Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 14: Now, or Never

♦Lena*

Xander came through the doorway and turned to close and lock the door. He stood there for a moment, his hand lingering on the lock as he took a deep breath.

"I think we're safe-" I began, but he shook his head, glancing at me over his shoulder before turning to face me fully.

"What’s your plan with the man from the bar?" he asked hotly, and I straightened my back a little.

"Ben offered to show me around the village the next time the workers from the estate go to town, that’s all.*

"Is that all?" he asked, taking a single step in my direction.

"Y-yes, Xander. He was just being kind."

I felt a little heated. Xander knew I didn't date. He knew I was focused on my studies to the fullest extent. Ben had offered me something that I wanted, that was all. I wanted to see the village and the people who lived there. I wanted to ask him questions only a local could answer. It wasn't like Ben had asked me on a date.

But Xander had proved to be possessive and territorial already. And, of course, we'd kissed. That definitely added a layer of complications to our situation.

"You need to watch your back, Lena. I can’t always be around to keep an eye on you," he said, his voice catching in his throat. He was giving me an odd look, something I couldn’t quite decipher. I knew Ben had made him jealous, or at least territorial. I hoped it was the latter.

"I don’t need you to watch out for me, Xander. I don’t expect that from you. I... this is for school, okay? I’m not here to do... anything else. I think it’s best we... just focus on our studies, and be friends-"

"I can't be your friend," he said, his eyes flashing with frustration. It was dark in the cottage, save for the woodstove that was burning down to embers. I swallowed, adrenaline rushing over my skin as he took another step toward me.

I knew what would happen if I kissed him again. I wanted to, somewhere deep within me, but I also knew once I went there, there was no going back. Xander got whatever he wanted, whoever he wanted, based on his reputation at school. He'd already been seeing Jen. That should have been enough for him.

"You have Jen-"

"I don’t care about Jen," he said with annoyance, now standing so close to me I could reach out and touch him with my fingertips. I’d been taking a step away from him every time he took a step forward, and now I was standing in the doorway of the bedroom. The air was electric, the tension so thick I could cut it with a knife.

I knew we were both stressed out from the shock of the last week. I knew we were both tired. I realized, as Xander took another step in my direction, effectively closing the distance between US, that I didn't have much fight left in me.

I'd been fighting against myself, my feelings, and my desires for my entire life.

So, when he leaned in, his lips hovering above mine, I surrendered to what I truly wanted but didn't have the strength to admit.

I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair, a single curl coiling around my finger as I looked up into his dark eyes. I hadn't noticed the deep cinnamon of his irises, or the soft gold flakes around the outer rim. He brushed his lips against mine as softly as possible, his hand rising to cup my cheek.

Now, or never.

opened my mouth to him, and he kissed me fully. Every stressor and thought in my mind evaporated in a single second as he brought both his hands to my face, holding me in place as he deepened the kiss. A wave of longing, hot and desperate, washed over me as he backed me into the bedroom, his lips not leaving mine for even an instant. I felt

to him to shield my body from his gaze. No man had ever seen me without a shirt on before. He kissed me on the forearm as he

he ran his fingertips over the skin of my belly. I swallowed back my nerves, but found myself unable to meet his eye. 'Are

I said, but my

hand left my skin, and he touched my chin, lifting my face so I had no choice but to look into his eyes. "You do something to me that I've never felt before,"

shirt. I couldn't answer him, I had no words lingering on the tip of my tongue.

hands slid beneath his shirt and over the tight, smooth muscles of his abdomen. He was hot to the touch, almost feverish. I

to the other side of his chest, he

"What happened?"

bending his head to nibble my earlobe. It sent a surge of desire through me, and I momentarily closed my eyes, lost

he pulled away and took off his shirt, I was stunned,

and a bloodied bandage covered his left pectoral muscle, just above his nipple. The

on the light. We were suddenly bathed in yellow light, and he squinted, covering his eyes for a moment while I hastily pulled my sweater over my head. I gasped, bringing my hands to

He looked pale all of the sudden, his eyes glossing over as the pain of his touch

"Xander, it looks terrible!"

he began to peel the bloodied bandage away, but then stopped, pitching forward into my arms. I

"XANDER!"

was extremely heavy as I fought against him. I smacked him in the face several times but he was knocked out cold. I heard the front door open, and Henry called out, then in a split second he was standing in the door. His eyes were wide as he stared down

"Something's wrong with him-'

looked over Xander's shoulder, noticing for the first time the deep purple bruising the

my direction, pulling Xander off me as though he weighed nothing. My eyes didn't leave Henry and Xander

felt bile rising in my throat as

medkit. The one in my cottage," Henry said softly. Bethany disappeared through the doorway, the front door slammed shut behind her. "Go boil some hot water, and get me a few towels, now." He glanced up at me from where I was kneeling on the bed. I nodded, moving quickly toward the woodstove and grabbing the kettle and taking it into the bathroom to fill it, while also grabbing the towels. My mind was

do the others get back from the village?" I heard Henry say as Bethany reentered the

"Not until Sunday-"

stays between

and running into the bedroom. "We need to

to Xander, rifling through the large metal medkit Bethany had fetched. I was shocked at the

hissed, my anxiety heightening as I watched him open a muslin bag full of a blackened, dried

back until you have the boiling water for his bandages!" Henry's sharp tone sent

swallowing

at me, narrowing his eyes. "I said

It's going to

sit up, his face contorted in

Jen-' he cried, then relaxed, but his body

crying out Jen's name. Not

me as I turned and opened one of the drawers in

releasing Xander's shoulders. He was grinding the pungent herbs into a fine powder, holding his breath while he did so. I wanted to ask what it was, but no words escaped my lips as I dunked the towels into the water