Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 14 : Dark Discoveries

*Lucas*

'Something bad....'

Sasha's words rang in my head as I tried to focus on finding a new project to write up a proposal for. There were plenty of sites in Egoren that needed attention.

But I couldn't shake Shasha's warning about the temple from my mind.

Part of me wanted to believe she'd been spooked by her near-fall, but I knew that couldn't be it. It seemed crazy to risk my career by reporting her 'feelings of evil' to King Xander. But, if there was something to it, I would be to blame if people got hurt because of it.

I warred with my options for the better part of an hour before I cursed out loud and went to find Brady.

He was waiting in the hall.

“Need to talk?" Brady asked, those damn lips twitching again.

“Shut up," I grumbled. “Where's Phoebe?"

“Sleeping."

“You still catch spooky vibes, don't you?"

“Can I sense the difference between good and evil? Yes," Brady said. “Why? You want me to go hit Donovan Clarke again?"

“You hit him?" Jealousy curled in my gut.

“One of the most satisfying things I've ever done," Brady confirmed. “Wouldn't mind doing it again."

I grunted. “Some things a man wants to do for himself."

“For his mate," Brady corrected me, his eyes twinkling.

“She's not my mate," I muttered, though my heart thudded when I said it.

“You don't know that," Brady said. He sighed and shook his head. “Anyway, what's up?"

“Sasha says there's something evil at the site."

“You don't believe her?"

“I don't know. But, I believe she believes it. I want to go back over to the site." I didn't know I'd decided that until the words were out. Brady followed me as I hurried to start packing bags with what I'd need for exploring in the darkness from my engineering supplies.

“What? Now?! It'll be after midnight by the time the train gets there! It'll be the last train out. There won't be one back until morning!" Brady protested.

“I need to know. And now that the Lycaon Church is involved, they're not just going to let me stroll over there in the daylight," I reasoned, slinging my bag over my shoulder.

“You could just report it," Brady pointed out. I waited for him to play the potential scenario out in his head. “Yeah, you would both look unstable. But, if you're caught out there...."

“I'll just have a look and see," I muttered. “Will you come with me?"

Brady laughed. “Yeah, um, no."

“Why not?"

“Because it's crazy."

“Scared?" I teased.

“Engaged," he reminded me.

for the door. “I

Brady asked,

know a guy in town," I assured

you let him know you

time." My tone

out there alone, right?

bag for him

station, which

road at the edge of the woods and past the barn Sasha and I had made our

asked, not sure why I

no. That's not the only thing out there,"

raked a hand through my hair. “Great. Just

with whatever it is and it stays here...."

it,"

a

something has latched itself onto Sasha. That's what she said. I'm not leaving here until we get some answers,"

so that's what that

was?"

from Donovan, I got this little zap of… something. But it was gone so quickly, I barely clocked it." Brady looked out into the woods again and shivered. “Lucas, my man, I know you're worried, but there

The temple area was roped off with a single industrial flood light

sensing anything?"

stopped cold. “Evil

I said, rolling my eyes, and then I remembered something. “A good bit of the old library burned down a few years ago, all the way through the foundation,

that the archeological team had already built a scaffolding down into

“This is a bad, bad place. We need to get the f**k

him off. “Not until I have my answers." I put my foot on the first rung of the ladder, readjusting

time, me looking up at him from the temple floor, him looking down at me with a pained expression on

don't," I snarled, tired

half floated down into the temple

won't regret anything as long as my Sasha stays safe," I grunted, starting to

muttered, but he began circling the small space from the other

but innocuous books and other artifacts sitting in organized rows in

did the moonlight, and I was just getting

back, slamming right

shoulders. “There have to

hundred? I flicked on my flashlight and shone it down the corridor, revealing a kind of catacombs. Skeletons, now meticulously assembled and tagged, filled the space, some spread across the floor, others in

My stomach turned.

and began reading some tags. He murmured to himself more and

as though there could be something

all… died at the same time." He

step back,

me. He shook the dust off his clothes and grimly cast his eyes back over the temple proper. “The

I turned around, looking around the space myself. Aside from being dusty, it was pristine, all laid out in a grid by the

was like a bloodhound. He walked over to the altar and began feeling around, his brow furrowed

was a low click,

wall. I followed him, squeezing in next to him

had been revealed under the altar. A dark

that the White Queen?" Brady echoed my

staring at the

be an ancient temple, isn't it?"

I nodded. “It is."

worship the White Queen. They never did.