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.

headed for the door. “I shouldn't have

you stay until morning?" Brady asked, falling into step beside

know a guy in town," I assured

eyebrow. “Did you let him know

My tone

I'm not letting you go out there alone, right? You could very well die

I held up the second bag for

the train station, which surprisingly lasted the several hours it took to get out

to side as we made our way down the road at the edge of the woods and past the barn

sure why I was

only thing out

hand through my hair. “Great.

whatever it

it," I

just fine under the moonlight, as both of us were a mature shifter and vampire, so no flashlight was needed. His glowing eyes

itself onto Sasha. That's what she said.

so that's what

what was?" I

to get her out of the bar, away 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

temple area was roped off with a single industrial flood

sensing anything?"

cold.

down a few years ago, all the way through the foundation, and there was nothing but dirt beneath. There was no sign that a temple had ever been here, so this whole situation feels

had already built a scaffolding down into the

place. We need

have my answers." I put my foot on the first rung of the ladder, readjusting my bag

him from the

or don't," I snarled,

floated down into the temple with me. “I'm going to regret this. We

my Sasha stays safe," I grunted, starting to poke

he began circling the small space

but innocuous books and other artifacts sitting in organized rows in the main area, Brady and

the moonlight, and I was just getting out

jumped back, slamming right into

shoulders. “There have to be at

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 little notches

My stomach turned.

He murmured to himself more and more as he moved

is it?" I asked, as though there could be something worse than the discovery of an

all… died at the same time." He looked around. “All of them. This

step back, shocked.

a question mark," Brady said, making his way back down to me. He shook the dust off his clothes and grimly cast his eyes back over the temple

myself. Aside from being dusty, it was pristine, all laid out in a

He walked over to the

low click, then a

the altar and the wall. I followed him, squeezing in next to him so

had been revealed under the altar. A dark

Queen?" Brady echoed my

said, staring

be an ancient temple,

I nodded. “It is."

don't worship the White Queen. They never did.