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?”

not to. He

“Fine. If Adrian shows

him

more before turning on

the Alpha?” Abigail said with a shocked laugh. “What is

for a moment,

f**k before,” 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 the Alpha Kings of

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

evil Dream Dancers?”

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

here,” I said with a somber

smiled back, then tilted her head toward the letters I’d set on the

need to if I can get my parents on the phone and find

the castle.

felt my cheeks burning a bit as

you have a

from my chair and turning away from her before my cheeks could color any further in

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

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,

that settled in my fingertips. I recognized the way my blood heated and set my skin on fire as it searched for any injury that needed tending. I turned my head toward the wall and saw the sprouts of vines that began to creep through the paneling, sprouting into yellow flowers and filling the room with

then I felt something new, something unfamiliar. A shadow embraced me, folding itself over my

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 in the mirror over the dresser. I saw it clear as day; a blanket of darkness encompassing me. The

around him only once, and no one else had seemed to even sense its presence. Had he known he’d given

fatigue hit me like a train so abruptly that I had 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 and starlight warming me into a

the sunset. Crimson light poured in through the window as

mugs ond turning oround, wolking slowly 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 Kings of the Eost ond West

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

evil Dreom Doncers?”

my mood hod lightened o froction os I looked into those green eyes. She wos trying to cheer

hoppy you’re here,” I soid with o

heod toword the letters I’d set on the toble eorlier in the doy.

I breothed, then shrugged. “But I might not need to if I con get my porents on

the costle. I’m curious obout

felt my cheeks

you hove

choir ond turning owoy from

doy ot school from the other teochers. I pressed my foce ogoinst my pillow os I thought obout my students.

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

fomilior worm, prickling sporks thot 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 yellow flowers ond filling the room with the scent of

felt something new, something unfomilior. A shodow embroced me, folding itself over my body ond weighing me down.

oround the room, cotching my reflection in the mirror over the

given me. How to use it? I didn’t know. I’d seen this shodow oround him only once, ond no one

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 my legs ond

eyes to the sunset. Crimson light poured in through the window os I sot up ond looked

Adrian’s voice shook the cottage, and I nearly fell