Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder novel Chapter 1011

Chapter 62 : Caught in the Storm

*Sasha*

After leaving the village, we encountered dangerous terrain. It was back to rock climbing. I was a little shaky when it came to that, but Lucas double and triple-checked my harness and the ropes.

The guides that Cara lent us also took some safety measures for us.

We scaled up the first rock face.

“Slow and steady, Sasha. This isn’t a race,” Lucas said. He stayed right by my side and waited for me to get my next foothold before moving ahead.

“You don’t need to babysit me.”

Lucas smirked. “I’m not letting you out of my sight, Princess.”

My heart swelled. He hadn’t called me that in a while. It wasn’t like I didn’t appreciate him looking out for me.

When we got over the cliff top, we sat down for a rest and a snack. My strength still wasn’t fully recovered. That drug Cara gave me hadn’t helped.

“We can’t stop here,” one of Cara’s guides said.

“We’re stopping. Sasha needs a break.”

I smiled gratefully at Lucas as he stood up for me. My bones and muscles were still a little sore and the more we climbed and traveled, the worse it got. I needed frequent breaks, which slowed us down.

“We have to keep moving. If we don’t get to the checkpoint before nightfall….”

“I said we’re stopping here for a break!” Lucas snapped.

The guide side and bowed his head. He lumbered off to join his companions.

“Lucas, you might want to listen to them. They are here to protect us.”

Lucas shrugged. “I think it is more important for you to rest and recover your strength than whatever he has to say.”

I shook my head and finished my snack.

We got moving again, but the daylight was already fading. I noticed that the guides seemed unusually anxious as we headed to the checkpoint where we were supposed to make camp.

“Are you guys okay?” I asked.

One of them looked up at the sky.

I followed his gaze and noticed dark clouds moving in. I bit my lower lip.

“Is that a storm?”

“No, it can’t be, it’s too big.” Lucas shook his head.

The clouds got thicker and darker, swirling around each other until they were right above us.

“That’s definitely a storm!”

“Alright, let’s move. We need to get to the checkpoint and set up camp,” Lucas ordered. He pointed to his men. “Go ahead of us with one of the guides. Get the camp set up and make sure to put extra blankets and warmers in the tents. It’s going to get cold tonight.”

Everyone sprang into action.

“We need to hurry,” I mumbled. I tried to walk fast but my legs still weren’t up to it. In a few steps, I was gasping for air.

“Sasha, get on my back.” Lucas motioned to his back.

“That’s ridiculous.”

Thunder shook the mountains around us as lightning lit up the sky, blinding me.

“We don’t have time, Sasha. Let’s go.”

I climbed on Lucas’s back and he hooked his arms around my legs. I wrapped my arms around his neck. With the second guide, we hurried along the trail after the others.

Wind picked up around us, whipping my hair. The guide had trouble holding onto our bags.

Dirt and dust swirled around us like a micro tornado.

Lucas lifted his hands to shield his face as we moved through the swirling dirt.

The first raindrop struck me on the top of the head. I shuddered.

It wasn’t just rain. It was freezing rain.

“Here it comes,” I warned.

The sky opened up, and pelting bullets of frozen rain showered down on us, hammering us from every direction.

The sky got dark as night and thunder rumbled in the clouds. Bursts of lightning lit up the mountains around us in quick flashes.

I tightened my arms around Lucas’s neck.

In seconds, we were soaked to the bone. Our warm clothing turned to soggy, heavy weights clinging to us and slowing us down. I kept my eyes closed as much as possible, but when I did open them, I could barely see anything in front of me.

I couldn’t imagine how Lucas was able to see through it all.

He never stopped. One step at a time, he trudged through the storm. Over the hammering frozen drops, I heard squelching sounds.

The mountain ground was turning to mud. His hands slipped on my soggy clothing but he clung tighter to me.

I shivered, my lips quivered uncontrollably as the cold sank into my bones. Silently, I hoped we’d get there soon. How much further could it be?

“Hang on Sasha, we’re almost there.”

Lucas’s voice sounded so far away. I could barely tell if I was clinging to him anymore or if it was a tree or a rock.

My body felt like it was freezing in this position. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to bend my legs or arms any differently.

Finally, in the distance, I saw a soft glow. It looked like one of the camping lights we had for the tents.

It didn’t take long for more of the lights to come into view. Then I heard the sounds of frozen rain on tent flies and whipping fabric.

“We’re here.”

Lucas brought me to our tent and set me down. I rushed inside, stumbling and shivering.

Lucas came in after me. He immediately stripped out of his clothes.

“What are you doing?” I gasped, rubbing my arms to warm myself up.

“Body heat is the fastest way to warm up. Sasha, your lips are turning blue.”

