Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 626

Chapter 126 : No Time for Ghosts

*Xander*

Adrian was sitting at a makeshift desk made of pallets and wooden crates in the corner of my tent, his back arched as he looked down at a stack of documents that had been delivered to the tent this morning. He blew out his breath, straightening to his full height as he turned around with his hands on his hips.

“What are you going to say?”

“I don’t know,” I replied, stooping to finish tying the laces of my boots. The worst of my injuries had healed, and I’d had my sutures taken out three days ago. My body was still stiff and sore, but otherwise, I was on the mend.

But I was still numb from Lena’s loss. The jagged scar running from my shoulder to my collarbone was red and bruised from the trauma of having her mark cut out of me, and then sewn shut.

She was gone, and I was still alive. I had no interest in living, and had I not been an Alpha I may have done something about that, but I had warriors to bring home, and a kingdom to rule.

I’d rule it alone, leaving no heir behind, no legacy.

“But this–”

“It’s nothing, Adrian. It’s not a big deal.”

But it was a big deal, despite my attempts to shrug off the request of the Alphas of Lena’s lands and the High Elder Council that helped mediate conflicts between the territories. They were asking for someone from Egoren to serve on the elder council, someone who would be willing to split their time between Egoren and the pack lands.

Ethan had included a personal note, requesting one man in particular–his half-brother.

I doubted Soren would be willing to do that. He had a life in Egoren–a family, and grandchildren. Hell, if I really wanted to off myself now, one of those kids could take over Egoren.

The thought fluttered in and out of my mind before I could blink, and I went back to getting dressed. Adrian rocked on his heels, turning away as I pulled a clean shirt over my head.

“Where’s Abigail?” I asked, and he turned back around, a sly grin on his face.

before we leave, sending

hair, ruffling the black curls dancing around my ears. I needed a haircut. I needed to shave. But all of that could wait until our warriors were on the warship taking us back to the portal to Egoren. We’d be leaving first thing in the morning, before

reminded me of Lena. I hated it. I

ambassadors to help with the cleanup in Breles and to oversee the resettlement of the displaced communities in the west. Everything south of the northern border was in shambles. Hundreds of thousands of people had no homes to go home to. I felt a pang of

sign it?” Adrian asked, jabbing a thumb toward

to think about it. I

nonetheless. We hadn’t talked about Lena, but I knew

10:00 pm sharp. Whoever isn’t on the ship by 5:00 am gets left behind,” I said, sounding every ounce the Alpha that I was expected to be–no emotion, all business. It would stay that way.

“Where are you going?”

was actually going to find a bottle of whiskey I could drown my sorrows in again, like I had for the past several nights in a row, unable to sleep. If I did sleep, it was nothing but nightmares, and based on the wailing and whimpering that erupted from the sprawling war camp near the port of Breles, I wasn’t the only one reeling from

He’d sent his wife back to the isles, kicking and screaming of course, and had stayed behind to help with the restoration of Breles. His eyes flicked up

miss Troy. I liked the man from the moment I met him. I’d miss his sons,

he explained how he’d closed the portal. Last I heard, he was back in Crimson Creek. I doubted he had plans to return to Breles, or anywhere else for that matter. I didn’t blame him. I saw the pain in his empty eyes. I knew exactly what he was going

away. I couldn’t. And sometimes, I was angry at

territory. I glanced at a few Egoren warriors who were seated at a table, mouthing “5:00 am” and tapping my wrist before I passed the tent completely. They nodded, their darkened eyes lined with fatigue. I needed to get them home, back to their families. I could grieve afterward. I had the rest

and shower rations for bottles of booze, magazines,

concrete falling into a nearby, but thankfully cleared out, market square. I saw a flash of white and stopped in my tracks, my heart

out of the shadows and running her fingertips over my skin. But she was just a ghost, disappearing every time I

into my pockets as I picked up my pace. I knew Lena would haunt me for the rest of my life. I knew I would see her every time I looked up at the stars. I knew, during one of those lucky, infrequent nights, that I would see

“Xander!”

for ghosts. I licked my lower lip as I neared the fence. I could already taste the liquor, and could

“Xander, slow down–”

whirled around, grabbing its owner by

“Don’t f*****g touch–”

white, sleeveless top, and I could see

to say before I reached out and clutched her to my chest. I fought for breath, the air coming out of my lungs in choked sobs as she wrapped her arms around me and squeezed. Between us the swell of her stomach pushed against the button of my jeans, the metal

They