Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 28 : Lead the Way

*Mila*

After a long, much needed shower, I finished cleaning up the mess I'd made with the flowers and the water. My palm still stung from my cut but the bandage Soren had put on was still in place.

I tried not to think about our conversation but after I'd finished cleaning up, I couldn't keep the thoughts out.

Plopping down in a chair, I put my elbows on the table and glared across the room.

Soren was so annoying! He'd basically forced me to tell him about my past and then brushed it all off. At the same time, I was almost relieved that he'd gotten me to talk about it so I could face some of those buried memories.

Was there a reason I had chosen to share with him?

A lot of those memories I needed to remember and process. I'd been burying them for so long. Now that they'd flooded to the surface I had a better understanding of myself and why I was always trying to run.

But I could never outrun what I'd done. I'd been responsible for the deaths of so many witches. My own kind…

And now I knew. I was grateful to know the truth, no matter how horrific it was.

As the sun set, I watched the darkness descend out my window. Along with the darkness came thicker, denser fog.

I went to the window and looked down at the street. With the fog, I could barely see the street lights down below.

Were we going to make it back to the temple in this mess? I don't think I'd seen fog this thick since we arrived. Was it an omen that we shouldn't go? Was it a warning?

My stomach gurgled and I rubbed it to calm it down.

After Soren made his threat, I wasn't going to risk calling his bluff. There was a big part of me that thought he was bluffing but… I couldn't take that chance. Not with how many bounty hunters were roaming around.

As much as I didn't want to, I was going to have to work with him. Sure, I'd asked for his help, but I didn't realize he'd want to babysit me every step of the way.

Sighing, I bowed my head. I supposed he'd have to if he was going to protect me. I already knew I couldn't outrun or hold off all the bounty hunters on my own.

When the clock struck ten, I changed into an all black catsuit to help me blend in with the darkness. I opened the hotel room door and saw Soren waiting for me in the hallway. He stood stoically in the shadows, his arms crossed.

He had changed, too.

Like me, Soren was wearing all black. His outfit was skin tight and I could see the outlines of his muscles through the black, stretchy fabric.

I raked my eyes over the lines of his exposed muscles, and the ones carefully hidden by his shirt. Even with a shirt on, I could still clearly imagine what his chest and abs looked like naked.

My cheeks reddened and I looked down. Flashes of his bulging arms and thick… muscles covering me flickered in my mind. I felt a memory of his fingers on my skin, his lips on my neck.

A tremble shot through my legs and my lower lip quivered. I chewed the inside of my cheek and shook my head, forcing the memories away.

A shiver ran down my spine and I turned away quickly.

My heart hammered in my chest and I tried to gain my composure. He'd just make fun of me if he thought I was acting like some lovestruck little girl. I had to be serious because I didn't want Soren to think I was an overly emotional mess after this morning.

I took a few deep breaths and steadied myself before turning back to him.

He hadn't moved and his face was still expressionless.

My heart continued to hammer but I ignored it, hoping he wouldn't hear it in the quiet hallway.

Out of the shadows, Payne and Ashley emerged. They stood on either side of Soren.

Behind them, I saw even more silhouettes of other shifters. Probably those loyal to Soren.

“So… are we going to go or are we just going to stand here all night?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.

Soren smirked. “We were waiting for you. I thought you'd run off again."

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, right. I wish I could. But… here we are."

“Lead the way," Soren said, holding his arm out down the hall.

I nodded and headed down the hall. Soren and all the others started following me. I felt them closing in around me. I could sense some of them getting even closer.

Covertly, I glanced over my shoulder and saw Payne and Ashley flanking me. They were closest to me.

I wondered if they were here to protect me or to keep me from running off.

Soren wouldn't need this many people to subdue me or track me down. I had a feeling, the extra muscle behind him was for protection. They'd hold off any bounty hunters that came after us.

Payne's face was flat and expressionless. He kept his eyes on me like he was ready to spring at any moment.

Ashley, on the other hand, looked like she didn't want to be there. She looked everywhere but at me and her feet dragged with every step.

Soren was behind both of them. He had a little smirk on his lips as he watched me.

Was he waiting for me to bolt too? Probably. He'd made it clear that he didn't trust me to follow his orders. Why else would he have threatened me like that?

His eyes flickered with amusement and I shook my head, looking forward again.

Outside, the fog was so thick I could barely see my own hand when I stretched my arm out all the way. The village was eerily quiet.

At least, that would make it easier to hear any bounty hunters sneaking up on us. Unless it was the fog that made it seem so quiet…

I headed toward the temple. Even in the dense fog, I felt like there was a string on my heart tugging me in the direction of the temple.

The footsteps behind me started to fade and I stopped walking, waiting for them to catch up. They couldn't feel their way toward the temple like I could. I didn't want anyone getting lost in the fog. Tonight, the village felt dangerous and as much as I loathed Soren's constant presence, I didn't want those loyal to him put at risk.

“Why are you stopping?" Soren asked softly, coming up beside me. He put his hand on the small of my back and urged me forward.

“It sounds like everyone was getting further away," I said.

My anxiety immediately eased when he touched me.

Had I really become so helpless that I had to rely on him for safety and security?

He had proven himself. He'd saved my life several times and continued to give me help and protection. I knew I wasn't at my full strength and having him there just felt safer.

“It is the fog, Mila. It plays tricks on your senses. Don't worry about Payne or Ashley or the others. They know where they need to be and they'll do their jobs," Soren assured.

He pulled his hand from my back and I bit my lower lip to stifle a whimper that rose in my throat. I didn't want him to pull away.

He stayed beside me, his arm brushing mine.

“How much further to the temple?" he asked.

“Not that much further. I don't think… It is hard to tell…"

I glanced up at a street light overhead. It was barely noticeable through the fog but the light was bright and strong.

“When we get to the last street light, it won't be much farther," I said, pointing up.

Soren nodded.

We walked in silence for a time.

The strong lights were shrouded in fog but from the base of one, we could see the soft glow of another in the distance.

It was like following breadcrumbs through the woods.