registered in my ears.

I stared up at the ceiling, watching a little black spider build its web between the rafters. I didn't want to

close my eyes. I wasn't sure what I'd see if I fell back asleep.

***

*Xander*

"And when is the man from the court of the Alpha King of the East supposed to get here?" Gideon

asked as he rapped his knuckles against the windowsill in the living room, his voice low enough that

only I had heard him speak.

"Three days from now. The last correspondence I had was yesterday. He's meeting with the King of the

West before he travels south to Breles, and then to Crimson Creek."

"These Kings..." Gideon trailed off, looking nervous as he continued to stare out the window into the

rain that was pounding the area. "What will they do with the information you have? Kill us all?"

"I... I won't be telling them. Not the whole truth. The hybrid has been disposed of, and the prominent

Alphas of the West will be more concerned with the abandonment of the Crimson Creek pack's Alpha

more than anything."

"I hope you're right." Gideon tucked his hands in his pockets and glanced at the stairs, where Alma was

currently walking down into the living room. She looked pale, but the siblings always looked somewhat

sickly. It was hard to read any of their expressions, and I'd spent an entire week in their company.

"As long as this is an isolated incident," I said with an edge to my voice, "you'll have nothing to worry

about."

Gideon and Alma looked at me, both of them looking a little worse for wear. I was doing what needed to

be done to cover their tracks, but it came with a risk.

"She's asleep," Alma mentioned, tilting her head towards the stairs. "I think she will sleep for quite a

while, but she is no longer fevered."

"How long will she need to take the blood root?" I asked.

I could taste it as I said the name of the black, acrid smelling moss that grew in pockets all over the

area. Gideon and his family members ate it, and drank it. None of the food I'd been offered had been

made without it. I'd even started to develop a taste for it myself, but they assured me it wouldn't do

much for me besides add a bitter, sharp flavor to everything I ingested.

Blood root was their lifeline, however. They needed it to survive. Its healing properties were the only

reason Lena and I were alive

now.

"Until she is up and walking around on her own, and eating like normal. But... she needs to leave this

place, tonight. If possible."

"Xander and I still have business-" Gideon replied, but was quieted by a wave of Alma's hand, and a

shake of her head.

"He found her. She needs to leave-"

"Who found her? What are you talking about?" I asked.

Gideon and Alma exchanged glances, a private, silent conversation passing between them before

Gideon turned his gaze back to

me.

"She's been having dreams brought on by the fever," Alma began, tucking her hands in the pocket of

her apron. "You know what she is, don't you?"

"Yes," I said with conviction, unease beginning to creep into my bones. "I do."

"You know dreams are different for her, then. At least I assume."

"I don't know much about that side of her, honestly." I felt a little hot all of a sudden. I could tell by the

way Gideon was watching me that Alma was about to give me more bad news. I'd finally felt like I had

a moment to breathe after Lena woke up from four days' worth of fevered nightmares with me by her

side.

Alma said nothing further, however. A flash of fear seemed to blur her vision for a moment as her gaze

dropped to her feet. Gideon sighed deeply, looking thoroughly resigned.

"Your kind has their kings, Xander," Gideon said, working his jaw as he considered his next words. He

looked up at the ceiling to where Lena was resting a floor above our heads. "So do we."