Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

*Lucas*

Sasha still looked stunned as I brought her back to where Morianne and I first met. She kept glancing back at the venue.

“Did I really do that?"

I nodded. “You have a lot of power. I don't even know what you're capable of."

“And you knew I had this power?"

I nodded again. She hadn't taken her hand from mine since we left the venue. I took that as a good sign.

“How do you know more about me than I know about myself? You said you'd explain everything."

“I will."

Sasha stopped suddenly and pulled me up short. Sighing, I turned to face her. She gave me a hard look, crossing her arms.

“Tell me now. Ever since you showed up in my life, it has all turned upside down. I deserve to know why."

“You're right. You do."

We hadn't made it to the place where I was supposed to bring Sasha, per Morianne's instructions. If I wanted to fully gain Sasha's trust again, I needed to make time for this because it was important to her.

“Alright, I'll tell you what I can, because honestly, there's a lot I still don't know or understand."

Sasha scoffed. “That's comforting."

I chuckled and held my hand out to her. “We should keep moving. I don't want those rogues, or Donovan's guards, to track us once they stop beating each other up."

She took my hand and walked to my side. “Yeah, that's a good idea."

“This is what I know… you're a Dream Dancer, someone with very powerful magic passed down through the Dark King's line."

Sasha's eyes widened. “My mom always said my father passed something evil to me."

I squeezed her hand. “I don't think the power is evil, and you don't either. You've told me many times that you intend to use the power for good."

She creased her brow. “I don't have any memory of you other than when you bullied me when we were kids. How is it that we've had these conversations and you know such personal things about me?"

“Well, and please be open minded about this, I'm from a different reality, or time line."

Sasha stopped again and stared at me. She was completely frozen, her fingers slack in my hand.

“Sasha…?"

“This isn't a joke, Lucas!"

“I'm not joking. I told you, I don't understand all of it either, but I know that this is not my world, not with the memories I have."

She sighed and looked at her feet. “I guess that makes sense, seeing as you have these memories and I don't."

“In my world, we found this orb. With your Dream Dancer power, you're able to tap into the orb and receive visions. Somehow, it transports us to an alternate timeline temporarily. Only, this time, it isn't temporary. I've been here for days."

“And in the other world, we're mates?" Sasha stumbled over the word like she didn't want to say it in relation to me.

I nodded. “We were paired together with your work-study program, and that's how we found the orb and got closer and closer. We've been on some strange journey trying to discover the mystery of the orb."

“I wish I could remember. What I don't understand is why I can't feel the mate bond. I'm old enough, and I feel some kind of pull to you, but it is barely there."

“We'll get to the bottom of it, I promise."

We made it to the spot where Morianne planned to meet us. The priestess had a long cloak on, her hood up concealing her face.

“Lucas, well done. I was concerned that you wouldn't make it out, especially when you decided to stick around and help the guests."

I shook my head. “I never asked you to put others in danger. That wasn't the distraction I had in mind."

“Then you should have been more specific. Come with me. We have much to discuss."

She snapped her bony fingers and beckoned us to follow her.

I glanced sideways at Sasha.

She shrugged. “Who is this woman?"

“She's a priestess and a witch. Morianne has powerful magic, and I think she can help us figure out what is going on."

“Do you trust her?"

I glanced at the back of Morianne's head. “No, but I'm not sure we have a choice."

“Well, I trust you, so if you think it is the only way." Sasha gave my hand a little squeeze.

We followed Morianne to a small, crumbling temple on the outskirts of the village. It seemed like the kind of place a mildly unstable witch would spend her time.

The roof was caved in and the exterior walls crumbled slightly. Crows hung out in the yard, cawing and pecking at the dusty ground and dried-up grass.

An eerie feeling settled over me as we followed Morianne inside, but I hid it from Sasha. I didn't want her to be nervous about any of this. She was trusting me.

Inside the temple was covered in several layers of dust. There were broken windows and cobwebs all over the place.

“Don't mind the housekeeping. This is merely the safest place in the vicinity for us to talk." Morianne chuckled and pulled her cloak off, draping it over a lopsided, decaying altar.

I waited for Morianne to say more.

She faced us and tilted her head, studying Sasha closely. “Huh, this is the Dream Dancer?"

Slowly, I moved between Morianne and Sasha, taking a protective stance. I didn't like the way Morianne looked at her. I glared at the priestess.

Morianne grinned and waved off my display.

“So, you stole the bride. Congratulations. Are the two of you going to run off together and live happily ever after?"

“Actually, I was hoping to get my memories back first. Lucas has all kinds of memories that I don't have, like us being mates."

“Do you know what could suppress a mate bond?" I asked.

Morianne was a witch, so she had to have some ideas.

“There are a few options. Are you sure she is your mate in this world?"

“I've never felt a mate bond to anyone. Sometimes, it feels like I just don't have one. That's not normal, is it?" Sasha gave Morianne a pleading look.

“No, it isn't. It is likely that something is suppressing the mate bond." Morianne nodded.

“Donovan claimed he didn't have a way to do that, but what if he did? Has he ever given you anything to eat or drink that might...."

I trailed off when I saw the blood drain from Sasha's face.

“Smoothies–every few days he'd insist I drink a smoothie he made. I didn't drink the last one, and that's when I started to feel like I needed to find you." She flicked her eyes at me.

“There are only a few toxins that suppress a mate bond that can be administered through food and drink. If you'll let me, I can give you a tonic that will flush the toxin from your system."

I gave Morianne a wary look.

“Yes, please! I have to know!"

I squeezed Sasha's hand. “Hang on. Are you sure you want to rush into this?"

Sasha nodded. “I need to know what these feelings are. More importantly, I need to know if Donovan really… if he did this to me...."

“Okay, I understand." I looked back at Morianne. “It's safe?"

“Of course. I told you already that I have no desire to hurt the little Dream Dancer."

Morianne pulled a medicine chest out from under the altar. She hummed to herself as she searched through it. Finally, she pulled out a vial with a murky, pale blue liquid.

“Here we are. Drink this down."

She handed the vial to Sasha. Without hesitation, Sasha popped the top off and threw it back like a shot.