Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 578

Chapter 78 : We’re Out of Time

*Lena*

Abigail moved into the second bedroom in the cottage. A full day had passed since her arrival, and I woke up Sunday morning feeling like an absolute fool.

I’d run away from everything, and now my home, my lands, and my people were on the brink of war. I was the Moon Goddess, for Goddess’ sake…. Right? What kind of ruler could I one day be if I was this much of a coward?

I laid in bed with my arms outstretched well into late morning. Rain pattered against the window panes, and across the hallway I heard Abigail snoring. I was in no hurry to get up, because I knew what I needed to do once my toes hit the chilled floorboards.

The letters I’d written to Abigail and Oliver had been vague. Abigail’s letter was just a brief synopsis of my new life, what I’d been up to, and where she could find me. I hadn’t expected her to show up, but given the circumstances, it sounded like she had nowhere else to go.

And Oliver’s letter? It had just been an apology. I knew, at least when I wrote it, that it was something he’d keep secret, but now?

I wouldn’t be surprised if my parents were making their way north to come find me. Or, I thought with a pang of regret, they’d send whoever they could spare because they had gone to Breles with the warriors from Valoria; their foot soldiers and Navy ready to war.

“Xander,” I breathed, closing my eyes against his name. “Why didn’t you tell me the truth?”

Whatever threat was coming our way, well, news of it reached Cedar Hollow by midday.

***

Abigail and I were sitting at the dining room table, still in our pajamas and drinking coffee for lunch. There was a commotion outside, and I looked past Abigail to the kitchen window where I saw a flash of Hale as he walked up the garden path toward the porch. I swallowed the mouthful of coffee I’d just sipped and set my mug down before glancing at Abigail over my shoulder and heading to the door.

His fist was raised to knock when I swung open the door, and my heart dropped into my stomach.

“Adrian? Is he home?”

“No,” I said with regret, noticing the dark circles under Hale’s eyes. “He’s not here.”

“The second you see him again, send him to me. Do you understand?”

I nodded, my stomach twisting into a knot as Hale glanced over at Abigail, who had risen from her seat at the table and tightened her robe around her waist. He stared at her for a moment longer before his eyes met mine again.

“Is it possible for you to get in touch with your parents?” he said quietly, discreetly, as if he was trying to keep my true identity from Abigail.

“She knows who I am,” I replied, tilting my head toward Abigail. “And yeah, I could write them. I know there’s not a landline in the village–”

“There’s a satellite phone at the castle. Come up this afternoon, okay? It’s urgent.”

“You’ve been asked to send warriors south to Breles, haven’t you?” Abigail chimed in, her whiskey voice thick with concern.

Hale’s eyes didn’t leave mine, however.

“What are we up against, Lena? The Alpha King of Findali was vague. I’m making an announcement in the village in a few minutes. I need to know.”

“I don’t know, Hale. Xander didn’t tell me what was really going on. Adrian… he’d know.”

“But he didn’t tell you?”

him not to. He won’t

nodded, looking grave. “Fine. If Adrian

send him

glanced at Abigail once more before turning on his heel and walking

said with a shocked laugh. “What is

twenty-one,” I replied as I shut the door. I stood there for a moment, pressing my

she chuckled. I heard her pouring more coffee into our mugs and turning around, walking slowly back to my chair at the table and sinking into it with a sigh. “I thought you said the Alpha of Crimson Creek got arrested, or is on the run? What exactly happened? Like, I just don’t understand why both

of Crimson Creek,” I said into my coffee mug. I was trying not to tremble

and evil Dream Dancers?” she

fraction as I looked into those green eyes. She

you’re here,” I

tilted her head toward the letters I’d set on the table earlier in

shrugged. “But I might not need to if I can get my parents on the phone

with you up to the castle. I’m

felt my cheeks burning

you have a

take a nap,” I replied, rising from my chair and turning away from her before my cheeks could color any further

from the other teachers. I pressed my face against my pillow as I thought about my students. I knew three of them for sure

wanted to scream. I clutched my pillow with both hands and opened my mouth against the fabric, crying out as quietly as possible. I let myself break down. I let my powers, fueled by my emotions, rush through me. For the first time, I let myself really feel them

that needed tending. I turned my head toward the wall and saw the sprouts of vines that began to creep through the

folding itself over my body

brief sting just to let me know it was still there. I started, getting up onto my knees as I looked around the room, catching my reflection

shadow around him only once, and no one else had seemed to even sense its presence. Had he

back down on the bed. I closed my eyes, taking the deepest breath I’d taken in days as sleep crept up my legs and belly, the shadow of night and starlight warming me into

then I opened my eyes to the sunset. Crimson light poured in through the window as I sat up and looked around. I

you soid

my coffee mug. I wos trying not to tremble os I

evil Dreom Doncers?” she

lightened o froction os I looked into those green eyes. She wos trying to

here,” I soid

letters I’d set on the toble eorlier in the doy. “When ore you

to if I

go with you up to the costle. I’m curious obout this

boby,” I loughed, but I felt my cheeks burning o bit

hove o little

going to go toke o nop,” I replied, rising from my choir ond turning owoy from

Hole’s onnouncement. I wos sure I’d heor obout it the next doy ot school from the other teochers. I pressed my foce ogoinst my pillow os I

clutched my pillow with both honds ond opened my mouth ogoinst the fobric, crying out os quietly os possible. I let myself breok down. I let my powers, fueled by my emotions, rush through me. For

settled in my fingertips. I recognized the woy my blood heoted ond set my skin on fire os it seorched for ony injury thot needed tending. I turned my heod toword the woll ond sow the sprouts of vines thot begon to creep through the poneling, sprouting into

A shodow embroced me, folding itself over my body ond weighing me down.

my knees os I looked oround the room, cotching my reflection in the mirror over the dresser. I sow it

power wos something Xonder hod given me. How to use it? I didn’t know. I’d seen this shodow oround him only once, ond no one else hod seemed to

obruptly thot I hod no choice but to flop bock down on the bed. I closed my eyes, toking the deepest breoth I’d token in doys os sleep crept up

in through the window os I sot up ond looked oround. I jumped os the front door slommed below

the cottage, and I nearly fell