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.

think we need to let this go. We have another three weeks

happened to Carly?

wheel. "It doesn't matter, though. You were the one who wanted to

where I was supposed to be!" I said sharply. I could barely see him, but he turned to

said, we only have three

trying to cover something

to face me

my shoulders, shaking me a little. "We're

blood root. The blood root is doing it. But it also healed you, remember? It's obvious Henry knows

on and shifted

"Stop!"

you're out here. Lena? Have you told

to

"They know I'm here."

was murdered

shaking my

an adult, Xander. This is

can test it against the other samples you've collected. We pretend everything is fine: we stay out of the way.

then what?" I

paused before shifting the truck into

him. I was, maybe, even starting to fall for him. But did we

drive. We drove out of the woods and down the narrow road that cut througli fields of grain. The cottages came into view, and 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 settling into

the bed of the truck while I walked a few steps behind him into the cottage. It was perfectly warm, and I

room. "I was worried Radcliffe would take apart the lab, so I

my duffle bag on the way in. I closed the door behind me and flipped on the light, staring down

against the intense desire to curl up in the bed and wait for Xander. My emotions were getting the better of me when

doorknob. "Are

long trip." I'd pulled on a comfy sweatshirt and matching pair of sweatpants before 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 on the trunk. I sat in the armchair, and for a split second, I had a vision of the two of us as elderly people, sitting side by side in high-backed chairs, holding hands as we

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

lifting his mug to his lips. He was dressed in his signature

him about everything. This would be so much easier if I could. Instead, I said

when I was in Morhan. I hit him in the head

Xander arched his brow.

"Why a shampoo bottle?"

chuckled. Eventually. I told him about my failed

the fact