Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 40 : I’ll Tell Her Everything

♦Lena*

Tomorrow. He'd come pick me up from my apartment tomorrow.

That was all I could think about as I paced around the small bedroom I'd shared with Heather for the last three years. Heather was out. where I didn't know, but I found myself alone and on edge.

I'd already unpacked my duffle bag and backpack. I'd taken a shower and ran a load of laundry. I had nothing else to do for the remainder of the day but wallow in my anxieties and suspicions about what Xander needed to talk to me about.

It obviously wasn't urgent. He would have pulled me aside during the luncheon or caught up to me afterward if he had news about Elaine and Henry. It was obvious the students who attended Morhan were totally in the dark about what had happened in Crimson Creek, which was a good tiling, but still....

I was caught in a massive cover-up. and Xander was the only one who knew the truth.

I tilted my head back and closed my eyes, hugging myself with my amis.

Maybe he wanted to talk about us.

I let out my breath, shaking my head. What could possibly be said at this point? We were done. We weren't anything to begin with. It wasn't like I'd been his girlfriend.

I sat down hard on the edge of my bed. and my backpack slid off the mattress, falling to the floor. The envelope George had given me peeked out of the front pocket, the thick cardstock flaked with gold and reflecting in the dusty sunrays pouring thr ough the windows.

The clouds had opened enough to reveal a beautiful sunset, which sent rays of pink and amber light cascading into the room. I reached for the envelope and slid my finger tlirough the wax seal binding the envelope together. There were two things inside. One. I expected, and tossed onto my bed without a fraction of a glance.

The second item in the envelope was just a piece of scratch paper with an untidy scrawl littering the page. I held it to the light, reading each and every word before I let it fall to the floor.

A familiar pain radiated through me as I stood and pulled on a hooded sweatshirt. The letter had brought back an anguish I'd shared with who I considered my best friend and closest confidant. I'd been there when it happened. I'll never forget the look on his face.

He'd loved her since they were just kids, and the two of them had grown up together, attending the same schools and running in the same social circles. He'd thought, with every fiber of his being, that she was Iris mate. They both looked forward to the day she turned twenty-one. only a few days after his own birthday.

But it wasn't him. They weren't fated. Her mate had been, in fact, his brother.

She'd chosen his brother over him. It shattered his heart beyond repair.

I sighed as I sank down on the bed. looking down at the letter that had fallen onto the floor between my feet. I read the words over again, lingering on the litre where he'd written that all I needed to do was call, and we'd be on the next boat through the southern pass. We could skip the wedding neither of us wanted to attend. He just didn't want to do it alone.

The sun had almost fully set as I left my bedroom and pulled on my coat and a weathered beanie over my tousled locks. My pale blonde lowlights had grown out, revealing the silvery white hair that grew stick-straight, not a single curl in sight.

No one had said anything about it. It was probably because striking, platinum-blonde hair was in style right now. and people paid a king's ransom to accomplish it.

But no one had my pale silver eyes and moon-kissed eyelashes, nor my silver-white eyebrows and porcelain, unblemished skin.

I was odd. foreign. But I'd made it work. My years-long lies and excuses wouldn't matter much soon. It was all coming to an end.

I walked the short distance from my apartment to the pay phone hr front of the laundry' mat around the comer. Barely anyone outside of the wealthy' and royal had access to phones in then homes, not yet. The radio towers that had been constructed two decades ago made it possible for communication between the continents outside of letters, but it was a slow progression.

called home. I liked to write and receive letters. But there wasn't much

into the payphone and held the receiver to my ear. listening to the static

can I connect you?" she

ears as the operator connected me to the next

I connect you?" came a new. male

closing my hand around the receiver

soft chuckle flickered tlirough the

luck even reaching

I whispered as a man passed behind me on

“What is it?"

breath and

“1701... S."

"One moment."

resumed, then ringing filled my' ears as I was transferred. A few moments passed and

"Lena?"

late." I began, closing my eyes. I felt tear s beginning to well in the comers of my eyes as his soft laugh fluttered through

and a shocked exclamation mingled with whatever reassurance he uttered in reply. “Is everything

“I'm fine, really. I-"

skirmish on the other line. I smiled broadly, my' heart

Troy?" I said

though he was holding my' aunt at arm's length

“What's up. kid?"

Oliver." I breathed. “Is

♦Xander*

arms stretched over the back of the sofa. He was watching me as I unpacked the belongings I'd

murmured, reaching for a pair of socks that had rolled beneath

now? Are

don't know." I replied, sighing as I started to organize the small items that I'd just dislodged from the depths of

she didn't seem all that enthused about you at the

caipet and walked into the tight

kid. He was arrogant and sarcastic, but loyal, the kind of guy who didn't shy away from a fight. This fight, however, was starting to wear on the both of us. It'd been a year at least since we'd been home. He was just as ready to return as I

He had his positive qualities, but cleanliness was not one of them. I swiped a few beer cans off the counter and into the trash can. scowling at him over my shoulder as he smirked, tapping

is she just a fling?"

Iris fingers through Iris ham "I haven't broached the subject." He shrugged, tilting his head as he watched me

to linn so he couldn't see

begun to rise over the tall brick buildings in downtown Morhan. Adrian had been asleep, the door to Iris bedroom wide open, and a young, dark haired woman was sleeping with

tea in the pantry definitely wasn't Adrian's. I turned to look at him. leaning on the kitchen counter as the coffee began to brew, the sound of the water heating and hissing steam filling

blue eyes narrowed on mine for a

for sure, you know. What about your, uh. Lena situation? No go. then?" he asked, clearly trying to change

I said curtly, watching him inn his fingers through his golden blond hair