Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 26: It’s Complicated

Hanna

Water. I was walking through it. No, on it, my feet covered by choppy, white-capped surf. I could hear her singing in the distance, the same lonely song

she always sang

Who are you? I asked, my voice echoing over the endless horizon, nothing but water for miles and miles.

But there it was the white building in the distance, the small, barren island rising above the sea. I looked up at the sun and moon, the two sitting next to each other, separated by a field of stars.

Who are you? I asked again, my steps quickening. I was running, my chest heaving with effort, but the building was still far, far away.

Please! Please wait for me!

But the water gave way beneath my feet, and I was submerged, floating down, deeper and deeper until the light from the surface of the waves disappeared.

Shrouded in darkness. Nothingness.

“Hanna!” she called, her voice watery and distant.

“I’m here!” I screamed, water flooding into my mouth, suffocating me. Please, I thought, stay asleep. Stay. Stay in the vision.

I tried to scream again, to bring her in. I could see her, a dark outline in the water, her hair twirling around her as she inched closer, and closer”:

I bolted upright in bed, water pouring from my mouth as I coughed and sputtered, reaching up to grip my throat that burned violently from the salt.

My bed was soaking wet, my nightgown sticking wetly to my skin as I retched, another burst of water running out of my mouth and down my neck and chest.

Learning to control this curse, or blessing, or whatever it was still seemed out of my grasp.

“Damnit!” I cried, exhausted. I reached up to wipe the tears rolling down my cheeks, hot against my chilled skin. I heard footsteps in the hallway and my bedroom door swung open, Kacidra’s figure filling the doorway.

She looked at me, terror and confusion etched into her face, the same look Dad always gave me, the same look he had always given Mom.

Kacidra stood for a moment, lingering with her hand on the doorknob before she closed the door again, her footsteps receding down the hallway and out of earshot

I let out a sob, reaching a shaking hand toward my bedside table and fishing in the drawer for the key I kept taped to its underside. I stood, my dress heavy as it fell around my knees, walking over to my closet and leaving wet footprints in my wake.

The journal was hidden among the tangle of thick jackets hanging in the closet. I reached into the emerald green coat, a piece that had once belonged to Mom, and pulled the thick, leather journal from the inner pocket, my hands trembling as I fumbled with the lock.

that held the journal closed fell away, landing on the floor at my feet with a splash

remembered, just the way Mom had taught me. She said I could eventually control my dreams this way,

stuck. I had never made it out of this dream. I could never find my way forward, my

finished writing and retrieved the metal band, securing it back in place before taking

closet, swallowing against the burning lump in

cry, sniffling like a child. “I don’t know where the door is. I’m trapped in it. I

and Dad could hear me, and maybe they could. They

Dad was sending me away to marry Wrenn. I would join his pack, live amongst his people. My lucid dreams would no longer

I would get as far away as I could from Red Lakes and the stain of my mother’s death that had a chokehold on my sister and father. The distance would free them,

now wrapped around my soul

thrown a

dumb. He always asked where I went swimming all the time, saying something

14:34

Chapter 26: It’s Complicated

the disdain behind my eyes. He couldn’t peer into

I don’t think he even realized he was doing it,

hours after I felt the mate pull. His scent sent me over the edge, exhausting and overwhelming me to the point I had to lay down, to bury my face in my pillow and breathe in the smell of goose down and

My Rowan.

as an ally by allowing his insane daughter to set foot upon Ethan’s territory. No, he

Wrenn. I would find the way out of my

never say a word to Rowan. Because the closer I got to him, the more challenging my

Rowan

water as the seaplane approached, its floats bobbing in the surf.

back at her before turning my head back

won’t tell me. I know

“Have you tried?”

force of it causing me to step forward. One of Eugene’s warriors turned his head, giving me a curious look. I straightened up,

you have, huh? He

choppy.” I sneered, crossing my arms over my chest and watching the figures moving around the plane, my chest tightening with sudden longing as my dad stepped out onto the dock. I had missed him. I

Ethan looks exactly the same as he did when we

being there, you know.” I said, knowing it would get a rise out of her. She nudged me with

my movement out of the corner of his eyes, and I thought I might’ve seen a smile twitch across his face as he shook his head and handed a large duffle bag to a warrior to

we’re

you know

Rowan, Family can

Kass.” I swallowed, hoping she was wrong. I didn’t want to have that conversation with

be the little sister to the woman I was betrothed to, and I hadn’t even said a single word to her yet. How

flicking me on the back of

“Shut up!”