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.

clicked into place, and the metal band that held the journal closed fell away, landing on the floor at my feet with a splash as it met with the water pooling

wrote it all down. Every single thing I remembered, just the way Mom had taught me. She said I could eventually control my dreams

had never made it out of this dream. I could

and retrieved the metal band, securing it back in place before taking out the key and putting it back in

backed away from the closet, swallowing against the burning lump in my

don’t know where the door is. I’m trapped in it. I don’t understand why don’t

maybe they could. They would no

was sending me away to marry Wrenn. I would join his

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

chain now wrapped around my soul that bound me to Rowan of Winter

arrival had thrown

where I went swimming all the time, saying something crass about wanting to take

14:34

Chapter 26: It’s Complicated

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

he did. I don’t think

the smell of goose down and linen to try and rid myself of it. He smelled like green things, like walking through the redwood trees after a heavy rain. He smelled like the earth after a late spring snow, when the air was slightly too warm for it to stick,

Rowan.

wouldn’t risk losing Ethan as an ally by allowing his insane daughter to set foot upon Ethan’s territory. No, he would send

with Wrenn. I would find the

to Rowan. Because the closer I got to him, the more

Rowan

hair whipping in the salty wind coming off the water as the seaplane approached, its floats bobbing in the surf. “I’ve looked everywhere.

my head back to the plane, which was nearing the dock. “Why not just ask her about her

tell me.

“Have you tried?”

Eugene’s warriors turned his head, giving me a curious

Some pilot you have, huh? He nearly took half the

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.

as

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

and I thought I might’ve seen a smile twitch across his face as he shook his

we’re not mates, you know.” Kacidra said,

you

Family

was wrong. I didn’t want to have that conversation with him. Not right now, at least.

who just happened to be the little sister to the woman I was betrothed to, and I hadn’t even

she teased, flicking me on

“Shut up!”