Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder novel Chapter 1022

Chapter 73 : Reconnecting

*Sasha*

Lucas and the witch kept talking about an orb, but I wasn't listening anymore. I just kept staring at Lucas. It was like I was seeing him for the first time. He was so handsome and strong. The firm cut of his jaw and the serious, determined look in his eyes told me he would stop at nothing to keep me safe.

His strong arms still held me against his chest. His scent filled my nose, making my head a little foggy. From time to time, he shifted, and his muscles tensed. I could feel how strong he was, and I couldn't remember feeling this safe and secure with anyone before.

Lucas's entire form seemed to emanate light like he was some kind of god. He was absolutely stunning.

“We'll work on it. First, I want to get Sasha caught up on everything and let her rest. It's been a long couple of days."

I came out of my thoughts at the sound of my name.

Lucas looked at me and grinned. “Does that sound good?"

My heart swooned and I felt the heat rise to my cheeks. I must have been beet red.

“Y-yeah." My voice croaked, and I wished the ground would open up and swallow me.

How sexy was that? I sounded like a frog....

“You know where to find me. I'll be waiting," Morianne said.

Lucas nodded and guided me out of the temple. I could tell he had a lot on his mind, so I went back to appreciating how stunning and attractive he was.

I remembered him from grade school. Back then, I wasn't thinking about how cute boys were. The memory of when he broke my bracelet was strongest, but I had other vague memories of him taunting me and picking on me.

I wasn't the only one he teased, either. He was a bully.

I didn't see any trace of that immature little brat in him anymore. He had grown up, and he was a strong, powerful shifter that I knew I could trust and lean on.

“Are you hungry? You mentioned that you hadn't eaten much over the past couple of days."

“I… um… yeah...."

Dammit, I needed to get with the program–why was I a blabbering i***t around him?

Lucas didn't seem to mind. He just nodded, and we headed back into town.

Lucas took me to the first restaurant we came across.

He was so amazing, the way he took control and made things happen. We sat across from each other, and I spent more time staring at him than looking at my menu.

“How are you feeling after taking that potion?" He glanced at me and put his own menu down.

“I'm okay. It's a little weird with all this new stuff going on, but I'm okay. It doesn't seem that hard to get used to." I bit my lower lip.

Lucas smirked and picked up his menu again. “Get something big to eat. You look hungry."

I arched an eyebrow. “You can tell when I look hungry?"

“Let's just say I've learned to tell a lot of things about you." He winked at me.

A pleasant shudder ran through me and I quickly picked up my menu and started looking at the food options.

I ordered a Ceasar salad and Lucas ordered a steak.

“What's my life like, in your reality?" I asked. I couldn't help but wonder who the other 'me' was.

The way Lucas talked about her, he was clearly in love with her, and I realized I was a little jealous of my own alternate self. How weird was that?

“The Sasha I know, she was studying to be an architect. I was heading some important projects, and her work-study program through her university paired us together. She really wasn't happy about it at first, but I feel like it was the Moon Goddess bringing us together."

I smiled and looked down at my plate. “I never got an opportunity like that here."

“So, I take it that your life is very different."

I nodded. “I was about to marry Donovan, remember? You made it sound like the version of me that you know would never do that."

“Well, fortunately, she had me to intervene long before it ever got that far. Who's looking out for you here?"

I chewed the inside of my cheek and pushed some lettuce around with my fork. In all my life, I'd only had one person looking out for me.

“My mom has always been there for me. She's been the one person I can always count on."

Lucas's brow creased, and something passed through his eyes. I didn't quite know what it was, but I thought he might have pitied me.

“Tell me more about her. You have such a deep reverence for her, and I want to know about her strengths. I feel like I've been living in a shell of myself and maybe knowing more about her would help me understand who I'm supposed to be."

“Sasha, there isn't anything wrong with you the way you are. Sure, you have some self-discovery to do, but that doesn't mean you should try to be someone you're not."

I sighed and nodded. “You're right. I'd still like to know what I could be capable of."

“Very well. After we found the orb, the Sasha I know was determined to figure out what the orb meant and what message it was trying to send her. We ended up traveling to the Light Realm and following up on some crazy leads."

“I've never had an adventure like that." My heart sank a little.

My other self had so much freedom and determination. How had I let myself get locked down with a guy like Donovan?

