Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 32 : Mark Me

♦Lena*

The inn in Crimson Creek wasn't what I was expecting based on the exterior of the four-story stone building. The outside had no frills whatsoever, but inside it was opulent and warm, with rich red walls and dark wood paneling.

It was midday, and bright sunlight was filtering through the window of the room with the two beds Xander booked for us for our last night in Crimson Creek. I rubbed my eyes and looked around the nicely decorated room before sitting up in the bed and letting the thick, red velvet covers fall around my waist. Xander wasn't here, but I could tell he'd at least slept for a few hours based on the tangle of sheets on the bed across the room.

Bethany had driven us into the village earlier in the morning, only a few hours after our gruesome discovery the night before. Xander and I hadn't uttered a single word to each other the entire night. We were both too shocked and overwhelmed to talk about what we'd witnessed, but it didn't prevent us from spending several hours being interrogated by the warriors from Breles. who immediately swarmed the estate and took Maxwell prisoner.

Xander and I had simply fallen into bed in the cottage, his arms wrapped tightly around me as we stared at the wall, unable to close our eyes. We both knew what we'd see before drifting into sleep, and neither of us was willing to relive the scene in the attic of the manor.

The bed was bare, the sleeping bags already rolled and packed away. All that we'd had the strength to do was change out of our clothes and toss them in the hearth, letting the fire bum the stench and dust of the manor into ashes.

We lay like that for three hours. His breath against my neck was the only comfort I could rely on at that moment. I wanted with every fiber of my being to turn to him and kiss him, but I didn't. I just let him hold me. knowing we were both simply seeking the touch and safety of someone, maybe even anyone.

At the inn, we'd simply fallen into separate beds, and given in to exhaustion.

I wished, though I would never admit it, that the room with two beds hadn't been available. I always slept so much better with Xander by my side.

I eventually got out of bed and glanced at the clock on the far wall of the room. It was a quarter past 2:00. which meant I'd been asleep since nearly 7:00.1 started to dress but decided against it, holding my Morhan sweatshirt in my hands and picturing the nearly identical sweatshirt that had been hanging on the bedpost in the attic. I dropped my sweatshirt, tears welling in my eyes as I quickly crossed to the bathroom and turned on the shower.

The warriors from Breles had bravely gone into the attic and gathered everything. They removed the butler's body. They'd collected Carly's things. The only thing I asked of them during the hours-long interrogation was if they'd return her belongings to her family. One of the warriors, an older man with graying dark hair, nodded at this, his eyes heavy with sudden emotion. “I know her father." he had said, and that was that.

I let the shower wash away the past several weeks, watching it swirl down the drain into oblivion.

What now?

I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my hair without even looking at my haggard reflection in the mirror. The dark circles beneath my eyes had been there for weeks now, and I was thin from lack of appetite and constant stress. I dried myself off. then allowed myself a simple luxury, which was a bottle of vanilla-scented lotion provided by the hotel, and slathered it over my body before dressing in nothing but a plush robe.

For some reason, I'd expected homespun fabric sheets and nothing but tallow soap when we first parked in front of the hotel. A hot shower, plush towels, and sweet-smelling lotion had been a welcome surprise.

I had barely even stepped out of the bathroom before I heard Xander's voice, which mingled with the scent of hot coffee with cream.

“You smell like a cookie," he said with his back turned to me. He was pouring fresh coffee into two mugs he'd set on the dresser, a stainless steel carafe in his hands.

“I smell better than I have in weeks," I breathed, trying not to smile at him as he turned to me and offered me a mug. Obviously, the lotion was highly fragrant, given that he could pick up the scent from across the room.

He had a soft look in his eyes as they met mine. He looked more rested than I'd seen him in a long time. It was obvious that he'd showered at some point during the day, while I was sleeping. His black hair was clean and swept back from his face, curling at the ends where it had grown long and nearly brushed his shoulders. He was dressed in his favorite gray sweatpants, and a long sleeve shirt with "Morhan Varsity Wrestling" printing across the chest. For a moment, he looked almost exactly like he had the day he put himself between me and Slate.

The thought of Slate made my mouth go dry. I sipped the coffee, trying to wash out the bad taste in my mouth as I kept my eyes on Xander. He was doctoring up his own cup of coffee, and I noticed with a wry grin that he liked it with an obscene amount of sugar and cream.

I knew him as bossy, and demanding. We'd been in close quarter's for

pack are you from?" I asked, much without thinking. He was stirring his coffee, but paused, the

“Why do you ask?"

know," I stated, shifting my weight as he set the spoon on the tray

heard of," he replied with a small shrug of his

of coffee as my mind began to race. I could feel my heart thumping against my chest as I took a quick

down, arching his brow. “What's

desperate, like everything I wanted was about

his cheekbones and through his strange, dark eyes flaked with amber. Goddess,

my eyes, the silent, secret plea for understanding. Maybe it w'as the apology on the tip of my tongue, the truth

Until now.

together. It's impossible," I said, my voice cracking

he

my mind and

wouldn't accept me?" he asked, his mouth barely moving as the wwds

said hurriedly, trying to gather my thoughts. "Botany and horticulture was... it was a brief escape from my... from my life. My responsibilities. I'm supposed to be... I don't have

coffee mug fell, bouncing and rolling across the floor as it came to stop beneath one of the twin beds. He ripped the towrel from my head, his fingers tangling in

breathe, and I opened my mouth in a desperate attempt to find a single gulp of air before his tongue played over my lower lip, then

immediately settled on his bare chest, his skin warm to the touch. We paused for a moment, just looking at each other. He reached between us and loosened the tie of my robe until

he placed

if I told you, you could leave this all behind? Everything? Your home, your pack... and

back, his fingers running up and down the length of my spine

me. Skip the train, and come with me-" he trailed kisses along my neck, sucking the skin between my neck and shoulder for

deeply rooted longing I'd been trying to ignore since the day

ask him what he meant by skipping the train. Did he not mean to return to Morhan? We

to him. I surrendered, my robe

dresser in an instant, his hands taking every liberty with my body I could possibly allow. I leaned my head back as he reached

Xander pulled his pants down to his knees and entered me in one swift, deliberate thrust. I cried out, grasping

I never wanted it to

filling me with his length. I

wrapping my arms around his neck

heart beating so rapidly I could feel it against my own chest. He gathered me into his arms, panting as he held

against him. I'd been so close

breath in a low7 growl as I continued to move against him, my body begging

he continued to stand still, leaning aw7ay from me and taking me by the hips to guide my desperate

muscles straining as I fought for release. The dresser was holding