Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 626

Chapter 126 : No Time for Ghosts

*Xander*

Adrian was sitting at a makeshift desk made of pallets and wooden crates in the corner of my tent, his back arched as he looked down at a stack of documents that had been delivered to the tent this morning. He blew out his breath, straightening to his full height as he turned around with his hands on his hips.

“What are you going to say?”

“I don’t know,” I replied, stooping to finish tying the laces of my boots. The worst of my injuries had healed, and I’d had my sutures taken out three days ago. My body was still stiff and sore, but otherwise, I was on the mend.

But I was still numb from Lena’s loss. The jagged scar running from my shoulder to my collarbone was red and bruised from the trauma of having her mark cut out of me, and then sewn shut.

She was gone, and I was still alive. I had no interest in living, and had I not been an Alpha I may have done something about that, but I had warriors to bring home, and a kingdom to rule.

I’d rule it alone, leaving no heir behind, no legacy.

“But this–”

“It’s nothing, Adrian. It’s not a big deal.”

But it was a big deal, despite my attempts to shrug off the request of the Alphas of Lena’s lands and the High Elder Council that helped mediate conflicts between the territories. They were asking for someone from Egoren to serve on the elder council, someone who would be willing to split their time between Egoren and the pack lands.

Ethan had included a personal note, requesting one man in particular–his half-brother.

I doubted Soren would be willing to do that. He had a life in Egoren–a family, and grandchildren. Hell, if I really wanted to off myself now, one of those kids could take over Egoren.

The thought fluttered in and out of my mind before I could blink, and I went back to getting dressed. Adrian rocked on his heels, turning away as I pulled a clean shirt over my head.

“Where’s Abigail?” I asked, and he turned back around, a sly grin on his face.

errands before we leave, sending some

as I ran my fingers through my hair, ruffling the black curls dancing around my ears. I needed a haircut. I needed to shave. But all of that could wait until our warriors were on the warship taking us back to the portal to Egoren.

of Lena. I

already returned to their territories, leaving behind their ambassadors to help with the cleanup in Breles and to oversee the resettlement of the displaced communities in the west. Everything south of the northern border was in shambles. Hundreds of thousands of people had no homes to go home to. I felt a pang of guilt at the thought of

sign it?” Adrian asked, jabbing a thumb toward the treaty

shoulder, then shook my head. “I need to think about it. I found it unlikely we’ll ever come back

eyes darkened for a moment, but he nodded nonetheless. We

sure everyone reports to their tents tonight by 10:00 pm sharp. Whoever isn’t on the ship by 5:00 am gets left behind,” I said, sounding every ounce the Alpha

“Where are you going?”

whiskey I could drown my sorrows in again, like I had for the past several nights in a row, unable to sleep. If I did sleep, it was nothing but nightmares,

for a while, my hands tucked in my pockets. I caught a glimpse of Troy as he walked into a commander’s tent, his head bent as he talked rapidly to a man I didn’t recognize. He’d sent his wife back to the isles, kicking and screaming of course, and had stayed behind to

the moment I met him. I’d miss

he’d closed the portal. Last I heard, he was back in Crimson Creek. I doubted he had plans to return to Breles, or anywhere else for that matter. I didn’t blame him. I saw the pain in his empty eyes. I knew exactly what he

couldn’t. And sometimes, I was

from every territory. I glanced at a few Egoren warriors who were seated at a table, mouthing “5:00 am” and tapping my wrist before I passed the tent completely. They nodded, their darkened eyes lined

their meal and shower rations for bottles of booze, magazines, and cigarettes.

the sound of a building creaking in the distance, a chunk of concrete falling into a nearby, but thankfully cleared out, market square. I saw a flash of white and stopped in

her around the camp many times. She’d been in my tent, stepping out of the shadows and running her fingertips over my skin. But she was just

would haunt me for the rest of my life. I knew I would see

“Xander!”

closing my eyes against her voice. My head was throbbing from the hangover I was nursing. I had no time for ghosts. I licked my lower lip as I neared the fence. I could already taste the liquor, and could already feel myself going numb. One drink would be enough to wash the sound of her

“Xander, slow down–”

and I whirled around, grabbing its owner by the

“Don’t f*****g touch–”

her arms. She was wearing a white, sleeveless top, and I could see the red marks I’d left

my lungs in choked sobs as she wrapped

was here. They were