Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 35 : Something Horrible is Going to Happen

*Mila*

When I woke up, I smelled fresh, earthy air and I heard crows cawing. There was soft dirt beneath me and trees hung over my head. I was out in the forest.

Sitting up, I stretched and reached out with my hands, yawning. My hands were so small!

Startled, I looked down at the rest of my body. I'd been transformed into a four-year-old girl, but I was still me. I had all my thoughts and memories.

What was going on? Was this part of the spell?

I'd been turned back into a little child. I wondered if this was how old I was when the memory April was connecting me with took place.

Was this actually my past?

Standing up, I looked around the forest. It looked much larger than I remembered but I couldn't tell if that was because I was smaller and younger or if the forest was really supposed to be this large.

Glancing around, I realized it wasn't just the forest that was familiar, it was the spot I was standing in. This was where Helen would always take me in my dreams. It was where I'd gone in Miltern to find her.

Was this just another dream, then? If so, where was Helen?

“Hello?" I called into the endless, eerie darkness. “Helen?"

My voice echoed through the trees, carrying for what seemed like miles. This forest was a lot larger than the one in Miltern. But it was the same forest.

How was that possible?

Was my memory making it bigger in this dream?

I left the spot where I'd woken up and tried looking around. Every now and then, I glanced back to make sure I could still see the spot I'd woken up.

The size of the forest wasn't the only weird thing.

Where was Soren? Hadn't he come into this dream or memory with me?

I couldn't see any sign of him anywhere.

“Soren?" I shouted into the woods.

Crows cawed and flapped out of the trees, startled by my voice. The forest got quiet again and there was no answer.

Frustrated, I stomped through the woods, forgetting to keep track of where I had woken up.

“These woods aren't that big!" I grumbled to myself.

“Awwooooo"

I froze as that howl ripped through me. My little child legs shook and my mouth went dry.

There were wolves in these woods. Possibly shifters. I was a tiny child and completely defenseless.

I didn't know what this memory was or if I was in any danger. There were too many unknowns for me to trust random wolves running through the woods.

“AWWOOOOO!"

The howl was getting louder and closer.

I ran to a nearby tree and hugged the trunk. I slid to the ground, hiding in some of the underbrush.

My heart hammered in my chest and I covered my mouth so my heavy breaths wouldn't draw attention.

Around the other side of the tree, I heard thumping footsteps and the sniffling sounds of a wolf sniffing around. I hadn't done anything to cover my scent.

Standing up, slowly and quietly, I peeked around the tree trunk to see if it was a wild wolf or a shifter.

A massive, sleek, black wolf was sniffing around tree trunks and following my trail.

Sighing, warmth flooded through me and I rushed out from around the tree. I'd only seen him a few times but I'd recognize his wolf anywhere.

Soren.

I ran out from around the tree and the wolf stopped, one front paw raised, and stared at me.

“Soren! I'm so glad to see you," I said, running over to him.

He c****d his head at me and took a cautious step back.

I looked down, remembering that I was a child again. Sighing, I rolled my eyes.

“Soren, it's me, Mila. I don't know why I look like this. Maybe… this is how old I was for this memory," I said, voicing my theory.

Soren nodded and stepped toward me. His warm, golden eyes settled gently on me.

Suddenly, the forest burst into flames around us.

“Ahh!" I shielded my face as the bright, burning blaze nearly overtook us.

Soren barked and I peeked out from under my arms.

He was lying on the ground and nodded to his back.

I ran over to him and grabbed his fur, struggling with my little legs and arms to pull myself up. As soon as I got a leg over, Soren burst into a run and carried me away from the burning flames.

If this was a memory and the forest had lit on fire, that would explain why it was so much smaller in the present times.

I couldn't think about it too much because the flames were closing in on us fast. I clung hard to Soren's silky fur and buried my face in his neck.

Soren ran faster, his body bumping up and down, jostling me around.

I hugged him tightly with my arms and legs to keep from falling off.

Soren's wolf howled again and he picked up speed.

We outran the fire and came to the edge of the forest. The trees thinned out and Soren slowed down, panting.

I didn't have to cling as tightly now that Soren was walking. Raising my head, I saw a hill in the distance with a large mansion on it.

“Go that way," I urged Soren, pointing to the mansion.

He grunted and trotted toward the hill. As we got closer, I saw this beautiful garden spread out on the front lawn. Sunlight bathed the flowers and the man-made pond beautifully. There were no clouds in the sky and it was perfectly blue. The mansion looked warm and cozy.

Soren's nails clicked on the walkway as we got closer to the mansion. It felt very familiar to me but I couldn't remember being there. It was too beautiful of a home to be at Saboreef.

“Wait, stop here," I instructed, patting Soren's head.

He stopped short and I slid off his back.

There was a large oak tree in the garden, close to the front door of the house. I stared at the tree. Something was off about it. Something was missing.

Soren's wet nose nudged my shoulder and I giggled, swatting playfully at him.

“That tree, there's supposed to be a wooden swing there," I said, pointing.

Suddenly, the front door of the house opened and a handsome man walked out onto the large, wrap-around porch. He had a wooden swing in his hands and headed right to the tree.

Instinctively, I hid behind Soren.

He growled and gave me a look, reminding me with his eyes that they couldn't see us. We were watching a memory.

I glared at him and came back around where I could see the man hanging the swing on the tree, just as I remembered it.

“Come on, who wants to give it a try?" the man called back toward the house.

A little girl ran out of the partially opened door. She had bouncing golden curls and blue eyes. Her curls bounced as she ran down the steps toward the swing.

“Me! Daddy, me! I want to swing!" she shouted, running right up to the man.

He grinned and scooped her up in his arms. He tickled her until she squealed with laughter and then he blew a raspberry on her cheek.

“Stop it, stop it!" the girl laughed.

The man chuckled and hugged the girl tightly. He put her on the swing and started pushing her.

“Higher, Daddy, higher! I want to touch the sky," the girl called, kicking her feet back and forth.

I smiled at the girl and her father, my heart pattering in my chest. Tears pricked my eyes and I sniffled. I couldn't help but feel like I was seeing the childhood I should have had.

What had gone wrong? What had ripped me away from my family?

The front door opened again and a beautiful woman came to the porch. She looked out at the girl and her father and she sighed, shaking her head.

Elegantly, she picked up her skirt and practically floated down the steps. She moved gracefully and gently as she joined the man and the little girl.