Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 129: Mysterious Ways

Normally, I didn’t mind traveling by boat.

But for the first couple of days, every wave turned my stomach and made me run straight for the bathroom.

I wasn’t sure if it was because I was pregnant or because I was so sad over losing Jared… again.

The mate bond was gone all over again. I’d had to do it, though. It was the only way to be there for my family and

right now, they needed me more than Jared did.

The threat to the Dark Realm was nearly gone. Hestia was all that was left, and she was weak.

Lena was in trouble, and so was the White Queen line.

Even though the boat was small, Xander assigned two Royal Guards to me. They followed me around everywhere I

went and were constantly stationed outside my door.

They didn’t talk to me much, but I knew they were always there.

I went to the back of the boat and watched the Dark Realm fading into the distance.

The memory of Jared’s pained, broken look as the boat pulled away from the dock swam in my mind.

My stomach clenched and I sniffled.

One of the guards handed me a tissue. I nodded and wiped my eyes. That was some real, full-service guard duty….

I headed to Lena’s room and sat next to her bed. There’d been no change since we got on the boat. I hadn’t

expected to see any change in her, but it worried me about how still she was getting.

She used to jerk when I touched her. Now, the reactions were less and less.

Was her brain shutting down already?

When I left the palace, I hadn’t had a lot of clothes to bring with me but I had seen some familiar books on a shelf

in my room. I didn’t think Lena would mind me borrowing them.

I kept one of the books in her stateroom. It was one of her favorites.

The healers made it seem like since she was asleep, she could still hear us. Xander talked to her a lot but as king,

he couldn’t be with Lena all the time.

I picked up the book and started reading where I’d left off. For some reason, I thought that if I kept reading to her

and talking to her, she’d hear me and hold on a little longer. She would fight to stay alive.

I read a few ##Chapters and then set the book aside. Taking Lena’s hand, I squeezed her fingers four times until I

got a reaction from her.

“Don’t ever stop doing that, okay?” I asked.

There wasn’t much else I could do except be there for her.

Xander joined me. “How is she today?”

“The same.” I sighed and bowed my head.

“Thank you, Eliza, for reading to her and being with her when I can’t.”

“She’s my cousin. I’m not giving up on her.”

“And I know she will be forever grateful to you for that, as am I, and our children.”

Underneath Xander’s kind words, I could sense that he wanted to be alone with his wife.

“I’ll come back a little later and read to her more.” I gave Lena’s hand one last squeeze and headed back to the

deck of the boat.

Every morning, I walked the deck. I knew it like the back of my hand.

My guards trailed behind me as I walked the deck again after leaving Lena’s room. Other than reading to her and

walking around, there wasn’t much else to do.

When I stayed alone in my room, I just thought of Jared and I got upset. On the deck I got fresh air and exercise. It

was better than lying around weepy and mopey.

Automatically, my feet took me to the back of the boat. Every time I walked the deck, I ended up there, even

without thinking about it.

We’d been traveling for a few days, and I could still see the border of the Dark Realm.

“Jared,” I whispered to myself.

Even though I had family with me, I still felt alone. Why hadn’t Jared asked to come along? If he had… maybe none

of this would have happened.

I hadn’t told him he couldn’t come; he’d just assumed. Instead of being supportive, he’d dismissed my concerns

about my cousin and my desire to help her.

My heart clenched and I covered it with my hands like I could keep it from falling out of my chest.

This was all wrong. He wasn’t supposed to….

The pain from the rejection coursed through me again and tears wet my eyes. I sniffled and bowed my head.

One of my guards handed me a tissue. I nodded and accepted it. It was the same guard every time. The other one

didn’t seem to notice.

I watched the Dark Realm fade through blurry eyes and returned to my stateroom.

The moment we crossed into the Light Realm, I knew. The air tasted differently.

A helicopter flew in to meet the boat. Xander must have sent word ahead.

The helicopter scooped up Xander and Lena and took them straight to the hospital. I stood on the deck and

watched the helicopter disappear; my unruly, curly hair even more tangled from the wind the chopper kicked up.

Xander left his men and guards with me on the boat, but a heart-sinking loneliness set in. Everyone I loved was so

far away now….

“I did the right thing,” I told myself, pacing back and forth on the deck. “It’s what had to be done.”

Tears stung my eyes again and I stopped pacing, wrapping my arms around myself.

My faithful guard was there again with a tissue.

I took it from him and dabbed at my eyes. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He spoke in a strong, deep voice but I could tell he was young, a lot younger than I expected,

more like my age.

