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-"

Bethany hissed as she took a few

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

closed her eyes for a moment as she considered

going to find

that's out there. Trust me. Xander has a plan,

blinked, then looked me up and

“What kind of plan?"

in and out of the bedroom of our cottage, gathering things and tucking them in a backpack sitting on the kitchenette counter. I'd never seen him act like this before. He was hyper focused, determined, and all and all total void of expression

you a

on the backpack, preparing

“What?"

a warrior, of some kind? You just have... a certain look in your eyes right now," I stammered, feeling suddenly ridiculous. I slouched into

and turning to me.

"I understand-"

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

actually. I don't." I felt the heat rising to my cheeks as I 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 a mug

don't want you to come." he said flatly. "It’s a

you need bait. That's where I come in." I crossed my legs,

the plan." he

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

we're looking for you, but you'll be right next to me the entire time. I'll put you in a

tree? Xander,

I'll drag you back here. Do you understand? This is an incredible risk, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself 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

it was all I had the wherewithal

as his shoulders fell. "I'm going to keep you safe,"

to do that. I can

hand out. motioning for me to stop, but then curled it into a fist.

as I brought my knees into my chest. I hugged my arms around my knees, balancing my chin on top of one knee

of electricity between us that was still coursing

fact that it was obvious we both had feelings

did. I wanted to know. I wanted to know about him, about his past. I wanted to know

I said abruptly, practically jumping to my

I hurried around the room and pulled a sweatshirt and