Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 28 : The Truth

*Lena*

‘•What do you remember?" Xander asked as he handed me a glass of water.

“Everything," I winced, swallowing against the pain that seemed to radiate over every inch of my body. I'd been out for three days, according to Xander. He looked like he hadn't slept the entire time.

He told me everything that had happened after I lost consciousness. I listened as intently as I could, even though I was on the edge of sleep once more. I felt like my body was fighting itself, every cell and fiber at war with some unknown enemy. My throat was sore, and my eyes watered. I felt like I had a cold or flu, to be honest. I didn't necessarily feel like my stomach had just been ripped open by a raging, rabid beast who Xander told me, point blank, had been Jen.

“I thought you were going to die," he said after a long pause in his retelling of the past three or four days. His voice was stem, almost like he was disappointed in me.

“I'm sorry-"

“No, I am sorry. This situation... I acted out of impulse."

“You were trying to find my friend." I replied weakly, my voice catching in my throat. We'd captured the beast, but there was still no sign of Elaine and Henry. I tried to give him a smile, but didn't have the strength. In truth, waking up from my pained, uneasy slumber to his face looking down at me was the best thing that had ever happened to me. Dramatic, yes, but I could barely describe the relief and sheer joy at the fact he was alright.

He'd saved my life by allowing me to stay here, with total strangers. My wounds were healing slowly, but they were healing. Xander had stayed by my side the entire time.

“I don't think I can get out of bed yet." I whispered, closing my eyes again.

“It's fine. There's nowhere you need to be-"

"Our field study-"

“It's over. Lena. It's done. We can't go back. When you're well enough to walk, we'll stay in Crimson Creek. Gideon has an apartment there-"

“But graduation-"

“Morlian is giving you back every single penny you paid in tuition over the years, as well as your diploma and a stellar recommendation to any job you want after this, Lena, mark my words. I'll wring the dean's neck if not."

I couldn't help but smile. For the first time in my life, I had not a single care in the world. It felt nice. I was relaxed. I was happy, if that was even possible given the situation. I wondered what kind of medicine I'd been given to make me feel this way.

to eat something." Xander coaxed, but I

made me eat soup earlier, and I couldn't keep it down," I said, opening one eye to peer at him for a moment before closing

* Xander*

this for days now, flowing

an occasional sip of tea. I knew Alma was dosing her heavily with something to keep her at rest and relieve the pain, but I felt like

wound Jen had given me when she bit me. The scratches on my back and shoulders, which had already healed without an ounce of discomfort, were markedly different from what Lena was experiencing. Jen had nearly ripped her

and calm, until the near-fatal injury began to fully

She'd cry out for her parents, her whimpers cutting into my soul as I held her against my chest, rocking her back and forth as though she were an

couldn't

her family. She was closed off in that regard. She was a fantastic actor, I could give her that much. There

The Alpha of Breles likely didn't care about what was happening this far west. Maxwell Radcliffe was gone, apparently, on some errand far north, and no one could get ahold of

now

Lena's chin and tucked it around her, gripping her upper arms for a moment and saying another desperate prayer I

listening to my pleas for not only her survival but my

off to have realized I was falling in love with her until she

Alma and her youngest brother, a young man named Abel, were standing near the health talking in low tones as I nodded in their

for dinner. You need to eat something other than soup," Alma

tight smile, hoping that would be enough, and stepped out

hear a word I said. I checked on her wounds

yet. I hoped that one day

was going to kill

to be done. And I was

was waiting for me in the bam with his brother Silas. The two of them were leaning against one of the old stalls, watching as Jen slumped against the fallen beam, her body wasted and sunken. She didn't

made her desperate. She was saying anything and everything to try to convince us to let her go. But I could hear the lies in her voice. Gideon was right. Jen was no longer there, and she hadn't been for a long time. Whatever she was now, well, was primal, second nature, something hidden deep within every shifter that was never meant to see

and tired, and pleading for us to just kill

I want answers," I said as I knelt a

her head at this point, but her eyes lowered to look me

“Your friends?"

Henry. Where

took them back to him," she said in