He started pulling at my clothes. My numb fingers could barely gasp the zippers and buttons.

When we were completely naked, we slid under the extra blankets on the camping cot and snuggled close together.

I kept shivering, my teeth chattering, my skin covered in gooseflesh.

Lucas rubbed his hands up and down my arms, helping me warm up. My fingers ached with how pruned and wrinkly they were.

I was starting to warm up a little.

Outside, the winds howled and raged. Our tent whipped around and I worried it would fly right off the mountainside.

My eyelids drooped as fatigue took me over. I pressed my forehead to Lucas’s chest, happy to be in his arms, even under these circumstances.

I fell asleep quickly.

***

Sunlight reflecting through the tent woke me. Yawning, I sat up and stretched. The blankets fell away and I realized I was still naked.

Quickly, I grabbed the blankets and pulled them back up just as Lucas entered the tent.

“Ahh, you’re awake.”

“How did everyone else weather the storm?”

“They’re fine–a little damp, but no serious injuries and all the gear survived.”

I nodded. “That’s good. What do the mountains look like this morning?”

“Frozen puddles, some stiff mud. It should be easy enough to traverse. The guides have special boots for us that will help.”

I quickly got dressed and put on the new boots Lucas brought me. Even though my clothes and shoes were dry, I still felt a chill deep in my bones.

There was a tickle in the back of my throat, too. My head felt like it was swimming, but I shrugged it off. It was probably just from the adrenaline from the storm.

“Lucas, the next time the guides try to warn you about taking a break, listen!”

He chuckled. “Noted. I’ll pay more attention this time. According to the guides, we should be there by this afternoon. If you’re ready, we can have breakfast and pack up.”

Back on the trail, everyone was moving slowly today.

By the time we stopped for lunch, I was sniffling slightly.

“Sasha, are you okay? You sound like you’re coming down with something.”

“I’m fine. It’s just a lingering chill from the storm. I’ll be fine.” I brushed off his concerns.

When we packed up lunch, I felt myself shivering again like I had a fever. I ignored it for the time being. We were so close to the Old Temple and I didn’t want Lucas to worry about me more.

“We’ve only got a couple more miles,” Cara’s guide told us.

The rocky terrain was rough. There were sharp, jagged stones in our way and rubble from landslides. We had to scramble and climb over the rocks.

Those last few miles felt like an eternity….

It was barely four in the afternoon when we finally made it over the last pile of landslide rubble and the mountains opened into a valley.

“There it is!” Lucas cheered. “The Old Temple.”

In the center of the valley, the Old Temple, partially crumbled, was surrounded by sharp, pointed rocks and icicles, giving it an eerie look.

Relief swept through me. No, that wasn’t relief, it was nausea.

I doubled over and spilled the contents of my stomach all over the rocks.

“Sasha!” Lucas came to me immediately. “What is it, what’s wrong?”

“I don’t feel so well.” The chills ran through me more violently and I thought I might get sick again.

“Set up camp here. We’ll get to the temple when Sasha is feeling better,” Lucas ordered.

He got me back to bed and covered me with extra blankets.

Cara had given the guides an emergency medical kit, and Lucas found something to help a chill and fever.

He touched my forehead and frowned.

“You’re burning up. If you weren’t feeling well, you should have told me.”

I sighed and my teeth chattered again. “I didn’t want to slow us down more.”

Lucas gave me the medicine. It helped the shivers and made my fever go away, but I still felt sick to my stomach.

The guides brought me some soothing soup. Lucas spoon fed me a few mouthfuls before my stomach turned again.

“That smells… awful,” I groaned, pushing at the bowl.

“It’s just chicken noodle, nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Taste it. I think it’s gone bad.”

Lucas popped a spoonful in his mouth. “Sasha, it tastes fine. There’s nothing wrong with the soup.

“I can’t stomach it. I’m so dizzy and nauseous.”

After a restless night of tossing and turning, my fever and chills kept returning and Lucas had to keep giving me Cara’s medicine. Thankfully, I woke up feeling a little better.

Lucas sat next to the cot, his head down. He held my hand in his.

“Lucas, wake up.” I shook his hand slightly. “I’m feeling better.”

Lucas looked up and smiled. “You look a lot better. How about your fever and chills?”

“Gone.”

“Okay, we need to get some food and water into you. You’re probably pretty dehydrated.”

At the mention of food, my stomach soured. I flopped back on the bed and clutched my stomach.

“I don’t think I can eat.”

“Sasha, what's wrong? Your fever is gone. Why are you still nauseous?”

“I don’t know….”

I glanced at Lucas. He had a thoughtful look in his eyes as he stroked his chin.

“Do you think… you’re pregnant?”