Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

*Lena*

I would live in this moment forever.

Moonlight dripped through the living room windows, mingling with the faded amber reflection of the

streetlights. Xander was shirtless, his muscles taut and glistening with sweat as he stepped away from

me.

This was it. I felt it in my bones. Every touch, every kiss, every uttered word felt like the last as he

whispered my name against my skin. He didn't say Lena. He said Selene, the sound of it like music as

he trailed kisses down my neck and shoulder.

He knew the truth now, but I don't think he understood my internal battle. It wasn't like I was debating

jumping headfirst into love; what I felt was true, fated love.

He'd be gone by my twenty-first birthday. That much I knew. I didn't know where, but he'd be gone, and

I'd be left to pick up the pieces of my shattered heart.

My life wasn't my own. If what the prophecy said was true, I was the Moon Goddess reincarnate. I

didn't know what that meant for my future. And if I wasn't sure about what it meant for me, how could I

be so selfish as to allow someone to tether themselves to me in life, in love, and marriage?

I'd told myself long ago that I wouldn't bear children. What kind of mother could I possibly be? An

earthbound deity, changing diapers? A mother with power so great, yet so uncontrollable? It wasn't

safe. I wasn't a safe person. I didn't deserve that kind of life.

But I wanted it. I wanted it desperately. And as Xander knitted his hands in mine after lowering me onto

the carpet, I wanted it with him, and only him.

I'd have this one taste of love to hold fast to as the years ticked by. I'd shelter it, keep it tucked away, a

memory for my eyes only.

I opened my legs to him and he came to me without a moment of hesitation, his length filling me, his

width stretching me until I was full, panting and whimpering beneath him.

He chuckled under his breath as I lifted my hips to him, pleading as he brought his grinding movements

to a painful, teasing slowness that left me desperate.

“I plan to take my time," he purred, dipping his head to run his tongue along my collarbone.

I moaned his name, and he growled in response, taking one of my n*****s between his teeth.

Worship, that's what this was. He kept the tempo of his thrust slow and teasing until I was nearly

delirious and begging him for release. I tangled my fingers in his hair, pulling him close as I wrapped

my legs around his waist, lifting my body off the ground so he could take me deeper.

I wanted all of him. I wanted him to hurt me, to claim me as his once more. I dug my fingernails into his

back, scratching him until his skin gleamed red in the light spilling through the blinds.

He kissed my neck, then my mouth, sucking on my lower lip until I finally cried out and threw my head

back in ecstasy.

I didn't realize he was holding himself back until he sheathed himself inside of me with one final, violent

thrust. He cried out as my muscles flexed around him, growling deep in his throat as I pulled him closer

to me, refusing to let go.

We lay on the ground for a moment, our bodies spent. He propped himself up on his elbow, looking

down at me, the fingers of his free hand tracing circles over my hip bone.

I reached up and tucked his hair behind his ear, running the back of my fingers along his cheek. He

was still inside of me, and he made no moves to separate us either. His hand moved down my thigh,

wrapping around the underside of my knee, his soft touches sending ripples of electricity over my skin.

“That tickles," I whispered, my mouth twitching into a smile.

He tickled the skin behind my knee and I writhed beneath, the motion causing his breath to hitch as he

tightened his grip on my leg.

“Keep doing that, and I'll have to take you again, right here on the floor."

“Is that a promise?" I purred, wriggling my hips.

His c**k responded before he could, hardened as he pressed deeper inside me. “Lena–"

I moved my hips up and down, my breath escaping my throat in a shallow moan.

“More," I whined, and fire flashed behind his eyes. My pitiful begging had awoken the primal side of him

that I so desperately needed to see, one last time.

He flipped me over so I was straddling him, his arms outstretched and gripping the bottom of the couch

as I rode him to climax after climax. There was something so powerful about this position. I was totally

exposed to him, my breasts and stomach illuminated by the light coming through the windows, my skin

glistening with sweat.

He was watching me, his eyes narrowed to slits as I pushed him closer and closer to his edge. He

gritted his teeth, hoarsely saying “F*ck!" as he tilted his head back, his muscles going rigid.

He was always the one in control, but not now. I slowed down, teasing him like he'd teased me for

nearly an hour.

“Lena," he said sternly, opening one eye to look at me.

“You don't like being teased," I panted, a wry grin touching the corner of my mouth.

I'd forgotten one thing about Xander. He was a wrestler, and in one swift movement I was back on my

back, his arms pinning to the ground as he lowered himself over me.

He didn't enter me again, however. He just looked at me, an amber ring glistening around his dark

irises. Primal. Animalistic. His wolf was more in control than he was in that moment.

Wait.

