Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 19 : Get Away from Me!

*Lena*

I slept like the dead the entire train ride back to Morhan. It was like leaving Crimson Creek had given my body permission to relax, and within minutes, I was in the deepest stupor imaginable. Seven hours later I found myself walking through the college town Morhan University was named after, my duffle bag slung over my shoulder as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

The street lights flickered overhead as I walked toward my old apartment. It was fall break, and normally that meant my roommates and I would have an entire week of downtime to study for our semester finals. But this year, our senior year. I would be alone while Heather. Viv, and Abigail were away for their field studies.

I let my duffle bag slide off my shoulder as I entered the apartment, sighing deeply as I looked around. Nothing had changed, for which I was grateful. It felt good to be home, even if it meant my field study was on pause. Even though my old room was currently packed away in boxes, I'd have a pillow to lay my head on in a bed I didn't have to share with Xander.

Xander. I hadn't even thought about him since I woke up from my journey back to Morhan. I sighed, trying to brush away the feelings of regret lingering in my heart as I bent to untie my shoes in the narrow front hallway.

I stepped into the apartment, dragging my duffle bag behind me as I made a mental checklist of everything I needed to do while I was home. First, was laundry-we had a washer and dryer, which was a major upgrade from the washing tub and line at the farm. Next. I wanted to spend a few days in the library researching anything I could find about blood root. Last, I had a few phone calls to make and letters to write, which I was dreading.

"What're you doing here?"

I dropped the strap of my duffle bag and looked up at Abigail, who was standing in the center of the living room in nothing but a terry cloth robe and a towel wrapped around her hair.

‘•What are you doing here?" I repeated.

We were shocked to see each other. I w'as supposed to be in Crimson Creek, and Abigail w'as supposed to be across the sea, in Mirage.

“You first," she said, furrowing her brow at me.

“It's a long story-"

“I was just about to have a glass of wine. Want one?"

Yes. I definitely did.

Abi kept her eyes fixed on me as she stepped into the kitchen and popped the cork on a half-full bottle of cheap wine. She looked suspicious. I'm stue my expression was very much the same.

“So?" I said, accepting the wine she’d poured.

“So... I'm obviously not in Mirage." she said with a little sigh, but then her mouth twitched into a smile. "I got another opportunity, and I will leave next week."

“Where?"

a few7 weeks to train with the Alpha of Poldesse's head florist before graduation. Then, well, I guess I got that invitation to the wedding after all. I'll be at the palace the day of the wedding,

my best smile, but

fixing me with an intense stare. "Enough about me. It's not all that interesting. Why the hell are you here

a deep breath, then

“Lena?"

said, then brought my glass of wine to

just outside of campus, was nearly empty as w7e sat at a snug table overlooking the street. Abigail was listening intently as I told her everything over mugs of

to tell her all about the insane happenings on Radcliffe Fann-the murder, the dying plants,

broke up with him?" she asked as she motioned for a waiter to bring us another round. I shrugged, miming my tongue along my lower lip as I tried to

really together," I

me a look then sighed as she leaned back against her chair. "Sounds like

“What do you mean?"

great and all, but

my mate. I feel like I would know7,

he say w7hen

at me and then told me he'd see me when I got back,

doesn't seem like it’s

aims over my chest. "I don't like how... how7 out of control I feel

me a curious look. “What do

wondering how71 could even explain

young, my emotions often got the better of me. I sometimes lost control, and it got me in trouble, or worse, hurt. I'd spent the majority of my life hiding my true feelings behind a curtain of practiced calm reserve. I rarely raised my voice. My smiles were often forced. I languished in an emotionless stupor most of the time, happy to just seem normal to everyone around me and

was chipping away at that, and sometimes I thought

when I'm around him," I said, thinking that was close enough to the truth

he not

sometimes cold. And. the events of the past few7 weeks threw7 us

with a

then shook my head. "It doesn't

for someone, isn't it? Not as easy as the novels make

glanced over to the other end of the bar, where a group of older women w7as gathered around a table. They were obviously a book club, judging by the books stacked in front

Tossed.'" Abi smiled, tapping her finger on the table. A waiter placed tw7o mugs of mulled wine in front of us, and she smiled her thanks up at him. "I read it recently. There wasn't much

I asked, thankful the

back over at the book club. "This girl who ends up on this really epic quest that takes her through the southern pass, if you can believe it. It's incredible. It doesn't even feel like fiction. It has pirates, treasure, and a love story. She finds her mate, but he isn't who he says he is at first. It's all about the

I said into my w'ine, struggling to sw'allow7 as my throat

She shrugged again.