Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 39 : We Need to Talk

♦Lena*

Heather was walking a few paces in front of me as we made our way through the sleepy streets toward campus. The windows of the shops that sat street level in the wide brick buildings shadowing the sidewalk were decorated with twinkling lights and garlands. Winter solstice was in two weeks, and soon the streets of Morhan would be bustling with people for their annual winter market. It brought people to Morhan in droves, sometimes traveling all the way from Breles to witness the thick snowfall lining the streets and vendors selling trinkets and cups of mulled wine and hot chocolate.

The solstice market had been the backdrop to some of my fondest memories as a Morhan student, and every year I'd gathered up gifts from the vendors and scattered them around to my sprawling family members, hoping I'd remembered to get something for everyone.

This year felt different. As we walked along the street with snow piling around our ankles, the only thing on my mind was Xander. I was conflicted about whether or not I wanted to see him again. I'd told Viv and Heather everything about what had happened between us, but left out the grisly tidbits about the murders, and the fact I had been nearly sliced in half by an unearthly beast from the depths of Hell itself.

“It must be nice not having classes to worry about right now," Viv said, rolling her eyes as she shifted the weight of her backpack on her shoulder.

“You only have two finals left before winter break," Heather grinned over her shoulder, doing a little twirl and kicking powder- fine snow in her wake, “but it is freeing, you know, not having to even think about homework or tests or professors."

“But you're going to be a professor next semester!" Viv said with a little laugh. I looked at Heather, who shrugged, smirking playfully as she waited for me and Viv to catch up to her.

“I didn't know you were going to be teaching on campus," I pressed, linking my aim with hers. She c****d her head, her eyes glistening with mirth.

"Only for the spring semester, and it's just a 101 class for first-year students. Algebra, I believe, but nothing is set in stone. They could have me teaching literature for all I know."

“At least you won't have to share the adjunct faculty break room with Slate," Viv chimed as she linked her aim in mine on the other side, so I was snuggled between the two of them as we walked down the icy sidewalk toward campus.

“Slate?" I asked, grimacing. "Is he not teaching-"

“He got fired!" Heather exclaimed, her face brightening with glee. "Selves him right, the creep. Last I heard he was packing up to move out of town."

"That's great news," I breathed, exhaling deeply around the words.

Heather leaned her head against my shoulder for a moment, but Viv slipped, nearly dragging us all down to the ground. Once we'd recovered. Heather said, "Maybe you can apply for a job here too, and you wouldn't have to move out of our apartment. Viv and I are dreading getting new roommates once you and Abigail leave."

“I'm going to apply to the Agricultural Institute. They're looking for researchers," I replied. Heather glowered at me. shaking her head.

“And move where?"

near Red Lakes. There are a few new packs up that

and

Maybe you'll

smile, but beneath my gloves. I felt the love line on my palm tingle painfully. I flexed my hand, curling my fingers into my palm to press

that led to campus. Students milled about in small groups, and the occasional person rushed past

the park." Heather sighed, looking after Viv as we continued across the

a little jealous," I noted, shrugging

"Of what? Homework?"

“Having something to study."

idle a day in your

up the steps of the library, and a rush of warm air penetrated our heavy parkas as we stepped inside. We walked down a long hallway to the left where large conference rooms lined the hallway and through an open door

on the back table. A banner hung over the projector at the front of the room with “Congradulatians Graduates" written by hand-and misspelled. "Goddess," Heather sniffed, shaking her head. "Do they even know how

my coat and hat and hung them over a chair, leaving my gloves on the table. The carpeted floor was slightly damp from everyone's snowy winter boots. The room wasn’t very full at all. Maybe another dozen or so students milled about looking slightly uncomfortable. Heather handed me two paper cups of coffee and took

the sudden. I felt as though I'd shock Heather if I reached out and touched her. My skin felt hot as I handed her back her coffee and began to sip my own, but then I saw him out of the comer of my eye as he came tluough

the door. Xander had just started to pull his aims tlu ough his coat when he stopped, turning

on the elbow and

from his gaze and turned to Heather. "Fine." I whispered. My throat felt tight, and I found it hard to swallow against the lump that was damn

not going to

alright, really. I'm just

his friend. She glared, and out of the comer of my eye I saw him stiffen,

she murmured as she sat down beside me. putting

her hand move, and I knew she was flipping him off based on the shocked chuckle and

appeared, sliding into our

of Abigail, sat down next to us, smiling broadly as

her eyes. "It's not all surprising. The dean's abrupt departure messed everything up for us graduates.

her ami from my shoulder and leaving forward to get a better