“Xander," I said, fighting against his grip. “Xander, wait–"

“You're mine," he said, his voice steady and serious as he lowered his head to whisper against my

breasts. “Mate."

“You can't know for sure!"

He looked up at me, watching the panic flutter over my face. He softened his grip on my arms and I

broke free of him, and held his face between my hands.

“I'm certain," he said, but I shook my head, tears beginning to well in my eyes.

“Even if–"

“Even if what, Lena? I don't want to fight this anymore. I'll do whatever it takes."

Submit, I thought. Surrender. I didn't have all the answers. Why waste my life on what ifs and what

nows?

I exhaled, blinking back the tears.

“What if I can't give you what you want, Xander?" I asked.

He touched his forehead to mine, exhaling deeply. “You're the only thing I want. The only thing I've ever

wanted–"

I kissed him before he could finish the words. It was a full, deep kiss, and quickly turned into pure,

unadulterated heat that reignited the passion between us once more.

“I don't know if I'll ever feel the mate bond, Xander. I've had my powers since I was a child," I whispered

against his lips.

“Not your wolf–"

“I don't know–"

“Lena," he said, his voice edged with a nearly inaudible frustration. “You're mine. I'm yours. Whatever

happens next," he breathed, kissing me deeply before continuing, “this will be for us. A tether. A thread

to keep us grounded to each other."

His teeth grazed my shoulder, and I winced. He pulled away, looking over my naked body. The sight of

me, splayed out and glimmering with sweat, sent a thrill of desire through him and he sheathed himself

inside of me once more, which made me gasp and arch my back.

He was going to mark me. I could feel it in my soul. He was looking for a spot as he moved within me,

his breath coming in quick, fevered pants.

Chaos took over. I felt out of body as we moved against one another, my body already spent, tired, and

sore.

Whatever this was, was magic. I knew that for certain. Maybe these feelings were the early,

indiscriminate signs of the mate bond after all. Mark me then, I thought. Mark me; claim me as your

own fever, and ever.

We were wild, our fingers tearing at each other and the carpet. Any sense of reality had slipped through

my fingers as he came, and then his teeth met with the skin above my left breast. I opened my mouth,

but no sound came out. All I felt was a rush of pain, which was quickly replaced with a feeling of

euphoria I didn't have the words to describe.

He collapsed on top of me, trembling and breathing heavily. I wrapped my arms around him, the two of

us just a tangle of limbs on the bare carpet in the middle of the living room. My skin was throbbing

where he'd left his mark, and the feeling of his body on mine was different somehow. I was calm.

Utterly, totally calm.

It wasn't until he slowly pulled away from me that I saw it. I didn't taste the blood on my lips or even

remember doing it, but there it was–a half moon wound on his shoulder, partly darkened by the shadow

falling over his back as he knelt on his knees over the top of me.

He touched his shoulder, a fleeting smile touching his lips.

If I'd had the energy to say anything, it would have been “What now?" We'd marked each other,

cementing our relationship for eternity.

The thread he spoke of was already weaving itself through my ribs, tying like a knot around my heart.

Did he feel it too?

My legs shook as he helped me to my feet, and I had to hold onto him as we walked to his bedroom.

He laid me down in his bed, sliding in beside me and holding me to his chest, falling asleep before his

head even hit the pillow.

Bliss. That's the only word to describe this. The sky could cave in over the top of our heads and all

would feel right in my world.

My eyes fluttered, my body relaxing into a state of numbness as the snow continued to fall, clinging to

the glass that filled the final moments of my lucidity.

But I woke up again in what felt like seconds. Sunlight spilled through the window I could have sworn I

was just gazing through. Night was over in a flash, replaced by day, replaced by the reality of our

actions.

Reality hit hard as raised voices spilled through the gap between the floor and the door to Xander's

bedroom. I rolled over, finding his side of the bed empty and cool to the touch.

I sat up, looking around with fresh eyes in search of anything to cover my nakedness.

“When?" came Xander's voice from just outside the door.

“Your guess is as good as mine. Soon, from what I could tell." Adrian's voice was level but had a hint of

uncertainty to it, maybe even… fear?

“And you spoke to him this morning?" Xander replied, and the doorknob began to turn.

I gathered the sheets over my chest as the door swung up, revealing a disheveled-looking Xander and

a nervous Adrian, both of them staring right at me.

There would be no good morning kiss, judging by the look on Xander's face. He looked me dead in the

eyes, but I saw nothing but darkness.

“I need to take you home now," he said, and I bristled at the coldness in his voice.

“Xander–" Adrian began, but Xander held a hand up, cutting him off.

“Now, Lena. You need to go home."