Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 556

Chapter 56 : The Mark of the Dark King

*Lena*

I spent the remainder of the day avoiding everyone. It was rather easy to do, given the immense size of the palace.

I even missed dinner, which was being held in the formal dining room. I knew Xander would be there. I knew without a shadow of a doubt as I went hungry in my room, telling a maid to relay a message to my parents that I wasn’t feeling, that he was schmoozing with my family and using every charismatic weapon in his arsenal to win them over.

He was likely being totally honest about who he was, too. Out of everything we’d done, and we’d done a lot, that was something he’d chosen not to do with me.

I went to bed, expecting Xander’s voice to creep into my head again, but I fell asleep to silence, nothing but the waves outside my balcony lulling me to sleep.

***

The morning of the wedding.

I wanted to throw up.

I stood on my balcony with my arms crossed as I stared down at the beach below, where people were walking along the sand in total ignorance of the chaos going on inside the castle. My view was of the public beach, which was surprisingly quiet. I longed to be free of the tight hot rollers covering every inch of my head and the constricting shapewear I was wearing under my robe.

The red dress I’d bought in Morhan had arrived before I’d even touched down in Avondale. It was quickly altered to fit my frame, but I’d chosen the dress before Xander had marked me. The mark would be on full display above the neckline that had my breast on display, even if it was modest enough for a family wedding.

It was too late to turn back now. I’d either have to deal with the questions about my choosing a different dress, or come clean. I didn’t have a choice.

Maeve had seen the dress and thought it was perfect. Mom, on the other hand, was a little vexed at the idea that I’d chosen something so vampy for my cousin’s wedding. Had Maeve not told my mom about the dress before I came up with some excuse not to wear it, this day may have gone smoother than I expected it to now.

Maybe everyone already knew. Maybe Xander had told them everything at dinner the night before. Maybe he’d even explained what happened in Crimson Creek.

But I doubted it. He’d already said he wouldn’t. I had to trust him.

But the mark on my chest… how the hell was I going to explain that?

“There you are!” Eliza said as she came into the room, closing the door behind her with a grin of pure elation on her face. Her hair had been styled in tight curls that bounced on her shoulders as she walked toward me, a tiara laced with pink jewels glinting in the soft midday light.

gone unnoticed when she chose Eliza over me, even though I wouldn’t have said yes. Hollis had twelve other bridesmaids, which seemed astronomically excessive. No wonder Maeve was

on makeup, but I had at least two hours before the ceremony began. I had time to wallow in my own terrible choices and grab a stiff drink on my

of Hollis’s friends,” I said softly, leaning on

think all of them are her friends, really. They didn’t seem all

had skyrocketed to fame in the last year after her relationship with Will became

Viv were going to be here today. If so, my small inner circle would be present

to wear,” Eliza grimaced. “Pure pink. Like, the worst shade of pink you can imagine. Frills, lace… I think it’s

gossip about Hollis. I’d grown up with her, known her practically my entire life. I couldn’t be upset with her about choosing her mate over

thought about it. Despite what she’d told Oliver, I suspected Will and Hollis had been carrying on a relationship months before Hollis

making her a princess while

away the wave of emotion that washed over me.

go?” she asked, seemingly reading my

groomsmen. I’d heard that Charlie had even tried to get out of it, but Maeve had protested.

the reception at least,” Eliza said softly, twirling a curl around her manicured finger. “I need to go get dressed. Pictures, and all–” she said with a little twist of

as I finished my makeup, my mom walked in

dressed,” she said with a little laugh, glancing at the clock

time,

toward the four-poster bed and ran her fingers over the fabric of the red dress I’d hung from the canopy

a dusting of blush to my cheeks, catching my mom in the reflection of the mirror. She had dressed already and looked pretty in her muted gold gown with her hair loose over her shoulders. But I could feel the tension coming

now if I was going to

man, that Alpha

as she turned to

on the edge of the bed and looking at my reflection in the mirror as I opened a

I said, grinding my teeth as I thought of

you seemed upset. I met the man formally at the party, of course. But he came to dinner last night.

know,” I said, trying to stifle the emotions threatening to bubble

nice. Well

another realm?” I

Lena?” Her voice was still soft, but I could hear a whisper

rubbing my lower lip before applying a shade of lipstick darker than I’d ever worn before. “I met him

“At school?”

at her face through the mirror as I willed myself to go further. “I