Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 11 : A Cold Wind

*Sasha*

Lucas asked me to meet him at the library site, and, as I stood over the dark hole that had derailed both our career plans, I still couldn't figure out why I'd agreed.

The fall air had become crisp, and I hugged my sweater more tightly around me as a cold wind cut through my clothes.

If I didn't know better, I could have sworn the breeze came from the temple below.

Where in the Moon Goddess's name was he? I had an uneasy feeling about this temple and its excavation. As excited as I had been to come and work on the library project before, now I felt I couldn't leave the site fast enough.

“Lucas?" I asked when I felt a presence behind me. I whirled around, but no one was there.

I shivered. I shouldn't have come early. The foreman and the workers were gone, to be replaced by archeologists and, no doubt, a representative or two–or seven–of the Lycaon Church.

A creeping sensation crawled up my spine, and I turned back to the hole. I could have sworn I heard a dark cackle.

“Sasha, you shouldn't stand that close," Lucas said, his hand shooting out to grip my arm.

I jumped. I hadn't even heard his approach. “I—“

I looked back around and realized I'd somehow gotten myself right to the edge of the hole, my toes almost hanging over.

“Sweet mercies of the White Queen!" I gasped, grasping Lucas's shirt as he pulled me away.

“You almost gave me a heart attack," Lucas admonished me, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me against his chest. “It looked like you were about to jump."

Jump? I felt sick to my stomach.

“I don't… I don't remember getting that close," I murmured into his shoulder.

“Yeah, well, don't do it again." Lucas huddled me away a few meters, then deliberately took my shoulders in his hands and forced some distance between us.

I frowned. Here was that hot and cold Lucas again. “You asked me here because…?" I prompted, wrapping my arms around myself now that I no longer had Lucas's warmth.

“There are some things that need to be wrapped up before we can completely abandon the construction project," Lucas said, his voice brusque and businesslike. He held out a list that had the royal seal broken on it.

I took it and looked it over. “Short list," I observed.

“You have somewhere else to be?" Lucas asked, raising an eyebrow.

I rolled my shoulders back. “I might."

“Where? With Donovan?" Lucas asked.

Did I detect jealousy? “He's just a friend," I said, exasperated.

“He wants to be more," Lucas rumbled.

“Lucas, he can want all he wants. That's not going to change things between us," I replied. I folded my arms. “Why does it matter to you, anyway?"

“You know why it matters," Lucas murmured.

I turned my face away, about to push my hair behind my ear, when he did it for me. “I really don't get you, Lucas Black."

Lucas gave a long-suffering sigh. “That's the problem."

“What, that you're making it impossible to understand you?" I grumbled, turning back to him.

“No. That you don't have to get me," Lucas said.

up my hands. “Ugh,

“I know."

less hot and cold!" I ranted, frustrated past caring what came out of my

“I know."

Goddess's name is

through the soft waves on top of his head. “You

you wanted back at the bar, but now I have no damn

Engineers. That means I can't… I just can't go around

one? Are there a whole bunch of us? Should

squeezed my arm. “You know

not 'interns.' I'm Sasha." I

of him to seep into me. “I'm sorry, princess. I know it doesn't make any sense to you. But I just… I can't be

me? Are you afraid that people might get the wrong idea? Or are you afraid they might get the

reached for me

Black… blah blah… Royal Engineers… blah blah…

at a loss for words. But he didn't deny my assessment. Why would he risk his career

eyes fixed on the ground. “I

He reached a hand toward me but then dropped it

a strangled sound, and I looked behind me. I

“What the…?" I gasped.

of all that is holy, knock it the f**k off!" Lucas yelled, grabbing me by the arms and pulling me a few paces back, only to give me a shake. “I get you're pissed off at me, but you can't keep

I

this. Go home, Sasha, and don't come back here. You'll be reassigned

“I wasn't—“

the direction of the road back to town and gave me

hadn't consciously gone back to the hole. I wanted to tell him something was wrong, something dark and evil. I wanted to tell him

down the road,

Damn Lucas Black anyhow.

I didn't notice until one started tearing. I stopped, only to feel like the forest was closing in around me. Eyes–eyes were everywhere, watching

in my bag, not caring how many pages ripped, and kept running, my chest tight with exertion and claustrophobia, as though the trees were wrapping

the border of the town, the trees snapping back like a rubber band. I leaned over and clutched my knees, breathing hard, sweat trickling down over my forehead and into

“Sasha?" a voice asked.

and I locked eyes with Doc, who put

go to the bakery,"

at my watch.

hand in his wrinkled one and tugged

but Jay's eyes widened as soon as he saw us, and he hurriedly set

have to keep an eye out for customers," Jay said, pressing

He'd brewed tea? When?

then at my watch. Half an hour had

and took my pulse. “Your heart's fluttering faster than a

even sure if one was supposed to apologize for their own pulse.

I glanced at my watch again. Another seven

mate, Sasha?"

“Mate?" I echoed.

night, the one who was attacked by the rogue," Jay continued, his tone still soft and

my

minutes–at least time seemed to be catching up

snorted. “Could have

soon. Even if Lucas was my mate, I bet he'd

think he'd reject you," Jay said. “But that's beside the point. What

me away," I