Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 21 :1 Need to Tell You Something

*Lena*

He was waiting for me at the train depot, leaning against the farm truck with his aim crossed over his chest. I fought against the smile threatening to stretch across my face as I walked down the steps off the platform, my duffle bag hanging over one shoulder. He eyed me. looking me up and down.

‘’Hey." he said, his voice void of expression.

My heart sank as I gave him a tight-lipped smile and crossed in front of him to climb into the passenger side of the truck.

I'd be gone for just over a week.

I hadn't been able to get him out of my mind.

What did I expect him to do, really? Had I wanted him to run to me. to pick me up and swing me in a circle like something out of a romance novel? Had I wanted him to admit he'd been pining for me, to try to convince me everything I thought about our brief, but passionate, liaison had been something much more serious?

I was the problem. I know that much. I had no right to expect anything from him.

‘’I need to talk to you about something," he said as he put the truck in drive.

It was dark out, the little town of Crimson Creek speckled with yellow light as we drove toward the forest. I looked out my window as we crossed the bridge, seeing Radcliffe Manor rising in the distance atop its hill, peeking out over the trees.

“About what?"

“I got the sample we were talking about," he said casually, glancing over at me before focusing his eyes back on the road. "I'm not sure what I'm looking at, honestly."

"You made a slide?"

"Of course."

"I..." I wavered, shifting my weight in the passenger seat as we continued along the narrow road through the unforgivingly dark woods just inside the boundary of the estate. I looked at him. searching his face for a moment before I told him about the book I had found out about in the library.

"So, you're saying Carly knew about blood root?"

"I'm saying she knew about it and went back to Morhan to try to find out more information about it. I saw the date on the file, the date she checked out the book: it was only a week before she went missing. She had to get administrative approval in order to even check it out."

Xander exhaled, his nostrils flaring as he considered what I was telling him.

"Morhan didn't mention any of this in the file they gave us," I urged, with an emphasis on "any."

Xander abruptly stopped the truck, shifting it into park. He cut the headlights, and in an instant, we were blanketed in total darkness.

need to let this go. We have another three weeks here. We need to just focus, and

us here knowing what happened to Carly? Does that

though. You were the one who wanted to focus on our studies. This field

said sharply. I could barely see him, but he turned to face me. his eyes reflecting in

we only have

is trying to cover something up, Xander-the

to face me

shaking me a little. "We're not going to get the answers we want. This isn't about

healed you, remember? It's obvious Henry knows what's going on, but he refuses to say anything. He wants us both off the

headlights on and shifted the track into

"Stop!"

out here. Lena? Have you told them what's

never spoken to each other about our families or life outside

"They know I'm here."

they know someone was murdered

swallowed, shaking my

This is

We can test it against the other samples you've

what?"

before shifting the truck into drive. “What about? Our field study-or

tighten around the word. I wasn't sure what to say. I wanted him. I was, maybe, even starting to fall for him. But did we have a future

I noticed smoke coming from the chimney of our cabin in particular. My heart squeezed again as I realized he'd built a fire for us, one step ahead of the chill that was

a few steps behind him into the cottage. It was perfectly warm, and I noticed a few

hanging out in here more often than not," he said, setting my duffle bag down on the truck that still sat in the living room. "I was worried Radcliffe would take apart the lab, so I moved our files and notes in here." He waved

way in. I closed the door behind me and flipped on the

my clothes, swallowing against the intense desire to curl up in the bed and wait for Xander. My emotions were getting the better

stepped inside, his hand on the doorknob. "Are you

Xander had come in, and I smoothed them down as I followed him back out into the living room. He sat on his usual spot

blush that was creeping over my cheeks. I lifted my eyes

blushing?" he asked, lifting his mug to his lips. He was dressed in his

This would be so much easier if I

Morhan. I hit him in the head

Xander arched his brow.

"Why a shampoo bottle?"

chuckled. Eventually. I told him about my failed attempt to research bloot root and

you feel about the fact