Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

*Lucas*

“This is… unexpected," Xander admitted as we left the vault. “My apologies for this. Someone has taken the orb."

“How is that possible?" I asked. “Isn't this place highly guarded? Who else has access to it?"

I couldn't hold back. Sasha and I had been looking for the orbs for so long, and every time we got a lead, someone else got there first. How could this keep happening?

Groaning, I dropped my head in my hands.

“It's alright, Lucas. We can figure this out." Sasha's soft voice soothed my irritation. She put her hand on my back.

“Nothing has ever been stolen from the vaults before. It is very unprecedented. You can be sure that I will conduct a full investigation and get to the bottom of this. Come with me. We need to get the two of you settled in."

“Settled?" I arched an eyebrow.

“I doubt you'll want to leave before we find the orbs. Besides, Lucas, you're going to help me search through the rubble of the temple. It's too dangerous to let anyone else do it."

He led us out of the vault. The wall closed up behind us and when I looked over my shoulder, I couldn't even tell where the seam of the door was. It was very well hidden.

Getting into this part of the castle was hard enough. There were a lot of hidden passageways and guards just to get to the wing of the castle where the vault was located.

Sasha and I were shown to a guest room. As soon as we were alone, I plopped down on the bed heavily.

“I feel like we're going in circles."

“We're not going in circles," Sasha laughed lightly. “We're going in loops–time loops."

I shook my head at her. “You're ridiculous… adorable, but ridiculous."

She bit her lower lip and half-lidded her eyes.

I sighed and held an arm out to her. There was no way I could resist hugging her when she looked at me like that.

She came to me and I pulled her between my legs, wrapping my arms around her hips. I pressed my cheek to her stomach.

Her warmth surrounded me, and I felt the steady beat of her heart.

“We'll figure out who stole the future orb and is messing with it. From what Lena and the Moon Goddess said, I don't think anyone can use the orbs for anything bad. At least, not without me."

“I hope you're right, Sasha." I kissed her stomach, over her shirt.

She giggled and squirmed slightly.

“I'm going to go with Xander to the temple. With any luck, the two of us can dig through the wreckage and find the past orb and hopefully, anything else that will help us work out the problem."

“And what should I do in the meantime?" She looped her arms around my neck.

“Queen Lena seems to know more about the orbs. Maybe you should talk to her and get some more information about them. We've been warned they are dangerous in the wrong hands, and I'd like to know why since your dream dancer powers are what activate them."

Sasha nodded. “You're right. The more we know, the better. You'll be careful at the temple?"

I looked into Sasha's eyes and smirked. “Of course."

“I'm serious, Lucas," she said, frowning. “The Lycaonians already blew it up once. I doubt they'll want anyone to go inside and uncover the temple secrets."

“I'll be careful, Sasha, I promise. Tomorrow, I'll meet with Xander and we can work out the details of our little venture. I'm sure that if I'm going with the king, I have nothing to worry about."

“Yeah, you're right," she agreed, but something in her eyes told me she wasn't fully convinced.

“I want you to keep an eye on things around the palace. It's obvious someone close to the king and queen took the orb," I said.

“I think you're right."

***

*Sasha*

I met with Lena over coffee while Lucas and Xander planned their own venture to find the past orb. I was determined to do whatever I could to find out who was messing with the future orb.

“Lena, is there anything else you can tell me about the orbs?"

“What would you like to know? My knowledge is limited."

Lena lifted her coffee mug to her lips and peered at me over the rim of the cup.

I poked at my buttered toast. “Well, we've been warned that if the orbs fall into the wrong hands, they'll be dangerous. But the Moon Goddess made it sound like I was the only one who could use the orbs."

Lena frowned and set her coffee aside. “I apologize. Sometimes, the messages from the Moon Goddess need more clarity. I should have explained it to you more."

“Explained what?" A shiver ran down my spine. I had a feeling I wasn't going to like what I was about to hear.

“I was able to interpret what the Moon Goddess said a little differently. She warned that your power was a large responsibility and that only you could activate the orbs. Unfortunately, what I think she meant by that was once the orbs were activated by your power, other people with magic could use them if they knew how."

My stomach plummeted and I winced.

“Yeah, I was afraid of something like that. Why else would all this time loop stuff be happening? I'm pretty sure I didn't do it."

“Once activated, the danger is when someone gets the orbs who wants to use them for evil. Sasha, since the orbs have been activated, it is imperative that we find who has them. Messing with time is dangerous."

I nodded. “Lucas and I think it's someone close to you and Xander, someone with access."

“Yes, I suspected that as well," Lena agreed with a heavy sigh. “It pains me to think we can't trust those in our inner circle."

“Xander is investigating."

“I have a better idea," she said. “Tonight, we are hosting a special gathering here at the palace. It isn't anything too formal, just the people in our inner circle enjoying a business networking meeting. If you and Lucas come, perhaps the two of you will see something."

“Alright."

The event started in the late afternoon. Very prestigious people began to arrive and I felt out of place. Everyone there knew each other and I was some nobody.

Lucas looped his arm through mine as we went into the event room.

He had on a nice suit and I put a dress on, but it wasn't anything fancy and formal. Already, the guests stood around drinking and talking.

“We don't fit in with these big wigs," I muttered to Lucas.

“If anyone asks, we are a power couple of architects looking to move our business into the capital. We've had a lot of success in the Light Realm, and now the king and queen have invited us," Lucas muttered, spinning a creative backstory in seconds.

“Well, I guess that explains things."

Lucas chuckled and nodded. He grabbed himself a beer and we walked among the crowd.

“If you'd like, I can do the mingling while you keep an eye out for anything strange."

“Yeah. I don't want to smooze these rich people."

I left Lucas to talk to people and tell them about our fake backstory. How weird was it that we were already in an alternate reality with a different backstory and he had to make up yet another one?

I didn't think I'd be able to keep all these stories straight soon.

Xander and Lena hadn't arrived yet. I supposed it was okay for the king and queen to be late to their own party.

I tried to focus my senses and see if I could pick up on anything related to the orbs. In the other reality, I could sense them when they were nearby. I thought maybe I could sense the energy of someone using one.

When appetizers were served, I got myself a plate and continued to casually walk around the group. I heard some men talking about a charter company they were working on to offer guided aerial tours of the Light Realm temples.

Another group talked about a massive bridge they were working on that would allow access to parts of the Dark Realm that hardly anyone went to.