Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 4:1 Did You a Favor

*Lena*

Xander was standing near the fountain, mingling with a group of students. He had a wide grin on his face as he chatted with the young woman standing next to him. She was beaming up at him as if she was chatting with a celebrity. I could see her eyes shining from where I stood. I, on the other hand, was trying not to burst into tears over the fact that I was, one, being punished for Slate's disgusting behavior, and two, I wasn' t going to be packing up my bags to head to Red Lakes anytime soon.

I cleared my throat and wiped the tears from my eyes as I started forward. I'd have to walk right by him to stay on the brick pathway that led through campus and into the small town of Morhan. My apartment was only three blocks away from campus, situated on top of a corner grocery store, and I was determined to get there and sob my heart out without any interference.

But Xander saw me and followed me with his gaze as I sped past his group. I knew that if I glanced over my shoulder, he would be watching me. I should probably have told him it wouldn't be necessary for him to walk me to class anymore though, eventually.

"Hey, what's the matter?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin as Xander fell in step with me.

"How'd you catch up to me so fast?" I huffed, sniffing indignantly. I did not want to talk about this at all. I would cry if I did, and I sure as hell wasn't going to start crying in front of Xander.

"I have longer legs than you," he shrugged, glancing over at me, but I refused to meet his eye. "Seriously though, have you been crying? Was it... was it Slate again? Did he touch you-"

"No!" I exclaimed, rounding on him.

We'd made it to the edge of campus and were standing under the rows of chestnut trees that lined the pathway into town. It was early evening, and most of the students were in the commons for dinner, so by some miracle, we were alone.

"Then what happened?"

Xander looked me up and down as if he didn't believe that Slate hadn't been messing with me again.

"I nearly got expelled!"

"Well... nearly is good, right? You're not actually expelled, are you?"

"No, but l.„." I swallowed back the immense grief that was tying my stomach into a knot. I glanced up at him, seeing his face lined with nothing but concern. Why the hell did he care? "Slate went to the administration and said I was the one pursuing him... that I had been going to his house every night, and waiting for him to get out of class-"

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, and I just lost my spot in the Red Lakes research camp because of it." My lower lip trembled, and I bit down on it, squeezing my eyes shut so they wouldn't spill over with tears.

"Where is he now?" Xander asked, his voice low and deathly serious.

"I have no idea!"

handle this, Lena, don't

Xander and looking right at him through my tears. "No, you won’t! Your handling

me, his eyes dark slits as he continued to slowly close the distance between us, like a predator. "He had his hands

not some damsel in distress!" I cried.

not what it looked

you hadn't butted in and choked him, he wouldn't

would've continued to

nose now, and despite the heaviness of our words, our voices were low.

and a half years for... for this... and now-" I sniffled, clearing my throat and trying to get a hold of myself. Xander's glare had abruptly

he began, but

me anywhere, okay? You've done enough

you? What? You think I'd follow you home,

hissed. "Three hours ago, we were strangers. And now, you' ve

the one who went to the dean. I wasn't the one who was stalking and harassing you.

asked my friend Heather about me,“ I said, crossing my

his tongue along his lower lip. "I did,“ he replied.

took it upon yourself to swoop in and save me when I didn't need saving? It

Lena. If you're about to say I took what happened between you and that disgusting creep as an opportunity to make myself look some type of way to you, save your breath. I saw a man taking advantage of a student, and I stepped in. I’m sorry you lost your place at Red Lakes. And, Lena, if I see Slate again,

lose your field

haven't put in for a field study yet. It doesn't matter

to me," I breathed, my breath

you know that? She said you wouldn't even look my way because you have your nose so far in your textbooks that you didn't have a single second to spare for

"That isn't true-'

tell me," he interrupted, "what exactly do

didn't seem to care that Slate, a professor at this school, was harassing you to the point of showing up at your apartment in the middle of the night and laying his hands on you in public. You were more than willing to continue to let that happen

people tell me to do my entire life!" I cried, pushing him away. "This was all I

blaming me for it

backpack as I walked past him. He didn't follow me,

X**

coffee table. Viviene was sitting in the chair to Heather's

said, throwing her hands in

sighed, crossing her legs as

living room for several minutes, having to lean on the kitchen island to steady myself as I went over every minute of the day I had just had. I'd glanced up at the pieces of art my roommates and I had collected from the flea market over the years, decorating our shabby two-bedroom apartment with a mismatch of things, including plants and odd

was going to Red Lakes. Now, leaving the sanctuary of our apartment, with its exposed brick walls and kitchen we had painted a