Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 26 :1 Saved Her Life

* Xander*

Jen was laying on top of Lena, her dark brown hair blanketing the both of them as I roughly pulled her off of Lena's body.

Bethany was screaming in pain, but I took that as a good sign. She was alive, after all. At least for now. She'd survive, only because of what I'd seen Lena do.

Jen wasn't dead, but the knife was lodged in her side. Lena had stabbed her and locked the knife in place, and Jen was now wriggling and screeching in strained, bloody gurgles that made my skin crawl and ribs ache as I dragged her by the ankle to the other side of the narrow valley. She looked like death itself: almost unrecognizable. Whatever beauty she'd possessed had faded into decay, her skin as gray and molted as the beast she'd been only moments before.

I didn't pay her any mind. I was naked as the day I was bom, covered in blood, and had nothing on my mind but the fact that Lena was struggling to breathe in front of me. her eyes open but totally unseeing. I knelt before her. falling to my knees and placing my hands over her abdomen where deep, gaping wounds stretched across her skin.

"Oh. Goddess." I breathed, trying to maintain some semblance of composure. I kept telling myself she'd be fine. She'd heal quickly. But by the time Bethany was back on her feet. Lena was still laying limp, her blood seeping between my fingers as I pressed down on her wounds to try to stop the bleeding.

“We have to get her back to the farm," I choked, panic taking hold. I didn't try to hide the pain in my voice as I looked up at Bethany, who was wide-eyed.

"How am I alive? Wliat did she do-" she asked, meeting my gaze.

"We don't have time for that now." I said hoarsely, shaking my head as I gathered Lena in my aims.

Jen was screaming now. her voice choked and panicked as Bethany turned her head to look at her. Bethany saw red: I knew that much. In an instant, she was back in her wolf form and was dragging Jen up the hill by the meat of her thigh.

I couldn't shift. Lena was out cold. She'd fall off my back, and the weight of both of us would be too much for Bethany to cany, especially with her having to walk backward and drag Jen with her teeth.

But when I reached the top of the ridge. I was shocked to see how close we were to not only the estate but also the village of Crimson Creek. I could see the warehouse, cottages, and bunkhouse in the distance, their porch lights creating a soft, amber circle showing our way home. Crimson Creek was in the distance beyond the estate, its lights flickering as I caught up with Bethany.

I met her eyes, and a shared understanding passed between us. I could see the break in the wall near the firepit from where we stood. We'd take Lena and Jen back to the farm and tiy to stay hidden. Lena needed medical attention, however, and badly.

I kept in step with Bethany while she dragged Jen along. It was roughly a mile walk to the wall, and Jen fought Bethany the whole damn way. I kicked her right where the knife was still sticking out of her side, which quieted her. but her eyes were blazing with fury. She was in human form, but she was absolutely rabid, her eyes wide, and she was foaming at the mouth.

didn't care at the moment. I'd kill her once we were able to get information out

to fade. Thankfully, the lights in the bunkhouse were still off. No one was up and moving about as we reached the warehouse. It was the only place I could think to keep them both until Bethany

I covered her with a blanket. I quickly dressed in the clothes I had tucked away near the lab. which were stained with grime from creating the slides for the microscope, but I didn't care. My skin was chilled and numb, and once the warmth began

body. She gave me a soft smile

help."

already gnawing tlii’ough the tape as I tried to secure a second piece. It was taking every fiber of

pair of coveralls and tossed my lab coat in a waste bin. It was unsalvageable. Bethany had been covered

know someone. I need your help

but we need

Jen on the ground and got Lena into the truck. I buckled her in. my chest tightening as her head slumped forward. She'd been

Wliat if she died? I blinked back the sudden, desperate tears that were threatening to spill over my lashes as I took her face between my hands and pressed my forehead against hers, praying to whomever was

Bethany was watching. I heard the garage door opening as I reluctantly let Lena go and closed the door, slapping the hood of the truck as Bethany backed it out of the warehouse and sprayed gravel as she sped off

of the bunkhouse, where a single

***

with a knife stuck in her side, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. She fought against her restraints for the better part of an hour before she finally calmed down enough that I felt

When Bethany did come back. I planned on wrapping Jen in a taip and throwing her in the back of

was nagging at me. something Bethany had said during the few hours we spent in hiding waiting for the creature, also known

Crimson Creek wasn't real. I had no idea what she meant. I hadn't had a second to ask her

jarring. Maxwell was

any of it. Jen looked like she had some kind of disease, something that made

passed, and then another, with me pretending to organize the shelves in the warehouse while the other workers walked in and out as they went about their

and she wanted to

the warehouse, closing the garage door behind her. She was

asked, grabbing Bethany

"Lena's safe, and stable-"