“She sounds very determined."

Lucas chuckled and nodded. “Determined, motivated, resourceful, and she never backs down or gives up."

I heard the adoration in Lucas's voice. The way he spoke about his Sasha, he cared for her and was completely devoted.

My stomach sank and my previous appetite disappeared rapidly. The Lucas sitting with me and talking to me–he didn't belong to me. The more I listened to what he had to say about the other me, the more I got the sense that he wouldn't rest until he got back to her.

I wondered what my Lucas was like. Rather, the Lucas that belonged in this world, the one that was really my mate.

Would I get to meet him once this Lucas got back to his own reality? I really hoped so. I hoped he was half as chivalrous and devoted as this Lucas.

“Are you done eating? We can get out of here if you'd like."

“Yeah, I'm finished." I set my fork down.

I followed Lucas out of the restaurant. He was such a gentleman that he paid for my lunch and everything. We headed down the sidewalk, but I wasn't sure where we were going. He hadn't told me.

“I should have known we'd find you together."

I froze.

Donovan's voice was the last I wanted to hear....

“Donovan, our business with you is done," Lucas growled. He immediately pulled me behind him protectively.

“Heh. You're outnumbered again, Lucas." Donovan snapped his fingers.

Shifters closed in around us, coming off of side streets and out of nearby buildings.

I grabbed Lucas's arm as familiar faces swarmed around me.

“Don't think I'll make it easy for you," Lucas snarled.

“Lucas, don't. You don't want to mess with these guys." I tightened my hand around his muscular arm.

He tensed and glanced over his shoulder at me.

“I'm not going to let them touch you."

“I know some of these guys. You really don't want to mess with them. They won't hurt us… I don't think so. We should do what they want."

“You want me to give up?" asked Lucas.

“I think that is a very wise idea. Unless you want to get Sasha covered in your blood." Donovan waggled his eyebrows.

“Please, Lucas," I pleaded.

“Fine." He growled, standing down. “How do you know these men?"

“They are part of my father's pack. He wouldn't give them orders to hurt me."

“You're sure?" Donovan asked, crossing his arms.

“Are you?" Lucas added.

“I'm sure." I nodded.

As far as my father was concerned, I was still more valuable to him alive.

“You know your father?" Lucas asked.

“He's waiting for you." Donovan said. Several cars pulled around and came to a stop.

Donovan opened the back doors and my father's shifters moved in closer, ushering us closer to the car.

I clung to Lucas as we climbed into the big car. Donovan and the other shifters traveled in other cars. I was grateful to have some time alone with Lucas.

“Where are we going?" Lucas asked the driver.

In response, the driver closed the divider between the front and the back seats.

“How polite." He growled under his breath and settled into the back seat.

“I'm guessing they are taking me to my father's pack," I explained.

Lucas arched an eyebrow at me. “Have you spent much time with your father?"

I frowned, confused by his question. “I take it that the Sasha in your reality doesn't have a relationship with her father?"

“No. She's never met him. In fact, he died. Her mother kept her far away from his pack and protected her from them ever finding her."

“How is that possible? After you broke my bracelet, he came for me. He found us and...."

I trailed off with a heavy sigh.

“In my timeline, something similar happened," he said. “Only Sasha's mother knew someone who could help protect her."

“Oh. That would have been nice." My stomach shifted uneasily, and I looked out the window at the blurry landscape. Maybe my life would have been different if my mother knew someone who could help.

“I don't know. Sasha described it as the most traumatic day of her life when it happened. I think it hurt her for a lot of years."

Lucas shifted beside me. From the sounds of it, both of us Sashas had complicated lives.

“Well, in this reality, my father sent his pack members after me. Once they are ordered to do something, they don't stop."

“That's why you recognize some of those shifters that came after us?"

“Yeah." I nodded absently. “I don't know how Donovan got involved with them, but I don't want you to get involved. They would kill you without a thought."

Lucas scoffed. “I appreciate you getting me to back off."

“Look, when they came for us, we were powerless. Neither my mom nor I put up much of a fight. It was easy for them to take us. They brought us to my father in the Dark Realm and kept us hidden there."

I noticed the deep crease in Lucas's brow. “That's awful."

“I guess it is time to go back." I sighed and leaned my head against the window.