Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 7 : What Choice Do I Have?

“I really appreciate all the help, I do, but…"

I couldn't pull away from Soren's intense look. His eyes swam with concern. My throat tightened and I tried to swallow, but it hurt.

All I wanted to do was get out of there! I wanted to get out of bed, be able to stand on my own two feet, put on some new clothes, and leave. There was too much on the line if I stayed put.

Besides, whenever I smelled Soren, felt his warm body, or looked into his eyes, I was like a giddy, lovesick puppy. That just wouldn't do. Not to mention that lady friend of his. Ashley… She really didn't want me around.

“Your friend is right… it is time for me to leave," I insisted.

I tried to pull away from Soren and stand on my own. My legs shook and I plopped down on the bed. Tremors ran through my body and I felt weak and faint.

How could I get anywhere like this?

I had to try again. Gritting my teeth, I tried to stand. I strained every muscle in my body but I could only rise a few inches before I fell back on the bed.

A heavy, calming hand rested on my shoulder, keeping me still.

I sighed and looked up at Soren. His hand was more comforting than it should have been. It was like that one touch told me I could trust him and that everything would be okay.

“You know, you can take it easy when you need to. No one will think less of you for taking time to recover after what you've been through," he said kindly.

I scoffed and shook my head. “I really need to move on."

“If you're concerned about your safety, no one here will hurt you. I will make sure of it. Stay and rest until you are strong enough to make it on your own. I'm not sending you out there to die before you get to the edge of the village."

His sentiment was almost nice but there was a passive-aggressive undertone. After all the trouble he'd gone through to help patch me up, he wasn't going to see me throw it all away.

If only he knew the danger he was inviting by allowing me to stay. If he did, he might not have helped me at all.

What choice did I have?

I could stay here among strangers and trust Soren's words. A stranger, an ambitious male that could easily use me for his own gain.

Or, I could take my chances and run away. Too weak to walk on my own, I'd never get far. Soren was right about that. I'd be far too vulnerable out in the open, stumbling around. It would also draw too much attention.

“Thank you," I said. At least, so far, Soren hadn't acted like a villain…yet. I really didn't have many choices. It was the better of two bad options.

After that, my strength completely sapped, I laid back on the bed and got comfortable on the pillows.

“You're welcome," he replied and left the room, locking it for me before sleep took me quickly.

***

Several days passed on my road to recovery. Every day I could feel my strength returning and my pain lessening. Soren even came by to check on me every day or two.

Our conversations were pleasant and he never made me feel like he was trying to interrogate me or rush the healing process.

If anything, he seemed to want me to slow down. But I wasn't going to milk this or drag it out. I had to be on the move, and soon.

Ashley was still my main caregiver. She came by regularly with food, clothes, and medicine.

Every day she asked, “Did you sleep well? Are you feeling better? When will you be leaving?"

She hardly seemed interested in the answers to the first two questions. Only the third one.

After a few days, the questions became more routine than insistent.

Maybe she was getting used to me being there, or she was just tired of asking and getting the same vague answer.

“When will you be leaving?" Ashley asked again as I finished my breakfast.

“Soon, I hope," I said. I tried to convey that I didn't want to be there any more than she wanted me there.

I sat on the edge of the bed in a clean outfit she'd brought for me. After several more days, I was strong enough that I didn't need the painkillers anymore.

It was my hands and feet that still needed to heal. The blisters from the desert heat had really done a number on them. For a while, I couldn't change the bandages because my fingers were too swollen, until now.

“Well, that's a first," Ashley said when she saw me wrapping fresh bandages on my own. The cooling, healing gel was always such a relief on my raw skin.

“See, I'll be out of here soon," I tried to make it easy for both of us.

“Sure, whatever," Ashley muttered. She collected my empty plate and left the room without wanting to converse more. I didn't mind at all, for I had my own plans.

My feet were still sore but I could finally stand without shaking or excruciating pain.

Hobbling, I left my room for the first time since I got there, balancing myself on the wall along the way.

The stairs were tricky but I made it downstairs. No one stopped me as I limped through the front door and out onto the porch, where I was pleasantly greeted by clean, fresh air for the first time in days.

I sighed happily and leaned against the porch railing. As I looked around the village, I realized that it really was in the middle of the desert. No matter what direction I looked in, whether close by or at the horizon, everything was covered or surrounded by the golden, scorching sand.

All the buildings were shabby and looked like they were in need of maintenance. Even the inn I was staying at could use a layer of new paint and even a new roof.

How did it survive the sandstorm?

I went back inside when the sun started to feel hot—I didn't want to aggravate my blisters anymore—however, I realized something usual.

The interior of the inn was a lot nicer than the exterior. It was obvious that the owner of this inn had good tastes. It was cozily decorated with comfortable furniture and low lighting, however, that wasn't what drew my attention.

What caught my attention was that although it looked beat-up from outside, the building structure from inside was totally the opposite.

The load bearing walls were well-kept brick or stones which looked very steady and the other walls were majorly built with solid woods.

Looking up at the ceiling, there was no sign of aging or damage, which meant that the roof which looked beat up was actually doing a great job protecting the inside of the building.

Lastly, I noticed that there were two layers of windows. The inside layer was new and clean, while the outside layer gave the building an old and rundown look.

I was surprised to find that the rundown appearance outside was only a disguise!

My energy started fading fast and I hobbled to the bar. I plopped down on a stool and my feet were pleased not to have weight on them anymore. I relaxed my body, listening to the conversation and soft music emanated from the restaurant.

The bartender smiled at me and headed my way. “Would you like something to eat?"

“Oh, that would be great," I said. I'd need my strength to get back upstairs.

I ate my lunch in peace. When was the last time I actually sat down to enjoy a meal? It was ironic that out of all the places in the world, it was in the rogue zone where I found shelter.

This inn seemed to have some magical charm which made people feel safe and…homey. Was it why those around me, regardless how rough and tough they look, kept their decent manner inside the inn, making it a peaceful place for all who chose to stay?

If I wasn't chased by my enemy, would this be a good option for me to settle down?

What the heck was I thinking?

Ashley hated me and wanted me gone. She'd be happy to see the last of my backside any day.

Soren… Well, I thought he'd like to see my backside too, but for an entirely different reason. At least, he seemed to like me and was willing to help me.

His scent and his body… oh, they were enough to make me drool.

It was impossible not to think about him—the mysterious man who lived among the rogues, but lived and behaved nothing like a rogue. If anything, he was like an elegant alpha, or even a graceful royal, even though I'd never met a royal before.

Quickly, I shook my head and stuffed a bite of food in my mouth in case I really was drooling.

After lunch, I headed back to my room. The little walkabout was enough to exhaust my energy. As soon as I got to the bed, my eyes closed and I was ready to fall asleep again.

Except, I didn't get the rest I was hoping to get.