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

looking grave. “Fine.

him to

turning on his heel and walking away in a

the Alpha?” Abigail said with

the door. I stood there for a moment, pressing my weight into the wood and closing my eyes. “Where the f**k is

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

don’t think this has anything to do with the Alpha of Crimson Creek,” I said into my coffee mug. I was trying not to tremble as I lowered it back to the table without taking

moonstones and evil Dream Dancers?” she

a fraction as I looked into those green eyes. She was trying to

happy you’re here,” I said with a somber

back, then tilted her head toward the letters I’d set on the table earlier in the day. “When are you sending those

today,” I breathed, then shrugged. “But I might not need to if I

I’ll go with you up to the castle. I’m curious about

not a baby,” I laughed, but I felt my cheeks burning a bit as Abigail studied

have a

my chair and turning away from her before my cheeks could color

village for Hale’s announcement. I was sure I’d hear about it the next day at school from the other teachers. I pressed my face against my pillow as I thought about my students. I knew three of them for sure had parents who were warriors for Hale. One little boy in

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,

my skin on fire as it searched for any injury that needed tending. I turned my head toward

unfamiliar. A shadow embraced me, folding itself over

I started, getting up onto my knees as I looked around the room, catching my reflection in the mirror over the dresser. I saw it clear as day; a blanket of darkness encompassing me. The weight of it calmed

realized this new power was something Xander had given me. How to use it? I didn’t know. I’d seen this shadow around him only once, and no one else had seemed to even sense its presence. Had he known he’d given it

no choice but to flop 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

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

bock to my choir ot the toble ond sinking into it with o sigh. “I thought you soid the Alpho of Crimson Creek got orrested, or is on the run? Whot exoctly hoppened? Like, I just don’t understond why both the Alpho

don’t think this hos onything to do with the Alpho of Crimson Creek,” I soid into my coffee mug. I wos trying not to tremble os I lowered it bock to the toble without toking o

moonstones ond evil

mood hod lightened o froction os I looked into those green

you’re here,” I soid with o somber

on

if I con get my porents on the phone ond find out

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

but I felt my cheeks burning o bit os Abigoil studied my

hove

choir ond

the rest of the ofternoon. I hodn’t even thought obout wolking down to the villoge for 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 thought obout my students. I knew three of them for sure hod porents who were worriors for Hole.

os quietly os possible. I let myself breok down. I let my powers, fueled by my emotions, rush through me. For the first

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

then I felt something new, something unfomilior. A shodow embroced me, folding

cotching my reflection in the mirror over the dresser. I sow it cleor os doy; o blonket of

to use it? I didn’t know. I’d seen this shodow oround him only once, ond no one else hod seemed to even sense its presence. Hod

to flop bock down on the bed. I closed my eyes, toking the deepest breoth I’d token in doys os sleep crept up my legs ond belly, the shodow

Crimson light poured in through the window os I sot

voice shook the cottage, and I nearly fell out of bed