I smiled a little. “Oh, so you do speak?”

He pulled his helmet off and grinned at me. His eyes twinkled with kindness, and his smile was so genuine and pure.

“Only if you want me to.”

I nodded. “I’d like to have someone to talk to, now that my family is gone.”

“I’m happy to oblige. My name is Declan.”

“I’m Eliza.”

I didn’t expect Declan and me to become friends, but it lightened my mood to have someone else to talk to for the

rest of the boat ride.

As soon as we docked, I headed to the hospital and met up with Xander and some other family members.

“Any news?” I asked.

Xander shrugged. “They’ve run a whole lot of tests. The doctors think that the best course of action is to give her a

blood transfusion to get the poison out of her system.”

“That could work.” My heart lightened.

I noticed that Xander still didn’t look happy.

“What’s wrong?”

“A blood transfusion could mean that she loses her White Queen powers. Of course, I’d rather have her be alive

and without her powers than the alternative… but it would still be a big loss to her.”

I nodded in understanding. Lena was a White Queen. To lose her powers could devastate her, even if it meant

saving her life.

The hospital had a room full of cots set up for anyone that wanted to stay close to Lena. The first night I was there,

I tossed and turned, thinking of the impossible decision Xander had to make–to save his wife and possibly have her

hate him and never overcome the loss of her powers, or… watch her wither away.

Sighing, I looked at the ceiling. “Please, Moon Goddess, don’t let your beloved, blessed daughter lose her powers or

her life. She doesn’t deserve this. Give her another chance.”

I drifted to sleep and found myself in a strange, lucid dream.

I stood in the hospital room where Lena was sleeping. She was hooked up to beeping monitors.

From a distance, she looked perfectly peaceful and content. She didn’t look like she was sick, poisoned, or dying.

Lena’s cheeks were rosy and full.

It took me a moment to realize she wasn’t wearing her hospital gown. She was wearing an elegant, white dress

with a silver tiara on her head and fresh flowers in her hair.

This was definitely a dream of some kind.

The air around Lena swam with a glittering mist that clung to her eyelashes, making them sparkle.

She had her hands folded over her chest with a bouquet of white carnations clutched in her fingers.

Then it dawned on me… was she dead!?

I rushed to her side and grabbed her arm, ready to shake her awake. My hands went straight through her arm.

“Right… I’m dreaming….” I shook my head and stepped back.

What was going on?

Suddenly, a bright light flashed in the room and a woman stepped out of the shadows.

She was dressed in a long, flowing white dress with sleeves that floated around her. Her hair was silvery white,

fluttering on an invisible wind.

She was absolutely gorgeous, her eyes bright with the full moon reflected in them. She had a pitcher in her hands.

Barefoot, she walked toward Lena, practically floating.

“Moon Goddess,” I gasped. I bowed my head to her. Who else could this be other than the embodiment of the Moon

Goddess?

My heart hammered in my chest. It was like she’d descended from the sky just to answer my prayer.

She nodded at me and tipped the pitcher over above Lena.

Automatically, Lena parted her lips but the rest of her remained perfectly still.

A silver liquid poured from the pitcher right into Lena’s mouth.

Lena gasped and her eyes fluttered open.

I blinked and sat up on the small cot. It had all been a dream….

Or had it?

I grabbed my shoes and ran to Lena’s hospital room. Xander was sitting with her, holding her hand.

“Oh, Eliza, I didn’t know anyone was awake.” He nodded to a nearby chair.

I pulled the chair closer to Lena.

“I was sleeping but I had this… dream. It was strange.” I shrugged and took Lena’s other hand.

“I’m going to approve the blood transfusion. I know she might never forgive me and I know… the risks. But I need

her and our children need their mother.”

“I understand,” I said.

“Actually, that won’t be necessary.”

Xander and I both tensed and looked at the door, and Great Aunt Rosalie came in. She walked with strong, elegant

strides as she approached the bed.

“Great Aunt Rosalie!” I gasped, bowing my head. I couldn’t help but notice the similarities with my dream.

“May I?” She held her hands out, showing a vial with a potion.

“Yes, please.” Xander stepped aside.

She poured the potion into Lena’s mouth. I held my breath for a moment.

Lena’s eyes fluttered open and she coughed. We all knew then that she was going to be okay….

Xander pulled her in his arms and I began to cry in relief. My great aunt hugged me tight and soothed my back.

“There, there. Everything will be alright,” she assured me.

But I couldn’t be sure.