Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 23 :1 Saw It

*Lena*

‘’We're going to find this thing," Xander said as he stood with his back to me in the warehouse. I couldn't see exactly what he was holding, but I knew it was a blade of some kind. He was sharpening it, his words broken up by the sound of metal gliding over metal. "And then we're done with it. do you understand?"

I nodded, the comers of my mouth tightening as I tried to hide my smile. He looked over his shoulder at me. glaring in my direction.

"I understand-"

"We won't speak another word of it after tonight." he said with finality. He continued to stare at me until I nodded.

I rolled my eyes as he turned back around to complete his task.

It was almost ten o'clock. I leaned against one of the tractors as I looked over at the open garage door of the warehouse. The bunkhouse was in full view, only a single light on in the room that housed the female faun workers. A shadow passed the window, then the light turned off.

This was it. We were doing this.

I heard the crunch of footsteps outside the warehouse, followed by a sheepish looking Bethany. She was dressed for the chill in the air. and she had her tool belt around her waist. She looked ready to face whatever was out there, but her eyes betrayed her composer. She exhaled deeply as she walked througli the threshold.

"I changed my mind," she said sharply, swallowing hard.

"Too late for that," Xander breathed, turning around as he examined his blade.

I narrowed my eyes at him as he ran his finger over the edge of the knife, which was huge.

"Do you really think we're going to need that?" I asked, but he ignored me. tucking his knife into the holster that was hooked on liis jeans.

"I don't want anyone getting hurt," Bethany pressed.

Xander gave her an incredulous look, then shook his head as he bent at the waist to tighten his boots.

"Meet us at the fire pit in an hour, Bethany." he grumbled.

He had a one-track mind at the moment. We'd spent the day bickering back and forth about how to handle the situation. We couldn't go out in broad daylight, that was for certain. Bethany had come back to our cottage shortly after leaving with Maxwell, telling us he'd threatened some type of punishment if he heard word that'd we’d gone after Elaine and Henry. He'd been irrationally angry, from what Bethany said.

"Maxwell isn't going to know, if that's what you're worried about," Xander said casually as he walked past Bethany and flipped the switch on the wall that caused the garage door to begin to close. "Lena, come on."

Xander ducked under the garage door and walked out of the sight. I let out my breath, glancing over at Bethany, whose cheeks were pink with frustration.

"I trust him-"

killed!" Bethany hissed as

asked, trying to hide the bite in my voice. I was ready to get this over with as well. My field study had been totally marred by the beastly mystery that was plaguing the farm. Now that Xander was finally fired up about it, I finally felt like we were closing in on a resolution for

eyes for a

not going

find whatever it is that's out there. Trust me. Xander has a plan,

then looked

“What kind of plan?"

on the kitchenette

a warrior?" I

backpack, preparing to zip up one

“What?"

certain look in your eyes right now," I stammered, feeling suddenly ridiculous. I slouched into the

the backpack and turning to me. "I'm just

"I understand-"

you understand? Really. Lena. Do you have any idea what we're about to

peered at him through my lashes. This was starting to become a repeat of our conversation from earlier in the day when I'd thrown

he said flatly. "It’s a

bait. That's where I come in." I crossed my legs, tapping my foot as Xander's face began to

wasn't the

breathed, twisting a lock of my hair around my finger, "and I'll be out, after dark, alone... while

Henry," he said with conviction, "then it won’t matter. I'm going to flush him out by calling out your name like we're looking for you, but you'll be right next to me the entire time. I'll put you in a tree, if I

tree? Xander,

if-" He stopped talking abruptly and ran his hand over his face. I bit the inside of my cheek, my stomach doing a little, uncomfortable flip. "We're getting Elaine back. That's it. We're going to sit in the woods and wait for tliis thing and follow it. Bethany says they've seen wolf tracks near the

it was all I had the wherewithal to

fell. "I'm going to

don't need you to do that. I

for me to stop, but then curled it into

my arms around my knees, balancing my chin on top of one knee as

spent the day in close quarters. We'd been arguing, but there was an underlying feeling of electricity between us that was still coursing through the room as

putting a distance between us. We could focus on something other than the fact that it was obvious we both had feelings for

about his past. I wanted to know

go," I said abruptly, practically

as I hurried around the room and pulled a sweatshirt and jacket on. and laced up