Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 106 : Portal to Home

*Lena*

This place, whatever it was, was a land of eternal sunshine. I wondered if I may have dreamt about it at some point during my childhood, and maybe that dream had spurred the creation of my own garden realm.

Everything was too beautiful and too good to be real, and as we gathered in the clearing under the gentle rays of a forgiving sun, I felt a pang of regret at the idea of leaving.

We'd only spent a day here at the most, enough time to rest and eat. Xander and Zeke spent much of the last several hours in quiet conversation, but their eyes told me they were plotting something grandiose, something… violent. I tried to stop myself from thinking of what would need to come next. Next was war, next was c*****e, and even in her seemingly infinite wisdom, Andromeda had little answers for us.

Xander was upset by this and accused her of purposefully talking in riddles. Oliver was too wrapped up in the mate bond he felt in this place to focus on anything, or anyone, who required his attention. But something changed in him as we prepared to leave, and Andromeda noticed the change, although she hadn't spoken a single word to him and left him to her acolytes instead.

“They said there is no one by the name of Elaine here," Oliver said, his voice laced with hurt. Andromeda twisted one of his glossy, copper-blonde curls around her finger as she circled him, her wide mouth curving into a smile.

“She was here, but she left. You'll see her again."

“I haven't seen her at all," he said in a whisper, his cheeks coloring as he lowered his eyes. Xander watched him with a careful gaze, then glanced at me, those dark eyes heavy with emotion.

The only thing Oliver had ever wanted was his mate. I'd known that since we were just children. He'd thought that was Hollis, and maybe even for a moment, he'd thought that had been Abigail as well.

He'd followed that bond here, and it had dropped him right at the doorway to the place where Elaine had been, at least for a moment. Now, she was gone.

“People can just come and go?" Xander asked.

Andromeda shook her head, folding her arms over her lap as her acolytes scurried around behind her, readying the book for its journey. They were wrapping it in silk and tucking dried flowers within the folds of fabric.

“Your witch was seeking her friend, and through our seers was able to locate him–"

said beneath his breath, glancing at Oliver with a quick nod that said, 'We'll talk about this

of us sat down for a picnic a few hours earlier, and based on the glow of her skin and the sparkle in her eyes, I had

nodded at each other, their plans finalized, and then he wrapped an arm around Oliver's shoulder and led him away to talk in private. My stomach was in knots, my throat tight and my mouth dry. My time spent in Crimson Creek felt so simple compared to this. The fate

imperative the book is given to your aunt as soon as possible," Andromeda said as she glided in

I looked into her eyes. “It's a long journey to Winter

many rings she wore on her fingers, turning the ring over in her palm before handing it to me. It was ancient, the band glistened green with

Winter Forest, like the jade my father had made into wedding rings

it's time to go," she beckoned, and I stepped forward, taking her outstretched hand. My free hand laid over the swell of my belly, which seemed to be doubling in size every day. I had a slight waddle to my gait now, and I could feel the baby moving sometimes, but not often. It was impossible to calculate how far along I was now, especially since so much time was passing in the pack lands

in this place for two weeks, maybe

been months back

once we

Oliver by his side. I turned to look at Penny, who was standing hand in hand with Zeke. Zeke nodded at me in

Elaine, and bring them back here," Xander said quickly as we left the clearing

led the way, and we walked in silence, followed by the

dark and shadowed by a mix of trees that wouldn't normally grow together–willow trees with thick trunks and billowing branches

smell the salt and wood stove smoke as we neared a

said with a long, wistful sigh. She lost herself in a memory for a moment, a sadness blurring her features, but then she snapped back to reality and turned to

“Were you friends?"

she exhaled deeply with her eyes now fixed on the temple. “Yes, we were friends. I would say… if my kind had the blessing of a mate bond, we would have shared the bond, her

turned back in the way she came, motioning for the acolytes to step forward with

as he gathered the silk-wrapped

that brushed my ankles as I walked. Andromeda had brushed my hair, her strokes causing it to lengthen until it was nearing my waist, and she twisted

touch the moonstones that it had been a gift to her from Morrighan. Who else could have worn silver without it burning their skin, but the daughter of

go in?" Oliver asked, his eyes shining like two different