Mated to the Alpha: Sold to the King novel Chapter 69

Chapter 69: 0069

Kaelen POV

My right arm felt heavy, wrapped in thick bandages and throbbing with a dull, persistent ache as I drove back to the estate.

My mind had been so consumed with thoughts of that woman that I’d failed to notice the weak sneak attack from one of the men Darius and I had taken down.

It had been sloppy.

A mistake I should never have made.

And now my arm was paying the price for it.

I flexed my fingers around the steering wheel and immediately winced as a sharp pain shot from my forearm all the way up to my shoulder. The wound wasn’t deep, but it was more than enough to make the drive miserable.

After pulling into the garage, I killed the engine and sat there for a long moment, staring blankly at the steering wheel.

Once again, Ella found her way into my thoughts.

I’d been avoiding her like the plague ever since Darius’s words had struck a nerve I hadn’t realized was there.

The more I’d thought about it, the worse I’d felt.

Because of my rage and possessiveness, I’d almost broken her.

Taking a slow breath, I forced myself out of the car and headed into the main estate.

But...

"Where is she?"

It was the first question out of my mouth the moment I spotted Paul.

He was the personal guard I’d assigned to watch over her. With the growing threats creeping across the empire’s borders, keeping her under constant protection had become my highest priority.

After all, the easiest way to get to me was to go after the people I was closest to.

For years, that had only been Darius.

Now... there was her too.

"She’s still in the library, Alpha," Paul answered with a respectful bow, and my brow furrowed.

"I thought Mrs. Whitmore left about two hours ago."

"Yes, Alpha, she did," Paul replied. "But Miss Ella chose to stay behind and continue studying on her own."

So she was alone.

That was all I needed to hear.

"Wait here," I ordered before turning and making my way toward the small library.

My chest tightened with every step. I still didn’t know how to face her. The guilt from the night she collapsed still burned in my throat, making me feel unworthy of even standing in her presence.

Still, I told myself I wouldn’t disturb her. If I could just steal a quick glance from the doorway, just enough to see that she was recovering, that she was alright, it would be enough.

When I reached the library, the heavy door was already slightly ajar, so I slipped inside quietly.

She was seated at a table by the window, exactly where I had expected her to be. She wore a soft cream cardigan over a simple dress, and her hair was pulled back in a loose style that exposed the graceful curve of her neck. Warm sunlight filtered through the window, catching her skin and making the entire scene look almost peaceful.

Because her back was turned to the door, she didn’t notice me at all.

I remained frozen where I stood, taking in the sight of her.

Then I noticed her head dropping heavily to one side.

Her shoulders twitched, and she jerked herself upright, blinking rapidly. A second later, her eyelids fluttered shut again and her head tilted once more.

Was she seriously dozing off?

The sight was so unexpected that a breathless laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

I hadn’t smiled once since the day she collapsed, but watching her struggle and completely fail to fight off sleep instantly cracked through the darkness that had been suffocating me for days.

Then, despite every instinct telling me to leave, my feet moved on their own.

I walked closer and quietly took a seat across from her.

At this rate, she would need far more than two guards watching over her if she was still this oblivious to someone entering the room and sitting directly across from her.

Just as I settled into the chair, her exhausted eyelids finally gave out completely.

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