Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 585

*Lena*

I didn’t have to open my eyes to know who they’d laid in front of me on the other side of the bars. An electric pulse echoed through my body, lighting all my senses on fire in a single breath.

I’d been here for a week, at least, based on the number of times I’d been fed–a week spent praying Xander wouldn’t come here… that he wouldn’t be taken here.

But as I fixed my pale gray eyes on the bloodied form of the man who was facing me with his cheek pressed painfully against the stone floor, my heart sank into my stomach just as a warm, shadowed embrace wrapped itself around me, guarding me–protecting me.

All I could see were his eyes, black and flaked with amber as they reflected the dim lantern light. Blood… so much blood–it slid down his forehead in a steady stream.

I heard a hiss as something large and heavy was extended backward and then slammed into his back. But he didn’t make a sound. His eyes were fixed on mine, searching my eyes for pain, for evidence I’d been hurt.

‘Xander,’ I begged down the bond as they continued to beat him in front of me. He blinked, but his face remained guarded and expressionless.

But I could feel him tugging on that invisible thread he’d wound around my heart. Whatever this was, it was more than a mind-link. Not only could I hear his words flooding my mind, but I could feel him. I could feel every emotion gripping him. And I knew if he hadn’t laid that shadow of his power over me, I would be able to feel the pain wrecking his body, too.

‘Use it on yourself,’ I pleaded down the bond, my eyes spilling with tears. ‘Use this power to shield yourself–’

‘You’re pregnant,’ he said, his voice heard by every fiber in my body as it whispered silently across my skin. Another whack, and this time he winced but then steeled his expression.

A daughter–I sent this between us, and through the pain etched into his face, I noticed the tightness around his mouth as his lips twitched into a smile, a tear rolling off his lashes and sliding across his cheek before dripping to the ground.

How’d we end up here, separated by rusted iron bars? I felt like just yesterday he was standing in front of me on that gravel path leading to the greenhouses on campus, the embroidered “Morhan Varsity Wrestling” sweatshirt he was wearing glinting in the sun as he squinted down at me, a wry, somewhat devilish smile on his face.

He’d put himself in my path. He’d followed me to Crimson Creek. He’d gone through every trial and tribulation I’d faced.

And now? We were mates. I was carrying his child. This was everything I’d ever wanted but had refused to let myself admit.

I reached for him, my fingertips touching his through the bars as another blow landed on his shoulders.

Why us? Why this?

said out loud, his voice laced with pain. “Don’t do–” His words were cut short by a grunt

front of

her up,” came Maxwell’s

damp corridor leading to the cell. Xander was dragged out of the way, and the cell door swung up. Within a second, I was hoisted to my feet and held

still wearing the bloodstained, tattered sweater and sweatpants I’d been wearing the night Cedar Hollow was attacked. I felt the sodden fabric sticking to my skin as they shoved me

I’ll kill–” Xander hissed and groaned as the toe of Slate’s boot met with his mouth, and I cried out in response to the way Xander curled his body into the fetal position. He was hurt, badly. I bucked against the

a man wasn’t being beaten to death only a foot away from

my powers were returning. I could feel the heat and mist coursing through my veins. I could

showing on my face, or maybe Xander could feel that power through

growled aloud, spitting

my mind and over

if you continue to hurt him,” I snarled at Maxwell, who only smiled in response and snapped his fingers before Slate could land

disappointed, biting his lip as he glanced down at Xander with pure hatred, and

I was taken away, the tips of my toes brushing the floor as the guards held me upright and walked through the corridor to a set of

dungeon–that’s where I was. Was I underneath the manor? Was I even in Crimson Creek? No one

me up the stairs. There was no door at the top, nothing but a worn-out wooden hatch that hid the stairs from the world above. I was dropped onto my knees, and fine dust swirled around my legs as I

now. We were in the hills outside of the Radcliffe Estate. The hills rose up around me, sheltering me as I knelt in a narrow glen speckled with gnarled, dead trees. I turned my head to look back at where we’d come and watched as Maxwell and Slate dragged Xander out of the hole that led to the cell. Stones encircled the place, the remains of what could have been a temple of some kind, long lost to

Maxwell commanded, motioning toward the guards as he struggled to pull Xander

yards away from the ancient temple, centering me at the base of the glen where

If Crimson Creek was in front of me, well, it was darkened, empty, not a single sign of life evident among the sea

power Xander had embraced me with started to tighten around me as

bond, and the mark on my chest seared

sound of Xander’s body hitting the ground. I turned to look over my shoulder at him, narrowing my eyes as Maxwell walked toward me, his hands tucked neatly behind

the cloak

I realized, a little too late. I knew nothing of his kind. He could hide this side of himself and blend in, pretending to be one of us, luring

kept Carly Maddox. I thought of the butler. I thought of the

monster–Maxwell was a monster. And he wanted me to

you don’t comply with the king’s

You’re killing him, right now!” I snapped, rounding on him and positioning myself on my hands and knees. He was standing between Xander and me, with the guards behind me