Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 570

Chapter 70 : Where is He?

*Lena*

Needless to say, my friendly, welcoming dinner with Hale took an abrupt turn after finding out he was the Alpha of Cedar Hollow. He was embarrassed, and incredibly apologetic, as if it was something he was trying as hard as he could to hide.

I understood that feeling exactly, but couldn’t tell him that. Instead, I asked him about his family and his pack and learned practically everything I needed to know about Cedar Hollow.

Hale wasn’t supposed to be Alpha. That role should have gone to his older brother after their parents died. He didn’t tell me how he’d ended up with the title, but I could tell by the look in his eyes that whatever had happened had been painful.

When he walked me back to the cottage later that evening, I felt somewhat at peace. I liked this place, and I liked Hale. Not in a romantic way, but it had been a long time since I’d just been able to be Lena for a night without the burden of my rank crushing against my shoulders.

But as I curled into bed that night, Xander filled my mind. I closed my eyes, imagining the curve of his jaw and the way his hair felt as I ran my fingers through it. I thought about the nights we’d spent laying back to back in our sleeping bags in Crimson Creek, and the nights we lay with our limbs tangled when we couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Where are you?” I said aloud, running my fingertips over the dormant mark on my chest, tears clouding my vision.

***

“Do you have a husband?” asked a dark-haired boy, his brown eyes peering up at mine expectantly.

I’d been waiting for the opportunity to take a bite of a turkey sandwich for ten minutes now, which I hadn’t had a chance to eat during lunch because I was busy meeting the rest of the teachers, and sighed in resignation as I set it down on a napkin and turned toward the five children standing in front of me, waiting for their parents to pick them up.

“No, I don’t,” I answered.

“Why not?”

“Is it because boys smell?”

“Boys don’t smell, girls do!”

“Okay, okay, okay–” I laughed, raising my hands in surrender as the kids dissolved into lifted chatter.

The schoolhouse was situated in a grassy clearing toward the edge of the village, and it held classes for students of varying ages. The kindergarten class wasn’t as big as I was expecting, but five was a great number, and my first day as their teacher had actually been quite a good time. We read a bunch of books, worked on spelling and arithmetic, and drew some pictures.

out into the wooded greenbelt beyond the school grounds

why they were covered in dirt and grass stains, but it was too beautiful and mild a day

was still on break for

the entrance to the school. The bench I’d chosen to finish the lunch I hadn’t had a chance to eat was soon home to me, and one of the two girls in my class. I gave them some

the brightest. She was shy, however,

swinging her legs, her pink tights stained green on the knees. She was twirling her golden braid around her finger, humming to herself as

picking you up today?” I

shrugged as she continued to twirl her braid.

sure she’s on her

finish my sentence. Clare was walking right toward us, and

new kindergarten teacher?” Clare choked on a laugh

“Uh, yes. I am.”

Well, I figured you were just another floozy jumping from pack to pack, climbing the ranks, if

her richly blue eyes narrowing on me with interest as she looked me up and down. Her hair was tightly curled and every shade of blonde imaginable, piled on top of her head in a loose, messy bun. For the sister of an Alpha, she was dressed casually in loose jeans and a button-down shirt that was tucked into a leather belt. She adjusted the strap of her purse on her shoulder, giving me a once-over as Sasha began

know,” she said with a sly grin, flicking her hand

not–I mean,

And where is

I said that? What had possessed me to say that out loud? My cheeks colored as I cleared my throat, praying to whoever was listening

with the most loving expression I had seen in a while. My own heart squeezed,

for a bit, darling. We’ll go home in a moment.” Clare’s eyes flicked to mine as she rose to her full height. She was several inches taller than me and had to look down as she closed the distance between us. She

never intimidated, at least not often, and not by other women. But Clare was intimidating, and as her

any way?” she asked in a low tone, discreetly glancing around

“Who?”

tell me you don’t know who the White Queen is? Come

then shrugged, doing my best to look confused, and

bit

she looked disappointed as she leaned away from me. “I

position. What exactly are you doing teaching kindergarten?

degree is in botany,” I said quickly, giving her my best professional smile. “And there’s not many jobs in that field. I came here for the horticulturist position, but when

coming this far west,” she said,